U radu je istraživan utjecaj lokaliteta uzorkovanja na grupni kemijski sastav bijeli bukovine (Fagus sylvatica L.) standardnim metodama izolacije glavnih kemijskih drvnih komponenata. Dosadašnja su ...istraživanja upućivala na zaključak da postoje različitosti u kemijskom sastavu uzoraka iste vrste drva s različitih lokaliteta
uzorkovanja na temelju fitocenoloških kriterija (tip tla i fitocenoza), što je u ovom radu i dokazano. Dobiveni rezultati, u usporedbi s dosadašnjim istraživanjima, pokazuju povećani sadržaj akcesornih tvari i lignina, smanjeni sadržaj drvnih polioza, dok je sadržaj pepela i celuloze ostao u istim granicama. Istraživanja su pokazala, usporedbom istih kemijskih komponenata svakog lokaliteta i njihovim odnosom, da se lokaliteti uzorkovanja međusobno
statistički značajno razlikuju po sadržaju akcesornih tvari i celuloze, dok se po sadržaju pepela, lignina i drvnih polioza neznatno razlikuju. Jednako su tako, na temelju fitocenoloških kriterija pojedinih lokaliteta uzorkovanja, rezultati istraživanja pokazali statističke značajne razlike samo u sadržaju akcesornih tvari.
Cervical dystonia is a neurological movement disorder causing abnormal posture of the head. It may be accompanied by involuntary movements which are sometimes tremulous. The condition has marked ...effects on patients’ self-image, and adversely affects quality of life, social relationships and employment. Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is the treatment of choice for CD and its efficacy and safety have been extensively studied in clinical trials. However, current guidelines do not provide enough practical information for physicians who wish to use this valuable treatment in a real-life setting. In addition, patients and physicians may have different perceptions of what successful treatment outcomes should be. Consequently, an international group of expert neurologists, experienced in BoNT treatment, met to review the literature and pool their extensive clinical experience to give practical guidance about treatment of CD with BoNT. Eight topic headings were considered: the place of BoNT within CD treatment options; patient perspectives and desires for treatment; assessment and goal setting; starting treatment with BoNT-A; follow-up sessions; management of side effects; management of non-response; switching between different BoNT products. One rapporteur took responsibility for summarising the current literature for each topic, while the consensus statements were developed by the entire expert group. These statements are presented here along with a discussion of the background information.
Exercise provides a robust physiological stimulus that evokes cross-talk among multiple tissues that when repeated regularly (i.e., training) improves physiological capacity, benefits numerous organ ...systems, and decreases the risk for premature mortality. However, a gap remains in identifying the detailed molecular signals induced by exercise that benefits health and prevents disease. The Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) was established to address this gap and generate a molecular map of exercise. Preclinical and clinical studies will examine the systemic effects of endurance and resistance exercise across a range of ages and fitness levels by molecular probing of multiple tissues before and after acute and chronic exercise. From this multi-omic and bioinformatic analysis, a molecular map of exercise will be established. Altogether, MoTrPAC will provide a public database that is expected to enhance our understanding of the health benefits of exercise and to provide insight into how physical activity mitigates disease.
The Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium aims to create a comprehensive, integrative multi-omic map of the effects of exercise across tissues in rodents and healthy people.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released from almost all cells and tissues. They are able to transport substances (e.g. proteins, RNA or DNA) at higher concentrations than in their environment and ...may adhere in a receptor-controlled manner to specific cells or tissues in order to release their content into the respective target structure. Blood contains high concentrations of EVs mainly derived from platelets, and, at a smaller amount, from erythrocytes. The female and male reproductive tracts produce EVs which may be associated with fertility or infertility and are released into body fluids and mucosas of the urogenital organs. In this review, the currently relevant detection methods are presented and critically compared. During pregnancy, placenta-derived EVs are dynamically detectable in peripheral blood with changing profiles depending upon progress of pregnancy and different pregnancy-associated pathologies, such as preeclampsia. EVs offer novel non-invasive diagnostic tools which may reflect the situation of the placenta and the foetus. EVs in urine have the potential of reflecting urogenital diseases including cancers of the neighbouring organs. Several methods for detection, quantification and phenotyping of EVs have been established, which include electron microscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA-like methods, Western blotting and analyses based on Brownian motion. This review article summarises the current knowledge about EVs in blood and cord blood, in the different compartments of the male and female reproductive tracts, in trophoblast cells from normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies, in placenta ex vivo perfusate, in the amniotic fluid, and in breast milk, as well as their potential effects on natural killer cells as possible targets.
This study is based on assessing fecal indicator bacteria contamination along meteorological, hydrological and physical-chemical variables after high rainy events during the summer period. The study ...focused on four different coastal sites in the western and eastern Adriatic coast characterized by various geomorphological and hydrological features, levels of urbanization and anthropogenic pressures, with the aim of finding appropriate and effective solutions to ensure the safety and sustainability of tourism and public health. Detailed in-situ survey revealed a wide range of fecal indicator bacterial (FIB) across the different river mouths with concentrations of E. coli ranging from 165 to 6700 CFU 100 mL−1. It was found that nitrogen compounds track microbial load and acted as tracers for fecal contaminants. Further, a modelling tool was also used to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution of fecal pollution at these coastal sites. The integrated monitoring through high frequent survey in river waters and modeling framework allowed for the estimation of fecal indicator bacterial load at the river mouth and examination of fecal pollutant dispersion in recreational waters, considering different scenarios of fecal dispersion along the coast. This study formed the basis of a robust decision support system aimed at improving the management of recreational areas and ensuring the protection of water bodies through efficient management of bathing areas.
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•A combined approach was employed to assess coastal recreational water quality.•A hydrodynamic model was utilized to understand the dispersion of fecal pollution.•Relationship between fecal contamination and environmental parameters was analyzed.•This modeling approach proved effective in areas with high and moderate levels of pollution.•This approach was for the management of coastal bathing waters to mitigate fecal pollution.
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Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) is an emerging therapeutic target for cancer. It is involved in lipid metabolism and its inhibition impairs many hallmarks of cancer including cell ...proliferation, migration/invasion and tumor growth. For these reasons, our group has recently developed a potent reversible MAGL inhibitor (MAGL23), which showed promising anticancer activities. Here in, to improve its pharmacological properties, a nanoformulation based on nanocrystals coated with albumin was prepared for therapeutic applications. MAGL23 was solubilized by a nanocrystallization method with Pluronic F-127 as surfactant into an organic solvent and was recovered as nanocrystals in water after solvent evaporation. Finally, the solubilized nanocrystals were stabilized by human serum albumin to create a smart delivery carrier. An in-silico prediction (lipophilicity, structure at different pH and solubility in water), as well as experimental studies (solubility), have been performed to check the chemical properties of the inhibitor and nanocrystals. The solubility in water increases from less than 0.01 mg/mL (0.0008 mg/mL, predicted) up to 0.82 mg/mL in water. The formulated inhibitor maintained its potency in ovarian and colon cancer cell lines as the free drug. Furthermore, the system was thoroughly observed at each step of the solubilization process till the final formulation stage by different spectroscopic techniques and a comparative study was performed to check the effects of Pluronic F-127 and CTAB as surfactants. The formulated system is favorable to release the drug at physiological pH conditions (at pH 7.4, after 24 h, less than 20% of compound is released). In vivo studies have shown that albumin-complexed nanocrystals increase the therapeutic window of MAGL23 along with a favorable biodistribution. As per our knowledge, we are reporting the first ever nanoformulation of a MAGL inhibitor, which is promising as a therapeutic system where the MAGL enzyme is involved, especially for cancer therapeutic applications.
The aim of this study is to develop a relocatable modelling system able to describe the microbial contamination that affects the quality of coastal bathing waters. Pollution events are mainly ...triggered by urban sewer outflows during massive rainy events, with relevant negative consequences on the marine environment and tourism and related activities of coastal towns. A finite element hydrodynamic model was applied to five study areas in the Adriatic Sea, which differ for urban, oceanographic and morphological conditions. With the help of transport-diffusion and microbial decay modules, the distribution of Escherichia coli was investigated during significant events. The numerical investigation was supported by detailed in situ observational datasets. The model results were evaluated against water level, sea temperature, salinity and E. coli concentrations acquired in situ, demonstrating the capacity of the modelling suite in simulating the circulation in the coastal areas of the Adriatic Sea, as well as several main transport and diffusion dynamics, such as riverine and polluted waters dispersion. Moreover, the results of the simulations were used to perform a comparative analysis among the different study sites, demonstrating that dilution and mixing, mostly induced by the tidal action, had a stronger effect on bacteria reduction with respect to microbial decay. Stratification and estuarine dynamics also play an important role in governing microbial concentration. The modelling suite can be used as a beach management tool for improving protection of public health, as required by the EU Bathing Water Directive.
A cDNA highly homologous to the known catalytic α subunit of protein kinase CK2 was cloned from maize (Zea mays). It was designated ZmCK2α-4 (accession no. AAF76187). Sequence analysis shows that ...ZmCK2α-4 and the previously identified ZmCK2α-1 (accession no. X61387) are transcribed from the same gene, ZmPKCK2AL (accession no. Y11649), but at different levels in various maize organs and at different stages of development. The cDNA encoding ZmCK2α-4 has three potential translation initiation sites. The three putative variants of ZmCK2α-4 were expressed in Escherichia coli as GST-fusion proteins and purified from bacterial extracts. In contrast to the previously characterized ZmCK2αs, the obtained GST:ZmCK2α-4 proteins were catalytically inactive as monomers or in the presence of equimolar amounts of the human CK2β. However, GST:ZmCK2α-4 did phosphorylate casein in the presence of a large excess of the β subunit. The activity of ZmCK2α-4 toward casein could also be stimulated by increasing ATP concentration. Modeling studies have shown that there is no interaction between the N-terminal segment of ZmCK2α-4 and the activation loop responsible for constitutive catalytic activity of CK2α. Preliminary results suggest that ZmCK2α-4 may function as a negative regulator of other CK2s, and at certain circumstances as a holoenzyme which catalytic activity is stimulated by specific regulatory subunit(s).
Background. Malaria and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection during pregnancy affect the transplacental transfer of antibodies against several pathogens from mother to fetus, although the ...effect of malaria and HIV infection on the transfer of antimalarial antibodies remains unclear. Methods. Levels of total immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and IgG subtypes against the following Plasmodium falciparum antigens were measured in 187 pairs of mother-cord plasma specimens from Mozambique: 19-kDa fragment of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSPI₁₉), erythrocyte binding antigen 175 (EBA175), apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1), and parasite lysate. Placental antibody transfer was denned as the cord-to-mother ratio (CMR) of antibody levels. Results. Maternal malaria was associated with reduced CMR of EBA175 IgG (P= .014) and IgGl (P = .029), AMA1 IgG (P = .002), lysate IgG1 (P = .001), and MSP1 IgG3 (P = .01). Maternal HIV was associated with reduced CMR of MSP1 IgGl (P= .022) and IgG3 (P = .023), Iysate IgGl (P = .027) and IgG3 (P = .O25), AMA1 IgGl (P = .001), and EBA175 IgG3 (P = .001). Decreased CMR was not associated with increased adverse pregnancy outcomes or augmented risk of malaria in the infant during the first year of life. Conclusions. Placental transfer of antimalarial antibodies is reduced in pregnant women with malaria and HIV infection. However, this decrease does not contribute to an increased risk of malaria-associated morbidity during infancy.
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