Immunoproteomics and surfaceomics of the adult tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta

In cestodiasis, mechanical and molecular contact between the parasite and the host activates the immune response of the host and may result in inflammatory processes, leading to ulceration and intestinal dysfunctions. The aim of the present study was to identify antigenic proteins of the adult cestode Hymenolepis diminuta by subjecting the total protein extracts from adult tapeworms to 2DE immunoblotting (two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with immunoblotting) using sera collected from experimentally infected rats. A total of 36 protein spots cross-reacting with the rat sera were identified using LC-MS/MS. As a result, 68 proteins, including certain structural muscle proteins (actin, myosin, and paramyosin) and moonlighters (heat shock proteins, kinases, phosphatases, and glycolytic enzymes) were identified; most of these were predicted to possess binding and/or catalytic activity required in various metabolic and cellular processes, and reported here as potential antigens of the adult cestode for the first time. As several of these antigens can also be found at the cell surface, the surface-associated proteins were extracted and subjected to in-solution digestion for LC-MS/MS identification (surfaceomics). As a result, a total of 76 proteins were identified, from which 31 proteins, based on 2DE immunoblotting, were predicted to be immunogenic. These included structural proteins actin, myosin and tubulin as well as certain moonlighting proteins (heat-shock chaperones) while enzymes with diverse catalytic activities were found as the most dominating group of proteins. In conclusion, the present study shed new light into the complexity of the enteric cestodiasis by showing that the H. diminuta somatic proteins exposed to the host possess immunomodulatory functions, and that the immune response of the host could be stimulated by diverse mechanisms, involving also those triggering protein export via yet unknown pathways.Peer reviewe

Work experiences of Polish women in the Scottish hospitality industry – an intersectional study

A growing body of research examines the experiences of women and migrants in the workplace; however, the academic literature offers a limited insight into migrant women’s experiences of both privilege and disadvantage. The purpose of this study is to reveal the roles of intersecting social identities in migrant women’s work experiences, specifically (hetero)gender, migratory status and whiteness. To achieve its aim, the study investigates the case of Polish women in the Scottish hospitality industry, with the use of life history interviews with 20 women and 14 semi-structured follow-up interviews. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach providing an in-depth exploration of work experiences of the largest non-UK born group of women in Scotland and furthering our understanding of gender inequality in the hospitality industry. The findings indicate that while research participants experienced a combination of privilege and disadvantage, disadvantage significantly outweighed the partial advantageous treatment which Polish women received. The data also provided an account of Polish women’s reflections on episodes which can be recognised as instances of inequality. Through an intersectional lens the relationships between (hetero)gender, migration status and whiteness can be seen. By presenting new findings on Polish women’s working experiences the thesis helps hospitality employers to understand and identify discriminating and privileging practices targeting a group of employees that is valuable for the industry. The study brings practitioners’ attention to inequality forming practices between Polish women and other groups of employees but also within the studied population. The thesis contributes to the intersectional understanding of work inequality in a twofold manner. Firstly, it demonstrates the importance of incorporating (hetero)gender in intersectional studies of organisations. Drawing on Ingraham’s call for the exposure of the “heterosexual imaginary” the study incorporates (hetero)gender along with other vectors of social categorisation to explain the roots of migrant women’s disadvantage and privilege. Secondly, the thesis identifies contextual factors shaping migrant women’s experiences of inequality. Situational influences catalysing migrant women’s privilege and disadvantage were revealed at individual, organisational and international levels

Absence of toll-like receptor 9 Pro99Leu polymorphism in cervical cancer [version 2; referees: 2 approved, 1 not approved]

Background: Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) plays a key role in the elimination of viral pathogens by recognising their CpG DNA. Polymorphisms in the TLR9 gene may influence their recognition and subsequent elimination. Therefore, the present study was designed to elucidate the role of a rare unexplored TLR9 gene polymorphism C296T/ Pro99Leu (rs5743844) in cervical cancer susceptibility among Indian women. Methods: The genotyping of TLR9 Pro99Leu polymorphism in 110 cervical cancer patients and 141 healthy controls was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: The genotype frequency detected in both cervical cancer and control populations was 1.0 (CC), 0.0 (CT) and 0.0 (TT); while the allele frequency was found to be 1.0 (C) and 0.0 (T). Conclusions: The present study demonstrates no involvement of TLR9 C296T/ Pro99Leu polymorphism in cervical cancer susceptibility and supports minor allele frequency (MAF) (0.0002) status of the same as no nucleotide variation was detected in any of the study subjects

The 'hidden geography' in the EU policymaking

This paper investigates the role and influences of Geography and Geographers in the EU policymaking process. On top of this, it both adds to the perennial debate of the ‘utility role’ of Geography in policymaking, and the concerns in concentrating geographical analysis in more relevant and practical issues for designing, implementing, and evaluating public policies. Furthermore, it sheds some light on the Geographer’s influence in the EU mainstream development strategies and policies. This article finds that there is, in fact, a ‘hidden Geography’ within the EU policymaking. Hidden because of the reduced presence and influential role of Geographers in the design of the EU mainstream development strategies and policies. Still, we find with a somewhat translucent and peripheral presence in the existing EU territorial analysis missions, like the ESPON programme.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Immunoproteomics and Surfaceomics of the Adult Tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta

In cestodiasis, mechanical and molecular contact between the parasite and the host activates the immune response of the host and may result in inflammatory processes, leading to ulceration and intestinal dysfunctions. The aim of the present study was to identify antigenic proteins of the adult cestode Hymenolepis diminuta by subjecting the total protein extracts from adult tapeworms to 2DE immunoblotting (two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with immunoblotting) using sera collected from experimentally infected rats. A total of 36 protein spots cross-reacting with the rat sera were identified using LC-MS/MS. As a result, 68 proteins, including certain structural muscle proteins (actin, myosin, and paramyosin) and moonlighters (heat shock proteins, kinases, phosphatases, and glycolytic enzymes) were identified; most of these were predicted to possess binding and/or catalytic activity required in various metabolic and cellular processes, and reported here as potential antigens of the adult cestode for the first time. As several of these antigens can also be found at the cell surface, the surface-associated proteins were extracted and subjected to in-solution digestion for LC-MS/MS identification (surfaceomics). As a result, a total of 76 proteins were identified, from which 31 proteins, based on 2DE immunoblotting, were predicted to be immunogenic. These included structural proteins actin, myosin and tubulin as well as certain moonlighting proteins (heat-shock chaperones) while enzymes with diverse catalytic activities were found as the most dominating group of proteins. In conclusion, the present study shed new light into the complexity of the enteric cestodiasis by showing that the H. diminuta somatic proteins exposed to the host possess immunomodulatory functions, and that the immune response of the host could be stimulated by diverse mechanisms, involving also those triggering protein export via yet unknown pathways

Special Libraries, February 1959

Volume 50, Issue 2https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1959/1001/thumbnail.jp

The Lived Experience of Nurses Caring for Patients Diagnosed with Infective Endocarditis Who Use or Have Used Intravenous Drugs in Appalachia: A Phenomenological Study

Infective endocarditis (IE) from intravenous drug use (IVDU) is an increasing problem in Appalachia. IE is an infection of the inner lining of the heart which may be contracted from body piercing, tattooing, or tooth brushing. In the person who uses IV drugs, the infection is generally needle borne. The Appalachian Region has been profoundly affected by the opioid crisis. Hospitalizations of Appalachians diagnosed with IE from IVDU are rising. Appalachians operate from a strong moral compass, gauging behavior as right or wrong. In the literature, health care provider attitudes towards patients with substance use disorder (SUD) are pejoratively negative, with nurses amongst the most punitive. In the patient diagnosed with IE, surgery is often needed to repair a failing heart. However, in patients who use IV drugs, surgery is only occasionally considered. Conversations of medical futility, resource allocation, and individual worth are occurring in the medical community and mainstream media. Notably absent from the literature and greater societal conversation is the voice of the nurse caring for this vulnerable population. The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning nurses ascribe to caring for patients diagnosed with IE from IVDU in Appalachia using the tenets of Merleau-Ponty’s existential phenomenology. The University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) Method developed by Thomas and Pollio (2002) guided this study. Nine nurses were interviewed using an unstructured phenomenological approach. Participants age ranged from 29 to 53 years with one to 31 years of nursing experience. Data analysis included reading and analyzing verbatim transcripts to formulate meaning units and global themes to construct a thematic structure that described the essence of the experience. An overarching polar theme of helplessness/hope permeated across the transcripts, as nurses struggled with a sense of futility in their care. Four figural themes arose from this central theme: (1) guarding/escaping; (2) responsibility and revulsion; (3) apathy/empathy; and (3) grief and sorrow/cold and unemotional. Study rigor was ensured by bracketing, peer debriefing, member checking, data saturation, and rich participant quotes to support the themes. Study findings add to addiction science literature with implications for nursing education, health policy, and nursing practice