Component analysis of nutritionally rich chloroplasts: recovery from conventional and unconventional green plant species

A study of the literature indicates that chloroplasts synthesise a range of molecules, many of which have nutritional value for humans, but as yet no one has established the nutritional credentials of chloroplasts recovered from plant cells. Chloroplast-rich-fractions (CRFs) were prepared from green plant species and the macro- and micronutrient composition compared with the whole leaf materials (WLMs). The results indicated that, on a dry weight basis, CRF material from a range of green biomass was enriched in lipids and proteins, and in a range of micronutrients compared with the WLM. Vitamins E, pro-vitamin A, and lutein were all greater in CRF preparations. Of the minerals, iron was most notably concentrated in CRF. Spinach CRFs possessed the highest α-tocopherol (62 mg 100 g-1 , dry weight (DW)), β-carotene (336 mg 100 g- 1 DW) and lutein (341 mg 100 g-1 DW) contents, whilst grass CRFs had the highest concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (69.5 mg g-1). The higher concentrations of α-tocopherol, β-carotene, lutein, ALA and trace minerals (Fe and Mn) in CRFs suggest their potential use as concentrated ingredients in food formulations deficient in these nutrients

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

CDK1 is a synthetic lethal target for KRAS mutant tumours.

Activating KRAS mutations are found in approximately 20% of human cancers but no RAS-directed therapies are currently available. Here we describe a novel, robust, KRAS synthetic lethal interaction with the cyclin dependent kinase, CDK1. This was discovered using parallel siRNA screens in KRAS mutant and wild type colorectal isogenic tumour cells and subsequently validated in a genetically diverse panel of 26 colorectal and pancreatic tumour cell models. This established that the KRAS/CDK1 synthetic lethality applies in tumour cells with either amino acid position 12 (p.G12V, pG12D, p.G12S) or amino acid position 13 (p.G13D) KRAS mutations and can also be replicated in vivo in a xenograft model using a small molecule CDK1 inhibitor. Mechanistically, CDK1 inhibition caused a reduction in the S-phase fraction of KRAS mutant cells, an effect also characterised by modulation of Rb, a master control of the G1/S checkpoint. Taken together, these observations suggest that the KRAS/CDK1 interaction is a robust synthetic lethal effect worthy of further investigation

Rapid KRAS, EGFR, BRAF and PIK3CA Mutation Analysis of Fine Needle Aspirates from Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Using Allele-Specific qPCR

Endobronchial Ultrasound Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and Trans-esophageal Ultrasound Scanning with Fine Needle Aspiration (EUS-FNA) are important, novel techniques for the diagnosis and staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that have been incorporated into lung cancer staging guidelines. To guide and optimize treatment decisions, especially for NSCLC patients in stage III and IV, EGFR and KRAS mutation status is often required. The concordance rate of the mutation analysis between these cytological aspirates and histological samples obtained by surgical staging is unknown. Therefore, we studied the extent to which allele-specific quantitative real-time PCR with hydrolysis probes could be reliably performed on EBUS and EUS fine needle aspirates by comparing the results with histological material from the same patient. We analyzed a series of 43 NSCLC patients for whom cytological and histological material was available. We demonstrated that these standard molecular techniques can be accurately applied on fine needle cytological aspirates from NSCLC patients. Importantly, we show that all mutations detected in the histological material of primary tumor were also identified in the cytological samples. We conclude that molecular profiling can be reliably performed on fine needle cytology aspirates from NSCLC patients

A Functional Proteomic Method for Biomarker Discovery

The sequencing of the human genome holds out the hope for personalized medicine, but it is clear that analysis of DNA or RNA content alone is not sufficient to understand most disease processes. Proteomic strategies that allow unbiased identification of proteins and their post-transcriptional and -translation modifications are an essential complement to genomic strategies. However, the enormity of the proteome and limitations in proteomic methods make it difficult to determine the targets that are particularly relevant to human disease. Methods are therefore needed that allow rational identification of targets based on function and relevance to disease. Screening methodologies such as phage display, SELEX, and small-molecule combinatorial chemistry have been widely used to discover specific ligands for cells or tissues of interest, such as tumors. Those ligands can be used in turn as affinity probes to identify their cognate molecular targets when they are not known in advance. Here we report an easy, robust and generally applicable approach in which phage particles bearing cell- or tissue-specific peptides serve directly as the affinity probes for their molecular targets. For proof of principle, the method successfully identified molecular binding partners, three of them novel, for 15 peptides specific for pancreatic cancer

Synthesis, characterization, and X-ray crystal structure of a gallium monohydroxide and a hetero-bimetallic gallium zirconium oxide

A monomeric hydroxide of gallium, LGa(Me)OH, containing terminal hydroxide and methyl groups was prepared by the hydrolysis of LGa(Me)Cl in the presence of N-heterocyclic carbene and water [L = HC{(CMe)(2,6-i-Pr2C6H3N)}(2)] in high yield and in a pure form. LGa(Me)OH was used as a synthon to assemble the first hetero-bimetallic compound with a Ga-O-Zr core, [(LGaMe)-(Cp2ZrMe)](u-O)

Definition of danger zones for gas bore holes

Eksploatacja złóż węglowodorów ciekłych i gazowych ma już długoletnią tradycję. Dlatego coraz częściej spotykamy się z negatywnymi skutkami tej działalności przede wszystkim po zaprzestaniu eksploatacji. Do skutków tych zaliczyć można zanieczyszczenia występujące w środowisku naturalnym, w warstwach powierzchniowych, zanieczyszczonych wodach po niekontrolowanych ucieczkach ropy naftowej w procesie eksploatacji lub przeróbki. Problemem są zlikwidowane przed laty odwierty ropne czy gazowe. Z powodu industrializacji terenów, a także długiego czasu, jaki upłynął od zakończenia eksploatacji, ich stan techniczny pozostawia wiele do życzenia. W pracy przedstawiono niektóre zagadnienia dotyczące prognozowania stref zagrożenia związanych z nieczynnymi już kopalniami ropy i gazu oraz podziemnymi magazynami gazu.The exploitation of oil and gas has long lasting tradition. Therefore, more and more often there can be found negative results of this activity, above all so called ecologic loads. To these loads belong: a contamination of natural environment, contamination in superficial layer and contamination of water after uncontrolled leaks of rock oil during the mining or processing. Major problem are long closed gas and oil wells. Because of the industrialization of the areas, and also because of the long time, which passed since the end of exploitations, their condition leaves a lot to desire. This paper presents some of the problems concerning technical forecasting of out of operation oil and gas mines contamination zones

Control of Molecular Topology and Metal Nuclearity in Multimetallic Assemblies: Designer Metallosiloxanes Derived from Silanetriols

Lipophilic N-bonded silanetriol RSi(OH)(3) (R=(2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3))N(SiMe3)) can be utilized as an effective synthon for building a variety of multimetallic assemblies containing the Si-O-M motif. The type of metallosiloxane synthesized-its nuclearity and its molecular topology-can be readily modulated by the choice of the metal substrate, reaction stoichiometry, and reaction conditions. It is anticipated that the synthetic principles elaborated here will allow the design of many other multifunctional synthons