Improved identification of clinically relevant Acute Leukemia subtypes using standardized EuroFlow panels versus non-standardized approach.

Rare acute leukemia (AL) components or subtypes such as blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) or early T-cell precursor acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ETP-ALL) can be difficult to detect by routine flow cytometry due to their immunophenotypes overlapping with other poorly differentiated AL. We hypothesized that using standardized EuroFlow™ Consortium approach could better diagnose such entities among cases that previously classified as acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-M0, AML with minimal differentiation, AML with myelodysplasia-related changes without further lineage differentiation, and AL of ambiguous lineage. In order to confirm this hypothesis and assess whether these AL subtypes such as BPDCN and ETP-ALL had previously gone undetected, we reanalyzed 49 banked cryopreserved sample cases using standardized EuroFlow™ Consortium panels.

Increasing plant protein in the diet induces changes in the plasma metabolome that may be beneficial for metabolic health. A randomized crossover study in males.

Background & Aim: Dietary shifts replacing animal protein (AP) with plant protein (PP) sources have been associated with lowering cardiometabolic risk (CMR), but underlying mechanisms are poorly characterized. This nutritional intervention aims to characterize the metabolic changes induced by diets containing different proportions of AP and PP sources in males at CMR.

Design: This study is a 4-week, crossover, randomized, controlled-feeding trial in which 19 males with CMR followed two diets providing either 36 % for the control diet (CON-D) or 64 % for the flexitarian diet (FLEX-D) of total protein intake from PP sources.

Consensus Recommendations to Optimize the Detection and Reporting of Gene Fusions by RNA-Based Next-Generation Sequencing.

The detection of gene fusions by RNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) is an emerging method in clinical genetic laboratories for oncology biomarker testing to direct targeted therapy selections. A recent Canadian study (CANTRK study) comparing the detection of gene fusions on different NGS assays to determine subjects' eligibility for tyrosine kinase TRK inhibitor therapy identified the need for recommendations for best practices for laboratory testing to optimize RNA-based NGS gene fusion detection. To develop consensus recommendations, representatives from 17 Canadian genetic laboratories participated in working group discussions and the completion of survey questions about RNA-based NGS.

Compared with Milk Protein, a Wheat and Pea Protein Blend Reduces High-Fat, High-Sucrose Induced Metabolic Dysregulations while Similarly Supporting Tissue Protein Anabolism in Rats.

Background: Plant proteins (PPs) have been associated with better cardiovascular health than animal proteins (APs) in epidemiological studies. However, the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain mostly unknown.

Objectives: Using a combination of cutting-edge isotopic methods, we aimed to better characterize the differences in protein and energy metabolisms induced by dietary protein sources (PP compared with AP) in a prudent or western dietary context.

CANTRK: A Canadian Ring Study to Optimize Detection of NTRK Gene Fusions by Next-Generation RNA Sequencing.

The Canadian NTRK (CANTRK) study is an interlaboratory comparison ring study to optimize testing for neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) fusions in Canadian laboratories. Sixteen diagnostic laboratories used next-generation sequencing (NGS) for NTRK1, NTRK2, or NTRK3 fusions. Each laboratory received 12 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples with unique NTRK fusions and two control non-NTRK fusion samples (one ALK and one ROS1).

Investigating the Postprandial Metabolome after Challenge Tests to Assess Metabolic Flexibility and Dysregulations Associated with Cardiometabolic Diseases.

This review focuses on the added value provided by a research strategy applying metabolomics analyses to assess phenotypic flexibility in response to different nutritional challenge tests in the framework of metabolic clinical studies. We discuss findings related to the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and to mixed meals with varying fat contents and food matrix complexities. Overall, the use of challenge tests combined with metabolomics revealed subtle metabolic dysregulations exacerbated during the postprandial period when comparing healthy and at cardiometabolic risk subjects.

Natural spring water gargle samples as an alternative to nasopharyngeal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 detection using a laboratory-developed test.

The objective of this study was to validate the use of spring water gargle (SWG) as an alternative to oral and nasopharyngeal swab (ONPS) for SARS-CoV-2 detection with a laboratory-developed test. Healthcare workers and adults from the general population, presenting to one of two COVID-19 screening clinics in Montréal and Québec City, were prospectively recruited to provide a gargle sample in addition to the standard ONPS. The paired specimens were analyzed using thermal lysis followed by a laboratory-developed nucleic acid amplification test (LD-NAAT) to detect SARS-CoV-2, and comparative performance analysis was performed.

Clients and conditions encountered by final year physiotherapy students in private practice. A retrospective analysis.

Currently little is known about the clients and conditions final-year physiotherapy students are exposed to in private practice settings. The aim of this study is to describe the clients and conditions encountered by final-year physiotherapy students during a six-week full-time private practice clinical placement. Client data of conditions were collected over 11 years (2008-2018) from final year physiotherapy students' client reports in a university clinic, Christchurch, New Zealand.

A Scoping Review: Metabolomics Signatures Associated with Animal and Plant Protein Intake and Their Potential Relation with Cardiometabolic Risk.

The dietary shift from animal protein (AP) to plant protein (PP) sources is encouraged for both environmental and health reasons. For instance, PPs are associated with lower cardiovascular and diabetes risks compared with APs, although the underlying mechanisms mostly remain unknown. Metabolomics is a valuable tool for globally and mechanistically characterizing the impact of AP and PP intake, given its unique ability to provide integrated signatures and specific biomarkers of metabolic effects through a comprehensive snapshot of metabolic status.

and dominate clonal hematopoiesis and demonstrate benign phenotypes and different genetic predispositions.

Age-associated clonal hematopoiesis caused by acquired mutations in myeloid cancer-associated genes is highly prevalent in the normal population. Its etiology, biological impact on hematopoiesis, and oncogenic risk is poorly defined at this time. To gain insight into this phenomenon, we analyzed a cohort of 2530 related and unrelated hematologically normal individuals (ages 55 to 101 years).

Understanding the Polo Kinase machine.

The Polo Kinase is a central regulator of cell division required for several events of mitosis and cytokinesis. In addition to a kinase domain (KD), Polo-like kinases (Plks) comprise a Polo-Box domain (PBD), which mediates protein interactions with targets and regulators of Plks. In all organisms that contain Plks, one Plk family member fulfills several essential functions in the regulation of cell division, and here we refer to this conserved protein as Polo Kinase (Plk1 in humans).

Interdomain allosteric regulation of Polo kinase by Aurora B and Map205 is required for cytokinesis.

Drosophila melanogaster Polo and its human orthologue Polo-like kinase 1 fulfill essential roles during cell division. Members of the Polo-like kinase (Plk) family contain an N-terminal kinase domain (KD) and a C-terminal Polo-Box domain (PBD), which mediates protein interactions. How Plks are regulated in cytokinesis is poorly understood.

Comparative xylose metabolism among the Ascomycetes C. albicans, S. stipitis and S. cerevisiae.

The ascomycetes Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Scheffersomyces stipitis metabolize the pentose sugar xylose very differently. S. cerevisiae fails to grow on xylose, while C.

Modulation of histone H3 lysine 56 acetylation as an antifungal therapeutic strategy.

Candida albicans is a major fungal pathogen that causes serious systemic and mucosal infections in immunocompromised individuals. In yeast, histone H3 Lys56 acetylation (H3K56ac) is an abundant modification regulated by enzymes that have fungal-specific properties, making them appealing targets for antifungal therapy. Here we demonstrate that H3K56ac in C.

Forward genetics in Candida albicans that reveals the Arp2/3 complex is required for hyphal formation, but not endocytosis.

Candida albicans is a diploid fungal pathogen lacking a defined complete sexual cycle, and thus has been refractory to standard forward genetic analysis. Instead, transcription profiling and reverse genetic strategies based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae have typically been used to link genes to functions. To overcome restrictions inherent in such indirect approaches, we have investigated a forward genetic mutagenesis strategy based on the UAU1 technology.

Two epithelial cell invasion-related loci of the oral pathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

Two invasion-related loci, apiA and the two-gene operon apiBC, were isolated from the oral pathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans UT32. apiA encodes a 32.5 kDa protein that migrates on SDS-PAGE as a 101 kDa protein as detected by Western blot analysis or silver staining of an outer membrane-enriched fraction of Escherichia coli transformants.

Lethal photosensitization of periodontal pathogens by a red-filtered Xenon lamp in vitro.

Background: The ability of Helium-Neon (He-Ne) laser irradiation of a photosensitizer to induce localized phototoxic effects that kill periodontal pathogens is well documented and is termed photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Objectives: We investigated the potential of a conventional light source (red-filtered Xenon lamp) to activate toluidine blue O (TBO) in vitro and determined in vitro model parameters that may be used in future in vivo trials.

Materials And Methods: Porphyromonas gingivalis 381 was used as the primary test bacterium.

MglA and mglB of Treponema denticola; similarity to ABC transport and spa genes.

The mglA and mglB genes (td-mglA and td-mglB) of the oral spirochete Treponema denticola were sequenced. These two T. denticola genes are highly homologous to the E.

The porphyromonas gingivalis prtP/kgp homologue exists as two open reading frames in strain 381.

P. gingivalis is considered to be a major pathogen of adult periodontitis. Among its cadre of putative virulence factors are hemagglutinins (adhesins) and proteases.

Epithelial cell invasion by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strains from restriction fragment-length polymorphism groups associated with juvenile periodontitis or carrier status.

The epithelial cell invasiveness of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans strains of different restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) groups associated with disease conversion and asymptomatic carrier status in localized juvenile periodontitis was examined. Twenty clinical isolates were studied for their ability to invade KB monolayers, using the quantitative gentamicin killing assay. Five isolates were found to be invasive, five were not invasive; and the other 10 did not invade better than an invasion negative control Haemophilus aphrophilus strain ATCC 19415.

In vitro models that support adhesion specificity in biofilms of oral bacteria.

Adhesion to adsorbed pellicles and interspecies co-adhesion to form plaque biofilms involve selective interactions of bacterial adhesins with specific receptors. Our laboratory has devised in vitro assays for co-adhesion between Actinomyces naeslundii and Streptococcus oralis or Porphyromonas gingivalis on saliva-coated mineral and hexadecane droplet substrata. P.

Duplication and differential expression of hemagglutinin genes in Porphyromonas gingivalis.

A third hemagglutinin gene, defined as hagC, was cloned from Porphyromonas gingivalis 381 and sequenced. This gene was found to encode a protein highly homologous (98.6%) to the previously reported HagB hemagglutinin protein.

Construction and preliminary characterization of three hemagglutinin mutants of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Targeted insertional mutagenesis was used to construct hagA, hagB, and hagC hemagglutinin mutants of Porphyromonas gingivalis. pJRD215-derived plasmids containing tetA(Q)2 and portions of the targeted genes were conjugated into P. gingivalis.

The two alleles of the hapP gene in Physarum polycephalum code for different proteins.

Many mRNAs show cell-type specific expression in the acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum. The most abundant plasmodial-specific mRNA (hapP) encodes a small hydrophobic protein of 187 amino acids that contains a potential signal peptide. Southern hybridizations using the hapP cDNA showed that the hapP gene is a single copy gene with two alleles, hapP1 and hapP2.

The cloning, expression and sequence analysis of a second Porphyromonas gingivalis gene that codes for a protein involved in hemagglutination.

It has been suggested that Porphyromonas gingivalis may possess more than one hemagglutinin. We have previously reported the cloning of a gene (hagA) that encodes a hemagglutinin. In this study we report the cloning, characterization, and sequencing of a second gene (hagB) that encodes a protein that also appears to be involved in hemagglutination.