Genomic characterization of Phenylalanine ammonia lyase gene in buckwheat

Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL) gene which plays a key role in bio-synthesis of medicinally important compounds, Rutin/quercetin was sequence characterized for its efficient genomics application. These compounds possessing anti-diabetic and anti-cancer properties and are predominantly produced by Fagopyrum spp. In the present study, PAL gene was sequenced from three Fagopyrum spp. (F. tataricum, F. esculentum and F. dibotrys) and showed the presence of three SNPs and four insertion/deletions at intra and inter specific level. Among them, the potential SNP (position 949th bp G>C) with Parsimony Informative Site was selected and successfully utilised to individuate the zygosity/allelic variation of 16 F. tataricum varieties. Insertion mutations were identified in coding region, which resulted the change of a stretch of 39 amino acids on the putative protein. Our Study revealed that autogamous species (F. tataricum) has lower frequency of observed SNPs as compared to allogamous species (F. dibotrys and F. esculentum). The identified SNPs in F. tataricum didn’t result to amino acid change, while in other two species it caused both conservative and non-conservative variations. Consistent pattern of SNPs across the species revealed their phylogenetic importance. We found two groups of F. tataricum and one of them was closely related with F. dibotrys. Sequence characterization information of PAL gene reported in present investigation can be utilized in genetic improvement of buckwheat in reference to its medicinal value

The Italian Network for Tumor Biotherapy (NIBIT): Getting together to push the field forward

As for a consolidated tradition, the 5th annual meeting of the Italian Network for Cancer Biotherapy took place in the Certosa of Pontignano, a Tuscan monastery, on September 20–22, 2007. The congress gathered more than 40 Italian leading groups representing academia, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. Aim of the meeting was to share new advances in cancer bio-immunotherapy and to promote their swift translation from pre-clinical research to clinical applications. Several topics were covered including: a) molecular and cellular mechanisms of tumor escape; b) therapeutic antibodies and recombinant constructs; c) clinical trials up-date and new programs; d) National Cooperative Networks and their potential interactions; e) old and new times in cancer immunology, an "amarcord". Here, we report the main issues discussed during the meeting

Effects of Subthalamic Nucleus Lesions and Stimulation upon Corticostriatal Afferents in the 6-Hydroxydopamine-Lesioned Rat

Abnormalities of striatal glutamate neurotransmission may play a role in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease and may respond to neurosurgical interventions, specifically stimulation or lesioning of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). The major glutamatergic afferent pathways to the striatum are from the cortex and thalamus, and are thus likely to be sources of striatal neuronally-released glutamate. Corticostriatal terminals can be distinguished within the striatum at the electron microscopic level as their synaptic vesicles contain the vesicular glutamate transporter, VGLUT1. The majority of terminals which are immunolabeled for glutamate but are not VGLUT1 positive are likely to be thalamostriatal afferents. We compared the effects of short term, high frequency, STN stimulation and lesioning in 6-hydroxydopamine (6OHDA)-lesioned rats upon striatal terminals immunolabeled for both presynaptic glutamate and VGLUT1. 6OHDA lesions resulted in a small but significant increase in the proportions of VGLUT1-labeled terminals making synapses on dendritic shafts rather than spines. STN stimulation for one hour, but not STN lesions, increased the proportion of synapses upon spines. The density of presynaptic glutamate immuno-gold labeling was unchanged in both VGLUT1-labeled and -unlabeled terminals in 6OHDA-lesioned rats compared to controls. Rats with 6OHDA lesions+STN stimulation showed a decrease in nerve terminal glutamate immuno-gold labeling in both VGLUT1-labeled and -unlabeled terminals. STN lesions resulted in a significant decrease in the density of presynaptic immuno-gold-labeled glutamate only in VGLUT1-labeled terminals. STN interventions may achieve at least part of their therapeutic effect in PD by normalizing the location of corticostriatal glutamatergic terminals and by altering striatal glutamatergic neurotransmission

The propeptide region of clotting factor IX is a signal for a vitamin K dependent carboxylase: evidence from protein engineering of amino acid -4.

Homologous "propeptide" regions are present in a family of vitamin K-dependent mammalian proteins, including clotting factors II, VII, IX, X, protein C, protein S and bone "gla" proteins. To test the hypothesis that the propeptide is a signal for the correct gamma-carboxylation of the adjacent gamma-carboxy region, we have mutated amino acid -4 of human factor IX from an arginine to a glutamine residue, by M13-directed site-specific mutagenesis of a cDNA clone. After expression of mutant factor IX in dog kidney cells, we find that it is secreted into the medium in a precursor form containing the propeptide, and is inefficiently gamma-carboxylated compared to the control, wild-type, recombinant factor IX. This result supports the hypothesis that the propeptide region is required for efficient gamma-carboxylation of factor IX in dog kidney cells. Furthermore, it confirms previous results that arginine at amino acid -4 is required for correct propeptide processing

La catalogazione degli stampati alla Biblioteca Vaticana dalla "Cataloging expedition" del 1928 all'introduzione del catalogo elettronico

Lo sviluppo delle Norme per il catalogo degli stampati, il codice catalografico utilizzato presso la Biblioteca Vaticana dagli anni Trenta alla fine del secolo scorso, viene analizzato, sia in relazione agli eventi che portarono alla loro elaborazione, sia in rapporto al contesto italiano ed internazionale in cui videro la luce. La struttura delle Norme viene esaminata analiticamente e confrontata con il Cataloging Code americano del 1908 e con le Regole italiane di catalogazione coeve. Viene illustrata la diffusione del codice sia attraverso le sue numerose traduzioni, sia attraverso l'insegnamento impartito dalla Scuola vaticana di biblioteconomia. Infine viene esaminato il modo in cui le norme catalografiche si sono evolute in seguito all'applicazione di procedure elettroniche di catalogazione

Ecologia de Si, a poesia das estações da vida: histórias de vida e relações terapêuticas de práticas integrativas e complementares em saúde

A proposta da Ecologia de Si surge da perspectiva ecológica, da inter-relação do Ser humano com a natureza, do ser como expressão da natureza, trazendo as estações do ano, os elementos da natureza e a saúde humana como ressonância dos ciclos da natureza no Ser. Emerge na compreensão das Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde – PICS, na epistemologia do cuidado, em sua inter-relação complexa com o Si mesmo. A Ecologia de Si, a partir da experiência humana, se revela como um caminho da consciência de si vivendo em presença, em uma jornada de autoconhecimento e autotransformação da condição humana. Cada pessoa tem o seu caminho e na ecologia de si a proposta que traz elementos que dialogam no caminho da consciência sistêmica e integrada. A construção deste trabalho de tese do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Difusão do Conhecimento – PPGDC, com financiamento da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES), teve como questão norteadora “Como os caminhos de mudança nos modos de vida e atuação do ser terapeuta, a partir das experiências vividas na relação terapêutica, conduziram a uma ecologia de si, na efetividade das práticas biomédicas e integrativas resultantes de uma vida mais saudável?”. E como objetivo gerar uma fenomenologia da ecologia de si em um caminho de aprendizagem perceptivo nas trajetórias das histórias de vida e na relação terapêutica com práticas integrativas e complementares em saúde. A natureza desta pesquisa é qualitativa, em abordagem fenomenológica, expandindo a borda do conhecimento com a Polilógica e a Epistemologia do Educar Transdisciplinar. Numa pesquisa autobiográfica, somático-performativa, descritiva e interpretativa, dentro de uma perspectiva hermenêutica dialógica, na análise de relatos das narrativas e escrita de si, visando compreender a problemática estudada em sua complexidade. As conexões imbricadas entre ecologias e saúde que se revelam na pesquisa presente na relação eu, outro ambiente, evidenciadas nos desequilíbrios e harmonias destas interações sistêmicas. A compreensão de como a abordagem somático-performativa vai constituindo a autoescrita, com suas vivências acessamos as histórias que nossos corpos nos contam e em ressonâncias reencontramos com estas em revelações que perfazem a escrita. Do que chega como revelação e se faz escrita compreendida. Esse caminho de consciência se revela nas vivências em um caminhar de aprendizagem perceptivo que gerou essa ecologia de si, com estas relações terapêuticas de cuidado em fluxo com o aprender a ser e viver em harmonia consigo, com outro e com o mundo-vida. Na ecologia de si o aprender a ser e fazer de nossas moradas um lugar de afeto, cuidado, aprendizagem, uma medicina, uma sagrada paisagem, poesia de viver.

Identification and primary sequence of an unspliced human urokinase poly(A)+ RNA.

Human urokinase cDNA clones have been identified from a cDNA library prepared from total RNA of human fibroblasts transformed by simian virus 40 [Okayama, H. & Berg, P. (1983) Mol. Cell. Biol. 3, 280-289]. Synthetic oligonucleotides, corresponding to urokinase protein sequence, were used as probes. The cloned cDNA covers most of the coding sequence and the entire 3' untranslated region. The nucleotide sequence of one of the clones identifies this as a copy of a partially spliced polyadenylylated precursor to urokinase mRNA. The introns separate functionally different domains of the enzyme. Human urokinase mRNA has been identified by RNA blot and its size was estimated at 2500 nucleotides