Real-Life Efficacy of Tofacitinib in Various Situations in Ulcerative Colitis: A Retrospective Worldwide Multicenter Collaborative Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Tofacitinib (TFB) appears to be effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC); however, available real-world studies are limited by cohort size. TFB could be an option in the treatment of acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC). We aimed to investigate efficacy and safety of TFB in moderate-to-severe colitis and ASUC.

METHODS

This retrospective, international cohort study enrolling UC patients with ≥6-week follow-up period was conducted from February 1 to July 31, 2022. Indications were categorized as ASUC and chronic activity (CA). Baseline demographic and clinical data were obtained. Steroid-free remission (SFR), colectomy, and safety data were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 391 UC patients (median age 38 [interquartile range, 28-47] years; follow-up period 26 [interquartile range, 14-52] weeks) were included. A total of 27.1% received TFB in ASUC. SFR rates were 23.7% (ASUC: 26.0%, CA: 22.8%) at week 12 and 41.1% (ASUC: 34.2%, CA: 43.5%) at week 52. The baseline partial Mayo score (odds ratio [OR], 0.850; P = .006) was negatively associated with week 12 SFR, while biologic-naïve patients (OR, 2.078; P = .04) more likely achieved week 52 SFR. The colectomy rate at week 52 was higher in ASUC group (17.6% vs 5.7%; P < .001) and decreased with age (OR, 0.94; P = .013). A total of 67 adverse events were reported, and 17.9% resulted in cessation of TFB. One case of thromboembolic event was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

TFB is effective in both studied indications. TFB treatment resulted in high rates of SFR in the short and long terms. Higher baseline disease activity and previous biological therapies decreased efficacy. No new adverse event signals were found.

Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 Is a Novel Faecal Biomarker for Monitoring Disease Activity and Therapeutic Response in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC] require lifelong treatment and patient monitoring. Current biomarkers have several limitations; therefore, there is an unmet need to identify novel biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Previously, the role of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 [PAI-1] was established in the pathogenesis of IBD and suggested as a potential biomarker. Therefore, we aimed to comprehensively analyse the selectivity of PAI-1 in IBD, its correlation with disease activity, and its potential to predict therapeutic response.

METHODS

Blood, colon biopsy, organoid cultures [OC], and faecal samples were used from active and inactive IBD patients and control subjects. Serpin E1 gene expressions and PAI-1 protein levels and localisation in serum, biopsy, and faecal samples were evaluated by qRT-PCR, ELISA, and immunostaining, respectively.

RESULTS

The study population comprised 132 IBD patients [56 CD and 76 UC] and 40 non-IBD patients. We demonstrated that the serum, mucosal, and faecal PAI-1 concentrations are elevated in IBD patients, showing clinical and endoscopic activity. In responders [decrease of eMayo ≥3 in UC; or SES-CD  50% in CD], the initial PAI-1 level decreased significantly upon successful therapy. OCs derived from active IBD patients produced higher concentrations of PAI-1 than the controls, suggesting that epithelial cells could be a source of PAI-1. Moreover, faecal PAI-1 selectively increases in active IBD but not in other organic gastrointestinal diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

The serum, mucosal, and faecal PAI-1 concentration correlates with disease activity and therapeutic response in IBD, suggesting that PAI-1 could be used as a novel, non-invasive, disease-specific, faecal biomarker in patient follow-up.

Impacts of Plastics on Plant Development: Recent Advances and Future Research Directions

Plastics have inundated the world, with microplastics (MPs) being small particles, less than 5 mm in size, originating from various sources. They pervade ecosystems such as freshwater and marine environments, soils, and the atmosphere. MPs, due to their small size and strong adsorption capacity, pose a threat to plants by inhibiting seed germination, root elongation, and nutrient absorption. The accumulation of MPs induces oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity in plants, which also impacts plant development, mineral nutrition, photosynthesis, toxic accumulation, and metabolite production in plant tissues. Furthermore, roots can absorb nanoplastics (NPs), which are then distributed to stems, leaves, and fruits. As MPs and NPs harm organisms and ecosystems, they raise concerns about physical damage and toxic effects on animals, and the potential impact on human health via food webs. Understanding the environmental fate and effects of MPs is essential, along with strategies to reduce their release and mitigate consequences. However, a full understanding of the effects of different plastics, whether traditional or biodegradable, on plant development is yet to be achieved. This review offers an up-to-date overview of the latest known effects of plastics on plants.

Challenging interpretation of germline TP53 variants based on the experience of a national comprehensive cancer centre

TP53 variant interpretation is still challenging, especially in patients with attenuated Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). We investigated the prevalence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants and LFS disease in the Hungarian population of cancer patients. By testing 893 patients with multiplex or familial cancer, we identified and functionally characterized novel splice variants of TP53 helping accurate variant classification. The differences among various semi-automated interpretation platforms without manual curation highlight the importance of focused interpretation as the automatic classification systems do not apply the TP53-specific criteria. The predicted frequency of the TP53 P/LP variants in Hungary is 0.3 per million which most likely underestimates the real prevalence. The higher detection rate of disease-causing variants in patients with attenuated LFS phenotype compared to the control population (OR 12.5; p < 0.0001) may raise the potential benefit of the TP53 genetic testing as part of the hereditary cancer panels of patients with multiple or familial cancer even when they do not meet Chompret criteria. Tumours developed at an earlier age in phenotypic LFS patients compared to the attenuated LFS patients which complicates genetic counselling as currently there are no different recommendations in surveillance protocols for LFS, phenotypic LFS, and attenuated LFS patients.

PALB2 Variants Extend the Mutational Profile of Hungarian Patients with Breast and Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

The pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variant detection rate and profile of PALB2, the third most important breast cancer gene, may vary between different populations.

METHODS

PALB2 was analyzed in peripheral blood samples of three independent cohorts: prospectively between September 2021 and March 2023 (i) in 1280 consecutive patients with breast and/or ovarian cancer (HBOC), (ii) in 568 patients with other cancers (controls), and retrospectively, (iii) in 191 young breast cancer (<33 years, yBC) patients. These data were compared with data of 134,187 non-cancer individuals retrieved from the Genome Aggregation Database.

RESULTS

Altogether, 235 cases (235/1280; 18.3%) carried at least one P/LP variant in one of the HBOC susceptibility genes. P/LP PALB2 variants were identified in 18 patients (1.4%; 18/1280) in the HBOC and 3 cases (1.5%; 3/191) in the yBC group. In the control group, only one patient had a disease-causing PALB2 variant (0.17%; 1/568) as a secondary finding not related to the disease, which was similar (0.15%; 205/134,187) in the non-cancer control group. The NM_024675.4:c.509_510delGA variant was the most common among our patients (33%; 6/18). We did not find a significant difference in the incidence of PALB2 disease-causing variants according to age; however, the median age of tumor onset was lower in PALB2 P/LP carriers versus wild-type patients (44 vs. 48 years). In our cohort, the odds ratio for breast cancer risk in women with PALB2 P/LP variants was between 8.1 and 9.3 compared to non-HBOC cancer patients and the non-cancer population, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

PALB2 P/LP variants are not uncommon among breast and/or ovarian cancer patients. Their incidence was the same in the two breast cancer cohorts studied but may occur rarely in patients with non-breast/ovarian cancer. The c.509_510delGA variant is particularly common in the studied Hungarian patient population.

Evaluation of vibratory shear-enhanced processing module-integrated three-dimensional printed spacers for enhanced wastewater ultrafiltration

The article evaluates the effectiveness of two new designed module-integrated three-dimensional (3D) printed spacers in enhancing wastewater ultrafiltration efficiencies using vibratory shear-enhanced processing (VSEP). The study investigates the star-shaped spacer filled module channel (star spacer) and the column-shaped herringbone spacer filled module channel with the same position as the flow direction (column spacer) and with the opposite position as the flow direction (rev column spacer). It compares the VSEP module-integrated spacers with membrane module vibration (module vibration) and empty membrane module channel (control) configurations. The results show that the module integration of the 3D printed spacers can greatly improve the specific, average, and constant permeate fluxes and can contribute to reducing the total, reversible and irreversible resistance values, and specific energy consumption of the ultrafiltration membrane separation experiments. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into improving the performance of wastewater ultrafiltration systems and fouling mitigation through the module integration of 3D printed spacers and membrane module vibration. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Vibratory shear-enhanced processing (VSEP) ultrafiltration module-integrated 3D printed spacers were successfully fabricated and evaluated for improved wastewater treatment. Two spacer designs, a star-shaped and a column-shaped herringbone, were compared with an empty membrane module channel with and without vibration. Two configurations of the column-shaped spacer, in the same and reversed flow direction, were tested. Specific energy consumption was calculated and compared for all configurations. Significant improvements in ultrafiltration performance were observed with the use of spacers compared with an empty module channel, including enhanced permeate fluxes and reductions in both total and reversible, as well as irreversible, resistance.

The pro- and antineoplastic effects of deoxycholic acid in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell models

BACKGROUND

Commensal bacteria secrete metabolites that reach distant cancer cells through the circulation and influence cancer behavior. Deoxycholic acid (DCA), a hormone-like metabolite, is a secondary bile acid specifically synthesized by intestinal microbes. DCA may have both pro- and antineoplastic effects in cancers.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines, Capan-2 and BxPC-3, were treated with 0.7 µM DCA, which corresponds to the reference concentration of DCA in human serum. DCA influenced the expression of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes, significantly decreased the expression level of the mesenchymal markers, transcription factor 7- like 2 (TCF7L2), snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SLUG), CLAUDIN-1, and increased the expression of the epithelial genes, zona occludens 1 (ZO-1) and E-CADHERIN, as shown by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Consequently, DCA reduced the invasion capacity of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in Boyden chamber experiments. DCA induced the protein expression of oxidative/nitrosative stress markers. Moreover, DCA reduced aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) activity in an Aldefluor assay and ALDH1 protein level, suggesting that DCA reduced stemness in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In Seahorse experiments, DCA induced all fractions of mitochondrial respiration and glycolytic flux. The ratio of mitochondrial oxidation and glycolysis did not change after DCA treatment, suggesting that cells became hypermetabolic.

CONCLUSION

DCA induced antineoplastic effects in pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting EMT, reducing cancer stemness, and inducing oxidative/nitrosative stress and procarcinogenic effects such as hypermetabolic bioenergetics.

The Flavonoid Rich Black Currant (Ribes nigrum) Ethanolic Gemmotherapy Extract Elicits Neuroprotective Effect by Preventing Microglial Body Swelling in Hippocampus and Reduces Serum TNF-α Level: Pilot Study

Many plant-derived flavonoids are known for their anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-neurodegenerative effects. The fruits and leaves of the black currant (BC, Ribes nigrum) contain these phytochemicals with therapeutic benefits. The current study presents a report on a standardized BC gemmotherapy extract (BC-GTE) that is prepared from fresh buds. It provides details about the phytoconstituent profile specific to the extract as well as the associated antioxidant and anti-neuroinflammatory properties. The reported BC-GTE was found to contain approximately 133 phytonutrients, making it unique in its composition. Furthermore, this is the first report to quantify the presence of significant flavonoids such as luteolin, quercetin, apigenin, and kaempferol. Drosophila melanogaster-based tests revealed no cytotoxic but nutritive effects. We also demonstrated that adult male Wistar rats, pretreated with the analyzed BC-GTE and assessed after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection, did not show any apparent increase in body size in the microglial cells located in the hippocampal CA1 region, while in control experiments, the activation of microglia was evident. Moreover, no elevated levels of serum-specific TNF-α were observed under the LPS-induced neuroinflammatory condition. The analyzed BC-GTE's specific flavonoid content, along with the experimental data based on an LPS-induced inflammatory model, suggest that it possesses anti-neuroinflammatory/neuroprotective properties. This indicates that the studied BC-GTE has the potential to be used as a GTE-based complementary therapeutic approach.

Reading fluency and statistical learning across modalities and domains: Online and offline measures

The vulnerability of statistical learning has been demonstrated in reading difficulties in both the visual and acoustic modalities. We examined segmentation abilities of Hungarian speaking adolescents with different levels of reading fluency in the acoustic verbal and visual nonverbal domains. We applied online target detection tasks, where the extent of learning is reflected in differences between reaction times to predictable versus unpredictable targets. Explicit judgments of well-formedness were also elicited in an offline two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) task. Learning was evident in both the acoustic verbal and visual nonverbal tasks, both in online and offline measures, but learning effects were larger both in online and offline tasks in the verbal acoustic condition. We haven’t found evidence for a significant relationship between statistical learning and reading fluency in adolescents in either modality. Together with earlier findings, these results suggest that the relationship between reading and statistical learning is dependent on the domain, modality and nature of the statistical learning task, on the reading task, on the age of participants, and on the specific language. The online target detection task is a promising tool which can be adapted to a wider set of tasks to further explore the contribution of statistical learning to reading acquisition in participants from different populations.

Redox status of cysteines does not alter functional properties of human dUTPase but the Y54C mutation involved in monogenic diabetes decreases protein stability

Recently it was proposed that the redox status of cysteines acts as a redox switch to regulate both the oligomeric status and the activity of human dUTPase. In a separate report, a human dUTPase point mutation, resulting in a tyrosine to cysteine substitution (Y54C) was identified as the monogenic cause of a rare syndrome associated with diabetes and bone marrow failure. These issues prompt a critical investigation about the potential regulatory role of cysteines in the enzyme. Here we show on the one hand that independently of the redox status of wild-type cysteines, human dUTPase retains its characteristic trimeric assembly and its catalytic activity. On the other hand, the Y54C mutation did not compromise the substrate binding and the catalytic properties of the enzyme at room temperature. The thermal stability of the mutant protein was found to be decreased, which resulted in the loss of 67% of its activity after 90 min incubation at the physiological temperature in contrast to the wild-type enzyme. In addition, the presence or absence of reducing agents had no effect on hDUTY54C activity and stability, although it was confirmed that the introduced cysteine contains a solvent accessible thiol group.

Suboptimal Global Transcriptional Response Increases the Harmful Effects of Loss-of-Function Mutations

The fitness impact of loss-of-function mutations is generally assumed to reflect the loss of specific molecular functions associated with the perturbed gene. Here, we propose that rewiring of the transcriptome upon deleterious gene inactivation is frequently nonspecific and mimics stereotypic responses to external environmental change. Consequently, transcriptional response to gene deletion could be suboptimal and incur an extra fitness cost. Analysis of the transcriptomes of ∼1,500 single-gene deletion Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains supported this scenario. First, most transcriptomic changes are not specific to the deleted gene but are rather triggered by perturbations in functionally diverse genes. Second, gene deletions that alter the expression of dosage-sensitive genes are especially harmful. Third, by elevating the expression level of downregulated genes, we could experimentally mitigate the fitness defect of gene deletions. Our work shows that rewiring of genomic expression upon gene inactivation shapes the harmful effects of mutations.

Alternatively Constructed Estrogen Receptor Alpha-Driven Super-Enhancers Result in Similar Gene Expression in Breast and Endometrial Cell Lines

Super-enhancers (SEs) are clusters of highly active enhancers, regulating cell type-specific and disease-related genes, including oncogenes. The individual regulatory regions within SEs might be simultaneously bound by different transcription factors (TFs) and co-regulators, which together establish a chromatin environment conducting to effective transcription. While cells with distinct TF profiles can have different functions, how different cells control overlapping genetic programs remains a question. In this paper, we show that the construction of estrogen receptor alpha-driven SEs is tissue-specific, both collaborating TFs and the active SE components greatly differ between human breast cancer-derived MCF-7 and endometrial cancer-derived Ishikawa cells; nonetheless, SEs common to both cell lines have similar transcriptional outputs. These results delineate that despite the existence of a combinatorial code allowing alternative SE construction, a single master regulator might be able to determine the overall activity of SEs.

Effects of Light and Daytime on the Regulation of Chitosan-Induced Stomatal Responses and Defence in Tomato Plants

Closure of stomata upon pathogenesis is among the earliest plant immune responses. However, our knowledge is very limited about the dependency of plant defence responses to chitosan (CHT) on external factors (e.g., time of the day, presence, or absence of light) in intact plants. CHT induced stomatal closure before dark/light transition in leaves treated at 17:00 hrs and stomata were closed at 09:00 hrs in plants treated at dawn and in the morning. CHT was able to induce generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in guard cells in the first part of the light phase, but significant nitric oxide production was observable only at 15:00 hrs. The actual quantum yield of PSII electron transport (ΦPSII) decreased upon CHT treatments at 09:00 hrs in guard cells but it declined only at dawn in mesophyll cells after the treatment at 17:00 hrs. Expression of Pathogenesis-related 1 (PR1) and Ethylene Response Factor 1 were already increased at dawn in the CHT-treated leaves but PR1 expression was inhibited in the dark. CHT-induced systemic response was also observed in the distal leaves of CHT-treated ones. Our results suggest a delayed and daytime-dependent defence response of tomato plants after CHT treatment at night and under darkness.

Comparison of Cinchona Catalysts Containing Ethyl or Vinyl or Ethynyl Group at Their Quinuclidine Ring

Numerous cinchona organocatalysts with different substituents at their quinuclidine unit have been described and tested, but the effect of those saturation has not been examined before. This work presents the synthesis of four widely used cinchona-based organocatalyst classes (hydroxy, amino, squaramide, and thiourea) with different saturation on the quinuclidine unit (ethyl, vinyl, ethynyl) started from quinine, the most easily available cinchona derivative. Big differences were found in basicity of the quinuclidine unit by measuring the pKa values of twelve catalysts in six solvents. The effect of differences was examined by testing the catalysts in Michael addition reaction of pentane-2,4-dione to trans-β-nitrostyrene. The 1.6-1.7 pKa deviation in basicity of the quinuclidine unit did not result in significant differences in yields and enantiomeric excesses. Quantum chemical calculations confirmed that the ethyl, ethynyl, and vinyl substituents affect the acid-base properties of the cinchona-thiourea catalysts only slightly, and the most active neutral thione forms are the most stable tautomers in all cases. Due to the fact that cinchonas with differently saturated quinuclidine substituents have similar catalytic activity in asymmetric Michael addition application of quinine-based catalysts is recommended. Its vinyl group allows further modifications, for instance, recycling the catalyst by immobilization.

Synthesis of (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl Phosphinates and (1,2,3-Triazol-4-yl)methyl Phosphates by Copper-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition

An efficient and practical method was developed for the synthesis of new (1,2,3triazol4yl)methyl phosphinates and (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl phosphates by the copper(I)catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) of organic azides and prop-2-ynyl phosphinate or prop-2-ynyl phosphate. The synthesis of (1benzyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl diphenylphosphinate was optimized with respect to the reaction parameters, such as the temperature, reaction time, and catalyst loading. The approach was applied to a range of organic azides, which confirmed the wide scope and the substituent tolerance of the process. The method elaborated represents a novel approach for the synthesis of the target compounds.

Continuous flow hydrogenation of methyl and ethyl levulinate: an alternative route to γ-valerolactone production

Heterogeneous continuous transformation of methyl levulinate (ML) and ethyl levulinate (EL) to γ-valerolactone (GVL), as a promising C₅-platform molecule was studied at 100°C. It was proved that the H-Cube^® continuous hydrogenation system equipped with 5% Ru/C CatCart^® is suitable for the reduction of both levulinate esters. While excellent conversion rates (greater than 99.9%) of ML and EL could be achieved in water and corresponding alcohols, the selectivities of GVL were primarily affected by the solvent used. In water, 100% conversion and ca 50% selectivity that represent ca 0.45 mol_GVL g_metal ^-1 h^-1 productivity towards GVL, were obtained under 100 bar of total system pressure. The application of alcohols as a solvent, which maintained high conversion rates up to 1 ml min^-1 flow rate, resulted in lower productivities (less than 0.2 mol_GVL g_metal ^-1 h^-1) of GVL. Therefore, from a synthesis point of view, the corresponding 4-hydroxyvalerate esters could be obtained even at a higher reaction rate. The addition of sulfonated triphenylphosphine ligand (TPPTS) allowed reduction of the system pressure and resulted in the higher selectivity towards GVL.

Role of TRPV1 and TRPA1 Ion Channels in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Potential Therapeutic Targets?

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have long been recognized to be accompanied by pain resulting in high morbidity. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) ion channels located predominantly on the capsaicin-sensitive sensory neurons play a complex role in hyperalgesia and neurogenic inflammation. This review provides an overview of their expression and role in intestinal inflammation, in particular colitis, that appears to be virtually inconsistent based on the thorough investigations of the last twenty years. However, preclinical results with pharmacological interventions, as well as scarcely available human studies, more convincingly point out the potential therapeutic value of TRPV1 and TRPA1 antagonists in colitis and visceral hypersensitivity providing future therapeutical perspectives through a complex, unique mechanism of action for drug development in IBD.

Classical celiac disease is more frequent with a double dose of HLA-DQB1*02: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Background and aims

Experimental data suggest that the HLA-DQ2 gene dose has a strong quantitative effect on clinical outcomes and severity of celiac disease (CD). We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis with systematic review to investigate the association between HLA-DQB1*02 gene doses and the characteristics of CD.

Methods

We searched seven medical databases for studies discussing HLA-DQB1 gene dose in CD and various disease characteristics, such as clinical presentation, histology, age at diagnosis, and comorbidities. Odds ratios (OR, for categorical variables) and weighted mean differences (for age) were calculated to compare patients with a double dose of HLA-DQB1*02 versus those with single and zero doses. Heterogeneity was tested with I²-statistics and explored by study subgroups (children and adults).

Results

Twenty-four publications were eligible for meta-analysis. Classical CD was more frequent with a double versus single dose of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele (OR = 1.758, 95%CI: 1.148–2.692, I² = 0.0%). In pediatric studies, gene dose effect was more prominent (OR = 2.082, 95%CI: 1.189–3.646, I² = 0.0% and OR = 3.139, 95%CI: 1.142–8.630, I² = 0.0% for the comparisons of double versus single and double versus zero dose, respectively). Atrophic histology was more prevalent with a double versus zero dose (OR = 2.626, CI: 1.060–6.505, I² = 21.3%). We observed no gene dose effect regarding diarrhea, age at diagnosis, the severity of villous atrophy, and the association with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Conclusion

A double dose of HLA-DQB1*02 gene seems to predispose patients to developing classical CD and villous atrophy. Risk stratification by HLA-DQB1*02 gene dose requires further clarification due to the limited available evidence.

Dissection of the regulatory role for the N-terminal domain in Candida albicans protein phosphatase Z1

The novel type, fungus specific protein phosphatase Z1 of the opportunistic pathogen, Candida albicans (CaPpz1) has several important physiological roles. It consists of a conserved C-terminal catalytic domain and a variable, intrinsically disordered, N-terminal regulatory domain. To test the function of these domains we modified the structure of CaPpz1 by in vitro mutagenesis. The two main domains were separated, four potential protein binding regions were deleted, and the myristoylation site as well as the active site of the enzyme was crippled by point mutations G2A and R262L, respectively. The in vitro phosphatase activity assay of the bacterially expressed recombinant proteins indicated that the N-terminal domain was inactive, while the C-terminal domain became highly active against myosin light chain substrate. The deletion of the N-terminal 1-16 amino acids and the G2A mutation significantly decreased the specific activity of the enzyme. Complementation of the ppz1 Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion mutant strain with the different CaPpz1 forms demonstrated that the scission of the main domains, the two point mutations and the N-terminal 1-16 deletion rendered the phosphatase incompetent in the in vivo assays of LiCl tolerance and caffeine sensitivity. Thus our results confirmed the functional role of the N-terminal domain and highlighted the significance of the very N-terminal part of the protein in the regulation of CaPpz1.

NRF2-regulated cell cycle arrest at early stage of oxidative stress response mechanism

Oxidative stress results in activation of several signal transduction pathways controlled by the PERK-substrate NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2); meanwhile the ongoing cell division cycle has to be blocked. It has been recently shown that Cyclin D1 got immediately down-regulated via PERK pathway in response to oxidative stress leading to cell cycle arrest. However, the effect of NRF2 on cell cycle regulation has not been explored yet. We aimed to reveal a crosstalk between PERK-substrate NRF2 and the key elements of cell cycle regulatory network upon oxidative stress using molecular biological techniques- Although Cyclin D1 level remained constant, its activity was blocked by various stoichiometric inhibitors (such as p15, p21 and p27) even at low level of oxidative stress. The activity of these CDK inhibitors completely disappeared, when the addition of oxidative agent was combined with silencing of either PERK or NRF2.This further confirms the important role of NRF2 in blocking Cyclin D1 with stoichiometric inhibitors at early stage of oxidative stress.

Anticipatory response before competition in Standardbred racehorses

It is generally accepted that besides cortisol concentrations, parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) are appropriate indicators of stress in horses. The aim of this study was to determine anticipatory stress in eight Standardbred stallions participating in harness race. Cortisol and HRV responses to a mild exercise performed in training circumstances were compared to a maximal effort exercise performed in real trotting race conditions. Parameters of HRV reflecting vagal (root mean square of the successive differences, RMSSD) and sympathetic nervous system activity (ratio of the low and high frequency component, LF/HF) were recorded before warming up (baseline) and during exercise. Plasma cortisol concentrations were obtained for the following stages of the exercise: before warming up (baseline), after warming up, after the exercise has finished and after a 30-min recovery. Baseline LF/HF ratio was higher before the race compared to the pre-training values (12.0 ± 6.6 vs. 5.9 ± 4.5, P = 0.009), while RMSSD did not show such difference (34.8 ± 15.9 ms vs. 48.0 ± 30.5 ms, P = 0.96). Cortisol level was higher in the case of race for all samples compared to training (P = 0.012). There were no significant differences between plasma cortisol levels obtained for the subsequent stages of race. Horses in the present study showed anticipatory response before race as shown by differences in pre-training (97.3 ± 16.4 nmol/L) and pre-race cortisol levels (171.8 ± 18.7 nmol/L), respectively (P < 0.001). Pre-race HRV only partly confirmed this phenomenon.

Antibacterial activity evaluation of selected essential oils in liquid and vapor phase on respiratory tract pathogens

BACKGROUND

The increasing number of multidrug-resistant bacteria and the fact of antibiotic resistance is leading to a continuous need for discovering alternative treatments against infections, e.g. in the case of respiratory tract diseases. Essential oils (EOs), because of their volatility, can easily reach both the upper and lower parts of the respiratory tract via inhalation. Therefore, the aim of the present study was the antibacterial evaluation of clove, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, thyme, scots pine, peppermint, and citronella EOs against respiratory tract pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. mutans, S. pyogenes, Haemophilus influenzae, H. parainfluenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Furthermore, we wanted to compare the antibacterial effect of these EOs in two different test systems to provide data for the development of an appropriate product formulation.

METHODS

Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined with in vitro vapor phase test (VPT) and broth macrodilution test (BDT). The chemical and percentage compositions of the EOs were determined by GC-MS and GC-FID analysis.

RESULTS

Among the EOs, thyme was the most effective against S. mutans (MIC: 0.04 mg/mL in BDT, but cinnamon bark and clove oils also presented high inhibition in liquid medium with MIC values of 0.06 mg/mL and 0.1 mg/mL against S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes, respectively. M. catarrhalis was the most sensitive to thyme EO (MIC: 0.09 mg/mL). Cinnamon bark EO was the most effective against Haemophilus spp. (MIC: 0.06 mg/mL). In the VPT, cinnamon bark was the most effective oil against all investigated pathogens with MIC values in the range of 15.62-90 μl/L. Surprisingly, the eucalyptus and scots pine showed weak activity against the test bacteria in both test systems.

CONCLUSIONS

The EO of thyme, clove and cinnamon bark may provide promising antibacterial activity against respiratory tract pathogens either in liquid medium or in vapor phase. However, their effect is lower than that of the reference antibiotics. The combination of EOs and antibiotics may be beneficial in the alternative treatment of respiratory tract diseases. In vivo studies are necessary to calculate the effective dose of EOs in patients and determine their possible side effects and toxicity.

Assessment of heat stress in 7-week old dairy calves with non-invasive physiological parameters in different thermal environments

We estimated thermal stress in 7-week old Holstein bull calves during a warm episode in summer to study acute physiological responses of calves to heat stress. Data were collected over a 5-day period: day 1 (control), day 2 (heat stress), and a 3-day post-stress period in shaded (n = 8) and unshaded (n = 8) thermal environments. On the control day, both groups were shaded. Thermal environment was characterized by relative humidity, ambient temperature, and the temperature–humidity index (THI). Physiological variables included respiratory rate, rectal temperature, ear skin temperature and heart rate. Correlations between animal-based and meteorological indices were calculated, and ambient temperature correlated slightly better with physiological measures than THI. Rectal temperature was the only animal-based parameter that showed stronger correlations with the thermal indices when calculated for the shaded than for the unshaded environment [r = 0.42 vs. r = 0.47, P = 0.032 (ambient temperature), r = –0.39 vs. r = –0.45, P = 0.012 P = 0.015 (relative humidity), r = 0.41 vs. r = 0.46, P = 0.022 (THI)]. No differences were found between groups during the control day for any of the physiological parameters. During days 2 and 3, average and maximal values of respiratory and heart rates were higher in unshaded calves than in shaded ones. Maximal respiratory rates were in average by 25.9, 17.8 and 10.1 breaths/min lower in shaded calves than in unshaded calves for days 2, 3 and 4, respectively (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.024). Maximal heart rate was 127.4 ± 8.5 vs. 99.2 ± 6.3 beats/min on the heat stress day (P < 0.001), and 121.0 ± 6.9 vs. 103.4 ± 7.7 beats/min on day 3 (P = 0.006) in unshaded and shaded calves, respectively. Maximal body temperatures were higher measured either in the rectum or on the ear skin in unshaded calves than in shaded ones (with 0.5 and 1.6°C, P = 0.040 and P = 0.018, respectively), but only on the heat stress day. Based on our results, shading of young calves may be adequate for alleviating acute heat stress in continental regions. Ambient temperature is appropriate to estimate acute heat stress in dairy calves.

Application of Melt-Blown Poly(lactic acid) Fibres in Self-Reinforced Composites

The aim of our research was to produce poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibres with diameters in the micrometer size range, serving as the reinforcing phase in self-reinforced (SR) PLA composites. Nonwoven PLA mats were manufactured by solvent-free melt-blowing technology. Three types of PLA differing in d-lactide content were processed with a productivity as high as 36 g/h. The crystallinity of the PLA microfibres was enhanced by thermal annealing. A 2⁻3-fold increase in the degree of crystallinity was obtained, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fibre diameters between 2⁻14 µm were revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Static tensile tests were performed on the nonwoven mats, showing the reduced moduli of the annealed fibres due the amorphous relaxation. The PLA mats were processed via the hot compaction technique and formed into SR⁻PLA composites. The morphological and mechanical properties of the obtained microstructural composites were comprehensively studied. Composites prepared from annealed, thermally more stable PLA nonwoven mats showed superior mechanical properties; the tensile strength improved by 47% due to the higher residual fibre content.

Genome wide analysis of TLR1/2- and TLR4-activated SZ95 sebocytes reveals a complex immune-competence and identifies serum amyloid A as a marker for activated sebaceous glands

Toll-like receptors (TLR) 2 and 4 are active in sebaceous glands and play a central role in the development of acne. Still, there is only limited knowledge on their effect on sebocytes. In this work we performed global gene expression profile analysis with functional clustering of the differentially regulated genes of TLR1/2 (PAM3CSK4)- and TLR4 (lipopolysaccharide [LPS])-activated SZ95 sebocytes. Both TLR1/2- and 4-activation promoted inflammation in a similar manner already at an early time-point (6 hours), regulating genes involved in inflammation, wound healing and chemotaxis reflecting a more complex cytokine and chemokine regulation than previously known. Importantly, lipid metabolism, the primary feature of sebocytes, was affected at the level of gene expression only at a later time point (24 hours) indicating that sebocytes prioritize to exert a pro-inflammatory phenotype when confronted with a danger signal. Supporting the biological relevance of our results, a meta-analysis revealed that the genes showing the strongest up-regulation were also found up-regulated in acne. Of these genes, serum amyloid A 1/2 (SAA1/2) was confirmed to be a suitable protein marker for in vivo activated sebocytes, underlining their immune-competence, which is structurally defined within sebaceous glands of acne and rosacea skin samples. Altogether our findings demonstrate that sebocytes are not only positioned at the end point of inflammation but are actively involved in shaping the inflammatory response with putative diagnostic and therapeutic relevance.

Loving the love of boys: Motives for consuming yaoi media

In recent years, yaoi has been increasingly popular among youth interested in Japanese media such as anime and manga. Yaoi is defined as commercial and fan-created media that thematically focus on the romantic love between two men, often in a sexually explicit way. Despite the widespread popularity of this Japanese subgenre, there is a lack of empirical studies on the motives for consuming yaoi media that analyze the full range of motives using reliable research methods. The present study aimed to explore and operationalize the motives for yaoi media consumption based on previous qualitative research (Pagliassotti, 2008). Using an online survey, 724 yaoi consumers (58% male; M_age = 30.1 years, SD = 10.4) completed the Yaoi Consumption Motives Questionnaire (YCMQ). According to confirmatory factor analyses, the bi-factor model of nine motives yielded closer fit to the data than the theoretically proposed, first-order ten-factor model and a second-order nine-factor model. The nine-factor YCMQ demonstrated strong psychometric properties in terms of factor structure, internal consistency, and measurement invariance. These results indicate that the 31-item YCMQ is an appropriate instrument to assess individuals’ motives for consuming yaoi media.

Method to improve the survival of night-swarming mayflies near bridges in areas of distracting light pollution

Numerous negative ecological effects of urban lighting have been identified during the last decades. In spite of the development of lighting technologies, the detrimental effect of this form of light pollution has not declined. Several insect species are affected including the night-swarming mayfly Ephoron virgo: when encountering bridges during their mass swarming, these mayflies often fall victim to artificial lighting. We show a simple method for the conservation of these mayflies exploiting their positive phototaxis. With downstream-facing light-emitting diode beacon lights above two tributaries of the river Danube, we managed to guide egg-laying females to the water and prevent them from perishing outside the river near urban lights. By means of measuring the mayfly outflow from the river as a function of time and the on/off state of the beacons, we showed that the number of mayflies exiting the river's area was practically zero when our beacons were operating. Tributaries could be the sources of mayfly recolonization in case of water quality degradation of large rivers. The protection of mayfly populations in small rivers and safeguarding their aggregation and oviposition sites is therefore important.

Cardiac leiomodin2 binds to the sides of actin filaments and regulates the ATPase activity of myosin

Leiomodin proteins are vertebrate homologues of tropomodulin, having a role in the assembly and maintenance of muscle thin filaments. Leiomodin2 contains an N-terminal tropomodulin homolog fragment including tropomyosin-, and actin-binding sites, and a C-terminal Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome homology 2 actin-binding domain. The cardiac leiomodin2 isoform associates to the pointed end of actin filaments, where it supports the lengthening of thin filaments and competes with tropomodulin. It was recently found that cardiac leiomodin2 can localise also along the length of sarcomeric actin filaments. While the activities of leiomodin2 related to pointed end binding are relatively well described, the potential side binding activity and its functional consequences are less well understood. To better understand the biological functions of leiomodin2, in the present work we analysed the structural features and the activities of Rattus norvegicus cardiac leiomodin2 in actin dynamics by spectroscopic and high-speed sedimentation approaches. By monitoring the fluorescence parameters of leiomodin2 tryptophan residues we found that it possesses flexible, intrinsically disordered regions. Leiomodin2 accelerates the polymerisation of actin in an ionic strength dependent manner, which relies on its N-terminal regions. Importantly, we demonstrate that leiomodin2 binds to the sides of actin filaments and induces structural alterations in actin filaments. Upon its interaction with the filaments leiomodin2 decreases the actin-activated Mg²⁺-ATPase activity of skeletal muscle myosin. These observations suggest that through its binding to side of actin filaments and its effect on myosin activity leiomodin2 has more functions in muscle cells than it was indicated in previous studies.

Myosin heavy chain and cardiac troponin T damage is associated with impaired myofibrillar ATPase activity contributing to sarcomeric dysfunction in Ca2+-paradox rat hearts

This study aimed to explore the potential contribution of myofibrils to contractile dysfunction in Ca2+-paradox hearts. Isolated rat hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit solution (Control), followed by Ca2+-depletion, and then Ca2+-repletion after Ca2+-depletion (Ca2+-paradox) by Langendorff method. During heart perfusion left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), rate of pressure development (+ dP/dt), and pressure decay (-dP/dt) were registered. Control LVDP (127.4 ± 6.1 mmHg) was reduced during Ca2+-depletion (9.8 ± 1.3 mmHg) and Ca2+-paradox (12.9 ± 1.3 mmHg) with similar decline in +dP/dt and -dP/dt. LVEDP was increased in both Ca2+-depletion and Ca2+-paradox. Compared to Control, myofibrillar Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activity was decreased in the Ca2+-depletion group (12.08 ± 0.57 vs. 8.13 ± 0.19 µmol Pi/mg protein/h), besides unvarying Mg2+ ATPase activity, while upon Ca2+-paradox myofibrillar Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activity was decreased (12.08 ± 0.57 vs. 8.40 ± 0.22 µmol Pi/mg protein/h), but Mg2+ ATPase activity was increased (3.20 ± 0.25 vs. 7.21 ± 0.36 µmol Pi/mg protein/h). In force measurements of isolated cardiomyocytes at saturating [Ca2+], Ca2+-depleted cells had lower rate constant of force redevelopment (k tr,max, 3.85 ± 0.21) and unchanged active tension, while those in Ca2+-paradox produced lower active tension (12.12 ± 3.19 kN/m2) and k tr,max (3.21 ± 23) than cells of Control group (25.07 ± 3.51 and 4.61 ± 22 kN/m2, respectively). In biochemical assays, α-myosin heavy chain and cardiac troponin T presented progressive degradation during Ca2+-depletion and Ca2+-paradox. Our results suggest that contractile impairment in Ca2+-paradox partially resides in deranged sarcomeric function and compromised myofibrillar ATPase activity as a result of myofilament protein degradation, such as α-myosin heavy chain and cardiac troponin T. Impaired relaxation seen in Ca2+-paradoxical hearts is apparently not related to titin, rather explained by the altered myofibrillar ATPase activity.

The issue of plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine reference range - A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, marker and mediator of endothelial dysfunction. Several studies have demonstrated its value in cardiovascular risk stratification and all-cause mortality prediction. The aim was to determine the reference range of plasma ADMA in healthy adults.

Methods and results

Taking into account the most widely used ADMA measurement methods, only studies using either high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) -with fluorescence or mass spectrometric detection-, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify plasma ADMA concentrations were enrolled. 66 studies were included in the quantitative analysis (24 using ELISA and 42 using HPLC) reporting a total number of 5528 non-diabetic, non-hypertensive, non-obese adults without any medication (3178 men and 2350 women, 41.6 ± 16.9 years old). The reference range of ADMA (in μmol/l with 95% confidence interval in parenthesis) was 0.34 (0.29–0.38)– 1.10 (0.85–1.35) with a mean of 0.71 (0.57–0.85) (n = 4093) measured by HPLC and 0.25 (0.18–0.31)– 0.92 (0.76–1.09) with a mean of 0.57 (0.48–0.66) (n = 1435) by ELISA.

Conclusions

Numerous publications suggested that asymmetric dimethylarginine is not only an outstanding tool of disease outcome prediction but also a new potential therapeutic target substance; the reference range provided by this meta-analysis can become of great importance and aid to further investigations. However, developing a standard measurement method would be beneficial to facilitate the clinical usage of ADMA.