Treatment of Anterior Vaginal Wall Prolapse Using Transvaginal Anterior Mesh With Apical Fixation: A Prospective Multicenter Study With up to 2 Years of Follow-up

Paulo César Rodrigues Palma,Marilene Vale de Castro Monteiro,Marta Alicia Ledesma,Sebastián Altuna,Juan José Luis Sardi,Cássio Luís Zanettini Riccetto 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2018 International Neurourology Journal Vol.22 No.3

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a surgical polypropylene mesh for correction of anterior vaginal prolapse, with or without apical defects, by providing simultaneous reinforcement at the anterior and apical aspects of the vagina with a single- incision approach. Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm study involving women with baseline stage ≥2 anterior and/or apical vaginal wall prolapse according to the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system. The primary endpoint was defined as achievement of POP-Q stage ≤1 status. Additionally, patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Vaginal Symptoms (ICIQ-VS). The device under evaluation was Calistar A, which is fixed posteriorly to the sacrospinous ligaments with a novel tissue-anchoring system (TAS) and anteriorly to the obturator internus muscles. Postoperative follow-ups were scheduled at 7 days and at 6, 12, and 24 months. Results: Ninety-seven women were treated and assessed for the primary outcome. They were followed for up to 2 years (n=43), with a median of 12 months. Objective cure was achieved in 86 of the 97 patients (88.7%) (P<0.0005). The mean reduction in the ICIQ-VS scores was in the range of 70%–90% for every time point (P<0.05). No bleeding or surgical revision was reported. Mesh exposure occurred in 7 patients (7.2%), urinary retention in 5 (5.2%), de novo dyspareunia in 3 (3.1%), and urinary tract infections in 7 (7.2%). Conclusions: This midterm follow-up showed that apical and anterior vaginal reinforcement with a polypropylene implant fixed with a TAS provided good anatomical correction, with no major complications.

Composite Wood–Concrete Structural Floor System with Horizontal Connectors

Ruy A. SaRibeiro,Marilene G. SaRibeiro 한국콘크리트학회 2015 International Journal of Concrete Structures and M Vol.9 No.1

The concept of horizontal shear connection utilization on wood?concrete beams intends to be an alternative connection detail for composite wood?concrete decks. The volume of sawn-wood is over three times more expensive than concrete, in Brazil. In order to be competitive in the Brazilian market we need a composite deck with the least amount of wood and a simple and inexpensive connection detail. This research project uses medium to high density tropical hardwoods managed from the Brazilian Amazon region and construction steel rods. The beams studied are composed of a bottom layer of staggered wood boards and a top layer of concrete. The wood members are laterally nailed together to form a wide beam, and horizontal rebar connectors are installed before the concrete layer is applied on top. Two sets of wood?concrete layered beams with horizontal rebar connectors (6 and 8) were tested in third-point loading flexural bending. The initial results reveal medium composite efficiency for the beams tested. An improvement on the previously conceived connection detail (set with six connectors) for the composite wood?concrete structural floor system was achieved by the set with eight connectors. The new layout of the horizontal rebar connectors added higher composite efficiency for the beams tested. Further analysis with advanced rigorous numerical Finite Element Modeling is suggested to optimize the connection parameters. Composite wood?concrete decks can attend a large demand for pedestrian bridges, as well as residential and commercial slabs in the Brazilian Amazon.

Isolation and Characterization of a Broad Spectrum Bacteriocin from <i> Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</i> RX7

Lim, Kong Boon,Balolong, Marilen P.,Kim, Sang Hoon,Oh, Ju Kyoung,Lee, Ji Yoon,Kang, Dae-Kyung Hindawi Publishing Corporation 2016 BioMed research international Vol.2016 No.-

<P>We isolated a<I> Bacillus</I> strain, RX7, with inhibitory activity against<I> Listeria monocytogenes</I> from soil and identified it as<I> Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</I> based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The inhibitory activity was stable over a wide range of pH and was fully retained after 30 min at 80°C, after which it decreased gradually at higher temperatures. The activity was sensitive to the proteolytic action of <I>α</I>-chymotrypsin, proteinase-K, and trypsin, indicating its proteinaceous nature. This bacteriocin was active against a broad spectrum of bacteria and the fungus<I> Candida albicans</I>. Direct detection of antimicrobial activity on a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel suggested an apparent molecular mass of approximately 5 kDa. Ammonium sulfate precipitation and anion-exchange and gel permeation chromatography integrated with reverse phase-high-performance liquid chromatography were used for bacteriocin purification. Automated N-terminal Edman degradation of the purified RX7 bacteriocin recognized the first 15 amino acids as NH<SUB>2</SUB>-X-Ala-Trp-Tyr-Asp-Ile-Arg-Lys-Leu-Gly-Asn-Lys-Gly-Ala, where the letter X in the sequence indicates an unknown or nonstandard amino acid. Based on BLAST similarity search and multiple alignment analysis, the obtained partial sequence showed high homology with the two-peptide lantibiotic haloduracin (HalA1) from<I> Bacillus halodurans</I>, although at least two amino acids differed between the sequences. A time-kill study demonstrated a bactericidal mode of action of RX7 bacteriocin.</P>

Pyrosequencing-based Analysis of Fecal Microbial Communities in Three Purebred Pig Lines

Edward Alain B. Pajarillo,채종표,Marilen P. Balolong,김현범,서강석,강대경 한국미생물학회 2014 The journal of microbiology Vol.52 No.8

This study examined the fecal bacterial diversity of 15-weekoldpigs from three purebred lines: Duroc, Landrace, andYorkshire. Taxon-dependent and -independent analyses wereperformed to evaluate differences in the fecal bacterial communitiesand to identify bacterial genera that can be used todiscriminate breeds, following high-throughput pyrosequencingof 16S rRNA genes. Among the breeds evaluated, Landracehad the most diverse bacterial community composition. Prevotella, Blautia, Oscillibacter, and Clostridium were detectedin all samples regardless of breed. On the other hand,Catenibacterium, Blautia, Dialister, and Sphaerochaeta weredifferentially detected among breeds, as demonstrated bythe canonical loading plot. The discriminant analysis of principalcomponents plot also showed clear separation of thethree purebred pig lines, with a certain degree of similaritybetween Landrace and Yorkshire pigs and a distinct separationbetween Duroc pigs and the other two breeds. Otherfactors not related to breed, such as season or time of samplingand pen effects, may contribute to shaping the gutmicrobiota of pigs.

Constructing Proteome Reference Map of the Porcine Jejunal Cell Line (IPEC-J2) by Label-Free Mass Spectrometry

( Sang Hoon Kim ),( Edward Alain B. Pajarillo ),( Marilen P. Balolong ),( Ji Yoon Lee ),( Dae Kyung Kang ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.6

In this study, the global proteome of the IPEC-J2 cell line was evaluated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole Q Exactive™ Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Proteins were isolated from highly confluent IPEC-J2 cells in biological replicates and analyzed by label-free mass spectrometry prior to matching against a porcine genomic dataset. The results identified 1,517 proteins, accounting for 7.35% of all genes in the porcine genome. The highly abundant proteins detected, such as actin, annexin A2, and AHNAK nucleoprotein, are involved in structural integrity, signaling mechanisms, and cellular homeostasis. The high abundance of heat shock proteins indicated their significance in cellular defenses, barrier function, and gut homeostasis. Pathway analysis and annotation using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database resulted in a putative protein network map of the regulation of immunological responses and structural integrity in the cell line. The comprehensive proteome analysis of IPEC-J2 cells provides fundamental insights into overall protein expression and pathway dynamics that might be useful in cell adhesion studies and immunological applications.

Characterization of the Fecal Microbial Communities of Duroc Pigs Using 16S rRNA Gene Pyrosequencing

Edward Alain B. Pajarillo,채종표,Marilen P. Balolong,김현범,서강석,강대경 아세아·태평양축산학회 2015 Animal Bioscience Vol.28 No.4

This study characterized the fecal bacterial community structure and inter-individual variation in 30-week-old Duroc pigs, which are known for their excellent meat quality. Pyrosequencing of the V1–V3 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA genes generated 108,254 valid reads and 508 operational taxonomic units at a 95% identity cut-off (genus level). Bacterial diversity and species richness as measured by the Shannon diversity index were significantly greater than those reported previously using denaturation gradient gel electrophoresis; thus, this study provides substantial information related to both known bacteria and the untapped portion of unclassified bacteria in the population. The bacterial composition of Duroc pig fecal samples was investigated at the phylum, class, family, and genus levels. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes predominated at the phylum level, while Clostridia and Bacteroidia were most abundant at the class level. This study also detected prominent inter-individual variation starting at the family level. Among the core microbiome, which was observed at the genus level, Prevotella was consistently dominant, as well as a bacterial phylotype related to Oscillibacter valericigenes, a valerate producer. This study found high bacterial diversity and compositional variation among individuals of the same breed line, as well as high abundance of unclassified bacterial phylotypes that may have important functions in the growth performance of Duroc pigs.

Carbohydrate-binding specificities of potential probiotic Lactobacillus strains in porcine jejunal (IPEC-J2) cells and porcine mucin

Valerie Diane Valeriano,BAGON BERNADETTE,Marilen P. Balolong,Dae-Kyung Kang 한국미생물학회 2016 The journal of microbiology Vol.54 No.7

Bacterial lectins are carbohydrate-binding adhesins that recognize glycoreceptors in the gut mucus and epithelium of hosts. In this study, the contribution of lectin-like activities to adhesion of Lactobacillus mucosae LM1 and Lactobacillus johnsonii PF01, which were isolated from swine intestine, were compared to those of the commercial probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Both LM1 and PF01 strains have been reported to have good adhesion ability to crude intestinal mucus of pigs. To confirm this, we quantified their adhesion to porcine gastric mucin and intestinal porcine enterocytes isolated from the jejunum of piglets (IPEC-J2). In addition, we examined their carbohydrate-binding specificities by suspending bacterial cells in carbohydrate solutions prior to adhesion assays. We found that the selected carbohydrates affected the adherences of LM1 to IPEC-J2 cells and of LGG to mucin. In addition, compared to adhesion to IPEC-J2 cells, adhesion to mucin by both LM1 and LGG was characterized by enhanced specific recognition of glycoreceptor components such as galactose, mannose, and N-acetylglucosamine. Hydrophobic interactions might make a greater contribution to adhesion of PF01. A similar adhesin profile between a probiotic and a pathogen, suggest a correlation between shared pathogen–probiotic glycoreceptor recognition and the ability to exclude enteropathogens such as Escherichia coli K88 and Salmonella Typhimurium KCCM 40253. These findings extend our understanding of the mechanisms of the intestinal adhesion and pathogen-inhibition abilities of probiotic Lactobacillus strains.

Identification and Characterization of a Novel Anti-oxidant Peptide from Bovine Skim Milk Fermented by Lactococcus lactis SL6

Sang Hoon Kim,Ji Yoon Lee,Marilen P. Balolong,Jin-eung Kim,Hyun-dong Paik,Dae-kyung Kang 한국축산식품학회 2017 한국축산식품학회지 Vol.37 No.3

A novel peptide having free radical scavenging activity was separated, using an on-line high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) - ABTS screening method, from bovine skim milk fermented by Lactococcus lactis SL6 (KCTC 11865BP). It was further purified using reverse phase-HPLC (RP-HPLC) and sequenced by RP-HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. The amino acid sequence of the identified peptide was determined to be Phe-Ser-Asp-Ile-Pro- Asn-Pro-Ile-Gly-Ser-Glu-Asn-Ser-Glu-Lys-Thr-Thr-Met-Pro-Leu-Trp (2,362 Da), which is corresponding to the C-terminal fragment of bovine αs1-casein (f179-199). The hydroxyl rad-icals scavenging activity (IC50 28.25±0.96 μM) of the peptide chemically synthesized based on the MS/MS data showed a slightly lower than that of the natural antioxidant Trolox (IC50 15.37±0.52 μM). Furthermore, derivatives of the antioxidant peptide were synthesized. The antioxidative activity of the derivatives whose all three proline residues replaced by alanine significantly decreased, whereas replacement of two proline residues in N-terminal region did not affect its antioxidative activity, indicating that 3rd proline in C-terminal region is critical for the antioxidative activity of the peptide identified in this study. In addition, N-terminal region of the antioxidant peptide did not show its activity, whereas C-terminal region main-tained antioxidative activity, suggesting that C-terminal region of the peptide is important for antioxidative activity.

Assessment of fecal bacterial diversity among healthy piglets during the weaning transition.

Alain B Pajarillo, Edward,Chae, Jong-Pyo,Balolong, Marilen P,Bum Kim, Hyeun,Kang, Dae-Kyung Institute of Applied Microbiology, University of T 2014 The Journal of general and applied microbiology Vol.60 No.4

<P>The high level of genetic diversity in the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract has the potential to provide numerous beneficial functions to the host. Thus it is now acknowledged that the complexity in animal functioning is linked to the interacting microbiome in the gut. Despite the importance of gut microbiome, there is a lack of information concerning the microbial communities in the pig gut during the weaning transition. This study describes the fecal microbial shifts of healthy piglets during the weaning transition using barcoded pyrosequencing of the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene. Fecal samples were obtained from 15 piglets during the pre-weaning period (fourth week after birth) and post-weaning (sixth week after birth) and were subjected to community genomic DNA extraction for pyrosequencing analysis. As the piglets underwent the weaning transition a trend toward increased bacterial diversity was observed, based on species abundance as measured by the Shannon-Weaver index. Firmicutes (54.0%) and Bacteroidetes (59.6%) were the most dominant phyla during pre-weaning and post-weaning, respectively. During the weaning transition a distinct shift from Bacteroides to Prevotella as the most abundant genus was observed. Additionally, we detected a number of abundant gut bacterial species that have not been reported previously. Clostridium rectum, C. clostridioforme, C. lactatifermentans and Butyricimonas virosa were uniquely detected prior to weaning while Roseburia cecicola and Blautia wexlerae were detected during the post-weaning period only.</P>

Characterization of the Fecal Microbial Communities of Duroc Pigs Using 16S rRNA Gene Pyrosequencing

Pajarillo, Edward Alain B.,Chae, Jong Pyo,Balolong, Marilen P.,Kim, Hyeun Bum,Seo, Kang-Seok,Kang, Dae-Kyung Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2015 Animal Bioscience Vol.28 No.4

This study characterized the fecal bacterial community structure and inter-individual variation in 30-week-old Duroc pigs, which are known for their excellent meat quality. Pyrosequencing of the V1-V3 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA genes generated 108,254 valid reads and 508 operational taxonomic units at a 95% identity cut-off (genus level). Bacterial diversity and species richness as measured by the Shannon diversity index were significantly greater than those reported previously using denaturation gradient gel electrophoresis; thus, this study provides substantial information related to both known bacteria and the untapped portion of unclassified bacteria in the population. The bacterial composition of Duroc pig fecal samples was investigated at the phylum, class, family, and genus levels. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes predominated at the phylum level, while Clostridia and Bacteroidia were most abundant at the class level. This study also detected prominent inter-individual variation starting at the family level. Among the core microbiome, which was observed at the genus level, Prevotella was consistently dominant, as well as a bacterial phylotype related to Oscillibacter valericigenes, a valerate producer. This study found high bacterial diversity and compositional variation among individuals of the same breed line, as well as high abundance of unclassified bacterial phylotypes that may have important functions in the growth performance of Duroc pigs.