The neural cell adhesion molecule binds to fibroblast growth factor receptor 2

AbstractThe neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) can bind to and activate fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1). However, there are four major FGFR isoforms (FGFR1–FGFR4), and it is not known whether NCAM also interacts directly with the other three FGFR isoforms. In this study, we show by surface plasmon resonance analysis that NCAM can bind to FGFR2 with an affinity similar to that for the NCAM–FGFR1 interaction. However, the kinetic parameters for the NCAM–FGFR2 binding are different from those of the NCAM–FGFR1 binding. Both receptors were shown to cycle relatively fast between the NCAM bound and unbound states, although FGFR2 cycling was clearly faster (13 times) than the FGFR1 cycling. Moreover, ATP was more effective in inhibiting the binding of NCAM to FGFR1 than to FGFR2, indicating that the binding sites in NCAM for the two receptors are similar, but not identical

Glycerolysis of Fats and Methyl Esters.

The glycerolysis of methyl esters and triglycerides with crude glycerol. a coproduct from the transesterification of triglycerides, was studied. Three procedures were followed ior this conversion. The first procedure was a one-step glycerolysis with methyl esters. The second procedure was a two-step process. This proced~~irnev olved an initial partial glycerolysis with methyl esters, followed by fat glycerolysis. The third procedure u,as a simultaneous glycerolysis n,ith methyl esters and triglycerides. In the glycerolysis with methyl esters, the removal of methanol is vital to the production of mono- and diglycerides. Methanol was removed either by drawing vacuum on the reactor or by stripping methanol out by means of an inert carrier gas (nitrogen]. Different molar ratios of methyl esters to glycerol were tested in the first two processes. At low concentration of methyi esters, total conversion oi methyl esters to mono- and diglycerides was achieved. As the concentration oi methyl esters was increased, the conversion of methyl esters to mono and diglvcerides was decreased. Furthermore, the ratio of mono- to diglycerides was also higher at lower roncentrations of methyl esters. The conversion of triglycerides in the two-step process with crude glycerol was similar to a one-step fat glycerolysis with pure glycerol. The composition of different coniponents and the ratio of mono to diglycerides were also comparabl

Can agricultural cultivation methods influence the healthfulness of crops for foods

The aim of the current study was to investigate if there are any health effects of long-term consumption of organically grown crops using a rat model. Crops were retrieved over two years from along-term field trial at three different locations in Denmark, using three different cultivation systems(OA, organic based on livestock manure; OB, organic based on green manure; and C, conventional with mineral fertilizers and pesticides)with two field replicates. The cultivation system had an impact on the nutritional quality, affecting γ-tocopherol, some amino acids, and fatty acid composition. Additionally, the nutritional quality was affected by harvest year and location. However, harvest year and location rather than cultivation system affected the measured health biomarkers. In conclusion, the differences in dietary treatments composed of ingredients from different cultivation systems did not lead to significant differences in the measured health biomarkers, except for a significant difference in plasma IgGl evels

Mainstreaming biodiversity for food and nutrition into policies and practice: methodologies and lessons learned from four countries

This paper outlines the methodology for mainstreaming biodiversity developed by the Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Project (BFN), a multi-country initiative led by Brazil, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Turkey. BFN explored the nutritional properties of traditional and/or neglected native edible species, both wild and cultivated (including varieties and landraces), and used this knowledge to incorporate local agricultural biodiversity into national and global policy instruments that address food and nutrition security through the promotion of healthy, diversified and sustainable diets. Across the four countries, the project adopted a three-pillar approach for mainstreaming biodiversity for food and nutrition into policies and practices by: 1) Providing Evidence, 2) Influencing Policy, and 3) Raising Awareness. Case study examples from Brazil, Kenya, Turkey, and Sri Lanka demonstrate how the approach can be adapted to suit specific country contexts and how a multi-level, cross-sectoral partnership-based approach can create an enabling environment for mainstreaming biodiversity to improve nutrition

A mouse model of the schizophrenia-associated 1q21.1 microdeletion syndrome exhibits altered mesolimbic dopamine transmission

Abstract 1q21.1 hemizygous microdeletion is a copy number variant leading to eightfold increased risk of schizophrenia. In order to investigate biological alterations induced by this microdeletion, we generated a novel mouse model (Df(h1q21)/+) and characterized it in a broad test battery focusing on schizophrenia-related assays. Df(h1q21)/+ mice displayed increased hyperactivity in response to amphetamine challenge and increased sensitivity to the disruptive effects of amphetamine and phencyclidine hydrochloride (PCP) on prepulse inhibition. Probing of the direct dopamine (DA) pathway using the DA D1 receptor agonist SKF-81297 revealed no differences in induced locomotor activity compared to wild-type mice, but Df(h1q21)/+ mice showed increased sensitivity to the DA D2 receptor agonist quinpirole and the D1/D2 agonist apomorphine. Electrophysiological characterization of DA neuron firing in the ventral tegmental area revealed more spontaneously active DA neurons and increased firing variability in Df(h1q21)/+ mice, and decreased feedback reduction of DA neuron firing in response to amphetamine. In a range of other assays, Df(h1q21)/+ mice showed no difference from wild-type mice: gross brain morphology and basic functions such as reflexes, ASR, thermal pain sensitivity, and motor performance were unaltered. Similarly, anxiety related measures, baseline prepulse inhibition, and seizure threshold were unaltered. In addition to the central nervous system-related phenotypes, Df(h1q21)/+ mice exhibited reduced head-to tail length, which is reminiscent of the short stature reported in humans with 1q21.1 deletion. With aspects of both construct and face validity, the Df(h1q21)/+ model may be used to gain insight into schizophrenia-relevant alterations in dopaminergic transmission