Microsatellites are present in mitochondria, chloroplast, and nuclear DNA, but nuclear microsatellites are more useful genetic tools than those in plastids or mitochondria. Plastid and mitochondrial microsatellites have been identified in the model plant (liverwort), but no laboratory has published information on nuclear microsatellite loci. The aim of this study was to detect novel nuclear markers in the most commonly employed liverwort species, design PCR primers that would allow amplification, and characterize the subsequently generated loci.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite higher rates of SARS-CoV-2 infections and mortality, vaccine uptake in Black and Latinx populations remained disproportionately low, including in the Bronx, New York. In response, we used the Bridging Research, Accurate Information, and Dialogue (BRAID) model to elicit community members' COViD-19 vaccine-related perspectives and informational needs and inform strategies to improve vaccine acceptance. We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study over 13 months (May 2021-June 2022), with 25 community experts from the Bronx including community health workers, and representatives from community-based organizations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrobiol Spectr
June 2023
Thermotolerance is a remarkable virulence attribute of Aspergillus fumigatus, but the consequences of heat shock (HS) to the cell membrane of this fungus are unknown, although this structure is one of the first to detect changes in ambient temperature that imposes on the cell a prompt adaptative response. Under high-temperature stress, fungi trigger the HS response controlled by heat shock transcription factors, such as HsfA, which regulates the expression of heat shock proteins. In yeast, smaller amounts of phospholipids with unsaturated fatty acid (FA) chains are synthesized in response to HS, directly affecting plasma membrane composition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Appl Oral Sci
February 2023
Objective: Some microorganisms, i.e., Candida albicans, have been associated with cancer onset and development, although whether the fungus promotes cancer or whether cancer facilitates the growth of C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Microbiol
December 2022
Cyclins are a family of proteins characterized by possessing a cyclin box domain that mediates binding to cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) partners. In this study, the search for a partner cyclin of the PHO85-1 CDK retrieved PCL-1 an ortholog of yeast Pcls (for Pho85 cyclins) that performs functions common to Pcls belonging to different cyclin families. We show here that PCL-1, as a typical cyclin, is involved in cell cycle control and cell progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCoordination polymers have been extensively studied in recent years. Some of these materials can exhibit several properties such as permanent porosity, high surface area, thermostability and light emission, as well as open sites for chemical functionalization. Concerning the fact that this kind of compounds are usually solids, the size and morphology of the particles are important parameters when an application is desired.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Escherichia coli GhoT/GhoS system is a type V toxin-antitoxin system in which the antitoxin GhoS cleaves the GhoT mRNA, controlling its translation. GhoT is a small hydrophobic protein that damages bacterial membranes. OrtT is a GhoT-like toxin, but it apparently lacks a corresponding antitoxin and serves a different physiologic role.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAuxin homeostasis is tightly regulated by several mechanisms, including conjugation of the hormone to specific moieties, such as amino acids or sugar. The inactive phytohormone conjugate is stored in large pools in plants and hydrolyzed to regain full activity. Many conjugate hydrolases (M20D metallopeptidases) have been identified and characterized throughout the plant kingdom.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Anthocyanin pigments aid in reproduction and provide ultraviolet protection to land plants. We have examined the phylogenetic relationships among the five primary enzymes responsible for producing anthocyanin pigment in its three major forms. Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), Flavonoid 3'glucosyltransferase (F3GT), flavonoid 3'hydroxylase (F3'H), and flavonoid 3'5' hydroxylase (F3'5'H) are responsible for the final steps in anthocyanin pigment production.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a rare gluten-sensitive blistering itchy skin disease, strictly related to coeliac disease (CD). Direct immunofluorescence, demonstrating IgA granular deposits localized either in the dermal papillae or along the dermo-epidermal junction, is currently the gold standard for diagnosis of DH. It has been shown that DH immunocomplexes contain epidermal transglutaminase (eTG) and that sera from patients with DH contain antibodies specifically directed against eTG.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: Many previous researches showed clinical benefits, effects on inflammatory mediators and pain, immune system, hormones and on the diencephalic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Our study evalues the efficacy of mud-bath therapy with mineral water from the Sillene Spring at Italy's Chianciano Spa in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Materials And Methods: In study we compared: physical examination of the knee joint, visual analogue scale (VAS) assessment of pain, and Lequesne Algo-functional Index.
Zostera marina (eelgrass) can be found in the North Atlantic on the coast of Europe and on the east and west coasts of North America. Over the last 30 years, this once robust species has been reduced to sparse patchy populations due to disease and anthropogenic effects. In order to better understand the consequences of this devastation on the population genetics of the species, we have analyzed the population structure of western Atlantic Z.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the past few years, the number of celiac disease diagnoses not confirmed at the Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy, a tertiary referral centre, was particularly high. Therefore, a decision was made to investigate the reasons why these diagnoses were wrong and by whom they had been made. The clinical histories of all celiac patients referred to the centre were re-evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: Although they are non-specific, minimal intestinal lesions are at the end of the coeliac histological damage spectrum. To investigate whether minimal intestinal lesions in patients without endomysial antibodies are due to coeliac disease, their prevalence, causes and risk of evolving into frank coeliac disease were studied.
Methods: From January 2000 to December 2005, 645 duodenal biopsies were performed.
The phylogenetics of the genus Alphavirus have historically been characterized using partial gene, single gene or partial proteomic data. We have mined cDNA and amino acid sequences from GenBank for all fully sequenced and some partially sequenced alphaviruses and generated phylogenomic analyses of the genus Alphavirus genus, employing capsid encoding structural regions, non-structural coding regions and complete viral genomes. Our studies support the presence of the previously reported recombination event that produced the Western Equine Encephalitis clade, and confirm many of the patterns of geographic radiation and divergence of the multiple species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComp Funct Genomics
June 2010
The ILR1-like family of hydrolase genes was initially isolated in Arabidopsis thaliana and is thought to help regulate levels of free indole-3-acetic-acid.We have investigated how this family has evolved in dicotyledon, monocotyledon and gymnosperm species by employing the GenBank and TIGR databases to retrieve orthologous genes. The relationships among these sequences were assessed employing phylogenomic analyses to examine molecular evolution and phylogeny.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThroughout the ages the interest in the use of sea water in medicine has fluctuated from century to century and from nation to nation. In this paper, the historical development of sea medicine from the ancient Egyptians until the 20th century is given. The medical world has viewed it with different opinions, from very enthusiastic to extremely critical, and from beneficial to harmful.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Aims: Although prevalence of coeliac disease among first degree relatives of coeliac patients is well-known, only four studies are available about its incidence. We investigated whether first degree relatives found to be negative at a first serological screening can subsequently develop coeliac disease.
Patients And Methods: In the last 6 years, endomysial antibodies were tested in 158 adult first degree relatives referred to our coeliac out-patient clinic.
Minerva Gastroenterol Dietol
December 2007
Potential celiac disease is characterized by a normal duodenal mucosa despite high intraepithelial lymphocytes count and/or positive endomysial antibodies while on a gluten-containing diet. An agreement about the management of this condition is still lacking. A 68-year-old lady complaining of weight loss and epigastric pain was found to be affected by potential celiac disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrans Am Ophthalmol Soc
December 2006
Purpose: To assess the quality-of-life loss and the macroeconomic financial consequences associated with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).
Methods: Time tradeoff utility analysis was performed to assess the quality-of-life diminution caused by ARMD (both dry and neovascular) in cohorts consisting of (1) patients with ARMD, (2) ophthalmologists asked to assume they had various degrees of severity of ARMD, (3) healthcare providers asked to assume they had various degrees of severity of ARMD, and (4) participants from the general community asked to assume they had various degrees of severity of ARMD. ARMD was classified according to vision in the better-seeing eye as (1) mild: 20/20 to 20/40, (2) moderate: 20/50 to 20/100, (3) severe: < or = 20/200, or (4) very severe: < or = 20/800.
A full-length cDNA clone, encoding a ribosome inactivating/antiviral protein (RIP/AVP) was isolated from the cDNA library of post-flowering stage of Celosia cristata leaves. The full-length cDNA consisted of 1015 nucleotides, with an open reading frame encoding 283 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence had a putative active site domain conserved in other ribosome inactivating/antiviral proteins (RIPs/AVPs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDig Liver Dis
September 2006
Background: Tissue transglutaminase, the coeliac autoantigen, was shown to localise in the enterocytes of coeliac patients and controls. It was speculated that surface tissue transglutaminase has a role in the pathogenesis of coeliac disease.
Aims: To study localisation of tissue transglutaminase in different stages of coeliac disease and other enteropathies with and without villous flattening.
Background & Aims: In view of the excellent quality of the images obtained and its magnification capability, videocapsule endoscopy was proposed as a promising tool to evaluate the degree of duodenal villous atrophy. We studied whether the capsule can discriminate different degrees of mucosal damage caused by different conditions; we also evaluated interobserver and intraobserver variability in the assessment of villous atrophy with the capsule.
Methods: Thirty-two patients underwent both gastroscopy with multiple duodenal biopsies and videocapsule endoscopy.