Physiological and molecular characterization of genetic competence in Streptococcus sanguinis

Streptococcus sanguinis is a major component of the oral flora and an important cause of infective endocarditis. Although S. sanguinis is naturally competent, genome sequencing has suggested significant differences in the S. sanguinis competence system relative to those of other streptococci. An S. sanguinis mutant possessing an in-frame deletion in the comC gene, which encodes competence-stimulating peptide (CSP), was created. Addition of synthetic CSP induced competence in this strain. Gene expression in this strain was monitored by microarray analysis at multiple time-points from 2.5 to 30 min after CSP addition, and verified by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Over 200 genes were identified whose expression was altered at least two-fold in at least one time point, with the majority upregulated. The 'late' response was typical of that seen in previous studies. However, comparison of the 'early' response in S. sanguinis with that of other oral streptococci revealed unexpected differences with regard to the number of genes induced, the nature of those genes, and their putative upstream regulatory sequences. Streptococcus sanguinis possesses a comparatively limited early response, which may define a minimal streptococcal competence regulatory circuit.

Spectral graph analysis of modularity and assortativity

Expressions and bounds for Newman's modularity are presented. These results reveal conditions for or properties of the maximum modularity of a network. The influence of the spectrum of the modularity matrix on the maximum modularity is discussed. The second part of the paper investigates how the maximum modularity, the number of clusters, and the hop count of the shortest paths vary when the assortativity of the graph is changed via degree-preserving rewiring. Via simulations, we show that the maximum modularity increases, the number of clusters decreases, and the average hop count and the effective graph resistance increase with increasing assortativity.

Single-shot femtosecond x-ray holography using extended references

In the context of x-ray lensless imaging, we present a recent approach for Fourier transform holography based on the use of extended references. Major advances shown here rely on a high signal efficiency and on the direct image reconstruction of the object performed by a simple linear derivative. Moreover, the extended holographic reference is easy to manufacture and can be applied to a variety of imaging experiments. Here we demonstrate single-shot imaging with a table-top, laser-based coherent soft x-ray source. A spatial resolution of 110 nm was obtained with an integration time of 20 fs.

Synthesis, characterization and ab initio simulation of magnesium-substituted hydroxyapatite

The substitution of magnesium in hydroxyapatite (HA) was examined in HA nano-crystals synthesized by the wet-chemical precipitation method at 90 degrees C. Comprehensive characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and Rietveld refinement, provided experimental evidence of the effects of Mg substitution on the phase, crystallinity, chemical composition, crystal size, morphology, thermal stability and crystal lattice structure of HA. A computational study using ab initio generalized gradient approximation density functional theory was performed to reveal changes in lattice parameters and preferential calcium sites for Mg substitution in HA. The experimental results showed that a limited amount of Mg (Mg/(Mg+Ca) between 5 and 7 mol.%) could successfully substitute for Ca in HA. HA crystallites became smaller and more irregular, and they formed greater agglomerates with Mg substitution. Mg substitution resulted in decreases in the crystallinity and thermal stability of HA. The lattice constants, a and c, decreased with increasing Mg substitution. The simulation results revealed that the Ca(1) sites in HA lattices were energetically favored sites for Mg substitution.

Use of short echo time two-dimensional 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy in temporal lobe epilepsy with negative magnetic resonance imaging findings

We evaluated short echo time two-dimensional 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2D-1HMRS) with the point-resolved spatial selection (PRESS) protocol in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with negative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and described the characteristics of 2D-(1)HMRS in the epileptic focus. Thirty-eight TLE patients with negative conventional MRI findings and 10 healthy controls were studied by 2D-1HMRS. A 128-channel prolonged video-electroencephalographic (EEG) method was used as the standard for epileptogenic focus localization to evaluate N-acetyl aspartate/(choline + creatine + phosphocreatine) (NAA/[Cho + Cr-PCr]), glutamate + glutamine/creatine (Glx/Cr-PCr) and myo-inositol/Cr-PCr ratios in patients with negative MRI findings. The 2D-1HMRS showed that 32/38 patients and all healthy controls had stable baselines and good signal-to-noise ratios. Compared with the healthy controls, 32 patients showed abnormal NAA/(Cho + Cr-PCr) ratios in the hippocampus and, in 25 of these patients, focus lateralization agreed with the EEG. It is concluded that short echo time 2D-1HMRS with the PRESS protocol can help find abnormalities in lateralization of temporal epilepsy in patients with negative MRI findings.

Lessons from the diagnosis and treatment of spontaneous vertebral arterial dissection. Case report

SUMMARY

A 36-year-old man presented a sudden left occipital headache and right limb weakness after tooth-brushing. Conventional catheter digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed a left VA occlusion at the crotch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Four days later, the patient got worse. The angiogram showed the left vertebral artery had reopened and the basilar trunk occluded above the AICA. He died two days later and autopsy demonstrated a dissection of the basilar arteries. Based on the autopsy data from the patient in this study, we suggest that the BA dissection might be due to left VA dissection, and placing a stent on the juncture between the uninjured VA and the basilar trunk might be an effective method to prevent fatal BA occlusion.

Protective role of tretinoin and N-acetyl-L-cysteine from antiproliferative action of cigarette smoke extract on alveolar epithelial cells

To investigate the mechanisms by which tretinoin and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) reverse the growth inhibition of alveolar epithelial cells induced by cigarette smoke extract (CSE), MTT assay was used to evaluate cell viability. It was observed that both tretinoin and NAC could restore the viability of CSE-inhibited A549 cells. By incubation with fluorescent indicator H2DCFDA, it was documented that CSE-stimulated accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was obviously decreased by tretinoin or NAC. Furthermore, using semi-quantitative and real-time quantitative RT-PCR as well as western blot methods, high expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) in A549 cells treated with CSE was found at both transcriptional and protein levels, and concomitant with the restoration of cell growth after treatment with tretinoin or NAC, down regulation of IGFBP-2 was observed. From the present study, it is concluded that both RA and NAC can antagonize CSE-induced growth arrest of alveolar epithelial cells and that down regulation of IGFBP-2 may play an important role in the process.

Pharmacological rescue of noise induced hearing loss using N-acetylcysteine and acetyl-L-carnitine

Despite the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) and engineering changes designed to improve workspaces, noise-induced hearing loss continues to be one of the most common and expensive disabilities in the US military. Many service members suffer acoustic trauma due to improper use of HPDs, sound levels exceeding the protective capacity of the HPDs, or by unexpected, injurious exposures. In these cases, there is no definitive treatment for the hearing loss. This study investigated the use of the pharmacological agents N-acetylcysteine and acetyl-L-carnitine after acoustic trauma to treat cochlear injury. N-Acetylcysteine is an antioxidant and acetyl-L-carnitine a compound that maintains mitochondrial bio-energy and integrity. N-Acetylcysteine and acetyl-L-carnitine, respectively, significantly reduced permanent threshold shifts and hair cell loss compared to saline-treated animals when given 1 and 4 h post-noise exposure. It may be possible to obtain a greater therapeutic effect using these agents in combination or at higher doses or for a longer period of time to address the secondary oxidative events occurring 7-10 days after acute noise exposure.

Antibodies to Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells Modulate Immune Responses in Liver Transplantation

AIM

Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) have been implicated to play a role in the induction of liver allograft rejections. Here, we studied the clinical consequences of preformed LSEC-reactive antibodies and their functional capacity in modulating T-cell responses.

METHODS

Pre- and posttransplant sera and T lymphocytes from 95 liver transplant patients were used in this study. LSECs were isolated from a normal healthy liver. Binding of antibodies to LSECs was detected using flow cytometric analysis. To study whether LSEC antibodies facilitated cell-mediated immunity, a mixed cell culture (MCC) assay was used. Cytokines in the supernatant of MCC were also measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemical staining on liver biopsy sections was performed to detect deposition of immunoglobulins in LSEC during rejections.

RESULTS

Significantly higher numbers of patients with rejections had LSEC antibodies (35/50, 70%) compared with 8/45 (18%) without rejections (P < .0001). Purified fractions of LSEC antibodies induced the expression of the costimulatory marker CD86 on LSECs. Significantly higher numbers of patients with LSEC antibodies and rejections had an increased proliferation of T cells and markedly decreased levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta in the MCC as compared with those without antibodies and rejections (P < .0001, P < .0001, respectively). Deposition of antibodies in LSECs during rejection episodes was observed in the biopsies of patients with LSEC antibodies but not in those without LSEC antibodies.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that antibodies to LSEC may facilitate acute liver allograft rejections by down-regulating the immune modulating cytokine TGF-beta and thus up-regulating alloreactive T-cell proliferation.

DNA vaccination with an insulin construct and a chimeric protein binding to both CTLA4 and CD40 ameliorates type 1 diabetes in NOD mice

Type 1 diabetes (T1D), a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease, could be attributed to many defects in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, including deficient expressions of costimulatory molecules that impair antigen presentation. Thus, this deficient antigen presentation may result in a reduced ability to induce a tolerogenic response through negative selection/regulation of autoreactive T cells. Improperly activated T cells seem to be able to induce autoimmune responses causing diabetes. To re-establish tolerance to autoantigens by modulating costimulation, we constructed and tested a new type of DNA vaccine encoding a membrane-bound preproinsulin (mbPPI) and a chimeric gene vector encoding mutant B7.1/CD40L (mB7.1/CD40L) fusion protein. This mutant B7.1 binds CTLA4 but not CD28. We report that young NOD mice immunized with mbPPI along with mB7.1/CD40L DNA vectors significantly reduced diabetes incidence while treatment with CTLA4/IgG1 exacerbated diabetes. In conclusion, the combination of mbPPI and mB7.1/CD40L was able to protect against autoimmunity and diabetes in NOD mice possibly by promoting a more efficient presentation of autoantigen PPI and inducing specific tolerance to PPI by negatively regulating autoreactive T cells.

Stachyose extract from Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. to lower plasma glucose in normal and diabetic rats by oral administration

The hypoglycemic effects of water extract and stachyose extract (Part III) from Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. were investigated in this paper by oral administration to normal, glucose- and adrenaline-induced hyperglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The results showed that Part III had the effect of lowering fasted plasma glucose level and partially preventing hyperglycemia induced by glucose (2.5 g x kg(-1), i.p.) and adrenaline (300 microg x kg(-1), i.p.), respectively, but no obvious dose-dependent effect was found when it was administered at the doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg x kg(-1) for 6 days, i.g. In alloxan-induced diabetic rats, Part III (200 mg x kg(-1) for 15 days, i.g.) gave a significant decrease in blood glucose level. The results suggested that Part III, which is mainly composed of stachyose from Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch., had a significant hypoglycemic effect in glucose- and adrenaline-induced hyperglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

Environmental nano-pollutants (ENP) and aquatic micro-interfacial processes

The concepts of nano-science and technology are penetrating into the aspects of environmental science and technology. Environmental nano-pollutants (ENP) is suggested. as a specific category of pollutants that presents many common critical characters impacting the natural and social ecosystems. The outstanding properties are the various reactions in the macro-interfacial processes. Several examples as the adsorption of rare-earth metals on Chinese loess, the adsorption of PAHs on aquatic sediments with humic substances and the speciation of nano-flocculants in the water and wastewater treatment are discussed in the paper.

Viruses in subgroup 2 of the genus Ilarvirus share both serological relationships and characteristics at the molecular level

Sequence data have been determined for 5 members of subgroup 2 of the genus Ilarvirus. These data support the known serological relationships among accepted members of this group and indicate that the ilarvirus Hydrangea mosaic virus (HdMV) is an isolate of Elm mottle virus (EMoV). The close relationships between members of this subgroup, exhibited through the coat proteins coded on RNA 3, extend to the other genomic molecules. Primers designed from the sequences of RNA 1 and RNA 2 of EMoV amplified fragments from all other subgroup 2 viruses but not from other ilarviruses. Although closely related, members of this subgroup occur naturally in distinctly different host species. The possible origins of the viruses are discussed in relation to similarities among the genomic molecules, in particular RNA 3.

Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and their soluble receptors in coal workers' pneumoconiosis

The aim of this study was to investigate whether systemic tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble TNF-alpha receptors (p55, p75), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and soluble IL-6 receptor could be markers of biological activities of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). The study population was composed of 182 Chinese retired coal miners who had similar dust exposure histories. Among them, 71 were cases with CWP and 111 were controls. Chest radiographs were classified according to International Labour Organization Criteria (ILO, 1980). Individual dust exposure variables were estimated from work histories, and smoking information was obtained from interviews. Serum concentrations of TNF-alpha, TNF-alpha receptors (p55, p75), IL-6, and IL-6 receptor were measured by ELISA techniques. Mean serum levels of p55, p75 and IL-6 were significantly higher in cases than in controls (P < or = 0.01 for each comparison by crude analyses). Results from logistic regression models, adjusted for age, dust exposure variables, and smoking habits, found similar associations between soluble p55 and p75 levels and the presence of CWP. Linear regression analysis revealed that CWP radiographic stage (by ILO criteria) was significantly correlated with the individual serum concentrations of p55, p75 and IL-6. Serum concentrations of all measured cytokines were notcorrelated to age, dust exposure, or smoking, but there were correlations between soluble p75 and p55 levels, and between p75 and IL-6 levels. The results of this study suggest that serum levels of TNF receptors and IL-6 are associated with the fibrotic process of CWP and serum cytokine levels may be correlated with the severity of CWP.

Pubertal transition, stressful life events, and the emergence of gender differences in adolescent depressive symptoms

This study examined the role of both pubertal and social transitions in the emergence of gender differences in depressive symptoms during adolescence. This study generated the following findings: (a) Gender differences in depressive symptoms emerged during 8th grade and remained significant through 12th grade. (b) Pubertal status in 7th grade was related to adolescent depressive symptoms over time. (c) Early-maturing girls represented the group with the highest rate of depressive symptoms. (d) Depressive symptoms measured in 7th grade predicted subsequent symptom levels throughout the secondary school years. (e) Recent stressful life events were associated with increased depressive symptoms. (f) Early-maturing girls with higher levels of initial symptoms and more recent stressful life events were most likely to be depressed subsequently. The findings demonstrate the importance of the interaction between the pubertal transition and psychosocial factors in increasing adolescent vulnerability to depressive experiences.

A strategy for the determination of enzyme kinetics using electrospray ionization with an ion trap mass spectrometer

A simple and rapid means of enzyme kinetic analysis was achieved using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and a one-point normalization factor. The model system used, glutathione S-transferase from porcine liver, is a two-substrate enzyme catalyzing the conjugation of glutathione with a variety of compounds containing an electrophilic center. An internal standard that is structurally similar to the product was added to the reaction quench solution, and a single-point normalization factor was used to determine the product concentration without the need of a calibration curve. Kinetic parameters, such as Km, Vmax and Ki (for thyroxine), obtained by electrospray mass spectrometry agreed with those obtained from traditional UV-vis spectroscopy, and competitive vs noncompetitive inhibition reactions could be delineated via mass spectrometry. These results suggest that our method can be applied to enzymatic processes in which spectrophotometric or spectrofluorometric assays are not feasible or when the relevant substrates do not incorporate chromophores or fluorophores. This new method is competitive with traditional UV assays in that it is facile and it involves very little analysis time.

Specific amino acid deficiency alters the expression of genes in human melanoma and other tumor cell lines

This study determined the effect of tyrosine (Tyr) and phenylalanine (Phe) deprivation on protein expression and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4 (MKK4)/stress-activated protein/Erk kinase (SEK1), a metastasis suppressor gene. Differential display and suppressive subtractive hybridization techniques identified genes modulated by Tyr and Phe deprivation. Expression of MKK4/SEK1 protein varied widely among human A375, A375SM and SB2 melanoma, PC-3 and DU145 prostate cancer, and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines and within the different lines. Phosphorylation of the MKK4/SEK1 protein similarly varied. No differences in MKK4/SEK1 gene expression or in the 41 other metastasis and tumor suppressor genes were found in A375 melanoma cells cultured in Tyr- and Phe-deprived media. A number of up-regulated and down-regulated genes in A375 melanoma cells were identified by differential display and suppressive subtractive hybridization that were pertinent to regulation of cytoskeletal organization, cell movement, gene transcription and metastasis. Two tumor marker genes, the gene for enolase and FUS/CHOP, were down-regulated by Tyr and Phe deprivation. This study shows that tumor cells display heterogeneity in their response to deprivation of Tyr and Phe and that these amino acids may be signaling molecules that regulate gene expression and function in tumor cells.

Evidence for involvement of the neural pathway containing the peripheral vagus nerve, medullary visceral zone and central amygdaloid nucleus in neuroimmunomodulation

It is now evident that a bidirectional communication network exists between the central nervous system (CNS) and immune system (IS). However, the way in which the IS passes inform to the brain is not quite clear.In the present study, one of the neural pathways involved in the cytokine-to-brain communication was investigated in the rat. This pathway starts at the vagal nerve projecting to the medullary visceral zone (MVZ), an arc-shape band from the dorsomedial to ventrolateral area in the middle-caudal segment of the medulla oblongata, and terminates at the central amygdaloid nucleus (Ce) which receives projections from large catecholaminergic neurons in the MVZ. Animals were randomly divided into two experimental groups. Triple-labeling was used in Group I animals to combine wheat germ aggulutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) retrograde tracing with anti-Fos and anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunostaining. WGA-RP was stereotaxically injected into the unilateral Ce of the animals and, after a survival period of 48 h, intraperitoneal (IP) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was performed. Seven kinds of labeled neurons were observed in the MVZ, namely, HRP-, Fos- or TH-singly-labeled neurons; Fos/HRP-, Fos/TH- or HRP/TH-doubly-labeled neurons; and Fos/HRP/TH-triply-labeled neurons. As for Group II animals, bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (SDV) or sham operation was performed, followed 4 weeks later by IP injection of LPS. The number of Fos-positive neurons within the Ce and MVZ was significantly lower (P<0.01) in rats having SDV when compared with those receiving sham operation. Our results suggest that part of the peripheral immune information can be conveyed through the vagus to the catecholaminergic neurons in the MVZ, where it is transported to the Ce. The MVZ is a neural relay station in the immune-to-brain communication and might play a significant role in neuroimmuno-modulation via the vagus-MVZ-Ce pathway.