Identification of acetic acid bacteria isolated from Indonesian sources,especially of isolates classified in the genus Gluconobacter

Sixty-four strains of acetic acid bacteria were isolated from Indonesian sources such as fruits, flowers, and fermented foods by the enrichment culture at pH 3.5. Forty-five strains were routinely identified as Acetobacter strains because of their oxidation of acetate and lactate to carbon dioxide and water and their Q-9 isoprenolog, corresponding to 70% of all the 64 acetic acid bacteria isolated. Eight isolates were identified as Gluconacetobacter strains because of their oxidation of acetate and lactate and their Q-10 isoprenolog, occupying 13% of all the isolates. The remaining 11 isolates, accommodated in the genus Gluconobacter because of no oxidation of acetate and lactate and because of their Q-10 isoprenolog, accounted for 17% of all the isolates. They were divided into two groups based on DNA base compositions. One comprised the seven isolates, which had high G1C contents of DNA ranging from 60.3 to 63.5 mol% and of which DNAs hybridized with that of the type strain of Gluconobacter oxydans at values of 64-94% of DNA relatedness. The other comprised the remaining four isolates, which had low G+C contents of DNA ranging from 57.5 to 57.7 mol% and of which DNAs hybridized with that of the type strain of Gluconobacter frateurii at values of 63-77% of DNA relatedness. The high values of DNA relatedness, 84 to 96%, were obtained between the type strains of Gluconobacter cerinus and Gluconobacter asaii.     

Characterization of evolving biomechanical properties of tissue engineered vascular grafts in the arterial circulation

We used a murine model to assess the evolving biomechanical properties of tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) implanted in the arterial circulation. The initial polymeric tubular scaffold was fabricated from poly(lactic acid)(PLA) and coated with a 50:50 copolymer of poly(caprolactone) and poly(lactic acid)(P[PC/LA]). Following seeding with syngeneic bone marrow derived mononuclear cells, TEVGs (n=50) were implanted as aortic interposition grafts in wild-type mice and monitored serially using ultrasound. A custom biaxial mechanical testing device was used to quantify the in vitro circumferential and axial mechanical properties of grafts explanted at 3 or 7 months. At both times, TEVGs were much stiffer than native tissue in both directions. Repeated mechanical testing of some TEVGs treated with elastase or collagenase suggested that elastin did not contribute significantly to the overall stiffness whereas collagen did contribute. Traditional histology and immunostaining revealed smooth muscle cell layers, significant collagen deposition, and increasing elastin production in addition to considerable scaffold at both 3 and 7 months, which likely dominated the high stiffness seen in mechanical testing. These results suggest that PLA has inadequate in vivo degradation, which impairs cell-mediated development of vascular neotissue having properties closer to native arteries. Assessing contributions of individual components, such as elastin and collagen, to the developing neovessel is needed to guide computational modeling that may help to optimize the design of the TEVG.     

Associations between Disease Awareness and Health-Related Quality of Life in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Population

Background

Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important dimension of individuals'' well-being, and especially in chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contributions of disease process, comorbidities, medication or awareness of the disease to HRQoL in diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study of 3514 respondents from the general community in Singapore, assessed for HRQoL, disease and comorbid conditions through self-report, clinical and laboratory investigations. HRQoL was assessed using SF-36 health survey version 2. For each condition, participants were categorized as having 1) no disease, 2) undiagnosed, 3) diagnosed, not taking medication, and 4) diagnosed, taking medication. Analysis used one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression.

Results

Diagnosed disease was associated with lower physical health component summary (PCS) scores across all three conditions. After adjustment for comorbidities, this association remained significant only for those not on medication in diabetes (−2.7±1.2 points, p = 0.03) and dyslipidemia (−1.3±0.4 points, p = 0.003). Diagnosed hypertension (no medication −2.6±0.9 points, p = 0.002; medication −1.4±0.5 points, p = 0.004) and dyslipidemia (no medication −0.9±0.4 points, p = 0.03; medication −1.9±0.5 points, p<0.001) were associated with lower mental health component summary (MCS) scores. Undiagnosed disease was associated with higher MCS in diabetes (2.4±1.0 points, p = 0.01) and dyslipidemia (0.8±0.4 points, p = 0.045), and PCS in hypertension (1.2±0.4 points, p = 0.004).

Conclusions

Disease awareness was associated with lower HRQoL across the diseases studied, with PCS associations partially mediated by comorbidities. Equally importantly, undiagnosed disease was not associated with HRQoL deficits, which may partly explain why these individuals do not seek medical care.     

Total RNA isolation from<Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea mariana</Emphasis> dry seed

Isolating RNA from dry conifer seeds can be difficult because of a number of interfering compounds present in seeds. We describe a protocol for total RNA isolation from black spruce dry seeds, which is an adaptation of a method used for mouse myeloma tissues. The extraction relies on selective precipitation of RNA by using lithium chloride.     

High expression of LASS2 is associated with unfavorable prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer

Homo sapiens longevity assurance homolog 2 of yeast LAG1 (LASS2), is a gene isolated from a human liver complementary DNA library. In this study, we found that LASS2 protein level was positively related to International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and LASS2-negative tumors showed significant association with longer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in ovarian cancer patients. The heterogeneous expression of LASS2 had been exhibited in diverse ovarian cancer cells. A significantly lower messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein level of LASS2 was seen in 3AO cell compared with those in other types of ovarian cancer cells. Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein levels of LASS2 in ES-2 and NIH:OVCAR-3 cells were obviously higher. LASS2 overexpression in 3AO cell could promote migration, invasion, and metastasis abilities in vitro and in vivo, while LASS2 knockdown in ES-2 and NIH:OVCAR-3 cells had the opposite effects. The oncogenic capacity of LASS2 in ovarian cancer may be mediated by increased expression of YAP/TAZ. It is indicated that lowering the expression of LASS2 is likely to serve as an unprecedented approach for the treatment of ovarian cancer.     

Distinctive ganglioside patterns revealed by anti-ganglioside antibody binding to differentiating CG-4 oligodendrocytes

Oligodendrocytes are central nervous system glial cells responsiblefor myelination of neuronal axons. During brain developmentoligodendrocyte progenitor cells progress through a series ofmorphologically and immunohistochemically distinct differentiationsteps leading to mature myelin-producing oligodendrocytes. Muchof this same differentiation sequence is expressed in vitroby primary oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, and by the clonalprogenitor cell line CG-4. We report the use of highly specificmonoclonal antibodies against GM1, GDla, GD1b, GT1b, and GQ1bto determine major brain ganglioside expression and morphologicaldistribution during CG-4 differentiation in vitro. Prominentanti-GD1b antibody staining defined a highly arborized intermediatestage of oligodendrocyte differentiation. In contrast, anti-GT1bantibody bound to discrete patches on the cell bodies of earlyprogenitor cells and more mature oligodendrocytes, and to sitesof progenitor arborization. The other anti-ganglioside antibodiestested did not bind above background levels. Cells with anti-GD1bantibody binding and morphology similar to those in differentiatingCG-4 cells were detected in rat brain primary cell culturesenriched in oligodendrocyte precursors. The remarkably distinctiveganglioside immunoreactivhy on differentiating oligodendrocytessuggests the possibility of a functional role for their surfaceexpression. gangliosides glycosphingolipids oligodendrocytes myelination differentiation     

Comparative study of the binding mode between cytochrome P450 17A1 and prostate cancer drugs in the absence of haem iron

Abstract

According to the X-ray crystal structures of CYP17A1 (including its complexes with inhibitors), it is shown that a hydrogen bond exists between CYP17A1 and its inhibitors (such as abiraterone and TOK-001). Previous short MD simulations (50?ns) suggested that the binding of abiraterone to CYP17A1 is stronger than that of TOK-001. In this work, by carrying out long atomistic MD simulations (200?ns) of CYP17A1 and its complexes with abiraterone and TOK-001, we observed a binding mode between CYP17A1 and abiraterone, which is different from the binding mode between CYP17A1 and TOK-001. In the case of abiraterone binding, the unfilled volume in the active site cavity increases the freedom of movement of abiraterone within CYP17A1, leading to the collective motions of the helices G and B′ as well as the breaking of hydrogen bond existing between the 3β-OH group of abiraterone and N202 of CYP17A1. However, the unfilled volume in the active site cavity can be occupied by the benzimidazole ring of TOK-001, restraining the motion of TOK-001. By pulling the two inhibitors (abiraterone and TOK-001) out of the binding pocket in CYP17A1, we discovered that abiraterone and TOK-001 were moved from their binding sites to the surface of protein similarly through the channels formed by the helices G and B′. In addition, based on the free energy calculations, one can see that it is energetically favorable for the two inhibitors (abiraterone and TOK-001) to enter into the binding pocket in CYP17A1.     

A Detailed Epidemiological and Clinical Description of 6 Human Cases of Avian-Origin Influenza A (H7N9) Virus Infection in Shanghai

Background

The world’s first reported patient infected with avian influenza H7N9 was treated at the Fifth People’s Hospital of Shanghai. Shortly thereafter, several other cases emerged in the local area. Here, we describe the detailed epidemiological and clinical data of 6 cases of avian influenza H7N9.

Methods and Findings

We analyzed the epidemiologic and clinical data from clustered patients infected with H7N9 in the Minhang District of Shanghai during a 2-week period. Of the 6 patients, 2 were from a single family. In addition, 3 patients had a history of contact with poultry; however, all 6 patients lived in the proximity of 2 food markets where the H7N9 virus was detected in chickens and pigeons. The main symptoms were fever, cough, and hemoptysis. At onset, a decreased lymphocyte count and elevated creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein levels were observed. As the disease progressed, most patients developed dyspnea and hypoxemia. Imaging studies revealed lung consolidation and multiple ground-glass opacities in the early stage, rapidly extending bilaterally. All patients were treated with oseltamivir tablets beginning on days 3–8 after onset. The main complications were as follows: acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS; 83.3%), secondary bacterial infection (66.7%), pleural effusion (50%), left ventricular failure (33.3%), neuropsychiatric symptoms (33.3%), and rhabdomyolysis (16.7%). Of the 6 patients, 4 died of ARDS, with 2 patients recovering from the infection.

Conclusions

An outbreak of H7N9 infection occurred in the Minhang District of Shanghai that easily progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Two cases showed family aggregation, which led us to identify the H7N9 virus and indicated that human transmission may be involved in the spread of this infection.