Merits of Diazirine Photo-Immobilization for Target Profiling of Natural Products and Cofactors

Finding the targets of natural products is of key importance in both chemical biology and drug discovery, and deconvolution of cofactor interactomes contributes to the functional annotation of the proteome. Identifying the proteins that underlie natural compound activity in phenotypic screens helps to validate the respective targets and, potentially, expand the druggable proteome. Here, we present a generally applicable protocol for the photoactivated immobilization of unmodified and microgram quantities of natural products on diazirine-decorated beads and their use for systematic affinity-based proteome profiling. We show that among 31 molecules of very diverse reported activity and biosynthetic origin, 25 could indeed be immobilized. Dose-response competition binding experiments using lysates of human or bacterial cells followed by quantitative mass spectrometry recapitulated targets of 9 molecules with <100 μM affinity. Among them, immobilization of coenzyme A produced a tool to interrogate proteins containing a HotDog domain. Surprisingly, immobilization of the cofactor flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) led to the identification of nanomolar interactions with dozens of RNA-binding proteins.

Dispersion analysis of sucrose C12H22O11 single crystal

We present the first complete dispersion analysis of a sucrose single crystal in the infrared spectral region between 4000 and 400 cm^-1 by means of an adapted generalized dispersion analysis employing the naturally grown crystal faces. The gained dielectric tensor function and the oscillator parameters were confirmed by forward calculation of reflection spectra of different orientations. Reliable growth of large-sized sucrose crystals makes it candidates for doping with photonically active materials.

Communication: The formation of rarefaction waves in semiconductors after ultrashort excitation probed by grazing incidence ultrafast time-resolved x-ray diffraction

We explore the InSb-semiconductor lattice dynamics after excitation of high density electron-hole plasma with an ultrashort and intense laser pulse. By using time resolved x-ray diffraction, a sub-mÅ and sub-ps resolution was achieved. Thus, a strain of 4% was measured in a 3 nm thin surface layer 2 ps after excitation. The lattice strain was observed for the first 5 ps as exponentially decaying, changing rapidly by time and by depth. The observed phenomena can only be understood assuming nonlinear time dependent laser absorption where the absorption depth decreases by a factor of twenty compared to linear absorption.

CdTe Timepix detectors for single-photon spectroscopy and linear polarimetry of high-flux hard x-ray radiation

Single-photon spectroscopy of pulsed, high-intensity sources of hard X-rays - such as laser-generated plasmas - is often hampered by the pileup of several photons absorbed by the unsegmented, large-volume sensors routinely used for the detection of high-energy radiation. Detectors based on the Timepix chip, with a segmentation pitch of 55 μm and the possibility to be equipped with high-Z sensor chips, constitute an attractive alternative to commonly used passive solutions such as image plates. In this report, we present energy calibration and characterization measurements of such devices. The achievable energy resolution is comparable to that of scintillators for γ spectroscopy. Moreover, we also introduce a simple two-detector Compton polarimeter setup with a polarimeter quality of (98 ± 1)%. Finally, a proof-of-principle polarimetry experiment is discussed, where we studied the linear polarization of bremsstrahlung emitted by a laser-driven plasma and found an indication of the X-ray polarization direction depending on the polarization state of the incident laser pulse.

Psychometric evaluation of the Sinhalese version of MacNew Heart Disease Health Related Quality of Life Questionnaire in patients with stable angina

BACKGROUND

A Sinhalese version of a validated, disease-specific patient-reported heart disease health related quality of life instrument is lacking. The purpose of this study was to validate the interviewer-administered Sinhalese version of the MacNew Heart Disease Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (MacNew) in patients with clinically diagnosed stable angina.

METHODS

The Sinhalese translation of the MacNew was carried using standard forward- backward translation technique. In this validation study, the MacNew was administered to 200 patients with stable angina. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Construct validity was explored by exploratory factor analysis using principal component analysis and confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis using the robust maximum likelihood method and known group comparison. The correlation between compatible domain scores of MacNew and the World Health Organization's quality of life -brief questionnaire was used to assess concurrent validity.

RESULTS

The original 3-factor model (Physical, Emotional and Social) of the MacNew with cross-loadings was confirmed: principal component analysis with 53.42 % of the explained variance and confirmatory factor analysis with adequate fit for each of the three model fit criteria considered [root mean square error of approximation = 0.044 (90 % CI = 0.031 to 0.056); comparative fit index = 0.99; χ(2)/df = 1.39]. Internal consistency of the MacNew was acceptable with Cronbach's α of 0.92 on the Global scale and on the domain scales ranging from 0.85-0.91. Test-retest reliability was also found to be satisfactory with intraclass correlation coefficients of >0.9 for total and domain scores. A satisfactory level of concurrent validity was demonstrated with statistically significant correlations between compatible domain scores of MacNew and the World Health Organization's quality of life questionnaire (Pearson correlation ranging from 0.36-0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

The interviewer-administered Sinhalese MacNew is a valid and reliable patient-reported outcome measure to assess disease specific health-related quality of life among Sinhalese patients with stable angina.

The dimensional structure of the MacNew Health Related Quality of Life questionnaire: A Mokken Scale Analysis

OBJECTIVE

The MacNew Health related Quality of Life Questionnaire is a widely used instrument for the assessment of health related quality of life in cardiac patients. The study addresses for the first time the dimensional structure of the MacNew with Mokken Scale Analysis (MSA).

METHODS

Separate exploratory MSA of the MacNew was conducted in a large Spanish (n=1012) and a medium sized Austrian sample (n=262) of patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). The results of both samples were summarized in a synthesis model. Confirmatory MSA and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to evaluate the model.

RESULTS

The synthesis model comprises 21 items forming a unidimensional sum scale of moderate strength. On the level of subdomains we define two strong unidimensional subscales (restriction: 6 items, and emotional: 10 items) and two smaller item sets (symptoms: 2 items and social: 3 items). 5 items were excluded due to low scalability in both samples.

CONCLUSION

Our results generally support the use of the MacNew Global score, with the limitation, that five items may be questionable with regard to scalability. On the level of unidimensional subscales MSA suggests to differentiate between a six-item restriction scale and a ten-item emotional scale. The study demonstrates that Mokken Scale Analysis complements the results of factor analysis and can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the dimensional structure of Health-related Quality of Life questionnaires.

[Quality of life, stress management and health promotion in medical and dental students. A comparative study]

OBJECTIVE

Which are the differences in health-related quality of life and stress management in medical and dental students?

METHODS

101 dental and 237 medical students from different years of Justus-Liebig University Giessen were examined during winter term 2008/09 and summer term 2009 using the specific Questionnaire on Health Promotion, Life Satisfaction, and Stress Management in Dental or Medical Students (addressing work satisfaction and choice of subject, private life, relaxation behavior and stress management, and health behavior), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and SF-36 Health Survey. For statistical analysis, Mann-Whitney-U-Test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation and Chi2-Tests were primarily used.

RESULTS

Dental and medical students showed considerable mental impairment in SF-36. Every fifth dental student suffered from slight to moderate depression. Though averaging more hours per week, medical students were more satisfied with their studies. More than half of the dental and medical students did not have appropriate strategies of coping with stress.

CONCLUSIONS

Concerning the mental impairment in both groups and regarding a higher health-related quality of life, specific prevention courses or mentoring programs should already be offered at the beginning of medical training in order to cope with strains of medical school and future job strains in the medical or dental profession.

[Proof of the biomechanical effect of a lumbar spine-relief orthosis for treatment of sacroiliac pain]

AIM

The use of a spine orthosis for the treatment of low back pain is an approved, but also a disputed therapy method. There have been numerous studies so far that attempt to examine the acceptance and the impact of this treatment method. But up to now there is no biomechanical assessment about the effective level of intervertebral disc decompression while wearing an orthosis. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to measure the reduction of the disc pressure while wearing an orthosis.

METHOD

The pressure between the sensor contact area and the lumbar region was measured with FSR sensors. Two sensors were fixed at the vertical rods of the plastic framework of the orthosis. The pressure sensors underwent a voltage change while a Tigges T-Flex-B orthosis was being worn. These voltage changes were recorded using the connected measurement amplifiers. Different series of measurements were conducted with 3 male test persons. The resulting pressures were recorded under the following test conditions: knees bent, in different flexion angles of the torso and lift of 10/20 kg weights. Back muscle, shear, compressive and resulting forces were computed afterwards with the generally valid biomechanical formulas.

RESULTS

The computations showed that the use of the Tigges T-Flex-B orthosis resulted in relief of the intervertebral disc L3-L4 of about approximately 96.91+/-4.68 N. The highest intervertebral disc pressure reduction was measured during the body-far lift of 20 kg weight.

CONCLUSION

For the first time relief of the lumbar spinal column was proven in the present study because the contact pressure was measured between the orthosis and the lumbal body surface.

The QOLIBRI--towards a quality of life tool after traumatic brain injury: current developments in Asia

INTRODUCTION

There is no disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) tool devoted to traumatic brain injury (TBI).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Over 1500 TBI patients from 10 countries filled out a preliminary version of the QOLIBRI taking TBI specificities into account. 3 successive versions and consecutive statistical analyses were necessary to get a psychometrically-reliable tool.

RESULTS

The QOLIBRI final version, filled out in 15 min, consists of 2 parts. The first part assesses satisfaction with HRQoL and is composed of 6 overall items and 29 items allocated to 4 subscales: thinking, feelings, autonomy and social aspects. The second part, devoted to "bothered" questions, is composed of 12 items in 2 subscales: negative feelings and restrictions. The 6 subscales meet standard psychometric criteria. In addition, 2 items evaluate medical-oriented aspects. The questionnaire is validated in German, Finnish, Italian, French, English, Dutch.

CONCLUSION

TBI patients may now be assessed, beyond more "objective" measures including handicap and recovery, with a new measure of assessing the TBI patient's own opinion on his/her HRQoL, applicable across different populations and cultures. Validations in China Mainland, Hong-Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Egypt, Poland, Norway, Indonesia, and Malaya are on the way.

Association of factors influencing health-related quality of life in MS

As results regarding associative demographic and disease-specific factors on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are partially inconsistent and contradictory, we reinvestigated this question on a large Austrian MS dataset. Patients received a questionnaire covering demographic and disease-specific characteristics and the Nottingham health profile (NHP) for assessing HRQoL. In order to estimate the risk for suboptimal HRQoL, adjusted odds ratios were calculated from logistic regression models including gender, age, expanded disability status scale (EDSS), disease course, disease duration and walking ability as covariates. The EDSS was the only factor contributing to both physical and mental dimensions (P < 0.001), whereas disease course, gender and age showed a significant effect on all physical, but not consistently on mental dimensions. The regression models fitting better for physical than for mental dimensions, clearly indicate a lack of explanation of demographic and disease-specific factors in these dimensions of HRQoL.

Evaluative and Discriminative Properties of the Portuguese MacNew Heart Disease Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire

The aim of this study was to validate the Portuguese version of the self-administered MacNew Heart Disease Health-related Quality of Life (MacNew) questionnaire in patients after diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. The MacNew, with a Global score and physical, emotional and social subscales, the Short Form SF-36 (SF-36) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were completed at baseline by 150 patients and again by 48 clinically stable patients 2-3 weeks later. A cohort of 50 different patients completed the same questionnaires before and after a cardiac rehabilitation program in order to examine responsiveness. Acceptance of the MacNew by the patients was good and the three factor model was substantiated and explained 52.2% of the variance. Internal consistency, intra-class-correlation, and test-retest reliability each exceeded 0.72. The predicted construct validity hypotheses were partially confirmed. The discriminative validity of the MacNew was confirmed with significantly higher MacNew scores for patients with normal left ventricular function, with improved health status, and who were not anxious or depressed. Even though MacNew scores improved significantly following cardiac rehabilitation, the evaluative validity of the MacNew was less robust with small responsiveness statistics. The Portuguese version of the MacNew HRQL questionnaire appears to be a reliable, valid, and moderately responsive instrument to evaluate health-related quality of life after diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.

Psychometric Properties of an Established Heart Disease Specific Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Pacemaker Patients

Little is known about the HRQL of pacemaker patients due to the limited availability of disease-specific instruments. The aim of the Pacemaker Patients Quality of Life (PAPQoL) study was to determine the psychometric properties for the MacNew Heart Disease Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (MacNew) in patients before and after pacemaker implantation. Patients with a given indication for pacemaker therapy (N = 68) completed two self-administered HRQL instruments, the SF-36, a well-known and psychometrically sound health survey, and the MacNew, a reliable and valid heart-disease-specific HRQL instrument, before and one, three and six months after pacemaker implantation. We assessed disease severity with the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. Test-retest reliability, intra-class correlation, Cronbach's alpha, validity coefficients, sensitivity analyses (effect sizes) and confirmatory factor analysis were carried out. The MacNew demonstrated adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha and ICCs > 0.80 on all scales), validity (correlations between similar SF-36 and MacNew subscales > 0.80), and responsiveness (all effect sizes > or = 0.67) in pacemaker patients. The MacNew demonstrates adequate psychometric properties for evaluating HRQL in patients before and after pacemaker implantation.

Health-related quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease treated for angina: validity and reliability of German translations of two specific questionnaires

The German versions of two patient-perceived heart disease specific health-related quality of life (HRQL) questionnaires, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) and the MacNew Heart Disease questionnaire, were examined for their psychometric properties in patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease and angina who were treated either medically or invasively and followed up for 1 year. Both HRQL questionnaires and the modified Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina-associated disability scale were completed by 158 patients at baseline and 12 months later when they also completed a generic health status questionnaire, the SF-36. Both specific HRQL questionnaires were acceptable to patients. Three of the four MacNew scales, but none of the SAQ scales, discriminated between patients by baseline CCS disability levels I and IV. Internal consistency ranged from 0.75 to 0.94 for the SAQ and from 0.86 to 0.97 for the MacNew scales. Test-retest reliability over a 4-week period of time ranged from 0.45 to 0.81 for the SAQ scales and 0.61 to 0.68 for the MacNew scales. Over 12 months, HRQL improved (p < 0.001) on three of the five SAQ and on all four of the MacNew scales with the responsiveness statistic ranging from 0.59 to 1.55 for the SAQ and 0.86 to 1.12 for the MacNew. The 12 month scores on all SAQ and MacNew scales were significantly higher in patients who improved than those who deteriorated on the SF-36 reported health transition question. We conclude that the SAQ and the MacNew are both valid, reliable, and responsive in German, that the MacNew discriminates better between angina grades at baseline, that HRQL improves over 12 months with both measures, that the SAQ angina frequency and disease perception scales have the largest effect sizes, and that the 12-month change in HRQL with both instruments was associated with change in SF-36 reported health transition status.

Single-frequency master-oscillator fiber power amplifier system emitting 20 W of power

We report a master-oscillator fiber power-amplifier system consisting of a diode-pumped monolithic nonplanar ring laser as the master oscillator and a Yb-doped large-mode-area double-clad fiber as the power amplifier. The system emits up to 20.1 W of single-frequency radiation at a wavelength of 1064 nm with diffraction-limited beam quality (M(2)</=1.3) . The optical emission spectrum and amplitude-noise behavior are investigated. Furthermore, the power-scaling possibilities are discussed.

Active site residue 297 of Aspergillus niger phytase critically affects the catalytic properties

The wild-type phytases from the Aspergillus niger strains NRRL 3135 and T213 display a three-fold difference in specific activity (103 versus 32 U/mg protein), despite only 12 amino acid differences that are distributed all over the sequence of the protein. Of the 12 divergent positions, three are located in or close to the substrate binding site. Site-directed mutagenesis of these residues in A. niger T213 phytase showed that the R297Q mutation (R in T213, Q in NRRL 3135) fully accounts for the differences in catalytic properties observed. Molecular modelling revealed that R297 may directly interact with a phosphate group of phytic acid. The fact that this presumed ionic interaction - causing stronger binding of substrates and products - correlates with a lower specific activity indicates that product (myo-inositol pentakisphosphate) release is the rate-limiting step of the reaction.

Signal transduction in cardiac and vascular tissue from normotensive and transgenic hypertensive TGR(mREN2)27 rats

Adenylyl cyclase and soluble guanylyl cyclase activities were measured in cardiac and aortic tissue from transgenic hypertensive TGR(mREN2)27 and normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats. Cardiac basal and stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was significantly lower in TGR(mREN2)27 than in Sprague-Dawley rats except after uncoupling of G-proteins by Mn2+-ions. Aortic cAMP formation did not differ between both strains, indicating that the disturbance of cardiac adenylyl cyclase activity was due to local rather than systemic factors. Vascular cGMP formation was significantly reduced in TGR(mREN2)27 aortae under basal conditions and after stimulation with sodium nitroprusside, indicating that there is a subsensitive vasodilating second messenger pathway in the transgenic strain.

[Urinalysis drug control program--a concept for managing drug dependent offenders--report of experience]

The authors report on the results of a care concept for drug-addicted persons. The mechanisms of cooperation between the law enforcement executives, the drug information centres, and the Public Health administration are explained.

Absorption rates of subcutaneously injected insulin in the dog as calculated from the plasma insulin levels by means of a simple mathematical model

The appearance rate of insulin (calculated insulin secretion rate) in the circulating blood after subcutaneous injection was estimated in diabetic dogs from serial measurements of immunoreactive insulin concentrations using a simple mathematical model based on the insulin half-life and the distribution space. In the case of highly purified monocomponent porcine insulin, maximum concentrations occurred after 30-60 min. The duration of insulin appearance was dose-dependent and the rate of appearance could be described by a bi-exponential function. It was linearly dose-dependent but the effect on glycaemia showed saturation kinetics. The action of the injected dose on the fasting glycaemia diminished when the appearance rate became less than 0.3 mU X kg-1 X min-1. Fractional dose recovery was between 70% and 90% and was not different between depot and regular insulin. Appearance kinetics were not significantly affected by the initial glycaemia. The model presented provides a means for quantitative characterization of different insulin preparations.