Heparin-binding proteins (designated BHB-2-BHB-9) were isolated from boar seminal plasma by affinity chromatography on heparin immobilized on polyacrylamide gel, followed by reverse phase HPLC. ...According to their N-terminal amino acid sequences, BHB-3-BHB-5 belong to the AQN family of spermadhesins and BHB-7-BHB-9 to the AWN family. BHB-6 is composed of two different proteins. The dominant protein (14 kDa) has the N-terminal amino acid sequence HNKQEGRDHD that is identical to the sequence of human semenogelin at positions 85-94. The minor proteins (16 and 17 kDa) belong to the AWN family of spermadhesins. The 14 kDa HNK protein does not crossreact with antibodies against AQN or AWN spermadhesins. BHB-2 also binds to the acrosome of boar epididymal spermatozoa but has the N-terminal sequence DQH. Therefore, basic protein BHB-2 belongs to a new family of DQH sperm surface proteins that are homologous to the acidic proteins from bull and stallion seminal plasma, to the collagen binding domain II in fibronectin and to the leucocyte cell-cell adhesion regulator, but are not homologous to AQN or AWN spermadhesins. Nevertheless, anti-AQN-1 spermadhesin antibodies crossreact strongly with DQH protein. All boar heparin-binding proteins bind concanavalin A indicating their glycoprotein nature, which was proved by the detection of glucosamine and galactosamine residues in their molecules. Furthermore, spermadhesins interact with zona pellucida, protease inhibitors and a polyacrylamide derivative of heparin. Affinity chromatography experiments showed that the DQH protein bound to gelatin-agarose together with the AWN proteins and that the DQH protein and AQN-1 spermadhesin belong to the phosphoryl choline binding proteins.
Major adverse cardiovascular events are closely associated with 24-hour blood pressure (BP). We determined outcome-driven thresholds for 24-hour mean arterial pressure (MAP), a BP index estimated by ...oscillometric devices. We assessed the association of major adverse cardiovascular events with 24-hour MAP, systolic BP (SBP), and diastolic BP (DBP) in a population-based cohort (n=11 596). Statistics included multivariable Cox regression and the generalized R
statistic to test model fit. Baseline office and 24-hour MAP averaged 97.4 and 90.4 mm Hg. Over 13.6 years (median), 2034 major adverse cardiovascular events occurred. Twenty-four-hour MAP levels of <90 (normotension, n=6183), 90 to <92 (elevated MAP, n=909), 92 to <96 (stage-1 hypertension, n=1544), and ≥96 (stage-2 hypertension, n=2960) mm Hg yielded equivalent 10-year major adverse cardiovascular events risks as office MAP categorized using 2017 American thresholds for office SBP and DBP. Compared with 24-hour MAP normotension, hazard ratios were 0.96 (95% CI, 0.80-1.16), 1.32 (1.15-1.51), and 1.77 (1.59-1.97), for elevated and stage-1 and stage-2 hypertensive MAP. On top of 24-hour MAP, higher 24-hour SBP increased, whereas higher 24-hour DBP attenuated risk (
<0.001). Considering the 24-hour measurements, R
statistics were similar for SBP (1.34) and MAP (1.28), lower for DBP than for MAP (0.47), and reduced to null, if the base model included SBP and DBP; if the ambulatory BP indexes were dichotomized according to the 2017 American guideline and the proposed 92 mm Hg for MAP, the R
values were 0.71, 0.89, 0.32, and 0.10, respectively. In conclusion, the clinical application of 24-hour MAP thresholds in conjunction with SBP and DBP refines risk estimates.
Gastric mucins are high molecular weight extracellular glycoproteins that play a major role in the protection of the gastrointestinal tract and besides that they are also involved in many disease ...processes. In the present study, size exclusion chromatography under non-degrading conditions was used to study the fragmentation pattern of native gastric mucins. The samples of gastric mucins of different origin obtained by an extraction of gastric mucosa with Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.3 were separated using size exclusion chromatography on Sephadex G-100. While samples of rat gastric mucins are characterized by the presence of only high-molecular weight fraction of glycoproteins, fragmented mucin components in non-denaturated samples were observed in canine and human gastric mucins. Differences in the fragmentation pattern were observed in patients with ulcer diseases and gastric cancer. Degradation products of mucins were also detected using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of SDS.
Affinity chromatography was used to study an interaction of aspartic proteinases with immobilized aromatic amino acids and their derivatives. The following ligands were used:
l-tyrosine, 3-iodo-
...l-tyrosine, 3,5-diiodo-
l-tyrosine,
l-phenylalanine,
p-iodo-
l-phenylalanine and
N-acetyl-
l-phenylalanine. With the exception of the last one, ligands were coupled directly to divinyl sulfone activated Sepharose 4B. For the preparation of immobilized
N-acetyl-
l-phenylalanine, divinyl sulfone activated Sepharose 4-B with linked ethylene diamine was used. Porcine pepsin was used for the evaluation of the capacity of the prepared affinity carriers. The capacity of the immobilized amino acid derivatives significantly increased in comparison with the non-derivatized amino acids. The prepared immobilized ligands were further used for the separation of human pepsinogens.
Kebbi State remains the epicentre of the seasonal epidemic meningitis in northwestern Nigeria despite interventions. In this setting, no previous study has been conducted to understand the risk ...factors of the recurrent meningitis epidemics using qualitative approach. Consequently, this study intends to explore and better understand the environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors of recurrent seasonal epidemic meninigitis using a qualitative approach.
We conducted in-depth interview (40 IDIs) and focus group discussions (6 FGDs) in two local government areas (LGAs) in Kebbi State, Northwestern Nigeria to understand the environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors of recurrent meningitis outbreaks. Routine surveillance data were used to guide the selection of settlements, wards and local government areas based on the frequency of re-occurrences and magnitude of the outbreaks.
The discussions revealed certain elements capable of potentiating the recurrence of seasonal meningitis epidemics. These are environmental issues, such as poorly-designed built environment, crowded sleeping and poorly ventilated rooms, dry and dusty weather condition. Other elements were economic challenges, such as poor household living conditions, neighbourhood deprivation, and socio-cultural elements, such as poor healthcare seeking behaviour, social mixing patterns, inadequate vaccination and vaccine hesitancy.
As suggested by participants, there are potential environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors in the study area that might have been driving recurrent epidemics of cerebrospinal meningitis. In a bid to addressing this perennial challenge, governments at various levels supported by health development partners such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nation Habitat, and United National Development Programme can use the findings of this study to design policies and programmes targeting these factors towards complementing other preventive and control strategies.
Nigeria has made remarkable progress in its current efforts to interrupt wild poliovirus transmission despite the re-emergence of wild poliovirus in 2016. The gains made in Nigeria have been achieved ...through concerted efforts by governments at all levels, traditional leaders, health workers, caregivers, and development partners. The efforts have involved an elaborate plan, coordination, and effective implementation of routine immunization services, supplemental immunization activities, and acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance.
We conducted the following activities to strengthen AFP surveillance in Kaduna state: a monetary reward for all AFP cases reported by health workers or community informants and verified as "true" AFP by a World Health Organization (WHO) cluster coordinator; training and sensitization of surveillance officers, clinicians, and community informants; recruitment of more personnel and expansion of the surveillance network; and the involvement of special populations (nomadic, hard-to-reach, and border communities) and caregivers in stool sample collection. The paired t test was used to evaluate the impact of the different initiatives implemented in Kaduna state to intensify AFP surveillance in 2016.
There was increased annualized non-polio AFP rate (ANPAFPR) in 21 out of 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna state 6 months after implementation of different initiatives to intensify AFP surveillance. The AFP reported by the special population increased in 15 out of 23 LGAs. Statistical analyses of mean scores of ANPAFPR before and after the interventions using the paired t test revealed a significant difference in mean scores: mean = 19.7 (standard deviation (SD) = 16.1) per 100,000 < 15 years old in July-December 2015, compared with 38.0 (SD = 21.6) per 100,000 < 15 years old in January-June 2016 (p < 0.05). Likewise, analysis of silent wards using the paired t test showed a significant difference in mean scores: mean = 4.0 (SD = 2.1) in July-December 2015 compared with 2.4 (SD = 1.8) in January-June 2016 (p < 0.05).
The different initiatives implemented in 23 LGAs of Kaduna state to intensify AFP surveillance may be responsible for the significant improvement in the AFP surveillance performance indicators in 2016.
The wine industry rejected large amounts of pressed grape pomace containing huge reserves of natural dyes that could be exploited in textile dyeing. The present paper aims to develop and optimize an ...extraction method of natural dye from grape pomace in order to dye wool fabrics. The influence of the main extraction conditions (grape pomace amount, sodium hydroxide concentration, extraction temperature and duration) on the dyeing performances of wool fabrics was studied. These performances were appreciated by measuring the color yield (
K/S
) of dyed wool fabrics. A central composite design method made with MINITAB 15 software was used for the optimization of the extraction method. The optimum conditions were found to be: concentration of sodium hydroxide of about 0.13 M, amount of grape pomace of about 69.56
g/l
, extraction temperature of about 80 °C and extraction duration of about 70 min.
Methods used for the isolation, separation and characterization of boar seminal plasma proteins are discussed, as well as techniques applied to study their binding properties. Attention is paid to ...interactions of these proteins with different types of saccharides and glycoconjugates, with membrane phospholipids, and to interactions between proteins. Boar seminal plasma contains different types of proteins: spermadhesins of the AQN and AWN families; DQH and PSP proteins belong to the most abundant. Some of these proteins are bound to the sperm surface during ejaculation and thus protein-coating layers of sperm are formed. Sperms coated with proteins participate in different types of interactions occurring in the course of the reproduction process, e.g. formation of the oviductal sperm reservoir, sperm capacitation, oocyte recognition and sperm binding to the oocyte.
► Improving the reducing power of glucose in reducing indigo. ► Study the effect of modified cotton on the dyeing process. ► Optimization of an exhaust green dyeing process with indigo.
The present ...paper investigates a non conventional but eco-friendly exhaust dyeing process of cotton with indigo. During this process, indigo was converted to its water-soluble leuco form by a green reducing agent: the glucose, in presence of alkali and at high temperature.
To improve the exhaust dyeing process, the dyeing step was carried out on modified cotton by several cationizing agents. Modified cotton fibres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and an X-ray diffraction analysis. The performances of the dyeing process were evaluated by measuring the bath exhaustion E (%), the colour yield (K/S), the brightness index BI (%) and the dyeing fastnesses of the coloured cotton. It was found that the colour yield and the brightness obtained from the exhaustion dyeing were improved when using cationized cotton giving fastness properties better than those obtained with untreated cotton dyed by the conventional process. The effect of the main operating conditions (cationizing agent nature and concentration, reducing temperature, dyeing duration, dyeing temperature) on the quality of this dyeing process were also studied. A surface design was employed for experimental design and optimization of results. Mathematical model equation and statistical analysis were derived by computer simulation programming applying the least squares method using Minitab 15.
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