Case Report: Invasive Sinusitis due to Sporothrix Brasiliensis in a Renal Transplant Recipient

Sporotrichosis is usually a subcutaneous infection caused by thermodimorphic fungi of the genus Sporothrix. The disease occurs worldwide, but endemic areas are located in tropical and subtropical regions. The epidemiology of sporotrichosis in Brazil is peculiar because of the cat’s entry in the chain of transmission of this mycosis, associated with Sporothrix brasiliensis, the most virulent species in the genus. Sporothrix species sinusitis is unusual and may be underdiagnosed or confused with other fungal etiologies, like mucormycosis. We report a case of sinusitis due to a Sporothrix species in a 6-year renal transplant recipient. Direct examination of smears of exudate of the sinus specimen (aspirate, biopsy) revealed budding yeasts and cigar-shaped cells. Sporothrix was subsequently recovered from the patient’s exudate culture and identified as S. brasiliensis using species-specific polymerase chain reaction, and she was successfully treated with antifungal therapy. Her parents also developed the disease a week later, both only cutaneous involvement. Sporotrichosis sinusitis is a rare disease, even in immunocompromised patients. Diagnosis is crucial, and benefits from good epidemiological history.

Polymorphisms of CYP1A1 Genes and Its Correlation with Clinical Variant of Pterygium

Background and Objective: CYP1A1 gene, which has role in carcinogenic metabolisms, is also detected in pterygium tissue. The aim of the study is to determine the polymorphisms of CYP1A1 m2 (rs1048943) and m4 (rs1799814) gene and its correlation with clinical variant of the pterygium. Methods: DNA isolation was performed from blood sample of 80 pterygium patients consisting of 40 inflammatory and 40 non-inflammatory pterygium. Genotyping of rs1048943 SNP AG (m2) in the CYP1A1 gene was performed using Alel Specific Polymerase Chain reaction (AS-PCR) and rs1048943) SNP Genotyping was performed using PCR. Polymorphism results are characterized as wild type (AA), mutant homozygote (GG), and mutant heterozygote (AG). Results: CYP1A1 m2 and m4 gene polymorphism consist of wild type (AA), mutant homozygote (GG), and mutant heterozygote (AG). Both CYP1A1 m2 and m4 genes polymorphism of both groups of inflammatory and non-inflammatory pterygium was mostly consist of wild type polymorphism, followed by the mutant heterozygote polymorphism. The wild type polymorphism was found to be higher in inflammatory pterygium, meanwhile the mutant heterozygote was found to be higher in non-inflammatory pterygium. Conclusion: There were differences in CYP1A1 m2 and m4 gene polymorphism in both pterygium group, but none has been shown to be statistically associated with the clinical variant of the pterygium.

Hypomethylation of the DAZ3 promoter in idiopathic asthenospermia: a screening tool for liquid biopsy

Given the role of the deleted in azoospermia gene in male infertility, whether the somatic deleted in azoospermia methylation status is associated with idiopathic asthenospermia should be determined. To investigate the methylation levels of the deleted in azoospermia promoter in peripheral white blood cells from idiopathic asthenospermia patients relative to those in normozoospermia controls, 61 ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid anticoagulant blood samples were drawn from all participants for DNA isolation. The deleted in azoospermia promoter methylation ratio was detected by MassARRAY-based methylation quantification and confirmed by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. A MassARRAY-based methylation analysis showed that the deleted in azoospermia 3 promoter (0 to − 2 kbp) was significantly hypomethylated in peripheral white blood cells from idiopathic asthenospermia males, specifically one CpG site (− 246 to − 247). Quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction data further confirmed that the methylation level of the deleted in azoospermia 3 promoter region in idiopathic asthenospermia patients was significantly lower than that in normozoospermia males. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve determined by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was 0.737 (95% confidence interval: 0.552 to 0.924), with a sensitivity of 53.9% and a specificity of 88.2% at a cut-off level of 74.7%. Therefore, our results suggested that methylation ratio detection of the deleted in azoospermia 3 promoter region by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay is a promising and feasible tool for liquid biopsy in the clinical laboratories. The methylation status of other reported infertility-related genes should also be investigated in peripheral white blood cells.

Conjugated linoleic acid producing potential of lactobacilli isolated from goat (AXB) rumen fluid samples

Objective: The present investigation was aimed to explore the potential of lactobacilli for conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) production, isolated from rumen fluid samples of lactating goats.Methods: A total of 64 isolates of lactobacilli were obtained using deMan-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) agar from rumen fluid of goats and further subjected to morphological and biochemical characterizations. Isolates found as gram-positive, catalase negative rods were presumptively identified as Lactobacillus species and further confirmed by genus specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The phylogenetic tree was constructed from the nucleotide sequences using MEGA6.Results: Out of the 64 isolates, 23 isolates were observed positive for CLA production by linoleate isomerase gene-based amplification and quantitatively by UV-spectrophotometric assay for the conversion of linoleic acid to CLA as well as gas chromatography-based assay. In all Lactobacillus species cis9, trans11 isomer was observed as the most predominant CLA isomer. These positive isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene-based PCR sequencing and identified to be different species of <i>L. ingluviei</i> (2), <i>L.salivarius</i> (2), <i>L. curvatus</i> (15), and <i>L. sakei</i> (4).Conclusion: The findings of the present study concluded that lactic acid bacteria isolated from ruminal fluid samples of goat have the potential to produce bioactive CLA and may be applied as a direct fed microbial to enhance the nutraceutical value of animal food products.

Routine identification of four sympatric species of calanoid copepods Pseudocalanus spp. in the Atlantic Arctic using a species-specific polymerase chain reaction

Сalanoid copepods of the genus Pseudocalanus play an important role in the plankton communities of the Arctic and boreal seas, often dominating in numbers and constituting a significant proportion of the biomass of zooplankton. Despite their high presence and significance in the shelf plankton communities, species-specific studies of the biology of these are significantly hampered by extremely small morphological differences between them, especially at the juvenile stages, at which they are virtually indistinguishable. In this paper, we describe a new, routine and low-cost molecular method for identifying all Pseudocalanus species found in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic: the Arctic P. acuspes, P. minutus and the boreal P. moultoni and P. elongatus, and apply it to describe the relative distribution of these species in four locations of the Arctic and sub-Arctic. With this method, species-specific polymerase chain reaction (ssPCR), mass identification of individuals of any developmental stage, including nauplii, is possible. This method can serve as an excellent tool for studying the species-specific biology of this group, describing their life cycles, as well as monitoring changes in Arctic marine ecosystems under the influence of changing climate.