Structural insights into the DNA recognition mechanism by the bacterial transcription factor PdxR

Specificity in protein-DNA recognition arises from the synergy of several factors that stem from the structural and chemical signatures encoded within the targeted DNA molecule. Here, we deciphered the nature of the interactions driving DNA recognition and binding by the bacterial transcription factor PdxR, a member of the MocR family responsible for the regulation of pyridoxal 5 & PRIME;-phosphate (PLP) biosynthesis. Single particle cryo-EM performed on the PLP-PdxR bound to its target DNA enabled the isolation of three conformers of the complex, which may be considered as snapshots of the binding process. Moreover, the resolution of an apo-PdxR crystallographic structure provided a detailed description of the transition of the effector domain to the holo-PdxR form triggered by the binding of the PLP effector molecule. Binding analyses of mutated DNA sequences using both wild type and PdxR variants revealed a central role of electrostatic interactions and of the intrinsic asymmetric bending of the DNA in allosterically guiding the holo-PdxR-DNA recognition process, from the first encounter through the fully bound state. Our results detail the structure and dynamics of the PdxR-DNA complex, clarifying the mechanism governing the DNA-binding mode of the holo-PdxR and the regulation features of the MocR family of transcription factors

I’m Here! Privacy Challenges in Mobile Location Sharing

With the availability of GPS receivers in more and more mobile handsets, location sharing has become the next mobile killer-app. Services like Google Latitude or Yahoo’s FireEagle are used by thousands of subscribers to share their current location in real-time with their family, their friends, or even publish it online, while Sense Network’s CitySense application uses live movement traces from entire metropolitan areas to show users the “most popular places ” in the city. Even though research in location privacy has proposed a range of solutions for safeguarding location information, it is unclear how existing proposals can be applied to such applications. In this paper, we set forth a categorization of location sharing applications, outline the various privacy challenges each category poses, and discuss the shortcomings of existing solutions

Differences in smartphone usage:validating, evaluating, and predicting mobile user intimacy

We analyze the users' intimacy to investigate the differences in smartphone usage, considering the user's location and number and kind of people physically around the user. With a first user study we (1) validate the intimacy concept, (2) evaluate its correlation to smartphone usage features and (3) we computationally model it. Shorter, more frequent, and less engaging interactions take place when intimacy is lower, while longer, less frequent, and engaging interactions when intimacy is higher. With a second user study, we investigate the intimacy predictability in practice. Location–time features are predictive for the intimacy, and other smartphone-based features can improve the intimacy prediction accuracy

The effects of pressed sugar beet pulp silage (PBPS) and dairy whey on heavy pig production

The effects of pressed beet pulp silage (PBPS) replacing barley for 10% and 20% (DM basis) were studied on heavy pigs fed dairy whey-diluted diets. 60 Hypor pigs (average initial weight of 28 kg), 30 barrows and 30 gilts, were homogeneously allocated to three exper- imental groups: T1 (control) in which pigs were fed a traditional sweet whey- diluted diet (the ratio between whey and dry matter was 4.5/1); T2 in which PBPS replaced barley for 10% (DM basis) during a first period (from the beginning to the 133rd day of trial) and thereafter for 20% (DM basis); T3 in which PBPS replaced barley for 20% (DM basis) throughout the experimental period. In diets T2 and T3 feed was dairy whey-diluted as in group T1. No significant (P>0.05) differences were observed concerning growth parameters (ADG and FCR). Pigs on diets contain- ing PBPS showed significantly higher (P<0.05) percentages of lean cuts and lower percentages of fat cuts. On the whole, ham weight losses during seasoning were moderate but significantly (P<0.05) more marked for PBPS-fed pigs as a prob- able consequence of their lower adiposity degree. Fatty acid composition of ham fat was unaffected by diets. With regard to m. Semimembranosus colour, pigs receiving PBPS showed lower (P<0.05) &ldquo;L&rdquo;, &ldquo;a&rdquo; and &ldquo;Chroma&rdquo; values. From an economical point of view it can be concluded that the use of PBPS (partially replacing barley) and dairy whey in heavy pig production could be of particular interest in areas where both these by products are readily available

Vantaggi e limiti dell’anestesia per tumescenza in chirurgia ambulatoriale

Gli Autori hanno studiato le possibilità di applicazione della anestesia per tumescenza in 187 pazienti sottoposti a vari interventi chirurgici ambulatoriali. Ne hanno valutato le indicazioni, le complicanze, i vantaggi e i limiti, comparandone i risultati con quelli riscontrati nei pazienti sottoposti a interventi in anestesia locale per infiltrazione diretta

Breast-conserving surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced cancer. Preliminary results

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in locally advanced breast tumors may allow an adequate control of the disease impossible with surgery alone. Moreover, NACT increases the chance of breast-conserving surgery. Between 2008 and 2012, we treated with NACT 83 patients with locally advanced breast cancer. We report the preliminary results evaluating the impact of NACT on the type of surgery

Merkel-cell carcinoma: preoperative clinical diagnosis and therapeutic implications

The authors report the personal experience of some patients undergoing surgery for carcinoma of Merkel and discuss the diagnosis and therapeutic approach guided by literature and international guidelines. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine tumour, which prefers the Caucasian race in adulthood. Approximately 78% of patients are over than 59 years, the most common location is at the level of the head and neck (50.8%) and less frequently in the limbs (33.7%). The literature is discordant about the causes and risk factors for this cancer. In fact, some authors describe major risk factor the immunosoppression, still others see prolonged exposition to UV radiation increases the risk for the onset of this tumor. Metastasizes early to the skin (28%), the lymph nodes (27%), liver (13%), lung (10%), bone (10%) and encephalon (6%), and may recur both locally (30-60%) and both locoregional (40-73%). Our experience confirms the difficulty of preoperative clinical diagnosis and a correct therapeutic approach to Merkel cell carcinoma for the lack of specific characteristics as first clinical assessment, which may keep the suspect nature. International guidelines provide a wide excision (3 cm in largeness and 2 cm in depth) to reduce the risk of disease recurrence, preferring adjuvant chemotherapy not radiotherapy. For lesions of stage I-II over the wide excision also regional lymphadenectomy is performed or, more rarely, the technique of sentinel lymph node

Management of acute clinical presentation of anaplastic thyroid cancer. A difficult choice.

evaluate emergency treatment of patients presenting with anaplastic thyroid cancer with acute compressive sympthoms. MATERIAL OF STUDY: In the present report, we describe three patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer who presented clinically with acute compressive sympthoms. All patients underwent debulking surgery in order to relieve the sympthoms and perform a potentially curative resection. RESULTS: The first two patients with diagnosis of ATC couldn't undergo to radiotherapy and chemotherapy for the presence of infection of the wound and for the earlier disease relapse in the mediastinum and died after 1 month and 3 months. The third patient (with papillary thyroid cancer with focal areas of anaplastic cancer) after surgical treatment underwent external radiotherapy and is alive over 2 years. DISCUSSION: Compression, deviation, and infiltration of trachea have impeded the achievement of a safe respiratory access with tracheostomy and these three patients underwent debulking surgery to relieve compressive sympthoms. These three cases confirm the importance of acute local compressive symptoms of ATC and their difficult management. CONCLUSIONS: In such cases a debulking surgery can be considered as a valid option in the emergency management. Nevertheless debulking surgery (and even radical excision of the tumor), when performed alone, offer a minimal improved survival

Breast-conserving surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced cancer. Preliminary results

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in locally advanced breast tumors may allow an adequate control of the disease impossible with surgery alone. Moreover, NACT increases the chance of breast-conserving surgery. Between 2008 and 2012, we treated with NACT 83 patients with locally advanced breast cancer. We report the preliminary results evaluating the impact of NACT on the type of surgery