Changes in Cystic Fibrosis Airway Microbial Community Associated with a Severe Decline in Lung Function

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease resulting in chronic polymicrobial infections of the airways and progressive decline in lung function. To gain insight into the underlying causes of severe lung diseases, we aimed at comparing the airway microbiota detected in sputum of CF patients with stable lung function (S) versus those with a substantial decline in lung function (SD). Microbiota composition was investigated by using culture-based and culture-independent methods, and by performing multivariate and statistical analyses. Culture-based methods identified some microbial species associated with a worse lung function, i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Rothia mucilaginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Candida albicans, but only the presence of S. pneumoniae and R. mucilaginosa was found to be associated with increased severe decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁). Terminal-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis revealed a higher bacterial diversity than that detected by culture-based methods. Molecular signatures with a statistically significant odds ratio for SD status were detected, and classified as Pseudomonas, Burkholderia and Shewanella, while for other Terminal Restriction Fragments (T-RFs) no species assignation was achieved. The analysis of T-RFLP data using ecological biodiversity indices showed reduced Evenness in SD patients compared to S ones, suggesting an impaired ecology of the bacterial community in SD patients. Statistically significant differences of the ecological biodiversity indices among the three sub-groups of FEV₁ (normal/mild vs moderate vs severe) were also found, suggesting that the patients with moderate lung disease experienced changes in the airway assembly of taxa. Overall, changes in CF airway microbial community associated with a severe lung function decline were detected, allowing us to define some discriminatory species as well as some discriminatory T-RFs that represent good candidates for the development of predictive biomarkers of substantial decline in lung function.     

Cytochrome c is released from coupled mitochondria of yeast en route to acetic acid-induced programmed cell death and can work as an electron donor and a ROS scavenger

To gain insight into the processes by which acetic acid-induced programmed cell death (AA-PCD) takes place in yeast, we investigated both cytochrome c release from yeast mitochondria and mitochondrial coupling over the time course of AA-PCD. We show that the majority of cytochrome c release occurs early in AA-PCD from intact coupled mitochondria which undergo only gradual impairment. The released cytochrome c can be reduced both by ascorbate and by superoxide anion and in turn be oxidized via cytochrome c oxidase, thus working both as a ROS scavenger and a respiratory substrate. Late in AA-PCD, the released cytochrome c is degraded.     

Mitochondrial localization unveils a novel role for GRK2 in organelle biogenesis

Metabolic stimuli such as insulin and insulin like growth factor cause cellular accumulation of G protein coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2), which in turn is able to induce insulin resistance. Here we show that in fibroblasts, GRK2 is able to increase ATP cellular content by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis; also, it antagonizes ATP loss after hypoxia/reperfusion. Interestingly, GRK2 is able to localize in the mitochondrial outer membrane, possibly through one region within the RGS homology domain and one region within the catalytic domain. In vivo, GRK2 removal from the skeletal muscle results in reduced ATP production and impaired tolerance to ischemia. Our data show a novel sub-cellular localization of GRK2 in the mitochondria and an unexpected role in regulating mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP generation.     

Genomic Characterization of Human and Environmental Polioviruses Isolated in Albania

Between April and December 1996, a serious outbreak of poliomyelitis occurred in Albania; almost 140 subjects were involved, and the episode presented an unusually high mortality rate (12%). During the outbreak, water samples from the Lana River in Tirana, Albania, and stool samples from two cases of paralytic poliomyelitis were collected and analyzed for the presence of polioviruses. Six polioviruses were isolated from the environmental and human samples, according to standard methods. All the samples were characterized by partial genomic sequencing of 330 bases across the 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR) (nucleotide positions 200 to 530) and of 300 bases across the VP1 region (nucleotide positions 2474 to 2774). Comparison of these sequences with those present in data banks permitted the identification of environmental isolates Lana A and Lana B as, respectively, a Sabin-like type 2 poliovirus and an intertypic recombinant poliovirus (Sabin-like type 2/wild type 1), both bearing a G instead of an A at nucleotide position 481. The two other environmental polioviruses were similar to the isolates from the paralytic cases. They were characterized by a peculiar 5′-UTR and by a VP1 region showing 98% homology with the Albanian epidemic type 1 isolates reported by other authors. This study confirms the environmental circulation in Albania of recombinant poliovirus strains, likely sustained by a massive vaccination effort and by the presence in the environment of a type 1 poliovirus, as isolated from the Lana River in Tirana about 2 months before the first case of symptomatic acute flaccid paralysis was reported in this town.     

Antiepileptic carbamazepine drug treatment induces alteration of membrane in red blood cells: Possible positive effects on metabolism and oxidative stress

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is an iminostilbene derivative commonly used for treatment of neuralgic pain and bipolar affective disorders. CBZ blood levels of treated patients are within the range of micromolar concentrations and therefore, significant interactions of this drug with erythrocytes are very likely. Moreover, the lipid domains of the cell membrane are believed to be one of the sites where iminostilbene derivatives exert their effects. The present study aimed to deeply characterize CBZ effects on erythrocytes, in order to identify extra and/or cytosolic cell targets. Our results indicate that erythrocyte morphological changes promoted by the drug, may be triggered by an alteration in band 3 functionality i.e. at the level of anionic flux. In addition, from a metabolic point of view this perturbation could be considered, at least in part, as a beneficial event because it could favour the CO₂ elimination.     

Western gorilla diet: a synthesis from six sites

The objective of this paper is to collate information on western gorilla diet from six study sites throughout much of their current range, including preliminary information from two sites (Afi and Lossi), where studies of diet have begun only recently. Food lists were available from each site, derived from indirect signs of gorilla feeding (such as feces), with some observational data. Important staple, seasonal, and fallback foods have been identified, and a number of striking similarities across sites have been revealed based on a much larger data set than was previously available. It was confirmed that the western gorilla diet is always eclectic, including up to 230 items and 180 species. The greatest diversity is found among the fruit species eaten, fruit being included in western gorilla diets from all sites and throughout most or all of the year. Eight plant families provide important foods at five, or all six, sites, suggesting that it may be possible in the future to predict which habitats are the most suitable for gorillas. Gorillas exploit both rare and common forest species. Similarities and differences among sites can be explained superficially on the basis of geography and the past history of the forest. Gorilla density across sites appears to be most affected by the density of monocotyledonous bulk food plants, but its relationship to the density of important tree food species has yet to be tested.     

Adiponectin and leptin exert antagonizing effects on proliferation and motility of papillary thyroid cancer cell lines

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - Adiponectin (Acrp30) and leptin, adipokines produced and secreted mainly by the adipose tissue, are involved in human carcinogenesis. Thyroid carcinomas are...     

Seasonal variation, weather and behavior in day-care children: a multilevel approach

This study analyzes the effect of weather variables, such as solar radiation, indoor and outdoor air temperature, relative humidity and time spent outdoor, on the behavior of 2-year-old children and their affects across different seasons: winter, spring and summer. Participants were a group of 61 children (33 males and 28 females) attending four day-care centers in Florence (Central Italy). Mean age of children at the beginning of the study was 24.1 months (SD?=?3.6). We used multilevel linear analyses to account for the hierarchical structure of our data. The study analyzed the following behavioral variables: Activity Level, Attentional Focusing, Frustration, and Aggression. Results showed a different impact of some weather variables on children’s behavior across seasons, indicating that the weather variable that affects children’s behavior is usually the one that shows extreme values during the studied seasons, such as air temperature and relative humidity in winter and summer. Studying children and their reactions to weather conditions could have potentially wide-reaching implications for parenting and teaching practices, as well as for researchers studying social relationships development.     

Heterotrophic Cultures of Galdieria phlegrea Shift to Autotrophy in the Presence or Absence of Glycerol

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Despite being an autotrophic organism, Galdieria phlegrea (Galdieriaceae) has the ability to use glycerol thereby switching to heterotrophy in the dark and...