Intraspecific chemical variation within the crustose lichen genus Haematomma : anthraquinone production in selected cultured mycobionts as a response to stress and nutrient supply

The mycobionts isolated from selected species of Haematomma (Haematomma africanum, Haematomma fenzlianum, Haematomma flourescens, Haematomma persoonii, Haematomma stevensiae) have been successfully cultured. The chemical profile of the mycobionts could be effectively influenced and modulated by varying the composition of the nutrient medium using alternative carbohydrates (glucose, sucrose, and polyols). Under artifical laboratory conditions and simulated environmental stress (exposure to UV light, desiccation, and lower temperatures) the mycobionts began producing typical secondary lichen metabolites after an incubation time of 5-6 months. Modified Lilly and Barnett medium (LBM) and Murashige Skoog Medium favoured the production of depsides such as sphaerophorin and isosphaeric acid. Surprisingly, the mycobiont from H. stevensiae in modified MS medium produced two anthraquinones in the mycelia, haematommone at the base and russulone in the upper parts of the mycelium. By contrast, the natural lichen only produced these anthraquinones in the reddish orange apothecia. The mycobiont from H. flourescens only produced the expected lichexanthone in LBM, enriched with the polyols, sorbitol and mannitol. Once the media requirements and environmental stress factors that trigger polyketide production in lichen mycobionts have been determined, it is possible to obtain a particular lichen product by a completely defined procedure. Using such knowledge, we should be able to study polyketide expression in mycobionts under optimized culture conditions for various genetic applications

Common variation in PHACTR1 is associated with susceptibility to cervical artery dissection

Cervical artery dissection (CeAD), a mural hematoma in a carotid or vertebral artery, is a major cause of ischemic stroke in young adults although relatively uncommon in the general population (incidence of 2.6/100,000 per year). Minor cervical traumas, infection, migraine and hypertension are putative risk factors, and inverse associations with obesity and hypercholesterolemia are described. No confirmed genetic susceptibility factors have been identified using candidate gene approaches. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in 1,393 CeAD cases and 14,416 controls. The rs9349379[G] allele (PHACTR1) was associated with lower CeAD risk (odds ratio (OR) = 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.69-0.82; P = 4.46 × 10(-10)), with confirmation in independent follow-up samples (659 CeAD cases and 2,648 controls; P = 3.91 × 10(-3); combined P = 1.00 × 10(-11)). The rs9349379[G] allele was previously shown to be associated with lower risk of migraine and increased risk of myocardial infarction. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying this pleiotropy might provide important information on the biological underpinnings of these disabling conditions

Gentamicin-collagen sponge reduces sternal wound complications after heart surgery:A controlled, prospectively randomized, double-blind study

ObjectiveProphylactic retrosternal placement of a gentamicin-collagen sponge has been the subject of several recent clinical studies and is a matter of controversy. The present study is the first controlled, prospective, randomized, double-blind, single-center study to investigate the efficacy of a retrosternal gentamicin-collagen sponge in reducing sternal wound complications after heart surgery.MethodsFrom June 2009 to June 2010, 720 consecutive patients who underwent median sternotomy were assigned to a control placebo group (collagen sponge) or an intervention group (gentamicin-collagen sponge). All patients received guideline-compliant perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis. The primary end point was the occurrence of deep sternal wound infections within 30 days of index surgery (follow-up period). Secondary end points were the occurrence of superficial sternal wound infections requiring treatment, as well as further clinical parameters, including revision, bleeding volume, and need for transfusions during the follow-up period.ResultsA total of 720 of 994 patients (72.4%) were enrolled (control group: n = 367 vs intervention group: n = 353). Risk factors for sternal wound infection and demographic variables were comparable in the 2 groups. The incidence of deep sternal wound infections was 13 of 367 (3.52%) in the control group versus 2 of 353 (0.56%) in the intervention group (P = .014; adjusted odds ratio, 0.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.02–0.69). The numbers needed to treat relation for all sternal wound infections and deep sternal wound infections were 26 and 33, respectively. No statistically significant differences were demonstrated concerning secondary end points, such as postoperative bleeding and transfusion of red cell units, thrombocytes, and fresh-frozen plasma.ConclusionsRoutine prophylactic retrosternal use of a gentamicin-collagen sponge in patients undergoing cardiac surgery significantly reduces deep sternal wound infections

Culture studies on the mycobiont isolated from Parmotrema reticulatum (Taylor) Choisy: metabolite production under different conditions

A strain of the lichen mycobiont isolated from Parmotrema reticulatum was cultured axenically on different media. The morphology, anatomy, growth of the colonies, and metabolite production were studied. The iisolated fungal colonies developed well and showed aremarkable morphogenetic capacity on most of the assayedsolid media, e.g., malt extract 2%-yeast extract 0.2% (MEYE), malt extract 1%-yeast extract 0.4%-sucrose 10% (MY10), and the original Lilly & Barnett medium (LB). Theidentity of the isolated fungus was confirmed by its ITS rDNA-sequence. Atranorin, the major cortical lichen depside,was produced when the colonies were grown over 5<and 10 months on solid LB medium, combined with a dessication treatment. Atranorin was identified by matchingof UV spectra obtained from HPLC running and a reference substance in a spectrum library. Colonies grown on MEYE and MY10 with a dessication treatment did not produce any lichen secondary metabolite. Mycobionts grown for 5 months on solid MEYE without a dessication treatment produced triacylglycerides as the major metabolites, and the fatty acids were characterized as their methyl esters. Analysis by TLC and HPLC-DAD of extracts of colonies grown on LB and without dessication revealed that the typical secondary compounds of the natural lichen were not produced. The major metabolites of the natural lichen thallus were identified by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods.Fil: Fazio, Alejandra Teresa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Bertoni, María D.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Micología y Botánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Micología y Botánica; ArgentinaFil: Adler, Monica Teresa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Micología y Botánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Micología y Botánica; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, Laura Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Micología y Botánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Micología y Botánica; ArgentinaFil: Rosso, María L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Micología y Botánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Micología y Botánica; ArgentinaFil: Muggia, Lucia. Karl Franzens University of Graz. Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften; AustriaFil: Hager, Armin. University of Salzburg. Department of Organismic Biology; AustriaFil: Stocker Wörgötter, Elfie. University of Salzburg. Department of Organismic Biology; AustriaFil: Maier, Marta Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; Argentin

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with paediatric cancer in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, observational cohort study

OBJECTIVES: Paediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs. DESIGN: A multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study. SETTING: 91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms' tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days. RESULTS: 1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounders, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 15.6 (95% CI 3.7 to 65.8) times the odds of death at 30 days (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected paediatric oncology service provision. It has disproportionately affected patients in LMICs, highlighting and compounding existing disparities in healthcare systems globally that need addressing urgently. However, many patients with paediatric cancer continued to receive their normal standard of care. This speaks to the adaptability and resilience of healthcare systems and healthcare workers globally

Twelve-month observational study of children with cancer in 41 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death. It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted childhood cancer mortality. In this study, we aimed to establish all-cause mortality rates for childhood cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors associated with mortality