Júlia Cunha

© 2014 Berleman, Allen, Danielewicz, Remis, Gorur, Cunha, Hadi, Zusman, Northen, Witkowska and Auer.Myxococcus xanthus is a bacterial micro-predator known for hunting other microbes in a wolf pack-like manner. Outer membrane vesicles are produced in large quantities by M. xanthus and have a highly organized structure in the extracellular milieu, sometimes occurring in chains that link neighboring cells within a biofilm. OMVs may be a vehicle for mediating wolf pack activity by delivering hydrolytic enzymes and antibiotics aimed at killing prey microbes. Here, both the protein and small molecule cargo of the OMV and membrane fractions of M. xanthus were characterized and compared. Our analysis indicates a number of proteins that are OMV-specific or OMV-enriched, including several with putative hydrolytic function. Secondary metabolite profiling of OMVs identifies 16 molecules, many associated with antibiotic activities. Several hydrolytic enzyme homologs were identified, including the protein encoded by MXAN_3564, an M36 protease homolog. Genetic disruption of mepA leads to a significant reduction in extracellular protease activity suggesting MepA is part of the long-predicted extracellular protease suite of M. xanthus.

Background and purpose To establish a method to evaluate dosimetry at the time of primary prostate permanent implant using MRI of the shrunken prostate at the time of failure. To compare cold spot mapping with sextant-biopsy mapping at tf. Material and methods Twenty-four patients were referred for biopsy-proven local failure after pPPI. Multiparametric MRI and combined-sextant biopsy with a central review of the pathology at tf were systematically performed. A model of the shrinking pattern was defined as a Volumetric Change Factor as a function of time from time of pPPI. An isotropic expansion to both prostate volume and seed position coordinates determined at t f was performed using a validated algorithm using the VCF. Results pPPI CT-based evaluation vs. MR-based evaluation: Mean D90% was 145.23 ± 19.16 Gy [100.0-167.5] vs. 85.28 ± 27.36 Gy [39-139], respectively. Mean V100% was 91.6 ± 7.9% [70-100%] vs. 73.1 ± 13.8% [55-98%], respectively. Seventy-seven per cent of the pathologically positive sextants were classified as cold. Conclusions Patients with biopsy-proven LF had poorer implantation quality when evaluated by MRI several years after implantation. There is a strong relationship between microscopic involvement at tf and cold spots. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.