Every February,across the country,candy,flowers,and gifts are exchanged between loved ones,all in the name of St.Valentine.But who is thismysterious saint and why do we celebrate thisholiday?
Panton valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a pore forming exotoxin that is expressed by some Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains and is thought to add to its virulence. The prevalence of PVL in carriage and disease ca...Panton valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a pore forming exotoxin that is expressed by some Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains and is thought to add to its virulence. The prevalence of PVL in carriage and disease causing strains varies considerably from region to region. This study compared the prevalence of the PVL gene in S. aureus isolates obtained from healthcare workers and from patients seen at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi (AKUHN). S. aureus isolates obtained from healthcare workers and patients attended to at AKUHN between July 2010 and March 2011 were used for this study. Forty five S. aureus isolates from healthcare workers and 63 from clinical specimens obtained from 59 patients were analysed for the PVL gene. The prevalence of PVL in isolates from healthcare workers was 24.4% compared to 39.7% in the isolates causing infection (P = 0.098). PVL prevalence was 58.8% in S. aureus isolates obtained from skin and soft tissue infections (SSIs) compared to 25.0% in carriage isolates (P = 0.002, OR 4.29). Prevalence in isolates from invasive infections was 11.1%. Patients with PVL positive S. aureus were younger than those with PVL negative isolates (P = 0.082). The high prevalence of PVL is comparable with that reported in other African countries. The significance of the high prevalence of PVL in S.aureus isolates carried by health care workers at AKUHN is unclear at the moment. PVL prevalence is significantly higher in S. aureus isolates causing SSIs compared to carriage and invasive isolates.展开更多
We previously observed the elicitation of a significant delayed-type hypersensitivity response to the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) LukS-PV subunit following subcutaneous immunization (Brown et al., Clinical Micro...We previously observed the elicitation of a significant delayed-type hypersensitivity response to the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) LukS-PV subunit following subcutaneous immunization (Brown et al., Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 2009, 156: 156-164). A LukS-PV-specific cell line (LST) was screened for proliferative responses against a panel of 25 amino acid-long peptides spanning the length of LukS-PV (amino acids 29-312). This analysis demonstrated that stimulation of LST with LukS-PV resulted in significant proliferative responses and adoptive transfer of LST into na?ve mice conferred a LukS-PV-specific DTH response following challenge. Challenge of mice adoptively transferred with LST with peptides 7 (149-173), 8 (169-193) and 14 (289-312) also elicited a measurable DTH response suggesting that these peptides contained T cell epitopes.展开更多
Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is one of the toxins responsible for increased virulence of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. In school settings where children are in close contact with each other, <em&...Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is one of the toxins responsible for increased virulence of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. In school settings where children are in close contact with each other, <em>S. aureus</em> strains, including those that may produce PVL, can be transmitted and spread in the community. Twenty-two multi-drug resistant MRSA nasal isolates from children enrolled in five schools in the town of Mariental and the multi-drug resistant American Type Culture Collection MRSA reference strain <em>S. aureus</em> ATCC 33591 (PVL-negative control) were used for molecular assays. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of isolates was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and amplified PCR products were electrophoresed on a 2.5% (w/v) agarose gel containing 12 μl 0.5 μg/ml ethidium bromide and 1× TAE (Tris-acetate-EDTA) buffer at 90 volts for 50 minutes. The developed gel was viewed for the PVL-associated <em>lukS</em> and <em>lukF</em> genes that amplified at 151 bp and 406 bp, respectively. Our results indicated that seven nasal isolates had PVL toxin gene(s). From the seven isolates, three were tested positive for both <em>lukS</em> and<em> lukF</em>genes, one tested positive for only<em> lukS</em>, and three tested positive for only <em>lukF</em>. Two of the isolates harbouring both<em> lukS</em> and <em>lukF</em> genes shared the same antibiotic resistance pattern and one of them could also produce enterotoxin A. One of the isolates with only <em>lukF </em>gene could produce enterotoxins B and C. These toxin-producing isolates can be expected to be more virulent than non-producers. Children should be educated on the importance of regular handwashing with soap and water to prevent the spread of potentially virulent staphylococci amongst them and the wider community. This work warrants a larger study to be carried out to investigate PVL toxin and its associated infections in <em>Staphylococcus</em> from school children in Namibia.展开更多
The traditional holidays in my family when I was a child were spent timing elaborate(精心制作的) meals around football games. My father tried to make pleasant chitchat(闲聊) and eat as much as he could during halftime...The traditional holidays in my family when I was a child were spent timing elaborate(精心制作的) meals around football games. My father tried to make pleasant chitchat(闲聊) and eat as much as he could during halftime. At Christmas he found time to have a cup or two of holiday cheer展开更多
The Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine＇s Day, has been celebrated as a symbo of eternal love in Chinese culture for thousands of years. Every year, many young Chinese couples decide to tie the knot on thi...The Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine＇s Day, has been celebrated as a symbo of eternal love in Chinese culture for thousands of years. Every year, many young Chinese couples decide to tie the knot on this day of romance, flooding local marriage registration.展开更多
It’s raining, again. As I lie awake in bed, lis-tening to the sound of those razor-sharp dropspounding on the pavement, my mind goes reelingdown dark corridors teeming with agonizing flash-backs, and a chill from wit...It’s raining, again. As I lie awake in bed, lis-tening to the sound of those razor-sharp dropspounding on the pavement, my mind goes reelingdown dark corridors teeming with agonizing flash-backs, and a chill from within fills me with dread.It’s raining, again.It does this every year in Southern California;at least that’s what they told me last year whenI marveled at the relentless determination of therain. There seem to be two seasons here. Duringthe rainy season, sometimes the storms drench thearea nonstop for days. Sometimes the storms展开更多
On this year’s Chinese Valentine’s Day which fell on August 20,we offered a romantic dining experience at our award-winning restaurants Aroma and Barolo from The Ritz-Carlton,Beijing.Endless Love at Aroma The amorou...On this year’s Chinese Valentine’s Day which fell on August 20,we offered a romantic dining experience at our award-winning restaurants Aroma and Barolo from The Ritz-Carlton,Beijing.Endless Love at Aroma The amorous ambiance and the succulent seafood buffet at Aroma,complemented by a screening of the movie Romeo and Juliet in Gazebo,al owed guests a memorable night of endless love.展开更多
As China opens to the world, Chinese people are embracing the Western world's holidays. Christmas, Valentine's Day and Halloween are all growing in popularity, as the commercial aspects of these celebrations f...As China opens to the world, Chinese people are embracing the Western world's holidays. Christmas, Valentine's Day and Halloween are all growing in popularity, as the commercial aspects of these celebrations find an audience. Young people say they feel increasingly detached from traditions associated with age-old Chinese festivals, such as Spring Festival, which starts January 29 this year and marks the lunar New Year. But Spring Festival isn't going anywhere yet, and this week the country heads home en mas...展开更多
文摘Every February,across the country,candy,flowers,and gifts are exchanged between loved ones,all in the name of St.Valentine.But who is thismysterious saint and why do we celebrate thisholiday?
文摘Panton valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a pore forming exotoxin that is expressed by some Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strains and is thought to add to its virulence. The prevalence of PVL in carriage and disease causing strains varies considerably from region to region. This study compared the prevalence of the PVL gene in S. aureus isolates obtained from healthcare workers and from patients seen at the Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi (AKUHN). S. aureus isolates obtained from healthcare workers and patients attended to at AKUHN between July 2010 and March 2011 were used for this study. Forty five S. aureus isolates from healthcare workers and 63 from clinical specimens obtained from 59 patients were analysed for the PVL gene. The prevalence of PVL in isolates from healthcare workers was 24.4% compared to 39.7% in the isolates causing infection (P = 0.098). PVL prevalence was 58.8% in S. aureus isolates obtained from skin and soft tissue infections (SSIs) compared to 25.0% in carriage isolates (P = 0.002, OR 4.29). Prevalence in isolates from invasive infections was 11.1%. Patients with PVL positive S. aureus were younger than those with PVL negative isolates (P = 0.082). The high prevalence of PVL is comparable with that reported in other African countries. The significance of the high prevalence of PVL in S.aureus isolates carried by health care workers at AKUHN is unclear at the moment. PVL prevalence is significantly higher in S. aureus isolates causing SSIs compared to carriage and invasive isolates.
文摘We previously observed the elicitation of a significant delayed-type hypersensitivity response to the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) LukS-PV subunit following subcutaneous immunization (Brown et al., Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 2009, 156: 156-164). A LukS-PV-specific cell line (LST) was screened for proliferative responses against a panel of 25 amino acid-long peptides spanning the length of LukS-PV (amino acids 29-312). This analysis demonstrated that stimulation of LST with LukS-PV resulted in significant proliferative responses and adoptive transfer of LST into na?ve mice conferred a LukS-PV-specific DTH response following challenge. Challenge of mice adoptively transferred with LST with peptides 7 (149-173), 8 (169-193) and 14 (289-312) also elicited a measurable DTH response suggesting that these peptides contained T cell epitopes.
文摘Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is one of the toxins responsible for increased virulence of <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>. In school settings where children are in close contact with each other, <em>S. aureus</em> strains, including those that may produce PVL, can be transmitted and spread in the community. Twenty-two multi-drug resistant MRSA nasal isolates from children enrolled in five schools in the town of Mariental and the multi-drug resistant American Type Culture Collection MRSA reference strain <em>S. aureus</em> ATCC 33591 (PVL-negative control) were used for molecular assays. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of isolates was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and amplified PCR products were electrophoresed on a 2.5% (w/v) agarose gel containing 12 μl 0.5 μg/ml ethidium bromide and 1× TAE (Tris-acetate-EDTA) buffer at 90 volts for 50 minutes. The developed gel was viewed for the PVL-associated <em>lukS</em> and <em>lukF</em> genes that amplified at 151 bp and 406 bp, respectively. Our results indicated that seven nasal isolates had PVL toxin gene(s). From the seven isolates, three were tested positive for both <em>lukS</em> and<em> lukF</em>genes, one tested positive for only<em> lukS</em>, and three tested positive for only <em>lukF</em>. Two of the isolates harbouring both<em> lukS</em> and <em>lukF</em> genes shared the same antibiotic resistance pattern and one of them could also produce enterotoxin A. One of the isolates with only <em>lukF </em>gene could produce enterotoxins B and C. These toxin-producing isolates can be expected to be more virulent than non-producers. Children should be educated on the importance of regular handwashing with soap and water to prevent the spread of potentially virulent staphylococci amongst them and the wider community. This work warrants a larger study to be carried out to investigate PVL toxin and its associated infections in <em>Staphylococcus</em> from school children in Namibia.
文摘The traditional holidays in my family when I was a child were spent timing elaborate(精心制作的) meals around football games. My father tried to make pleasant chitchat(闲聊) and eat as much as he could during halftime. At Christmas he found time to have a cup or two of holiday cheer
文摘The Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine＇s Day, has been celebrated as a symbo of eternal love in Chinese culture for thousands of years. Every year, many young Chinese couples decide to tie the knot on this day of romance, flooding local marriage registration.
文摘It’s raining, again. As I lie awake in bed, lis-tening to the sound of those razor-sharp dropspounding on the pavement, my mind goes reelingdown dark corridors teeming with agonizing flash-backs, and a chill from within fills me with dread.It’s raining, again.It does this every year in Southern California;at least that’s what they told me last year whenI marveled at the relentless determination of therain. There seem to be two seasons here. Duringthe rainy season, sometimes the storms drench thearea nonstop for days. Sometimes the storms
文摘On this year’s Chinese Valentine’s Day which fell on August 20,we offered a romantic dining experience at our award-winning restaurants Aroma and Barolo from The Ritz-Carlton,Beijing.Endless Love at Aroma The amorous ambiance and the succulent seafood buffet at Aroma,complemented by a screening of the movie Romeo and Juliet in Gazebo,al owed guests a memorable night of endless love.
文摘As China opens to the world, Chinese people are embracing the Western world's holidays. Christmas, Valentine's Day and Halloween are all growing in popularity, as the commercial aspects of these celebrations find an audience. Young people say they feel increasingly detached from traditions associated with age-old Chinese festivals, such as Spring Festival, which starts January 29 this year and marks the lunar New Year. But Spring Festival isn't going anywhere yet, and this week the country heads home en mas...
