Effect of Prophylactic Ketoconazole and Nystatin on Fungal Flora

The effect of prophylactic antifungal drugs on oropharyngeal and anterior nares fungal colonization was studied in 20 patients receiving nystatin and 19 patients receiving ketoconazole. Surveillance cultures were obtained weekly for a mean of 27.1 ± 4.8 days in the nystatin group and 44.0 ±6.7 days in the ketoconazole group. Initially, 63.2% of nystatin patients and 77.8% of ketoconazole patients had yeasts in their oropharynx. Neither drug eliminated oropharyngeal yeast colonization; by the end of the first four weeks of surveillance, 66.7% of the nystatin group and 63.6% of the ketoconazole group still had yeasts in the oropharynx. However, both drugs caused a reduction in the quantity of yeasts grown on successive cultures. Filamentous fungi were isolated in baseline cultures in 42.1% of the nystatin patients and 33.3% of the ketoconazole patients. Prophylaxis did not appear to alter carriage of filamentous fungi in the upper airways. Pathogenic filamentous fungi were only rarely isolated, and this rate did not increase with prophylaxis. Resistance to polyene antifungals (nystatin, amphotericin B) or to ketoconazole did not occur as a result of prophylaxis. Zusammenfassung : Untersuchung Über die Pilzflora im Oropharynx und im vorderen Nasenraum unter dem Einfluß einer prophylaktischen antimykotischen Behandlung. 20 Patienten erhielten Nystatin und 19 Patienten Ketoconazol. WÖchentliche Kontrollkulturen wurden in der Nystatin-Gruppe Über einen durchschnittlichen Zeitraum von 27,1 ± 4,8 Tagen und in der Ketoconazol-Gruppe Über 44,0 ± 6,7 Tage durchgefÜhrt. Zu Beginn der Untersuchung hatten 63,2% der Nystatin-Patienten und 77,8% der Ketoconazol-Patienten Hefen im Oropharynx. Keines der beiden Antimykotika eliminierte die oropharyngeale Hefebesiedlung. Nach 4wÖchiger Beobachtung wurden Hefen in der Nystatin-Gruppe bei 76,7% und in der Ketoconazol-Gruppe bei 63,6% im Oropharynx festgestellt. Durch beide Antimykotika wurde jedoch eine Verringerung der kulturell nachweisbaren Hefemengen hervorgerufen. Schimmelpilze fanden sich zu Beginn der Untersuchung bei 42,1% der Nystatin-Patienten und bei 33,3% der Ketoconazol-Patienten. Unter der prophylaktischen Behandlung war keine Verringerung des Vorkommens derartiger Pilze in den oberen Luftwegen feststellbar. Pathogene Schimmelpilze wurden nur sehr selten isoliert und das Vorkommen dieser Pilze stieg unter der prophylaktischen Behandlung nicht an. Eine Resistenz gegenÜber Polyen-Antimykotika (Nystatin, Amphotericin B) oder Ketoconazol trat unter der prophylaktischen Behandlung nicht auf.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74832/1/j.1439-0507.1984.tb02016.x.pd

Clinical findings and outcome predictors for multinodular pulmonary fibrosis in horses: 46 cases (2009-2019)

Background Prognostic indicators for equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF), an interstitial fibrosing lung disease, are poorly described. Hypothesis/Objectives Describe diagnostic findings and outcome predictors for EMPF. Animals Forty-six adult horses with EMPF. Methods Retrospective multicenter case series from 2009 to 2019. Radiographic (n = 27) and ultrasonographic studies (n = 19) from EMPF horses and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology from 6 EMPF and 13 asthma cases were independently reviewed and blinded to diagnosis and outcome. Associations between predictor variables and survival were assessed by predictor screening followed by Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Results Primary clinical findings were weight loss (36/46, 78%), increased respiratory effort (33/46, 72%), tachypnea (32/46, 70%), and fever (18/46, 39%). Macrophage atypia was seen in more EMPF than asthmatic horse BALF (67% vs. 8%; P = .02). Equine herpesvirus 5 (EHV-5) was detected in 24 of 30 (80%) and hyperfibrinogenemia in 25 of 28 (89%) cases. Twenty-seven of 46 horses (59%) and 11 of 45 (24%) survived to discharge and to 3 months, respectively. Three-month survival was associated with lower median (range) respiratory rates (30 [24-36] vs. 41 [30-60] breaths per minute; P = .04), and higher BALF lymphocyte:neutrophil ratios (4.7 [1.4-22] vs. 0.47 [0.11-1.9]; P = .01) and blood lymphocyte counts (1.25 [0.93-2.55] vs. 0.90 [0.70-1.24] × 109/L; P = .03). Imaging findings, EHV-5 detection, and corticosteroid treatment were not associated with survival. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Fever is not a sensitive clinical sign of EMPF. Diagnostic testing should be pursued for horses with increased respiratory rate and effort and weight loss. The prognosis for EMPF horses is poor. Corticosteroid treatment does not improve 3-month survival

Analysis of alanine aminotransferase in various organs of soybean (Glycine max) and in dependence of different nitrogen fertilisers during hypoxic stress

Alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) catalyses the reversible conversion of pyruvate and glutamate into alanine and oxoglutarate. In soybean, two subclasses were identified, each represented by two highly similar members. To investigate the role of AlaAT during hypoxic stress in soybean, changes in transcript level of both subclasses were analysed together with the enzyme activity and alanine content of the tissue. Moreover, the dependency of AlaAT activity and gene expression was investigated in relation to the source of nitrogen supplied to the plants. Using semi-quantitative PCR, GmAlaAT genes were determined to be highest expressed in roots and nodules. Under normal growth conditions, enzyme activity of AlaAT was detected in all organs tested, with lowest activity in the roots. Upon waterlogging-induced hypoxia, AlaAT activity increased strongly. Concomitantly, alanine accumulated. During re-oxygenation, AlaAT activity remained high, but the transcript level and the alanine content decreased. Our results show a role for AlaAT in the catabolism of alanine during the initial period of re-oxygenation following hypoxia. GmAlaAT also responded to nitrogen availability in the solution during waterlogging. Ammonium as nitrogen source induced both gene expression and enzyme activity of AlaAT more than when nitrate was supplied in the nutrient solution. The work presented here indicates that AlaAT might not only be important during hypoxia, but also during the recovery phase after waterlogging, when oxygen is available to the tissue again

Differential regulation of alanine aminotransferase homologues by abiotic stresses in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings contain four alanine aminotransferase (AlaAT) homologues. Two of them encode AlaAT enzymes, whereas two homologues act as glumate:glyoxylate aminotransferase (GGAT). To address the function of the distinct AlaAT homologues a comparative examination of the changes in transcript level together with the enzyme activity and alanine and glutamate content in wheat seedlings subjected to low oxygen availability, nitrogen and light deficiency has been studied. Shoots of wheat seedlings were more tolerant to hypoxia than the roots as judging on the basis of enzyme activity and transcript level. Hypoxia induced AlaAT1 earlier in roots than in shoots, while AlaAT2 and GGAT were unaffected. The increase in AlaAT activity lagged behind the increase in alanine content. Nitrogen deficiency has little effect on the activity of GGAT. In contrast, lower activity of AlaAT and the level of mRNA for AlaAT1 and AlaAT2 in wheat seedlings growing on a nitrogen-free medium seems to indicate that AlaAT is regulated by the availability of nitrogen. Both AlaAT and GGAT activities were present in etiolated wheat seedlings but their activity was half of that observed in light-grown seedlings. Exposure of etiolated seedlings to light caused an increase in enzyme activities and up-regulated GGAT1. It is proposed that hypoxia-induced AlaAT1 and light-induced peroxisomal GGAT1 appears to be crucial for the regulation of energy availability in plants grown under unfavourable environmental conditions

The Glycosyltransferase Repertoire of the Spikemoss Selaginella moellendorffii and a Comparative Study of Its Cell Wall

Spike mosses are among the most basal vascular plants, and one species, Selaginella moellendorffii, was recently selected for full genome sequencing by the Joint Genome Institute (JGI). Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are involved in many aspects of a plant life, including cell wall biosynthesis, protein glycosylation, primary and secondary metabolism. Here, we present a comparative study of the S. moellendorffii genome across 92 GT families and an additional family (DUF266) likely to include GTs. The study encompasses the moss Physcomitrella patens, a non-vascular land plant, while rice and Arabidopsis represent commelinid and non-commelinid seed plants. Analysis of the subset of GT-families particularly relevant to cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis was complemented by a detailed analysis of S. moellendorffii cell walls. The S. moellendorffii cell wall contains many of the same components as seed plant cell walls, but appears to differ somewhat in its detailed architecture. The S. moellendorffii genome encodes fewer GTs (287 GTs including DUF266s) than the reference genomes. In a few families, notably GT51 and GT78, S. moellendorffii GTs have no higher plant orthologs, but in most families S. moellendorffii GTs have clear orthologies with Arabidopsis and rice. A gene naming convention of GTs is proposed which takes orthologies and GT-family membership into account. The evolutionary significance of apparently modern and ancient traits in S. moellendorffii is discussed, as is its use as a reference organism for functional annotation of GTs

Coalescent Simulations Reveal Hybridization and Incomplete Lineage Sorting in Mediterranean Linaria

We examined the phylogenetic history of Linaria with special emphasis on the Mediterranean sect. Supinae (44 species). We revealed extensive highly supported incongruence among two nuclear (ITS, AGT1) and two plastid regions (rpl32-trnLUAG, trnS-trnG). Coalescent simulations, a hybrid detection test and species tree inference in *BEAST revealed that incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization may both be responsible for the incongruent pattern observed. Additionally, we present a multilabelled *BEAST species tree as an alternative approach that allows the possibility of observing multiple placements in the species tree for the same taxa. That permitted the incorporation of processes such as hybridization within the tree while not violating the assumptions of the *BEAST model. This methodology is presented as a functional tool to disclose the evolutionary history of species complexes that have experienced both hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting. The drastic climatic events that have occurred in the Mediterranean since the late Miocene, including the Quaternary-type climatic oscillations, may have made both processes highly recurrent in the Mediterranean flora

Refinement of Light-Responsive Transcript Lists Using Rice Oligonucleotide Arrays: Evaluation of Gene-Redundancy

Studies of gene function are often hampered by gene-redundancy, especially in organisms with large genomes such as rice (Oryza sativa). We present an approach for using transcriptomics data to focus functional studies and address redundancy. To this end, we have constructed and validated an inexpensive and publicly available rice oligonucleotide near-whole genome array, called the rice NSF45K array. We generated expression profiles for light- vs. dark-grown rice leaf tissue and validated the biological significance of the data by analyzing sources of variation and confirming expression trends with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We examined trends in the data by evaluating enrichment of gene ontology terms at multiple false discovery rate thresholds. To compare data generated with the NSF45K array with published results, we developed publicly available, web-based tools (www.ricearray.org). The Oligo and EST Anatomy Viewer enables visualization of EST-based expression profiling data for all genes on the array. The Rice Multi-platform Microarray Search Tool facilitates comparison of gene expression profiles across multiple rice microarray platforms. Finally, we incorporated gene expression and biochemical pathway data to reduce the number of candidate gene products putatively participating in the eight steps of the photorespiration pathway from 52 to 10, based on expression levels of putatively functionally redundant genes. We confirmed the efficacy of this method to cope with redundancy by correctly predicting participation in photorespiration of a gene with five paralogs. Applying these methods will accelerate rice functional genomics