A Novel Electrochemical Sensor for the Detection of Reactive Red Dye to Determine Water Quality

In this study, tragacanth gum/chitosan/ZnO nanoprism-based electrochemical sensors were prepared for sensing reactive dyes in water. To use an electrochemical sensor, a ~250 nm-sized ZnO nanoprism was synthesized via ultrasonic-assisted green synthesis method, using tragacanth gum and chitosan polymer blend as a matrix. The electrochemical properties of tragacanth gum/chitosan/ZnO nanoprisms were compared against reactive red 35, reactive yellow 15, and reactive black 194. The electrochemical measurement results indicated that prepared tragacanth gum/chitosan/ZnO nanoprism-based electrochemical sensor detected 25 ppm reactive red 35 in 1 min at room temperature. This study reveals new high-potential novel tragacanth gum/chitosan/ZnO nanoprism-based sensing material for the detection of reactive red dye-consisted wastewater with high sensitivity and short response time

Anesthesia Management in Robinow Syndrome (A Case Report)

Robinow Syndrome (RS) is a rare disease characterized by anomalies in the face, head, external reproductive organs, and spine segmentation. The three main symptoms of the syndrome are fetal face appearance, genital hypoplasia, and gingival hyperplasia. Fifteen percent of the cases have congenital heart defects. Short neck, large tongue, and airway problems due to a structural disorder of the face may be observed. In this paper, we present our anesthesia practice in a case that had been diagnosed with RS

Different Mechanisms Confer Gradual Control and Memory at Nutrient- and Stress-Regulated Genes in Yeast

Cells respond to environmental stimuli by fine-tuned regulation of gene expression. Here we investigated the dose-dependent modulation of gene expression at high temporal resolution in response to nutrient and stress signals in yeast. The GAL1 activity in cell populations is modulated in a well-defined range of galactose concentrations, correlating with a dynamic change of histone remodeling and RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) association. This behavior is the result of a heterogeneous induction delay caused by decreasing inducer concentrations across the population. Chromatin remodeling appears to be the basis for the dynamic GAL1 expression, because mutants with impaired histone dynamics show severely truncated dose-response profiles. In contrast, the GRE2 promoter operates like a rapid off/on switch in response to increasing osmotic stress, with almost constant expression rates and exclusively temporal regulation of histone remodeling and RNAPII occupancy. The Gal3 inducer and the Hog1 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase seem to determine the different dose-response strategies at the two promoters. Accordingly, GAL1 becomes highly sensitive and dose independent if previously stimulated because of residual Gal3 levels, whereas GRE2 expression diminishes upon repeated stimulation due to acquired stress resistance. Our analysis reveals important differences in the way dynamic signals create dose-sensitive gene expression outputs.This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (BFU2011-23326), Generalitat de Valencia (ACOMP2011/031), and the NIH Director's New Innovator Award (DP2 OD008654-01). Alessandro Rienzo was a recipient of a predoctoral FPI grant from Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad.Rienzo, A.; Poveda Huertes, D.; Aydin, S.; Buchler, NE.; Pascual-Ahuir Giner, MD.; Proft, MH. (2015). Different Mechanisms Confer Gradual Control and Memory at Nutrient- and Stress-Regulated Genes in Yeast. Molecular and Cellular Biology. 35(21):3669-3683. https://doi.org/10.1128/MCB.00729-15S366936833521Gasch, A. P., & Werner-Washburne, M. (2002). The genomics of yeast responses to environmental stress and starvation. Functional & Integrative Genomics, 2(4-5), 181-192. doi:10.1007/s10142-002-0058-2Hahn, S., & Young, E. T. (2011). Transcriptional Regulation inSaccharomyces cerevisiae: Transcription Factor Regulation and Function, Mechanisms of Initiation, and Roles of Activators and Coactivators. Genetics, 189(3), 705-736. doi:10.1534/genetics.111.127019Dos Santos, S. C. (2012). Yeast toxicogenomics: genome-wide responses to chemical stresses with impact in environmental health, pharmacology, and biotechnology. Frontiers in Genetics, 3. doi:10.3389/fgene.2012.00063Gasch, A. P., Spellman, P. T., Kao, C. M., Carmel-Harel, O., Eisen, M. B., Storz, G., … Brown, P. O. (2000). Genomic Expression Programs in the Response of Yeast Cells to Environmental Changes. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 11(12), 4241-4257. doi:10.1091/mbc.11.12.4241Martínez-Montañés, F., Pascual-Ahuir, A., & Proft, M. (2010). Toward a Genomic View of the Gene Expression Program Regulated by Osmostress in Yeast. OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, 14(6), 619-627. doi:10.1089/omi.2010.0046Morano, K. A., Grant, C. M., & Moye-Rowley, W. S. (2011). The Response to Heat Shock and Oxidative Stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics, 190(4), 1157-1195. doi:10.1534/genetics.111.128033De Nadal, E., Ammerer, G., & Posas, F. (2011). Controlling gene expression in response to stress. Nature Reviews Genetics, 12(12), 833-845. doi:10.1038/nrg3055Takahashi, S., & Pryciak, P. M. (2008). Membrane Localization of Scaffold Proteins Promotes Graded Signaling in the Yeast MAP Kinase Cascade. Current Biology, 18(16), 1184-1191. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2008.07.050Cai, L., Dalal, C. K., & Elowitz, M. B. (2008). Frequency-modulated nuclear localization bursts coordinate gene regulation. Nature, 455(7212), 485-490. doi:10.1038/nature07292Giorgetti, L., Siggers, T., Tiana, G., Caprara, G., Notarbartolo, S., Corona, T., … Natoli, G. (2010). Noncooperative Interactions between Transcription Factors and Clustered DNA Binding Sites Enable Graded Transcriptional Responses to Environmental Inputs. Molecular Cell, 37(3), 418-428. doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2010.01.016Hao, N., & O’Shea, E. K. (2011). Signal-dependent dynamics of transcription factor translocation controls gene expression. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 19(1), 31-39. doi:10.1038/nsmb.2192Stewart-Ornstein, J., Nelson, C., DeRisi, J., Weissman, J. S., & El-Samad, H. (2013). Msn2 Coordinates a Stoichiometric Gene Expression Program. Current Biology, 23(23), 2336-2345. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2013.09.043Hao, N., Budnik, B. A., Gunawardena, J., & O’Shea, E. K. (2013). Tunable Signal Processing Through Modular Control of Transcription Factor Translocation. Science, 339(6118), 460-464. doi:10.1126/science.1227299Lam, F. H., Steger, D. J., & O’Shea, E. K. (2008). Chromatin decouples promoter threshold from dynamic range. Nature, 453(7192), 246-250. doi:10.1038/nature06867Dolz-Edo, L., Rienzo, A., Poveda-Huertes, D., Pascual-Ahuir, A., & Proft, M. (2013). Deciphering Dynamic Dose Responses of Natural Promoters and Single cis Elements upon Osmotic and Oxidative Stress in Yeast. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 33(11), 2228-2240. doi:10.1128/mcb.00240-13Sellick, C. A., Campbell, R. N., & Reece, R. J. (2008). Chapter 3 Galactose Metabolism in Yeast—Structure and Regulation of the Leloir Pathway Enzymes and the Genes Encoding Them. International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology, 111-150. doi:10.1016/s1937-6448(08)01003-4Kumar, P. R., Yu, Y., Sternglanz, R., Johnston, S. A., & Joshua-Tor, L. (2008). NADP Regulates the Yeast GAL Induction System. Science, 319(5866), 1090-1092. doi:10.1126/science.1151903Thoden, J. B., Ryan, L. A., Reece, R. J., & Holden, H. M. (2008). The Interaction between an Acidic Transcriptional Activator and Its Inhibitor. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283(44), 30266-30272. doi:10.1074/jbc.m805200200Egriboz, O., Jiang, F., & Hopper, J. E. (2011). Rapid GAL Gene Switch of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Depends on Nuclear Gal3, Not Nucleocytoplasmic Trafficking of Gal3 and Gal80. Genetics, 189(3), 825-836. doi:10.1534/genetics.111.131839Jiang, F., Frey, B. R., Evans, M. L., Friel, J. C., & Hopper, J. E. (2009). Gene Activation by Dissociation of an Inhibitor from a Transcriptional Activation Domain. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 29(20), 5604-5610. doi:10.1128/mcb.00632-09Lavy, T., Kumar, P. R., He, H., & Joshua-Tor, L. (2012). The Gal3p transducer of the GAL regulon interacts with the Gal80p repressor in its ligand-induced closed conformation. Genes & Development, 26(3), 294-303. doi:10.1101/gad.182691.111Bhaumik, S. R. (2001). SAGA is an essential in vivo target of the yeast acidic activator Gal4p. Genes & Development, 15(15), 1935-1945. doi:10.1101/gad.911401Brown, C. E. (2001). Recruitment of HAT Complexes by Direct Activator Interactions with the ATM-Related Tra1 Subunit. Science, 292(5525), 2333-2337. doi:10.1126/science.1060214Jeong, C.-J., Yang, S.-H., Xie, Y., Zhang, L., Johnston, S. A., & Kodadek, T. (2001). Evidence That Gal11 Protein Is a Target of the Gal4 Activation Domain in the Mediator†. Biochemistry, 40(31), 9421-9427. doi:10.1021/bi010011kKoh, S. S., Ansari, A. Z., Ptashne, M., & Young, R. A. (1998). An Activator Target in the RNA Polymerase II Holoenzyme. Molecular Cell, 1(6), 895-904. doi:10.1016/s1097-2765(00)80088-xLarschan, E. (2001). The S. cerevisiae SAGA complex functions in vivo as a coactivator for transcriptional activation by Gal4. Genes & Development, 15(15), 1946-1956. doi:10.1101/gad.911501Lemieux, K., & Gaudreau, L. (2004). Targeting of Swi/Snf to the yeast GAL1 UASG requires the Mediator, TAFIIs, and RNA polymerase II. The EMBO Journal, 23(20), 4040-4050. doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7600416De Nadal, E., & Posas, F. (2009). Multilayered control of gene expression by stress-activated protein kinases. The EMBO Journal, 29(1), 4-13. doi:10.1038/emboj.2009.346Proft, M. (2001). Regulation of the Sko1 transcriptional repressor by the Hog1 MAP kinase in response to osmotic stress. The EMBO Journal, 20(5), 1123-1133. doi:10.1093/emboj/20.5.1123Proft, M., & Struhl, K. (2002). Hog1 Kinase Converts the Sko1-Cyc8-Tup1 Repressor Complex into an Activator that Recruits SAGA and SWI/SNF in Response to Osmotic Stress. Molecular Cell, 9(6), 1307-1317. doi:10.1016/s1097-2765(02)00557-9Brickner, D. G., Cajigas, I., Fondufe-Mittendorf, Y., Ahmed, S., Lee, P.-C., Widom, J., & Brickner, J. H. (2007). H2A.Z-Mediated Localization of Genes at the Nuclear Periphery Confers Epigenetic Memory of Previous Transcriptional State. PLoS Biology, 5(4), e81. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050081Kundu, S., Horn, P. J., & Peterson, C. L. (2007). SWI/SNF is required for transcriptional memory at the yeast GAL gene cluster. Genes & Development, 21(8), 997-1004. doi:10.1101/gad.1506607Kundu, S., & Peterson, C. L. (2010). Dominant Role for Signal Transduction in the Transcriptional Memory of Yeast GAL Genes. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 30(10), 2330-2340. doi:10.1128/mcb.01675-09Zacharioudakis, I., Gligoris, T., & Tzamarias, D. (2007). A Yeast Catabolic Enzyme Controls Transcriptional Memory. Current Biology, 17(23), 2041-2046. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2007.10.044Winzeler, E. A. (1999). Functional Characterization of the S. cerevisiae Genome by Gene Deletion and Parallel Analysis. Science, 285(5429), 901-906. doi:10.1126/science.285.5429.901Ghaemmaghami, S., Huh, W.-K., Bower, K., Howson, R. W., Belle, A., Dephoure, N., … Weissman, J. S. (2003). Global analysis of protein expression in yeast. Nature, 425(6959), 737-741. doi:10.1038/nature02046Mason, P. B., & Struhl, K. (2003). The FACT Complex Travels with Elongating RNA Polymerase II and Is Important for the Fidelity of Transcriptional Initiation In Vivo. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 23(22), 8323-8333. doi:10.1128/mcb.23.22.8323-8333.2003Rienzo, A., Pascual-Ahuir, A., & Proft, M. (2012). The use of a real-time luciferase assay to quantify gene expression dynamics in the living yeast cell. Yeast, 29(6), 219-231. doi:10.1002/yea.2905Alberti, S., Gitler, A. D., & Lindquist, S. (2007). A suite of Gateway®cloning vectors for high-throughput genetic analysis inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast, 24(10), 913-919. doi:10.1002/yea.1502Mazo-Vargas, A., Park, H., Aydin, M., & Buchler, N. E. (2014). Measuring fast gene dynamics in single cells with time-lapse luminescence microscopy. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 25(22), 3699-3708. doi:10.1091/mbc.e14-07-1187Kuras, L., & Struhl, K. (1999). Binding of TBP to promoters in vivo is stimulated by activators and requires Pol II holoenzyme. Nature, 399(6736), 609-613. doi:10.1038/21239Kvarnström, M., Logg, K., Diez, A., Bodvard, K., & Käll, M. (2008). Image analysis algorithms for cell contour recognition in budding yeast. Optics Express, 16(17), 12943. doi:10.1364/oe.16.012943Acar, M., Becskei, A., & van Oudenaarden, A. (2005). Enhancement of cellular memory by reducing stochastic transitions. Nature, 435(7039), 228-232. doi:10.1038/nature03524Acar, M., Pando, B. F., Arnold, F. H., Elowitz, M. B., & van Oudenaarden, A. (2010). A General Mechanism for Network-Dosage Compensation in Gene Circuits. Science, 329(5999), 1656-1660. doi:10.1126/science.1190544Biggar, S. R. (2001). Cell signaling can direct either binary or graded transcriptional responses. The EMBO Journal, 20(12), 3167-3176. doi:10.1093/emboj/20.12.3167Gandhi, S. J., Zenklusen, D., Lionnet, T., & Singer, R. H. (2010). Transcription of functionally related constitutive genes is not coordinated. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 18(1), 27-34. doi:10.1038/nsmb.1934Abramczyk, D., Holden, S., Page, C. J., & Reece, R. J. (2011). Interplay of a Ligand Sensor and an Enzyme in Controlling Expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae GAL Genes. Eukaryotic Cell, 11(3), 334-342. doi:10.1128/ec.05294-11Ahmed, S., & Brickner, J. H. (2007). Regulation and epigenetic control of transcription at the nuclear periphery. Trends in Genetics, 23(8), 396-402. doi:10.1016/j.tig.2007.05.009Babazadeh, R., Adiels, C. B., Smedh, M., Petelenz-Kurdziel, E., Goksör, M., & Hohmann, S. (2013). Osmostress-Induced Cell Volume Loss Delays Yeast Hog1 Signaling by Limiting Diffusion Processes and by Hog1-Specific Effects. PLoS ONE, 8(11), e80901. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080901Miermont, A., Waharte, F., Hu, S., McClean, M. N., Bottani, S., Leon, S., & Hersen, P. (2013). Severe osmotic compression triggers a slowdown of intracellular signaling, which can be explained by molecular crowding. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(14), 5725-5730. doi:10.1073/pnas.1215367110Proft, M., & Struhl, K. (2004). MAP Kinase-Mediated Stress Relief that Precedes and Regulates the Timing of Transcriptional Induction. Cell, 118(3), 351-361. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2004.07.016Guan, Q., Haroon, S., Bravo, D. G., Will, J. L., & Gasch, A. P. (2012). Cellular Memory of Acquired Stress Resistance inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Genetics, 192(2), 495-505. doi:10.1534/genetics.112.143016Pelet, S., Rudolf, F., Nadal-Ribelles, M., de Nadal, E., Posas, F., & Peter, M. (2011). Transient Activation of the HOG MAPK Pathway Regulates Bimodal Gene Expression. Science, 332(6030), 732-735. doi:10.1126/science.119885

Genetic dissection of the pluripotent proteome through multi-omics data integration.

Genetic background drives phenotypic variability in pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Most studies to date have used transcript abundance as the primary molecular readout of cell state in PSCs. We performed a comprehensive proteogenomics analysis of 190 genetically diverse mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) lines. The quantitative proteome is highly variable across lines, and we identified pluripotency-associated pathways that were differentially activated in the proteomics data that were not evident in transcriptome data from the same lines. Integration of protein abundance to transcript levels and chromatin accessibility revealed broad co-variation across molecular layers as well as shared and unique drivers of quantitative variation in pluripotency-associated pathways. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping localized the drivers of these multi-omic signatures to genomic hotspots. This study reveals post-transcriptional mechanisms and genetic interactions that underlie quantitative variability in the pluripotent proteome and provides a regulatory map for mESCs that can provide a basis for future mechanistic studies

Methemoglobinemia presenting in a circumcised baby following application of prilocaine: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Local anesthesia with prilocaine has become a routine part of ambulatory circumcision procedures. Methemoglobinemia is a rare but potentially lethal complication of local anesthetics.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 40-day-old Turkish boy who presented with cyanosis after receiving local anesthesia with prilocaine. His methemoglobin level revealed severe methemoglobinemia (methemoglobin = 44%). His cyanosis resolved after intravenous administration of methylene blue.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although the association between prilocaine use and methemoglobinemia has generally restricted the use of prilocaine in babies, it is still widely used in ambulatory procedures, especially during circumcision in the neonatal period. Prilocaine should not be used in babies who are less than 3 months old because of the risk of methemoglobinemia; other local anesthetics may be used for this age group. Furthermore, general anesthesia by mask ventilation may be favored for babies less than 3 months of age instead of local anesthetics.</p

K-carrageenan/PVA/nano-eggshell biocomposite-based non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor for low-level urea detection

As a comprehensive survey on both health and biosensor technologies, in this study, a non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor based on kappa-carrageenan/PVA/nano-eggshell (K-carrageenan/PVA/nano-eggshell) biocomposite was prepared to detect low-level urea in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS). Novel K-carrageenan/PVA/nano-eggshell biocomposite was prepared by ultrasonics sonochemistry. The electrochemical biosensor showed a sensitivity of 0.018 mu A mu M-1 cm(-2)in a linear range of [250-1000] mu M urea. Urea detection limit of the biosensor was 60 mu M at room temperature

Synthesis and Application of a Self-Standing Zirconia-Based Carbon Nanofiber in a Supercapacitor

Electrospun metal oxide-embedded carbon nanofibers have attracted considerable attention in energy storage applications for the development and fabrication of supercapacitors owing to their unique properties such as flexibility, high capacitance, large specific surface areas, and morphological and conductivity properties. Herein, a novel zirconia-based carbon nanofiber (referred to as CNF-20ZrO(2)) was fabricated using a simple electrospinning method and applied to a supercapacitor as the electroactive material for the first time. The optimal electrode (CNF-20ZrO(2)) demonstrates a high specific capacitance of 140 F/g at 1 A/g. In addition, the assembled supercapacitor delivers maximum specific energy of 4.86 Wh/kg at a specific power of 250 W/kg and shows excellent cycling stability of 82.6% after 10 000 cycles at 1 A/g. The electrochemical performance of the electrode originates from the high content of nitrogen and oxygen species, abundant electrochemical active sites, and high ionic conductivity

Tocilizumab Treatment In Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Patients: A Single Center Experience

Tocilizumab is a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-6 that has recently emerged as an alternative treatment modality for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). In the present study, we aimed to discuss the clinical and laboratory findings and treatment response of JIA cases to tocilizumab therapy. This retrospective study included 20 JIA patients aged between 0-18 years who were followed up from 2014 to 2016 and received tocilizumab treatment in our clinic. Treatment response could be not evaluated in two patients since they developed anaphylactic reactions due to tocilizumab. Of the remaining 18 patients, seven of them (38.9%) had polyarticular JIA, and eleven (61.1%) had systemic JIA. Platelet counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-Reactive protein (CRP) levels, active joint counts, and Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score 71 (JADAS71) were significantly decreased at the third month in both polyarticular and systemic JIA, while there were not any significant differences between the third and sixth months. All of the patients with polyarticular JIA had low disease activity at six months. Eight patients with systemic JIA had an inactive disease at six months, whereas the remaining three patients had high levels of CRP without presence of any clinical symptoms. Steroid treatment was terminated at the sixth month in all patients except for three patients who continued to receive 0.05-0.25 mg/kg steroid treatment. Two patients developed thrombocytopenia, one patient developed macrophage activation syndrome, and one patient had elevated transaminases due to tocilizumab treatment. Previous studies have shown that tocilizumab treatment is well-tolerated, effective, and safe for use in JIA patients. In the present study, we also demonstrated the efficacy of tocilizumab treatment in JIA patients from our clinic.WoSScopu