Is FLT3 internal tandem duplication an unfavorable risk factor for high risk children with acute myeloid leukemia? : Polish experience

According to the AML-BFM 2004 Interim, a treatment protocol used in Poland since 2005, presence of FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3/ITD) qualifies a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to a high-risk group (HRG). The present study was aimed to identify the prevalence of FLT3/ITD in children with AML in Poland and to evaluate its prognostic significance in the HRG patients. Out of 291 children with de novo AML treated in 14 Polish centers between January 2006 and December 2012, samples from 174 patients were available for FLT3/ITD analysis. Among study patients 108 children (61.7%) were qualified to HRG. Genomic DNA samples from bone marrow were tested for identification of FLT3/ITD mutation by PCR amplification of exon 14 and 15 of FLT3 gene. Clinical features and treatment outcome in patients with and without FLT3/ITD were analyzed in the study. The FLT3/ITD was found in 14 (12.9%) of 108 HRG children. There were no significant differences between children with and without FLT3/ITD in age and FAB distribution. The white blood cells count in peripheral blood at diagnosis was significantly higher (p <0.01) in the children with FLT3/ITD. Over 5-year overall survival rate for FLT3/ITD positive children was worse (42.4%) comparing to FLT3/ITD negative children (58.9%), but the statistical difference was not significant. However, over 5-year survivals free from treatment failures were similar. The FLT3/ITD rate (12.9%) observed in the study corresponded to the published data. There was no significant impact of FLT3/ITD mutation on survival rates, although further studies are needed on this subject

Reactive extraction of citric acid using supercritical CO2 and trioctylamine

The paper is dedicated to the integrated process of the reactive extraction of citric acid from aqueous solution using supercritical CO2 and trioctylamine. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of process parameters (concentration of reactants in phases, pressure, temperature, mixing rate, mixing time) on the course of the reactive extraction process. The increase of the initial concentration of amine (0.04-0.07 mol∙dm-3) results in the higher efficiency of reactive extraction. The influence of pressure (12-18 MPa) on the process is negligible. The process efficiency decreases with temperature (308-328 K). The increase of stirrer speed (250-500 rpm) leads to increase of process rate, so the final efficiency is obtained in shorter time

Degradation of a Caulobacter Soluble Cytoplasmic Chemoreceptor Is ClpX Dependent

In order to determine whether ClpXP-mediated proteolysis is a common mechanism used to regulate the chemotaxis machinery during the cell cycle of Caulobacter crescentus, we have characterized a soluble cytoplasmic chemoreceptor, McpB. The mcpB gene lies adjacent to the major chemotaxis operon, which encodes 12 chemotaxis proteins, including the membrane chemoreceptor McpA. Like McpA, McpB possesses a C-terminal CheBR docking motif and three potential methylation sites, which we suggest are methylated. The McpB protein is degraded via a ClpX-dependent pathway during the swarmer-to-stalked cell transition, and a motif, which is 3 amino acids N-terminal to the McpB CheBR docking site, is required for proteolysis. Analysis of the degradation signal in McpB and McpA reveals a common motif present in the other four chemoreceptors that possess CheBR docking sites. A green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion bearing 58 amino acids from the C terminus of McpA, which contains this motif, is degraded, suggesting that the C-terminal sequence is sufficient to confer ClpXP protease susceptibility

Dietary energy density in the dry period on the metabolic status of lactating cows

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of different energy concentrations in the isonitrogenous diet fed during the dry period on postpartum health, fertility and blood variables. Forty Holstein multiparous cows were dried 56 days before the expected day of calving and assigned to group (M) with moderate energy concentrations of 0.69 UFL/kg DM or to the low-energy group (L) with energy density of 0.61 UFL/kg DM. From the 7d before the expected day of calving until the 21d of lactation, all the cows were fed the same fresh transition diet (0.82 UFL/kg DM). From the 22d to the 90d of lactation, all the cows received the same highest energy-density lactation diet (0.90 UFL/kg DM). During the dry period the decline of BCS in groups M and L were 0.07 and 0.12 units respectively. The average decrease of BCS from calving to 56 d of lactation were the same in both experimental groups (0.21 BCS). The first-service conception rate tended to be higher in the M group. Insulin-like growth factor-1, glucose, β-hydroxybutyric acid, non-esterified fatty acid, thyroxine serum concentrations prepartum and 3 and 5d postpartum were not significantly affected by the treatment in the dry period