Decay accelerating activity of complement receptor type 1 (CD35). Two active sites are required for dissociating C5 convertases.

The goal of this study was to identify the site(s) in CR1 that mediate the dissociation of the C3 and C5 convertases. To that end, truncated derivatives of CR1 whose extracellular part is composed of 30 tandem repeating modules, termed complement control protein repeats (CCPs), were generated. Site 1 (CCPs 1-3) alone mediated the decay acceleration of the classical and alternative pathway C3 convertases. Site 2 (CCPs 8-10 or the nearly identical CCPs 15-17) had one-fifth the activity of site 1. In contrast, for the C5 convertase, site 1 had only 0.5% of the decay accelerating activity, while site 2 had no detectable activity. Efficient C5 decay accelerating activity was detected in recombinants that carried both site 1 and site 2. The activity was reduced if the intervening repeats between site 1 and site 2 were deleted. The results indicate that, for the C5 convertases, decay accelerating activity is mediated primarily by site 1. A properly spaced site 2 has an important auxiliary role, which may involve its C3b binding capacity. Moreover, using homologous substitution mutagenesis, residues important in site 1 for dissociating activity were identified. Based on these results, we generated proteins one-fourth the size of CR1 but with enhanced decay accelerating activity for the C3 convertases.     

Inhibition of histone deacetylases is the major pathway mediated by astaxanthin to antagonize LPS‐induced inflammatory responses in mammary epithelial cells

Mastitis is a major inflammatory response of the mammary gland due to various pathogenic invasions and is a serious disease that affects the production yield and health status of cows. Astaxanthin (AST), a xanthophyll carotenoid, is a secondary metabolite synthesized by microalgae and yeasts that has been reported to suppress various inflammatory responses. However, the protective effect of AST on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced mammary epithelial cells has not yet been reported. The present study results indicated that AST treatment markedly attenuated the oxidative stress markers and nitric oxide (NO) while improving the anti‐oxidant enzymes in LPS exposed cells. On the other hand, LPS‐exposed cells showed nuclear translocation of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) with the activation of inflammatory cytokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1, tumor necrosis factor‐α, interferon‐γ, and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6). In addition, mRNA expression analysis revealed that the histone deacetylase (HDAC) ‐1, ‐2, ‐3, ‐6, ‐7 and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) expressions were increased in the LPS group. Furthermore, the activity of HDAC was increased to 2‐fold with a significant reduction in the histone acetyltransferase activity in cells exposed to LPS. However, AST was able to inhibit the nuclear translocation of NF‐κB with attenuated HDAC activity. Intriguingly, HDAC inhibition studies demonstrated that the cytokines such as IL‐4, IL‐8, granulocyte‐mcrophage colony stimulating factor, C‐reactive protein, IL‐17A, and IL‐22 were significantly suppressed which were upregulated in LPS treatment; while AST was found acting by improving the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10, and thioredoxin reductase levels. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the role of HDACs in regulating cellular processes involved in the pathogenesis of LPS‐induced mastitis as well as the potential use of AST as a therapeutic in treatment for controlling disease progression.     

Construction of a chloroplast DNA library from rye (Secale cereale), a cereal plant of temperature-inducible chloroplast ribosome deficiency.

The chloroplast genomes of flowering plants are circular DNA molecules, 120 to 160 kilobase pairs long, encoding the rRNA, all tRNAs, and 21 r-proteins of the chloroplast translational apparatus as well as key protein components of the photosynthetic and carbon reduction cycle reactions. In this paper we describe some characteristics of the rye chloroplast (plastid) genome and the construction and characterization of a clone library of 93% of its DNA in a plasmid and a cosmid vector. The size of rye chloroplast DNA is estimated at 135 kbp, similar to that for wheat and rice but slightly smaller than the estimate for maize (139 kbp). Chloroplast ribosome deficiency is induced in rye seedlings by germination and growth at 32 degrees-34 degrees C; therefore these clones would be useful for analyzing the regulation of chloroplast ribosome synthesis in higher plants, a process that requires coordinate expression of genes located in the nucleus and the chloroplast.     

Fluconazole analogues containing 2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one or 2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one moieties,a novel class of anti-Candida agents

As a part of our program to develop new antifungal agents, a series of fluconazole analogues was designed and synthesized wherein one of the triazole moieties in fluconazole was replaced with 2H-1,4-benzothiazin-3(4H)-one or 2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one moiety. The new chemical entities thus synthesized were screened against various fungi and it was observed that the compounds 4a and 4i are potent inhibitors of Candida strains. The structure–activity relationship for these compounds is discussed.     

Fidelity of implementation: development and testing of a measure

Background

There is a considerable evidence base for 'collaborative care' as a method to improve quality of care for depression, but an acknowledged gap between efficacy and implementation. This study utilises the Normalisation Process Model (NPM) to inform the process of implementation of collaborative care in both a future full-scale trial, and the wider health economy.

Methods

Application of the NPM to qualitative data collected in both focus groups and one-to-one interviews before and after an exploratory randomised controlled trial of a collaborative model of care for depression.

Results

Findings are presented as they relate to the four factors of the NPM (interactional workability, relational integration, skill-set workability, and contextual integration) and a number of necessary tasks are identified. Using the model, it was possible to observe that predictions about necessary work to implement collaborative care that could be made from analysis of the pre-trial data relating to the four different factors of the NPM were indeed borne out in the post-trial data. However, additional insights were gained from the post-trial interview participants who, unlike those interviewed before the trial, had direct experience of a novel intervention. The professional freedom enjoyed by more senior mental health workers may work both for and against normalisation of collaborative care as those who wish to adopt new ways of working have the freedom to change their practice but are not obliged to do so.

Conclusions

The NPM provides a useful structure for both guiding and analysing the process by which an intervention is optimized for testing in a larger scale trial or for subsequent full-scale implementation.