a microbiology newsletter -february, 2021
A newsletter of, by, and for microbiologists. Copyright 2021, all rights reserved
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Please, George!...Not here! |
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Can CBD Also be
Considered an Antibiotic?
Just weeks ago, researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia announced promising results of their studies regarding cannabidiol (CBD) and its ability to inhibit various types of bacteria.
CBD is the non-psychoactive component of marijuana, not to be confused with the mind-altering THC. Many claims have been made regarding CBD's capacity for healing and reducing inflammation. Now it appears that there may be one more item added to the long list of CBD's benefits to humankind.
Dr. Mark Blasovitch's research team found that CBD could be useful in treating infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Methicillin Resistant Staph, Legionella, and others.
The mechanism of action is thought to be the destruction of the bacteria cell membrane. Not only that, but they claim that the likelihood of bacteria developing resistance to CBD is very low.
One more added benefit to CBD treatment is it ability to break up biofilms, the sort that leads to dental decay.
More research is needed to see if this will represent the first new class of antibiotics in over 60 years.
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How do the four new COVID-19 vaccines work?
What are the stated effectivity rates?
What are the shelf life and storage requirements?
How many doses are needed?
How much do they cost?
Where are they made?
What are the risks and side effects?
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The Four New COVID-19 Vaccines Compared |
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DuraRack
The last Petri Dish Rack you will ever need!
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Hardy's new DuraRack is constructed to last a life-time. Stop using brittle acrylic racks that must be often replaced. DuraRack is made of tough steel with a durable epoxy coating.
But can it withstand the drop of a
bowling ball?
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How Does The COVID-19 Virus Affect Our Gut Microbiome? |
The Gut Microbiome Composition and COVID-19 Related Disease Severity
A SARS-CoV-2 infection affects many organ systems in the body, including the gut microbiome and the 100 trillion bacterial that make up this important part of our bodies and its immune system”
The gut microbiome refers to a group of commensal or symbiotic bacteria that make up the composition of microorganisms in the human intestines. At any given period in time, most healthy adults may have up to 1,000 different species of bacteria that inhabit the digestive tract.(1) Most of these fall into the Bacteroidetes or Firmicutes phyla, which include a variety of beneficial species that play an important role in human well-being by aiding in digestion, providing beneficial vitamins, supporting immune health, and preventing certain types of cancers. Studies show an imbalance in the gut microbiome can play an important role in certain disorders such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood sugar leading to Type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and more. (1) Consequently, due to the range of disease severity observed in patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, researchers looked for clues in the gut microbiome composition to determine the impact on the severity of COVID-19 symptoms.(2)
A two-hospital cohort study was designed to examine blood, stool, and other evidence from health records for contributing factors from patients with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Testing occurred up to a maximum of 30 days after a patient was cleared of the virus, and used a shotgun sequencing approach for total DNA extracted from stool. (2) For comparison, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and peptides were also measured from patient blood samples, and patients were separated into four severity groups based on their disease symptoms. (2)
What researchers found from the study was an overall change in the composition of the gut microbiome in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients compared to non-infected individuals. Data also suggested the change was unrelated to whether patients required medication, but alterations in the microbiome appeared concordant with disease severity.(2) Many of the previously documented commensal bacteria known to inhabit the gut and modulate the immune response in healthy adults were dramatically underrepresented in infected patients, and continued to remained low even after recuperation and confirmed negative infection. (2)
Not surprisingly, results from the study found a correlation between the gut microbiota composition, levels of inflammatory cytokines in blood, and the severity of COVID-19 symptoms. These initial results suggest the gut microbiome may modulate the host immune response to COVID-19 infection. More research is needed to determine how this interaction contributes to the inflammatory response, and the mechanisms which may aid in patient recovery.
By Kerry Pierce
Microbiologist
HARDY DIAGNOSTICS
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Your one-stop source for COVID supplies! |
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Hardy's viral specimen transport is ideal for COVID-19 antigen testing. The shelf life has been increased to 150 days at room temperature. Swabs are sold separately. |
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N95 Masks
NIOSH Certified, with silicone seal
Now available for immediate shipping!
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Face Masks
With adjustable metal nose band.
Now available for immediate shipping!
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Specimen Collection Swabs
Hardy offers swabs in the flocked, foam, and spun polyester formats.
Pick from nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, standard, or urethral.
Available for immediate shipping!
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I tried to grab the fog,
but I mist.
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- Anti-social vegans avoid the meet.
- Irony is the opposite of wrinkly.
- Decaf coffee is depresso.
- Dogs can't operate an MRI scanners, but Catscan.
- My mood ring is missing, and I don't know how I feel about that.
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How many faces do you see within this tree. Most can see 4 immediately, but If you found 10, you posses superior intelligence. If you can identify what country all of them are from and what their names are then you are an absolute brainiac! Scroll to bottom to find out... |
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More Supplies to Keep You Safe |
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AloeSafe
Hardy's hand sanitizing gel guards against drying of your skin with Vitamin E, soothes with Aloe Vera, and has a pleasant scent with lavender oil. No harmful ingredients as with the cheap drug store variety! Don't your hands deserve the very best?
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Face shields
For added protection on the job, Hardy offers face shields for immediate shipping. Comfortable foam headband.
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Mid-Turbinate Swabs
Hardy's nasal, mid-turbinate swabs are ideal for COVID and flu specimen collection. The stopper prevents over insertion. Nylon flocked swab tip ensures maximum recovery and release. Pediatric size also available.
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Lab Coats
For added protection on the job, Hardy offers disposable lab coats, featuring three pockets, and comfortable knit cuffs and collars.
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Sanitizing Wipes
90 lintless wipes for disinfecting surfaces. Food-safe. Effective against all viruses.
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Dehydrated Media
Hardy manufactures a complete line of powdered media. It is conveniently packaged in five different configurations ready for export.
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Hand Sanitizer Solution
Hardy's liquid hand sanitizer contains both ethanol and hydrogen peroxide for extra killing power. Contains NO methanol!
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Rapid Flu A and B Kit
Hardy offers the Quidel rapid test for influenza A and B. Results in only 10 minutes. CLIA waived for POC use. No equipment needed.
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Rapid Test Methods
Check out our mini catalog on rapid test kits. You'll see many "hard to find" products that will save you time and money!
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UV Chamber
Now you can sanitize your valuable N95 masks to make them last longer. Never run out again! Sanitizes four masks in only four minutes!
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Probiotics –
Current Benefits of an Old Idea
Can they assist with COVID-19 immunity?
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Carba 5
Detect the five most common enzymes of bacterial resistance to the carbapenems.
No equipment needed!
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ImmuView P&L
Now you can simultaneously detect both Legionella and
S. pneumoniae from a urine specimen, when patients show signs of pneumonia. No equipment needed!
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Hardy's CarboFerm
Confirm your N. gonorrhoeae cultures by using traditional carbohydrate fermentation tests in as little as two hours! No equipment needed.
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AnaeroGRO
Hardy's AnaeroGRO is specially formulated and packaged for luxuriant growth of anaerobic bacteria. It's packed in nitrogen for superior perf
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Brainteasers
A brainteaser a day
keeps the senility away...
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Hello,
and welcome to the mental health hotline…
"If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeatedly."
"If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2 for you."
"If you have multiple personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6."
"If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want. Stay on
the line so we can trace your call."
"If you are delusional, press 7 and your call will be transferred to
the mother ship."
"If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a small voice will
tell you which number to press."
"If you suffer from depression, it doesn't matter which number you
press, no one will answer."
"If you are dyslexic, press 9696969696969."
"If you have a nervous disorder, please fidget with the pound key
until a representative comes on the line."
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GOOFY SIGNS
Sign in a British office:
AFTER TEA BREAK, STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD
Sign in an office:
WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN
Sign in a Laundromat:
AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES-
PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT
Sign in a London department store:
BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS
Outside a secondhand shop:
WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?
Notice in health food shop window:
CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS
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Elon Musk
Born in 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa, educated in Canada and Pennsylvania, he is an American entrepreneur that founded PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, SolarCity, OpenAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company.
"When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor."
"If you get up in the morning and think the future is going to be better, it is a bright day. Otherwise, it's not."
"When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars, people said, 'Nah, what's wrong with a horse?' That was a huge bet he made, and it worked."
"Persistence is very important. You should not give up unless you are forced to give up."
"It's OK to have your eggs in one basket as long as you control what happens to that basket."
"The first step is to establish that something is possible; then probability will occur."
"I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary."
"I could either watch it happen or be a part of it."
"Being an entrepreneur is like eating glass and staring into the abyss of death."
"I don't spend my time pontificating about high-concept things; I spend my time solving engineering and manufacturing problems."
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"By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he’s too old to go anywhere."
~Billy Crystal
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Increasing your protection...
References for utilizing Vitamin D and Zinc supplementation for the adjunct therapy
and prevention of COVID-19.
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Answers to the Hidden Faces |
Here are the 10 faces. All of them are freedom fighters from India.
1- Pandit Neharu
2- Mahatma Gandhi
3- Subhash Chandra Bose
4- Lokmanya Tilak
5- Bhagat Singh
6- Ravindranath Tagore
7- Lal Bahadur Shashtri
8- Vinoba Bhave
9- Indira Ghandhi
10- Srdar Vallbhai Patel
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During our 41 years of serving the microbiology community, we have continually aimed to provide the utmost in " a culture of service" for our valued customers. As a 100% employee owned company, we have even more incentive to please our customers as best we possibly can every day. Do you have a suggestion, comment, or question? Please contact me here.
Jay Hardy, CLS, SM (NRCM)
CEO of Hardy Diagnostics
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