Insertion sequence elements in Yersinia: Nucleotide sequence of IS100 of Yersinia pestis

The World Health Organization classified (Williams, 1983) Y. pestis as Y. pseudotuberculosis subsp. pestis on the basis of DNA homology, yet the two organisms cause markedly different disease. Portnoy and Falkow (1981) reported IS100 to influence the virulence of Y. pestis. IS100 was shown to be found in Y. pestis but not Y. pseudotuberculosis. IS100 from Y. pestis was sequenced and shown by sequence analysis to fulfill the requirements of being an IS element. pIS1C, an 821 bp fragment of IS100 was transferred to Y. pseudotuberculosis Trp-Ca-, resulting in the ability of the cells to ferment rhamnose and delayed production of urease at 37\sp\circC but not at 26\sp\circC. These traits are normally associated with Y. pestis. Maxicell analysis revealed more products and larger products than could be expected from the coding capacity of the clone. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrated a complex rearrangement of protein profile based on the presence of pIS1C. These data clearly indicate the thermo-regulatory involvement of IS100 at the molecular level

LINGUOPRAGMATIC ASPECT OF NON-CATEGORICAL EXPRESSIONS IN ENGLISH SCIENTIFIC DISCOURSE

English is the main means of international communication in the field of science, which is due to a number of factors, namely the rapid development of science and modern technologies, the process of globalization, and the growth of scientific information. Accordingly, the attention of linguists to the linguistic features and characteristics of English scientific discourse is growing. Despite a fairly large amount of scientific research, some aspects of English academic communication need further clarification. The article deals with the problem of cautious language in the academic environment. The main issues discussed are the category of cautiousness in the language, the linguistic means of its realization in the scientific texts, and its pragmatical features. The results show that hedging is a necessary pragmatical component of academic writing, presented by different lexical and lexical-grammatical means. Further research is perspective due to the connection of this problem with intercultural communication, the theory of translation and teaching the English language

Sense of Beauty and Creativity

This chapter discusses the impact of natural beauty on the human consciousness and the ability to be creative. The stages of formation and the sequence of the abilities that allow for the emergence of a creative life path and the development of inventiveness are described. A vision of how the sense of beauty develops in the childhood period, as well as how this feeling affects the ability to be inventive in various ways, is discussed. The relationship between the sense of beauty and such human properties as contemplation, observation, and ingenuity is defined. An analysis is made of what impacts our ability to see beauty. Some ideas about how structural changes in technology influence a person’s technical environment and his ability to see natural beauty are provided as well

Przyczyny dyskwalifikacji niespokrewnionych dawców krwiotwórczych komórek macierzystych

BackgroundIn the recent years the population of registered unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors in Poland expanded to over 768 000 in 2014. In parallel the number of hematopoietic stem cell donations rose to over 900 in 2014. So far there are very little data about unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors in Poland.AimsAnalysis of most common deferral reasons of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors at the time of final clearance before transplantation.Methods465 medical records of unrelated donors who underwent final clearance were analyzed. The deferral reasons were analyzed and compared with recent World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) and National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) guidelines for donor selection.Results1.5% of donors were permanently deferred at the final clearance – mostly with random medical conditions. 8% of donors (n=38) were temporarily deferred at the final clearance. Among them the deferral causes included: suspicion of recent or ongoing Toxoplasmosis (n=17); autoimmune thyroiditis (n=3); ongoing CMV infection (n=2) and other reasons (n=16). The median time of temporal deferral was 6 weeks. Except for the cases with suspicion of Toxoplasmosis, the temporal deferral over 3 weeks results in very low chances of donation (5%, n=19).ConclusionThe percentages of permanent deferrals are low in Polish donors. The temporal deferrals are mostly based on suspicion of infectious diseases. The temporal deferrals of over 3 weeks in most of the cases effectively block the donation possibility

Biosimilar G-CSF versus filgrastim and lenograstim in healthy unrelated volunteer hematopoietic stem cell donors

The World Marrow Donor Organization recommends original granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the mobilization of stem cells in healthy unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donors. We report the comparison of a biosimilar G-CSF (Zarzio) with two original G-CSFs (filgrastim and lenograstim) in mobilization in unrelated donors. We included data of 313 consecutive donors who were mobilized during the period from October 2014 to March 2016 at the Medical University of Warsaw. The primary endpoints of this study were the efficiency of CD34+ cell mobilization to the circulation and results of the first apheresis. The mean daily dose of G-CSF was 9.1 μg/kg for lenograstim, 9.8 μg/kg for biosimilar filgrastim, and 9.3 μg/kg for filgrastim (p < 0.001). The mean CD34+ cell number per microliter in the blood before the first apheresis was 111 for lenograstim, 119 for biosimilar filgrastim, and 124 for filgrastim (p = 0.354); the mean difference was even less significant when comparing CD34+ number per dose of G-CSF per kilogram (p = 0.787). Target doses of CD34+ cells were reached with one apheresis in 87% donors mobilized with lenograstim and in 93% donors mobilized with original and biosimilar filgrastim (p = 0.005). The mobilized apheresis outcomes (mean number of CD34+ cells/kg of donor collected during the first apheresis) was similar with lenograstim, biosimilar filgrastim, and filgrastim: 6.2 × 10⁶, 7.6 × 10⁶, and 7.3 × 10⁶, respectively, p = 0.06. There was no mobilization failure in any of the donors. Biosimilar G-CSF is as effective in the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells in unrelated donors as original G-CSFs. Small and clinically irrelevant differences seen in the study can be attributed to differences in G-CSF dose and collection-related factors. Active safety surveillance concurrent to clinical use and reporting to donor outcome registry (e.g., EBMT donor outcome registry or WMDA SEAR/SPEAR) might help to evaluate the possible short- and long-term complications of biosimilar G-CSF

Characterization of the thermophilic xlanase Fsa272 from Candidatus Fervidibacter sacchari belonging to glycoside hydrolase family GH10

Candidatus Fervidibacter sacchari is a novel, facultatively anaerobic, hyperthermophilic bacterium found in terrestrial geothermal springs globally. Its genome encodes 115 putative glycoside hydrolase enzymes that are predicted to hydrolyze glycosidic bonds between carbohydrates. Fsa272, a member of the glycoside hydrolase family 10, was synthesized and cloned into Escherichia coli strain T7 Express. The transformed E. coli was grown with LB broth and ampicillin at 37°C. Fsa272 expression was induced with isopropylthio-beta-galactoside (IPTG), and the lysate was heat purified for 15 minutes at 80° C. The 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid assay identified xylanase activity with a pH range of 4.5 to 10.5 (pHopt 5.5) and a temperature range of 60 to 90°C (Topt 80-90°C). The para-nitrophenol assay was used to determine the Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters of Fsa272, resulting in KM of 1.8 mM and V max of 232.6 μM/min. The characterization of Fsa272 provides critical information on Ca. F. sacchari and its potential application in converting polysaccharide waste to biofuels.https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/durep_posters/1125/thumbnail.jp

Niespokrewnieni dawcy komórek macierzystych — motywacja i satysfakcja w procesie donacji komórek krwiotwórczych

Background. Poland has the most rapidly growing population of registered stem cell donors worldwide. The aim of the study was the analysis of motivation, ways of recruitment, major side effects and general satisfaction related to donation process among unrelated hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) donors at a major stem cell facility in Poland. Material and methods. The prospective study was based on data from online questionnaire completed by unrelated HSC donors — before and after donation. The study included 109 questionnaires completed prior to donation and 80 questionnaires completed after donation. Results. The wish to help others was motivation for registration in 84% of the donors. The most common recruitment site were local actions (49%), the Internet however has also become a major source of registration — 42% of donors were recruited through the Internet based service. The most common side effects or general discomforts related to donation as reported by donors were: G-CSF injections (45%) and duration of the procedure (29%) in the case of peripheral blood stem cell donors (PBSC) and in the case of bone marrow harvest in general anesthesia — weakness after donation (27%), duration of hospital stay (27%) as well as pain after intubation (18%). Pain related to G-CSF mobilization procedure was higher than that reported after bone marrow harvest (1.51 vs 0.67; p = 0,83). Only 6% PBSC donors regarded this pain as significant compared to 9% of marrow donors. Conclusion. The outcome of the study provides a positive overview of stem cell donation in Poland. Stem cell donors report satisfaction with information provided by health care personnel on recruitment, qualification and donation procedure, the procedure-related side effects and discomforts are few and the sense of contentment and satisfaction is high.Wstęp. W ostatnich latach polski rejestr niespokrewnionych dawców komórek krwiotwórczych był najszybciej rozwijającym się rejestrem w skali świata. Celem niniejszej pracy jest analiza procesu rekrutacji i pobierania komórek macierzystych od dawców. Analizę tę przeprowadzono w największym ośrodku pobierającym w Polsce — w Samodzielnym Publicznym Centralnym Szpitalu Klinicznym. Materiał i metody. Przeprowadzono badanie ankietowe online wśród niespokrewnionych dawców komórek krwiotwórczych przed donacją i po. Łącznie dawcy wypełnili 109 kwestionariuszy przed donacją i 80 kwestionariuszy po donacji. Wyniki. Chęć niesienia pomocy drugiemu człowiekowi była głównym powodem rejestracji dla 84% dawców. Najczęściej rekrutowano ich podczas lokalnych akcji (49% dawców) i przez Internet — poprzez kwestionariusze dostępne w sieci (42%). Najczęściej zgłaszanymi przez dawców niedogodnościami związanymi z pobraniem komórek były: konieczność wykonywania zastrzyków czynnika wzrostu granulocytów (45%) i czas trwania procedury (29%) — wśród dawców komórek krwiotwórczych z krwi obwodowej — oraz osłabienie po pobraniu (27%), konieczność pobytu w szpitalu (27%) i ból gardła po intubacji (18%) związane z pobraniem szpiku w znieczuleniu ogólnym. Natężenie bólu zgłaszanego przez dawców w trakcie pobrania komórek z krwi obwodowej było większe niż u dawców po pobraniu szpiku, ale nie była to różnica istotna statystycznie (1,51 vs 0,67; p = 0,83). Tylko 6% dawców komórek z krwi obwodowej uważało ten ból za istotny w porównaniu do 9% dawców, od których pobierano szpik. Wnioski. Wyniki pracy pokazują pozytywny obraz donacji komórek krwiotwórczych. Zadowolenie z otrzymanych informacji w trakcie rekrutacji, kwalifikacji i donacji, mała liczba niekorzystnych doświadczeń dawców oraz ogólne zadowolenie z przebiegu donacji przyczyniają się do kształtowania pozytywnego obrazu dawstwa i przeszczepiania szpiku w Polsce

Mobilizacja macierzystych komórek krwiotwórczych u chorych z niedawnorozpoznaną cukrzycą typu 1 przed przeszczepieniem autologicznych komórek krwiotwórczych

BackgroundThe immunoablation with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a new experimental treatment of early diabetes type 1. The treatment is based on destruction of immune system with cytotoxic drugs which leads to halt of immune reaction directed against beta cells of pancreas. During that treatment young patients with diabetes type 1 who are otherwise healthy undergo mobilization with cyclophosphamide (CY) and G-CSF. They are naïve to cytotoxic drugs and mobilization is their first contact with chemotherapy. We analyzed the efficiency of mobilization with cyclophosphamide and G-CSF in this population.MethodsWe analyzed the medical records of 25 patients with diabetes who underwent mobilization with cyclophosphamide and G-CSF.ResultsThe median white blood cell count on the first day of apheresis was 14.6×103/μL (range 1.5–33.3) in CY+G-CSF mobilized patients. Median absolute CD 34+ cell count in peripheral blood on the first apheresis day was 0.095 127×103/μL (range 0.026–0.477). The median total number of collected CD34+ cells during one or two (if needed) aphereses was 466×106 (range 204–816) or 7.24×106 CD34+ cells per kg of patient body weight (range 3.03–13.1). There were no poor mobilizers who were unable to collect sufficient cell numbers.ConclusionThe mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells with CY+G-CSF in patients with early diabetes type 1 is efficient and the underlying diabetes does not impair the efficiency of hematopoietic stem cell collection