171 research outputs found
Natriuretic peptide receptors on rat thymocytes: Inhibition of proliferation by atrial natriuretic peptide.
Because the thymus expresses the natriuretic peptides (NP) as well
as their respective receptors, an involvement of NP in the physiology
of this organ has been suggested. To evaluate functional aspects of NP
in the thymus, we looked for thymic cells bearing NP receptors (Npr).
Furthermore, the regulation of Npr expression by activation of cells
and the influence of NP on the proliferation of thymocytes was studied.
Expression of receptor messenger RNAs CmRNAs) was examined
by PCR and Northern blot. Existence of functional Npr was confirmed
by measurement of cGMP, the second messenger of NP. Proliferation
of thymocytes upon concanavalin A (Con A) stimulation was analyzed by incorporation of [âHlthymidine. We report here that thymocytes express mRNAs for the three Npr, namely Npra, Nprb, and Nprc and
that activation of Npra and Nprb increases cGMP levels. Stimulation
of thymocytes with Con A (1 pg/ml, 48 h) resulted in an increase of
mRNA coding for Npra, the receptor specific for atria1 natriuretic
peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide. Nprb and Nprc receptor
expression was not altered under these conditions. In agreement with
these data only ANP, but not the C-type natriuretic peptide, elicited
increased cGMP response in Con A-stimulated cells. ANP inhibited
also the proliferation of Con A stimulated thymocytes, whereas C-type
natriuretic peptide did not show this effect. These results suggest that
ANP affects the complex mechanisms of thymocyte proliferation and
differentiation
Detection of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) transcript in the rat heart and immune organs
Previous studies suggested the expression of mRNA, coding for CNP, exclusively in the central nervous system. In the present study, using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique instead of the less sensitive Northern blot hybridization, CNP-specific sequences have also been detected in rat atria and ventricles of the heart as well as in organs of the immune system (thymus, spleen and lymph nodes). Parallel PCR-assays documented ANP-mRNA in these tissues. To verify specificity of the PCR-products, Southern blots have been hybridized with a third internal oligonucleotide and amplification products have been sequenced. The relative level of CNP-mRNA in these tissues was estimated to be in the range of 1-9% of total brain CNP transcripts. The results suggest that the peptide may have a peripheral as well as a central site of action. In light of its pronounced effect on cell proliferation, particular interest should focus on a possible role of CNP in the immune system
Recommendations to Harmonize Travel Behaviour Analysis
Among several other efforts to identify data needs and to harmonize travel surveys in Europe, this report aims to define recommendations to collect and report travel data with the identification of main data needs and gaps, and with the analysis of alternative sources of information and new data collection techniques. Based on the findings of the previous tasks and a stakeholder workshop in OPTIMISM project, and after a brief review of past studies in the same direction, this report starts from a list of variables which are needed for policy making but are unavailable/insufficient in the context of existing data collection methodologies especially with respect to NTS. The report then, explores alternative sources of information, potential use of modern data collection techniques (mainly ICT applications such as GPS and smart phone technologies) and options to merge them with NTS data. Finally, it discusses recommendations for a Europe-wide travel survey considering the current data needs for policy making in transportation.
The research has been conducted under the OPTIMISM project which was received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013), grant agreement n° 284892. The report has been produced as the OPTIMISM project deliverable 2.3: Recommendations to Harmonize Travel Behaviour Analysis.JRC.J.1-Economics of Climate Change, Energy and Transpor
Identifying and understanding long-distance travel demand by combining official transport statistics and survey data
While much is known about everyday travel of the German population, long-distance travel is still underreported. The main data source, the national travel survey âMobility in Germany (MiD)â, cannot simply be used to describe the demand: complex extrapolations and complementary data are necessary to obtain a consistent picture. The presented approach of âdata fusionâ integrates different data sources to provide the overall long-distance travel demand. The result reveals that almost half of the total transport performance of the residential population in Germany (46 % of passenger kilometers) is accounted for by trips of at least 100 km (one-way distance)
The Importance of the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Tumorigenesis of Spinal and Cranial Chordoma
Chordomas is rare malignant bone tumors thought to arise from remnants of embryonic notochord along the spine, frequently at the skull base and sacrum. Although chordoma is slow growing tumors, while are extremely recurrent, and aggressive, as well as the rate of prognosis remains poorly. Radical surgery and high-dose radiation are the most used treatments. Currently, there is no effective chemotherapeutic standard for chordomas. The Hedgehog (HH) pathway adjusts various processes included in expansion and differentiation of tissues and organs throughout the fetusâs life, furthermore cell growth and differentiation in the adult organism, of the cell in an adult organism, in which acute anesthesia is involved in multiple cancers. To study the role of signaling the hedgehog in the base of the skull and sacrum chordomas, the expression of SHH and GLI-1 levels were detected immuno histochemically, Additionally, PTCH-1 and GLI-1 expressions were distinguished by in- Situ- hybridization. Based on the findings presented herein, it is likely that the HH signal cascade was revealed even in cranial, where consecoently spinal chordoma and their recurrences play an important role. Our staining exhibited a canonical, ligand- dependent and autocrine Hedgehog signaling in skull base and sacrum chordomas including relapse. Due to the high levels of SHH and GLI-1 expression in all investigated chordoma samples, the study suggests a possible autocrine ligand-dependent activation of the canonical HH signaling cascade. A paracrine or non-canonical pathway cannot be excluded. Our results suggest that Hedgehog-inhibitors, like SHH-, GLI- and SMO- inhibitors, might serve as a potential and effective target for the treatment of chordomas
Proteome approaches combined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed a distinctive biofilm physiology in Bordetella pertussis
Proteome analysis was combined with whole-cell metabolic fingerprinting to gain insight into the physiology of mature biofilm in Bordetella pertussis, the agent responsible for whooping cough. Recent reports indicate that B. pertussis adopts a sessile biofilm as a strategy to persistently colonize the human host. However, since research in the past mainly focused on the planktonic lifestyle of B. pertussis, knowledge on biofilm formation of this important human pathogen is still limited. Comparative studies were carried out by combining 2-DE and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy with multivariate statistical methods. These complementary approaches demonstrated that biofilm development has a distinctive impact on B. pertussis physiology. Results from MALDI-TOF/MS identification of proteins together with results from FT-IR spectroscopy revealed the biosynthesis of a putative acidic-type polysaccharide polymer as the most distinctive trait of B. pertussis life in a biofilm. Additionally, expression of proteins known to be involved in cellular regulatory circuits, cell attachment and virulence was altered in sessile cells, which strongly suggests a significant impact of biofilm development on B. pertussis pathogenesis. In summary, our work showed that the combination of proteomics and FT-IR spectroscopy with multivariate statistical analysis provides a powerful tool to gain further insight into bacterial lifestyles.Facultad de Ciencias ExactasCentro de InvestigaciĂłn y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriale
Medication knowledge of patients hospitalized for heart failure at admission and after discharge
Background: A substantial aspect of health literacy is the knowledge of
prescribed medication. In chronic heart failure, incomplete intake of
prescribed drugs (medication non-adherence) is inversely associated with
clinical prognosis. Therefore, we assessed medication knowledge in a cohort of
patients with decompensated heart failure at hospital admission and after
discharge in a prospective, cross-sectional study. Methods: One hundred and
eleven patients presenting at the emergency department with acute
decompensated heart failure were included (mean age 78.4±9.2, 59% men) in the
study. Patientsâ medication knowledge was assessed during individual
interviews at baseline, course of hospitalization, and 3 months after
discharge. Individual responses were compared with the medical records of the
referring general practitioner. Results: Median N-terminal prohormone of brain
natriuretic peptide plasma concentration in the overall population at baseline
was 4,208 pg/mL (2,023â7,101 pg/mL [interquartile range]), 20 patients died
between the second and third interview. The number of prescribed drugs
increased from 8±3 at baseline to 9±3 after 3 months. The majority of patients
did not know the correct number of their drugs. Medication knowledge decreased
continuously from baseline to the third interview. At baseline, 37% (n=41) of
patients stated the correct number of drugs to be taken, whereas only 18%
(n=16) knew the correct number 3 months after discharge (P=0.008). Knowledge
was inversely related to N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide
levels. Conclusion: Medication knowledge of patients with acute decompensated
heart failure is poor. Despite care in a university hospital, patientsâ
individual medication knowledge decreased after discharge. The study reveals
an urgent need for better strategies to improve and promote the knowledge of
prescribed medication in these very high-risk patients
The Future of Driving in the BRICS Countries (Study Update 2019)
The aim of the original study, The Future of Driving in Developing Countries (Ecola et al. 2014), and also of this update, is to investigate the factors that will influence the future path of automobility in emerging economies. Generally speaking, as wealth, expressed as GDP (gross domestic product) per capita, increases, both the number of vehicles per 1,000 population (motorisation) and total vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) rise. In this project we identified factors other than GDP which have a strong influence on automobility. By assessing the expected role of those factors in the emerging economies (for our study, the BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), we can extrapolate expected saturation curves for them. To formulate these projections, we combined statistical data and trends analysis with qualitative expert judgement. Sixteen country experts gathered together in a two-day workshop to create projections of the factor developments in the BRICS countries. Our projections for VKT saturation levels range between 5,700 VKT per capita for India and 12,700 VKT per capita for South Africa, reached in the 2060s and 2050s respectively. The most populous country, China, is projected to saturate at between 6,000 and 6,700 VKT, in the 2030s. Translating those VKT numbers into saturation levels for motorisation results in cars per 1,000 population figures ranging from 290 (India) to 730 (South Africa)
Vitamin D receptor regulates intestinal proteins involved in cell proliferation, migration and stress response
BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies found low plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms associated with a higher prevalence of pathological changes in the intestine such as chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. METHODS: In this study, a proteomic approach was applied to understand the overall physiological importance of vitamin D in the small intestine, beyond its function in calcium and phosphate absorption. RESULTS: In total, 569 protein spots could be detected by two-dimensional-difference in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE), and 82 proteins were considered as differentially regulated in the intestinal mucosa of VDR-deficient mice compared to that of wildtype (WT) mice. Fourteen clearly detectable proteins were identified by MS/MS and further analyzed by western blot and/or real-time RT-PCR. The differentially expressed proteins are functionally involved in cell proliferation, cell adhesion and cell migration, stress response and lipid transport. Mice lacking VDR revealed higher levels of intestinal proteins associated with proliferation and migration such as the 37/67Â kDa laminin receptor, collagen type VI (alpha 1 chain), keratin-19, tropomyosin-3, adseverin and higher levels of proteins involved in protein trafficking and stress response than WT mice. In contrast, proteins that are involved in transport of bile and fatty acids were down-regulated in small intestine of mice lacking VDR compared to WT mice. However, plasma and liver concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides were not different between the two groups of mice. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these data imply VDR as an important factor for controlling cell proliferation, migration and stress response in the small intestine
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