Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “API”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,495 records · Page 83Linked to original sources

High level of hepatitis B infection and ongoing risk among Asian/Pacific Islander men who have sex with men, San Francisco, 2000-2001.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined serologic markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and immunity among young Asian/Pacific Islander men who have sex with men (API MSM) in San Francisco. METHODS: Participants were 496 API MSM, aged 18 to 29 years, recruited to participate in a cross-sectional survey using a random, venue-based, time-space sampling method. RESULTS: Of 489 subjects tested, 28.0% had evidence of past HBV infection, including 8.2% who were chronically infected; 24.9% were immune as a result of vaccination; and 47.0% were susceptible to infection. Self-reported vaccination history was low overall and discrepant with serologic findings. CONCLUSIONS: HBV infection persists as a significant health problem among API MSM as a result of childhood infection, low vaccination coverage in Asia and the United States, and continuing adult exposure through male-male sex. Although challenging, vigorous efforts are needed to increase vaccination coverage among adult API MSM.

Adolescent↗

Differences in early postnatal morbidity risk by pattern of fetal growth in Argentina.

Information on a cohort of 5539 singleton births delivered at term in two hospitals in Rosario, Argentina, was used to examine differences in early postnatal morbidity between small for gestational age (SGA) infants classified by their ponderal index (PI). SGA infants with low PI (SGA-LPI) were 4.35 (90% CI: 1.50, 12.61) times more likely to have asphyxia, 13.75 (2.48, 76.31) times more likely to have hypoglycaemia and 2.32 (1.03, 5.26) times more likely to have respiratory distress (RD) than SGA infants with adequate PI (SGA-API). The increased risks of asphyxia and hypoglycaemia observed for SGA-LPI infants diminished, but remained statistically significant after controlling for the infant's gender, birthweight, gestational age and hospital of birth. There was no difference in risk of hyperbilirubinaemia between SGA-API and SGA-LPI infants. With the exception of risk of hyperbilirubinaemia, SGA-API infants carried the same risks of morbidity as non-SGA infants. The results of the study show that SGA infants do not constitute a homogeneous group with respect to their prospects for early postnatal health and survival. Furthermore, the pattern of differences in morbidity risk between SGA-API and SGA-LPI infants observed in this study is consistent with the timing hypothesis for the aetiology of variation in PI among SGA infants.

Argentina↗

Identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci other than Staphylococcus epidermidis by automated ribotyping.

As routine identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci is problematic, the performance of automated ribotyping was evaluated for identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci other than Staphylococcus epidermidis. In total, 177 isolates were tested, comprising 149 isolates from blood samples, 15 isolates that were not identified by internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-PCR in a previous study, and 13 reference strains. The identification results were compared with those obtained by the API 20 Staph system, with standard phenotypic and molecular methods as reference. Most (n = 166; 93.8%) isolates were identified correctly by automated ribotyping. For 61 isolates, API 20 Staph and ribotyping were in agreement, but for 105 isolates, ribotyping provided correct identification and API 20 Staph did not. Four isolates not identified by automated ribotyping were recognised correctly by API 20 Staph. The remaining seven isolates could not be identified by either of the two methods. Automated ribotyping was able to distinguish Staphylococcus capitis reliably from Staphylococcus caprae. The results demonstrate the value of automated ribotyping for identification of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) isolates from human sources and may help to clarify the clinical relevance of CoNS species. In addition, automated ribotyping was able to detect polymorphisms that may be useful for epidemiological purposes within S. capitis, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus simulans, S. caprae, Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, Staphylococcus schleiferi, Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus pasteuri and Staphylococcus xylosus.

Phenotype↗

Anomalous but helpful findings from the BBL Crystal ID kit with Haemophilus spp.

Fourteen strains of Haemophilus (12 H. influenzae, 1 H. parainfluenzae and 1 H. aphrophilus) were processed in BBL Crystal ID Enteric/Nonfermenter, API 20E and API 20NE kits, to determine whether the BBL kit misidentifies, as API kits may do, Haemophilus spp. as Pasteurella spp. The 13 H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae strains produced uninterpretable colour reactions in the Crystal kit, thus signalling that an inappropriate species had been tested. On the other hand, the API kits (especially 20NE) often confidently "identified' Haemophilus spp. as Pasteurella spp., giving no warning that this was a misidentification.

Diagnostic Errors↗

Irregular ventricular stimulation in the DDI mode of a dual chamber pacemaker with atrial-based lower rate timing.

This report describes two patients with atrial fibrillation in whom an implanted CHORUS DDD pacemaker programmed to the DDI mode produced an irregular ventricular stimulation rate. The lower rate timing of these devices is atrial-based only when an atrial event opens an AV interval shorter than the programmed AV delay. In the DDI mode, if Api represents the time when an atrial paced event (Ap) would have occurred if it had not been inhibited by a previous atrial sensed event (As), then Api-Vp constitutes the implied AV interval where Vp is a paced ventricular event. Although the As-Vp interval (As-Api + Api-Vp) generates an atrial refractory period during its entire duration, the pacemaker can sense an atrial event (AR) during the implied AV interval. AR cannot start another AV delay, but it can initiate the atrial-based lower rate interval. This timing mechanism can cause irregular prolongation of Vp-Vp intervals to a value longer than the programmed lower interval with a maximal extension equal to the programmed AV delay. Such behavior of the CHORUS pacemaker should not be interpreted as malfunction.

Atrial Fibrillation↗

An investigation of three commercial methods for rapid identification of non-enteric gram-negative rods. Application on Pseudomonas paucimobilis and some other Pseudomonas species.

Three commercial systems for the identification of non-enteric gram-negative rods were compared with conventional bacteriological methods as reference. The three systems were the API 20 NE, BIO-TEST ID-Trident, and ROSCO Diagnostic Tablets. The systems were tested on a set of 47 strains from the genus Pseudomonas, with the emphasis upon the yellow-pigmented species. The overall identification accuracy was 97% with the API, 19% with the BIOTEST and 68% with the ROSCO system. The API system was thus reliable, and it presented no major practical problems. The BIOTEST system was very handy. The main reason for the low accuracy was an error in the code book. The ONPG reaction was depicted as negative in the species P. paucimobilis. A positive ONPG test is a keymark in this species and 76% of the 20 strains of P. paucimobilis included in this investigation were also found positive with the BIOTEST system. The ROSCO tablets are convenient if the result of single reactions is desired. The time consumption per strain was 5.4, 4.4, and 6.2 min for the API, BIOTEST, and ROSCO systems respectively.

Predictive Value of Tests↗

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of phenanthrene-degrading fluorescent Pseudomonas biovars.

A total of 41 phenanthrene degraders were isolated from a former coal gasification site by using Pseudomonas-selective Gould's S1 medium. All isolates were found to belong to the fluorescent Pseudomonas group and were subjected to characterization by phenotypic methods, including classical taxonomic tests, API 20NE, and Biolog GN, and the strains were further characterized by the genotypic method repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (REP-PCR). By using classical tests, the population was found to consist of 38 strains belonging to P. fluorescens, 2 P. putida strains, and 1 Pseudomonas sp. Bacteria in phenograms from Biolog GN and REP-PCR data were divided into groups, which were in good agreement with classical test and API 20NE results. We found a nonfluorescent group of 22 bacteria inconsistent with any Pseudomonas sp. in Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. The group showed small differences in the genotypic test, indicating that all 22 isolates were not recent clones of the same isolate. Analyses of the nonfluorescent group indicated that it belonged to Pseudomonas, but the group could not be affiliated with P. fluorescens because of differences in DNA-DNA hybridization. Identifications using classical tests and API 20NE were found to correlate, but Biolog GN identifications after 24-h incubation resulted very often in the distantly related P. corrugata. The reproducibilities of individual tests of each phenotypic method were assessed, and low reproducibilities were mainly found to be associated with specific Biolog GN test wells. Classical tests and API 20NE proved to be the best for identification of isolates, whereas Biolog GN and REP-PCR were found to be the best tests for high resolution among these closely related isolates.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗

Identification of GutQ from Escherichia coli as a D-arabinose 5-phosphate isomerase.

The glucitol operon (gutAEBDMRQ) of Escherichia coli encodes a phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system that metabolizes the hexitol D-glucitol (sorbitol). The functions for all but the last gene, gutQ, have been previously assigned. The high sequence similarity between GutQ and KdsD, a D-arabinose 5-phosphate isomerase (API) from the 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate (KDO)-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthetic pathway, suggested a putative activity, but its role within the context of the gut operon remained unclear. Accordingly, the enzyme was cloned, overexpressed, and characterized. Recombinant GutQ was shown to indeed be a second copy of API from the E. coli K-12 genome with biochemical properties similar to those of KdsD, catalyzing the reversible aldol-ketol isomerization between D-ribulose 5-phosphate (Ru5P) and D-arabinose 5-phosphate (A5P). Genomic disruptions of each API gene were constructed in E. coli K-12. TCM11[(deltakdsD)] was capable of sustaining essential LPS synthesis at wild-type levels, indicating that GutQ functions as an API inside the cell. The gut operon remained inducible in TCM7[(deltagutQ)], suggesting that GutQ is not directly involved in d-glucitol catabolism. The conditional mutant TCM15[(deltagutQdeltakdsD)] was dependent on exogenous A5P both for LPS synthesis/growth and for upregulation of the gut operon. The phenotype was suppressed by complementation in trans with a plasmid encoding a functional copy of GutQ or by increasing the amount of A5P in the medium. As there is no obvious obligatory role for GutQ in the metabolism of d-glucitol and there is no readily apparent link between D-glucitol metabolism and LPS biosynthesis, it is suggested that A5P is not only a building block for KDO biosynthesis but also may be a regulatory molecule involved in expression of the gut operon.

Aldose-Ketose Isomerases↗

Evaluation of a rapid system for species identification of alpha-hemolytic streptococci.

A new 4-h commercial system (API 20S; Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) for the identification of streptococci was compared with the conventional biochemical profile method in the species identification of alpha-hemolytic streptococci. A total of 194 clinical isolates (including 74 isolated from blood cultures, 64 isolated from wound cultures, and 56 isolated from respiratory cultures) and 20 reference strains were tested. Only 4 of the 20 reference strains were correctly identified to species level by the API 20S system. Six were identified to group level (viridans), four were incorrectly identified, and six did not conform to the identification key. Of the 194 clinical isolates tested, 79 (39%) were correctly identified to species level, 34 (17.5%) were identified to group level, 34 (17.5%) were incorrectly identified, and 50 (25.8%) did not conform to the identification key. Of the 12 different species of alpha-hemolytic streptococci isolated from clinical specimens, the API 20S system consistently identified Streptococcus faecalis and Streptococcus faecium, but consistently misidentified the other 10 species, especially Streptococcus mitis. Our results indicate that for identification to species level, the API 20S system is of little value for alpha-hemolytic streptococci other than enterococci.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Comparison of three methods for anaerobe identification.

In this study we evaluated the ability of three commercial methods, API 20A (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.), Minitek (BBL Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.), and Anaerobe-Tek (Flow Laboratories, Inc., McLean, Va.), to accurately identify 165 recent clinical and 38 stock isolates of anaerobic bacteria without supplemental tests or gas-liquid chromatography. Strains included 89 Bacteroides spp., 12 fusobacteria, 10 gram-positive, nonsporing rods, 43 Clostridium spp., 15 Streptococcus intermedius, 18 peptococci, 6 peptostreptococci, 3 Staphylococcus saccharolyticus, and 7 Veillonella spp. The methods used were those of manufacturers, without supplemental tests. API 20A correctly identified 70.0% of strains to species and 6.4% to genus only, with 17.2% as part of a spectrum of identifications and 6.4% incorrect. Minitek, according to the current code book, yielded 69.5% correct identifications to species, 16.8% spectrum identifications, and 13.8% incorrect. Anaerobe-Tek correctly identified 64.0% of strains to species, 21.2% spectrum identifications, and 14.8% incorrect. Thirteen strains were misidentified by API 20A, 28 were misidentified by Minitek, and 30 were misidentified by Anaerobe-Tek. For laboratories without gas-liquid chromatography support and where identification of clinically significant Bacteroides fragilis and Clostridium perfringens is desired, any of the three systems would provide accurate information. For more extensive anaerobe identification, including the less frequently isolated, more unusual organisms, API 20A and Minitek are preferred at this time. All systems have identification schemes associated with a percentage of misidentifications, the most recently introduced Anaerobe-Tek system being associated with the highest error rate.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

Evaluation of the four-hour rapid 20E system for identification of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

A study was conducted to compare the API Rapid 20E 4-h system (API System S.A., France; commercially available in the U.S.A. under the name DMS Rapid E System; DMS Laboratories, Darts Mill, Flemington, N.J.), the API 20E 18- to 24-h system (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.), and a conventional media system to measure the ability of each to identify members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Comparison tables rather than simple percentage agreement tables were generated to define the particular strengths and weaknesses of each system and to allow the laboratory to best use the data. The Rapid 20E compared quite favorably with conventional media. It yielded correct identifications with 95.9% of the isolates tested (API 20E, 98% identification rate). In 2.5% of the isolates, the Rapid 20E gave only genus identifications, and in 1.4% the organisms did not correspond to any key in the code book and could not be identified by the manufacturer's computer service. The ease of inoculation and the 4-h capability make the Rapid 20E system an extremely attractive development in the field of bacterial identification.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Evaluation of two commercial kits and arbitrarily primed PCR for identification and differentiation of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Haemophilus aphrophilus, and Haemophilus paraphrophilus.

The closely related species Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Haemophilus aphrophilus, and Haemophilus paraphrophilus are common findings in oral microbiota. The aims of this study were to evaluate the applicability of the Rapid NH and API ZYM kits and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) in the identification and differentiation of the three species from each other. The material included 62 clinical isolates and three reference strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans representing the 5 serotypes and 18 AP-PCR genotypes. Haemophilus species included 12 clinical isolates and 11 reference strains of H. aphrophilus, H. paraphrophilus, and 5 other species. For the PCR amplification, the oligonucleotide 5'-CAGCACCCAC-3' was used as a primer. Contrary to the consistent performance of API ZYM, the Rapid NH system was able to identify only 10 of 65 (15%) A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates, whereas all Haemophilus species were correctly identified. The API ZYM test differentiated A. actinomycetemcomitans from H. aphrophilus and H. paraphrophilus by negative beta-galactosidase and alpha-glucosidase reactions and a positive esterase lipase reaction. However, the API ZYM test was unable to differentiate H. aphrophilus from H. paraphrophilus, it also could not differentiate A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes from each other. Among the H. aphrophilus isolates three AP-PCR genotypes and among H. paraphrophilus isolates only one AP-PCR genotype, distinct from those of A. actinomycetemcomitans, were found. The Rapid NH test showed poor ability to identify clinical isolates of all A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes. Moreover, AP-PCR genotyping proved to be a rapid method for the species differentiation of A. actinomycetemcomitans, H. aphrophilus, and H. paraphrophilus.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

Comparative study of three methods of identification of Enterobacteriaceae.

Three separate hospital clinical microbiology laboratories using three different identification systems participated in the identification of Enterobactericeae from a central pool of 'unknown" clinical isolates. With conventional tubed media, API-20E (Anlytab Products Inc.) and R/B tube (Corning Diagnostics) systems, there was a 91.1% agreement in the species designation. No significant differences at the 95% confidence level were found among the systems. Evaluation of individual tests within the systems used revealed lysine decarboxylase of the conventional and citrate of the API-20E system to be significantly different from the same test within the other two systems. The lysine decarboxylase of the conventional system had species relatedness, whereas the differences in citrate of the API-20E system were not related to a particular species. These individual test variations did not affect final organism identification. Reproducibility, evaluated as the system's ability to designate the same identification on two separate occasions, was 92 to 94% for each system. Exact duplication of selected sets of reactions was 60% for conventional, 45% for API-20E, and 61% for R/B. The variations in sets of reactions differed with the system and with the organism involved. The findings suggest equivalency among the three systems in ability to identify common clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and point out the limited usefulness of these systems for biochemical biotyping.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Evaluation of Mast-ID 15 system for identification of fresh clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter.

AIMS: To assess the accuracy of the Mast-ID 15 system compared with API 20 E for the identification of stock and fresh clinical strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter spp; to compare the accuracy of 19 pin and 36 pin multipoint inoculator heads. METHODS: One hundred frozen stock cultures of Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter spp which had previously been identified by the API 20E were classified by the Mast-ID using 19 and 36 pin multipoint inoculator heads. Reproducibility was determined by testing 36 randomly selected organisms in duplicate. Four hundred and sixty nine consecutive fresh clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter spp were identified by the Mast-ID using a 36 pin multipoint inoculator and by the API 20E. Reproducibility for the fresh isolates was determined by testing 96 randomly selected strains in duplicate. RESULTS: The Mast-ID 15 identified 82% and 85% of frozen strains to species level and reproducibility was 80% and 86% using 19 and 36 pin inoculator heads, respectively. Of the 469 fresh clinical isolates, the Mast-ID identified 70% of strains to species level; 19% were not identified and 11% were identified incorrectly by comparison with the API 20E. The Mast-ID achieved a reproducibility level of 80% with the fresh clinical isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a 36 pin multipoint inoculator head in preference to the standard 19 pin head for the Mast-ID was advantageous as it allowed greater numbers of strains to be identified at a reduced cost. Unfortunately, in our hands, the Mast-ID system was insufficiently accurate for routine use in the clinical laboratory. Modifications to some of the problematic tests may result in a sufficient increase in accuracy and reproducibility to make the system beneficial in the routine clinical laboratory.

Acinetobacter↗

Dinitrogen-fixing bacteria: computer-assisted identification of soil isolates.

Dinitrogen-fixing (acetylene-reducing) bacteria may be readily isolated from soils but extensive biochemical or immunobiological testing, or both, are required to identify them absolutely. A computer-assisted scheme for identification of nine genera of dinitrogen-fixing bacteria was developed and tested. The computer program is based on interpretation of the 70 biochemical tests of the API 20E and 50E, supplemented with tests for acetylene reduction, nitrate and nitrite reduction, catalase, oxidase, motility, and growth on MacConkey's bile salt medium. Dinitrogen-fixing Enterobacteriaceae (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Erwinia herbicola) were accurately identified using the data base in the API analytical profile index. Nonenteric dinitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azotobacter spp., Azospirillum spp., Derxia sp., Rhodospirillum sp., Clostridium sp., and Bacillus spp.) were subjected to these tests to form a new data base for these bacteria. The API tests agreed with standard biochemical tests commonly used to identify these bacteria, were reproducible with time, and were sufficiently unique to permit accurate identification of each species. The use of the API 20E and 50E tests plus the additional seven tests with these known data bases permitted rapid and precise identification of acetylene reducing bacteria from various agricultural ecosystems.

Acetylene↗

Akt/protein kinase B signaling inhibitor-2, a selective small molecule inhibitor of Akt signaling with antitumor activity in cancer cells overexpressing Akt.

Accumulated studies have shown that activation of the Akt pathway plays a pivotal role in malignant transformation and chemoresistance by inducing cell survival, growth, migration, and angiogenesis. Therefore, Akt is believed to be a critical target for cancer intervention. Here, we report the discovery of a small molecule Akt pathway inhibitor, Akt/protein kinase B signaling inhibitor-2 (API-2), by screening the National Cancer Institute Diversity Set. API-2 suppressed the kinase activity and phosphorylation level of Akt. The inhibition of Akt kinase resulted in suppression of cell growth and induction of apoptosis in human cancer cells that harbor constitutively activated Akt due to overexpression of Akt or other genetic alterations such as PTEN mutation. API-2 is highly selective for Akt and does not inhibit the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1, protein kinase C, serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase, protein kinase A, signal transducer and activators of transcription 3, extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2, or c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase. Furthermore, API-2 potently inhibited tumor growth in nude mice of human cancer cells in which Akt is aberrantly expressed/activated but not of those cancer cells in which it is not. These findings provide strong evidence for pharmacologically targeting Akt for anticancer drug discovery.

Animals↗

Contrast media extravasation: manual versus power injector.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence and complications of extravasation of low-osmolar nonionic contrast media, injected manually and by the automatic power injector (API). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Three thousand five hundred and sixty patients underwent contrast-enhanced abdominal and thoracic computerized tomography scan in the Department of Clinical Radiology, Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait, between June 1998 and December 2002. These patients were prospectively analyzed for contrast media extravasation, its relation to injection rate, cannula insertion and gauge and its complications. 920 patients were administered low-osmolar nonionic contrast media (Ultravist 300, Omni Paque 240 or 300) intravenously by manual injection and 2,640 patients by automatic power injector. RESULTS: Of the 3,560 patients contrast media extravasation occurred in 11 (0.3%). The symptoms were observed in 9 patients (0.3%) in the API group and 2 patients (0.2%) in the manual injection group, respectively. None of the patients had any soft tissue injury. CONCLUSION: The incidence of contrast media extravasation is not significantly increased by the use of the API. Low-osmolar nonionic contrast media extravasation resulting from the use of API does not cause any morbidity.

Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materi↗

Automated ribotyping to distinguish the different non Sau/ non Sep staphylococcal emerging pathogens in orthopedic implant infections.

Several species belonging to Staphylococcus genus, other than Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis (non Sau/ non Sep species), exhibit increasing abilities as opportunistic pathogens in the colonisation of periprosthetic tissues. Consequently, the availability of means for accurate identification is crucial to assess the pathogenic characteristics and to clarify clinical relevance of the individual species. Here, 146 clinical staphylococcal isolates belonging to non Sau/ non Sep species from prosthesis-associated orthopedic infections were analyzed by conventional enzymatic galleries and by automated ribotyping. Twelve different species were recognised: S. capitis, S. caprae, S. cohnii, S. equorum, S. haemolyticus, S. hominis, S. lugdunensis, S. pasteuri, S. sciuri, S. simulans, S. warneri, S. xylosus. Ribotype identifications were compared with the phenotypes obtained by the Api 20 Staph system and/or ID 32 Staph system. ID 32 Staph profiles were more consistent with ribotyping results than Api Staph profiles. Across the different staphylococcal species investigated, correct identifications with Api Staph were 45%, while with ID 32 Staph they were 59%. It has, however, to be mentioned that ID 32 Staph was mostly applied to discriminate unmatched ribotyping and Api Staph identifications, thus to a subpopulation of strains with ""atypical"" metabolic profile. Automated ribotyping provided a correct identification for 91% of the isolates. These results confirm automated ribotyping as a convenient rapid technique, still subject to improvements, which will accurately and rapidly recognise the newly emerging staphylococcal pathogens in implant-related orthopedic infections.

Automation↗