Final product was diluted with physiological saline and sterilized by filtration (0.22 μm, Millex-GV).
Citrated whole blood (300 μl) was diluted with physiological saline (300 μl; 37°C) followed by incubation for 3 min at 37°C.
The supernatant was collected and concentrated under a gentle N2-flux at 40 °C to a volume of ≈0.1 mL; the concentrate was diluted with physiological saline (0.4 mL) and passed through a Millex-GV syringe-driven filter unit (0.22 μmm13 Milliporepore, Milford, USA).
This solution was diluted with physiological saline to prepare 10-6 and 10-4 M solutions.
Where required, samples were diluted with physiological saline (0.85% (w/v) NaCl in deionized water).
After 18 h, the bacterial suspension was diluted with physiological saline to OD600 = 0.1 and this was used as a starting point for serial dilutions.
This solution was diluted with physiological saline to make solutions starting at a concentration of 0.49 μM and increased by doubling concentrations up to 1000 μM.
For in vitro measurements, Gd-DTPA (Omniscan, 0.3 mL/kg, Magnevist) was diluted with physiological saline to 0.12, 0.24, 0.49, 0.97, 1.96, and 3.9 μM.
Stock solution of citric acid 1 M was diluted with physiological saline to make serial doubling concentrations (7.8, 15.6, 31.2, 62.5, 125, 250, 500, 1000 mM).
This solution was diluted with physiological saline to make solutions starting at a concentration of 0.49 μM and increasing it by doubling concentrations up to 1000 μM.
