Synthesis, characterization, crystal structure and biological activity of a novel heterotetranuclear complex: [NiLPb(SCN)2(DMF)(H2O)]2, bis-{[mu-N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediaminato-aqua-nickel(II)](thiocyanato)(mu-thiocyanato)(mu-N,N'-dimethylformamide)lead(II)}

The mononuclear nickel complex NiL (LH2 = N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-diaminopropane) can be transformed into the tetranuclear complex [NiL(H2O)Pb(SCN)2(DMF)]2 in the aid of SCN-, DMF (dimethylformamide) and Pb(II) ions. The complex was characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR investigation. The crystal structure reveals it is a nonlinear Ni(II)-Pb(II)-Pb(II)i-Ni(II)i (i: 1-x, 1-y, 1-z) heterotetranuclear complex and crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1. The Ni(II) and Pb(II) ions have a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. There are three kinds of mu-bridge in the molecule between the metal ions. Each pair of Ni and Pb ions in the asymmetric unit is equatorially linked by two phenolic oxygen bridging atoms of N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediaminato (salpd(2-), C17H16N2O2(2-)) ligand. The dinuclear centres from tetranuclear clusters Ni-Pb(i) and Ni(i)-Pb pairs are bridged by two mu-1,3-SCN groups. Pb(II) and Pb(II)i ions are also bridged by the oxygen atoms of DMF molecules. The tetranuclear units are hydrogen bonded by two O-H...N intermolecular interactions along the c-axis. The complex was screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities by the disc diffusion and microtiter plate techniques using DMF as solvent. The minimum inhibitory concentration values were calculated. It has been found that antimicrobial activities of the complexes are higher than the free ligand.     

Development of a fast and low-cost qPCR assay for diagnosis of acute gas pharyngitis

Background

Group A streptococci (GAS) are the most common bacterial cause of acute pharyngitis and account for 15–30 % of cases of acute pharyngitis in children and 5–10 % of cases in adults. In this study, a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) based GAS detection assay in pharyngeal swab specimens was developed.

Methods

The qPCR assay was compared with the gold standard bacterial culture and a rapid antigen detection test (RADT) to evaluate its clinical performance in 687 patients. The analytical sensitivity of the assay was 240 cfu/swab. Forty-five different potential cross-reacting organisms did not react with the test. Four different laboratories for the reproducibility studies were in 100 % (60/60) agreement for the contrived GAS positive and negative swab samples.

Results

The relative sensitivities of the RADT and the qPCR test were 55.9 and 100 %; and the relative specificities were 100 and 96.3 %, respectively. Duration of the total assay for 24 samples including pre-analytical processing and analysis changed between 42 and 55 min depending on the type of qPCR instrument used. A simple DNA extraction method and a low qPCR volume made the developed assay an economical alternative for the GAS detection.

Conclusion

We showed that the developed qPCR test is rapid, cheap, sensitive and specific and therefore can be used to replace both antigen detection and culture for diagnosis of acute GAS pharyngitis.

     

An Adipose Tissue Atlas: An Image-Guided Identification of Human-like BAT and Beige Depots in Rodents

1. Download high-res image (247KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Enrichment of lignocellulose-degrading microbial communities from natural and engineered methanogenic environments

The aim of this study was to develop an effective bioaugmentation concept for anaerobic digesters treating lignocellulosic biomass such as straw. For that purpose, lignocellulose-degrading methanogenic communities were enriched on wheat straw from cow and goat rumen fluid as well as from a biogas reactor acclimated to lignocellulosic biomass (sorghum as mono-substrate). The bacterial communities of the enriched cultures and the different inocula were examined by 454 amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes while the methanogenic archaeal communities were analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) fingerprinting of the mcrA gene. Bacteroidetes was the most abundant phylum in all samples. Within the Bacteroidetes phylum, Bacteroidaceae was the most abundant family in the rumen-derived enrichment cultures, whereas Porphyromonadaceae was the predominant one in the reactor-derived culture. Additionally, the enrichment procedure increased the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae (phylum: Firmicutes) in all cultures. T-RFLP profiles of the mcrA gene amplicons highlighted that the ruminal methanogenic communities were composed of hydrogenotrophic methanogens dominated by the order Methanobacteriales regardless of the host species. The methanogenic communities changed significantly during the enrichment procedure, but still the strict hydrogenotrophic Methanobacteriales and Methanomicrobiales were the predominant orders in the enrichment cultures. The bioaugmentation potential of the enriched methanogenic cultures will be evaluated in further studies.

     

Radiation interaction parameters for blood samples of breast cancer patients: an MCNP study

Radiation and Environmental Biophysics - The main goal of this study was to determine radiation interaction parameters such as mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic numbers, and effective...     

Infection-induced antibodies against the major outer membrane protein of Campylobacter jejuni mainly recognize conformational epitopes

The major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Campylobacter jejuni is an abundant surface protein with a pore-forming function and may be a potential candidate for vaccine development. Despite the fact that MOMP is immunogenic and the recombinant MOMP (rMOMP) can be readily produced in Escherichia coli, the nature of the antibody response to MOMP during in vivo infection is not well understood. In this study, various methods involving detergent replacement and liposome reconstitution were used to refold rMOMP, and antibody responses to MOMP elicited in Campylobacter-colonized chickens were evaluated using sera from chickens either naturally or experimentally infected by C. jejuni. The results demonstrated that proteoliposomes restored the reactivity of rMOMP to rabbit antibodies elicited by native MOMP, indicating the recovery of native MOMP conformation by this refolding method. Importantly, sera from naturally or experimentally infected chickens reacted weakly with denatured rMOMP, but strongly with rMOMP reconstituted in proteoliposome, suggesting that the chicken antibody response to MOMP is predominantly directed against conformational epitopes. These observations provide direct evidence for conformation-dependent humoral responses to MOMP induced by Campylobacter infection, demonstrate that C. jejuni MOMP is immunogenic in its natural host and suggest that proteoliposomes may be potentially used for the evaluation of rMOMP-based vaccines.     

Surfactant proteins A and D in the genital tract of mares

The presence of surface-active material in the lung alveolus has been known for several decades as being essential for normal lung function. Surfactant is essential for reducing the surface tension at the alveolar air-liquid interface. Pulmonary surfactant is composed of 90% lipids and 10% proteins. There are four non-serum proteins surfactant protein-A (SP-A), surfactant protein-B (SP-B), surfactant protein-C (SP-C) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) named in chronologic order of discovery. Lung SP-A and SP-D belong to a family of collagen-containing C-type lectin family called collectins. The host defence and controlling inflammatory processes of the lung are the major functions of SP-A and SP-D. SP-A and SP-D were originally demonstrated in alveolar type II cells, but recent studies have shown extrapulmonary expression of SP-A and SP-D indicating systemic roles of these proteins. Present study describes the presence of SP-A and SP-D in the mare genital tract, vulva, vagina, ovarium, uterus and tuba uterina using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The aim of this study was to characterize surfactant proteins in terms of: (i) whether surfactant proteins were present in the various structures of the mare genital system, (ii) if so, identifying and locating the surfactant proteins and finally (iii) determining the differences from those previously characterized for the lung. Although beyond the scope of this report, it is recognized that there are also some potential implications for better defining the reproductive defence mechanisms in mare. Therefore, genital system organs and tissues from mares were examined. We were able to show that proteins reactive with surfactant-specific antibodies were present in the mare genital tract. Thus, surfactant proteins are present not in just lamellar bodies associated with lung, but also genital system of mare.     

Interactions of myeloma cells with osteoclasts promote tumour expansion and bone degradation through activation of a complex signalling network and upregulation of cathepsin K, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)

Bone destruction is one of the most debilitating manifestations of multiple myeloma (MM) and results from the interaction of myeloma cells with the bone marrow microenvironment. Within the bone marrow, the disturbed balance between osteoclasts and osteoblasts is important for the development of lytic lesions. However, the mechanisms behind myeloma-mediated bone destruction are not completely understood. In order to address the importance of myeloma cell-osteoclast interactions in MM pathogenesis, we have developed a functional coculture system. We found that myeloma-osteoclast interactions resulted in stimulation of myeloma cell growth and osteoclastic activity through activation of major signalling pathways and upregulation of proteases. Signals from osteoclasts activated the p44/p42 MAPK, STAT3 and PI3K/Akt pathways in myeloma cells. In turn, myeloma cells triggered p38 MAPK and NF-kappaB signalling in osteoclasts. Myeloma-osteoclast interactions stimulated the production of TRAP, cathepsin K, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, -9, and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA). Consistent data with myeloma cell lines and primary myeloma cells underlined the biological relevance of these findings. In conclusion, we demonstrated the critical role of myeloma cell-osteoclast interactions in the existing interdependence between tumour expansion and bone disease. The identified molecular events might provide the rationale for novel treatment strategies.     

Simultaneous detection and differentiation of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Leptospira spp. by multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay

Leptospirosis, caused by pathogenic Leptospira, is one of the most important zoonoses in the world. Several molecular techniques have been developed for detection and differentiation between pathogenic and saprophytic Leptospira spp. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and simple assay for specific detection and differentiation of pathogenic Leptospira spp. by multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay using primers and probes targeting Leptospira genus specific 16S ribosomal RNA gene, the pathogen specific lig A/B genes and nonpathogen Leptospira biflexa specific 23S ribosomal RNA gene. Sixteen reference strains of Leptospira spp. including pathogenic and nonpathogenic and ten other negative control bacterial strains were used in the study. While the 16S primers amplified target from both pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires, the ligA/B and the 23S primers amplified target DNA from pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires, respectively. The multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay detection limit, that is, the sensitivity was found approximately 1 x 10(2) cells/ml for ligA/B gene and 23S ribosomal RNA gene, and 10 cells/ml 16S ribosomal RNA. The reaction efficiencies were 83-105% with decision coefficients of more than 0.99 in all multiplex assays. The multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay yielded negative results with the ten other control bacteria. In conclusion, the developed multiplex real-time PCR (TaqMan) assay is highly useful for early diagnosis and differentiation between pathogenic and non-pathogenic leptospires in a reaction tube as having high sensitivity and specificity.     

Antibody and splenocyte proliferation response to whole inactivated Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 1, 3 and 6B in mice

Animal models of infection and protection on the topic of the Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) have encountered many difficulties generated by low immunogenicity, a characteristic of polysaccharide capsular bacteria and difference of virulence between serotypes and strains. We have explored the immune response after immunization with heat inactivated S. pneumoniae serotype 1, 3 and 6B in C57BL/6 mice by IgM and IgG detection, and by splenocyte in vitro 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation after antigen specific stimulation, as a proposed method of cellular immune response evaluation. Antibody titer persistence after immunization was not lengthy while antigen specific proliferation response detected by EdU assay was remnant. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) challenge with serotype 6B S. pneumoniae proved that antibody titers and the detected specific cellular immune response do not cover seroprotective necessity and do not confer improved immunologic memory in comparison to non-immunized mice, which show natural resistance.