Procter & Gamble

About: Procter & Gamble is a company organization based out in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Alkyl & Pulmonary surfactant. The organization has 19701 authors who have published 23667 publications receiving 719391 citations.

Nitrofurantoin: Mechanism of action and implications for resistance development in common uropathogens

Abstract: Nitrofurantoin is an effective urinary tract antibacterial to which no clinically significant resistance development has occurred. We have previously shown that nitrofurantoin susceptibility in bacteria correlates with the presence of bacterial nitroreductases which convert nitrofurantoin to highly reactive electrophilic intermediates. These intermediates were shown to attack bacterial ribosomal proteins non-specifically, causing complete inhibition of protein synthesis. In the present study, we confirm previous reports that low concentrations of nitrofurantoin specifically inhibit inducible enzyme synthesis in bacteria, and show that this inhibition occurs at levels equivalent to the MICs of nitrofurantoin for several bacterial species. Our previous studies had shown that nitrofurantoin at different concentrations interacts with bacterial ribosomal proteins in qualitatively the same fashion; we now report that quantitative differences are seen in the labelling observed at different nitrofurantoin concentrations and discuss these differences as they may relate to the inhibition of inducible enzyme synthesis. In addition, we have now demonstrated the existence of a novel mechanism of action for nitrofurantoin which does not require the production of reactive nitrofurantoin metabolites by bacterial reductases. The lack of clinically significant bacterial resistance development to nitrofurantoin is likely due to the combination of nitrofurantoin's multiple sites of attack and multiple mechanisms of action.

Granular detergent compositions containing organo-functional polysiloxanes

Abstract: Granular built detergent compositions containing additive levels of organo-functional polysiloxanes are disclosed. The siloxanes are derived from poly-di-short-alkyl siloxanes by substituting part of the alkyl moieties by specific organo-functional groups, preferably amino-groups, with the proviso that the degree of substitution is in the range from 0.01-0.7. The granular detergent compositions herein unexpectedly provide through-the-wash softening benefits comparable to what can be obtained from the utilization of conventional cationic rinse-softeners. An additional benefit originates from the "dry-softening" feel of the composition herein as compared to the "greasy" feed conferred by conventional cationic rinse softeners.

From instinct to intellect: the challenge of maintaining healthy weight in the modern world.

Abstract: The global obesity epidemic is being driven in large part by a mismatch between our environment and our metabolism. Human physiology developed to function within an environment where high levels of physical activity were needed in daily life and food was inconsistently available. For most of mankind's history, physical activity has 'pulled' appetite so that the primary challenge to the physiological system for body weight control was to obtain sufficient energy intake to prevent negative energy balance and body energy loss. The current environment is characterized by a situation whereby minimal physical activity is required for daily life and food is abundant, inexpensive, high in energy density and widely available. Within this environment, food intake 'pushes' the system, and the challenge to the control system becomes to increase physical activity sufficiently to prevent positive energy balance. There does not appear to be a strong drive to increase physical activity in response to excess energy intake and there appears to be only a weak adaptive increase in resting energy expenditure in response to excess energy intake. In the modern world, the prevailing environment constitutes a constant background pressure that promotes weight gain. We propose that the modern environment has taken body weight control from an instinctual (unconscious) process to one that requires substantial cognitive effort. In the current environment, people who are not devoting substantial conscious effort to managing body weight are probably gaining weight. It is unlikely that we would be able to build the political will to undo our modern lifestyle, to change the environment back to one in which body weight control again becomes instinctual. In order to combat the growing epidemic we should focus our efforts on providing the knowledge, cognitive skills and incentives for controlling body weight and at the same time begin creating a supportive environment to allow better management of body weight.

Disorder-order transitions in soft sphere polymer micelles.

Abstract: Diblock copolymers in a selective solvent often assemble into spherical micelles. These micelles demonstrate long range order at moderate polymer concentrations. We explore the nature of the disorder-order transition in micellar suspensions through small angle x-ray diffraction studies. The phase behavior includes body-centered cubic (bcc) and face-centered cubic (fcc) lattices. We present the first phase diagram for block copolymer micelles to include both bcc and fcc structures and characterize the lattice selection by a ratio of coronal layer thickness to core radius.

Absorbent structures containing stiffened fibers and superabsorbent material

Abstract: Absorbent structures having a fluid acquisition/distribution layer with an average dry density of less than about 0.30 g/cc, an average density upon wetting with 1.0% NaCl aqueous solution of less than about 0.20 g/cc, and an average dry basis weight from about 0.001 to about 0.10 g/cm 2 ; and a fluid storage layer positioned beneath the acquisition/distribution layer comprising at least about 15% superabsorbent material. The fluid acquisition/distribution layer comprises from about 50% to 100% chemically stiffened cellulosic fibers and from 0% to about 50% binding means.