Koagulacija krvi i lipidi u serumu (Studija stanovništva)

Two population groups differing in dietary habits and physical activity were examined on blood lipids and blood coagulability. The results showed a higher lipid concentration and shorter clotting time in the physically less active group, having a higher fat and caloric intake.Dvije populacione grupe, koje se razlikuju po svojoj prehrani, a osobito po povećanoj potrošnji masnoća i smanjenom fizičkom aktivitetu, ispitivane su s obzirom na nivo krvnih lipida i na koagulabilitet krvi. Rezultati pokazuju, da prehrana, osobito povećana potrošnja animalnih masnoća, te smanjena psihička aktivnost utječu na povećanje nivoa krvnih lipida i bržeg koagulabiliteta krvi mjerenog kao vrijeme zgrušavanja i protrombinsko vrijeme. Ti rezultati potvrđuju već ranija zapažanja autora o povećanom koagulabilitetu krvi u populacionim grupama, koje se istovremeno razlikuju i u koncentraciji krvnih lipida i u učestalosti koronarnih bolesti

Evaluation of the nutritional status of women workers in a factory

Prikazani su rezultati ispitivanja prehrane radnica jedne tvornice. U toj tvornici broj pobolijevanja bio je veći nego u ostalim tvornicama istoga grada i anamnestički je utvrđeno, da se jedna grupa ispitivanih radnica hranila veoma slabo i neredovno. Ta grupa je uspoređena s drugom grupom radnica iz iste tvornice. kod kojih je ishrana bila bolja i redovnija. Kao kriterij stanja uhranjenosti uzeta je tjelesna težina, potkožno masno tkivo, broj eritrocita, hemoglobin i C vitamin u krvi, te klinički pregled. Pokazalo se, da postoji značajna razlika u tjelesnoj težini između obje grupe, i to kao posljedica boljeg razvoja mišićnog, masnog i koštanog tkiva kod grupe s boljom ishranom. Nije bilo značajnih razlika u vrijednosti hemoglobina, u broju eritrocita i sadržaju C vitamina u krvi između jedne i druge grupe.The nutritional status has been examined of the women workers in a factory where frequent cases of illness occurred and several women in poor conditions were found. A dietary anamnesis of a part of these women showed insufficient nutrition: they mostly fed on bread, potatoes and farinaceous food, whereas their consumption of meat, vegetables and milk was poor. Moreover, their nutrition was irregular since they often used to come to work without having their breakfast. The nutritional status of these women was determined by a comparison with a reference group (women workers of the same factory) fed somewhat better and regularly. The body weight, the development of the subcutaneous tissue (the thickness of skinfolds), hemoglobin, the red blood cell count, vitamin C in blood, and morbidity rate were taken as criterion. A clinical examination was performed as well. The results obtained showed that the body weight and the thickness of skinfolds, as well as other f actors such as age, body height and the development of skeleton, were helpful in the evaluation of the nutritional status. Anthropometrical measurements showed that the difference in the body weight between the two groups, the reference group being heavier, was not only a consequence of the difference in the development of the muscular and fatty tissue, but also of the better· development of the bone system of workers belonging to the reference group. There were no significant differences between the average values of hemoglobin and red blood cell count of the two groups. These values, as well as the vitamin C values were below the lower limit of the normal range in both groups. The incidence of illness and the absenteeism due to illness were higher in the group of poorly fed women. A critical review of the present-day methods for the examination of the nutritional status is presented. The authors are of the opinion that in the case of mild nutritional disorders a single examination cannot give an exact insight into the nutritional status; repeated observations, therefore, are recommendable

Genome-wide dissection of globally emergent multi-drug resistant serotype 19A Streptococcus pneumoniae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) serotype 19A Streptococcus pneumoniae (SPN) is well-documented but causal factors remain unclear. Canadian SPN isolates (1993-2008, n = 11,083) were serotyped and <it>in vitro </it>susceptibility tested. A subset of MDR 19A were multi-locus sequence typed (MLST) and representative isolates' whole genomes sequenced.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MDR 19A increased in the post-PCV7 era while 19F, 6B, and 23F concurrently declined. MLST of MDR 19A (<it>n </it>= 97) revealed that sequence type (ST) 320 predominated. ST320 was unique amongst MDR 19A in that its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for penicillin, amoxicillin, ceftriaxone, and erythromycin were higher than for other ST present amongst post-PCV7 MDR 19A. DNA sequencing revealed that alleles at key drug resistance loci <it>pbp2a</it>, <it>pbp2x</it>, <it>pbp2b</it>, <it>ermB</it>, <it>mefA/E</it>, and <it>tetM </it>were conserved between pre-PCV7 ST 320 19F and post-PCV7 ST 320 19A most likely due to a capsule switch recombination event. A genome wide comparison of MDR 19A ST320 with MDR 19F ST320 identified 822 unique SNPs in 19A, 61 of which were present in antimicrobial resistance genes and 100 in virulence factors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest a complex genetic picture where high-level drug resistance, vaccine selection pressure, and SPN mutational events have created a "perfect storm" for the emergence of MDR 19A.</p

Organization of Patient Management and Fungal Epidemiology in Cystic Fibrosis

The achievement of a better life for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is mainly caused by a better management and infection control over the last three decades. Herein, we want to summarize the cornerstones for an effective management of CF patients and to give an overview of the knowledge about the fungal epidemiology in this clinical context in Europe. Data from a retrospective analysis encompassing 66,616 samples from 3235 CF patients followed-up in 9 CF centers from different European countries are shown

β-globin LCR and intron elements cooperate and direct spatial reorganization for gene therapy

The Locus Control Region (LCR) requires intronic elements within b-globin transgenes to direct high level expression at all ectopic integration sites. However, these essential intronic elements cannot be transmitted through retrovirus vectors and their deletion may compromise the therapeutic potential for gene therapy. Here, we systematically regenerate functional bglobin intron 2 elements that rescue LCR activity directed by 5′HS3. Evaluation in transgenic mice demonstrates that an Oct-1 binding site and an enhancer in the intron cooperate to increase expression levels from LCR globin transgenes. Replacement of the intronic AT-rich region with the Igμ 3′MAR rescues LCR activity in single copy transgenic mice. Importantly, a combination of the Oct-1 site, Igm 39MAR and intronic enhancer in the BGT158 cassette directs more consistent levels of expression in transgenic mice. By introducing intron-modified transgenes into the same genomic integration site in erythroid cells, we show that BGT158 has the greatest transcriptional induction. 3D DNA FISH establishes that induction stimulates this small 5′HS3 containing transgene and the endogenous locus to spatially reorganize towards more central locations in erythroid nuclei. Electron Spectroscopic Imaging (ESI) of chromatin fibers demonstrates that ultrastructural heterochromatin is primarily perinuclear and does not reorganize. Finally, we transmit intron-modified globin transgenes through insulated self-inactivating (SIN) lentivirus vectors into erythroid cells. We show efficient transfer and robust mRNA and protein expression by the BGT158 vector, and virus titer improvements mediated by the modified intron 2 in the presence of an LCR cassette composed of 5′HS2-4. Our results have important implications for the mechanism of LCR activity at ectopic integration sites. The modified transgenes are the first to transfer intronic elements that potentiate LCR activity and are designed to facilitate correction of hemoglobinopathies using single copy vectors

Parascedosporium and its relatives: phylogeny and ecological trends

The genus Scedosporium and its relatives comprising microascalean anamorphs with slimy conidia were studied. Graphium and Parascedosporium also belong to this complex, while teleomorphs are found in Pseudallescheria, Petriella, Petriellopsis, and Lophotrichus. Species complexes were clearly resolved by rDNA ITS sequencing. Significantly different ecological trends were observed between resolved species aggregates. The Pseudallescheria and Scedosporium prolificans clades were the only lineages with a marked opportunistic potential to mammals, while Petriella species were associated primarily with soil enriched by, e.g. dung. A consistent association with bark beetles was observed in the Graphium clade. The ex-type strain of Rhinocladium lesnei, CBS 108.10 was incorrectly implicated by Vuillemin (1910) in a case of human mycetoma; its sequence was identical to that of the ex-type strain of Parascedosporium tectonae, CBS 127.84

Rapid Transcriptional Pulsing Dynamics of High Expressing Retroviral Transgenes in Embryonic Stem Cells

Single cell imaging studies suggest that transcription is not continuous and occurs as discrete pulses of gene activity. To study mechanisms by which retroviral transgenes can transcribe to high levels, we used the MS2 system to visualize transcriptional dynamics of high expressing proviral integration sites in embryonic stem (ES) cells. We established two ES cell lines each bearing a single copy, self-inactivating retroviral vector with a strong ubiquitous human EF1α gene promoter directing expression of mRFP fused to an MS2-stem-loop array. Transfection of MS2-EGFP generated EGFP focal dots bound to the mRFP-MS2 stem loop mRNA. These transcription foci colocalized with the transgene integration site detected by immunoFISH. Live tracking of single cells for 20 minutes detected EGFP focal dots that displayed frequent and rapid fluctuations in transcription over periods as short as 25 seconds. Similarly rapid fluctuations were detected from focal doublet signals that colocalized with replicated proviral integration sites by immunoFISH, consistent with transcriptional pulses from sister chromatids. We concluded that retroviral transgenes experience rapid transcriptional pulses in clonal ES cell lines that exhibit high level expression. These events are directed by a constitutive housekeeping gene promoter and may provide precedence for rapid transcriptional pulsing at endogenous genes in mammalian stem cells

Proposed nomenclature for Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and related genera

As a result of fundamental changes in the International Code of Nomenclature on the use of separate names for sexual and asexual stages of fungi, generic names of many groups should be reconsidered. Members of the ECMM/ISHAM working group on Pseudallescheria/Scedosporium infections herein advocate a novel nomenclature for genera and species in Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and allied taxa. The generic names Parascedosporium, Lomentospora, Petriella, Petriellopsis, and Scedosporium are proposed for a lineage within Microascaceae with mostly Scedosporium anamorphs producing slimy, annellidic conidia. Considering that Scedosporium has priority over Pseudallescheria and that Scedosporium prolificans is phylogenetically distinct from the other Scedosporium species, some name changes are proposed. Pseudallescheria minutispora and Petriellidium desertorum are renamed as Scedosporium minutisporum and S. desertorum, respectively. Scedosporium prolificans is renamed as Lomentospora prolificans

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature

The Amsterdam Declaration on Fungal Nomenclature was agreed at an international symposium convened in Amsterdam on 19–20 April 2011 under the auspices of the International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF). The purpose of the symposium was to address the issue of whether or how the current system of naming pleomorphic fungi should be maintained or changed now that molecular data are routinely available. The issue is urgent as mycologists currently follow different practices, and no consensus was achieved by a Special Committee appointed in 2005 by the International Botanical Congress to advise on the problem. The Declaration recognizes the need for an orderly transitition to a single-name nomenclatural system for all fungi, and to provide mechanisms to protect names that otherwise then become endangered. That is, meaning that priority should be given to the first described name, except where that is a younger name in general use when the first author to select a name of a pleomorphic monophyletic genus is to be followed, and suggests controversial cases are referred to a body, such as the ICTF, which will report to the Committee for Fungi. If appropriate, the ICTF could be mandated to promote the implementation of the Declaration. In addition, but not forming part of the Declaration, are reports of discussions held during the symposium on the governance of the nomenclature of fungi, and the naming of fungi known only from an environmental nucleic acid sequence in particular. Possible amendments to the Draft BioCode (2011) to allow for the needs of mycologists are suggested for further consideration, and a possible example of how a fungus only known from the environment might be described is presented