Slow Growth Rate Research Articles

Relationship analysis of Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) from West Aceh Waters using molecular genetics approach

Hammerhead sharks are particularly vulnerable to fishing because of their slow growth rate and reproductive constraints. This type of sharks needs special attention due to its conservation status. This research was aimed to describe the relationships of the hammerhead sharks from West Aceh waters with the hammerhead sharks from other places. Samples of the shark were collected from Ujong Baroh Fish Port, West Aceh. The samples were analysed at the Laboratory of Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, Syiah Kuala University. The laboratory activity was started with extraction of DNA enhanced by Polymerase Chain Reaction method and visualized by an electrolytical. Analysis using BLAST showed that the first sample obtained 94%-95% cover query value and produced a 683 base pair length while the second sample obtained 98% per sample for a cover query value and produced a 658 base pair length. The average nucleotide values of the hammerhead shark were T=32.8, C=26.6, A=25.7 and G=14.9. The phylogenetic tree shows that the hammerhead sharks from the study area were more similar to the hammerhead sharks from Australia and Malaysia. Overall, based on the nucleotide composition, phylogenetic tree and genetic distance, the hammerhead sharks from the study area are unique compared to the populations from the other places.

Biochemical and metabolic signatures are fundamental to drought adaptation in PGPR Enterobacter bugandensis WRS7.

Drought alone causes more annual loss in crop yield than the sum of all other environmental stresses. There is growing interest in harnessing the potential of stress-resilient PGPR in conferring plant resistance and enhancing crop productivity in drought-affected agroecosystems. A detailed understanding of the complex physiological and biochemical responses will open up the avenues to stress adaptation mechanisms of PGPR communities under drought. It will pave the way for rhizosphere engineering through metabolically engineered PGPR. Therefore, to reveal the physiological and metabolic networks in response to drought-mediated osmotic stress, we performed biochemical analyses and applied untargeted metabolomics to investigate the stress adaptation mechanisms of a PGPR Enterobacter bugendensis WRS7 (Eb WRS7). Drought caused oxidative stress and resulted in slower growth rates in Eb WRS7. However, Eb WRS7 could tolerate drought stress and did not show changes in cell morphology under stress conditions. Overproduction of ROS caused lipid peroxidation (increment in MDA) and eventually activated antioxidant systems and cell signalling cascades, which led to the accumulation of ions (Na+, K+, and Ca2+), osmolytes (proline, exopolysaccharides, betaine, and trehalose), and modulated lipid dynamics of the plasma membranes for osmosensing and osmoregulation, suggesting an osmotic stress adaption mechanism in PGPR Eb WRS7. Finally, GC-MS-based metabolite profiling and deregulated metabolic responses highlighted the role of osmolytes, ions, and intracellular metabolites in regulating Eb WRS7 metabolism. Our results suggest that understanding the role of metabolites and metabolic pathways can be exploited for future metabolic engineering of PGPR and developing bio inoculants for plant growth promotion under drought-affected agroecosystems.

Hierarchical Dirichlet process and relative entropy

The Hierarchical Dirichlet process is a discrete random measure serving as an important prior in Bayesian non-parametrics. It is motivated with the study of groups of clustered data. Each group is modelled through a level two Dirichlet process and all groups share the same base distribution which itself is a drawn from a level one Dirichlet process. It has two concentration parameters with one at each level. The main results of the paper are the law of large numbers and large deviations for the hierarchical Dirichlet process and its mass when both concentration parameters converge to infinity. The large deviation rate functions are identified explicitly. The rate function for the hierarchical Dirichlet process consists of two terms corresponding to the relative entropies at each level. It is less than the rate function for the Dirichlet process, which reflects the fact that the number of clusters under the hierarchical Dirichlet process has a slower growth rate than under the Dirichlet process.

Alloferon improves the growth performance and developmental time of mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)

Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) are important food sources for reptiles, birds, and other organisms, as well as for humans. Due to their outstanding nutritional value, mealworms are in high demand as an alternative food source and are the subject of widespread curiosity. However, the slow growth and low survival rate of mealworms cause problems for mass production. Since alloferon, a synthetic peptide, showed long-term immunological effects on mealworms, we hypothesized that alloferon would function as a growth promoter to maximize mealworm production. We discovered that the overall weight of the alloferon-containing gelatin diet group was 39.5-90% heavier, and the development time of the experimental group was shortened up to 20.6-39.6% than the control group. In addition, 300 nM alloferon significantly boosted cell proliferation of Sf9 cells (insect cells) only after six days of the treatment. Also, we noticed that two proteins were induced in alloferon fed mealworm body tissue and found that one of the proteins was phenoloxidase 1, which may be responsible for increasing growth rate by regulating the production of melanin pigments. Overall, these findings have potential implications in mealworm insect farming because alloferon may foster a sustainable food supply industry.

Regulating the reorganization energy and crystal packing of small-molecule donors enables the high performance of binary all-small-molecule organic solar cells with a slow film growth rate

We develop three small-molecule donors (T25, T26 and T27) by stepwise terminal-group and side-chain engineering. The binary all-small-molecule organic solar cell (ASM-OSC) based on T27 : Y6 yields an efficiency of 16.8%, significantly higher than those based on T25 : Y6 (12.1%) and T26 : Y6 (14.0%).

Extremely Low Expression of Ribosomal Proteins Support Observed Slow Physiological Growth Rate of Helicobacter Pylori

Extremely Low Expression of Ribosomal Proteins Support Observed Slow Physiological Growth Rate of Helicobacter Pylori

Repercussão da perda de peso na velocidade de crescimento de crianças e adolescentes: um estudo de caso

Report of the longitudinal evolution of the anthropometric indices of an obese child from preschool to the end of the puberty. It is about a 4 year-old boy with history of weight gain since the first year due to carbohydrate-rich and industrialized food intake, associated with physical inactivity and familiar history of obesity. At the first appointment he had body mass index (BMI) in Z-score + 7,36 and stature above the parental target. After orientations about lifestyle changes, he reached, at 7 years old, the lowest BMI and the growth rate became reduced. At this point, other causes of growth retardation have been ruled out, therefore the hypothesis was of growth stop secondary to weight loss and recanalization of the growth curve in response to the treatment of the exogenous obesity. In the evolution, the patient regained weight maintaining the drop on the stature, staying within the parental target. When puberty started, he presented progressive fall in BMI score and increased growth velocity. At 17, he reached BMI and stature within normality and parent target. Throughout the follow-up, the importance of healthy eating and realization of physical activity was reinforced. No medications were used, and there were no alterations at physical and complementary exams. The weight loss in obese children with tall stature for the parental target, can lead to slow growth rate when secondary to change to healthy habits and increase in physical activity, however without affecting the final height.

Clinicopathological Profiles of Anemia in Children of 6 Months to 17 Years Age

Introduction: Anaemia is defined as a decreased concentration of hemoglobin and RBC mass as compared to the values in age-matched controls. Anaemia in children is one of the major social health problems in India and in many parts of the world, since anemic children have reduced exercise capacity, slower rate of growth, impaired cognitive development, and delayed wound healing. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of anemia in different age group, sex, and its pattern of severity in hospitalized children. Materials and Methods: This are a Retrospective Study conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences and Research among Children with Anemia and those Admitted with other Complaints but Incidentally have Found to have Anemia. During physical examination following signs and symptoms were noted: Pallor, edema, clubbing, skin (dryness, rashes, irritation), abnormal pigmentation, coarse hair, puffiness of face, thinning of eyebrows, nail defects, ulceration, abnormalities in genitalia, hand and feet abnormalities, nose, eyes, cranium, ear and face. Grading of anemia among different age groups was done using WHO Hemoglobin concentrations for the diagnosis of anemia and assessment of severity criteria. Microscopic evaluation of blood was also done to obtain the microscopic picture. Result: In our study, According to WHO criteria for diagnosis and assessment of severity of anemia, a total of 90 children were graded as having mild anemia 40 (44.4%), followed by 35 (38.9%) were graded as having severe anemia and remaining moderate anemia 15 (16.7%). Microcytic hypochromic picture in 56%, Normocytic hypochromic anaemia 18.8%, normocytic normochromic in 12.2%, Dimorphic anaemia 7.7% and macrocytic in 4.4% cases. Conclusion: Paediatric anaemias are very common since children are the most vulnerable population for occurrence of these anaemias. This necessitates prompt screening and early diagnosis through investigations byutilization of available advanced technical modalities in order to initiate timely treatment and appropriate management.

The problem of a child with short stature in the paediatrician’s and family doctor’s office

Height and weight measurements are an important element of every child’s visit to the paediatrician’s or family doctor’s office. Short stature is defined as a height below the 3rd percentile for age and sex. It is important to identify children in the short stature group (3% of the population) whose short height is not due to familial factors and therefore requires treatment. Correct measurement of the child’s height followed by its plotting onto a sex- and age-appropriate percentile chart is the first step to identify the problem of short stature in a child. This should be followed by determining the target height and growth rate. Therefore, regular updating of child’s medical record book is of key importance. Diagnostic work-up is needed in children with height below the 3rd percentile or with height difference of more than 2 percentile channels compared to the mean parental height, as well as in children with excessively slow growth rate (indicated by progressive decrease of percentile height position).

Host’s genetic background determines the outcome of reciprocal faecal transplantation on life-history traits and microbiome composition

BackgroundMicrobes play a role in their host's fundamental ecological, chemical, and physiological processes. Host life-history traits from defence to growth are therefore determined not only by the abiotic environment and genotype but also by microbiota composition. However, the relative importance and interactive effects of these factors may vary between organisms. Such connections remain particularly elusive in Lepidoptera, which have been argued to lack a permanent microbiome and have microbiota primarily determined by their diet and environment. We tested the microbiome specificity and its influence on life-history traits of two colour genotypes of the wood tiger moth (Arctia plantaginis) that differ in several traits, including growth. All individuals were grown in the laboratory for several generations with standardized conditions. We analyzed the bacterial community of the genotypes before and after a reciprocal frass (i.e., larval faeces) transplantation and followed growth rate, pupal mass, and the production of defensive secretion.ResultsAfter transplantation, the fast-growing genotype grew significantly slower compared to the controls, but the slow-growing genotype did not change its growth rate. The frass transplant also increased the volume of defensive secretions in the fast-growing genotype but did not affect pupal mass. Overall, the fast-growing genotype appeared more susceptible to the transplantation than the slow-growing genotype. Microbiome differences between the genotypes strongly suggest genotype-based selective filtering of bacteria from the diet and environment. A novel cluster of insect-associated Erysipelotrichaceae was exclusive to the fast-growing genotype, and specific Enterococcaceae were characteristic to the slow-growing genotype. These Enterococcaceae became more prevalent in the fast-growing genotype after the transplant, which suggests that a slower growth rate is potentially related to their presence.ConclusionsWe show that reciprocal frass transplantation can reverse some genotype-specific life-history traits in a lepidopteran host. The results indicate that genotype-specific selective filtering can fine-tune the bacterial community at specific life stages and tissues like the larval frass, even against a background of a highly variable community with stochastic assembly. Altogether, our findings suggest that the host's genotype can influence its susceptibility to being colonized by microbiota, impacting key life-history traits.

The velvet proteins CsVosA and CsVelB coordinate growth, cell wall integrity, sporulation, conidial viability and pathogenicity in the rubber anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum siamense

Colletotrichum siamense, a member of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex species, is the primary pathogen causing rubber anthracnose, which leads to significant economic loss in natural rubber production. Velvet family proteins are fungal-specific proteins and play an essential role in regulating development and secondary metabolism. In this study, we characterized two velvet proteins CsVosA and CsVelB in C. siamense as the orthologs of VosA and VelB in Aspergillus nidulans. CsVosA is located in the nucleus, and CsVelB displays a localization in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Deleting CsvosA or CsvelB results in a slow growth rate, and the CsvelB-knockout mutants also exhibit low mycelial density. CsVosA and CsVelB are involved in regulating chitin metabolism and distribution, leading to the variation in the cell wall integrity of C. siamense. Furthermore, disruption of CsvosA or CsvelB can decrease conidial production and viability, and the ΔCsvosA and ΔCsvelB mutants also lose the ability to produce fruiting bodies. Pathogenicity assays show that deleting CsvosA or CsvelB can lower the virulence, and the two velvet genes are essential for the full virulence of C. siamense. Based on the results of the yeast two-hybrid analysis and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays, CsVosA can interact with CsVelB and form the complex CsVosA-CsVelB in the conidia of C. siamense, which may play essential roles in maintaining the cell wall integrity and conidial viability. In addition, CsVelB is also involved in regulating melanin production of C. siamense. In conclusion, CsVosA and CsVelB regulate vegetative growth, cell wall integrity, asexual/sexual sporulation, conidial viability and virulence in C. siamense.

Plant in vitro cultures: A promising and emerging technology for the feasible production of antidiabetic metabolites in Caralluma tuberculata.

Caralluma tuberculata, a medicinal and edible plant of the genus Caralluma, belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae. Traditionally, its succulent stems are used as folk medicine for life-threatening diabetes mellitus (DM) disease. Its antidiabetic potential is ascribed to the presence of various secondary metabolites (e.g., pregnane glycosides, flavone glycosides, megastigmane glycosides, polyphenols, ferulic acid, quercetin, and bitter principles, among others) that act as effective and safe antidiabetic agents. The mechanisms of these bioactive secondary metabolites in C. tuberculata herbal medicine include lowering the blood glucose level, stimulating B cells of the pancreas to release more insulin, enhancing the sensitivity of the insulin receptor, inhibiting the action of glucagon and the hydrolysis of glycogen, and increasing the use of glucose in tissues and organ. However, overexploitation, alterations in natural environmental conditions, lower seed viability, and slow growth rate are responsible for the extinction of species from natural habitats, then becoming critically endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List categories. Therefore, its limited availability does not meet the higher worldwide market demand of C. tuberculata as an antidiabetic drug. Thus, for its conservation and sustainable utilization, researchers across the globe are working on devising strategies to conserve and improve biomass along with the secondary metabolite profiles of C. tuberculata using in vitro approaches. The current review describes the recent progress on antidiabetic phytoconstituents, their cellular mechanisms, and their subsequent clinical outcomes in the drug discovery management of DM. Moreover, in vitro methods such as callus culture, micropropagation, and nano-elicitation strategies for conserving and producing bioactive secondary metabolites have been concisely reviewed and discussed.

Comparative Proteomics Analysis of Growth-Primed Adult Dorsal Root Ganglia Reveals Key Molecular Mediators for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Injuries to peripheral nerves are frequent, yet no drug therapies are available for effective nerve repair. The slow growth rate of axons and inadequate access to growth factors challenge natural repair of nerves. A better understanding of the molecules that can promote the rate of axon growth may reveal therapeutic opportunities. Molecular profiling of injured neurons at early intervals of injury, when regeneration is at the maximum, has been the gold standard for exploring growth promoters. A complementary in vitro regenerative priming model was recently shown to induce enhanced outgrowth in adult sensory neurons. In this work, we exploited the in vitro priming model to reveal novel candidates for adult nerve regeneration. We performed a whole-tissue proteomics analysis of the in vitro primed dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) from adult SD rats and compared their molecular profile with that of the in vivo primed, and control DRGs. The proteomics data generated are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD031927. From the follow-up analysis, Bioinformatics interventions, and literature curation, we identified several molecules that were differentially expressed in the primed DRGs with a potential to modulate adult nerve regrowth. We then validated the growth promoting roles of mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF), one of the hits we identified, in adult rat sensory neurons. Overall, in this study, we explored two growth priming paradigm and shortlisted several candidates, and validated MANF, as potential targets for adult nerve regeneration. We also demonstrate that the in vitro priming model is a valid tool for adult nerve regeneration studies.

Bacterial metabolic engineering for the production of second-generation (2G) bioethanol and biobutanol; a review.

The second generation (2G) biofuels were introduced to solve the issues associated with first-generation biofuel (dependency on food materials) and fossil fuels such as reservoirs diminution, high demand, price fluctuation, and lethal greenhouse gases emission. Butanol and ethanol are the main 2G biofuels. They are used as a disinfectant, antiseptic, and chemical solvent in pharmaceutical, plastic, textiles, cosmetics, and fuel industries. Currently, their bacterial biological production from lignocellulosic material at the industrial level with primitive microorganisms is under development and not economical and qualitative compatible as compared to that of fossil origin, due to slow growth rate, low titer, recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose, strain intolerance to a higher amount of butanol and ethanol, and strain inability to tolerate inhibitors accumulated during pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials. Therefore, metabolic engineering strategies such as redirection of carbon flux, knocking out competing pathways, enhancing strain robustness and wide range of substrate utilization ability, and overexpression of enzymes involved in their biological synthesis have been applied to bacteria for enhancing their ability for 2G ethanol and butanol production in a highly cost-effective amount from lignocellulosic materials. Herein, we summarized and reviewed the progress in metabolic engineering of bacterial species such as clostridium spp, E. coli, and Z. moibilis for the synthesis of 2G butanol and ethanol, especially from lignocellulosic materials.

Penicillium poederi and P. tirolense, two new species of section Torulomyces.

Here we describe two new species of the genus Penicillium section Torulomyces with solitary phialides. Penicillium poederi sp. nov. was isolated from volcanic soils in Iceland. Penicillium tirolense sp. nov. was isolated from a sporocarp of Serpula lacrymans. Both species are characterised by slow growth rates and the production of a brown soluble pigment on CYA, conidiophores with solitary ampulliform phialides with smooth-walled stipes and warty, globose conidia and with connectives without visible rings. The spores of. P. poederi are 2.5 μm diam, while the spores of P. tirolense are 2.0 μm diam. In a multigene phylogeny based on the ITS, BenA, CaM and RPB2 gene regions P. tubakianum and P. wollemiicola are the closest relatives of P. poederi. This species differs from P. tubakianum and P. wollemiicola by its growth rates and by its pigmentation. The holotype of P. poederi is IB2017/0007, while SF014017 (CBS 147622) is a culture derived from the holotype. The closest relatives of P. tirolense are P. austricola and P. riverlandense. It differs from P. austricola by lower growth rates on all tested media and temperatures and by its larger spores. It differs from P. riverlandense by lower growth rates and the absence of growth at 37 °C. The holotype of P. tirolense is IBF2019/0162, while SF015108 (CBS 147625) is a culture derived from the holotype. Citation: Kirchmair M, Embacher J, Heimdörfer D, Walch G, Neuhauser S (2022). Penicillium poederi and Penicillium tirolense, two new species of section Torulomyces. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 10: 91-101. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2022.10.03.

National Health Care Spending In 2021: Decline In Federal Spending Outweighs Greater Use Of Health Care.

Health care spending in the US grew 2.7percent to reach $4.3trillion in 2021, a much slower rate than the increase of 10.3percent seen in 2020. The slower rate of growth in 2021 was driven by a 3.5percent decline in federal government expenditures for health care after a spike in 2020 that occurred largely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside this decline, the use of medical goods and services increased in 2021. The share of the economy accounted for by the health sector fell from 19.7percent in 2020 to 18.3percent in 2021, but it was still higher than the 17.6percent share in 2019. In 2021 the number of uninsured people declined for the second consecutive year as Medicaid enrollment increased.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Aromatic Amino Acid Biosynthesis Under Nitrogen Starvation in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been a preferred organism for scientific research on many sensing and signaling processes. Its ability to adapt to changes in reproductive conditions, especially its fermentative properties have made this yeast species an industrially important species. Because of that S. cerevisiae has been genetically modified to create many kinds of beneficial chemicals from biomass. S. cerevisiae cells have the ability to detect the quality of nitrogen sources in their environment. And It has many regulatory mechanisms to utilize alternative nitrogen sources after the favored sources have been depleted. And proline is the least desired nitrogen source for many laboratory yeast strains. Usage of proline results in the slowest growth rates. The yeast S. cerevisiae can only get cellular nitrogen from tryptophan, tyrosine, or phenylalanine. The major products of this catabolism are tryptophol, phenylethanol, and tyrosol, which are elements of the mixture of alcohols known as fusel oil and this makes yeast S. cerevisiae important also in the production of seconder metabolites. Next Generation Sequencing allows deep analysis of gene expression. The effect of growth in media containing poor nitrogen source, proline, on the aromatic amino acid biosynthetic pathway was observed using NGS technologies in this work. According to the transcriptomic analysis results, we found that 14 genes are responsible for aromatic amino acid biosynthesis and 12 genes (ARO1, ARO2, ARO4, ARO7, ARO8, ARO9, PHA2, TRP1, TRP2, TRP3, TRP4, and TYR1) were down-regulated, while 2 genes (ARO3 and TRP1) were up-regulated. In addition, ARO1, ARO2, ARO4, ARO7, ARO9, PHA2, TRP1, TRP2, TRP3, TRP4, and TYR1 genes have showed 1.5-fold or more expression.

Fast Synthesis of Organic Copper Halide Crystals for X-ray Imaging

Copper-based metal halides are a group of potential scintillation materials with non-toxic and environmentally friendly properties. However, the slow growth rate of their crystals hinders their applications. In this paper, an organic [N(C2H5)4]2Cu2Br4 crystal was proposed for X-ray scintillation imaging. It was successfully synthesized using a fast solution-phased approach with a production rate of 100 mg/min. The photoluminescence quantum yield of the [N(C2H5)4]2Cu2Br4 crystal is 55% with good stability. More importantly, it has a bright blue emission with a large Stokes shift originating from self-trapped excitons, which contribute to the reabsorption-free characteristic. Its scintillation properties, with a light yield of 7623 photons MeV−1 and remarkable X-ray imaging performance, provide important guidance for the further study of X-ray scintillation crystals.

Comparative postcranial osteohistology and bone histovariability of aquatic and terrestrial turtles: the case of the South American Phrynops hilarii, Hydromedusa tectifera (Pleurodira, Chelidae), and Chelonoidis chilensis (Cryptodira, Testudinidae).

This article presents a detailed comparative analysis of the bone microstructure of three extant species of South American turtles. The main histological characteristics of postcranial bones are identified, as well as the intraskeletal, ontogenetic and interspecific variation between aquatic and terrestrial species. For this purpose, thin sections of postcranial bones (seventh cervical vertebra, coracoid, scapula, humerus, radius, ulna, ischium, ilium, pubis, femur, tibia, and fibula) of juvenile and adult specimens of aquatic (Phrynops hilarii and Hydromedusa tectifera) and terrestrial (Chelonoidis chilensis) turtles were analyzed. Bone histology revealed an intraskeletal variation of the microanatomical and microstructural organization in these turtles. The cortical bone is composed of poorly vascularized lamellar and parallel-fibered bone tissue interrupted with lines of arrested growth (LAGs), reflecting a cyclical slow growth rate throughout these turtles' life. Although in the adult specimens a growth rate decrease was observed, none of them have reached somatic maturity. The juvenile and the adult of Chelonoidis chilensis, unlike the aquatic species studied, presented a higher vascularization in their bones, which could imply a faster growth rate in this land specie. The number of LAGs was higher in the stylopodial and zeugopodial bones, which would make these elements suitable for approximate age estimations. Pectoral and pelvic girdle bones also exhibited a good record of LAGs. The information here obtained on extant species represents a powerful tool for the interpretation of paleobiological traits present in closely related fossil forms.

Genetic Engineering in Mycobacteria

Genetic tools for targeted modification of the mycobacterial genome contribute to the understanding of the physiology and virulence mechanisms of mycobacteria. Human and animal pathogens, such as the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, which causes tuberculosis, and M. leprae, which causes leprosy, are of particular importance. Genetic research opens up novel opportunities to identify and validate new targets for antibacterial drugs and to develop improved vaccines. Although mycobacteria are difficult to work with due to their slow growth rate and a limited possibility to transfer genetic information, significant progress has been made in developing genetic engineering methods for mycobacteria. The review considers the main approaches to changing the mycobacterial genome in a targeted manner, including homologous and site-specific recombination and use of the CRISPR/Cas system.