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The article presents a study which validated the applied biosystems MicroSEQ real-time polymerase chain reaction method to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 in several good matrixes. The test method was compared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook" 5.04 reference method for detecting E. coli in ground beef and beef trim and to the ISO 16654 reference method for detecting E. coli in spinach, orange juice and apple juice.

The origin and evolution of venom proteins in helodermatid lizards were investigated by multidisciplinary techniques. Our analyses elucidated novel toxin types resultant from three unique domain-expression processes: 1) The first full-length sequences of lethal toxin isoforms (helofensins) revealed this toxin type to be constructed by an ancestral monodomain, monoproduct gene (beta-defensin) that underwent three tandem domain duplications to encode a tetradomain, monoproduct with a possible novel protein fold; 2) an ancestral monodomain gene (encoding a natriuretic peptide) was medially extended to become a pentadomain, pentaproduct through the additional encoding of four tandemly repeated proline-rich peptides (helokinestatins), with the five discrete peptides liberated from each other by posttranslational proteolysis; and 3) an ancestral multidomain, multiproduct gene belonging to the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)/glucagon family being mutated to encode for a monodomain, monoproduct (exendins) followed by duplication and diversification into two variant classes (exendins 1 and 2 and exendins 3 and 4). Bioactivity characterization of exendin and helokinestatin elucidated variable cardioactivity between isoforms within each class. These results highlight the importance of utilizing evolutionary-based search strategies for biodiscovery and the virtually unexplored potential of lizard venoms in drug design and discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective To describe practices affecting parents' overnight stays, provisions for parents sleeping overnight and parents' involvement in overnight care of their hospitalized child. Methods A cross-sectional telephone survey of Canadian and American hospitals with more or equal to 50 acute pediatric beds and more or equal to two pediatric wards was conducted. Results Surveys were completed by 135 hospitals (77% response rate). All general pediatric units allowed parents to sleep at the bedside overnight; higher acuity units limited parental stays. The majority of hospitals limited overnight visitors at the bedside to one parent, and few hospitals routinely allowed siblings to sleep overnight. One hundred and thirty-three (99%) hospitals reported parental involvement in their child's care at night, with 52 (39%) stating this was an expectation. Conclusions In general, parents are given the opportunity to stay at the bedside overnight, but barriers exist that limit opportunities for sleep during their child's hospitalization, and serve to separate families who have a hospitalized child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the certified MicroSEQ Listeria species Detection Kit method for the detection of bacteria in ready-to-eat meats as liver patée, raw fermented sausage, and sliced deli ham, and on stainless steel. It discusses the principle of the method based on Real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification and data analysis. It lists the apparatus needed such as incubators, stomacher, and benchtop microcentrifuge, required test kit components, and reagents.

The article presents the certified MicroSEQ Listeria monocytogenes Detection Kit method for detection of the bacteria in ready-to-eat meats as hot dogs, raw fermented sausage, and slice deli turkey, and on stainless steel surfaces. It discusses the principle of the method based on TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction technology, and the RapidFinder Express software. A table showing probability on detection between presumptive and confirmed bacteria is presented.