Éditorial – genre marqué axiologiquement

The article presents my reflections on the editorial, an opinion-shaping type of text, seen from the axiological perspective. It deals with the characteristic features of this kind of text, its special place in journalism and the question of moral responsibility of editorial staff for evaluative views expressed therein. In my article, I discuss evaluation on the textual and paratextual level. My analysis of an editorial on cloning from a French daily L’Humanité helps to show a range of linguistic tools that can be used to convey ethical standpoints. The focus in the article on bio-ethical issues reflects the general interest in subjects like abortion, cloning or the status of human embryos which give rise to many conflicts of values, and these manifest themselves in language

Coupling of transcription and replication machineries in the λ DNA replication initiation: evidence for direct interaction of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase and the lambda O protein

Transcription proceeding downstream of the lambda phage replication origin was previously shown to support initial steps of the lambda primosome assembly in vitro and to regulate frequency and directionality of lambda DNA replication in vivo. In this report, the data are presented indicating that the RNA polymerase beta subunit makes a direct contact with the lambdaO protein, a replication initiator of lambda phage. These results suggest that the role of RNA polymerase during the initiation of lambda phage DNA replication may be more complex than solely influencing DNA topology. Results demonstrated in this study also show that gyrase supercoiling activity stimulates the formation of a complex between lambdaO and RNA polymerase, suggesting that the introduction of negative supercoils by DNA gyrase, besides lowering the energy required for DNA strand separation, may play an additional role in modeling protein–protein interactions at early steps of DNA replication initiation

Isolation of Bacterial Endophytes from Phalaris arundinacea and their Potential in Diclofenac and Sulfamethoxazole Degradation

Diclofenac (DCF), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), an antimicrobial agent, are in common use and can be often detected in the environment. The constructed wetland systems (CWs) are one of the technologies to remove them from the aquatic environment. The final effect of the treatment processes depends on many factors, including the interaction between plants and the plant-associated microorganisms present in the system. Bacteria living inside the plant as endophytes are exposed to secondary metabolites in the tissues. Therefore, they can possess the potential to degrade aromatic structures, including residues of pharmaceuticals. The endophytic strain MG7 identified as Microbacterium sp., obtained from root tissues of Phalaris arundinacea exposed to DCF and SMX was tested for the ability to remove 2 mg/l of SMX and DCF in monosubstrate cultures and in the presence of phenol as an additional carbon source. The MG7 strain was able to remove approximately 15% of DCF and 9% of SMX after 20 days of monosubstrate culture. However, a decrease in the optical density of the MG7 strain cultures was observed, caused by an insufficient carbon source for bacterial growth and proliferation. The adsorption of pharmaceuticals onto autoclaved cells was negligible, which confirmed that the tested strain was directly involved in the removal of DCF and SMX. In the presence of phenol as the additional carbon source, the MG7 strain was able to remove approximately 35% of DCF and 61% of SMX, while an increase in the optical density of the cultures was noted. The higher removal efficiency can be explained by adaptive mechanisms in microorganisms exposed to phenol (i.e. changes in the composition of membrane lipids) and by a co-metabolic mechanism, where non-growth substrates can be transformed by non-specific enzymes. The presence of both DCF and SMX and the influence of the supply frequency of CWs with the contaminated wastewater on the diversity of whole endophytic bacterial communities were demonstrated. The results of this study suggest the capability of the MG7 strain to degrade DCF and SMX. This finding deserves further investigations to improve wastewater treatment in CWs with the possible use of pharmaceuticals-degrading endophytes

Effective inhibition of lytic development of bacteriophages λ, P1 and T4 by starvation of their host, Escherichia coli

BACKGROUND: Bacteriophage infections of bacterial cultures cause serious problems in genetic engineering and biotechnology. They are dangerous not only because of direct effects on the currently infected cultures, i.e. their devastation, but also due to a high probability of spreading the phage progeny throughout a whole laboratory or plant, which causes a real danger for further cultivations. Therefore, a simple method for quick inhibition of phage development after detection of bacterial culture infection should be very useful. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrate that depletion of a carbon source from the culture medium, which provokes starvation of bacterial cells, results in rapid inhibition of lytic development of three Escherichia coli phages, λ, P1 and T4. Since the effect was similar for three different phages, it seems that it may be a general phenomenon. Moreover, similar effects were observed in flask cultures and in chemostats. CONCLUSION: Bacteriophage lytic development can be inhibited efficiently by carbon source limitation in bacterial cultures. Thus, if bacteriophage contamination is detected, starvation procedures may be recommended to alleviate deleterious effects of phage infection on the culture. We believe that this strategy, in combination with the use of automated and sensitive bacteriophage biosensors, may be employed in the fermentation laboratory practice to control phage outbreaks in bioprocesses more effectively

Sprawozdania i informacje - Sprawozdanie z Międzynarodowej Konferencji Naukowej „Edukacja prawnicza we współczesnej Europie”, Zielona Góra, 30 września – 2 października 2014 r.

4820721216Studia Prawa Publiczneg

Atypical microbial infections of digestive tract may contribute to diarrhea in mucopolysaccharidosis patients: a MPS I case study

BACKGROUND: Mucopolysaccharidoses are heritable, metabolic diseases caused by deficiency in an activity of one of specific lysosomal enzymes involved in degradation of mucoplysaccharides (glycosaminoglycans). Among many medical problems of patients with mucopolysaccharidoses, there are frequent episodes of diarrhea of unknown etiology. CASE PRESENTATION: A girl, diagnosed enzymatically for mucopolysaccharidosis type I (deficiency of α-L-iduronidase) at the age of 3 years and 9 months, was investigated until the age of 5 years and 4 months. Frequent loose stools and episodes of diarrhea, often accompanied by vomiting, were encountered. Detailed microbiological analyses were performed and atypical microbial infections (most often enetropathogenic Escherichia coli, but also other species, like Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus, as well as adenoviruses) of the digestive tract were found in most severe diarrhea episodes. Often, isolations of pathogenic bacterial strains from stools of the investigated patient suffering from diarrhea were not obvious during the first screening, and only detailed microbiological studies, including re-isolation of colonies, gave the results of isolation of particular pathogenic strains (especially in the case of enetropathogenic E. coli). CONCLUSION: We conclude that atypical microbial infections of digestive tract may contribute significantly to diarrhea in mucopolysaccaridosis patients. Since isolated strains were not typical and their isolation was often possible only after detailed investigation (not during a standard screening), such atypical microbial infections of digestive tract of mucopolysaccharidosis patients could be usually overlooked to date. Importantly, these atypical infections could be effectively treated with antimicrobial agents

Data regarding particle size distribution, thermal properties and gaseous phase hydration of co-milled solid dispersions composed of tadalafil and Soluplus

A mechanical activation of the solid particles upon high-energy ball milling may considerably change the physicochemical properties of pharmaceutical compounds, including the morphology, particle size distribution, thermal properties, and surface interactions with water vapour upon gaseous phase hydration. Assessment of these changes is crucial for optimizing the manufacturing process of enabling drug products. In this article, we provide a detailed characterization of binary co-milled solid dispersions composed of tadalafil and Soluplus using a laser diffraction method, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), gravimetric measurements and solid state (1)H- NMR spectroscopy. The data presented in this article is directly related to our previously published research article. They complement information on the impact that both formulation and process variables may have on the properties of these binary powder formulations

Female Fabry disease patients and X-chromosome inactivation

Fabry disease is an X-linked inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding α- galactosidase A (GLA). Once it was thought to affect only hemizygous males. Over the last fifteen years, research has shown that most females carrying mutated allele also develop symptoms, demonstrating a wide range of disease severity, from a virtually asymptomatic to more classical profile, with cardiac, renal, and cerebrovascular manifestations. This variable expression in females is thought to be influenced by the process of X-chromosome inactivation (XCI). The aim of this study was to assess severity of the clinical phenotype, to analyze XCI patterns, and to estimate their effect on disease manifestation in twelve female Fabry disease patients from five unrelated Polish families. Our analyses revealed that patients presented with the broad range of disease expression - from mild to severe, and their clinical involvement did not correlate with XCI profiles. Female carriers of the mutation in the GLA gene with the random XCI may present with the wide range of disease signs and symptoms. Thus, XCI is not a main factor in the phenotype variability of Fabry disease manifestation in heterozygous females

Synthetic genistein derivatives as modulators of glycosaminoglycan synthesis

Background: Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are severe metabolic disorders caused by 26 accumulation of undegraded glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in lysosomes due to defects in certain 27 lysosomal hydrolases. Substrate reduction therapy (SRT) has been proposed as one of potential 28 treatment procedures of MPS. Importantly, small molecules used in such a therapy might 29 potentially cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and improve neurological status of patients, as 30 reported for a natural isoflavone, 5, 7-dihydroxy-3- (4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one, 31 also known as genistein. Although genistein is able to cross BBB to some extent, its delivery to 32 the central nervous system is still relatively poor (below 10% efficiency). Thus, we aimed to 33 develop a set of synthetically modified genistein molecules and characterize physicochemical as 34 well as biological properties of these compounds. Methods: Following parameters were 35 determined for the tested synthetic derivatives of genistein: cytotoxicity, effects on cell 36 proliferation, kinetics of GAG synthesis, effects on epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor’s 37 tyrosine kinase activity, effects on lysosomal storage, potential ability to cross BBB. Results: We 38 observed that some synthetic derivatives inhibited GAG synthesis similarly to, or more 39 efficiently than, genistein and were able to reduce lysosomal storage in MPS III fibroblasts. The 40 tested compounds were generally of low cytotoxicity and had minor effects on cell proliferation. 41 Moreover, synthetic derivatives of genistein revealed higher lipophilicity (assessed in silico) than 42 the natural isoflavone. Conclusion: Some compounds tested in this study might be promising 43 candidates for further studies on therapeutic agents in MPS types with neurological symptoms