A Peptide Based Pro-drug Disrupts Alzheimer’s Amyloid into Non-toxic Species and Reduces Aβ Induced Toxicity In Vitro

Aggregation of Amyloid β (Aβ) in the interneuronal spaces is a major etiopathological factor for onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since the mechanism of aggregation is not fully understood, control and modulation of the aggregation process is a challenging task. Although, several strategies were developed for the past few decades, yet there is no proper therapeutics available. Herein, we report a peptide based pro-drug, termed as a conformational Pro-Drug peptide (PDp), which disrupts existing Aβ fibrils, but does not produce toxic soluble oligomers, through a series of spontaneous chemical reactions resulting in in situ generation of β-sheet destabilizing factors. Furthermore, PDp reduces Aβ mediated toxicity examined on an in vitro model consisting of the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. PDp also disrupts fibrils originated from AD affected human cerebrospinal fluid. These findings will help to understand the process of amyloidogenesis better and also indicate a novel approach for therapeutically important peptide design.     

Hepatocyte nuclear factors as possible C-reactive protein transcriptional inducer in the liver and white adipose tissue of rats with experimental chronic renal failure

Little is known about the effects of coffee that are not related to the presence of caffeine. The aim of the study was to analyse changes in kidney function and nucleotide metabolism related to high intake of decaffeinated coffee. Mice consumed decaffeinated coffee extract for two weeks. Activities of AMP deaminase, ecto5′-nucleotidase, adenosine deaminase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase were measured in kidney cortex and medulla by analysis of conversion of substrates into products using HPLC. Concentration of nucleotides in kidney cortex, kidney medulla and serum were estimated by HPLC. Activity of ecto5′-nucleotidase increased from 0.032 ± 0.006 to 0.049 ± 0.014 nmol/mg tissue/min in kidney cortex of mice administered high-dose decaffeinated coffee (HDC) together with increase in cortex adenosine concentration and decrease in plasma creatinine concentration. HDC leads to increased activity of ecto5′-nucleotidase in kidney cortex that translates to increase in concentration of adenosine. Surprisingly this caused improved kidney excretion function.     

The Expression Alteration of BC1 RNA and its Interaction with Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor eIF4A Post-Status Epilepticus

Abnormal dendritic sprouting and synaptic remodelling are important pathological features of temporal lobe epilepsy. BC1 RNA is a translation repressor involved in the regulation of the dendritic protein synthesis and mRNA transport, which is essential for dendritic development and plasticity. The expression alteration of BC1 RNA in the pilocarpine induced epilepsy model remains unknown. It is unclear if the interactions between BC1 RNA and eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF4A) exists in this model. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression changes of BC1 RNA and its interactions with eIF4A post-status epilepticus (SE). Chloride lithium and pilocarpine were used to induce the SE rat model. Either a whole brain or hippocampus tissues were collected at different time points after SE. The expression patterns of BC1 was detected by qPCR and in situ hybridization. The levels of eIF4AI/II protein expression were analyzed via western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The BC1 RNA-eIF4AI/II interaction was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). We found that the BC1 RNA levels decreased in hippocampus 3d, 1w and 2w post-SE before the levels recovered. The eIF4AI/II began to rise 3d post-SE and reached the maximum level 1w post-SE. After 1w post-SE the levels decreased in the hippocampal CA1, CA3 and DG subregions. EMSA analysis showed that BC1 RNA specifically interacted with the eIF4AI/II. The BC1 RNA-eIF4AI/II complex reduced to the lowest level 1w post-SE. Our results suggested that BC1 has a negative regulatory correlation with eIF4AI/II, where BC1 RNA could be involved in epileptogenesis by regulating dendritic protein synthesis.     

Mammalian <Emphasis Type="Italic">CYP2E1</Emphasis> gene triggered changes of relative ions fluxes,CaM content and genes expression profiles in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Petunia hybrida</Emphasis> cells to enhance resistance to formaldehyde

The influence of light quality and cytokinin content in media on growth, development, photosynthetic pigments and secondary metabolite content of Myrtus communis L. was evaluated in an in vitro culture. Various treatments with light emitting diodes (LEDs): 100% blue (B), a mix of 70% red and 30% blue (RB) and 100% red were applied and compared with a traditional fluorescent lamp as control. Axillary shoots were incubated on Murashige and Skoog medium with 30 g dm^?3 sucrose, 0.5% BioAgar, 0.5 μM 1-naphthaleneacetic acid and different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BA): 1, 2.5 and 5 µM. Cultures were maintained for 6 weeks in 23/21?±?1 °C (day/night), 80% relative humidity and 16/8 h photoperiod; photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) was 35 µmol m^?2 s^?1 in all treatments. Light spectra and BA content in media affected biometrical and phytochemical M. communis properties. Red LEDs and 5 µM BA resulted in the highest multiplication rate. The highest shoots were obtained under red LEDs, but with the lowest concentration of cytokinin in media. Fresh weight was greatest on LEDs containing blue light in the spectrum (B and RB); moreover, 5 µM BA increased dry weight. Photosynthetic pigment levels were lower under LED light compared to control lamps. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were identified in M. communis leaf extracts. Myricetin was the major constituent with highest concentration under red LEDs and highest BA level.     

Assessing wetland services for improved development decision-making: a case study of mangroves in coastal Bangladesh

Mangroves provide valuable ecosystem services for the wellbeing of coastal communities. Assessment and valuation of these mangroves services are increasingly advocated in development and conservation decision-making. Translating the values of services into more explicit monetary terms requires understanding of stakeholder activities, socio-economic context and local organizational structure to effectively support decision-making. Based on a survey of 100 households of three villages of Sundarban in Bangladesh, mangroves services to local communities were identified and their economic values estimated. The households perceived 18 mangroves services, of which capture fisheries, fuel energy, storm protection, habitat for fish breeding and nursery grounds and aesthetic enjoyment were ranked the most important. For provisioning services, households obtained important monetary benefits annually from capture fishery (US$ 976 per ha), fuel energy (US$ 80 per ha), honey (US$ 53 per ha) and fodder (US$ 26 per ha). The average annual willingness to pay for storm protection, erosion control and habitat for fish breeding and nursery services were estimated, respectively, as US$ 13 per ha, US$ 2 per ha and US$ 9 per ha. However, unsustainable exploitation and salinity intrusion impacted the services provided by mangroves. This study provides an important insight into the services and values of mangroves for local welfare, and thus can inform policy for protection and better use of mangrove resources.     

Group-wise ANOVA simultaneous component analysis for designed <Emphasis Type="Italic">omics</Emphasis> experiments

Introduction

Modern omics experiments pertain not only to the measurement of many variables but also follow complex experimental designs where many factors are manipulated at the same time. This data can be conveniently analyzed using multivariate tools like ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) which allows interpretation of the variation induced by the different factors in a principal component analysis fashion. However, while in general only a subset of the measured variables may be related to the problem studied, all variables contribute to the final model and this may hamper interpretation.

Objectives

We introduce here a sparse implementation of ASCA termed group-wise ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (GASCA) with the aim of obtaining models that are easier to interpret.

Methods

GASCA is based on the concept of group-wise sparsity introduced in group-wise principal components analysis where structure to impose sparsity is defined in terms of groups of correlated variables found in the correlation matrices calculated from the effect matrices.

Results

The GASCA model, containing only selected subsets of the original variables, is easier to interpret and describes relevant biological processes.

Conclusions

GASCA is applicable to any kind of omics data obtained through designed experiments such as, but not limited to, metabolomic, proteomic and gene expression data.

     

Life cycle assessment of chitosan production in India and Europe

Purpose

The aim of this article is to present the first life cycle assessment of chitosan production based on data from two real producers located in India and Europe. The goal of the life cycle assessment (LCA) was to understand the main hot spots in the two supply chains, which are substantially different in terms of raw materials and production locations.

Methods

The LCA is based on consequential modelling principles, whereby allocation is avoided by means of substitution, and market mixes include only flexible, i.e. non-constrained suppliers. The product system is cradle to gate and includes the production of raw materials, namely waste shells from snow crab and shrimp in Canada and India, respectively, the processing of these in China and India and the manufacture of chitosan in Europe and India. Primary data for chitin and chitosan production were obtained from the actual producers, whereas raw material acquisition as well as waste management activities were based on literature sources. The effects of indirect land use change (iLUC) were also included. Impact assessment was carried out at midpoint level by means of the recommended methods in the International Life Cycle Data (ILCD) handbook.

Results and discussion

In the Indian supply chain, the production of chemicals (HCl and NaOH) appears as an important hot spot. The use of shrimp shells as raw material affects the market for animal feed, resulting in a credit in many impact indicators, especially in water use. The use of protein waste as fertilizer is also an important source of greenhouse-gas and ammonia emissions. In the European supply chain, energy use is the key driver for environmental impacts, namely heat production based on coal in China and electricity production in China and Europe. The use of crab shells as raw material avoids the composting process they would be otherwise subject to, leading to a saving in composting emissions, especially ammonia. In the Indian supply chain, the effect of iLUC is relevant, whereas in the European one, it is negligible.

Conclusions

Even though we assessed two products from the same family, the results show that they have very different environmental profiles, reflecting their substantially different supply chains in terms of raw material (shrimp shells vs. crab shells), production locations (locally produced vs. a global supply chain involving three continents) and the different applications (general-purpose chitosan vs. chitosan for the medical sector).

     

Life cycle inventory modeling of phosphorus substitution,losses and crop uptake after land application of organic waste products

Purpose

Life cycle assessments (LCAs) that attempt to provide advice on treatment options for phosphorus (P) containing organic waste products encounter problems related to the quantification of mineral P fertilizer substitution, P loss and crop P uptake after land application. The purpose of this study was to develop a relatively easy to use life cycle inventory model, known as PLCI, that could be used to estimate these values.

Methods

A life cycle inventory model for P was developed, which estimates the effect of an application of organic waste followed by ordinary fertilizer management in the modeling period. This was compared with a simulation without the initial waste application. The difference in mineral P fertilizer application (substitution), P loss and crop P uptake was then calculated and expressed as a proportion of the amount of waste applied. As an example, the effect of an initial application of mineral fertilizer, sewage sludge and ash on two farm types was simulated. These results were applied in an LCA case study of different sewage sludge treatment options.

Results and discussion

Farm type influenced the P fertilizer substitution, loss and crop uptake factors. The application on an arable farm showed a substitution of 28 to 31%, relatively low P loss and a large spread in crop P uptake for the different P sources, compared with the pig farm. Application on a pig farm showed no mineral P substitution. For substitution, mineral fertilizer outperformed waste product fertilizer with a short modeling period, due to higher immediate P availability, which was not the case with a long period. The LCA case study showed that the P substitution factor had an influence on the environmental impact categories climate change and depletion of reserve-based abiotic resources while the P loss factor influenced freshwater eutrophication. Application of the P loss and substitution factors generated from the PLCI model resulted in higher environmental burdens and lower savings than using conventional factors.

Conclusions

The soil P status mainly affected P substitution and loss, with the fertilizer type only having a small influence when soils had a low P status. The PLCI model can facilitate more coherent and rigorous estimates of P substitution and loss to be used in LCA studies involving application of waste products on agricultural land. This is important since P substitution and loss can have an important influence on impact categories, such as freshwater eutrophication and resource depletion.

     

Graphene Doping Induced Tunability of Nanoparticles Plasmonic Resonances

Interest in graphene has been widely increasing since its discovery in 2004. Research on graphene for plasmonic applications has also boomed due to the high potential of these systems. In this article, we discuss the possible interaction between metallic NPs and graphene monolayer. We show how the contact between metallic NPs and graphene results in graphene doping. More importantly, we experimentally put into evidence the possible modulation of the plasmonic resonance of NPs by graphene doping. Understanding and evidencing this interaction is highly important both from a fundamental point of view and for specific applications such as active plasmonic devices.

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