Cryopreservation enhances embryogenic capacity of Gentiana cruciata (L.) suspension culture and maintains (epi)genetic uniformity of regenerants

The embryogenic cell suspension culture of Gentiana cruciata, cryopreserved by the encapsulation/dehydration method, survived both short- (48 h) and long-term (1.5 years) cryostorage with more than 80% viability. To assess the influence of cryotreatments on the embryogenic potential, a proembryogenic mass was encapsulated and exposed to the following treatments: (1) osmotic dehydration (OD), (2) OD + air desiccation (AD) and (3) OD + AD + cryostorage (LN). The somatic embryogenesis efficiency increased ten times after osmotic dehydration. The AD and LN cryotreatments did not cause any significant alterations in somatic embryo production. We monitored the (epi)genetic stability of 288 regenerants derived from: non-cryotreated, short-term, and long-term cryostored tissue using metAFLP markers and ten primer combinations. Changes in the sequence and DNA methylation levels were studied by subjecting the DNA to digestion with two pairs of isoschisomer restriction enzymes (KpnI/MseI and Acc65I/MseI). Two new AFLP unique DNA fragments at the DNA sequence level, with no differences at the methylation level, were found between regenerants derived from cryopreserved tissue, compared with the non-cryotreated controls. The Acc65I/MseI methylation levels for the three groups of regenerants were not significantly different. Cluster analysis was capable of identifying a number of sub-clusters. Only one of the sub-clusters comprises almost all regenerants derived from non-cryotreated and short-term cryostored tissue. Plantlets derived from long-term cryostored tissue were grouped into separate clusters. The observed AFLP alterations did not appear to be associated with the use of cryopreservation, but were probably related to the process of in vitro culture

Some aspects of symplasmic communication during somatic embryogenesis of tree fern Cyathea delgadii

doi wspólne dla całości materiałów konferencyjnychSesja posterowa - XIV Overall Polish in vitro Culture and Plant Biotechnology Conference Structural, physiological and molecular bases of plant differentiation September 14-17, 2015, Pozna

Kliniczne konsekwencje przerwania terapii antyretrowirusowej u pacjenta zakażonego HIV i kiłą

HIV jest patogenem przenoszonym przez kontakty seksualne, drogą krwi, a także z matki na dziecko drogą wertykalną oraz poprzez karmienie piersią. Nieleczone zakażenie HIV może prowadzić do rozwoju AIDS, czyli zespołu nabytego niedoboru odporności. Zgodnie z raportami UNAIDS spośród około 37 mln osób zakażonych HIV na świecie, obecnie tylko 26 mln otrzymuje terapię ART ratującą życie. Zakażenie HIV sprzyja nie tylko innym infekcjom przenoszonym drogą płciową, ale także zakażeniom oportunistycznym, takim jak: kryptokokoza OUN, pneumocystozowe zapalenie płuc i mięsak Kaposiego. W artykule przedstawiono kliniczne konsekwencje przerwania ART przez pacjenta zakażonego HIV oraz kiłą. Prezentowany przypadek dotyczy 28-letniego mężczyzny zakażonego HIV, który w wyniku nieregularnego stosowania terapii antyretrowirusowej rozwinął zakażenia oportunistyczne, takie jak: kryptokokoza OUN oraz mięsak Kaposiego. Chory nabył także inne infekcje, które przebiegały u niego w sposób atypowy (masywne brodawki wywołane HPV oraz nasilona osutka charakterystyczna dla kiły).HIV is a pathogen transmitted through sexual contact, the bloodstream, from mother to child through the vertical pathway, and breastfeeding. Untreated HIV infection can lead to the development of AIDS – acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. According to UNAIDS reports, of the estimated 37 million people infected with HIV worldwide, only 26 million are currently receiving life-saving ART. HIV infection promotes other sexually transmitted infections as well as opportunistic infections for instance CNS cryptococcosis, pneumocystis pneumonia, Kaposi’s sarcoma, and HPV. We present the clinical consequences of ending antiretroviral therapy in a patient infected with HIV and syphilis. We present a case of a 28-year-old man infected with HIV, who due to irregular use of antiretroviral therapy developed opportunistic infections such as cryptococcosis of the CNS and Kaposi’s sarcoma. He also acquired other infections manifested in an atypical way (massive HPV-associated warts and an exacerbated syphilis-like skin lesion)

Symplasmic Isolation Contributes to Somatic Embryo Induction and Development in the Tree Fern Cyathea delgadii Sternb

In this report, we describe studies on symplasmic communication and cellular rearrangement during direct somatic embryogenesis (SE) in the tree fern Cyathea delgadii. We analyzed changes in the symplasmic transport of low-molecular-weight fluorochromes, such as 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid, trisodium salt (HPTS) and fluorescein (delivered to cells as fluorescein diacetate, FDA), within stipe explants and somatic embryos originating from single epidermal cells and developing during 16-d long culture. Induction of SE is preceded by a restriction in fluorochrome distribution between certain explant cells.Microscopic analysis showed a series of cellular changes like a decrease in vacuole size, increase in vacuole numbers, and increased density of cytoplasm and deposition of electron-dense material in cell walls that may be related with embryogenic transition. In somatic embryos, the limited symplasmic communication between cells was observed first in linear tri-cellular embryos. Further development of the fern embryo was associated with the formation of symplasmic domains corresponding to the four segments of the plant body.Using symplasmic tracers, we provided evidence that the changes in plasmodesmata permeability are corelated with somatic-to-embryogenic transition and somatic embryo development

The spectrum of malignancies among adult HIV cohort in Poland between 1995 and 2012 : a retrospective analysis of 288 cases

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to evaluate the spectrum of AIDS-defining malignancies (ADMs) and non-AIDS-defining malignancies (NADMs) in HIV-infected patients in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted among HIV-infected adult patients who developed a malignancy between 1995 and 2012 in a Polish cohort. Malignancies were divided into ADMs and NADMs. Non-AIDS-defining malignancies were further categorised as virus-related (NADMs-VR) and unrelated (NADMs-VUR). Epidemiological data was analysed according to demographic data, medical history, and HIV-related information. Results were analysed by OR, EPITools package parameters and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: In this study 288 malignancies were discovered. The mean age at diagnosis was 41.25 years (IQR20-81); for ADMs 38.05 years, and for NADMs-VURs 46.42 years; 72.22% were male, 40.28% were co-infected with HCV. The risk behaviours were: 37.85% IDU, 33.33% MSM, and 24.31% heterosexual. Mean CD4+ at the diagnosis was 282 cells/mm(3) (for ADMs 232 and for NADMs-VUR 395). Average duration of HIV infection at diagnosis was 5.69 years. There were 159 (55.2%) ADMs and 129 (44.8%) NADMs, among whom 58 (44.96%) NADMs-VR and 71 (55.04%) NADMs-VUR. The most frequent malignancies were: NHL (n = 76; 26.39%), KS (n = 49; 17.01%), ICC (n = 34; 11.81%), HD (n = 23; 7.99%), lung cancer (n = 18; 6.25%) and HCC (n = 14; 4.86%). The amount of NADMs, NADMs-VURs in particular, is increasing at present. Male gender (OR = 1.889; 95% CI: 1.104–3.233; p = 0.024), advanced age: 50–60 years (OR = 3.022; 95% CI: 1.359–6.720; p = 0.01) and ≥ 60 years (OR = 15.111; 95% CI: 3.122–73.151; p < 0.001), longer duration of HIV-infection and successful HAART (OR = 2.769; 95% CI: 1.675–4.577; p = 0) were independent predictors of NADMs overall, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In a Polish cohort NHL was the most frequent malignancy among ADMs, whereas HD was the most frequent among NADMs. Increased incidence of NADMs appearing in elderly men with longer duration of HIV-infection and with better virological and immunological control was confirmed. As HIV-infected individuals live longer, better screening strategies, especially for NADMs-VUR, are needed. The spectrum of cancer diagnoses in Poland currently does not appear dissimilar to that observed in other European populations

Cryopreservation of Plant Tissues in Poland: Research Contributions, Current Status, and Applications

Cryopreservation of vegetatively propagated plant material is an increasingly widely used method for the efficient and safe storage of germplasm resources around the world. In Poland, there are currently four cryobanks in use for long-term plant protection programs. However, plant tissues propagated in vitro constitute only a small portion of the accessions stored in them. To date, cryogenic storage techniques have been developed and adopted in this country for ornamental plants (roses, chrysanthemums, and geophytes), crop species (potato and garlic), forest tree species (the genera Quercus and Fraxinus), and some ferns. Polish researchers have used suspension cultures of Gentiana spp. and shoot tips of Lamprocapnos spectabilis to improve cryopreservation knowledge. A better understanding of the benefits of cryopreservation and its widespread implementation in plant biodiversity conservation programs is required. The objective of this review is to provide a concise synthesis of the scientific contributions, current status, and applications of cryogenic techniques for the conservation of in vitro culture-derived plant tissues in Poland. First, the results contributing to research that has been achieved using cell suspensions and advances related to the use of nanoparticles and plant extracts to improve cryopreservation efficiency are discussed. Then, the applications and advances in cryopreservation of ornamental plants (roses, radiomutants, plant chimeras, Lamprocapnos spp., and geophytes), crop species (potato and garlic), forest trees, and ferns are summarized

Wybrane aspekty zarządzania organizacjami

Ze wstępu: "Prezentowane artykuły są wynikiem badań prowadzonych w Katedrze Zarządzania i Edukacji Prakseołogicznej Krakowskiej Szkoły Wyższej im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego. Autorami są pracownicy Katedry oraz doktoranci i habilitanci, realizujący swe rozprawy na Uniwersytecie Jagiellońskim, Uniwersytecie Warszawskim oraz na Akademii Ekonomicznej w Krakowie. Po wejściu Polski do struktur Unii Europejskiej polskie firmy muszą sprostać licznym wyzwaniom i pokonać wiele barier, by nadrobić wciąż znaczący dystans, jaki dzieli nas od krajów byłej „piętnastki”. Strategia integracji jest określona z jednej strony przez diagnozę stanu polskiej gospodarki, a z drugiej przez obraz gospodarki Unii Europejskiej. Podstawowymi problemami wymagającymi pilnego rozwiązania, a determinującymi rozwój polskich firm są obecnie: strategia ich działania, wzrost jakości i konkurencyjności produktów i usług, znacząca poprawa wyników ekonomicznych. Sukcesywne rozwiązywanie tych i innych wyzwań wymaga wiedzy, umiejętności, a także innowacyjności, kreatywności i współdziałania wszystkich członków organizacji. Duże znaczenie w tym trudnym procesie zarządzania organizacjami ma motywacja pracowników, których zadowolenie z pracy powinno wiązać się ze wzrostem efektywności ich działania."(...

Meeting the WHO 90% target : antiretroviral treatment efficacy in Poland is associated with baseline clinical patient characteristics

Introduction: Modern combined antiretroviral therapies (cART) allow to effectively suppress HIV-1 viral load, with the 90% virologic success rate, meeting the WHO target in most clinical settings. The aim of this study was to analyse antiretroviral treatment efficacy in Poland and to identify variables associated with virologic suppression. Methods: Cross-sectional data on 5152 (56.92% of the countrywide treated at the time-point of analysis) patients on cART for more than six months with at least one HIV-RNA measurement in 2016 were collected from 14 Polish centres. Patients’ characteristics and treatment type-based outcomes were analysed for the virologic suppression thresholds of <50 and <200 HIV-RNA copies/ml. CART was categorized into two nucleos(t)ide (2NRTI) plus non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase (NNRTI) inhibitors, 2NRTI plus protease (PI) inhibitor, 2NRTI plus integrase (InI) inhibitor, nucleos(t)ide sparing PI/r+InI and three drug class regimens. For statistics Chi-square and U-Mann Whitney tests and adjusted multivariate logistic regression models were used. Results: Virologic suppression rates of <50 copies/mL were observed in 4672 (90.68%) and <200 copies/mL in 4934 (95.77%) individuals. In univariate analyses, for the suppression threshold <50 copies/mL higher efficacy was noted for 2NRTI+NNRTI-based combinations (94.73%) compared to 2NRTI+PI (89.93%), 2NRTI+InI (90.61%), nucleos(t)ide sparing PI/r+InI (82.02%) and three drug class regimens (74.49%) (p < 0.0001), with less pronounced but significant differences for the threshold of 200 copies/mL [2NRTI+NNRTI-97.61%, 2NRTI+PI-95.27%, 2NRTI+InI-96.61%, PI/r+InI- 95.51% and 86.22% for three drug class cART) (p < 0.0001). However, in multivariate model, virologic efficacy for viral load <50 copies/mL was similar across treatment groups with significant influence by history of AIDS [OR:1.48 (95%CI:1.01–2.17) if AIDS diagnosed, p = 0.046], viral load < 5 log copies/mL at care entry [OR:1.47 (95%CI:1.08–2.01), p = 0.016], baseline lymphocyte CD4 count ≥200 cells/µL [OR:1.72 (95%CI:1.04–2.78), p = 0.034] and negative HCV serology [OR:1.97 (95%CI:1.29–2.94), p = 0.002]. For viral load threshold <200 copies/mL higher likelihood of virologic success was only associated with baseline lymphocyte CD4 count ≥200 cells/µL [OR:2.08 (95%CI:1.01–4.35), p = 0.049] and negative HCV status [OR:2.84 (95%CI:1.52–5.26), p = 0.001]. Conclusions: Proportion of virologically suppressed patients is in line with WHO treatment target confirming successful application of antiretroviral treatment strategy in Poland. Virological suppression rates depend on baseline patient characteristics, which should guide individualized antiretroviral tre0atment decisions