Antifungalna aktivnost hitosana prema Alternaria alternata i Colletotrichum gloeosporoides

Chitosan and its derivatives have been reported as a promising alternative for control of postharvest fungal pathogens. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro and in situ antifungal activity of chitosan against Alternaria alternata and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolated from decayed apple fruits. The fungi were tested in vitro using PDA medium with three concentrations of chitosan (1, 2 and 3 mg/ml). Fungal growth of the test pathogens was significantly affected by all chitosan doses (P lt 0.05) after 7 days of incubation at 25°C. Water solution of 3 mg/ml of chitosan inhibited completely the conidial germination of A. alternata and C. gloeosporioides after 18 h incubation at 25°C. The results obtained from biocontrol assay indicate that the inhibition of postharvest decay of A. alternata and C. gloeosporioides was significantly influenced by chitosan concentrations. Disease incidence in chitosan-treated fruit after 7 days incubation at 25°C was significantly lower than in the positive control for both fungi tested (P lt 0.05). A. alternata and C. gloeosporioides used in this study were progressively inhibited in vitro and in situ with increasing concentrations of chitosan from 1 to 3 mg/ml.Istraživanja pokazuju da su hitosan i njegovi derivati dobra alternativa u kontroli skladišnih fitopatogenih gljiva. Cilj ovog rada bio je da ispita antifungalnu aktivnost hitosana prema Alternaria alternata i Colletotrichum gloeosporoides, izolovanih sa inficiranih plodova jabuke, u in vitro i in situ uslovima. Rast gljiva je testiran in vitro koristeći PDA podlogu sa različitim koncentracijama hitosana (1, 2 i 3 mg/ml). Porast oba patogena je bio značajno smanjen (P lt 0.05) u svim koncentracijama hitosana nakon 7 dana inkubacije na 25°C. Vodeni rastvor hitosana koncentracije 3 mg/ml je u potpunosti inhibirao klijanje konidija A. alternata i C. gloeosporoides nakon inkubacije od 18 sati na temperaturi od 25°C. Rezultati ogleda in situ ukazuju da inhibicija propadanja plodova inficiranih sa A. alternata i C. gloeosporoides zavisi od koncentracije rastvora hitosana. Pojava bolesti na plodovima jabuka tretiranih rastvorom hitosana nakon 7 dana inkubacije na 25°C bila je značajno smanjena za obe vrste gljiva (P lt 0.05) u odnosu na pozitivnu kontrolu. Rast A. alternata i C. gloeosporoides je bio progresivno inhibiran in vitro i in situ sa povećanjem koncentracije rastvora hitosana, od 1 do 3 mg/ml

Pseudomonas syringae - prouzrokovač nekroze plodova trešnje

Severe symptoms of necrosis sweet cherry fruits was recorded during 2014. in region of Šabac. About 30 % of fruits (cv. Summit) were affected and necrosis cover 1/3 of fruit surface in average. Gram negative, fluorescent, oxidative bacterial strains were isolated from diseased tissues. Symptoms similar to those, observed in natural infection were recorded on artificial inoculated cherry fruits (cv. Summit and cv. Summbarst). Isolated strains were HR positive, oxidase, pectinase, arginin dehidrolase negative and levan positive (LOPAT +---+). Same characteristics also own check strains Pseudomonas syringae (CFBP 11). According obtained results it was concluded that necrosis of sweet cherry fruits is caused by Pseudomonas syringae. Further characteristic in order proper detection of pathogens, including molecular methods are underway.U radu su prikazani rezultati proučavanja sojeva bakterija izolovanih iz nekrotičnih plodova trešnje sorte Samit (područje Šapca). Nekroza zahvata u proseku oko 1/3 ploda koji potpuno gubi tržišnu vrednost. Bolešću biva zahvaćeno oko 30% plodova. Primenom standardnih bakterioloških metoda (izolacijom na hranljivim podlogama), proverom patogenosti i proučavanjem bakterioloških karakteristika, zaključeno je da pomenute simptome prouzrokuje fitopatogena bakterija Pseudomonas syringae, široko rasprostranjen patogen naročito koštičavih voćaka

Targeted therapy in renal cell carcinoma: moving from molecular agents to specific immunotherapy

Non-specific immunotherapy has been for a long time a standard treatment option for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma but was redeemed by specific targeted molecular therapies, namely the VEGF and mTOR inhibitors. After moving treatment for mRCC to specific molecular agents with a well-defined mode of action, immunotherapy still needs this further development to increase its accuracy. Nowadays, an evolution from a rather non-specific cytokine treatment to sophisticated targeted approaches in specific immunotherapy led to a re-launch of immunotherapy in clinical studies. Recent steps in the development of immunotherapy strategies are discussed in this review with a special focus on peptide vaccination which aims at a tumor targeting by specific T lymphocytes. In addition, different combinatory strategies with immunomodulating agents like cyclophosphamide or sunitinib are outlined, and the effects of immune checkpoint modulators as anti-CTLA-4 or PD-1 antibodies are discussed

Natural ligand motifs of H-2E molecules are allele specific and illustrate homology to HLA-DR molecules

Motifs of peptldes naturally associated with H-2Ek and Ed molecules were determined by (i) pool sequencing of natural ligand mixtures and (ii) sequencing of individual natural ligands followed by their alignment to the basic motif suggested by pool sequencing. The data reveal nine amino acid motifs with interaction sites at relative positions P1, P4, P6 and P9, with specificities that are identical at some but different at other anchor positions between Ed and Ek motifs, illustrating the different requirements for peptides to be presented by these two MHC molecules. The anchors with the most restricted specificity are P1 and P9. P1 is aliphatic for Ek and predominantly aromatic for Ed. P9 is positively charged for both molecules. P4 and P6 show a totally different amino acid preference between Ek and Ed ligand motifs. An alignment of Ed and Ek protein sequences to the recently reported HLA-DR1 pocket residues is in agreement with observed anchor residues in Ek and Ed motifs, thus confirming the predicted similarity of mouse class II E molecules with human DR molecules. Furthermore, this alignment was extended to the putative pockets of class II Eb and E* molecules, and allowed, together with sequence information of previously Identified natural ligands of Eb and E5 molecules, a prediction of their respective motifs. The information obtained by this study should be useful to identify putative class II E epltopes in proteins and to design peptides for blocking class II E molecule

Usluge zdravstvene skrbi i usluge koje pruža zajednica za stanovništvo s ratnim traumama u Hrvatskoj: istraživanje u zajednici o korišenju usluga i mentalnom zdravlju

AIM: To explore the use of health care and community-based services in war-affected regions of Croatia and its relation to mental health. METHODS: A sample of 719 adults exposed to at least one war-related traumatic event were selected by random-walk technique from three Croatian counties and interviewed for socio-demographic data, mental health status (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview), and service use (Matrix for the Assessment of Community and Healthcare Services) in the period from 1991 to 2006. Descriptive analysis of service use was performed. Relations between service use, current mental health, and recovery from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were analyzed using logistic regression models. RESULTS: The traumatized population used a wide range of health care and community-based services. Health care was the most frequently used service category, especially primary health care (92.5%), followed by accommodation support (57.9%), financial support (57.7%), and employment support (32.5%). Compared with participants without mental disorders, participants with current PTSD were more likely to use only legal support (odds ratio [OR], 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-3.99), while participants with other mental disorders were more likely to use social support and contacts (OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.08-2.75). Receiving accommodation support (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.03-4.06) was the only significant predictor of recovery from PTSD, while seeking legal support (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.08-0.92) was related to slower recovery. CONCLUSION: Although a wide range of services were organized to help the traumatized population in Croatia, only the solution of housing issue significantly predicted recovery. The organization of help services should take into consideration the existing infrastructure and local specificities, and respect the needs of people in war-affected areas.CILJ: Istražiti korištenje usluga zdravstvene skrbi i usluga koje pruža zajednica u područjima koja su bila zahvaćena ratom u Hrvatskoj i utjecaj tih intervencija na mentalno zdravlje. POSTUPCI: Uzorak odraslih osoba koje su bili izložene barem jednoj ratnoj traumi izabran je tehnikom nasumičnog hoda, u tri hrvatske županije. Podatci o sociodemografskim značajkama, mentalnom zdravlju (Međunarodni mini-neuropsihijatrijski intervju, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview) i korištenju usluga (Matrica za procjenu usluga koje pruža zajednica i usluga zdravstvene skrbi, Matrix for the Assessment of Community and Healthcare Services) prikupljeni su između 1991. i 1996. Provedena je deskriptivna analiza usluga. Povezanost između korištenja usluga, mentalnog zdravlja i oporavka od posttraumatskog stresnog poremećaja (PTSD) analizirani su uz pomoć logističkih regresijskih modela. REZULTATI: Ispitanici su koristili širok raspon usluga koje pruža zajednica i usluga zdravstvene skrbi. Najčešće korištena vrsta usluge bila je primarna zdravstvena zaštita (92,5%), a za njom su slijedili pomoć u rješavanju stambenog pitanja (57,9%), financijska potpora (57,7%) i pomoć u nalaženju zaposlenja (32,5%). U usporedbi s ispitanicima bez mentalnih poremećaja, ispitanici s PTSD-om češće su se koristili pravnim uslugama (omjer izgleda [OR], 2,15; 95% raspon pouzdanosti [CI], 1,15-3,99), dok su se ispitanici s ostalim psihičkim poremećajima češće koristili uslugama socijalne potpore (OR, 1,72; 95% CI, 1,08-2,75). Pomoć u rješavanju stambenog pitanja (OR, 2,05; 95% CI, 1,03-4,06) bila je jedini značajan prediktor oporavka od PTSD-a, dok je traženje pravnih usluga (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0,08-0,92) bilo povezano sa sporijim oporavkom. ZAKLJUČAK: Iako postoji širok raspon usluga za pomoć traumatiziranom stanovništvu u Hrvatskoj, jedino je rješenje stanbenog pitanja značajno predviđalo oporavak. Organizacija usluga za pružanje pomoći trebala bi uzeti u obzir postojeću infrastrukturu i lokalne specifičnosti i poštovati potrebe stanovništva u područjima zahvaćenim rato

Raman spectroscopy coupled with chemometric modeling approaches for authentication of different paprika varieties at physiological maturity

Five Balkan paprika varieties at physiological maturity were investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy in order to discriminate the differences which stemmed from their genetic variability since the plants were grown under the same experimental conditions. The spectra were obtained using the 532 nm wavelength. In an effort to find the best classification power, several pre-processing methods were applied: 1) baseline correction, unit vector normalization; 2) baseline correction, unit vector normalization and first Savitzky-Golay derivative; 3) baseline correction, unit vector normalization and second Savitzky-Golay derivative; 4) baseline correction, unit vector normalization and third Savitzky-Golay derivative. All of the pre-processing methods were followed by making PCA-LDA (Principal Component Analysis-Linear Discriminant Analysis), QDA (Quadratic Discriminant Analysis), and PLS-DA (Partial Least Square - Discriminant Analysis) classification models. QDA showed the best discrimination power (83.87–100% and 89.47–100% for the training and the test data, respectively), then PCA-LDA (0.00–100 and 0.00–100% for the training and the test data, respectively) and PLS-DA (19.35–100% and 0.00–100.00% for the training and the test data, respectively). The results pointed out the applicability of chemometric modeling associated with Raman spectroscopy in the assessment of nutritionally similar samples, such as the studied red paprika varieties

TAPBPR mediates peptide dissociation from MHC class I using a leucine lever.

Tapasin and TAPBPR are known to perform peptide editing on major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) molecules; however, the precise molecular mechanism(s) involved in this process remain largely enigmatic. Here, using immunopeptidomics in combination with novel cell-based assays that assess TAPBPR-mediated peptide exchange, we reveal a critical role for the K22-D35 loop of TAPBPR in mediating peptide exchange on MHC I. We identify a specific leucine within this loop that enables TAPBPR to facilitate peptide dissociation from MHC I. Moreover, we delineate the molecular features of the MHC I F pocket required for TAPBPR to promote peptide dissociation in a loop-dependent manner. These data reveal that chaperone-mediated peptide editing on MHC I can occur by different mechanisms dependent on the C-terminal residue that the MHC I accommodates in its F pocket and provide novel insights that may inform the therapeutic potential of TAPBPR manipulation to increase tumour immunogenicity.Wellcome PhD studentship (109076/Z/15/A). Wellcome Senior Research Fellowship (104647/Z/14/Z) South African Medical Research Council Bosch-Forschungsstiftung. Royal Society University Research Fellowship (UF100371)

HLA-DR15-derived self-peptides are involved in increased autologous T cell proliferation in multiple sclerosis

The HLA-DR15 haplotype confers the largest part of the genetic risk to develop multiple sclerosis, a prototypic CD4+ T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. The mechanisms how certain HLA-class II molecules functionally contribute to autoimmune diseases are still poorly understood, but probably involve shaping an autoimmune-prone T cell repertoire during central tolerance in the thymus and subsequently maintaining or even expanding it in the peripheral immune system. Self-peptides that are presented by disease-associated HLA-class II molecules most likely play important roles during both processes. Here, we examined the functional involvement of the HLA-DR15 haplotype in autologous proliferation in multiple sclerosis and the contribution of HLA-DR15 haplotype-derived self-peptides in an in vitro system. We observe increased autologous T cell proliferation in patients with multiple sclerosis in relation to the multiple sclerosis risk-associated HLA-DR15 haplotype. Assuming that the spectrum of self-peptides that is presented by the two HLA-DR15 allelic products is important for sustaining autologous proliferation we performed peptide elution and identification experiments from the multiple sclerosis-associated DR15 molecules and a systematic analysis of a DR15 haplotype-derived self-peptide library. We identify HLA-derived self-peptides as potential mediators of altered autologous proliferation. Our data provide novel insights about perturbed T cell repertoire dynamics and the functional involvement of the major genetic risk factor, the HLA-DR15 haplotype, in multiple sclerosi