Affective response to a loved one's pain: insula activity as a function of individual differences

Individual variability in emotion processing may be associated with genetic variation as well as with psychological predispositions such as dispositional affect styles. Our previous fMRI study demonstrated that amygdala reactivity was independently predicted by affective-cognitive styles (phobic prone or eating disorders prone) and genotype of the serotonin transporter in a discrimination task of fearful facial expressions. Since the insula is associated with the subjective evaluation of bodily states and is involved in human feelings, we explored whether its activity could also vary in function of individual differences. In the present fMRI study, the association between dispositional affects and insula reactivity has been examined in two groups of healthy participants categorized according to affective-cognitive styles (phobic prone or eating disorders prone). Images of the faces of partners and strangers, in both painful and neutral situations, were used as visual stimuli. Interaction analyses indicate significantly different activations in the two groups in reaction to a loved one's pain: the phobic prone group exhibited greater activation in the left posterior insula. These results demonstrate that affective-cognitive style is associated with insula activity in pain empathy processing, suggesting a greater involvement of the insula in feelings for a certain cohort of people. In the mapping of individual differences, these results shed new light on variability in neural networks of emotion.     

Molecular characterization of phytoplasmas in lilies with fasciation in the Czech Republic

Lilium spp. with symptoms of severe fasciation were observed in Southern and central Bohemia during the period 1999-2003. Nucleic acids extracted from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants were used in nested-PCR assays with primers amplifying 16S-23S rRNA sequences specific for phytoplasmas. The subsequent nested-PCR with phytoplasma group-specific primers followed by RFLP analyses and the 16S ribosomal gene sequencing, allowed classification of the detected phytoplasmas in the aster yellows group, subgroups 16SrI-B and 16SrI-C alone, and in mixed infection. Samples infected by 16SrI-C phytoplasmas showed different overlapping RFLP profiles after TruI digestion of R16F2/R2 amplicons. Two of these amplicons were sequenced, one of them directly and the other after cloning; sequence analyses and blast alignment confirmed the presence of two different overlapping patterns in samples studied. The sequences obtained were closely related, respectively, to operon A and operon B ribosomal sequences of the clover phyllody phytoplasma. Direct PCR followed by RFLP analyses of the tuf gene with two restriction enzymes showed no differences from reference strain of subgroup 16SrI-C. Infection with aster yellows phytoplasmas of 16SrI-B subgroup in asymptomatic lilies cv. Sunray was also detected.     

Loss of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 function induces spreading and motility of epithelial prostate cells

Although prostate carcinoma is an aggressive cancer preferentially metastasizing to the bones, many prostate tumors remain localized and confined to the prostate indefinitely. Prediction of the behavior of anatomically localized and moderately differentiated prostate tumors remains difficult because of lack of prognostic markers. Cell motility is an important step in the progression of epithelial tumor toward invasive metastatic carcinomas and changes in the expression and function of adhesion molecules contribute to the acquisition of a more malignant phenotype. Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) is implicated in regulating the organization of actin cytoskeleton, a process critical for cell migration, mitosis, and tumor metastasis. In this report, we investigated whether Pyk2 played a role in the acquisition of an aggressive phenotype in prostate cell. Data reported here demonstrate that loss of Pyk2 kinase function results in induction of cell motility and migration in EPN cells, a line of non-transformed epithelial cells derived from human normal prostate tissue. Changes in motility and migration of prostate cells were associated with changes in the expression of several proteins involved in cell adhesion and reorganization of actin cytoskeleton. Ablation of Pyk2 kinase activity caused a dramatic decrease of the expression of E-cadherin and IRS1 and an increase of the expression of alpha5-integrin. In addition, a massive reorganization of actin cytoskeleton was observed. Our data indicate that Pyk2 plays a central role in the mechanism that regulate cell-cell and cell-substrate interaction and lack of its kinase activity induces prostate cells to acquire a malignant, migrating phenotype.     

Pyrosequencing Unveils Cystic Fibrosis Lung Microbiome Differences Associated with a Severe Lung Function Decline

Chronic airway infection is a hallmark feature of cystic fibrosis (CF) disease. In the present study, sputum samples from CF patients were collected and characterized by 16S rRNA gene-targeted approach, to assess how lung microbiota composition changes following a severe decline in lung function. In particular, we compared the airway microbiota of two groups of patients with CF, i.e. patients with a substantial decline in their lung function (SD) and patients with a stable lung function (S). The two groups showed a different bacterial composition, with SD patients reporting a more heterogeneous community than the S ones. Pseudomonas was the dominant genus in both S and SD patients followed by Staphylococcus and Prevotella. Other than the classical CF pathogens and the most commonly identified non-classical genera in CF, we found the presence of the unusual anaerobic genus Sneathia. Moreover, the oligotyping analysis revealed the presence of other minor genera described in CF, highlighting the polymicrobial nature of CF infection. Finally, the analysis of correlation and anti-correlation networks showed the presence of antagonism and ecological independence between members of Pseudomonas genus and the rest of CF airways microbiota, with S patients showing a more interconnected community in S patients than in SD ones. This population structure suggests a higher resilience of S microbiota with respect to SD, which in turn may hinder the potential adverse impact of aggressive pathogens (e.g. Pseudomonas). In conclusion, our findings shed a new light on CF airway microbiota ecology, improving current knowledge about its composition and polymicrobial interactions in patients with CF.     

Initial Reaction(s) in Biotransformation of CL-20 Is Catalyzed by Salicylate 1-Monooxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. Strain ATCC 29352

CL-20 (2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane) (C₆H₆N₁₂O₁₂), a future-generation high-energy explosive, is biodegradable by Pseudomonas sp. strain FA1 and Agrobacterium sp. strain JS71; however, the nature of the enzyme(s) involved in the process was not understood. In the present study, salicylate 1-monooxygenase, a flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-containing purified enzyme from Pseudomonas sp. strain ATCC 29352, biotransformed CL-20 at rates of 0.256 ± 0.011 and 0.043 ± 0.003 nmol min⁻¹ mg of protein⁻¹ under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, respectively. The disappearance of CL-20 was accompanied by the release of nitrite ions. Using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in the negative electrospray ionization mode, we detected a metabolite with a deprotonated mass ion [M − H]⁻ at 345 Da, corresponding to an empirical formula of C₆H₆N₁₀O₈, produced as a result of two sequential N denitration steps on the CL- 20 molecule. We also detected two isomeric metabolites with [M − H]⁻ at 381 Da corresponding to an empirical formula of C₆H₁₀N₁₀O₁₀. The latter was a hydrated product of the metabolite C₆H₆N₁₀O₈ with addition of two H₂O molecules, as confirmed by tests using ¹⁸O-labeled water. The product stoichiometry showed that each reacted CL-20 molecule produced about 1.7 nitrite ions, 3.2 molecules of nitrous oxide, 1.5 molecules of formic acid, and 0.6 ammonium ion. Diphenyliodonium-mediated inhibition of salicylate 1-monooxygenase and a comparative study between native, deflavo, and reconstituted enzyme(s) showed that FAD site of the enzyme was involved in the biotransformation of CL-20 catalyzed by salicylate 1-monooxygenase. The data suggested that salicylate 1-monooxygenase catalyzed two oxygen-sensitive single-electron transfer steps necessary to release two nitrite ions from CL-20 and that this was followed by the secondary decomposition of this energetic chemical.     

25‐Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration Correlates With Insulin‐Sensitivity and BMI in Obesity

The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D is high among obese subjects. Further, low 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration has been postulated to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, although its relation with insulin‐sensitivity is not well investigated. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship between 25(OH)D concentration and insulin‐sensitivity, using the glucose clamp technique. In total, 39 subjects with no known history of diabetes mellitus were recruited. The association of 25(OH)D concentration with insulin‐sensitivity was evaluated by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. Subjects with low 25(OH)D (<50 nmol/l) had higher BMI (P = 0.048), parathyroid hormone (PTH) (P = 0.040), total cholesterol (P = 0.012), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (P = 0.044), triglycerides (P = 0.048), and lower insulin‐sensitivity as evaluated by clamp study (P = 0.047). There was significant correlation between 25(OH)D and BMI (r = ?0.58; P = 0.01), PTH (r = ?0.44; P < 0.01), insulin‐sensitivity (r = 0.43; P < 0.01), total (r = ?0.34; P = 0.030) and LDL (r = ?0.40; P = 0.023) (but not high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)) cholesterol, and triglycerides (r = 0.45; P = 0.01). Multivariate analysis using 25(OH)D concentration, BMI, insulin‐sensitivity, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, as the cofactors was performed. BMI was found to be the most powerful predictor of 25(OH)D concentration (r = ?0.52; P < 0.01), whereas insulin‐sensitivity was not significant. Our study suggested that there is no cause–effect relationship between vitamin D and insulin‐sensitivity. In obesity, both low 25(OH)D concentration and insulin‐resistance appear to be dependent on the increased body size.     

Potential allelopathic effect of neo-clerodane diterpenes from Teucrium chamaedrys (L.) on stenomediterranean and weed cosmopolitan species

The allelopathic effects of neo-clerodane diterpenes, isolated from Teucrium chamaedrys (L.), have been evaluated on the seed germination and seedling growth of four coexisting Mediterranean species (Dactylis hispanica, Petrorhagia velutina, Phleum subulatum and Petrorhagia saxifraga) and two cosmopolitan weeds (Amaranthus retroflexus and Avena fatua). All of the structures have been elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic features. The bioassays data, analyzed by principal component analysis, showed more negative effects on weeds respect to coexisting species. Moreover D. hispanica, P. velutina, P. subulatum showed both stimulating or inhibiting effects depending on the type of metabolite and the concentration used in the test.