Conference Schedule

Day1: April 29, 2019

Keynote Forum

Biography

Edward B Walker is a Presidential Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Weber State University. He has obtained his Doctorate in Chemistry at Texas Tech University and continued his education as a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Stanford University College of Medicine in Biochemical Pharmacology. He was selected as the Founding Director for the Utah Center of Excellence for Chemical Technology in 1990. He has numerous patents and peer-reviewed publications and is active in many professional societies and organizations including the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), American Chemical Society, American Society for Pharmacognosy, The Society of Cosmetic Chemistry and others. He has received many awards, for both his teaching and research, including the Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology.


Abstract

Bacterial infections are the foremost cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Increasing antibiotic resistance is a serious challenge to the strategy of treating bacterial infections by local or systemic use of antimicrobial agents. One promising alternative approach to the prevention of bacterial infections focuses on inhibiting pathogen adhesion to host cells. The search for novel bacterial anti-adherence agents has grown dramatically in recent years. Interdisciplinary research teams formed from a wide variety of physical and life scientists, clinicians, engineers and others have
accelerated the discoveries in this arena. The majority of anti-adherence agents reported to date have been discovered in foods. Some of these food-derived compounds exert their effects in the oral cavity, stomach, intestines, and the urinary tract. To identify these active components, fruits, berries, seeds, tubers, and whole plants are often extracted into solvents, followed by subsequent partitioning into fractions that are then subjected to an assortment of assays. Some assays are based upon direct microscopic observation of bacterial adhesion, while others depend on model systems or bioassays that measure the effects of adherence antagonists. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) extracts are the source of the most extensively studied anti-adhesive components to date. Since the discovery of proanthocyanidins anti-adherence activity two decades ago, published accounts of research on cranberry’s anti-adherence activity have increased exponentially as has the availability of commercial cranberry products. Numerous other foods are being studied for ingredients and similar activities. The history of the discovery of cranberry’s active ingredients will be described, in hopes of stimulating more research into the discovery of more novel anti-adherence agents.
 
Recent Publications
 
1. E B Walker, R A Mickelsen, J N Mickelsen and B Roth (1996) Purified cranberry anti-adhesion activity. US Patent 5525341.
 
2. E B Walker, R A Mickelsen and J N Mickelsen (1997) Cranberry extract and biologically active compounds derived therefrom. US Patent 5646178.
 
3. Â Luís, F Domingues and L Pereira (2017) Can cranberries contribute to reduce the incidence of urinary tract infections? a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of clinical trials. J Urology Adult Urology 198(3):614-621.
 
4. D González de Llano, A Esteban-Fernández, F Sánchez-Patán, PJ Martínlvarez, MV Moreno-Arribas and B Bartolomé (2015) Anti-adhesive activity of cranberry phenolic compounds and their microbial-derived metabolites against uropathogenic Escherichia coli in bladder epithelial cell cultures. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 16(6):12119-
12130.

 

Biography

Huang Wei Ling, born in Taiwan, raised and graduated in medicine in Brazil, specialist in infectious and parasitic diseases, a General Practitioner and Parenteral and Enteral Medical Nutrition Therapist. Once in charge of the Hospital Infection Control Service of the City of Franca’s General Hospital, she was responsible for the control of all prescribed antimicrobial medication and received an award for the best paper presented at the Brazilian Hospital Infection Control Congress in 1998. Since 1997, she has been presenting her work worldwide, concerning the treatment of various diseases, using techniques based on several medical traditions around the world.


Abstract

The difference between community-acquired and nosocomial infections is that community-acquired infections are defined as infections contracted outside of a health-care environment. Nosocomial infections, on the other hand, are those contracted after the patient’s admission and not incubated before hospitalization. In addition, the microorganisms potentially causing community infections are generally more sensitive to antimicrobials, as opposed to nosocomial infections, which are generally caused by multi-resistant bacteria. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that
community-acquired and nosocomial infections can be treated with the same approach and without the administration of antibiotics. The method used was to include older medicine theories such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and three case reports of community-acquired infection compared to another three cases of nosocomial infection. All six cases were treated with the same method, by balancing the Yin, Yang, Qi and Blood, removing the Internal Heat using auricular acupuncture, and using energy based Chinese dietary reorientation.
 
Findings: All cases of community-acquired and nosocomial infection reported in this study improved uniquely with the treatment administrated with no prescription of antimicrobials and the use of these drugs themselves was generating the energy imbalance that maintained the infectious process.
 
Conclusion: Based on these six clinical reports, we can use the same method to treat community-acquired and nosocomial infection. This research was based on the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which indicated that these diseases came from the same roots, and therefore could be treated with the same method.
 
Keywords: Community-acquired infection, nosocomial infection, antibiotics, Traditional Chinese Medicine.
 
Recent Publications
 
1. Huang W.L. Can Hospital Osteomyelitis Be Treated Without the Use of Antibiotics? Int J Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018; 2(1): 1-6.
 
2. Huang Wei Ling. Why do Patients Still Catch Hospital Infections despite the Practice of Infection Prevention and Control Programs? Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.4 (2018) 34-43.
 
3. Huang Wei Ling. Can Recurrent Furunculosis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 04-12.
 
4. Huang, W.L. Can Leptospirosis Be Treated Without Any Kind of Medication? Journal of Clinical Review & Case Reports. V.3, I.4, 01-04
 
5. Huang Wei Ling. Could Postsurgical Nosocomial Cellulitis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 24-31.
 

Biography

Jos van der Vossen completed his PhD at Groningen University in 1988. During Postdoctoral Position he was involved in development of host-vector systems for optimizing bacterial strains for fermentation. Currently, he is about 30 years Scientist/Project Leader at TNO where, he is focussing on microbiome targeting interventions supporting human and animal heatlh.


Abstract

TNO’s intestinal screening platform, the i-screen, is a versatile preclinical model allowing for determining modulatory effects of substances including prebiotics on the gut microbiota composition and activity. The presentation will elaborate on how this ex-vivo platform directs new opportunities for selection of beneficial susbstances like prebiotics that promote a healthy gut microbiota. The established protocols for collecting, handling and maintenance of fecal microbiota under anaerobic conditions ensuring viabilitiy and activity of bacteria are the elementary prerequisites for success of the i-screen. The gut microbiota from diverse population groups, e.g. adults, infants, obese, elderly as well as from diseased individuals support a tailored and if required a personalized approach. In addition, pathogenic species such as Clostridium difficile, C. perfringens, and other enteropathogens can be included in the microbiota to study ecological effects and potential interventions. The read out of the system is highly informative and a basis for decision making with regard to follow-up intervention studies. Effects on the composition of the microbiota, effects on pathogenic bacteria, metabolic activity as well as gene expression can be determined successfully. Such allows also for mode of action studies. By using the i-screen platform, effects of inulin, XOS, GOS, lactulose, HMO and hemp extracts on the gut microbiota were studied. Effects of prebiotics on extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) E. coli in the presence of antibiotics will also be discussed. Personal differences in microbiota composition and responses to antibiotics and prebiotics will also be highlighted.

Tracks

  • Workshop
  • Microorganisms in Pharmaceutical Industry | Biotechnology Outbreak | Pharamceutical Microbiology | Biosensors and their Application in Healthcare | Microorganisms in Pharmaceutical Industry
  • Clinical Immunology | Mucosal Immunology | Vaccines and Immunization | Infectious Diseases
  • Special Session
Location: London, UK

Biography

Huang Wei Ling, born in Taiwan, raised and graduated in medicine in Brazil, specialist in infectious and parasitic diseases, a General Practitioner and Parenteral and Enteral Medical Nutrition Therapist. Once in charge of the Hospital Infection Control Service of the City of Franca’s General Hospital, she was responsible for the control of all prescribed antimicrobial medication, and received an award for the best paper presented at the Brazilian Hospital Infection Control Congress in 1998. Since 1997, she has been presenting her work worldwide, concerning the treatment of various diseases, using techniques based on several medical traditions around the world.


Abstract

Statement of the problem: The necessity of surgical implants use is a consequence of the increase of life expectancy. Therefore, there is a range of studies regarding the implant materials and their interactions. However, those studies are carried out analysing the factory and interaction of materials, and often, they do not consider the effects of those materials in the normal functioning of the human body.
 
Purpose: Demonstrate that the placement of metal implants can influence body’s health, leading to a decrease in vital energy.
 
Methods: Two clinical cases, the first, of a 30-year-old male patient, who suffered an accident and broke the right elbow and right leg, requiring surgery with surgical implant of titanium rod in both limbs. Two months after surgery the patient presented a very severe depression, that would not improve with the use of antidepressants. The second case is from 60-years-old female patient, who implanted a titanium dental prosthesis. Three months after the implant, the
patient started feeling weakness, indisposition for the daily activities, in contrast to her normal behaviour, in addition to precocious aging with the wrath of her hair. The chakras energies of both patients were measured through a crystal pendulum. All chakras were energy depleted.
 
Results: In the first case, the patient was instructed to try to remove the implant. Two hours after the removal, the patient presented extreme improvement of the symptoms. The second patient did not remove the implant yet, and continued to present symptoms of low vital energy.
 
Conclusion: The implantation of metallic material inside the human body, can lead to reduction of vital energy, inducing many different symptoms, like depression. Perhaps, one possibility to avoid this type of reaction would be the use of implants of non-metallic materials, such as ceramics, as the dental prostheses of zirconium.
 
Keywords: Surgical Implants, Vital energy, Chakras, Traditional Chinese Medicine.
 
Recent Publications
1. Huang W.L. Can Hospital Osteomyelitis Be Treated Without the Use of Antibiotics? Int J Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018; 2(1): 1-6.
 
2. Huang Wei Ling. Why do Patients Still Catch Hospital Infections Despite the Practice of Infection Prevention and Control Programs? Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.4 (2018) 34-43.
 
3. Huang Wei Ling. Can Recurrent Furunculosis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 04-12.
 
4. Huang, W.L. Can Leptospirosis Be Treated Without Any Kind of Medication? Journal of Clinical Review & Case Reports. V.3, I.4, 01-04
 
5. Huang Wei Ling. Could Postsurgical Nosocomial Cellulitis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 24 31.

 

Location: London, UK

Jos van der Vossen

TNO Quality of Life, Netherlands

Chair

Biography

Mai Mohammed Al-Ghanem has completed her PhD at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. She works as a Biological Researcher in the Biotechnology Department (Agriculture research) at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment in Doha, Qatar. Her background includes Marine Microbiology and Molecular Biology.


Abstract

Modern medicine relies heavily on antibiotics to combat bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to humanity and a challenge to modern medicine. The development of new antimicrobials is urgently needed before the current antibiotics used become compromised by antibiotic resistance. Microbial species of natural environments are a rich source of novel compounds and secondary metabolites with unique bioactive properties and an excellent ground for investigation for future drug discovery and the expansion of the pharmaceutical pipeline.

Biography

Denis Rajnovic is a third year PhD student enrolled at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Spain. Here at UAB, he is a part of the microbial biosensor group in which they tend to develop sensitive, cheap and fast detection tools for industrial or public health applications. His work is to develop microbial detection and quantification methods in clear and turbid media or on paper, by using optical, colorimetric or fluorescence readings. Also, he is part of a diagnostic group at the University Hospital of Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona, Spain. Here, the focus is to develop diagnostic and monitoring tools for infectious microorganisms. His role is to implement and optimize different colorimetric or fluorescent immunological assays for virus detection and to make it as sensitive and fast as possible. During the academic year, he hold practical classes in basic microbiology for the UAB students.


Abstract

Since 1959 with the proposal of Double Agar Layer (DAL) method for phage detection and quantification, many sophisticated methods have emerged meanwhile. However, many of them are either too complex/expensive or insensitive to replace routine utilization of DAL method in clinical, environmental and industrial environments. For that purpose, we have explored an alternative method for the detection and quantification of bacteriophages that fulfills the criteria of being rapid, simple and inexpensive. In this paper we have developed a method based on the analysis of optical density kinetics in bacterial cultures exposed to phage-containing samples. Although the decrease
in optical density caused by cell lysis was one of the first observable consequences of the effect of viral infection in bacterial cultures, the potential of the method for the assessment of phage abundance has never been fully exploited. In this work we carry out a detailed study of optical density kinetics in phage-infected bacterial cultures, as a function of both, phage abundance and initial concentration of the host organisms. In total, 90 different combinations of bacteria/phage concentrations have been used. The data obtained provide valuable information about sensitivity ranges, duration of the assay, percentages of inhibition and type of lysing behavior for each phage concentration. The method described can detect, as few as 10 phage particles per assay volume after a phage incubation period of 3.5h. The duration of the assay can be shortened to 45min at the expense of losing sensitivity and increasing the limit of detection to 108 pfu/ml. Despite using non-sophisticated technology, the method described has shown sensitivity and response time comparable to other high-end methods. The simplicity of the technology and of the analytical steps involved, make the system susceptible of miniaturization and automation for high-throughput applications which can be implemented in routine analysis in many environments.

Biography

Kohei Oda has obtained his MS degree at the University of Osaka Prefecture (UOP) in 1969, and PhD in 1975. He worked at UOP as an Assistant, and as an Associate Professor. He moved to the Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT) as a Professor in 1992. His scientific fields of interest are Applied Microbiology and Applied Biochemistry. In 2007, KIT awarded him the status of Professor Emeritus. He worked as a Visiting Professor at the Universidad Federal de Sao
Paulo, Brazil in 2007, and at Khon Kaen University, Thailand in 2009. He received an Award from Nikkei Business Publications, Inc in 1997. Since 2016, he has become a Fellow of the Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry. His main contributions are discoveries of novel families of peptidases, sedolisins and eqolisins. His ongoing interests are not only sedolisins and eqolisins, but also microbial hydrolytic enzymes involved in degradation of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET).


Abstract

Poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is used extensively worldwide in plastic products, and its accumulation in the environment has become a global concern because the ability to enzymatically degrade PET for microbial growth has been limited to a few fungal species, biodegradation is not yet a viable remediation or recycling strategy. By screening natural microbial communities exposed to PET in the environment, we isolated a novel bacterium, Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 that is able to use PET as its major energy and carbon source. When grown on PET, this strain produces two enzymes capable of hydrolyzing PET and the reaction intermediate, mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid (MHET). Both enzymes are required to enzymatically convert PET efficiently into its two environmentally benign monomers, terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol.

Biography

Segula Masaphy has expertise in fungal, mainly mushroom, ecology and biotechnology, including the study of their secondary metabolites bioactivities. Her studies includes the use of fungal cultures for isolating health promoting metabolites, where in earlier project a new antifungal compound belong to the echinocandins group was isolated from a newly isolated Fusarium strain. Currently, her research focuses on biotechnology of the Morchella edible mushroom and its exploitation.


Abstract

Statement of the Problem: Leishmaniasis is an important infectious disease, caused by a range of Leishmania species, multi-host protozoa parasites transmitted to humans by the sand fly and infecting macrophages. It is an increasing worldwide health problem, including the Mediterranean basin and Israel. Current chemotherapy treatments are limited by their toxic effect, need for long treatment and increasing development of resistance of the parasite cells. Thus, the development of alternative therapies is considered, including the use of herbal and mushroom products. The purpose of this work was to study the effect of extracts from the edible Morchella mushroom on Leishmania survival and growth in in-vitro system.
 
Methodology: Extracts from the mushroom fruiting bodies as well as mycelial cultures were applied into in vitro growth system of Leishmania tropica and L. major promastigote stage cells and their proliferation and survival were determined. Also the toxicity of the extracts against human macrophages was studied. Several fractionation steps of a crude extract were conducted obtaining an aqueous mushroom extract, 80% ethanol fraction, water-soluble polysaccharide fraction and polyphenolic fraction, all were compared.
 
Findings: All four extracts showed anti-leishmanial activity, with the aqueous extract being the most active. The inhibition activity exhibited dose-dependent Leishmania killing activity with no recovery of the cells was recorded after exposure to the mushroom extract. No cytotoxic activity against human macrophages at the same extract concentrations was recorded.
 
Recent Publications
 
1. Mallick S, Dutta A, Dey S, Ghosh J, Mukherjee D, Sultana S S, and Pal C (2014) Selective inhibition of Leishmania donovani by active extracts of wild mushrooms used by the tribal population of India: an in vitro exploration for new leads against parasitic protozoans. Experimental parasitology 138:9-17.
 
2. Kevric I, Cappel M A and Keeling J H (2015) New world and old world Leishmania infections: a practical review. Dermatologic clinics, 33(3):579-593.
 
3. Tietel Z and Masaphy S (2018) True morels (Morchella)-nutritional and phytochemical composition, health benefits and flavor: A review. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition 58(11):1888-1901.
 
4. Jander-Shagug G and Masaphy S (2010) Free radical scavenging activity of culinary-medicinal morel mushrooms, Morchella dill. ex Pers.(ascomycetes): relation to color and phenol contents. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms 12(3):299-307.
 
5. Uchida S, Oiso N, Sanjoba C, Matsumoto Y, Yanagihara S, Annoura T and Kawada A (2018) Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania tropica in Israel. The Journal of dermatology 45(9):e240-e241.

 

Biography

Hafiza Noreen has her expertise in LC/MS screening, identification of specific compounds from plant extracts, cytotoxic screening, antimicrobial, antioxidant screening as well as identification (MS) and structural determination (NMR) of novel compounds which showed anti-cancer activity. She is proficient in tissue culture and a range of analytical techniques including Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS), LC/MS/MS and Spectrophotometry. This work belongs to her Ph.D Thesis. She has published three papers from her Ph.D work in reputed international journals.


Abstract

Fungi and bacteria are the most important phytopathogens that infect many plants in terms of growth and productivity, thereby causing significant economic losses in agriculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antifungal and antibacterial activity of various extracts of Coronopus didymus against phytopathogens. Phytochemicals of the aerial parts of C. didymus were extracted by maceration using solvents of different polarity. The ethanol extract was further fractionated to afford three flavones (1-3) by size exclusion chromatography. The antifungal and antibacterial susceptibility of various solvent extracts, fractions and isolated flavones was determined using poisoned food technique and disc diffusion method, respectively, against three fungi (Macrophomina phaseolina, Colletotrichum falcatum and Alternaria solani) and two bacteria (Streptomyces scabies and Xanthomonas campestris). Most effective antifungal and antibacterial activities were recorded for ethanol extract of C. didymus against M. phaseolina (percentage inhibition =87.8%) and X. campestris (zone of inhibition =14 mm), respectively. Compound 3 (5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3'-methoxy flavone) showed largest percentage inhibition (86.7%) against A. solani, which was even higher than the chemical fungicide, propineb (83.3%). Compound 3 depicted largest zone of inhibition (15 mm) against X. campestris, which was even higher than the chemical bactericides viz., bismerthiazole and kasugamycin, with inhibition zone of 11 mm and 14 mm, respectively. In conclusion, the isolated flavones are potent antifungal and antibacterial agents with broad spectrum of activity against phytopathogens.

Biography

Mr. Muhammad Shahid Khan has got more than 18 years of experience in Pharmaceutical Industry at different positions. He is currently working as Plant Manager in Nova Med Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd, a local firm but also manufacturing products for many multinational companies like Sanofi aventis, ICI, Getz Pharma and Searle. He is expert in product and process development and validation. He has developed many products. He has attended many training workshops, exhibitions and technical seminars in Pakistan and abroad.


Abstract

The validation of aseptic processing is carried out by media fill (also known as process simulation, simulated product fills, broth trials, broth fills etc.). The media fill is a technique in which a liquid microbiological growth medium is prepared and filled in place of actual product in a simulation of normal manufacturing process. This process normally includes exposing the microbiological growth medium to product contact surfaces of equipment, container closure systems, critical environments, and process manipulations to closely simulate the same exposure that the product itself will undergo. The final containers are then incubated and checked for microbial growth. Results are then interpreted to assess the potential for a unit of drug product to become contaminated during actual operations (e.g., start-up, sterile ingredient additions, aseptic connections, filling, and closing). The purpose of media fill study is to validate that the processes, systems, environment, container closure system, practices, equipment, personnel etc. are capable of producing a sterile product in a consistent and reproducible manner. The medium used should support the growth of a wide variety of microorganisms, including aerobic bacteria, yeasts and moulds (nonselective medium). Mostly Soybean Casein Digest Medium (SCD) also known as tryptone soya broth (TSB) is used.

Location: London, UK

Huang Wei Ling

Medical Acupuncture and Pain Management Clinic, Brazil

Chair

Biography

Huang Wei Ling, born in Taiwan, raised and graduated in medicine in Brazil, specialist in infectious and parasitic diseases, a General Practitioner and Parenteral and Enteral Medical Nutrition Therapist. Once in charge of the Hospital Infection Control Service of the City of Franca’s General Hospital, she was responsible for the control of all prescribed antimicrobial medication and received an award for the best paper presented at the Brazilian Hospital Infection Control Congress in 1998. Since 1997, she has been presenting her work worldwide, concerning the treatment of various diseases, using techniques based on several medical traditions around the world.


Abstract

Statement of the problem: The herpes virus manifests as an eruption of red, painful blisters or sores in the skin, genitals, lips or eyes. In western medicine, the causative symptoms are related to herpes simplex 1, herpes simplex 2, and varicella-zoster viruses, often combined with a weakening of immune function. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this entire process is indicative of Fire Toxin and Damp Heat.
 
Purpose: To demonstrate that recurrent herpes virus infections can be treated without the use of antiviral drugs.
 
Methods: Two case reports. The first, from an 8-year-old girl with recurrent periocular lesions on the right eye, with edema formation, small blisters, hyperemia and hyperchromic spots. The symptoms were treated several times with topical and systemic antiviral medication, with the condition showing improvement only shortly. The second case report, from a 60-year-old woman, with a condition of recurrent genital herpes virus type 2, which
would not improve with the use of antiviral medication. Both patients were referred to an infectologist with a TCM background, who restructured the patient’s dietary habits, counselling that all hot energy foods should be avoided. Auricular acupuncture sessions with apex ear bloodletting were also performed.
 
Results: A complete improvement of the conditions of both patients was obtained without using any antiviral drugs.
 
Conclusion: It is possible to treat recurrent herpes virus infection without the use of antiviral drugs. To this end, it is important to see the patient as a whole and treat their energy imbalances by withdrawing their Heat process through acupuncture and dietary counselling.
 
Keywords: Herpes Virus, Antiviral drugs, acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine.
 
Recent Publications
 
1. Huang W.L. Can Hospital Osteomyelitis Be Treated Without the Use of Antibiotics? Int J Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018; 2(1): 1-6.
 
2. Huang Wei Ling. Why do Patients Still Catch Hospital Infections Despite the Practice of Infection Prevention and Control Programs? Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.4 (2018) 34-43.
 
3. Huang Wei Ling. Can Recurrent Furunculosis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 04-12.
 
4. Huang, W.L. Can Leptospirosis Be Treated Without Any Kind of Medication? Journal of Clinical Review & Case Reports. V.3, I.4, 01-04
 
5. Huang Wei Ling. Could Postsurgical Nosocomial Cellulitis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta
Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 24-31.

 

Biography

Ayako Wakabayashi is a Senior Assistant Professor in Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Nippon Medical School, Tokyo Japan since 2016. She has completed her PhD and postdoctoral studies as a research resident from Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Her research interests lies in the area of mucosal immunology in the digestive tract, sensitization to food allergy, and gastrointestinal infectious diseases. She is the instructor for immunology, Allergology, food Hygienics, and nutrition.


Abstract

Cholera toxin (CT) is a potent mucosal adjuvant and oral administration of antigens plus intact CT but not CTA or CTB subunit induces antigen-specific CD8+ CTLs as well as IgA production in intestinal mucosa; however, mechanisms for the induction of these immune responses remain unknown. We attempted to examine whether oral administration of CT induces enhancement of intestinal cell death and release of HMGB1. The number of viable intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) was remarkably reduced and the number of dying AnnexinV+ 7-AAD+ cells was significantly increased in EpCAM+ IECs at 16 h after the oral administration of intact CT, compared to the group with oral CTA or CTB subunit. Then, we observed a significant increase of the fecal HMGB1 levels at 6 and 16 h after the oral CT-stimulation compared to other groups. After that, we tried to examine whether cytoplasmic HMGB1+ IECs are increased by the oral CT-stimulation. The cytoplasmic HMGB1+ IECs were significantly increased by the oral CT-stimulation and they were EpCAM+CD45- IECs. HMGB1 dose-dependently enhanced the expression of
CD80 and CD86 on DCs in vitro, and intravenous or oral administration of glycyrrhizin, an HMGB1 inhibitor, significantly suppressed activation of mucosal DCs, induction of intestinal CTLs and IgA, and DTH responses by oral CT-stimulation. Taken together, these results suggest that oral administration of intact CT but not CTA or CTB subunit triggers epithelial cell death in the gut and the release of HMGB1 from damaged IECs and that the released HMGB1 may mediate activation of mucosal DCs and induction of CTLs and IgA in the intestine.
 
Keywords: HMGB1, Cholera toxin, Epithelia, CTLs
 
Recent Publications
 
1. Wakabayashi A, Shimizu M, Shinya E, Takahashi H (2018) HMGB1 released from intestinal epithelia damaged by cholera toxin adjuvant contributes to activation of mucosal dendritic cells and induction of intestinal cytotoxic T lymphocytes and IgA. Cell Death and Disease. 9(6) 631.
 
2. Murakami R, Nakagawa Y, Shimizu M, Wakabayashi A, Negishi Y, Hiroi T, Okubo K, Takahashi H (2015) Effects of dendritic cell subset manipulation on airway allergy in a mouse model. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology. 168(4) 219-232.
 
3. Negishi Y, Wakabayashi A, Shimizu M, Ichikawa T, Kumagai Y, Takeshita T, Takahashi H (2012) Disruption of maternal immune balance maintained by innate DC subsets results in spontaneous pregnancy loss in mice. Immunobiology. 217(10) 951-961.
 
4. Moriya K, Wakabayashi A (equally contributed), Shimizu M, Tamura H, Dan K, Takahashi H (2010) Induction of tumor-specific acquired immunity against already established tumors by selective stimulation of innate DEC-205+ dendritic cells. Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy. 59(7) 1083-1095.
 
5. Wakabayashi A, Nakagawa Y, Shimizu M, Moriya K, Nishiyama Y, Takahashi H (2008) Suppression of an already established tumor growing through activated mucosal CTLs induced by oral administration of tumor antigen with cholera toxin. The Journal of Immunology 180(6) 4000-4010.

 

Biography

Shirin Tarafder has completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the age of 24 years from Dhaka University and Master of Philosophy in Medical Microbiology from Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research, Bangladesh. She is associate professor in the department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bangabandhu sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh. She has published 23 papers in reputed journals. She is life member of Bangladesh Society of Medical Microbiologist and Bangladesh Society of Pathologist.


Abstract

Introduction: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) is a clonal B-cell neoplasm of mature cells whose diagnosis is based on clinical manifestations, cell morphology and Immunophenotyping. It is generally accepted that any lymphocytosis superior to 5000/cmm in an adult person and without any other evident cause , must raise the suspicion of a CLL diagnosis. The most reliable methodology for the diagnosis of CLL is Immunophenotyping by Flow Cytometric.
 
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of multipara metric Flow Cytometry Immunophenotyping (FCI) as a standard methodology for the confirmation of or exclusion of CLL diagnosis in clinically suspected CLL patients.
 
Patients and Methods: Four colour flow cytometry multipara metric immunophenotyping method was used in EDTA peripheral blood samples taken from 25 consecutive patients diagnosed preliminary as CLL through clinical data, complete blood count, peripheral blood film and bone marrow examination. The following fluorescent monoclonal antibodies were used: CD19, CD5, CD20, CD22, CD23, CD79b, CD79a, FMC7, Kappa and Lambda
light chains, CD10, CD11c, CD3, CD7, CD25, CD30, CD56, CD95, BCL2, and CD34. Marker of immaturity CD34 was added to exclude blast cells. The flow cytometric analysis was performed on a Beckman coulter cytomics FC500 flow cytometer using software CXP to analyze data. Appropriate isotype control studies to determine background fluorescence were also used.
Result: Among 25 patients, 4(16%) showed normal T-cell population (CD3+,CD5+,CD7+), while 21(84%) showed pathological B-cell lines. From these, 16(64%) of 25 patients expressed typical CLL markers (CD19+,CD5 ,CD23 , FMC7-, Kappa or Lambda light chain restriction) whilst 5(20%) of them showed B-cell prolymphocytic leukaemia profile (CD19+,CD5+/-,CD23-,FMC7+, Kappa or Lambda light chain restriction).
 
Conclusion: Flow cytometry immunophenotyping is a fundamental laboratory method without which final diagnosis of CLL cannot be established.
 
Keywords:CLL, Flowcytometry, Immunophenotyping, Monoclonal antibodies

 

Biography

Frederic J. Deschamps, is Medical doctor (Lille- France University in 1990) he did his PhD in Occupational Toxicology for 1993. He was nominated as professor
of Medicine in 2002. He has improved for the last 20 years the Department of Occupational Diseases of the University Hospital of Reims (Champagne County).
He manages from 1995 the Regional Institute of Occupational Health. He belongs to the French National University College of Occupational Researches and Practionners. He has focused his work an occupational infectious diseases and health effects of low doses toxics with long term exposure.


Abstract

Flu is a pandemic infection. The virus is easily transmissible. The risk can be reduced by vaccination. In most workplaces employees with flu continue to work and could contaminate a lot of people including colleagues, customers, and patients. A major problem for workers infected by flu is their general perception of this disease. Today there is still considerable ignorance about risks of contracting this infection. Flu is not confined to certain risk groups. It concerns all the workers belonging to all industrial and commercial sectors. The virus is a contamination problem that can be easily prevented by actions in the workplace. At the beginning, individuals contaminated by flu are asymptomatic for few days. The annual incidence of flu concerning the working population is very high. The professional cost of this disease is significant. Lack of accurate information in workplace is evident. It is important to assess the perception of workers to be at risk of being infected. Few companies have policies relative to flu infection and contamination. Workplace education programs need involvement of all the relevant parties including occupational health professionals, human resources, specialist and other concerned with staff training. The aim is to propose an update concerning the best way to increase protection against flu at work.
 
Recent Publications
 
1. DESCHAMPS F, LARAQUI, DESCHAMPS J, GEOFFROY Y. (2017) Prevalence and determinant of Flu Vaccination in a working population Adv Tech. Biol. Med 5:1
 
2. BRIEN S, KWONG JC, BUCKERIDGE DL. (2012) The determinants of 2009 pandemic A/H1N1 influenza vaccination a systemic review Vaccine 30 : 1255-1264
 
3. NGUYEN T, HENNIN E, SEN KH, BREHAUT JC, HOL E, WILSON K. (2011) Acceptance of pandemic influenza vaccines a systematic review of surveys of the general public. Infect Drug Resist 4 : 197-207

Location: London, UK

Biography

Huang Wei Ling, born and Taiwan, raised in Brazil, graduated in medicine in Paraná, Brazil, and specialized in infectious and parasitic diseases, a General Practitioner and Parenteral and Enteral Medical Nutrition Therapist. She was coordinator of both the Infection Control and the Nutritional Support Committee in Sao Joaquim Hospital in Franca. She is the owner of the Medical Acupuncture and Pain Management Clinic, and since 1997 have been presenting her work worldwide with the approach and treatment of all diseases of the human body in a holistic way, with treatment guided through the teachings of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hippocrates.


Abstract

Introduction: Nosocomial infections are a widespread problem around the world. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that nosocomial infections affect around 1.7 million patients per year, and cause 99.000 deaths. According to CDC, 32% of all healthcare acquired infections are urinary tract infections, 22% are surgical site infections, 15% are pneumonia and 14% are bloodstream infections. Nowadays, only 1/3 of nosocomial infections can be prevented with the Infection Control Programs. The other 2/3 cannot be prevented with the programs used nowadays. In USA, 31 billions of dollars are spend in the treatment of nosocomial infections per year.
 
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how this 2/3 of nosocomial infections could be controlled with the use ancient medicines reasoning, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Hippocrates theories. Another goal is to make evident the possible economy to healthcare when using these techniques and tools in the treatment of nosocomial infections.
 
Methods: The methodology used was a review of studies, such as those presented by Hippocrates (Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.), as well as others from oriental medicines, which comprehend the disease as originated from three factors: external (exposure to cold, heat, humidity, wind and dryness), internal (emotional) and dietary.
 
Findings: When comprehending the patient in a broader view, considering the energy imbalances of Yin, Yang, Qi, Blood and Heat retention, it is possible to control and prevent better more nosocomial infections, reducing the costs for the healthcare’s.
 
Conclusion: The 2/3 of not controlled nosocomial infections cannot be prevented because of the reasoning used in the treatment of infections in Western Medicine. When using ancient oriental medicines reasoning, a different thinking can be used. According to Einstein, We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
 
Keywords: Nosocomial Infection, Incidence, Prevalence, Costs, Energy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hippocrates.
 
Recent Publications
 
1. Huang W.L. Can Hospital Osteomyelitis Be Treated Without the Use of Antibiotics? Int J Microbiol Infect Dis.2018; 2(1): 1-6.
 
2. Huang Wei Ling. Why do Patients Still Catch Hospital Infections Despite the Practice of Infection Prevention and Control Programs? Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.4 (2018) 34-43.
 
3.Huang Wei Ling. Can Recurrent Furunculosis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 04-12.
 
4. Huang, W.L. Can Leptospirosis Be Treated Without Any Kind of Medication? Journal of Clinical Review & Case Reports. V.3, I.4, 01-04
 
5. Huang Wei Ling. Could Postsurgical Nosocomial Cellulitis be Treated without the Use of Antibiotics?. Acta Scientific Microbiology 1.9 (2018): 24-31.

 

Day2: April 30, 2019

Keynote Forum

Tracks

  • Poster Presentations
Location: London, UK

Biography

Ameena Abdulla Al-Malki is a head of Genetic Engineering Department (Agricultural research) at the Ministry of Environment in Doha Qatar. He had training in the following courses: Detection of GMOs in Agricultural and Food Products, Steps of scientific research at the genomic core (University Weill Cornell medical college) in Qatar, DNA Marker Applications for Genetic Diversity Analysis, Specialist training on Principles and Techniques of Molecular Typing and Fingerprinting, Applied Biosystems 3130 Genetic Analyzer, 7900HT Fast Real-Time PCR system and Veriti 96 Well Fast thermal Cycler. My work includes date palm somatic embryogenesis and plant tissue culture, molecular biology and biotechnology as well as statistical analysis.


Abstract

Vibrio species are highly abundant in the marine environment and can be detected in sea water, marine algae and animals. This study investigates the presence of Vibrio in Qatari marine water using traditional microbiology methods as well as exploring the novelty of this species by studying their genetic diversity.

Biography

Reem Alhaidose is pursuing his PhD at the University of Hull. His research interest include the animal and plant evulotion and to discover novel results.


Abstract

Cyprinid fish from the Carassius auratus complex are native to Asia but have been introduced to non-native habitats throughout the world. The C. auratus complex includes sexually reproducing, diploid as well as triploid and polyploidy individuals which predominately reproduce asexually through gynogenesis. Due to this variation in reproductive mode the C. auratus complex is an ideal system for studying evolution of unisexual reproduction. The evolutionary relationship between the different reproductive modes is however poorly understood. Author has used a comprehensive phylogeographic analysis based on mitochondrial DNA (cyt b) and including 10 native populations and 35 invasive populations from Europe and Australia to identify major phylogenetic lineages examine different models of colonisation and spread within the invasive range. Furthermore, 199 individuals were genotyped at 6 microsatellite loci to determine their level of ploidy and reproductive mode. A total of 158 cyt b haplotypes from seven highly divergent phylogenetic lineages were identified. Author’s analysis showed that Southern China is the centre diversity and that there is a geographic overlap between lineages indicating recent secondary contact. Invasive population originate predominately from two phylogenetic lineages from the northern range of the native distribution. The microsatellite results showed that most the native populations consisted of a mixture of diploids and
triploids but were dominated by triploid individuals. In contrast invasive populations showed a considerable variety in reproductive mode ranging from purely diploid to purely triploid and mixed populations. Interestingly, within the invasive range C. auratus, diploids are dominant in older Eastern European populations whereas triploid forms are dominant in more recently established Central European populations. This can be interpreted that a transition from the diploid form to triploid form which occurred after invasive population became established.

Biography

Kittipong Laosuwan is currently pursuing his PhD in the Faculty of Dentistry at The University of Hong Kong. He has interest in microbiology especially developing an alternative medicine from local herb to fight against oral pathogenic bacteria. As a fellow dentist, he aims to develop a medical modality to improve oral health not only treatment but also the prevention for better life.


Abstract

Aim: The aims of this study are to investigate the abilities of Centella asiatica crude extract preventing the Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) biofilm formation and development and the ability to neutralize the virulent factors gingipain and fimbriae function.
 
Method: The P. gingivalis (strain ATCC33277) was cultured in suspension with TSB medium supplement with vitamin, hemin, menadione and yeast extract. The aqueous extraction was performed to crudely extract from Centella asiatica leaves with pure water, the crude extract was filtered and freeze dried before dissolved in PBS at concentration 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10 mg/ml. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for P. gingivalis in planktonic stage. The P. gingivalis biofilm was form in 96-wells plate with chemically defied medium for determining the biofilm formation inhibition effect and inhibitory effect on biofilm development by treating the bacteria before or during the biofilm formation respectively. The biofilm volume was measured with crystal violet assay. The toxicity to immortalized human periodontal ligament cell (ihPDL cell) was determined with MTT assay.
 
Result: The extract had no toxicity to ihPDL cell at all tested concentration (P>0.05). The extract was able to inhibit the P. gingivalis planktonic growth at concentration of 10 mg/ml. The biofilm volume was significantly reduced at concentration of 2.5 mg/ml for biofilm formation inhibition effect and at 0.25 mg/ml for inhibitory effect on biofilm development (P<0.05).
 
Conclusion: The Centella asiatica crude extract has a potential to inhibit biofilm formation and development even at lower concentration than MBC. This indicates that the extract might have alternative ways to inhibit the biofilm formation.
 
Recent Publications
 
1. Laosuwan K, Epasinghe D J, Wu Z, Leung W K, Green D W and Jung H S (2018) Comparison of biofilm formation and migration of Streptococcus mutans on tooth roots and titanium miniscrews. Clinical and experimental dental research 4(2):40-47.

 

Biography

Susanne Aileen Funke is the Vice President for Research and Professor for Molecular Biology at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Before, she was Group Leader in the Institute of Structural Biology and Biophysics of the Research Centre Jülich. She has obtained her PhD in Biology at the University of Duesseldorf, Germany, after performing studies in Groningen, the Netherlands, and Marseille, France and Postdoctoral studies at the Institute for Physical Biology, Heinrich Heine University Duesseldorf, Germany. She has published more than 35 papers in reputed journals and has co-authored more than 12 patents.


Abstract

The gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is the agent of listeriosis, a hazardous foodborne infection, a comparably rare disease, but the fatality rate is up to 30% despite antibiotic treatment. Listeria monocytogenes enters mammalian cells by inducing its own phagocytosis. The listerial supermolecule internalin mediates microorganism adhesion and invasion of animal tissue cells within thehuman bowel through specific interaction with its host cell receptor E-cadherin. Here, we describe the selection of InlA specific 12meric peptides via phage display using a large peptide library with more than one billion different peptides. We demonstrate that the selected peptides bind to recombinant InlA protein as well as to Listeria monocytogenes cells. We could demonstrate in vitro that the interaction between InlA and E-cad could be inhibited by some of the peptides. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the specific selection of InlA binding peptides. They might be a starting point for the development of novel diagnostic tools or therapeutic approaches.

Biography

Denis Rajnovic is a third year PhD student enrolled at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Spain. Here at UAB, he is a part of the microbial biosensor group in which they tend to develop sensitive, cheap and fast detection tools for industrial or public health applications. His work is to develop microbial detection and quantification methods in clear and turbid media or on paper, by using optical, colorimetric or fluorescence readings. Also, he is part of a diagnostic group at the University Hospital of Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona, Spain. Here, the focus is to develop diagnostic and monitoring tools for infectious microorganisms. His role is to implement and optimize different colorimetric or fluorescent immunological assays for virus detection and to make it as sensitive and fast as possible. During the academic year, he hold practical classes in basic microbiology for the UAB students.


Abstract

Since 1959 with the proposal of Double Agar Layer (DAL) method for phage detection and quantification, many sophisticated methods have emerged meanwhile. However, many of them are either too complex/expensive or insensitive to replace routine utilization of DAL method in clinical, environmental and industrial environments. For that purpose, we have explored an alternative method for the detection and quantification of bacteriophages that fulfills the criteria of being rapid, simple and inexpensive. In this paper we have developed a method based on the analysis of optical density kinetics in bacterial cultures exposed to phage-containing samples. Although the decrease
in optical density caused by cell lysis was one of the first observable consequences of the effect of viral infection in bacterial cultures, the potential of the method for the assessment of phage abundance has never been fully exploited. In this work we carry out a detailed study of optical density kinetics in phage-infected bacterial cultures, as a function of both, phage abundance and initial concentration of the host organisms. In total, 90 different combinations of bacteria/phage concentrations have been used. The data obtained provide valuable information about sensitivity ranges, duration of the assay, percentages of inhibition and type of lysing behavior for each phage concentration. The method described can detect, as few as 10 phage particles per assay volume after a phage incubation period of 3.5h. The duration of the assay can be shortened to 45min at the expense of losing sensitivity and increasing the limit of detection to 108 pfu/ml. Despite using non-sophisticated technology, the method described has shown sensitivity and response time comparable to other high-end methods. The simplicity of the technology and of the analytical steps involved, make the system susceptible of miniaturization and automation for high-throughput applications which can be implemented in routine analysis in many environments.