Translational regulation in mycobacteria and its implications for pathogenicity

Protein synthesis is a fundamental requirement of all cells for survival and replication. To date, vast numbers of genetic and biochemical studies have been performed to address the mechanisms of translation and its regulation in Escherichia coli, but only a limited number of studies have investigated these processes in other bacteria, particularly in slow growing bacteria like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of human tuberculosis. In this Review, we highlight important differences in the translational machinery of M. tuberculosis compared with E. coli, specifically the presence of two additional proteins and subunit stabilizing elements such as the B9 bridge. We also consider the role of leaderless translation in the ability of M. tuberculosis to establish latent infection and look at the experimental evidence that translational regulatory mechanisms operate in mycobacteria during stress adaptation, particularly focussing on differences in toxin-antitoxin systems between E. coli and M. tuberculosis and on the role of tuneable translational fidelity in conferring phenotypic antibiotic resistance. Finally, we consider the implications of these differences in the context of the biological adaptation of M. tuberculosis and discuss how these regulatory mechanisms could aid in the development of novel therapeutics for tuberculosis

Expression of Class I and II Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Antigens in the Developing CNS

The clinical potential of neural transplantation depends upon the feasibility of allogenenic or xenogeneic transplants, particularly of fetal tissue. This, in turn, is influenced by donor cell expression of MHC antigens. MHC expression in the developing CNS in situ had not been defined. Here, a panel of antibodies was used to define MHC expression in the developing rat embryo

An extension of the satellite monitoring Liberty GPS system for the support requirements of transportation companies

In working out the performance principles introduced into the construction and functionality of a Satellite Monitoring Liberty GPS System for vehicles and its possibilities in offering services that improve the logistical processes for transportation companies

Montmorilonit – usporedba metoda za njegovo određivanje u ljevaoničkim bentonitima

A comparison and estimation of usefulness of a quantitative analysis of montmorillonite in foundry bentonites, was the aim of this research. The investigations were made by means of three different techniques: methylene blue (MB) adsorption method, Cu(II)-triethylenetetramine complex (Cu(II)-TET) adsorption method, and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) method. Tests were performed for 9 kinds of bentonites originated from various producers. The achieved results indicated that, the results obtained by the FTIR method were, in general, even 10% lower than the ones obtained by other methods. The best correlation with the data given by the producers were obtained for the Cu(II)-TET method. In addition, this method was characterised by the smallest value of standard deviations. A very essential advantage of the Cu(II)-TET method is a much shorter time needed for the analysis and its easier execution, which is important under production conditions.Cilj ovog istraživanja je bila procjena upotrebljivosti kvantitativne analize montmorilonita u ljevaoničkim bentonitima. Istraživanja su provedena pomoću tri različite tehnike: adsorpcija metilenskog modrila (MB), adsorpcija Cu(II)-trietilentetramin kompleksa (CU(II)-TET), i infracrvena spektroskopija (FTIR). Ispitivanja su provedena na 9 vrsta bentonita koji potječu od različitih proizvođača. Rezultati dobiveni FTIR metodom u prosjeku su za čak 10,0% niži od rezultata dobivenih ostalim metodama. Najbolja korelacija s podatcima od proizvođača dobivena je primjenom Cu(II)-TET metode. Osim toga, kod te metode najmanje su vrijednosti standardnih devijacija. Vrlo važna prednost Cu(II)-TET metode je znatno kraće vrijeme potrebno za anaalizu i lakše provođenje, što je značajno u proizvodnim uvjetima

Where the Clouds Meet the Water

Where the Clouds Meet the Water follows the historical journey of the German Ecuadorian widower, Ernst Contag, and his four young children from their home in the South American Andes to Nazi Germany in 1942. Blacklisted as an enemy alien, Ernst Contag and his children are forcibly repatriated to the country of Ernst\u27s grandparents as part of a diplomatic exchange arranged by the United States\u27 State Department and cooperating countries. In Nazi Germany, Ernst and his children must deny their Ecuadorian past and learn to live as Germans. The Contag family strives to keep the ray of hope in their hearts when the Nazi oath of blood and honor leads to fear, abandonment, and death. The children and their father navigate an ever-shifting horizon as they face despair and fear in internment and refugee sites, separation, devastation and loss in Germany (1942-45), hunger and hopelessness in post-war France (1945-46), and hostility in their own Andean homeland. Through it all, the strength of family serves as the glue that holds them all together. The story is based on historical research conducted in libraries and archives on three continents, interviews with survivors of the Ecuadorian blacklist, personal records and official documents submitted to the authors by survivors and their families. Where the Clouds Meet the Water will intrigue readers of all ages who are moved by coming-of-age stories, and fascinated by World War II history and survivor stories.https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/university-archives-msu-authors/1007/thumbnail.jp

Surface excitonic emission and quenching effects in ZnO nanowire/nanowall systems: limiting effects on device potential.

We report ZnO nanowire/nanowall growth using a two-step vapour phase transport method on a-plane sapphire. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy data establish that the nanostructures are vertically well-aligned with c-axis normal to the substrate, and have a very low rocking curve width. Photoluminescence data at low temperatures demonstrate the exceptionally high optical quality of these structures, with intense emission and narrow bound exciton linewidths. We observe a high energy excitonic emission at low temperatures close to the band-edge which we assign to the surface exciton in ZnO at ~ 3.366 eV, the first time this feature has been reported in ZnO nanorod systems. This assignment is consistent with the large surface to volume ratio of the nanowire systems and indicates that this large ratio has a significant effect on the luminescence even at low temperatures. The band-edge intensity decays rapidly with increasing temperature compared to bulk single crystal material, indicating a strong temperature-activated non-radiative mechanism peculiar to the nanostructures. No evidence is seen of the free exciton emission due to exciton delocalisation in the nanostructures with increased temperature, unlike the behaviour in bulk material. The use of such nanostructures in room temperature optoelectronic devices appears to be dependent on the control or elimination of such surface effects

In vitro tissue microarrays for quick and efficient spheroid characterisation

Three-dimensional in vitro microphysiological cultures, such as spheroids and organoids, promise increased patient relevance and therapeutic predictivity compared to reductionist cell monolayers. However, high-throughput characterisation techniques for 3D models are currently limited to simplistic live/dead assays. By sectioning and staining in vitro microtissues researchers can examine their structure, detect DNA, RNA and protein targets and visualise them at the level of single cells. The morphological examination and immunochemistry staining for in vitro cultures has historically been done in a laborious manner involving testing one set of cultures at a time. We have developed a technology to rapidly screen spheroid phenotype and protein expression by arranging 66 spheroids in a gel array for paraffin-embedding, sectioning and immunohistochemsitry. The process is quick, mostly automatable and uses 11 times less reagents compared to conventional techniques. Here we showcase the capabilities of the technique in an array made up of 11 different cell lines stained in conventional H&E staining, as well as immunohistochemistry staining for estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) human epidermal growth factor receptors (Her-2) and TP53. This new methodology can be used in optimising stem cell-based models of disease and development, for tissue engineering, safety screening and for efficacy screens in cancer research