Skin-Specific Expression of ank-393, a Novel Ankyrin-3 Splice Variant

Ankyrins represent a protein family whose members are associated with membrane proteins and the actin cytoskeleton. The principal ankyrin domain structure comprises an amino-terminal membrane-binding, a spectrin-binding, and a regulatory domain, and can be modulated by alternative splicing. In order to investigate the role of ankyrin-3 in skin, we have isolated three complete ankyrin-3 cDNA clones of 5.8 kb, 5.2 kb, and 2.5 kb by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction of mouse skin RNA. DNA sequencing confirmed the isolated clones to be splice variants of ankyrin-3. Of these, the smallest cDNA represents a novel ankyrin named ankyrin-393. Surprisingly, this novel ankyrin subtype lacks not only all ankyrin repeats, but also the first 75 amino acids of the spectrin-binding domain. Immuno-fluorescence analysis of mouse skin showed that ankyrin-3 is expressed in all living layers of mouse epidermis. Here, it predominates along the basal and lateral membranes of the basal layer in addition to an even cytoplasmic distribution. In primary mouse keratinocytes grown at elevated Ca2+ levels, ankyrin-393 was localized along the plasma membrane and throughout the cell in a Golgi-like fashion. Depending on fixation conditions, nuclear staining became apparent in many cells. In agreement with previous data, northern blotting revealed a widespread distribution of the two larger ankyrin splice variants. In contrast, the mRNA coding for ankyrin-393 was restricted to mouse skin. Reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction of mouse skin RNA strongly suggested additional ankyrin isoforms in skin. Our data on ankyrin-393, which lacks a part of the spectrin-binding domain that regulates the affinity to spectrin, suggests a new function for this member of the ankyrin family

Ecosystem based modeling and indication of ecological integrity in the German North Sea - Case study offshore wind parks

Human exploitation and use of marine and coastal areas are apparent and growing in many regions of the world. For instance, fishery, shipping, military, raw material exploitation, nature protection and the rapidly expanding offshore wind power technology are competing for limited resources and space. The development and implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) strategies could help to solve these problems. Therefore, suitable spatial assessment, modeling, planning and management tools are urgently needed. These tools have to deal with data that include complex information on different spatial and temporal scales. A systematic approach based on the development of future scenarios which are assessed by combining different simulationmodels, GIS methods and an integrating set of ecological integrity indicators, was applied in a case study in the German North Sea. Here, the installation of huge offshore wind parks within the near future is planned. The aim was to model environmental effects of altered sea-use patterns on marine biota. Indicators of ecological integrity were used to assess altering conditions and possible ecosystem shifts ranging from systems' degradations to the development of highly productive and diverse artificial reef systems. The results showed that some ecosystem processes and properties and related indicators are sensitive to changes generated by offshore wind park installations while others did not react as hypothesized

Information-analytical systems as a basis of improving the efficiency of risk management

Building an effective system-risk management in an enterprise on the basis of integrated integration of risk management procedures into virtually all enterprise processes is associated with a wide range of tasks. Such integration processes can be simplified by using modern information technologies

The association between body-mass index and patient outcome in septic shock: a retrospective cohort study

Zusammenfassung: HINTERGRUND: Es bestehen keine Daten über die Assoziation zwischen dem Body Mass Index (BMI) bzw. BMI Kategorien und der Mortalität von septischen Schock-patienten. METHODEN: Die Datenbank einer interdisziplinären Intensivstation wurde retrospektiv nach erwachsenen Patienten mit septischem Schock durchsucht. Von allen Patienten wurde der BMI, demographische, klinische und laborchemische Parameter gemeinsam mit Outcomevariabeln dokumentiert. Die Studienpatienten wurden wie folgt anhand des BMI kategorisiert: BMI 30 kg/m2, Fettleibigkeit. Bivariate und multivariate logistische Regressionsmodelle wurden verwendet, um den Zusammenhang zwischen dem BMI und Outcome-variabeln zu untersuchen. RESULTATE: 301 septische Schockpatienten wurden identifiziert. Der BMI war bivariat mit der Mortalität auf der Intensivstation assoziiert (OR, 0,91; 95% CI, 0,86-0,98; p = 0,007). Es gab keine signifikante Assoziation zwischen dem BMI und der Mortalität auf der Intensivstation. Allerdings waren höhere BMI Werte trendmässig mit einer niedrigeren Intensivstations-mortalität assoziiert (OR, 0,93; 95% CI, 0,86-1,01; p = 0,09). Während übergewichtige (OR, 0,43; 95% CI, 0,19-0,98; p = 0,04) und fettleibige (OR, 0,28; 95% CI, 0,08-0,93; p = 0,04) Patienten ein unabhängig niedrigeres Risiko auf der Intensivstation zu versterben hatten als normalgewichtige Patienten, gab es keinen Unterschied im Sterberisiko zwischen normal- und untergewichtigen Patienten (p = 0,22). Ein hoher BMI war unabhängig mit einer geringen Häufigkeit eines akutem Deliriums (p = 0,04) und einer geringeren Intensivwieder-aufnahmerate (p = 0,001), aber mit mehr Harnwegsinfektionen (p = 0,02) assoziiert. SCHLUSSFOLGERUNG: Bis zu einem BMI von 50 kg/m2 scheint keine Assoziation zwischen BMI und schlechterem Überleben auf der Intensivstation oder im Krankenhaus bei septischen Schockpatienten zu bestehen. Im Gegenteil, hohe BMI Werte könnten sogar das Risiko am septischen Schock zu versterben reduziere

Bericht über die 2017 American Library Association Annual Conference and Exhibition, June 22 -27, Chicago

Tagungsberich

Integrierte Bereitstellung, einheitlicher Zugang und individuelle Verteilung:Informations-Management einer großen Universität

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Evaluation of the potential of modified calcium carbonate as a carrier for unsaturated fatty acids in oxygen scavenging applications

Modified calcium carbonates (MCC) are inorganic mineral-based particles with a large surface area, which is enlarged by their porous internal structure consisting of hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate crystal structures. Such materials have high potential for use as carriers for active substances such as oxygen scavenging agents. Oxygen scavengers are applied to packaging to preserve the quality of oxygen-sensitive products. This study investigated the potential of MCC as a novel carrier system for unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), with the intention of developing an oxygen scavenger. Linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid (OA) were loaded on MCC powder, and the loaded MCC particles were characterized and studied for their oxygen scavenging activity. For both LA and OA, amounts of 20 wt% loading on MCC were found to provide optimal surface area/volume ratios. Spreading UFAs over large surface areas of 31.6 and 49 m2 g-1 MCC enabled oxygen exposure and action on a multitude of molecular sites, resulting in oxygen scavenging rates of 12.2 ± 0.6 and 1.7 ± 0.2 mL O2 d-1 g-1, and maximum oxygen absorption capacities of >195.6 ± 13.5 and >165.0 ± 2.0 mL g-1, respectively. Oxygen scavenging activity decreased with increasing humidity (37-100% RH) and increased with rising temperatures (5-30 °C). Overall, highly porous MCC was concluded to be a suitable UFA carrier for oxygen scavenging applications in food packaging

Climate Change: Warming Impacts on Marine Biodiversity

In this chapter, the effects of temperature change—as a main aspect of climate change—on marine biodiversity are assessed. Starting from a general discussion of species responses to temperature, the chapter presents how species respond to warming. These responses comprise adaptation and phenotypic plasticity as well as range shifts. The observed range shifts show more rapid shifts at the poleward range edge than at the equator-near edge, which probably reflects more rapid immigration than extinction in a warming world. A third avenue of changing biodiversity is change in species interactions, which can be altered by temporal and spatial shifts in interacting species. We then compare the potential changes in biodiversity to actual trends recently addressed in empirical synthesis work on local marine biodiversity, which lead to conceptual issues in quantifying the degree of biodiversity change. Finally we assess how climate change impacts the protection of marine environments

Role of thioredoxin reductase 1 and thioredoxin interacting protein in prognosis of breast cancer

Introduction: The purpose of this work was to study the prognostic influence in breast cancer of thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1) and thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), key players in oxidative stress control that are currently evaluated as possible therapeutic targets. Methods: Analysis of the association of TXNRD1 and TXNIP RNA expression with the metastasis-free interval (MFI) was performed in 788 patients with node-negative breast cancer, consisting of three individual cohorts (Mainz, Rotterdam and Transbig). Correlation with metagenes and conventional clinical parameters (age, pT stage, grading, hormone and ERBB2 status) was explored. MCF-7 cells with a doxycycline-inducible expression of an oncogenic ERBB2 were used to investigate the influence of ERBB2 on TXNRD1 and TXNIP transcription. Results: TXNRD1 was associated with worse MFI in the combined cohort (hazard ratio = 1.955; P < 0.001) as well as in all three individual cohorts. In contrast, TXNIP was associated with better prognosis (hazard ratio = 0.642; P < 0.001) and similar results were obtained in all three subcohorts. Interestingly, patients with ERBB2-status-positive tumors expressed higher levels of TXNRD1. Induction of ERBB2 in MCF-7 cells caused not only an immediate increase in TXNRD1 but also a strong decrease in TXNIP. A subsequent upregulation of TXNIP as cells undergo senescence was accompanied by a strong increase in levels of reactive oxygen species. Conclusions: TXNRD1 and TXNIP are associated with prognosis in breast cancer, and ERBB2 seems to be one of the factors shifting balances of both factors of the redox control system in a prognostic unfavorable manner