Three-dimensional soft tissue preservation revealed in the skin of a non-avian dinosaur

The most commonly preserved soft tissues associated with ornithischian dinosaurs are skin remains. The apparent resistance of hadrosaur skin to decay, and its abundance in the fossil record relative to that of other tetrapods, has been attributed to factors such as thickness and composition. Here we report additional intrinsic factors within hadrosaur skin: 3D-preserved eumelanin-bearing bodies, dermal cells and blood vessel fragments in an organic matrix composed of protein fossilization products. The skin is much thinner than that of living mammals of similar size. It is likely that the preservation of hadrosaur skin is related to the arrangement of the layers composing it.     

Turning pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes into thermostable binding proteins: D-Serine dehydratase from baker's yeast as a case study

D-serine dehydratase from Saccharomyces cerevisae is a recently discovered dimeric enzyme catalyzing the β-elimination of D-serine to pyruvate and ammonia. The reaction is highly enantioselective and depends on cofactor pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) and Zn(2+). In our work, the aldimine linkage tethering PLP to recombinant, tagged D-serine dehydratase (Dsd) has been reduced by treatment with NaBH(4) so as to yield an inactive form of the holoenzyme (DsdR), which was further treated with a protease in order to remove the amino-terminal purification tag. Fourier Transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic analysis revealed that both the reduced form (DsdR) and the reduced/detagged form (DsdRD) maintain the overall secondary structure of Dsd, but featured a significant increased thermal stability. The observed T(m) values for DsdR and for DsdRD shifted to 71.5 °C and 73.3 °C, respectively, resulting in nearly 11 °C and 13 °C higher than the one measured for Dsd. Furthermore, the analysis of the FT-IR spectra acquired in the presence of D-serine and L-serine indicates that, though catalytically inert, DsdRD retains the ability to enantioselectively bind its natural substrate. Sequence analysis of D-serine dehydratase and other PLP-dependent enzymes also highlighted critical residues involved in PLP binding. In virtue of its intrinsic properties, DsdRD represents an ideal candidate for the design of novel platforms based on stable, non-consuming binding proteins aimed at measuring d-serine levels in biological fluids.     

Impaired myocardial metabolic reserve and substrate selection flexibility during stress in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Under resting conditions, the failing heart shifts fuel use toward greater glucose and lower free fatty acid (FFA) oxidation. We hypothesized that chronic metabolic abnormalities in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are associated with the absence of the normal increase in myocardial glucose uptake and maintenance of cardiac mechanical efficiency in response to pacing stress. In 10 DCM patients and 6 control subjects, we measured coronary flow by intravascular ultrasonometry and sampled arterial and coronary sinus blood. Myocardial metabolism was determined at baseline, during atrial pacing at 130 beats/min, and at 15 min of recovery by infusion of [(3)H]oleate and [(13)C]lactate and measurement of transmyocardial arteriovenous differences of oxygen and metabolites. At baseline, DCM patients showed depressed coronary flow, reduced uptake and oxidation of FFA, and preferential utilization of carbohydrates. During pacing, glucose uptake increased by 106% in control subjects but did not change from baseline in DCM patients. Lactate release increased by 122% in DCM patients but not in control subjects. Cardiac mechanical efficiency in DCM patients was not different compared with control subjects at baseline but was 34% lower during stress. Fatty acid uptake and oxidation did not change with pacing in either group. Our results show that in DCM there is preferential utilization of carbohydrates, which is associated with reduced flow and oxygen consumption at rest and an impaired ability to increase glucose uptake during stress. These metabolic abnormalities might contribute to progressive cardiac deterioration and represent a target for therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating cardiac substrate utilization.     

Exploring sequence requirements for C₃/C₄ carboxylate recognition in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa cephalosporinase: Insights into plasticity of the AmpC β-lactamase

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the chromosomally encoded class C cephalosporinase (AmpC β-lactamase) is often responsible for high-level resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. Despite years of study of these important β-lactamases, knowledge regarding how amino acid sequence dictates function of the AmpC Pseudomonas-derived cephalosporinase (PDC) remains scarce. Insights into structure-function relationships are crucial to the design of both β-lactams and high-affinity inhibitors. In order to understand how PDC recognizes the C₃/C₄ carboxylate of β-lactams, we first examined a molecular model of a P. aeruginosa AmpC β-lactamase, PDC-3, in complex with a boronate inhibitor that possesses a side chain that mimics the thiazolidine/dihydrothiazine ring and the C₃/C₄ carboxylate characteristic of β-lactam substrates. We next tested the hypothesis generated by our model, i.e. that more than one amino acid residue is involved in recognition of the C₃/C₄ β-lactam carboxylate, and engineered alanine variants at three putative carboxylate binding amino acids. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that the PDC-3 β-lactamase maintains a high level of activity despite the substitution of C₃/C₄ β-lactam carboxylate recognition residues. Enzyme kinetics were determined for a panel of nine penicillin and cephalosporin analog boronates synthesized as active site probes of the PDC-3 enzyme and the Arg349Ala variant. Our examination of the PDC-3 active site revealed that more than one residue could serve to interact with the C₃/C₄ carboxylate of the β-lactam. This functional versatility has implications for novel drug design, protein evolution, and resistance profile of this enzyme.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of pRb2/p130, VEGF, EZH2, p53, p16(INK4A), p27(KIP1), p21(WAF1), Ki-67 expression patterns in gastric cancer

Although the considerable progress against gastric cancer, it remains a complex lethal disease defined by peculiar histological and molecular features. The purpose of the present study was to investigate pRb2/p130, VEGF, EZH2, p53, p16(INK4A), p27(KIP1), p21(WAF1), Ki-67 expressions, and analyze their possible correlations with clinicopathological factors. The expression patterns were examined by immunohistochemistry in 47 patients, 27 evaluated of intestinal-type, and 20 of diffuse-type, with a mean follow up of 56 months and by Western blot in AGS, N87, KATO-III, and YCC-2, -3, -16 gastric cell lines. Overall, stomach cancer showed EZH2 correlated with high levels of p53, Ki-67, and cytoplasmic pRb2/p130 (P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). Increased expression of EZH2 was found in the intestinal-type and correlated with the risk of distant metastasis (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), demonstrating that this protein may have a prognostic value in this type of cancer. Interestingly, a strong inverse correlation was observed between p27(KIP1) expression levels and the risk of advanced disease and metastasis (P < 0.05), and a positive correlation between the expression levels of p21(WAF1) and low-grade (G1) gastric tumors (P < 0.05), confirming the traditionally accepted role for these tumor-suppressor genes in gastric cancer. Finally, a direct correlation was found between the expression levels of nuclear pRb2/p130 and low-grade (G1) gastric tumors that was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Altogether, these data may help shed some additional light on the pathogenetic mechanisms related to the two main gastric cancer histotypes and their invasive potentials.     

Acute myocardial infarction: Circadian, weekly, and seasonal patterns of occurrence

Convincing evidence has demonstrated that cardiovascular diseases do not occur randomly throughout the day, the week, or the year but show a well defined temporal organization. This article will review circadian, weekly, and seasonal patterns of occurrence of acute myocardial infarction, along with their underlying pathophysiological triggering factors.     

Olive flowering trends in a large Mediterranean area (Italy and Spain)

The aim of this study was to investigate the main climatic and biological trends related to olive flowering in central-southern Italy compared to those in Andalusia, Spain. Results since 1982 were compared for the two long-series monitoring areas of Cordoba and Perugia, and since 1992–1999 for the short-series areas. The relationship between climatic trends and the biological response of the olive, a widespread culture in the Mediterranean basin, were investigated. An aerobiological method involving capturing pollen released into the atmosphere was utilised as a bioindicator of flowering phenology. The study results confirm the strong relationship between flowering periods and spring temperature trends for the olive. Temperature during March, April and May was the parameter most related to flowering date in the study areas, particularly in Italy. In some cases we found a significant correlation between flowering and past autumn temperatures, probably due to their effect on floral bud dormancy induction, but this phenomenon appeared to be of minor importance in the studied areas. The phenological trend results show the continuous advance of flowering dates to the late 1990s, followed by a relatively stationary time series related to a short-term temperature fluctuation in the Mediterranean area. This latter period probably represents a mesoscale event forced by a macroscale event—the North Atlantic Oscillation. The results reveal that the trend towards increased temperatures, and the consequent flowering advance of some species, indicated some years ago is nowadays not as clear as was expected and should be confirmed over the next few years in the Mediterranean areas under investigation.