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Biomedical subjects

M Moens

Publications and source records attributed to M Moens.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Fast identification of ten clinically important micro-organisms using an electronic nose.

AIMS: To evaluate the electronic nose (EN) as method for the identification of ten clinically important micro-organisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: A commercial EN system with a series of ten metal oxide sensors was used to characterize the headspace of the cultured organisms. The measurement procedure was optimized to obtain reproducible results. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) and a k-nearest neighbour (k-NN) algorithm in combination with a feature selection technique were used as pattern recognition tools. Hundred percent correct identification can be achieved by EN technology, provided that sufficient attention is paid to data handling. CONCLUSIONS: Even for a set containing a number of closely related species in addition to four unrelated organisms, an EN is capable of 100% correct identification. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The time between isolation and identification of the sample can be dramatically reduced to 17 h.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2005

The mitochondrial genome of Xiphinema americanum sensu stricto (Nematoda: Enoplea): considerable economization in the length and structural features of encoded genes.

The complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the plant parasitic nematode Xiphinema americanum sensu stricto has been determined. At 12626bp it is the smallest metazoan mitochondrial genome reported to date. Genes are transcribed from both strands. Genes coding for 12 proteins, 2 rRNAs and 17 putative tRNAs (with the tRNA-C, I, N, S1, S2 missing) are predicted from the sequence. The arrangement of genes within the X. americanum mitochondrial genome is unique and includes gene overlaps. Comparisons with the mtDNA of other nematodes show that the small size of the X. americanum mtDNA is due to a combination of factors. The two mitochondrial rRNA genes are considerably smaller than those of other nematodes, with most of the protein encoding and tRNA genes also slightly smaller. In addition, five tRNAs genes are absent, lengthy noncoding regions are not present in the mtDNA, and several gene overlaps are present.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Selection of a highly virulent fungal isolate, Metarhizium anisopliae CLO 53, for controlling Hoplia philanthus.

The June beetle, Hoplia philanthus Füessly (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), has become a widespread and destructive insect pest of lawns, sport turf, pastures, and horticultural crops in Belgium. The virulence of 34 entomopathogenic fungal isolates from the genera Metarhizium, Beauveria, and Paecilomyces to third-instar H. philanthus was tested in bioassays by dipping larvae in 10(7)conidia/ml suspensions. Two isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (CLO 53 and CLO 54) caused maximally 90% mortality 10 weeks post-inoculation while other isolates only caused mortalities between 10 and 62%. The virulence of M. anisopliae CLO 53 was further tested by exposing H. philanthus larvae to conidial serial concentrations of 10(4)-10(9)conidia/g sandy soil for up to 11 weeks at 15, 20 or 25 degrees C. Mortality was dependant on the fungal concentration, exposure time, and temperature. Eleven weeks after inoculation, the LC50 values for this isolate ranged from 1.3 to 4.0 x 10(6), 1.0 to 3.2 x 10(5), and 2.5 x 10(4) to 10(5)conidia/g soil at 15, 20, and 25 degrees C, respectively. The LT50 values for this isolate ranged from 3.5 to 21.7, 2.4 to 18.7, and 2.9 to 16.1 weeks at concentrations of 10(9) and 10(4)conidia/g soil at 15, 20, and 25 degrees C, respectively. In glasshouse pot experiment with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), the isolate CLO 53 caused mortalities of 50 and 88% of H. philanthus larvae 10 weeks after application of 10(4) and 10(6)conidia/cm(2) soil surface, respectively. The present results suggest that the Belgian isolate CLO 53 has excellent potential for biological control of H. philanthus.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Phylogenetic relationships within the cyst-forming nematodes (Nematoda, Heteroderidae) based on analysis of sequences from the ITS regions of ribosomal DNA.

The ITS1, ITS2, and 5.8S gene sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA from 40 taxa of the family Heteroderidae (including the genera Afenestrata, Cactodera, Heterodera, Globodera, Punctodera, Meloidodera, Cryphodera, and Thecavermiculatus) were sequenced and analyzed. The ITS regions displayed high levels of sequence divergence within Heteroderinae and compared to outgroup taxa. Unlike recent findings in root knot nematodes, ITS sequence polymorphism does not appear to complicate phylogenetic analysis of cyst nematodes. Phylogenetic analyses with maximum-parsimony, minimum-evolution, and maximum-likelihood methods were performed with a range of computer alignments, including elision and culled alignments. All multiple alignments and phylogenetic methods yielded similar basic structure for phylogenetic relationships of Heteroderidae. The cyst-forming nematodes are represented by six main clades corresponding to morphological characters and host specialization, with certain clades assuming different positions depending on alignment procedure and/or method of phylogenetic inference. Hypotheses of monophyly of Punctoderinae and Heteroderinae are, respectively, strongly and moderately supported by the ITS data across most alignments. Close relationships were revealed between the Avenae and the Sacchari groups and between the Humuli group and the species H. salixophila within Heteroderinae. The Goettingiana group occupies a basal position within this subfamily. The validity of the genera Afenestrata and Bidera was tested and is discussed based on molecular data. We conclude that ITS sequence data are appropriate for studies of relationships within the different species groups and less so for recovery of more ancient speciations within Heteroderidae.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Levamisole in ascariasis. A multicenter controlled evaluation.

An analysis is presented of 10 clinical studies from various countries where levamisole 50--150 mg was compared to pyrantel, piperazine, and placebo in a total of 1,734 patients, mostly children (levamisole: 830, controls: 904), suffering from ascariasis either as a single infection or usually mixed with other nematode infections. Degree of infection and efficacy of treatment were determined by quantitative coproparasitological methods. Levamisole produced higher cure rates (91%) and egg reduction rates (98%) than pyrantel, piperazine, or placebo. The efficacy of levamisole was unrelated to the patients' sex and age, the severity of infection, the presence of another worm infection, the type of associated worm infections, or the egg-counting technique. The overall incidence of reported adverse reactions was lower after levamisole than after piperazine, pyrantel or placebo; abdominal pain and headache, the most frequent complaints after levamisole, were related to the initial severity of ascariasis. Follow-up examinations 6 months after treatment suggested that levamisole might delay reinfection.

Adolescent↗