Rapid Detection of Suspension and Biofilm Nanomotion and Antibiotic Resistance Estimation.

Objectives: To develop a system for the rapid detection of 173-p1 antibiotic resistance (to ensure reliable fixation of bacteria on a cantilever without losing their nanomotion, to show that nanomotion is due to bacterial metabolism, to compare the nanomotion of bacteria in suspension form and inside of the biofilms), to study the sensitivity/resistance of 173-p1 to antibiotics (lincomycin, ceftriaxone and doxycycline) using the oscillation method of atomic force microscopy and to evaluate the sensitivity and speed of the method in comparison with the classical disk diffusion method.

Methods: The oscillation mode of atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and the classical disk diffusion method were used for a complex parallel study of 173-p1 antibiotic resistance, which included testing of fixing agents (poly-L-lysine, rosin and fibronectin), comparison of bacterial metabolism in a set of media (normal saline solution, meat-peptone broth and lysogeny broth) and assessment of antibiotic sensitivity/resistance per se.

Results: A method for express testing of antibiotic resistance using AFM was developed; it is shown that bacterial nanomotion directly correlates with bacteria metabolic activity and that bacterial nanomotion is more easily detected in suspension form, rather than in biofilms.

The Contribution of Mast Cells to the Regulation of Elastic Fiber Tensometry in the Skin Dermis of Children with Marfan Syndrome.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a hereditary condition accompanied by disorders in the structural and regulatory properties of connective tissue, including elastic fibers, due to a mutation in the gene encodes for fibrillin-1 protein (FBN1 gene) and the synthesis of abnormal fibrillin-1 glycoprotein. Despite the high potential of mast cells (MCs) to remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM), their pathogenetic significance in MFS has not been considered yet. The group of patients with Marfan syndrome included two mothers and five children (three girls aged 4, 11, and 11 and two boys aged 12 and 13).

Phylodynamic Insights into Global Emergence and Diversification of the Tomato Pathogen pv. .

The emergence of plant pathogens is often associated with waves of unique evolutionary and epidemiological events. pv. is one of the major pathogens causing bacterial spot disease of tomatoes.

Putting 'X' into Context: The Diversity of ' Phytoplasma pruni' Strains Associated with the Induction of X-Disease.

Recurrent epiphytotics of X-disease, caused by ' Phytoplasma pruni,' have inflicted significant losses on commercial cherry and peach production across North America in the last century. During this period, there have been multiple studies reporting different disease phenotypes and, more recently, identifying different strains through sequencing core genes, but the symptoms have not, to date, been linked with genotype. Therefore, in this study we collected and assessed differing disease phenotypes from multiple U.

An FGFR2 mutation as the potential cause of a new phenotype including early-onset osteoporosis and bone fractures: a case report.

Osteoporosis is a systemic, multifactorial disorder of bone mineralization. Many factors contributing to the development of osteoporosis have been identified so far, including gender, age, nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, drug use, as well as a range of comorbidities. In addition to environmental and lifestyle factors, molecular genetic factors account for 50-85% of osteoporosis cases.

Leigh Syndrome: Spectrum of Molecular Defects and Clinical Features in Russia.

Leigh syndrome (LS), also known as infantile subacute necrotizing encephalopathy, is the most frequent mitochondrial disorder in children. Recently, more than 80 genes have been associated with LS, which greatly complicates the diagnosis. In this article, we present clinical and molecular findings of 219 patients with LS and give the detailed description of three cases with rare findings in nuclear genes and , demonstrating wide genetic heterogeneity of this mitochondrial disease.

The mitochondrial genome of the red icefish () casts doubt on its species status.

Antarctic notothenioid fishes are recognised as one of the rare examples of adaptive radiation in the marine system. Withstanding the freezing temperatures of Antarctic waters, these fishes have diversified into over 100 species within no more than 10-20 million years. However, the exact species richness of the radiation remains contested.

spp. Associated with Appalachian Oak Forests and Waterways in Pennsylvania, with . as a Pathogen of Five Native Woody Plant Species.

To document the distribution of potentially harmful spp. within Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture collected 89 plant, 137 soil, and 48 water samples from 64 forested sites during 2018 to 2020. In total, 231 strains were isolated using baiting assays and identified based on morphological characteristics and sequences of nuclear and mitochondrial loci.

Effects of a cold plasma-assisted shrimp processing chain on biochemical and sensory quality alterations in Pacific white shrimps ().

In this paper, remodeling the shrimp processing chain and the effects of the transformation on the biochemical and sensory qualities of fresh Pacific white shrimp () under refrigeration storage were investigated. In the proposed model, a dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric cold plasma pretreatment step using a 60 kV source for 60, 90, 120, and 150 s was introduced after the first and second wash followed by refrigeration storage at 4 ± 1 °C for 12 days. Chemical, biochemical, and sensory attributes of the shrimp were monitored and compared with those of shrimp processed through the traditional method without atmospheric cold plasma pretreatment (control).

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome kyphoscoliotic type 2 caused by mutations in the FKBP14 gene: an analysis of five cases.

 This study deals with a rare (orphan) monogenic connective tissue disorder - Ehlers-Danlos syndrome kyphoscoliotic type 2 (EDSKS2). Kyphoscoliotic type 2 Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the FKBP14 gene (7p14.3), which encodes the FKBP22 protein.

First Report of Aloe vera Rust Caused by Uromyces aloes in an Ornamental Nursery in the United States.

Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f.

Analysis of long-term observations of the large group of Russian patients with Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis type II).

Background: This article presents the results of long-term observations and comparative analysis of genotype-phenotype features in a large group of patients (227 males and one female) with a severe, intermediate and mild form of Hunter syndrome, evaluating the quality and span of their lives, as well as their ability to social adaptation.

Methods: We used electrophoresis of glycosaminoglycans of urine, determination of the activity of lysosomal enzymes in plasma, in dried blood spots according to the generally accepted method and DNA analysis.

Results: The clinical symptomatology of 228 patients with Hunter syndrome was characterized by growth retardation, lesions of the bronchopulmonary, cardiovascular, nervous systems, etc.

Diversity in Pennsylvania Nurseries and Greenhouses Inferred from Clinical Samples Collected over Four Decades.

The increasing movement of exotic pathogens calls for systematic surveillance so that newly introduced pathogens can be recognized and dealt with early. A resource crucial for recognizing such pathogens is knowledge about the spatial and temporal diversity of endemic pathogens. Here, we report an effort to build this resource for Pennsylvania (PA) by characterizing the identity and distribution of species isolated from diverse plant species in PA nurseries and greenhouses.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in the Russian population: Two novel mutations and the prevalence of heterozygous carriers.

Background: Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by an accumulation of lipofuscin in the body's tissues. NCLs are associated with variable age of onset and progressive symptoms including seizures, psychomotor decline, and loss of vision.

Methods: We describe the clinical and molecular characteristics of four Russian patients with NCL (one female and three males, with ages ranging from 4 to 5 years).

Characterization of a new apple luteovirus identified by high-throughput sequencing.

Background: 'Rapid Apple Decline' (RAD) is a newly emerging problem of young, dwarf apple trees in the Northeastern USA. The affected trees show trunk necrosis, cracking and canker before collapse in summer. In this study, we discovered and characterized a new luteovirus from apple trees in RAD-affected orchards using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology and subsequent Sanger sequencing.

Homocystinuria due to cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) deficiency in Russia: Molecular and clinical characterization.

We present the results of the 45-year clinical observation of 27 Russian homocystinuria patients. We made a mutation analysis of the gene for thirteen patients from eleven unrelated genealogies. All patients except for the two were compound heterozygotes for the mutations detected.

Robustness of model-based high-resolution prediction of forest biomass against different field plot designs.

Background: Participatory forest monitoring has been promoted as a means to engage local forest-dependent communities in concrete climate mitigation activities as it brings a sense of ownership to the communities and hence increases the likelihood of success of forest preservation measures. However, sceptics of this approach argue that local community forest members will not easily attain the level of technical proficiency that accurate monitoring needs. Thus it is interesting to establish if local communities can attain such a level of technical proficiency.

Clinical And Morphological Improvement Of Lupus Nephritis Treated With Rituximab.

Aim: TO assess the effects of rituximab (RTM) therapy on clinical and morphologic activity of lupus nephritis (LN).

Material And Methods: The study included 45 patients with confirmed diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), unaffected by previously received standard therapy with glucocorticoids (GCs) and cytostatics. The disease activity was assessed using Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI 2K); to assess the LN activity we used the SLICC RA/RE index.

Carnitine insufficiency in children with inborn errors of metabolism: prevalence and treatment efficacy.

Background: Carnitine is necessary for the transfer of long-chain fatty acids from the cytosol into mitochondria for subsequent β-oxidation. A carnitine deficiency results in impaired energy production from fatty acids.

Methods: We reviewed the plasma level of total carnitine, free carnitine, and acylcarnitines in 1270 children with psychomotor retardation, low growth, and weight parameters.

Phytophthora database 2.0: update and future direction.

The online community resource Phytophthora database (PD) was developed to support accurate and rapid identification of Phytophthora and to help characterize and catalog the diversity and evolutionary relationships within the genus. Since its release in 2008, the sequence database has grown to cover 1 to 12 loci for ≈2,600 isolates (representing 138 described and provisional species). Sequences of multiple mitochondrial loci were added to complement nuclear loci-based phylogenetic analyses and diagnostic tool development.

Some peculiarities of pulmonary clearance mechanisms in rats after intratracheal instillation of magnetite (Fe3O4) suspensions with different particle sizes in the nanometer and micrometer ranges: are we defenseless against nanoparticles?

We studied differences between phagocytic responses to nanoparticles (NPs) versus microparticles in the pulmonary region by synthesizing magnetite of different sizes and instilling suspensions of these particles intratracheally into rats' lungs. Ten and 50 nm particles caused a greater increase in cell counts of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) than the instillation of microparticles. The response to 10 nm particles was weaker than to 50 nm ones, and the smaller NPs were more cytotoxic; both were more cytotoxic than the microparticles.

Ratios of Cells With and Without Virulence Genes in Rhodococcus fascians Populations Correlate with Degrees of Symptom Development.

Rhodococcus fascians, a gram-positive phytopathogenic bacterium, causes fasciation and leafy galls on a wide range of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants for which it requires the plasmid-borne fas operon. Strains isolated from symptomatic plants over a 20-year-period exhibited a high degree of variability when their virulence was assessed on garden pea seedlings. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of the fas-1 and fasR virulence genes from randomly chosen single colonies showed that many strains consisted of two subpopulations, of which one had lost these genes.

Phytophthora Database: A Forensic Database Supporting the Identification and Monitoring of Phytophthora.

Phytophthora spp. represent a serious threat to agricultural and ecological systems. Many novel Phytophthora spp.