Structural Analysis of a Peptide Fragment of Transmembrane Transporter Protein Bilitranslocase

Using a combination of genomic and post-genomic approaches is rapidly altering the number of identified human influx carriers. A transmembrane protein bilitranslocase (TCDB 2.A.65) has long attracted attention because of its function as an organic anion carrier. It has also been identified as a potential membrane transporter for cellular uptake of several drugs and due to its implication in drug uptake, it is extremely important to advance the knowledge about its structure. However, at present, only the primary structure of bilitranslocase is known. In our work, transmembrane subunits of bilitranslocase were predicted by a previously developed chemometrics model and the stability of these polypeptide chains were studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Furthermore, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles were used as a model of cell membrane and herein we present a high-resolution 3D structure of an 18 amino acid residues long peptide corresponding to the third transmembrane part of bilitranslocase obtained by use of multidimensional NMR spectroscopy. It has been experimentally confirmed that one of the transmembrane segments of bilitranslocase has alpha helical structure with hydrophilic amino acid residues oriented towards one side, thus capable of forming a channel in the membrane

D4.2 Final report on trade-off investigations

Research activities in METIS WP4 include several as pects related to the network-level of future wireless communication networks. Thereby, a large variety of scenarios is considered and solutions are proposed to serve the needs envis ioned for the year 2020 and beyond. This document provides vital findings about several trade-offs that need to be leveraged when designing future network-level solutions. In more detail, it elaborates on the following trade- offs: • Complexity vs. Performance improvement • Centralized vs. Decentralized • Long time-scale vs. Short time-scale • Information Interflow vs. Throughput/Mobility enha ncement • Energy Efficiency vs. Network Coverage and Capacity Outlining the advantages and disadvantages in each trade-off, this document serves as a guideline for the application of different network-level solutions in different situations and therefore greatly assists in the design of future communication network architectures.Aydin, O.; Ren, Z.; Bostov, M.; Lakshmana, TR.; Sui, Y.; Svensson, T.; Sun, W.... (2014). D4.2 Final report on trade-off investigations. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/7676

BHPR research: qualitative1. Complex reasoning determines patients' perception of outcome following foot surgery in rheumatoid arhtritis

Background: Foot surgery is common in patients with RA but research into surgical outcomes is limited and conceptually flawed as current outcome measures lack face validity: to date no one has asked patients what is important to them. This study aimed to determine which factors are important to patients when evaluating the success of foot surgery in RA Methods: Semi structured interviews of RA patients who had undergone foot surgery were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis of interviews was conducted to explore issues that were important to patients. Results: 11 RA patients (9 ♂, mean age 59, dis dur = 22yrs, mean of 3 yrs post op) with mixed experiences of foot surgery were interviewed. Patients interpreted outcome in respect to a multitude of factors, frequently positive change in one aspect contrasted with negative opinions about another. Overall, four major themes emerged. Function: Functional ability & participation in valued activities were very important to patients. Walking ability was a key concern but patients interpreted levels of activity in light of other aspects of their disease, reflecting on change in functional ability more than overall level. Positive feelings of improved mobility were often moderated by negative self perception ("I mean, I still walk like a waddling duck”). Appearance: Appearance was important to almost all patients but perhaps the most complex theme of all. Physical appearance, foot shape, and footwear were closely interlinked, yet patients saw these as distinct separate concepts. Patients need to legitimize these feelings was clear and they frequently entered into a defensive repertoire ("it's not cosmetic surgery; it's something that's more important than that, you know?”). Clinician opinion: Surgeons' post operative evaluation of the procedure was very influential. The impact of this appraisal continued to affect patients' lasting impression irrespective of how the outcome compared to their initial goals ("when he'd done it ... he said that hasn't worked as good as he'd wanted to ... but the pain has gone”). Pain: Whilst pain was important to almost all patients, it appeared to be less important than the other themes. Pain was predominately raised when it influenced other themes, such as function; many still felt the need to legitimize their foot pain in order for health professionals to take it seriously ("in the end I went to my GP because it had happened a few times and I went to an orthopaedic surgeon who was quite dismissive of it, it was like what are you complaining about”). Conclusions: Patients interpret the outcome of foot surgery using a multitude of interrelated factors, particularly functional ability, appearance and surgeons' appraisal of the procedure. While pain was often noted, this appeared less important than other factors in the overall outcome of the surgery. Future research into foot surgery should incorporate the complexity of how patients determine their outcome Disclosure statement: All authors have declared no conflicts of interes

Development and validation of a new method for determining nitrofuran metabolites in bovine urine using liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry

Background. The use of nitrofurans as veterinary drugs in food-producing animals is banned throughout the European Union. Nevertheless, nitrofuran metabolites have been detected not only in animal products, but also in bovine urine. At present there are no methods yet published for the simultaneous detection of nitrofuran metabolites in bovine urine. Objectives. To develop and validate a method for determination of four key nitrofuran metabolites in bovine urine. Material and methods. The four nitrofuran metabolites (nitrofurantoin, furazolidone, nitrofurazone and furaltadone), were determined in bovine urine using LC-ESI-MS/MS. The procedure required an acid-catalysed release of protein-bound metabolites, followed by their in situ conversion into 2-nitrobenzaldehyde (NBA) derivatives. The sample clean-up was performed using a polymer extraction cartridge before hydrolysis. Nitrofuran metabolites were then determined using electrospray ionization in the positive mode, that had previously been separated on a Phenomenex Luna C-18 column. Results. The method was validated in accordance with the procedure outlined in the Commission Decision No. 2002/657/ EC. Urine samples were spiked with nitrofuran metabolite solutions at levels of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 pg/kg. Recoveries ranged between 90 - 108% (inter standard-corrected), with a repeatability precision (RSD) of less than 19% for all four analytes. The decision limit (CC) and detection capability (DC) were obtained from a calibration curve and lay respectively within the following ranges: 0.11- 0.34 pg/kg and 0.13- 0.43 pg/kg. Conclusions. The developed and validated LC-ESI-MS/MS method allows four nitrofuran metabolites to be identified and quantitated in bovine urine. This analytical procedure meets the criteria defined in the Commission Decision No. 2002/657/EC.Wprowadzenie. Unia Europejska zabroniła stosowania nitrofuranów jako leków weterynaryjnych u zwierząt, których tkanki przeznaczone są do spożycia. Metabolity nitrofuranów są wykrywane zarówno w produktach pochodzenia zwierzęcego jak i moczu. Brak opublikowanej metody pozwalającej na jednoczesne oznaczanie metabolitów nitrofuranów w moczu bydlęcym. Cel. Celem badań było opracowanie i zwalidowanie metody analitycznej pozwalającej na oznaczanie czterech metabolitów nitrofuranów w moczu bydlęcym. Materiał i metoda. Metatabolity nitrofuranów (nitrafurantoiny, furazolidonu, nitrofurazonu i furaltadonu) były oznaczane w moczu bydlęcym metodą LC-ESI-MS/MS. Procedura wymaga stosowania hydrolizy w środowisku kwaśnym w celu rozerwania wiązania białko-metabolit, a następnie przeprowadzenia metabolitów w pochodne z 2-nitrobenzaldehydem. Oczyszczanie próbek prowadzono przed hydrolizą na kolumienkach ze złożem polimerycznym. Metabolity nitrofuranów oznaczane były przy zastosowaniujonizacji poprzez elektrorozpraszanie w polaryzacji dodatniej, po wcześniejszym rozdzielaniu na kolumnie Phenomenex Luna C-18. Wyniki. Metoda została zwalidowana zgodnie z decyzją Komisji nr 2002/657/WE. Próbki moczu były wzbogacone roztworem metabolitów nitrofuranów na poziomach odpowiadających 0,5, 1,0, 1,5, i 2,0 pg/kg. Odzysk mieścił się w zakresie 90 - 108%, współczynnik powtarzalności (RSD) był mniejszy niż 19% dla wszystkich czterech związków. Decyzyjną wartość graniczną (CCa) oraz zdolność wykrycia (CCP) wyznaczono przy użyciu krzywej wzorcowej. Mieszczą się one w zakresie 0,11 - 0,34 pg/kg oraz 0,13 - 0,43 pg/kg. Wnioski. Opracowana i zwalidowana metoda LC-ESI-MS/MS daje możliwość jakościowego i ilościowego oznaczania czterech metabolitów nitrofuranów w moczu bydlęcym. Procedura analityczna spełnia wymagania decyzji Komisji nr 2002/657/WE

Determination of the thyreostats in animal muscle tissue by matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry

Wprowadzenie. Pozostałości tyreostatyków nie powinny znajdować w tkankach zwierząt przeznaczonych do spożycia. Zaproponowana w UE wartość granicznej wydajności metody analitycznej MRPL (ang. minimum required performance limit) w tkankach zwierzęcych wynosi 10 μg/kg. Dlatego też decyzyjna wartość graniczna (CCa) oraz zdolność wykrywania (CCb) dla metod stosowanych do oznaczania tych związków powinna być niższa niż 10 μg/kg. Cel. Celem pracy było opracowanie, w oparciu o dane z piśmiennictwa i badania własne, metody analitycznej do identyfikacji i oznaczania pięciu tyerostatyków: tapazolu (TAP), tiouracylu (TU), metylotiouracylu (MTU), propylotiouracylu (PTU) i fenylotiouracylu (FTU)) w tkance mięśniowej bydła, która spełniałaby wymagania decyzji Komisji nr 2002/657/WE. Materiał i metoda. Opracowano metodę do oznaczania tyreostatyków: tapazolu, tiouracylu, metylotiouracylu, propylotiouracylu i fenylotiouracylu w tkance mięśniowej bydła przy zastosowaniu chromatografii cieczowej-tandemowej spektrometrii mas (LC-MS/MS). Do ekstrakcji i oczyszczania próbek zastosowano metodę rozpraszania próbki w fazie stałej (ang. matrix solid-phase dispersion – MSPD). Analizę prowadzono w układzie LC-ESI-MS/MS z zastosowaniem kolumny Luna C18 Phenomenex. Jako standard wewnętrzny stosowano dimetylotiouracyl (DMTU). Próbki fortyfikowano na poziomach: 5, 10 i 20 μg/kg. Metodę zwalidowano zgodnie z kryteriami decyzji Komisji nr 2002/657/WE. Wyniki. Średnie odzyski mieściły się w zakresie 90 – 109%. Współczynniki zmienności powtarzalności ( CV) nie przekroczył 10%. Decyzyjna wartość graniczna (CCa) oraz zdolność wykrycia (CCβ) obliczone dla wszystkich badanych tyreostatyków nie przekroczyły zalecanej wartości granicznej wydajności metody (MRPL) wynoszącej 10 μg/kg . Wnioski. Opracowana i zwalidowana metoda oznaczania tyreostatyków w tkance mięśniowej zwierząt przy zastosowaniu do oczyszczania metody MSPD oraz techniki LC-ESI-MS/MS pozwala na wykrycie tych związków poniżej dopuszczalnego poziomu 10 mg/kg. Procedura analityczna spełnia wymagania decyzji Komisji nr 2002/657/WE.Background. The residues of thyreostats must not be present in the edible animal tissues. The proposed in the EU minimum required performance limit (MPRL) in the animal tissues is 10 μg/kg. This implies the decision limit (CCa) and decision capability (CCb) of the analytical methods used for the determination of these compounds lower than 10 μg/kg. Objective. This study aimed at the development, basing on the literature data and own studies the analytical method allowing for the identification and quantification of five thyreostats: tapazole (TAP), thiouracil (TU), methylotiouracil (MTU), propylothiouracil (PTU) and phenylotiouracil (FTU)) in the bovine muscle tissue, which would meet the criteria set in the Commission Decision No 2002/657/EC. Material and methods. The developed method used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The sample was extracted and cleaned using the matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) method. The LC was equipped with column Luna C18 Phenomenex. Dimetylotiouracyl was used as internal standard. The samples were fortified at levels: 5, 10 and 20 μg/kg. The method was validated according to the criteria laid down in Commission Decision No. 2002/657/EC. Results. At the levels, mean relative recoveries was in the range 90 - 109% and repeatability (CV %) was less than 10%. Decision limit (CCa) and detection capability (CCb) calculated for all thyreostats were below the recommended minimum required performance limit (MRPL) - 10 μg/kg. Conclusions. The developed and validated LC-ESI-MS/MS method allows for the identification and quantification of five thyreostats in the bovine muscle tissue in the quantities below 10 mg/kg. Analytical procedure meets the criteria of Commission Decision No 2002/657/E

Determination of chloramphenicol in milk powder using liquid-liquid cartridge extraction (Chem Elut) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Background. The European Union prohibits the use of chloramphenicol (CAP) as a veterinary drug in food-producing animals. Nevertheless, CAP have been detected in milk products (liquid milk and milk powder). Therefore, it is necessary to develop sensitive methods for determining CAP residues in milk powder. Objective. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a confirmatory method for determination of CAP in milk powder. Material and methods. Chloramphenicol was determined in milk powder using LC-ESI-MS/MS in negative mode. After fat removing milk powder sample was extracted/cleaned-up with a Chem Elut extraction cartridge. Separation was achieved on a Phenomenex Luna C-18 column with acetonitrile-water as a mobile phase. The mass spectrometer was operated in multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM). Four transitions were monitored m/z 321→152, 321→194, 321→257 (CAP) and 326→157 (IS CAP-d5). Results. Linearity, accuracy, precision, decision limit (CCa), detection capability (CCb) and ruggedness were determined for m/z 321→152. The mean relative recoveries (inter standard-corrected) of CAP from whole milk powder spiked at levels 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg were in the range 95 - 103%. Relative standard deviation (RSD%) of recoveries at all spiked levels were less than 14%. RSDs within-laboratory reproducibility calculated at fortification of 0.3 mg/kg was less than 16%. CCa and CCb were below 0.1 mg/kg. Conclusions. The developed LC-MS/MS method allows the determination of CAP in milk powder. The method was validated according to the Commission Decision No. 2002/657/EC requirements. This method can be applied to determination CAP in whole and skim milk powder.Wprowadzenie. Unia Europejska zabroniła stosowania chloramfenikolu (CAP) jako leku weterynaryjnego u zwierząt, których produkty są przeznaczone do spożycia. Pomimo tego, CAP jest wykrywany w produktach mleczarskich (mleko i mleko w proszku). Cel. Celem badań było opracowanie i zwalidowanie metody pozwalającej na oznaczanie CAP w mleku w proszku. Materiał i metoda. CAP był oznaczany w mleku w proszku metodą LC-ESI-MS/MS w trybie jonizacji ujemnej. Po usunięciu tłuszczu próbka była ekstrahowana/oczyszczana za pomocą ekstrakcyjnych kolumienek Chem Elut. Do rozdziału CAP stosowano kolumnę chromatograficzną Phenomenex Luna C-18. Fazę ruchomą stanowił acetonitryl/woda. Spektrometr masowy pracował w trybie monitorowania wybranych reakcji (MRM). Cztery przejścia były monitorowane m/z 321→152, 321→194, 321→257 (CAP) i 326→157 (IS CAP-d5). Wyniki. Liniowość, odzysk, precyzja, limit decyzyjny (CCa), zdolność wykrywania (CCb) i odporność metody zostały wyznaczone dla 321→152. Średni względny odzysk CAP z mleka pełnego był wyznaczony dla próbek wzbogaconych na poziomach odpowiadających 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 i 0.6 mg/kg i mieściły on się w zakresie 95 - 103%. Względne odchylenie stadardowe (RSD%) dla wszystkich poziomów było mniejsze niż 14%. Powtarzalność wewnątrzlaboratoryjna (RSDs) obliczona dla poziomu wzbogacenia 0.3 mg/kg była mniejsza niż 16%. CCa and CCb były poniżej 0.1 mg/kg. Wnioski. Opracowana metoda LC-ESI-Ms/MS pozwala oznaczyć CAP w mleku w proszku. Metoda została zwalidowana zgodnie z wymaganiami decyzji Komisji nr 2002/657/WE. Metoda może być stosowana do mleka pełnego i odtłuszczonego