Being pregnant beyond one's estimated due date is a relatively common experience and requires complex decisions about whether to induce labour or wait for spontaneous onset. We report a qualitative study undertaken in the UK in 2016. We interviewed fifteen women and eleven more took part in an online focus group. Using thematic analysis, resistance to the medicalisation of prolonged pregnancy was identified as a strong theme. Drawing on the work of Armstrong and Murphy (2011), we identify both conceptual and behavioural resistance in the accounts of women who accepted, delayed or declined induction of labour. Experiential knowledge played a key role in resistance, but women found this was devalued. Some healthcare staff used risk discourse to pressure women to comply with induction protocols but were unwilling to engage in discussion. The social context provided further pressure to produce a baby 'on time', with induction normalised as the way to manage prolonged pregnancy. Online spaces provided additional information and support for women to question the medicalisation of prolonged pregnancy. We end by considering the implications for policies of choice and agency in maternity care as well as the need for additional social support for women who are 'overdue'.
The biocide triclosan is used extensively in both household and hospital settings. The chronic exposure to the biocide occurring in individuals that use triclosan-containing products results in low levels of triclosan present in the human body that has been linked to induction of antibiotic tolerance and altered biofilm formation. Here we aimed to unravel the molecular mechanisms involved in triclosan induced antibiotic tolerance and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus. Triclosan treatment prior to planktonic exposure to bactericidal antibiotics resulted in 1,000 fold higher viable cell counts compared to non-pretreated cultures. Triclosan pretreatment also protected S. aureus biofilms against otherwise lethal doses of antibiotics as shown by live/dead cell staining and viable cell counting. Triclosan mediated antibiotic tolerance in planktonic and biofilm cultures required an active stringent response because a pppGpp0 strain was not protected from antibiotic killing. Incubation of S. aureus with triclosan also altered biofilm structure due to SarA-mediated overproduction of the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA) in the biofilm matrix. Thus, physiologically relevant concentrations of triclosan can trigger (p)ppGpp dependent antibiotic tolerance as well as SarA dependent biofilm formation.
Biofilms are communities of microorganisms that attach to various surfaces and are widely associated with infection for animals and plants. Our investigation is focussed on a current and growing concern: the distribution and formation of biofilms in washing machines. Many countries wash clothes at reduced temperatures around 30 to 40 °C degrees rather than at higher temperatures above 60 °C that would kill the bacteria. Survival of the bacteria is associated with biofouling, malodour and an increased infection risk due to the distribution of human pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa into the environment. P. aeruginosa is one of the predominant bacteria found in washing machines and is highly resistant to many antibiotics. Little is known about environmental microniches present in biofilms. In this work, we focus on the pH variation throughout P. aeruginosa biofilms knowing that the pH can influence biofilm formation and could be an important aspect for the prevention of biofilm formation. Here, we use novel pH-sensitive optical nanosensors that penetrate P. aeruginosa biofilms and emit fluorescence in response to variation in pH. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the nanosensors can penetrate biofilms within minutes and interact with the biofilm structure. Different washing detergents were tested resulting in altered biofilm formation and killing abilities. Using time lapse imaging, pH changes were tracked in real time at a microcolony and single cell level which will ultimately facilitate monitoring of environmental changes induced as biocides penetrate biofilms, underpinning the development of more effective antimicrobials to limit the emergence of AMR.
Streptococcus mutans is a pre-dominant bacterial species found in oral biofilms and participates in the production of dental caries via the generation of organic acids. The production of these acids results from the fermentation of carbohydrates present in a sugar-laden diet. As the acidity of an oral biofilm decreases, the demineralisation of the enamel of a tooth increases; leading to the formation of dental caries. To detect and measure the pH change occurring following a sugar challenge, ratiometric, fluorescent, pH-sensitive nanosensors were incorporated into oral biofilms. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the addition of glucose (1 % w/v) to an S. mutans biofilm resulted in a gradual reduction in the fluorescence intensity ratio during a 30 min period. This reduction in the fluorescence intensity ratio indicated a reduction in pH of the biofilm over time as the glucose was being fermented, resulting in the production and secretion of acids into the extracellular matrix of the biofilm. Additionally, a reduction in pH was detected – using widefield microscopy – in starved, planktonic S. mutans when treated with glucose. Over the course of 30 min, the pH of the medium was reduced from pH 5.3 to pH 3.3 as the glucose was fermented by the bacteria. These findings will help us map pH changes in oral biofilms as we examine potential methods of preventing the acidification of oral biofilms and the eventual demineralisation of the enamel; leading to the reduction in dental caries and an improvement in the standard of living of those effected.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.