CEMIP ( HYBID , KIAA1199 ): structure, function and expression in health and disease

CEMIP (cell migration-inducing protein), also known as KIAA1199 or HYBID, is a protein involved in the depolymerisation of hyaluronic acid (HA), a major glycosaminoglycan component of the extracellular matrix. CEMIP was originally described in patients affected by nonsyndromic hearing loss and has subsequently been shown to play a key role in tumour initiation and progression, as well as arthritis, atherosclerosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Despite the vast literature associating CEMIP with these diseases, its biology remains elusive. The present review article summarises all the major scientific evidence regarding its structure, function, role and expression, and attempts to cast light on a protein that modulates EMT, fibrosis and tissue inflammation, an unmet key aspect in several inflammatory disease conditions

Human neutralizing antibodies to cold linear epitopes and subdomain 1 of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants diminishes the efficacy of vaccines and antiviral monoclonal antibodies. Continued development of immunotherapies and vaccine immunogens resilient to viral evolution is therefore necessary. Using coldspot-guided antibody discovery, a screening approach that focuses on portions of the virus spike glycoprotein that are both functionally relevant and averse to change, we identified human neutralizing antibodies to highly conserved viral epitopes. Antibody fp.006 binds the fusion peptide and cross-reacts against coronaviruses of the four genera, including the nine human coronaviruses, through recognition of a conserved motif that includes the S2´ site of proteolytic cleavage. Antibody hr2.016 targets the stem helix and neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants. Antibody sd1.040 binds to subdomain 1, synergizes with antibody rbd.042 for neutralization and, like fp.006 and hr2.016, protects mice expressing human ACE2 against infection when present as bispecific antibody. Thus, coldspot-guided antibody discovery reveals donor-derived neutralizing antibodies that are cross-reactive with Orthocoronavirinae, including SARS-CoV-2 variants

Extending in vitro digestion models to specific human populations: Perspectives, practical tools and bio-relevant information

[EN] Background In vitro digestion models show great promise in facilitating the rationale design of foods. This paper provides a look into the current state of the art and outlines possible future paths for developments of digestion models recreating the diverse physiological conditions of specific groups of the human population. Scope and approach Based on a collective effort of experts, this paper outlines considerations and parameters needed for development of new in vitro digestion models, e.g. gastric pH, enzymatic activities, gastric emptying rate and more. These and other parameters are detrimental to the adequate development of in vitro models that enable deeper insight into matters of food luminal breakdown as well as nutrient and nutraceutical bioaccessibility. Subsequently, we present an overview of some new and emerging in vitro digestion models mirroring the gastro-intestinal conditions of infants, the elderly and patients of cystic fibrosis or gastric bypass surgery. Key findings and conclusions This paper calls for synchronization, harmonization and validation of potential developments in in vitro digestion models that would greatly facilitate manufacturing of foods tailored or even personalized, to a certain extent, to various strata of the human population.Shani-Levi, C.; Alvito, P.; Andrés Grau, AM.; Assunção, R.; Barbera, R.; Blanquet-Diot, S.; Bourlieu, C.... (2017). Extending in vitro digestion models to specific human populations: Perspectives, practical tools and bio-relevant information. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 60:52-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2016.10.017S52636

Caratterizzazione preliminare di Tmx5, una proteina transmembrana di tipo I della famiglia delle disolfuro isomerasi (PDI)

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá porovnáním didaktické vybavenosti učebnic chemie pro základní školy v České republice. První část práce je věnována teorii učebnic a jejich výzkumu. V další části se autorka věnuje komparaci učebnic z pohledu dvou metod: míry didaktické vybavenosti a stanovování didaktických kritérií. Učebnice chemie pro základní školy v České republice jsou dle výsledků této práce dobře didakticky vybavené. Analyzované učebnice obsahují podobné strukturní prvky. Mezi nejlépe didakticky vybavenými učebnicemi (učebnice nakladatelství Nová škola, Fraus) a těmi s nejnižšími výsledky (učebnice nakladatelství Taktik) byly nalezeny jen malé rozdíly, přestože doba, která uplynula mezi vydáním nejnovější a nejstarší učebnice činí více než 25 let. Z důvodu homogenity výsledků, a s ní spojenou nižší možností učebnice srovnávat, byla dále aplikována metoda stanovování didaktických kritérií. Ta sice nenabízí absolutní určení toho, která z učebnic je nejvhodnější pro výuku, zato předkládá další náhled na hodnocené učebnice, např. z hlediska otázek a úkolů, obrazů či pokusů, které mohou vypovídat o kvalitě učebnic. Nejlépe vybavené učebnice jsou první díly učebnic nakladatelství Fraus a Základy chemie. Naopak nejnižší vybaveností disponují druhé díly učebnic nakladatelství Taktik a Základy...This thesis deals with the comparison of didactical equipment of Chemistry Textbooks for Basic Schools in the Czech Republic. The first part of the thesis is dedicated to the theory of textbooks and their research within it. The next part, which includes comparison of the textbooks, is pursued by the author from the perspective of two methods: the first being The Degree of Didactical Equipment and the second one The Determination of Didactical Criterion. According to the results of this thesis, the Chemistry Textbooks for Basic Schools in the Czech Republic are alike in its didactical equipment. There are similar structural components in each analysed textbook. There were found only small differences between the best didactically equipped textbooks (the textbooks of the publishers Nová škola and Fraus) and those with the lowest outcome (the textbooks of the publisher Taktik), although the time period between publishing the newest and the oldest textbook is more than 25 years. Due to homogeneity of the results and therefore lower possibility of comparing textbooks the method of the Determination of Didactical Criterion was applied. The method does not offer the final account of the most suitable textbook for school education but it presents different view of analysed textbooks, for example the...Katedra chemie a didaktiky chemiePedagogická fakultaFaculty of Educatio

Le frodi agroalimentari: profili economico-giudici tra "stato dell'arte" e prospettive di riforma

ABSTRACT Obiettivo del presente lavoro, è quello di analizzare il “fenomeno” relativo alle frodi, nel settore agroalimentare, secondo una duplice direttrice, una di ordine giuridico e l’altra d’ordine economico. Procedendo ad un’analisi del reato di frode, in termini generali, per poi addivenire nella specificità, alla morfologia di quelle inerenti al settore agroalimentare, attraverso lo screening degli elementi costitutivi, quindi, il soggetto agente, le tipologie di condotte attive, i beni giuridici da esse compromessi, e l’elemento psicologico, congiuntamente alla tematica inerente in generale la sicurezza alimentare, all’apparato normativo in materia, tra cui, lo “Schema di disegno di legge”, recante “Nuove norme in materia di reati agroalimentari”, ed a talune proposte di riforma. Altresì, attraverso specifici dati, si valuterà l’incidenza del fenomeno in oggetto, tenendo in debito conto, anche verso quali tipologie di prodotti, le condotte fraudolente, divengono più insistenti. Ciò infatti, consente non solo di rilevare le informazioni necessarie ai fini della verificabilità della portata della fenomenologia di matrice fraudolenta, ma viepiù, di saggiare per settori, la portata ed il valore, nel comparto di specie, nonché l’impatto prodotto da tal condotte, sulle eccellenze del nostro “Made in Italy” agroalimentare, alla luce dell’”internazionalizzazione delle frodi agroalimentari”, e dell’evoluzione di fenomenologie criminose, quali l’“Italian sounding”, l’“agromafia” e l’ “agropirateria”. Abstract in English The aim of this work is to analyze the "phenomenon" of frauds in the food industry, following the twofold perspective of legal nature and economic nature. The work starts by analyzing the crime of fraud, in general terms first, then descending into the food industry sector specificities. Following the screening of constituent elements of a food fraud, the research focuses on the agent figure and their active behavior, on goods as objects of the fraud and on the psychological aspects related. The research perspective takes into account the general policies on food safety with particular observation of the regulatory apparatus in the field, that includes, the "Scheme of the bill" containing "New rules on food crimes". Other reform proposals will be reviewed as well. Using specific dataset information, the study estimates the effects of the food frauds particularly regarding food products that more then others, become object of insistent fraudulent actions. The study allowed to provide needful information for the verifiability of the importance of the fraudulent phenomenology specifically testing importance and value within different food sectors as well as the impact of such fraudulent conduct on the “Made in Italy” food excellence in the light of the “internationalization of food fraud”. Results also provided a sight on the evolution of the food frauds criminal phenomena strictly related, such as ”Italian sounding”, ”agromafia” and “food piracy” ones

Thioredoxin-Related Transmembrane Proteins: TMX1 and Little Brothers TMX2, TMX3, TMX4 and TMX5

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is site of synthesis and maturation of membrane and secretory proteins in eukaryotic cells. The ER contains more than 20 members of the Protein Disulfide Isomerase (PDI) family. These enzymes regulate formation, isomerization and disassembly of covalent bonds between cysteine residues. As such, PDIs ensure protein folding, which is required to attain functional and transport-competent structure, and protein unfolding, which facilitates dislocation of defective gene products across the ER membrane for ER-associated degradation (ERAD). The PDI family includes over a dozen of soluble members and few membrane-bound ones. Among these latter, there are five PDIs grouped in the thioredoxin-related transmembrane (TMX) protein family. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on TMX1, TMX2, TMX3, TMX4 and TMX5, their structural features, regulation and roles in biogenesis and control of the mammalian cell's proteome

ε Form Gels and Aerogels of Syndiotactic Polystyrene

Mixtures of two solvents allow obtaining stable physical gels of syndiotactic polystyrene (s-PS), whose physical knots are for the first time constituted by ε cocrystals. These ε gels, by simple scCO2 extraction procedures, lead to aerogels only exhibiting the nanoporous-crystalline ε form, with a degree of crystallinity higher than 45%. This preparationprocedure is the first one leading to pure ε form aerogels. Although the BET surface areas for ε aerogels (exhibiting crystalline nanochannels) are much lower than for δ form aerogels (exhibiting isolated crystalline nanocavities), the uptake of long organic molecules is definitely higher for ε aerogels, with differences becoming very high at low guest pressures. Moreover, for all guests, pure ε aerogels present uptakes significantly higher than the previously known ε + γ aerogels