Stereochemistry of volatiles–the status and perspectives

Stereochemistry is an important subject in various areas of fundamental chemistry, chemical-producing industries, medicine, and life in general. A huge effort has been undertaken over the last century to analyze and synthesize complex natural and synthetic compounds [1].Optically pure plant-derived low-molecular compounds are important raw materials for the development of potential new products for the flavor and fragrance (F & F) industry [2,3]. Nowadays, studies towards innovations in the F & F field are focused not only on one new molecule but preferably on the whole process related to that molecule’s production. Modern approaches in optically pure compound preparation involve the use of enzymes, whole-cell native and bioengineered microorganisms instead of toxic chemical catalysts, maximal atomic economy over the synthetic route, and a shift from batch to flow processes.This presentation will provide a brief overview of modern “green” approaches in the F & F field with emphasis on the stereochemical processes involved in F & F development.

Characterization of APOBEC3G binding to 7SL RNA

Human APOBEC3 proteins are editing enzymes that can interfere with the replication of exogenous retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepadnaviruses such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), and with the retrotransposition of endogenous retroelements such as long-interspersed nuclear elements (LINE) and Alu. Here, we show that APOBEC3G, but not other APOBEC3 family members, binds 7SL RNA, the common ancestor of Alu RNAs that is specifically recruited into HIV virions. Our data further indicate that APOBEC3G recognizes 7SL RNA and Alu RNA by its common structure, the Alu domain, suggesting a mechanism for APOBEC3G- mediated inhibition of Alu retrotransposition. However, we also demonstrate that APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G are normally recruited into and inhibit the infectivity of ΔVif HIV1 virions when 7SLRNA is prevented from accessing particles by RNA interference against SRP14 or by over expression of SRP19, both components of the signal recognition particle. We thus conclude that 7SL RNA is not an essential mediator of the virion packaging of these antiviral cytidine deaminases

Analysis of cellular responses of macrophages to zinc ions and zinc oxide nanoparticles: a combined targeted and proteomic approach

Two different zinc oxide nanoparticles, as well as zinc ions, are used to study the cellular responses of the RAW 264 macrophage cell line. A proteomic screen is used to provide a wide view of the molecular effects of zinc, and the most prominent results are cross-validated by targeted studies. Furthermore, the alteration of important macrophage functions (e.g. phagocytosis) by zinc is also investigated. The intracellular dissolution/uptake of zinc is also studied to further characterize zinc toxicity. Zinc oxide nanoparticles dissolve readily in the cells, leading to high intracellular zinc concentrations, mostly as protein-bound zinc. The proteomic screen reveals a rather weak response in the oxidative stress response pathway, but a strong response both in the central metabolism and in the proteasomal protein degradation pathway. Targeted experiments confirm that carbohydrate catabolism and proteasome are critical determinants of sensitivity to zinc, which also induces DNA damage. Conversely, glutathione levels and phagocytosis appear unaffected at moderately toxic zinc concentrations

Molecular responses of mouse macrophages to copper and copper oxide nanoparticles inferred from proteomic analyses

The molecular responses of macrophages to copper-based nanoparticles have been investigated via a combination of proteomic and biochemical approaches, using the RAW264.7 cell line as a model. Both metallic copper and copper oxide nanoparticles have been tested, with copper ion and zirconium oxide nanoparticles used as controls. Proteomic analysis highlighted changes in proteins implicated in oxidative stress responses (superoxide dismutases and peroxiredoxins), glutathione biosynthesis, the actomyosin cytoskeleton, and mitochondrial proteins (especially oxidative phosphorylation complex subunits). Validation studies employing functional analyses showed that the increases in glutathione biosynthesis and in mitochondrial complexes observed in the proteomic screen were critical to cell survival upon stress with copper-based nanoparticles; pharmacological inhibition of these two pathways enhanced cell vulnerability to copper-based nanoparticles, but not to copper ions. Furthermore, functional analyses using primary macrophages derived from bone marrow showed a decrease in reduced glutathione levels, a decrease in the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and inhibition of phagocytosis and of lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production. However, only a fraction of these effects could be obtained with copper ions. In conclusion, this study showed that macrophage functions are significantly altered by copper-based nanoparticles. Also highlighted are the cellular pathways modulated by cells for survival and the exemplified cross-toxicities that can occur between copper-based nanoparticles and pharmacological agents

Microbial growth inhibition by oximes derived from natural volatile carbonyl compounds

Drug resistance rates in healthcare and community systems are induced by some bacterial and fungal pathogens. The answer to the challenge of antimicrobial resistance is searching for new alternatives to antibiotics.                The aim of our work was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of low-molecular oximes, which have not been extensively studied with regard to this issue. Fifty-three oximes were screened in vitro for their growth inhibitory activity against seven strains of microorganisms: Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Enterococcus hirae (ATCC 10541), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442), Legionella pneumophila (ATCC 33152), Aspergillus brasiliensis (ATCC 16404), and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). The growth inhibition of microorganisms was tested using the paper disc diffusion method. Three antibiotics, netilmicin, fluconazole, and ofloxacin, were used as reference controls for the tested microorganisms. The oximes’ antimicrobial activity was evaluated by measuring the diameters of the inhibitory zones. Oximes of trans-cinnamaldehyde, propiophenone, (±)-citronellal, and piperitone showed strong antifungal activity, while the oximes of α-hexyl cinnamaldehyde, hydroxycinnamaldehyde, α-isomethyl ionone, pseudoionone, (-)-fenchone, and (+)-fenchone oximes showed strong antibacterial activity

Enhancement of Mutual Discovery, Search, and Access of Data for Users of NASA and GEOSS-Cataloged Data Systems

An ongoing NASA-funded Data Rods (time series) project has demonstrated the removal of a longstanding barrier to accessing NASA data (i.e., accessing archived time-step array data as point-time series) for selected variables of the North American and Global Land Data Assimilation Systems (NLDAS and GLDAS, respectively) and other NASA data sets. Data rods are pre-generated or generated on-the-fly (OTF), leveraging the NASA Simple Subset Wizard (SSW), a gateway to NASA data centers. Data rods Web services are accessible through the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System (HIS) and the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) but are not easily discoverable by users of other non-NASA data systems. An ongoing GEOSS Water Services project aims to develop a distributed, global registry of water data, map, and modeling services cataloged using the standards and procedures of the Open Geospatial Consortium and the World Meteorological Organization. Preliminary work has shown GEOSS can be leveraged to help provide access to data rods. A new NASA-funded project is extending this early work

The salinity signature of the cross-shelf exchanges in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean: Satellite observations

Satellite-derived sea surface salinity (SSS) data from Aquarius and SMOS are used to study the shelf-open ocean exchanges in the western South Atlantic near 35°S. Away from the tropics, these exchanges cause the largest SSS variability throughout the South Atlantic. The data reveal a well-defined seasonal pattern of SSS during the analyzed period and of the location of the export of low-salinity shelf waters. In spring and summer, low-salinity waters over the shelf expand offshore and are transferred to the open ocean primarily southeast of the river mouth (from 36°S to 37°30′S). In contrast, in fall and winter, low-salinity waters extend along a coastal plume and the export path to the open ocean distributes along the offshore edge of the plume. The strong seasonal SSS pattern is modulated by the seasonality of the along-shelf component of the wind stress over the shelf. However, the combined analysis of SSS, satellite-derived sea surface elevation and surface velocity data suggest that the precise location of the export of shelf waters depends on offshore circulation patterns, such as the location of the Brazil Malvinas Confluence and mesoscale eddies and meanders of the Brazil Current. The satellite data indicate that in summer, mixtures of low-salinity shelf waters are swiftly driven toward the ocean interior along the axis of the Brazil/Malvinas Confluence. In winter, episodic wind reversals force the low-salinity coastal plume offshore where they mix with tropical waters within the Brazil Current and create a warmer variety of low-salinity waters in the open ocean.Fil: Guerrero, Raul Alfredo. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Piola, Alberto Ricardo. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Servicio de Hidrografia Naval; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Océanos; ArgentinaFil: Fenco, Harold. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Matano, Ricardo. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Combes, Vincent. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Chao, Yi. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados Unidos. Remote Sensing Solutions Inc.; Estados UnidosFil: James, Corinne. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Palma, Elbio Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Física; ArgentinaFil: Saraceno, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera; ArgentinaFil: Strub, P. Ted. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados Unido

The Salinity Signature of the Cross-Shelf Exchanges in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean: Numerical Simulations

A high-resolution model is used to characterize the dominant patterns of sea surface salinity (SSS) variability generated by the freshwater discharges of the Rio de la Plata (RdlP) and the Patos/Mirim Lagoon in the southwestern Atlantic region. We identify three dominant modes of SSS variability. The first two, which have been discussed in previous studies, represent the seasonal variations of the freshwater plumes over the continental shelf. The third mode of SSS variability, which has not been discussed hitherto, represents the salinity exchanges between the shelf and the deep ocean. A diagnostic study using floats and passive tracers identifies the pathways taken by the freshwater plumes. During the austral winter (JJA) the plumes leave the shelf region north of the BMC. During the austral summer (DJF), the plumes are entrained more directly into the BMC. A sensitivity study indicates that the high frequency component of the wind stress forcing controls the vertical structure of the plumes while the low-frequency component of the wind stress forcing and the inter- annual variations of the RdlP discharge controls the horizontal structure of the plumes. Dynamical analysis reveals that the cross-shelf flow has a dominant barotropic structure and, therefore, the SSS anomalies detected by Aquarius represent net mass exchanges between the shelf and the deep ocean. The net cross-shelf volume flux is 1.21 Sv. This outflow is largely compensated by an inflow from the Patagonian shelf.Fil: Matano, Ricardo. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Combes, Vincent. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Piola, Alberto Ricardo. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Servicio de Hidrografia Naval; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Océanos; ArgentinaFil: Guerrero, Raul Alfredo. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Palma, Elbio Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Física; ArgentinaFil: Strub, P. Ted. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: James, Corinne. Oregon State University. College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Fenco, Harold. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Chao, Yi. Remote Sensing Solutions; Estados UnidosFil: Saraceno, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Océanos; Argentin

High expression of antioxidant proteins in dendritic cells: possible implications in atherosclerosis

Dendritic cells (DCs) display the unique ability to activate naive T cells and to initiate primary T cell responses revealed in DC-T cell alloreactions. DCs frequently operate under stress conditions. Oxidative stress enhances the production of inflammatory cytokines by DCs. We performed a proteomic analysis to see which major changes occur, at the protein expression level, during DC differentiation and maturation. Comparative two-dimensional gel analysis of the monocyte, immature DC, and mature DC stages was performed. Manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) reached 0.7% of the gel-displayed proteins at the mature DC stage. This important amount of Mn-SOD is a primary antioxidant defense system against superoxide radicals, but its product, H(2)O(2), is also deleterious for cells. Peroxiredoxin (Prx) enzymes play an important role in eliminating such peroxide. Prx1 expression level continuously increased during DC differentiation and maturation, whereas Prx6 continuously decreased, and Prx2 peaked at the immature DC stage. As a consequence, DCs were more resistant than monocytes to apoptosis induced by high amounts of oxidized low density lipoproteins containing toxic organic peroxides and hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore DC-stimulated T cells produced high levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand, a chemotactic and survival factor for monocytes and DCs. This study provides insights into the original ability of DCs to express very high levels of antioxidant enzymes such as Mn-SOD and Prx1, to detoxify oxidized low density lipoproteins, and to induce high levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand by the T cells they activate and further emphasizes the role that DCs might play in atherosclerosis, a pathology recognized as a chronic inflammatory disorder.Comment: cpyright: American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biolog