The intersectional hybrid between Weigela hortensis and W. maximowiczii (Caprifoliaceae)

Morphologically intermediate plants between Weigela hortensis (Siebold & Zucc.) K.Koch and W. maximowiczii (S.Moore) Rehder have been found in Miyagi and Yamagata Pref., northern Japan. Quantitative character analyses of flowers, pollen stainability and molecular analyses indicated that the intermediate plants were hybrids of those two species. This is the first record of an intersectional hybrid with W. maximowiczii (sect. Weigelastrum ) as one of the parent species. The morphological differences among hybrid individuals imply the possibility of backcrosses or formation of second or later generations of hybrids, although those may be quite rare because of a low frequency of viable pollen grains. Causes of hybridization between two distantly-related species in Weigela are discussed. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 138 , 369–380.     

Depolymerization of Hyaluronic Acid by Low-molecular-weight Amadori-rearrangement Products and Glycated Polylysine

Depolymerization of hyaluronic acid (HA) by low-molecular-weight Amadori-rearrangement products in the presence of Cu^{2 +} was studied as an in vitro model for the glycated protein-mediated degradation of biopolymers. This oxygen radical-mediated depolymerization was found to be specifically accelerated by Cu^{2 +} , and significantly inhibited by catalase, hydroxyl radical scavengers, and metal ion chelators. Glycated polylysine also depolymerized HA. The difference in depolymerization rate between low- and high-molecular-weight Amadori products is discussed.     

What Do We Know About Metal Recycling Rates?

The recycling of metals is widely viewed as a fruitful sustainability strategy, but little information is available on the degree to which recycling is actually taking place. This article provides an overview on the current knowledge of recycling rates for 60 metals. We propose various recycling metrics, discuss relevant aspects of recycling processes, and present current estimates on global end‐of‐life recycling rates (EOL‐RR; i.e., the percentage of a metal in discards that is actually recycled), recycled content (RC), and old scrap ratios (OSRs; i.e., the share of old scrap in the total scrap flow). Because of increases in metal use over time and long metal in‐use lifetimes, many RC values are low and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Because of relatively low efficiencies in the collection and processing of most discarded products, inherent limitations in recycling processes, and the fact that primary material is often relatively abundant and low‐cost (which thereby keeps down the price of scrap), many EOL‐RRs are very low: Only for 18 metals (silver, aluminum, gold, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, niobium, nickel, lead, palladium, platinum, rhenium, rhodium, tin, titanium, and zinc) is the EOL‐RR above 50% at present. Only for niobium, lead, and ruthenium is the RC above 50%, although 16 metals are in the 25% to 50% range. Thirteen metals have an OSR greater than 50%. These estimates may be used in considerations of whether recycling efficiencies can be improved; which metric could best encourage improved effectiveness in recycling; and an improved understanding of the dependence of recycling on economics, technology, and other factors.     

Structure-based protein design with deep learning

Since the first revelation of proteins functioning as macromolecular machines through their three dimensional structures, researchers have been intrigued by the marvelous ways the biochemical processes are carried out by proteins. The aspiration to understand protein structures has fueled extensive efforts across different scientific disciplines. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that proteins with new functionality or shapes can be designed via structure-based modeling methods, and the design strategies have combined all available information — but largely piece-by-piece — from sequence derived statistics to the detailed atomic-level modeling of chemical interactions. Despite the significant progress, incorporating data-derived approaches through the use of deep learning methods can be a game changer. In this review, we summarize current progress, compare the arc of developing the deep learning approaches with the conventional methods, and describe the motivation and concepts behind current strategies that may lead to potential future opportunities.     

A comparative Proteomics Analysis Identified Differentially Expressed Proteins in Pancreatic Cancer–Associated Stellate Cell Small Extracellular Vesicles

Human pancreatic stellate cells (HPSCs) are an essential stromal component and mediators of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression. Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are membrane-enclosed nanoparticles involved in cell-to-cell communications and are released from stromal cells within PDAC. A detailed comparison of sEVs from normal pancreatic stellate cells (HPaStec) and from PDAC-associated stellate cells (HPSCs) remains a gap in our current knowledge regarding stellate cells and PDAC. We hypothesized there would be differences in sEVs secretion and protein expression that might contribute to PDAC biology. To test this hypothesis, we isolated sEVs using ultracentrifugation followed by characterization by electron microscopy and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis. We report here our initial observations. First, HPSC cells derived from PDAC tumors secrete a higher volume of sEVs when compared to normal pancreatic stellate cells (HPaStec). Although our data revealed that both normal and tumor-derived sEVs demonstrated no significant biological effect on cancer cells, we observed efficient uptake of sEVs by both normal and cancer epithelial cells. Additionally, intact membrane-associated proteins on sEVs were essential for efficient uptake. We then compared sEV proteins isolated from HPSCs and HPaStecs cells using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Most of the 1481 protein groups identified were shared with the exosome database, ExoCarta. Eighty-seven protein groups were differentially expressed (selected by 2-fold difference and adjusted p value ≤0.05) between HPSC and HPaStec sEVs. Of note, HPSC sEVs contained dramatically more CSE1L (chromosome segregation 1–like protein), a described marker of poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer. Based on our results, we have demonstrated unique populations of sEVs originating from stromal cells with PDAC and suggest that these are significant to cancer biology. Further studies should be undertaken to gain a deeper understanding that could drive novel therapy.     

Impact of High Deductible Health Plans on Diabetes Care Quality and Outcomes: Systematic Review

ObjectiveTo provide a review of the impact of high deductible health plans (HDHPs) on the utilizations of services required for optimal management of diabetes and subsequent health outcomes.MethodsSystematic literature review of studies published between January 1, 2000, and May 7, 2021, was conducted that examined the impact of HDHP on diabetes monitoring (eg, recommended laboratory and surveillance testing), routine care (eg, ambulatory appointments), medication management (eg, medication initiation, adherence), and acute health care utilization (eg, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, incident complications).ResultsOf the 303 reviewed articles, 8 were relevant. These studies demonstrated that HDHPs lower spending at the expense of reduced high-value diabetes monitoring, routine care, and medication adherence, potentially contributing to the observed increases in acute health care utilization. Additionally, patient out-of-pocket costs for recommended screenings doubled, and total health care expenditures increased by 49.4% for HDHP enrollees compared with enrollees in traditional health plans. Reductions in disease monitoring and routine care and increases in acute health care utilization were greatest in lower-income patients. None of the studies examined the impact of HDHPs on access to diabetes self-management education, technology use, or glycemic control.ConclusionAlthough HDHPs reduce some health care utilization and costs, they appear to do so at the expense of limiting high-value care and medication adherence. Policymakers, providers, and payers should be more cognizant of the potential for negative consequences of HDHPs on patients’ health.     

Biosynthesis of bacterial glycogen: purification and characterization of ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase with modified regulatory properties from Escherichia coli B mutant CL1136-504

The l-thyroxine binding site in human serum thyroxine-binding globulin was investigated by affinity labeling with N-bromoacetyl-l-thyroxine (BrAcT₄). Competitive binding studies showed that, in the presence of 100 molar excess of BrAcT₄, binding of thyroxine to thyroxine-binding globulin was nearly totally abolished. The reaction of BrAcT₄ to form covalent binding was inhibited in the presence of thyroxine and the affinity-labeled thyroxinebinding globulin lost its ability to bind thyroxine. These results indicate BrAcT₄ and thyroxine competed for the same binding site. Affinity labeling with 2 mol of BrAcT₄/mol of thyroxine-binding globulin resulted in the covalent attachment of 0.7 mol of ligand. By amino acid analysis and high voltage paper electrophoresis, methionine was identified as the major residue labeled (75%). Lysine, tyrosine, and histidine were also found to be labeled to the extent of 8, 8, and 5%, respectively.     

耐药细菌蛋白质的分泌——新抗攻击的靶点

几十年来,由于抗生素的大量使用,导致了细菌对很多药物的抗药性.为了克服细菌的抗药性问题,需要用新的思路去发掘新的抗生素,包括发掘细菌细胞中存在的抗生素作用的新靶点.蛋白质的分泌过程对于细菌是生死攸关的,它可能成为新药物的适合靶点.     

Radioiodination and characterization of the plasma membrane of sea urchin sperm

Two methods were used to radioiodinate sea urchin sperm: lactoperoxidase-glucose oxidase and Iodo-Gen. Following iodination the sperm are viable, they undergo the acrosome reaction, and they fertilize eggs. Of the radioactivity associated with the labeled sperm, 28–50% is presumed to be free ¹²⁵I^?, 37–47% is incorporated in lipid, and 8–15% is in trypsin-digestible material believed to be protein. Digestion of the labeled, living sperm with trypsin removes 95.6–99.5% of the macromolecular label (the cells are alive after digestion) suggesting that almost all the protein label is on the external surface of the cell. Thin-layer chromatography of the lipid fraction shows that the major membrane phospholipids and cholesterol are labeled. SDS-PAGE analysis shows the protein-incorporated ¹²⁵I is distributed among four glycoproteins of >250K, 84K, 64K, and 52K dalton apparent molecular weight. Twenty-eight percent of the total protein (trypsin-digestible) label is in the 84K component and 46% in the 64K band. Although both molecules contain much of the label, they are relatively minor components of the TX-100 extract of sperm. The methods outlined will be useful in determining the role of sperm surface components in fertilization.     

Portrait of the Patient as a Young Man: An Exploration of the Use of Photographs in Hospital

The display of personal photographs in hospital is a common practice that has yet to be rigorously examined. The photographs displayed are subject to interpretation by the viewer and may lead to misunderstandings or miscommunication if clarification of meaning is not sought. This paper explores a range of possible meanings that the display of photographs in hospital may hold, based on a case study of a 15 year old boy hospitalised with a life threatening illness. Further research is needed into the actual meanings attributed to the display of photographs in hospital by patients and family members.