cibaria K39 dextransucrase, which produces a dextran with 2.8%α-(13)-linked branches. In conclusion, check details the present study explored the production and characterization of dextransucrase from several dextran-producing W. cibaria and W. confusa strains. Our results demonstrate that dextransucrase activity expressed by Weissella is constitutive and is mainly assigned to a 180-kDa soluble protein. Dextran-producing Weissella strains have

promising applications in several sectors. Some studies have already pointed out that exopolysaccharides from W. cibaria improves the textural properties of bread (Di Cagno et al., 2006; Schwab et al., 2008; Katina et al., 2009). Schwab et al. (2008) demonstrated the production of isomaltooligosaccharides as reliable prebiotics during the breadmaking process

with W. cibaria 10M. In addition, selleck chemical a dextran-producing W. cibaria strain has been suggested as a probiotic for applications in oral health, as it offers the ability to inhibit Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation, both in vitro and in vivo (Kang et al., 2006). Future studies on Weissella sucrase enzymes will expand our knowledge on the diversity of these dextransucrases, which is useful for various applications. Part of the work was financially supported by the Region of Midi-Pyrénées, France. The authors wish to thank Eliane Auret, Laurent Labadie and Philippe Rabier for their technical contribution. “
“Epichloë species and their anamorphic relatives in genus Neotyphodium are fungal symbionts of grasses ubiquitously existing in temperate regions all over the world. To date, 13 Epichloë species and 22 Neotyphodium species have been formally described, based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses. Leymus chinensis (Poaceae) is a dominant grass native to the Inner Mongolia steppe of China. Previously, it was reported to harbor endophytes, but little was known about these endophytes. To investigate

their diversity and taxonomy, 96 fungal isolates were obtained from three field populations of L. chinensis. The isolates were classified into three Thiamet G morphotypes based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses of sequences of genes for β-tubulin (tubB), translation elongation factor 1-α (tefA), and actin (actG). The dominant morphotype, morphotype I, was identified as a choke disease endophyte, Epichloë bromicola. This broadened the host range and phylogenetic definition of E. bromicola. “
“The environmental fate and potency of mutagenic compounds is of growing concern. This has necessitated the development and application of rapid assays to screen large numbers of samples for their genotoxic and carcinogenic effects. Despite the development of biosensors for genotoxicity assessment, these have not been calibrated against traditional microbial bioassays. In this study, assays using the SOS-lux-marked microbial biosensors Escherichia coli K12C600 and E.

In contrast, P. kernoviae is less

tolerant of basic pH but tolerated acidic pH as low as pH 3. It survived < 1 week at pH 11, although it and other two species tested here survived at pH 9. Consequently, it may have a low potential to spread through irrigation water, especially during the summer months. This study is supported in part by a grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture -Specialty Crop Research Initiative of United States Department of Agriculture (Agreement #: 2010-51181-21140). The authors would like to thank Clive Brasier (Forest Research, UK) and Steven Jeffers (Clemson University, USA) for providing the cultures. "
“Fusarium spp. are economically important crop pathogens and causal agents of Fusarium head blight (FHB) of cereals worldwide. Of the FHB pathogens, Fusarium Staurosporine in vitro graminearum 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON) and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON) are the most aggressive mycotoxigenic chemotypes, threatening food and feed quality as well as animal and human health. The

objective of the study was to evaluate host specificity and fungal–fungal interactions of Sphaerodes mycoparasitica– a recently described mycoparasite – with F. graminearum 3- and 15-ADON strains by employing in vitro, microscopic and PCR techniques. Results obtained in this study show that the germination of mycoparasite ascospore in the presence Lck of F. graminearum 3- and 15-ADON

filtrates was greatly improved compared with Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium sporotrichioides filtrates, suggesting a compatible interaction. Using quantitative 5-FU clinical trial real-time PCR with Fusarium-specific (Fg16N) and trichothecene Tri5 (Tox5-1/2)-specific primer sets, S. mycoparasitica was found to reduce the amount of F. graminearum 3-ADON and 15-ADON DNAs under separate coinoculation assays. Sphaerodes mycoparasitica was not only able to germinate in the presence of F. graminearum filtrates, but also established biotrophic mycoparasitic relations with two F. graminearum chemotypes and suppressed Fusarium growth. Fusarium Link species are well-known fungal pathogens causing Fusarium head blight (FHB), Fusarium-damaged kernels, Fusarium wilt, Fusarium crown and Fusarium root rot on many plant hosts. FHB, also known as scab or ear blight, is one of the most ubiquitous symptoms detected in infected fields (Osborne & Stein, 2007). The effects of this disease, reported in wheat, maize and other major small grain cereals (Uhlig et al., 2007), are devastating, leading to the loss of billions of dollars in the North America agricultural sector (Bai & Shaner, 2004). Among Fusarium spp. involved in FHB symptom, the most aggressive is Fusarium graminearum Schwabe (teleomorph: Gibberella zeae Petch), which is currently replacing other Fusarium spp. in affected fields (Ward et al., 2008).

These microorganisms were isolated and identified as fungal endophytes and tested for their performance to compete against R. solani using in vitro dual culture assays. We tested the ability of antagonistic fungal isolates to excrete volatile substances and evaluated the effect of filtrates of liquid cultures of all fungal isolates on the mycelial growth of R. solani. Finally, we evaluated the antagonism under greenhouse conditions. Rhizoctonia solani R14 and Phomopsis sp. R24 strains were isolated from infected potato plants from a field in August 2007 in Montreal region (Canada). Fungal endophytes (E1, E2 E8, E13, and E18) were

isolated from the leaves Ponatinib manufacturer of Norway maples in October 2007 in Montreal based on the methods described by Berg et al. (2005). These endophytes were evaluated for antagonism against R. solani. Fungal strains were identified by PCR and sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA. Mycelia, grown in liquid potato dextrose broth at 25 °C, were harvested by filtration and used to extract DNA using the plant DNA extraction kit (Qiagen, Canada). PCR was performed using primers ITS1 and ITS4 to amplify ITS regions of seven isolates (R14, R44, E1, E2, E8, E13, and E18)

(Tables 1 and 2). Amplification reactions were carried out in a volume of 50 μL using the Dream Taq kit (Fermentas, Olaparib cost Canada) according to the manufacture’s recommendations. PCR was performed using a Mastercycler (Eppendorf, Canada) following the programme: 5 min at 94 °C, followed by 29 cycles of 30 s at 94 °C, 30 s at 59 °C ID-8 and 1 min at 72 °C, and 7 min at 72 °C. PCR amplicons were sequenced at the Genome Quebec Innovation Center (Montreal, Canada). Sequences were blasted using the nucleotide blast search at NCBI. Sequences were deposited in EMBL under

accession numbers FN646616–FN646622. Morphological observations such as colony growth, colour, type of mycelia, size, and form arrangement of conidia were used to confirm molecular data (Alexopoulos et al., 1996). Fungal isolates were screened for their ability to suppress the mycelial growth of R. solani strain R14 by in vitro dual culture assays on potato dextrose agar (PDA) (Lahlali et al., 2007). Each combination of pathogen/antagonist was replicated 10 times and plates were randomly placed in the dark and incubated at 25 °C until the PDA medium was completely covered with pathogen mycelia. As negative controls, 10 Petri dishes were inoculated only with an R. solani agar disc and a water agar disc. The radial mycelial growth of R. solani towards the antagonistic fungus (Ri) and that on a control plate (Rc) were measured and the mycelial growth inhibition was calculated according to the formula: (Rc−Ri)/Rc × 100. Statistical analyses were performed with anova using the sas statistical package (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). When the effect was found to be significant, the LSD was performed for mean separation at P≤0.05.

Finally, negative values indicate students with lower exam scores answered the question correctly compared to students who answered incorrectly. (Table 4). The Health Professions Division Testing Center provides difficulty indices and item discrimination as standard reports for every exam that it scores. The difficulty and discrimination indices of all assessment items were analysed for differences

by format (i.e. Standard, Case-based, Statement, K-type and True/False) and content (i.e. therapeutics, pathophysiology, dosing). The difficulty index was not MK-2206 datasheet normally distributed; therefore, a logit transformation was employed. The discrimination index was normally distributed. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Bonferroni correction for pairs to detect differences in mean difficulty or discrimination were employed. The format*content interaction was examined using two-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni correction for pairs. A significance level of P = 0.05 was used for all comparisons. A total of 586 assessment items developed by approximately 20 faculty members were retrieved and classified by the faculty Delphi committee. Fifty questions were excluded due to lack of item response

data (i.e. aggregate statistics not available) and 20 others were excluded due to multiple correct responses (e.g. double-keyed). As a result, 516 items were included in the final analysis (Table 1). On average, each item was answered by approximately Molecular motor R428 233 students and all items (except True/False) contained four choices. There were 219 Case-based items, 182 Standard items, 91 Statement items, 14 K-type items and 10 True/False items. The rank order of increasing difficulty by format was True/False (0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–0.96), Statement (0.88; CI 0.85–0.90), Standard (0.87; CI 0.84–0.89), K-type (0.81; CI 0.68–0.90) and Case-based (0.81; CI 0.78–0.83). The small sample size of the K-type and True/False items prevented any conclusions. Therefore, only Case-based, Standard and

Statement items, which had an overall difficulty index of 0.84 (CI 0.83–0.86), were analysed further. Items formatted as Case-based were statistically more difficult than Standard (P = 0.0007) or Statement items (P = 0.001). The rank order of increasing discrimination by format was True/False (0.18; CI 0.10–0.26), Standard (0.22; CI 0.21–0.24), Statement (0.24; CI 0.22–0.26), Case-based (0.25; CI 0.23–0.26) and K-type (0.26; CI 0.22–0.29). As mentioned above, only Case-based, Standard and Statement items, which had an overall discrimination index of 0.24 (CI: 0.23–0.25), were analysed further. Case-based items were more discriminatory than Standard (P = 0.015) but not Statement (P = 0.7) items. We analysed 294 therapeutics items, 162 dosing items and 60 pathophysiology items. The overall difficulty index was 0.85 (CI: 0.83–0.86).

aeruginosa PAO1 because it contains a 13 bp inverted repeat spaced by a 10 bp loop in the mexE-proximal 27-bp region of intergenic DNA, which is a reminiscent of the well-documented Epigenetic inhibitor order lactose operon of E. coli. The classical lactose operon contains an inverted repeat immediately upstream of lacZ and is the lac repressor-(LacI)-binding site. We propose that the mexEF-oprN operon is regulated as follows on the basis of the present results and the findings from the lactose operon in E. coli. The operator–promoter region of the mexEF-oprN operon contains two important regions, a mexT-distal nod box and a mexE-proximal inverted repeat. The positive regulator,

MexT, binds to one of the nod boxes, which is analogous to the catabolite activator protein-binding site in the E. coli lactose operon. A putative repressor protein binds to the mexE-proximal inverted repeat, which is again analogous to the LacI-binding Proteasome inhibitor site in the E. coli lactose operon. The RNA polymerase likely binds the −10 to −50 region of the operon including the mexT-distal nod box and the ATCA(N5)GTCGTA(N4)ACYAT sequence. This study was partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research

(B and C) and a grant from the Asahi Glass Foundation. “
“Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a key feature of plant (and animal) defences against invading pathogens. As a result, plant pathogens must be able to either prevent their production Carnitine dehydrogenase or tolerate high concentrations of these highly reactive chemicals. In this review, we focus on plant pathogenic bacteria of the

genus Pseudomonas and the ways in which they overcome the challenges posed by ROS. We also explore the ways in which pseudomonads may exploit plant ROS generation for their own purposes and even produce ROS directly as part of their infection mechanisms. The interaction between plant pathogens and their hosts is complex. This complexity arises as a result of a long-standing evolutionary battle in which the pathogen attempts to invade and multiply and the plant attempts to recognize and defend itself from this invasion. The pathogen must then take steps to escape detection or to avoid triggering a response, which will prevent its entry into, or proliferation within, plant tissues. One of the earliest and best-characterized responses of a plant to pathogen invasion is known as the oxidative burst. High concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced at the plasma membrane in the vicinity of the pathogen (Doke, 1983; Lamb & Dixon, 1997; Wojtaszek, 1997). Although ROS are produced as part of normal metabolism during both photosynthesis and respiration (Kim et al., 1999), the concentrations involved are of sufficient magnitude to overwhelm even the plant’s own antioxidant defences for a time (Vanacker et al., 1998) and can prove toxic to invading pathogens (Peng & Kuc, 1992; Lamb & Dixon, 1997).

Each maze contained a central start box, from which a single path (referred to as the main path) extended through the maze. On one-half of trials, the I-BET-762 manufacturer main path reached an exit in the maze perimeter (Fig. 8A; ‘Exit’). On the remaining half of trials, the main path reached a blind ending (Fig. 8A; ‘No exit’). The monkey was

required to determine whether the main path reached an exit or blind ending, and press one of two response keys to indicate their judgment. The task was intended to recruit a covert analysis of the spatial structure of the maze, specifically of the main path. The radial direction of the main path varied randomly over trials, and was either straight (Fig. 8A; ‘Straight main path’), or contained a single 90° turn (Fig. 8; ‘One-turn main path’). During the performance of this task, many parietal neurons were robustly activated at the onset of the maze as a function of the direction of the main path that was mentally tracked (Fig. 8B; Crowe et al., 2004). As in the construction task, neurons active in the maze task generally carried spatial information only during maze solution, and were not active during simpler sensorimotor tasks in which monkeys planned eye movements in directions that corresponded Cobimetinib mouse to the path directions during maze solution (Crowe et al., 2004). When monkeys mentally tracked

a path that turned, the neuronal population vector constructed from spatially tuned neurons in area 7a rotated in the direction of the turn as the mental analysis of the maze progressed (Fig. 8C; Crowe et al., 2005), when no movements were made and

no changes in the visual input occurred. Neural data from the construction and maze tasks provide convergent evidence that spatial information processing in parietal cortex can be decoupled from the spatial attributes of stimuli and movements in order to BCKDHA support a cognitive process, as distinguished from a sensorimotor one. Both experiments demonstrate that parietal neurons contribute to a covert analysis of the visual input that extracts the embedded spatial information specifically needed to achieve a behavioural goal. In addition to the impairments in visuomotor control and spatial cognition reviewed above, damage particularly to right parietal cortex disrupts the conscious awareness of visual space, producing a syndrome referred to as hemispatial neglect (Gainotti et al., 1972; Colombo et al., 1976; Bisiach et al., 1979; Adair & Driver & Halligan, 1991; Driver et al., 1992). Neglect is not a symptom that is limited to damage of parietal cortex, however, and the locus of the lesion producing the strongest neglect is controversial, with some studies placing this locus in the temporal cortex (Karnath et al., 2001). Patients with this disorder fail to consciously perceive stimuli or events that occur in the side of space opposite their damaged cerebral hemisphere.

The medical fraternity needs to be aware of this potentially fatal albeit rare musculoskeletal complication secondary to a pancreatic pathology. “
“To determine the prevalence and

identify the associated factors of reduced bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). Existing patients diagnosed to have IIMs were recruited for measurement of BMD by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Demographic, clinical and treatment variables of these patients were recorded. The prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis were calculated. Using multivariate analysis, the independent associated factors for reduced BMD were selleck kinase inhibitor evaluated. Thirty-eight patients with IIMs completed the study with 32 (84.2%) being female. The mean age of the patients was 52.8 ± 13.0 years. Nine (23.7%) patients had osteoporosis and 18 (47.4%) had osteopenia. Multivariate analysis revealed female gender and low serum albumin levels at onset were

associated with lower spinal BMD. For femoral neck, the factors associated with lower BMD were high Myositis Disease Activity Assessment Visual Analogue Scales (MYOACT) score and high cumulative prednisolone dose. Reduced BMD is prevalent in patients with IIMs. Female gender, low serum albumin level at onset, high disease activity and high cumulative corticosteroid dose appeared to be the independent associated factors. Regular assessment of BMD is advisable. The use of anti-osteoporotic and steroid-sparing agents should be encouraged. “
“Procalcitonin is a marker of bacterial and fungal infection and sepsis. The Cyclopamine price present study evaluated the relationship between serum procalcitonin levels and disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A total of 61 patients who met the 1984

New York criteria Methisazone for AS were studied. Twenty-four age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were recruited to this study as a control group. Disease activity was assessed by the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). The functional status of patients was evaluated by the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI). Spinal mobility was measured by the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum procalcitonin levels were measured. Thirty patients were on anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha treatment and 31 patients were on conventional treatment. Seventeen (28%) of the AS patients were active (BASDAI > 4) and 44 (72%) of the AS patients were in remission. The median ESR was 14 (34–6) mm/h and 4 (7–2) mm/h (P < 0.001) for the patient and control groups, respectively. The median CRP level was 0.91 (2.72–0.37) mg/dL and 0.15 (0.25–0.07) mg/dL in the patient and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Median BASDAI, BASFI and BASMI scores for all AS patients were 3.6 (5.25–2.29), 2.5 (4.22–0.91) and 3 (5–1), respectively. Serum procalcitonin levels were normal (< 0.05 ng/mL) for all patients and controls.

2. Symphony IRI Group. UK OTC Market Summary. 2011. http://www.pagb.co.uk/about/pdfs/2011marketfigures.pdf [Accessed April 2013] “
“Ellen Schafheutle, Fay

Bradley, Sarah Willis, Peter Noyce The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK A survey of 642 pharmacists and 854 pharmacy Selleckchem PF2341066 technicians investigated views on perceived risk and feasibility of pharmacy activities being performed by support staff during a pharmacist’s absence Activities were grouped into ‘safe,’ ‘borderline,’ and ‘unsafe,’ where particularly technical activities were seen as being able to be safely performed by support staff Categorising pharmacy activities as ‘safe,’ ‘borderline,’ ‘unsafe’ could help explore future CB-839 in vitro supervision models Community pharmacists’ increasing involvement in clinical activities relies on pharmacists working effectively with pharmacy support staff. However, little is known about which activities and services may safely be undertaken during a pharmacist’s absence, as enabled under the Responsible Pharmacist (RP) regulations. This study aimed to investigate pharmacy professionals’ views of perceived risk associated with different pharmacy activities and feasibility of delegating these to support staff. Following a qualitative stage, a questionnaire was designed, piloted and posted (with one e-mail and one postal reminder)

in August 2012 to pharmacists (n = 1,500) and pharmacy technicians (PTs) (n = 1,500) in England, identified via GPhC registration. The questionnaire investigated respondents’ views on supervision, support

staff roles, competence and responsibility in community pharmacy, asking to rank perceived risk to patient safety (1 = no risk, 4 = high risk) and feasibility (1 = strongly agree, 4 = strongly disagree) of suitably qualified and competent support staff performing 22 medicines/service related activities during a RP’s absence. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to investigate differences between role (pharmacists vs. PTs) and sector (community vs. hospital) using SPSS16. University Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained. Six-hundred-and-forty-two pharmacists (43.2%) and 854 PTs (57.3%) not responded. The majority (pharmacists: 78.8%; PTs: 61.5%) worked in community. In all four respondent groups (pharmacists/PTs in community/hospital) there was broad correlation between perceptions of risk to patient safety of support staff performing 22 activities, and whether respondents felt activities could be safely performed by support staff. However, there were clear differences between roles and sectors. Community pharmacists were most conservative (mobile locum and portfolio pharmacists particularly) when judging which activities they felt support staff could safely perform; PTs felt significantly more confident performing particularly technical activities.

aureus and JL-1 against Lactobacillus plantarum (Lu et al., 2003; O’Flynn et al., 2004; O’Flaherty et al., 2005; Carey-Smith

et al., 2006; Jamalludeen et al., 2007). Seed & Dennis (2005) isolated five lytic phages from their natural habitats, namely KS1-S3, KS5 and KS6 that were specific to the B. cepacia complex (B. cepacia, Burkholderia multivorans, Burkholderia cenocepacia, Burkholderia stabilis, Burkholderia vietnamiensis, Burkholderia dolosa, Burkholderia ambifaria, Burkholderia anthina and Burkholderia pyrrocinia). Interestingly, KS5 and KS6 showed a broader host range by being able to lyse two clinically important representatives of the B. cepacia complex, B. multivorans and B. cenocepacia (Seed & Dennis,

2005). In 1956, 24 anti-Whitmore phages were isolated from stagnant water in Hanoi, Vietnam, and used as indicators RAD001 nmr of the presence of check details their bacterial hosts in nature. Thirty-six W. bacillus isolates (the former name of B. pseudomallei), 10 from Hanoi and 26 from Saigon, were tested against 24 phages showing differences in their susceptibility to the phages. The differences might have been due to antigenic differences according to the origin of bacterial strains (Leclerc & Sureau, 1956). Therefore, the work reported here is the first detailed study of the isolation and characterization of lytic phages of the Myoviridae family from soils that were able to lyse B. pseudomallei. There were two soil sites where both phages and B. pseudomallei coexisted (data not shown). One site is where ST79 was found. This phage was able to lyse B. pseudomallei isolated from the same site. The balance between phage and bacteria may allow them to be present at the same time. It may be assumed that the host of these phages in nature is B. pseudomallei. Phages ST2 and ST96 morphology are similar to T-even phage (e.g. B. cepacia Casein kinase 1 phages KS1, KS2, KS5 and KS6 and E. coli phage GJ9) with icosahedral heads and contractile tails (Seed & Dennis, 2005). The morphology

of ST7, ST70 and ST79 phages are similar to P2-like phage (e.g. Haemiphilus phage HP1, O149 enterotoxigenic E. coli phage GJ5 and GJ6) (Jamalludeen et al., 2007). From several studies of phages in the ocean, Myoviruses are typically lytic and are often found to have a broader host range than other tailed phages, which can sometimes infect different species of bacteria (Suttle, 2005). Interestingly, the six phages here were quite specific, able to lyse 41–78% of B. pseudomallei isolates obtained from both clinical and environmental samples, but also formed tiny plaques on the closely related species, B. mallei, strictly found in the horse. Only ST2 and ST96 phages could lyse B. thailandensis, a nonpathogenic but closely related bacterium found in soils of the same areas but not B. cepacia or Ralstonia solanacearum, which are plant pathogens. The resistance of various B.

Under the legal framework of the IHR 2005, ships traveling in international

waters must notify to the health authority any non-traumatic illness aboard. Frequently, health events on ships are rather identified through informal sources or during the Trametinib manufacturer biannual ship sanitation inspections than by formal notification. The extent and reasons of underreporting health events on ships are not well studied. In many global ports notification of disease is neither enforced nor made technically easy (eg, publishing a contact). Shipmasters may fear retardation of their voyage, inappropriate responses or even penalties and therefore avoid notifications of disease. Probably the most detrimental reaction to the notification of disease on ships is the non-response of competent health authorities: no ship visit, no phone call, no response at all. Surely this will

not encourage the ship’s master to cooperate with notification requirements in the ports to follow. Even where functioning communication channels exist in ports, data collection does not result in a systematic evaluation in most countries. One well-publicized exception to this lack of systematic surveillance on ships is the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vessel Sanitation Programme (VSP). During the 30 years of its existence the VSP demonstrated that reliable disease surveillance, prevention, Ivacaftor in vivo and control on ships can be achieved. However, VSP focuses on gastroenteritis and cruise ships only and is run by one single national service. Globally, no international surveillance specifically committed to communicable diseases on ships exists. Thus, the magnitude of disease transmission on international ships still remains unknown

on a global level. A port health authority must undertake a comprehensive risk assessment before responding to a health threat. Risks may differ according to the number of persons on board, the type of cargo, medical facilities, itinerary, and other factors. The decision-making process often is performed under time pressure due to the short turnover time of ships in ports. Clinical information by the time of action frequently is incomplete; laboratory results will be available only after the ship’s departure. Cytidine deaminase Given the complexity of the decision-making process it is well understandable that the public health response is not uniform from one port health authority to the other, but it surely inhibits the willingness of the ship’s crew to cooperate if contradictory public health advice is received while sailing through international waters as observed during the influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009.[2, 3] The World Health Organization has now started an important consultation process to develop a more generic guidance to competent health authorities. The IHR 2005 creates a legal and technical framework for Member States to secure preparedness at points of entry.