Slow-growing Form Research Articles

Abstract Mo027: Impact of Ventricular Arrhythmias On Outcomes of Patients with Follicular Lymphoma

Background: Follicular lymphoma (FL) is typically a slow-growing form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that arises from B-lymphocytes. Large-scale studies are lacking for the outcomes of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and FL. We retrospectively reviewed FL patients with ventricular tachycardia utilizing the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. Our analysis aimed to identify risk factors that worsen outcomes in patients with FL and ventricular arrhythmias and evaluate the impact of ventricular arrhythmias on in-hospital outcomes of patients with FL. Methods: Data were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) 2016-2019 Database. The NIS was searched for hospitalizations for adult patients with FL as the principal discharge diagnosis with and without ventricular arrhythmias as a secondary diagnosis using ICD-10 codes. The primary outcome was inpatient mortality. Multivariate logistic and linear regression analysis was used accordingly to adjust for confounders. STATA software was used for analysis. Results: This study included 15,795 patients with FL of which 225 had ventricular arrhythmias. Patients with both FL and an associated ventricular arrhythmia had higher inpatient mortality (OR 5.44, CI 2.48-11.93, p<0.0001), hospital length of stay (LOS) (+5.48 days, CI 3.27-7.68, p<0.0001) and total hospital charges (TOTHCG) (+$109,117.3, CI $65,702.9- $152,531.7, p<0.0001). In this patient population, the secondary analysis revealed that mortality was increased if patients had a cardiac arrest (OR 25.62, CI 1.36-484.48, p<0.031). LOS was increased in the presence of an acute kidney injury (+0.34 days, 0.04-0.64, p<0.026). Conclusions: Our study revealed that patients with FL and ventricular arrhythmias had increased mortality, hospital LOS, and TOTHCG, as well as much higher rates of complications, including cardiac arrest and acute kidney injury, compared to those without ventricular arrhythmias. Efforts to prevent, monitor, and aggressively manage ventricular arrhythmias in patients with FL will improve overall outcomes.

Phase variable colony variants are conserved across Gardnerella spp. and exhibit different virulence-associated phenotypes.

The Gardnerella genus, comprising at least 13 species, is associated with the polymicrobial disorder bacterial vaginosis (BV). However, the details of BV pathogenesis are poorly defined, and the contributions made by individual species, including Gardnerella spp., are largely unknown. We report here that colony phenotypes characterized by size (large and small) and opacity (opaque and translucent) are phase variable and are conserved among all tested Gardnerella strains, representing at least 10 different species. With the hypothesis that these different variants could be an important missing piece to the enigma of how BV develops in vivo, we characterized their phenotypic, proteomic, and genomic differences. Beyond increased colony size, large colony variants showed reduced vaginolysin secretion and faster growth rate relative to small colony variants. The ability to inhibit the growth of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and commensal Lactobacillus species varied by strain and, in some instances, differed between variants. Proteomics analyses indicated that 127-173 proteins were differentially expressed between variants. Proteins with increased expression in large variants of both strains were associated with amino acid and protein synthesis and protein folding, whereas those increased in small variants were related to nucleotide synthesis, phosphate transport, ABC transport, and glycogen breakdown. Furthermore, whole genome sequencing analyses revealed an abundance of genes associated with variable homopolymer tracts, implicating slipped strand mispairing in Gardnerella phase variation and illuminating the potential for previously unrecognized heterogeneity within clonal populations. Collectively, these results suggest that phase variants may be primed to serve different roles in BV pathogenesis.IMPORTANCEBacterial vaginosis is the most common gynecological disorder in women of childbearing age. Gardnerella species are crucial to the development of this dysbiosis, but the mechanisms involved in the infection are not understood. We discovered that Gardnerella species vary between two different forms, reflected in bacterial colony size. A slow-growing form makes large amounts of the toxin vaginolysin and is better able to survive in human cervix tissue. A fast-growing form is likely the one that proliferates to high numbers just prior to symptom onset and forms the biofilm that serves as a scaffold for multiple BV-associated anaerobic bacteria. Identification of the proteins that vary between different forms of the bacteria as well as those that vary randomly provides insight into the factors important for Gardnerella infection and immune avoidance.

Клинико-рентгенологические проявления микобактериоза у больных с хроническими заболеваниями легких

Study Objective: to identify clinical and X-ray features of mycobacteriosis caused by slow-growing forms of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTMB), in patients with chronic non-specific lung diseases and TB. Study Design: prospective and retrospective study. Materials and Methods. We examined 166 patients with chronic lung diseases: bronchitis, obstructive respiratory diseases, bronchiectatic disease, and TB. 79 patients had a primary disease and nontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM); controls were 87 patients without NTM. The study included only patients with slow-growing forms of NTMB. Study Results. Analysis of the clinical presentations demonstrated that, when associated with chronic lung diseases, a mycobacterial infection did not cause severe aggravation of clinical symptoms of the disease, except for TB. All study groups showed identical X-ray symptoms: fibrous, focal infiltrative, cavity changes, and bronchictasia. Still, most often they were recorded in patients with NTM. Conclusion. NTM caused by slow-growing forms of NTMB is diagnosed in long-lasting chronic non-specific lung diseases without aggravated clinical symptoms of the disease. When associated with the tuberculous process, a mycobacterial infection makes clinical symptoms more pronounced, but the duration of the disease remains the same. Excessive fibrosis is noted on CT scans, and main functional parameters get worse. Keywords: nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, chronic non-specific lung disease, TB.

Phosphorylation of Toxoplasma gondii Secreted Proteins during Acute and Chronic Stages of Infection.

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii resides within a membrane-bound parasitophorous vacuole (PV) and secretes an array of proteins to establish this replicative niche. It has been shown previously that Toxoplasma secretes kinases and that numerous proteins are phosphorylated after secretion. Here, we assess the role of the phosphorylation of strand-forming protein 1 (SFP1) and the related protein GRA29, two secreted proteins with unknown function. We show that both proteins form stranded structures in the PV that are independent of the previously described intravacuolar network or actin. SFP1 and GRA29 can each form these structures independently of other Toxoplasma secreted proteins, although GRA29 appears to regulate SFP1 strands. We show that an unstructured region at the C termini of SFP1 and GRA29 is required for the formation of strands and that mimicking the phosphorylation of this domain of SFP1 negatively regulates strand development. When tachyzoites convert to chronic-stage bradyzoites, both proteins show a dispersed localization throughout the cyst matrix. Many secreted proteins are reported to dynamically redistribute as the cyst forms, and secreted kinases are known to play a role in cyst formation. Using quantitative phosphoproteome and proteome analyses comparing tachyzoite and early bradyzoite stages, we reveal widespread differential phosphorylation of secreted proteins. While we found no direct evidence for phosphorylation playing a dominant role for SFP1/GRA29 redistribution in the cyst, these data support a model in which secreted kinases and phosphatases contribute to the regulation of secreted proteins during stage conversion.IMPORTANCEToxoplasma gondii is a common parasite that infects up to one-third of the human population. Initially, the parasite grows rapidly, infecting and destroying cells of the host, but subsequently switches to a slow-growing form and establishes chronic infection. In both stages, the parasite lives within a membrane-bound vacuole within the host cell, but in the chronic stage, a durable cyst wall is synthesized, which provides protection to the parasite during transmission to a new host. Toxoplasma secretes proteins into the vacuole to build its replicative niche, and previous studies identified many of these proteins as phosphorylated. We investigate two secreted proteins and show that a phosphorylated region plays an important role in their regulation in acute stages. We also observed widespread phosphorylation of secreted proteins when parasites convert from acute to chronic stages, providing new insight into how the cyst wall may be dynamically regulated.

Вплив потужного промислового навантаження на біологічні показники плітки звичайної (Rutilus rutilus)

Проаналізовано віковий склад, довжину та масу тіла популяцій плітки звичайної (Rutilus rutilus L.) у водоймах із різним рівнем промислового навантаження. Кременчуцьке водосховище, яке формує понад 50% річного промислового вилову R. rutilus в Україні, обрано як водойму з надмірним тиском промислу. Для порівняння взято акваторії природного заповідника «Дніпровсько-Орільський» як приклад водного об’єкта, де тиск промислу мінімізований. Віковий ряд R. rutilus на відкритому плесі водосховищ Дніпра набагато довший, ніж у його придаткових річкових системах. Розмірно-вагові показники вікових груп R. rutilus 6+ – 10+ у водоймі з інтенсивним антропогенним навантаженням статистично достовірно нижчі, ніж в особин на природоохоронних акваторіях. Це можна пояснити наслідком селективної дії традиційного промислу ставними сітками, якими вилучаються особини з більшими темпами росту. На спрямовану елімінацію швидкоростучих особин вказали криві приростів і час настання кульмінації приросту іхтіомаси. Таким чином, потужне промислове навантаження на популяції R. rutilus і активне їх вилучення ставними сітками спричиняє накопичення тугорослих особин.

Nitrogen oxide metabolism in embryos of fast- and slow-growing poultry forms

It is shown that metabolism of nitrogen oxide and its derivatives in embryos of fast- and slow-growing forms of chickens, quail, and ostriches initially has a qualitative difference. The mechanism of this difference and possibility of its practical use are discussed.

Parasitology as a Teaching Tool: Isolation of Apicomplexan Cysts from Store-bought Meat

Our goal was to design a bench experiment tailored to the environment of advanced high school biology, college freshman biology, and nonmajor labs. To accomplish this goal, we developed a scientific protocol for isolation of apicomplexan cysts from store-bought meat by adapting existing protocols (Cornelissen et al., 1981 ; Blewett et al., 1983 ; Dubey, 1992 , 1998 ; Omata et al., 1997 ; Garcia et al., 2006 ). The majority of buffers used were common chemicals found in many introductory biology laboratories, and the protocol is simple enough for a freshman to use. What we found to be most challenging was modifying the experiment to fit time constraints imposed by a typical high school schedule. This experiment takes ∼3 h. We found that the lab could be split up into 4 d for high school and 2 d for college. The teacher should make some initial preparations (i.e., making buffers and solutions) to shorten the lab period. We suggest that students split up into at least five groups of six students each. The students should be encouraged to compare and share their results. We recommend that the students spend time researching T. gondii statistics on the CDC website (www.cdc.gov) and reading newspapers to identify related topics, such as food recalls as a result of tainted product. Specifically, we suggest creating a quiz to test their knowledge of food safety and administering it before and after the exercise. We would also suggest including a follow-up discussion section investigating student response to this assignment. For example, how has completing this laboratory exercise affected their opinions about food, science, and laboratory experiments? We have listed several very useful websites in Materials and Methods. These sites are extremely helpful in providing pictures for identification purposes and background information on the parasites themselves. In addition to T. gondii, numerous other organisms (i.e., multiple types of nematodes and tapeworms) can be observed by sampling the bottom of the meat slurry instead of the supernatant. Although we had multiple years of experience at the lab bench, we found that we were surprised by the abundance and diversity of organisms in meat. It provoked us to ask the question: “Just who is eating who?” Although many of these pathogens are species specific and thus not a health threat to human (i.e., N. caninum), some of the organisms, such as T. gondii, are human pathogens. We realized that it reinvigorated our interest in the topic, and we were fascinated by the images in the microscope. Some of us could not eat meat for a week after doing the experiment. This realization validated for us the idea that science at the bench as opposed to simple book learning is essential for biology and nonmajors students alike. It drives home the point that well-prepared foods (washing and cooking) are a cornerstone of food safety. Carrying out this experiment familiarizes students with the microscope and more advanced isolation techniques such as the use of Percoll. It introduces some concepts about parasitology and food safety. It can be incorporated into a lesson plan covering infectious agents or health. It meets Indiana secondary school standards for advanced life sciences (standard 2: health, safety, and microbiology of food), and human anatomy and physiology (standard 10: immune mechanisms). Completion of this exercise also meets national educational standards for secondary school in the topics science as inquiry, interdependence of organisms, personal and community health, and science as a human endeavor (National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment, 1996 ). Upon completion of this exercise, the following positive outcomes are expected for students: 1) gain confidence about ability to carry out labwork and stimulate curiosity about pursuing other science classes, 2) obtain insight about health and safety of food and provide students the chance to critically evaluate articles in the newspaper regarding food recalls, and 3) change student behavior in terms of food choice, food preparation behavior, or both. In sum, the ultimate outcome of this exercise is for students to apply the procedure to investigate a real and meaningful problem and, as a result, to describe organisms found in the meat supply, the hazards they pose, and procedures for avoiding the hazard. Because there is a compelling repulsion factor, there is a strong possibility that students would also change their behavior (either food choices or food preparation behavior). For teachers, it represents an innovative teaching strategy that provides a relatively inexpensive laboratory experience with direct student involvement that meets several national education standards.

225 Growth and Aesthetic Evaluations of Container- and Field-grown Atlantic White Cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.

Fifty-four taxa of Atlantic white cedar [Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.] were assembled and maintained. A protocol for propagation of Atlantic white cedar was established. Plants were grown in containers and in a replicated field plot. Height and width data were recorded from container- and field-grown plants and all taxa were evaluated for growth habit, growth rate, and summer and winter color. Color descriptions of foliage are provided based on the Royal Horticultural Society colour chart. Exceptional taxa were identified based on needle color, texture, growth habit, and growth rate. Superior green forms include Dirr Seedlings 1 and 2, `Emily', `Rachel', and `Okefenokee'. The superior variegated form is `Webb Gold'. Superior blue forms include `Blue Sport', `Glauca Pendula', and `Twombly Blue', and superior slow-growing forms include `Andelyensis', `Meth Dwarf', `Red Star', and `Heatherbun'. These taxa are recommended to growers, landscapers, and gardeners for production and use.

Experimental Approaches to Understanding Virulence in Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoan parasite that causes severe disease only in immunocompromised individuals. Equipped with excellent animal models and relatively advanced systems for genetics, T. gondii provides an excellent system for understanding pathogenesis. Resistance to toxoplasmosis is governed by rapid innate and adaptive immunity that is characterized by a Thl type profile of cytokines. Despite this effective response, acute infections can cause considerable damage and the parasite effectively establishes a long-term chronic infection that predisposes the host to reactivation and provides a means of eventual transmission. This complex interaction is brought about by the differentiation of the parasite from a rapidly replicating, lytic form (known as the tachyzoite) to a slow-growing form (known as the bradyzoite) that gives rise to chronic infection. The population structure of T. gondii is remarkably clonal, consisting of just three predominant lineages that are geographically widespread and found in a variety of hosts including humans. Acute virulence is strongly associated with the type I genotype which exhibits an enhanced replication rate in vitro and higher tissue burdens in vivo relative to non-virulent lineages. The pathology associated with acute infection appears to be due to excessive production of acute inflammatory mediators, suggesting that disease is partly due to over-response of the host immune system. A combination of refined animal models and newly developed genetic tools for establishing the relative contribution of genes to pathogenesis will enable a comprehensive analysis of the molecular basis of virulence in toxoplasmosis.

A Comparison of Three Methods for the Assessment of Fungal Colonization of Seedling Roots of Leek and Broad Bean

IN recent years severa1 methods have bean devised for the isolation of fungi from root tissues. The Harley and Waid serial washing technique1 has already provided valuable data on fungi closely associated with plant roots2,3, but it has been suggested that the plating of washed root segments in this method does not always allow the isolation of slow-growing forms (such as Basidiomycetes), these being unable to compete with the faster growing fungi. Methods such as root maceration4 and root fragmentation5 have been claimed to provide a more complete picture of root mycofloras. The experiments described here compare these three methods for the isolation of fungi from healthy seedling roots of leek (Allium porrum L.) and broad bean (Vicia faba L.).

INFLUENCE OF GROWTH SUBSTANCES ON GROWTH AND CELL DIVISION IN GREEN ALGAE

INFLUENCE OF GROWTH SUBSTANCES ON GROWTH AND CELL DIVISION IN GREEN ALGAE