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Analiza nivoa poslovne standardizacije u svetu i kod nas
Get PDFThe development and implementation of standardized management system (SMS) has allowed that today we are talking about business standardization, as the new model of good business practices applied worldwide. ISO 9000 was the forerunner, and today is the basis of business standardization. This can be said for ISO 9001: 2015, which was edited on September 15, and he will bring new models for other SMS. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the certification process in the world, Europe, the West Balkans and Serbia on various aspects, for seven standardized management systems for 2012/2013. year, and the first example of the application the new QMS model in Serbia.Razvoj i primena standardizovanih menadžment sistema (SMS) je omogućila da danas govorimo o poslovnoj standardizaciji, kao novom modelu dobre poslovne prakse, primenjene širom sveta. Serija ISO 9000 je bila preteča, a danas je osnova poslovne standardizacije. To se može reći i za ISO 9001:2015, koji je izašao 15. septembra, a on će doneti nove modele i za ostale SMS. Ovaj rad daje detaljnu analizu stanja sertfikacije u svetu, Evropi, Zapadnom Balkanu i Srbiji, po različitim osnovama, za sedam standardizovanih menadžment sistema za 2012/2013. godinu, kao i prvi primer primene novog QMS-a u Srbiji
Age-related changes in spleen of Dark Agouti rats immunized for experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
No full textThe study was undertaken considering age-related changes in susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and a putative role of spleen in pathogenesis of this disease. The phenotypic and functional characteristics of T splenocytes were examined in young (3-month-old), middle-aged (8-month-old) and aged (26-month-old) Dark Agouti rats immunized for EAE with rat spinal cord in complete Freund's adjuvant The rat susceptibility to EAE induction, as well as the number of activated CD4+CD134+ lymphocytes retrieved from their spinal cords progressively decreased with aging. To the contrary, in rats immunized for EAE the number of activated CD4+ splenocytes, i.e., CD4+CD134+, CD4+CD25+FoxP3 and CD4+CD40L+ cells, progressively increased with aging. This was associated with age-related increase in (i) CD4+ splenocyte surface expression of CD44, the molecule suggested to be involved in limiting emigration of encephalitogenic CD4+ cells from spleen into blood and (ii) frequency of regulatory T cells, including CD4+CD25+FoxP3 + cells, which are also shown to control encephalitogenic cell migration from spleen into the central nervous system. In favor of expansion of T-regulatory cell pool in aged rats was the greater concentration of IL-10 in unstimulated, Concanavalin A (ConA)- and myelin basic protein (MBP)-stimulated splenocyte cultures from aged rats compared with the corresponding cultures from young ones. Consistent with the age-related increase in the expression of CD44, which is shown to favor Th1 effector cell survival by interfering with CD95-mediated signaling, the frequency of apoptotic cells among CD4+ splenocytes, despite the greater frequency of CD95+ cells, was diminished in splenocyte cultures from aged compared with young rats. In addition, in control, as well as in ConA-and MBP-stimulated splenocyte cultures from aged rats, despite of impaired CD4+ cell proliferation, IFN-gamma concentrations were greater than in corresponding cultures from young rats. This most likely reflected increased abundance of IFN-gamma-producing cells in splenocyte cultures from aged compared with young rats. The diminished CD4+ cell proliferation in response to ConA and MBP in splenocyte cultures from aged compared with young rats could be, at least partly, associated with an enhanced splenic expression of iNOS mRNA in aged rats. Thus, the study suggests that age-associated changes leading to entrapping of activated CD4+ cells in the spleen could contribute to the restriction in development of EAE in aged rats. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Diversity and antibiotic susceptibility of autochthonous dairy enterococci isolates: are they safe candidates for autochthonous starter cultures?
Get PDFEnterococci represent the most controversial group of dairy bacteria. They are found to be the main constituent of many traditional Mediterranean dairy products and contribute to their characteristic taste and flavor. On the other hand, during the last 50 years antibiotic resistant enterococci have emerged as leading causes of nosocomial infections worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the diversity, technological properties, antibiotic susceptibility and virulence traits of 636 enterococci previously isolated from 55 artisan dairy products from 12 locations in the Western Balkan countries (WBC) of Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. All strains were identified both by microbiological and molecular methods. The predominant species was Enterococcus durans, followed by Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Over 44% of the isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, while 26.2% of the isolates were multi resistant to three or more antibiotics belonging to different families. 185 isolates (29.1%) were susceptible to all 13 of the antibiotics tested. The antibiotic-susceptible isolates were further tested for possible virulence genes and the production of biogenic amines. Finally, five enterococci isolates were found to be antibiotic susceptible with good technological characteristics and without virulence traits or the ability to produce biogenic amines, making them possible candidates for biotechnological application as starter cultures in the dairy industry
Expression of bacteriocin LsbB is dependent on a transcription terminator
Get PDFThe production of LsbB, leaderless class II bacteriocin, is encoded by genes (lsbB and lmrB) located on plasmid pMN5 in Lactococcus lactis BGMN1-5. Heterologous expression of the lsbB gene using the pAZIL vector (pAZIL-lsbB) in L. lactis subsp. cremoris MG7284 resulted in a significant reduction (more than 30 times) of bacteriocin LsbB expression. Subcloning and deletion experiments with plasmid pMN5 revealed that full expression of LsbB requires the presence of a complete transcription terminator located downstream of the lsbB gene. RNA stability analysis revealed that the presence of a transcription terminator increased the RNA stability by three times and the expression of LsbB by 30 times. The study of the influence of transcription terminator on the expression of other bacteriocin genes (lcnB, for lactococcin B production) indicated that this translational terminator likely functions in a lsbB-specific manner rather than in a general manner
Delivery of a Chlamydial Adhesin N-PmpC Subunit Vaccine to the Ocular Mucosa Using Particulate Carriers
Get PDFTrachoma, caused by the intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), remains the world's leading preventable infectious cause of blindness. Recent attempts to develop effective vaccines rely on modified chlamydial antigen delivery platforms. As the mechanisms engaged in the pathology of the disease are not fully understood, designing a subunit vaccine specific to chlamydial antigens could improve safety for human use. We propose the delivery of chlamydia-specific antigens to the ocular mucosa using particulate carriers, bacterial ghosts (BGs). We therefore characterized humoral and cellular immune responses after conjunctival and subcutaneous immunization with a N-terminal portion (amino acid 1-893) of the chlamydial polymorphic membrane protein C (PmpC) of Ct serovar B, expressed in probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 bacterial ghosts (EcN BGs) in BALB/cmice. Three immunizations were performed at two-week intervals, and the immune responses were evaluated two weeks after the final immunization in mice. In a guinea pig model of ocular infection animals were immunized in the same manner as the mice, and protection against challenge was assessed two weeks after the last immunization. N-PmpC was successfully expressed within BGs and delivery to the ocularmucosa was well tolerated without signs of inflammation. N-PmpC- specific mucosal IgA levels in tears yielded significantly increased levels in the group immunized via the conjunctiva compared with the subcutaneously immunized mice. Immunization with N-PmpC EcN BGs via both immunization routes prompted the establishment of an N-PmpC-specific IFN gamma immune response. Immunization via the conjunctiva resulted in a decrease in intensity of the transitional inflammatory reaction in conjunctiva of challenged guinea pigs compared with subcutaneously and non-immunized animals. The delivery of the chlamydial subunit vaccine to the ocular mucosa using a particulate carrier, such as BGs, induced both humoral and cellular immune responses. Further investigations are needed to improve the immunization scheme and dosage
Clinical application of autologous fibroblast cell culture in gingival recession treatment
No full textBackground and ObjectiveGingival recession is defined as soft and hard tissue displacement resulting in root surface exposure. The optimal outcome of gingival recession treatment is complete, predictable and long-lasting root coverage with a significant level of tissue regeneration. Tissue engineering, which applies active regeneration principles, presents the contemporary treatment approach in the restitution and regeneration of lost tissues. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and compare the clinical results of application of an autologous fibroblast cell culture (AFCC) on a collagen matrix and a connective tissue graft (CTG) placed under a coronally advanced flap (CAF), in the treatment of single and multiple gingival recessions. Material and MethodsEighteen patients from the Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University of Belgrade, were randomly enrolled in this study. Inclusion criteria were the bilateral presence of Miller Class I or II single or multiple maxillary gingival recessions. A split-mouth design was used in the study. The experimental group was treated with AFCC on a collagen scaffold, which was placed under a CAF. The control group received a combination of CTG and CAF. Clinical parameters such as gingival recession coverage, keratinized tissue width, clinical attachment level and gingival index were recorded at baseline and at 12mo postoperatively. The oral hygiene level was assessed by plaque index evaluation. Postoperative healing was evaluated through the healing index, recorded 1, 2 and 3wk postoperatively. The final esthetic outcome was assessed using the mean root coverage esthetic score (RES). ResultsStatistically significant improvement of all parameters assessed was found compared with baseline. A statistically significant difference between groups was observed only in keratinized tissue width. Greater keratinized tissue width is still obtained with the use of CTG. Regarding the tissue-healing results, no statistically significant difference was achieved. The RES results were similar for both groups. ConclusionsWithin the limitations of the present study, both procedures proved to be efficient in gingival recession treatment. AFCC, as a novel tissue-engineering concept and living cell-based therapy, proved to be a reliable and successful treatment concept
Infection-induced autoantibodies and pregnancy related pathology: an animal model
No full textIn addition to being the main cause of mortality worldwide, bacterial and viral infections can be the cause of autoimmune and pregnancy disorders as well. The production of autoantibodies during infection can be explained by various mechanisms, including molecular mimicry, bystander cell activation and epitope spreading. Conversely, bacterial and viral infections during pregnancy are especially dangerous for the fetus. It is documented that infection-induced inflammatory processes mediated by Toll-like receptors (TLR) represent the main cause of preterm labour. We used two crucial bacterial components and TLR ligands, namely peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharide, to stimulate BALB/c mice before immunisation with tetanus toxoid. Tetanus toxoid is an inactive form of the toxin produced by bacterium Clostridium tetani and shares structural similarity with plasma protein beta(2)-glycoprotein I. Treatment with peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharide in combination with tetanus toxoid induced the production of pathological autoantibodies, different fluctuations in natural autoantibodies and different types of reproductive pathology in treated animals, with peptidoglycan treatment being more deleterious. We propose that the production of pathological autoantibodies, TLR activation and changes in natural autoantibodies play crucial roles in infection-induced reproductive pathology in our animal model
Strain-specific differences in age-related changes in rat susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and dendritic cell cytokine gene expression
Get PDFExperimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of multiple sclerosis, a prototype of Th1/Th17-mediated organ-specific autoimmune disease. In the rat, susceptibility to development of these diseases is shown to be strain-and age-dependent. In adult rats of distinct strains, it correlates with splenic dendritic cell (DC) subset composition, which also exhibit age-related changes. The aim of this study was to examine influence of aging on: i) Albino Oxford (relatively resistant to EAE) and Dark Agouti (susceptible to EAE) rat development of EAE and ii) their splenic conventional (OX62+) DC population in respect to its subset composition and expression of mRNAs for proinflammatory and immunosuppressive cytokines. We used 3-month-old (young) and 26-month-old (aged) rats of AO and DA strain. The rats were immunized for EAE with rat spinal cord homogenate in complete Freund's adjuvant and clinical course of the disease was followed. Fresh OX62+DCs were examined for the expression of CD4 (using flow cytometry) and genes encoding cytokines influencing DC activation/maturation (TNF-alpha and IL-6) using RT-PCR. Additionally, in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated/matured DCs were examined for the expression of genes encoding cytokines controlling Th1/Th17 cell polarization using RT-PCR. With aging, AO rats became more susceptible, whereas DA rats largely lose their susceptibility to the induction of EAE. In AO rats aging shifted CD4+: CD4-DC ratio towards CD4- cells, producing large amount of proinflammatory cytokines, whereas in DA rats CD4+: CD4-DC ratio remained stable with aging. In fresh DCs from rats of both the strains the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA increased with aging, whereas that of IL-6 mRNA decreased and increased in DCs from AO and DA rats, respectively. Following in vitro LPS stimulation OX62+ DCs from aged AO rats up-regulated the expression of mRNA for IL-23p19 (specific subunit of IL-23; crucial for sustained IL-17 production) and IL-1 beta (positive IL-17 regulator), whereas down-regulated the expression of IL-10 (negative IL-17 regulator) when compared with young strain-matched rats. In DA rats aging incresed IL-23p19 mRNA expression in LPS-stimulated DCs, whereas exerted the opposing effects on the expression of mRNAs for IL-10 and IL-1 beta compared to AO rats. Irrespective of the rat strain, aging did not influence mRNA expression for IL-12p35 (driving Th1 polarization) in DCs. Overall, results suggest role of changes in the expression of genes encoding proinflammatory and immunosuppressive cytokines in development of age-related alterations in rat susceptibility to EAE induction
Laboratory capability and surveillance testing for middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in the who European region, June 2013
No full textSince September 2012, over 90 cases of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus, now named Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), have been reported in the Middle East and Europe. To ascertain the capabilities and testing experience of national reference laboratories across the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region to detect this virus, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe conducted a joint survey in November 2012 and a follow-up survey in June 2013. In 2013, 29 of 52 responding WHO European Region countries and 24 of 31 countries of the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) had laboratory capabilities to detect and confirm MERS-CoV cases, compared with 22 of 46 and 18 of 30 countries, respectively, in 2012. By June 2013, more than 2,300 patients had been tested in 23 countries in the WHO European Region with nine laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV cases. These data indicate that the Region has developed significant capability to detect this emerging virus in accordance with WHO and ECDC guidance. However, not all countries had developed capabilities, and the needs to do so should be addressed. This includes enhancing collaborations between countries to ensure diagnostic capabilities for surveillance of MERS-CoV infections across the European Region
Characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from artisanal Travnik young cheeses, sweet creams and sweet kajmaks over four seasons
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the composition of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in autochthonous young cheeses, sweet creams and sweet kajmaks produced in the Vlasic mountain region of central Bosnia and Herzegovina near the town of Travnik over a four season period. These three products were made from cow's milk by a traditional method without the addition of a starter culture. Preliminary characterization with phenotype-based assays and identification using rep-PCR with a (GTG)(5) primer and 16S rDNA sequence analysis were undertaken for 460 LAB isolates obtained from all the examined samples. Fifteen species were identified as follows: Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus raffinolactis, Lactococcus garviae, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus helveticus, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus italicus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Leuconostoc lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus and Streptococcus mitis. A wide genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity of the species was observed, particularly within the Lc. lactis strains. In all of the tested dairy products across four seasons, a significantly positive correlation (r = 0.690) between the presence of lactococci and enterococci and a negative correlation (r = 0.722) between the presence of lactococci and leuconostocs were recorded. Forty-five percent of the lactobacilli and 54.4% of the lactococci exhibited proteolytic activity, whereas 18.7% of the total LAB isolates exhibited antimicrobial activity