Reduced levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) suppress cellular signaling in experimental autoimmune sialadenitis (EAS).

The nonobese diabetic mouse (NOD) develops destruction and functional impairment of salivary and lachrymal glands, experimental autoimmune sialadenitis (EAS), resembling and representing a model for Sjogren's syndrome (SS). To investigate the mechanisms of tissue destruction in EAS, we analyzed a cell survival promoter insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in the submandibular glands of NOD mice with this disease. We also evaluated the expression of a downstream effector of IGF-1R, BAD. Receptor-binding autoradiography revealed that the IGF-1R levels in submandibular glands from young NOD mice were lower than those in adult NOD mice. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that BAD expression in the epithelial cells of the submandibular gland was consistently enhanced throughout the course of EAS in NOD mice. These findings suggest that a reduction in the levels of IGF-1R induces a defective glandular homeostasis in the submandibular gland epithelial cells and triggers EAS.     

Persister control by leveraging dormancy associated reduction of antibiotic efflux

Persistent bacterial infections do not respond to current antibiotic treatments and thus present a great medical challenge. These conditions have been linked to the formation of dormant subpopulations of bacteria, known as persister cells, that are growth-arrested and highly tolerant to conventional antibiotics. Here, we report a new strategy of persister control and demonstrate that minocycline, an amphiphilic antibiotic that does not require active transport to penetrate bacterial membranes, is effective in killing Escherichia coli persister cells [by 70.8 ± 5.9% (0.53 log) at 100 μg/mL], while being ineffective in killing normal cells. Further mechanistic studies revealed that persister cells have reduced drug efflux and accumulate more minocycline than normal cells, leading to effective killing of this dormant subpopulation upon wake-up. Consistently, eravacycline, which also targets the ribosome but has a stronger binding affinity than minocycline, kills persister cells by 3 logs when treated at 100 μg/mL. In summary, the findings of this study reveal that while dormancy is a well-known cause of antibiotic tolerance, it also provides an Achilles’ heel for controlling persister cells by leveraging dormancy associated reduction of drug efflux.     

Solid–Liquid Equilibrium of Maltitol Aqueous Solutions—Implications on the Crystallization Behavior and Process

The solubility of maltitol in pure water and industrial syrup was measured in a temperature range from 10 to 90 °C. Maltitol is highly soluble in water, and this yields high viscosity values for the saturated aqueous solutions at different temperatures. In addition, solubility of maltitol in ethanol/water mixtures was followed at 30, 35, 45, and 55 °C. Results show that maltitol solubility is highly dependent on water content in the solvent mixture. Moreover, it increases monotonically with temperature. The logarithm of viscosity changes linearly against the mole fraction of maltitol in the aqueous solutions up to saturation. The saturated solutions showed a Newtonian behavior in a temperature range from 20 to 90 °C. Maltitol is also characterized in supersaturated solutions by a narrow metastable zone, which slightly increases as temperature is raised. The density of aqueous solutions of maltitol was measured as a function of molality up to saturation at 20 °C, and results show that density can be correlated with concentration according to a linear relation. The obtained results were used to explain maltitol crystallization, which exhibits a high nucleation rate and a slow growth leading to small size crystals.     

Interfacial and Emulsifying Characteristics of Acid-treated Pea Protein

This work presents equilibrium and dynamic aspects for the adsorption at the oil–water interface of pea (Pisum sativum L.) protein isolate (PPI). Dynamic interfacial tension, γ, and surface viscoelasticity modulus, ε, were determined using pendant-drop method. Adsorption kinetics studies revealed that pea proteins adsorb faster at pH 7.0 than at acidic pH (pH 2.4). On the other hand, the measured ε is lower at pH 7.0. This is probably due to fast adsorption, leading to the formation of inhomogeneous film structures. In fact, compared with pHs above the isoelectric point (pI ~ 4.3), acidic conditions slow down the adsorption, but the modulus is increased. Pea-protein-stabilized emulsions are more stable to creaming at acidic pH and their particle-size distributions are more homogeneous in these conditions. Effect of pH on interfacial properties and on properties of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by PPI was interpreted in terms of pea protein solubility, globulin dissociation, and oil-droplet surface electrostatic charge. We propose that at acidic conditions, adsorbed dissociated globulins form stronger and denser viscoelastic networks when adsorbed at oil–water interface. Consequently, the pH-dependence of pea-globulin-stabilized emulsions properties could be of great interest to tune barrier properties of oil/water interfacial membranes for several applications such as encapsulation and controlled release of lipophilic bioactive components within the food, medical, and pharmaceutical industries.     

Evidence for a Novel Marine Harmful Algal Bloom: Cyanotoxin (Microcystin) Transfer from Land to Sea Otters

“Super-blooms” of cyanobacteria that produce potent and environmentally persistent biotoxins (microcystins) are an emerging global health issue in freshwater habitats. Monitoring of the marine environment for secondary impacts has been minimal, although microcystin-contaminated freshwater is known to be entering marine ecosystems. Here we confirm deaths of marine mammals from microcystin intoxication and provide evidence implicating land-sea flow with trophic transfer through marine invertebrates as the most likely route of exposure. This hypothesis was evaluated through environmental detection of potential freshwater and marine microcystin sources, sea otter necropsy with biochemical analysis of tissues and evaluation of bioaccumulation of freshwater microcystins by marine invertebrates. Ocean discharge of freshwater microcystins was confirmed for three nutrient-impaired rivers flowing into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and microcystin concentrations up to 2,900 ppm (2.9 million ppb) were detected in a freshwater lake and downstream tributaries to within 1 km of the ocean. Deaths of 21 southern sea otters, a federally listed threatened species, were linked to microcystin intoxication. Finally, farmed and free-living marine clams, mussels and oysters of species that are often consumed by sea otters and humans exhibited significant biomagnification (to 107 times ambient water levels) and slow depuration of freshwater cyanotoxins, suggesting a potentially serious environmental and public health threat that extends from the lowest trophic levels of nutrient-impaired freshwater habitat to apex marine predators. Microcystin-poisoned sea otters were commonly recovered near river mouths and harbors and contaminated marine bivalves were implicated as the most likely source of this potent hepatotoxin for wild otters. This is the first report of deaths of marine mammals due to cyanotoxins and confirms the existence of a novel class of marine “harmful algal bloom” in the Pacific coastal environment; that of hepatotoxic shellfish poisoning (HSP), suggesting that animals and humans are at risk from microcystin poisoning when consuming shellfish harvested at the land-sea interface.     

Sugar epitopes as potential universal disease transmission blocking targets

One promising method to prevent vector-borne diseases is through the use of transmission blocking vaccines (TBVs). However, developing several anti-pathogen TBVs may be impractical. In this study, we have identified a conserved candidate carbohydrate target in the midguts of several Arthropod vectors. A screen of the novel GlycoChip glycan array found that the anti-carbohydrate malaria transmission blocking monoclonal antibody (MG96) preferentially recognized D-mannose (alpha) and the type II lactosamine disaccharide. The specificity for D-mannose was confirmed by competition ELISA using alpha-methyl mannoside as inhibitor. Con A, which identifies terminal mannose residues, did not inhibit MG96 reactivity with mosquito midgut lysates, suggesting that Con A has differential recognition of this monosaccharide. However, the jack bean lectin, Jacalin, which recognizes D-mannose (alpha), d-galactose (alpha/beta) and the T antigen, not only displays a similar banding profile to that recognized by MG96 on immunoblot but was also shown to effectively inhibit MG96. Wheat-germ agglutinin, which recognizes N-acetyllactosamine units, only partially inhibited MG96 reactivity. This highlights the contribution of both glycan moieties to the MG96 epitope or glycotope. Enzyme deglycosylation results suggest that MG96 recognizes a mannose alpha1-6 substitution on an O-linked oligosaccharide. Taken together, the data suggest that MG96 recognizes a discontinuous glycotope composed of Manalpha1-6 proximal to Galbeta1-4GlcNAc-alpha-O-R glycans on arthropod vector midguts. As such, these glycotopes may represent potential transmission blocking vaccine targets for a wide range of vector-borne pathogens.     

Evaluation of Copper Bioaccumulation and Translocation in Jatropha curcas Grown in a Contaminated Soil

Contamination of soils with copper (Cu) has become a serious problem in the environment. Phytoremediation is an emerging green technology that uses green plants to remediate heavy metal contaminated areas. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of Jatropha curcas for remediation of soils contaminated with Cu. Seedlings were planted in soils spiked with Cu in amount of 0, 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg kg^–1 (Cu_0, Cu₅₀,Cu₁₀₀,Cu₂₀₀,Cu_300, and Cu₄₀₀) for a period of five months. The maximum height and number of leaves were recorded in control (Cu₀) whereas the highest basal stem diameter was found in seedlings exposed to Cu₅₀. Copper concentrations among plant parts were in the following trend: roots > stems > leaves. The highest total Cu concentration (665 ± 1 mg kg^?1) and total Cu removal (1.2 ± 0.2%) based on total plant dry biomass were found in Cu₄₀₀ and Cu₅₀ treatments, respectively. J. curcas exhibited high root concentration factor (RCF > 1) and low translocation factor (TF < 1). Although Cu accumulation by the plant didn't reach the criteria of Cu hyperaccumulators, this species showed a potential to be used in phytostabilization of mildly Cu contaminated areas. However, the plant cannot be used for phytoextraction of Cu-contaminated soils.     

First Report of Bacterial Leaf Spot of Parsley Caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. apii in Turkey

Since March, 2011, typical leaf spot symptoms were observed on parsley in several fields inspected in Hatay and Adana provinces of Turkey. Incidence of the disease was 5–15% in the regions. Symptoms were characterized as angular to irregular, initially water soaked later brown to dark black spots. Spots often limited by veins which were visible from both adaxial and abaxial sides of leaves but were not present on stems. Fluorescent bacterial colonies were consistently isolated from typical leaf spots. Biochemical tests, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis, molecular, pathogenicity tests and sequence of 16S ribosomal DNA of bacterial isolates were performed to identify possible causal disease agent. The causal disease agent was identified as Pseudomonas syringae pv. apii based on symptoms, biochemical, molecular, pathogenicity tests and sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacterial leaf spot on parsley caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. apii in Turkey.