As Facts and Chats Go Online,What Is Important for Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes?

Background

Continued refinement of resources for patient information, education and support is needed. Considering the rapid development of new communication practices, the perspectives of young people themselves warrant more attention using a wide research focus. The purpose of this study was to understand information-seeking behaviours, Internet use and social networking online in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). This applied to their everyday life, including the context of diabetes and their experiences and need of contact with T1DM peers.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Twenty-four adolescents aged 10–17 years with T1DM were recruited from a county hospital in the south-east of Sweden. Qualitative data were obtained using eight focus groups, wherein each participant engaged in a 60–90 minute video/audio-recorded session. The focus group data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Some demographic and medical information was also collected. The three main categories that were identified; Aspects of Security, Updating, and Plainness and their sub-categories gave significant information about how to enhance information retrieval and peer contacts related to T1DM. Regarding the persons'' information-seeking behaviour, Internet use, and use of social media some differences could be identified depending on gender and age.

Conclusions/Significance

Sensitivity and adaptation to users'' needs and expectations seem crucial in the development of future online resources for adolescents with T1DM. To start with, this could mean applying a wider range of already existing information and communication technologies. Health practitioners need to focus on the areas of security of information and communication, frequency of updating, and simplicity of design-less is more.     

Modeling the proteome of a Marek's disease transformed cell line: a natural animal model for CD30 overexpressing lymphomas

Marek's disease (MD) in the chicken, caused by the highly infectious MD alpha-herpesvirus (MDV), is both commercially important and a unique, naturally occurring model for human T-cell lymphomas overexpressing the Hodgkin's disease antigen, CD30. Here, we used proteomics as a basis for modeling the molecular functions and biological processes involved in MDV-induced lymphomagenesis. Proteins were extracted from an MDV-transformed cell line and were then identified using 2-D LC-ESI-MS/MS. From the resulting 3870 cellular and 21 MDV proteins we confirm the existence of 3150 "predicted" and 12 "hypothetical" chicken proteins. The UA-01 proteome is proliferative, differentiated, angiogenic, pro-metastatic and pro-immune-escape but anti-programmed cell death, -anergy, -quiescence and -senescence and is consistent with a cancer phenotype. In particular, the pro-metastatic integrin signaling pathway and the ERK/MAPK signaling pathways were the two predominant signaling pathways represented. The cytokines, cytokine receptors, and their related proteins suggest that UA-01 has a regulatory T-cell phenotype.     

Role of a protein inhibitor of polygalacturonase in ripening of apples and their resistance of infection with Monilia fructigena, the causative agent of fruit rot

We investigated the dynamics of the activity of the polygalacturonidase inhibitor protein (PGIP) in apple fruits of six varieties differing in ripening time and correlated it with the degree of damage by the causative agent of fruit rot, Monilia fructigena. The apple varieties studied differed significantly in PGIP activity and degree of damage by Monilia fructigena. The rate of dissemination over fruit tissues was inversely related to PGIP activity. The resistance of apples to M. fructigena increased with ripening. The simultaneous increase in PGIP activity suggests its important role in the reduction of apple damage by fruit rot.     

Direct dynamin-actin interactions regulate the actin cytoskeleton

The large GTPase dynamin assembles into higher order structures that are thought to promote endocytosis. Dynamin also regulates the actin cytoskeleton through an unknown, GTPase-dependent mechanism. Here, we identify a highly conserved site in dynamin that binds directly to actin filaments and aligns them into bundles. Point mutations in the actin-binding domain cause aberrant membrane ruffling and defective actin stress fibre formation in cells. Short actin filaments promote dynamin assembly into higher order structures, which in turn efficiently release the actin-capping protein (CP) gelsolin from barbed actin ends in vitro, allowing for elongation of actin filaments. Together, our results support a model in which assembled dynamin, generated through interactions with short actin filaments, promotes actin polymerization via displacement of actin-CPs.     

Chlorine transport in a small catchment in southeast Sweden during two years

Previous studies have revealed that chlorine participates in a complex biogeochemical cycle in soil, which suggests that the transport of chloride through catchments may also be influenced. The present study is based on field observations of organic carbon, chloride (Cl_in), and chlorinated organic carbon (Cl_org) in precipitation, soil, and runoff over a 2-year period from a small, forested catchment in southeast Sweden. The study reveals that (1) the soil pool is dominated by Cl_org, (2) the input via wet deposition and output of Cl_in via runoff is 30 times smaller than the total storage of chlorine (Cl_in + Cl_org) in soil, and (3) the transport is dominated by Cl_in. The organic matter that entered the outlet of the catchment was more chlorinated in the autumn than during the rest of the year, and rain events taking place in low-flow periods had a greater influence on TOC, Cl_org, and Cl_in than did rain events taking place in high-flow periods. The seasonal pattern in combination with the low-flow versus high-flow pattern and previous findings of increasing chlorine-to-carbon ratios with soil depth suggests that the chlorine-to-carbon ratio variation in the leached organic matter is due that water preferentially comes from deeper layers in low-flow conditions. This study provides well-founded estimates of Cl_org and Cl_in storage and fluxes for the studied catchment; however, the processes underlying the observed seasonal Cl_org variations and transportation processes need further study.     

Activity of polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein of banana fruit tissues

The activity of polygalacturonase and the protein inhibiting this enzyme, which affected polygalacturonases of phytopathogenic fungi Verticillium dahliae and Gloesporium musarium, were detected in banana (Musa acumthata L.) fruit of cultivars Cavendish and Korolevskii. The polygalacturonase from banana fruit was inhibited by the preparations of the protein inhibitor not only from bananas but also from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit.     

Activity of polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein from banana fruit tissues

The activity of polygalacturonase and the protein inhibiting this enzyme, which affected polygalacturonases of phytopathogenic fungi Verticillium dahliae and Gloesporium musarum, were detected in banana (Musa acuminata L.) fruit of cultivars Cavendish and Korolevskii. The polygalacturonase from banana fruit was inhibited by the preparations of the protein inhibitor not only from bananas but also from potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit.__________Translated from Prikladnaya Biokhimiya i Mikrobiologiya, Vol. 41, No. 3, 2005, pp. 288–291.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Bulantseva, Nguen Ten Tkhang, Buza, Krinitsyna, Protsenko.     

Haemophilus influenzae surface fibrils contribute to serum resistance by interacting with vitronectin

Vitronectin inhibits the membrane attack complex of the complement system and is found both in plasma and the extracellular matrix. In this study, we have identified the outer membrane protein Haemophilus surface fibrils (Hsf) as the major vitronectin-binding protein in encapsulated H. influenzae type b. A H. influenzae mutant devoid of Hsf showed a significantly decreased binding to both soluble and immobilized vitronectin as compared with the wild-type counterpart. Moreover, Escherichia coli-expressing Hsf at the surface strongly adhered to immobilized vitronectin. Importantly, the H. influenzae Hsf mutant had a markedly reduced survival as compared with the wild-type bacterium when incubated with normal human serum. A series of truncated Hsf fragments were recombinantly manufactured in E. coli. The vitronectin binding regions were located within two separate binding domains. In conclusion, Hsf interacts with vitronectin and thereby inhibits the complement-mediated bactericidal activity, and thus is a major H. influenzae virulence factor.     

Quorum-sensing regulation in soil pseudomonads

228 strains of soil and rhizosphere pseudomonads isolated in different geographic zones were screened, with the use of two tester systems, for the capacity to produce N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), which are autoinducers involved in quorum-sensing (QS) regulation. AHL production was found in 11.4% of the strains investigated. In five Pseudomonas chlororaphis strains shown to be active AHL producers and chosen for further study, PCR identified two QS systems that involved the phzI, phzR, csaI, and csaR genes; this finding suggests the conservative nature of these regulation systems in P. chloroaphis. Strain P. chlororaphis 449, chosen as a model object and studied in greater detail, produced three AHL species including N-butanoyl-homoserine lactone and N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone. This strain produced three types of phenazine antibiotics, as well as siderophores and cyanide; it also exhibited antagonistic properties toward a wide spectrum of phytopathogenic fungi. The phzI and csaI genes, coding for synthases of AHLs of two types, were cloned and sequenced; mutants with knocked-out phzI and csaI genes were obtained. With the use of transposon mutagenesis and the gene substitution method, mutations were obtained in the global expression regulator genes gacS, coding for the GacA-GacS regulation system kinase, and rpoS, coding for the sigma S subunit of RNA polymerase. The effect of these mutations on the AHL synthesis and on the regulation of various metabolic processes in P. chlororaphis was studied.     

Quorum-sensing regulation in soil pseudomonads

228 strains of soil and rhizosphere pseudomonads isolated in different geographic zones were screened, with the use of two tester systems, for the capacity to produce N-acetyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), which are autoinducers involved in quorum-sensing (QS) regulation. AHL production was found in 11.4% of the strains investigated. In five Pseudomonas chlororaphis strains shown to be active AHL producers and chosen for further study, PCR identified two QS systems that involved the phzI, phzR, csaI, and csaR genes; this finding suggests the conservative nature of these regulation systems in P. chlororaphis. Strain P. chlororaphis 449, chosen as a model object and studied in greater detail, produced three AHL species including N-butanoyl-homoserine lactone and N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone. This strain produced three types of phenazine antibiotics, as well as siderophores and cyanide; it also exhibited antagonistic properties toward a wide spectrum of phytopathogenic fungi. The phzI and csaI genes, coding for synthases of AHLs of two types, were cloned and sequenced; mutants with knocked-out phzI and csal genes were obtained. With the use of transposon mutagenesis and the gene substitution method, mutations were obtained in the global expression regulator genes gacS, coding for the GacA-GacS regulation system kinase, and rpoS, coding for the sigma S subunit of RNA polymerase. The effect of these mutations on the AHL synthesis and on the regulation of various metabolic processes in P. chlororaphis was studied.