Compartmentation of glutamate metabolism in brain. Evidence for the existence of two different tricarboxylic acid cycles in brain

1. (14)C from [1-(14)C]glucose injected intraperitoneally into mice is incorporated into glutamate, aspartate and glutamine in the brain to a much greater extent than (14)C from [2-(14)C]glucose. This difference for [1-(14)C]glucose and [2-(14)C]glucose increases with time. The amount of (14)C in C-1 of glutamate increases steadily with time with both precursors. It is suggested that a large part of the glutamate and aspartate pools in brain are in close contact with intermediates of a fast-turning tricarboxylic acid cycle. 2. (14)C from [1-(14)C]acetate and [2-(14)C]acetate is incorporated to a much larger extent into glutamine than into glutamate. An examination of the time-course of (14)C incorporated into glutamine and glutamate reveals that glutamine is not formed from the glutamate pool, labelled extensively by glucose, but from a small glutamate pool. This small glutamate pool is not derived from an intermediate of a fast-turning tricarboxylic acid cycle. 3. It is proposed that two different tricarboxylic acid cycles exist in brain.     

Recruiting unrelated donors for the National Marrow Donor Program

Medical advances have made bone marrow transplantation the treatment of choice for certain hematologic diseases. For those patients eligible for a marrow transplant only about 30 percent find an HLA-compatible match within their families. Studies indicate that unrelated volunteers are willing to donate their marrow. The National Marrow Donor Program was formed in 1986 as a result of a federal contract. This group is a network of donor centers, transplant centers, and collection centers. The Connecticut Red Cross Blood Services is one of approximately 70 donor centers. Recruitment methods vary with each donor center, depending on the resources available. The Connecticut Red Cross Blood Services has recruited more than 1,000 volunteers for entry into the National Marrow Donor Program.     

Paecilomyces variotii extracts (ZNC) enhance plant immunity and promote plant growth

Plant and Soil - There are growing concerns regarding the restoration of karst rocky desertification (KRD) areas. However, the soil conditions and its residing microorganisms, which are essential...     

Isolation and analysis of two cellulase cDNAs from Orpinomyces joyonii

Two cellulase cDNAs, celB29 and celB2, were isolated from a cDNA library derived from mRNA extracted from the anaerobic fungus, Orpinomyces joyonii strain SG4. The nucleotide sequences of celB2 and celB29 and the primary structures of the proteins encoded by these cDNAs were determined. The larger celB29 cDNA was 1966bp long and encoded a 477 amino acid polypeptide with a molecular weight of 54kDa. Analysis of the 1451bp celB2 cDNA revealed an 1164bp open reading frame coding for a 44kDa protein consisting of 388 amino acids. Both deduced proteins had a high sequence similarity in central regions containing putative catalytic domains. Primary structure analysis revealed that CelB29 contained a Thr/Pro-rich sequence that separated the N-terminal catalytic domain from a C-terminal reiterated region of unknown function. Homology analysis showed that both enzymes belong to glycosyl hydrolase family 5 and were most closely related to endoglucanases from the anaerobic fungi Neocallimastic patriciarum, Neocallimastix frontalis and Orpinomyces sp. The classification of CelB29 and CelB2 as endoglucanases was supported by enzyme assays. The cloned enzymes had high activities towards barley beta-glucan, lichenan and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), but not Avicel, laminarin, pachyman, xylan and pullulan. In addition, CelB29 and CelB2 showed activity against p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-cellobioside (pNP-G(2)) to p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-cellopentaoside (pNP-G(5)) but not p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (pNP-G(1)) with preferential activity against p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-cellotrioside (pNP-G(3)). Based on these results, we proposed that CelB29 and CelB2 are endoglucanases with broad substrate specificities for short- and long-chain beta-1,4-glucans.     

The Dose-Dependent Effect of Nesiritide on Renal Function in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background

Conflicting renal effects of nesiritide have been reported in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. To answer this controversy, we performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the influence of nesiritide on renal function in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Methods

Articles were obtained from PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library and reference review. Randomized controlled studies that investigated the effects of continuous infusion of nesiritide on renal function in adult patients with acute decompensated heart failure were included and analyzed. Fixed-effect model was used to estimate relative risk (RR) and weight mean difference (WMD). The quality assessment of each study, subgroup, sensitivity, and publication bias analyses were performed.

Results

Fifteen randomized controlled trials were eligible for inclusion. Most of included studies had relatively high quality and no publication bias was found. Overall, compared to control therapies, nesiritide might increase the risk of worsening renal function in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01–1.15, P = 0.023). In subgroup analysis, high-dose nesiritide strongly associated with renal dysfunction (RR 1.54, 95% CI 1.19-2.00, P = 0.001), but no statistical differences were observed in standard-dose (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.98-1.12, P = 0.213), low-dose groups (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.74-1.37, P = 0.968) and same results were identified in the subgroup analysis of placebo controlled trials. Peak mean change of serum creatinine from baseline was no significant difference (WMD -2.54, 95% CI -5.76-0.67, P = 0.121).

Conclusions

In our meta-analysis, nesiritide may have a dose-dependent effect on renal function in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. High-dose nesiritide is likely to increase the risk of worsening renal function, but standard-dose and low-dose nesiritide probably have no impact on renal function. These findings could be helpful to optimize the use of nesiritide in clinical practice.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis> inhibits <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-vitro Candida</Emphasis> biofilm development

Background  

Elucidation of the communal behavior of microbes in mixed species biofilms may have a major impact on understanding infectious diseases and for the therapeutics. Although, the structure and the properties of monospecies biofilms and their role in disease have been extensively studied during the last decade, the interactions within mixed biofilms consisting of bacteria and fungi such as Candida spp. have not been illustrated in depth. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the interspecies interactions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and six different species of Candida comprising C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. dubliniensis in dual species biofilm development.