Selective Enrichment of Membrane Proteins by Partition Phase Separation for Proteomic Studies

The human proteome project will demand faster, easier, and more reliable methods to isolate and purify protein targets. Membrane proteins are the most valuable group of proteins since they are the target for 70–80% of all drugs. Perbio Science has developed a protocol for the quick, easy, and reproducible isolation of integral membrane proteins from eukaryotic cells. This procedure utilizes a proprietary formulation to facilitate cell membrane disruption in a mild, nondenaturing environment and efficiently solubilizes membrane proteins. The technique utilizes a two-phase partitioning system that enables the class separation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic proteins. A variety of protein markers were used to investigate the partitioning efficiency of the membrane protein extraction reagents (Mem-PER) (Mem-PER is a registered trademark of Pierce Biotechnology, Inc) system. These included membrane proteins with one or more transmembrane spanning domains as well as peripheral and cytosolic proteins. Based on densitometry analyses of our Western blots, we obtained excellent solubilization of membrane proteins with less than 10% contamination of the hydrophobic fraction with hydrophilic proteins. Compared to other methodologies for membrane protein solubilization that use time-consuming protocols or expensive and cumbersome instrumentation, the Mem-PER reagents system for eukaryotic membrane protein extraction offers an easy, efficient, and reproducible method to isolate membrane proteins from mammalian and yeast cells

Book review: food and brain health

In 2014, a book entitled “Food and Brain Health” was published by a reputable US-based publisher Nova Science Publishers, Inc, New York. The book is authored and edited by a group of scientists, Dr Musthafa Mohamed Essa of Sultan Qaboos University, Dr Mushtaq A. Memon of Washington State University, and Dr Mohammed Akbar of US NIH-NIAAA. This book is unique as it addresses the role of food bioactive ingredients in the prevention and potential cure of various brain-related or neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease(PD), aging, and other neuronal dysfunctions. Accumulated evidence suggests that naturally occurring phytochemicals, such as polyphenolic antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts, may protect against neurodegeneration and improve memory, cognition, and other brain functions

Use of Immunomatrix Methods to Improve Protein-Protein Interaction Detection

Immunoprecipitation (IP) and coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) are key techniques for studying protein-protein interactions. These methods utilize immobilized protein A or protein G to isolate antibody-bound target antigens. The main disadvantage of traditional immunoprecipitation and coimmunoprecipitation is that the conditions used to elute the precipitated antigen also release the antibody, contaminating the antigen and destroying the antibody support. To overcome these problems, we describe two methods to generate a reusable antibody support by cross-linking the antibody to immobilized protein A or protein G, or by coupling it directly to the resin. Our studies have demonstrated that the immobilization efficiency for the antibody coupling method was similar for several species of antibody. Furthermore, we illustrate that using both methods of antibody immobilization yields IP and co-IP results similar to traditional protocols but eliminates the antibody heavy and light chains contamination

A Perspective on Patient Safety Culture among Nurses in Qatar

Background: The vitality of developing a safety culture in healthcare settings has become increasingly important following international investigations that highlighted the failures in health care delivery. Nurses, being at the frontline of healthcare, play a vital role in promoting patient safety and maintaining safety standards by being active in reducing medical errors. Weak patient safety culture has been identified as one of the major contributing factors to adverse events. Objectives: The present case investigated the different perceptions around patient safety culture and the factors considered of utmost importance to developing and maintaining this culture among nurses residing and working in Qatar. Methods: The present study utilized the English version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) to collect responses from nurses residing and working in Qatar to determine their perceptions of patient safety culture. A convenient sample from the conference delegates of Middle East Forum for Quality and Safety 2018 was used as participants. Participation in the self-reporting survey was completely voluntary and anonymous. Results: The highest rated culture dimensions were organizational learning, continuous improvement, and teamwork within hospital units (89% and 88% positive responses, respectively). The lowest rated dimensions were non-punitive responses to error and staffing issues (28% and 35% positive responses, respectively). Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Similar to the global trends, error reporting should be viewed as a strategy to learn from mistakes and an initial step to create patient safety culture. In Qatar, while patient safety culture is generally well executed, with overall positive responses for the different measured composites, patient safety culture is yet to be fully developed. Initiatives are needed to improve staffing, handoffs, and transitions, as well as non-punitive responses to medical errors

Prioritizing the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers : an urgent global public health priority

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health systems in most countries, and in particular, on the mental health and well-being of health workers on the frontlines of pandemic response efforts. The purpose of this article is to provide an evidence-based overview of the adverse mental health impacts on healthcare workers during times of crisis and other challenging working conditions and to highlight the importance of prioritizing and protecting the mental health and well-being of the healthcare workforce, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we provide a broad overview of the elevated risk of stress, burnout, moral injury, depression, trauma, and other mental health challenges among healthcare workers. Second, we consider how public health emergencies exacerbate these concerns, as reflected in emerging research on the negative mental health impacts of the COVID- 19 pandemic on healthcare workers. Further, we consider potential approaches for overcoming these threats to mental health by exploring the value of practicing selfcare strategies, and implementing evidence based interventions and organizational measures to help protect and support the mental health and well-being of the healthcare workforce. Lastly, we highlight systemic changes to empower healthcare workers and protect their mental health and well-being in the long run, and propose policy recommendations to guide healthcare leaders and health systems in this endeavor. This paper acknowledges the stressors, burdens, and psychological needs of the healthcare workforce across health systems and disciplines, and calls for renewed efforts to mitigate these challenges among those working on the frontlines during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health#am2022School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

Genomic Newborn Screening for Pediatric Cancer Predisposition Syndromes: A Holistic Approach

As next-generation sequencing (NGS) has become more widely used, germline and rare genetic variations responsible for inherited illnesses, including cancer predisposition syndromes (CPSs) that account for up to 10% of childhood malignancies, have been found. The CPSs are a group of germline genetic disorders that have been identified as risk factors for pediatric cancer development. Excluding a few “classic” CPSs, there is no agreement regarding when and how to conduct germline genetic diagnostic studies in children with cancer due to the constant evolution of knowledge in NGS technologies. Various clinical screening tools have been suggested to aid in the identification of individuals who are at greater risk, using diverse strategies and with varied outcomes. We present here an overview of the primary clinical and molecular characteristics of various CPSs and summarize the existing clinical genomics data on the prevalence of CPSs in pediatric cancer patients. Additionally, we discuss several ethical issues, challenges, limitations, cost-effectiveness, and integration of genomic newborn screening for CPSs into a healthcare system. Furthermore, we assess the effectiveness of commonly utilized decision-support tools in identifying patients who may benefit from genetic counseling and/or direct genetic testing. This investigation highlights a tailored and systematic approach utilizing medical newborn screening tools such as the genome sequencing of high-risk newborns for CPSs, which could be a practical and cost-effective strategy in pediatric cancer care