The first cytochrome P450 in ferns. Evidence for its involvement in phytoecdysteroid biosynthesis in Polypodium vulgare.

The fern Polypodium vulgare is a phytoecdysteroid (PE)-producing plant. Cultures of P. vulgare prothalus produce PE, whereas prothalus-derived callus cultures do not.

Perturbations induced by synthetic peptides from hepatitis G virus structural proteins in lipid model membranes: a fluorescent approach.

The name HGV/GBV-C remains as an acronym for hepatitis G virus (HGV) and GB virus-C (GBV-C), strain variants of this enveloped RNA virus independently but simultaneously discovered in 1995. Nowadays there is no evidence that it causes hepatitis in humans either during initial infection or after long-term carriage, but it has been recently related with HIV regarding the inhibition of progression to AIDS. The overall genomic organization of HGV/GBV-C is similar to that of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and other members of the Flavivirus family in Hepacivirus genus.

Spider webs designed for rare but life-saving catches.

The impact of rare but positive events on the design of organisms has been largely ignored, probably due to the paucity of recordings of such events and to the difficulty of estimating their impact on lifetime reproductive success. In this respect, we investigated the size of spider webs in relation to rare but large prey catches. First, we collected field data on a short time-scale using the common orb-weaving spider Zygiella x-notata to determine the distribution of the size of prey caught and to quantify the relationship between web size and daily capture success.

The repression of E2F-1 is critical for the activity of Minerval against cancer.

The recently discovered anticancer drug Minerval (2-hydroxy-9-cis-octadecenoic acid) is a synthetic fatty acid that modifies the structure of the membrane. This restructuring facilitates the recruitment of protein kinase C (PKC) alpha to membranes and is associated with the antineoplastic activity of Minerval in cellular and animal models of cancer. Minerval is a derivative of oleic acid (OA) with an enhanced antiproliferative activity in human cancer cells and animal models of cancer, which is associated with PKCalpha activation and p21(CIP) overexpression.

Amino acid catalyzed neogenesis of carbohydrates: a plausible ancient transformation.

Hexose sugars play a fundamental role in vital biochemical processes and their biosynthesis is achieved through enzyme-catalyzed pathways. Herein we disclose the ability of amino acids to catalyze the asymmetric neogenesis of carbohydrates by sequential cross-aldol reactions. The amino acids mediate the asymmetric de novo synthesis of natural L- and D-hexoses and their analogues with excellent stereoselectivity in organic solvents.

Calcinosis cutis following trauma.

We report an 8-year-old boy who developed dystrophic calcinosis cutis that occurred following trauma. Multiple abrasions were observed in the inguinal folds after a soccer game. Subsequently, multiple papules with soft centers and white particles appeared in the same area.

New structural features in triphenylphosphinesilver(I) sulfanylcarboxylates.

We investigated the reactions of 1.5 : 1 : 1 mole ratio mixtures of triphenylphosphine, silver nitrate and 3-(aryl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acids H(2)xspa in chloroform/water, where in the acid nomenclature, spa = 2-sulfanylpropenoato and x = p, Clp, mp, diBr-o-hp or f with p = 3-phenyl-, Clp = 3-(2-chlorophenyl)-, mp = 3-methoxyphenyl-, diBr-o-hp = 3-(3,5-dibromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)- and f = 3-(2-furyl)-. The compounds [Ag(PPh(3))(Hpspa)](1), [(AgPPh3)2(xspa)][x = Clp (2), o-mp (3), p-mp (4), diBr-o-hp (5) and f (6)] and [Ag(PPh3)3(Hfspa)](7) were isolated and all except 7 were characterized by IR, Raman and FAB mass spectrometry and by 1H, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy.

[False low oximetry reading caused by patent blue vital dye during breast surgery].

Patent blue vital (patent blue V; Laboratoire Guerbet, France) is used to identify the sentinel node during surgery for invasive breast cancer. Detecting the sentinel node that first drains the primary tumor reduces the need for total breast and wide axillary node removal, with the problems that such radical surgery involves. Like other dyes, patent blue V can interfere with accurate pulse oximeter reading, leading to underestimation of real values.

Influence of the membrane lipid structure on signal processing via G protein-coupled receptors.

We have recently reported that lipid structure regulates the interaction with membranes, recruitment to membranes, and distribution to membrane domains of heterotrimeric Galphabetagamma proteins, Galpha subunits, and Gbetagamma dimers (J Biol Chem 279:36540-36545, 2004). Here, we demonstrate that modulation of the membrane structure not only determines G protein localization but also regulates the function of G proteins and related signaling proteins. In this context, the antitumor drug daunorubicin (daunomycin) and oleic acid changed the membrane structure and inhibited G protein activity in biological membranes.

Plausible origins of homochirality in the amino acid catalyzed neogenesis of carbohydrates.

The intrinsic ability of amino acids to catalyze the asymmetric formation of carbohydrates, which enzymes have mediated for millions of years, with significant amplification of enantiomeric excess suggests a plausible ancient catalytic process for the evolution of homochirality.

New aminocyclitols as modulators of glucosylceramide metabolism.

A series of 13 aminocyclitol derivatives belonging to two different families is described. Their configuration is governed by the regio- and stereocontrolled epoxide opening of a suitably protected conduritol-B epoxide. Studies on several glycosyl processing enzymes indicate that some of them are good inhibitors of glucosylceramide hydrolase.

C-reactive protein (+1444C>T) polymorphism influences CRP response following a moderate inflammatory stimulus.

Elevations in C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration are associated with an increased risk of future coronary events in prospective studies and it has been suggested that CRP could be used to aid risk prediction. A +1444C>T polymorphism in the CRP gene has been associated with differences in CRP concentration. We investigated the effect of this polymorphism on the CRP response to periodontal therapy, an intermediate inflammatory stimulus.

Variation in morphology and performance of predator-sensing system in wild cricket populations.

Even though variation in morphology is known to translate into variation in performance, studies looking at structural variability of a sensor to predict its consequences on the performance of animals are exceedingly rare. We investigated the morphological variability of air-flow-sensing receptors in wild populations of wood crickets (Nemobius sylvestris) sampled in a wide variety of habitats differing in latitude, litter structure, vegetation and predator communities. These hair receptors act as predator sensors.

Homocysteine and stroke: evidence on a causal link from mendelian randomisation.

Background: Individuals homozygous for the T allele of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism have higher plasma homocysteine concentrations (the phenotype) than those with the CC genotype, which, if pathogenetic, should put them at increased risk of stroke. Since this polymorphism is distributed randomly during gamete formation, its association with stroke should not be biased or confounded. We investigated consistency between the expected odds ratio for stroke among TT homozygotes, extrapolated from genotype-phenotype and phenotype-disease studies, and the observed odds ratio from a meta-analysis of genotype-disease association studies.

Indicators of nutritional status in restricting-type anorexia nervosa patients: a 1-year follow-up study.

Background And Aim: Despite severely reduced intakes, anorexia nervosa (AN) patients seem to maintain serum biochemical parameters within the safe limit. The aim of this study was to assess the evolution of some traditional serum biochemical indicators of nutritional status in a 1-year follow-up of patients with restricting-type AN.

Methods: 14 adolescent female patients were studied at four different time points: (1) on hospital admission (t0), (2) 1 month later (t1), (3) 6 months after admission (t6) and (4) 12 months after admission (t12).

Meta-analysis of genetic studies in ischemic stroke: thirty-two genes involving approximately 18,000 cases and 58,000 controls.

Ischemic stroke is thought to have a polygenic basis, but identification of stroke susceptibility genes and quantification of associated risks have been hampered by conflicting results from underpowered case-control studies. We performed a meta-analysis of all candidate gene association studies in ischemic stroke. Electronic databases were searched up until January 2003 for all case-control and nested case-control studies in English-language journals relating to the investigation of any candidate gene for ischemic stroke in humans.

Membrane structure modulation, protein kinase C alpha activation, and anticancer activity of minerval.

Most drugs currently used for human therapy interact with proteins, altering their activity to modulate the pathological cell physiology. In contrast, 2-hydroxy-9-cis-octadecenoic acid (Minerval) was designed to modify the lipid organization of the membrane. Its structure was deduced following the guidelines of the mechanism of action previously proposed by us for certain antitumor drugs.

Hydrogen-bond mediation of supramolecular aggregation in neutral bis-(C6F5)Pt complexes with aromatic H-bond donating ligands. A synthetic and structural study.

Six pentafluorophenylplatinum(II) complexes containing proton acceptor atoms (F) and pyridine-like aromatic ligands able to act as proton donors have been synthesized and characterized, with emphasis on the factors that mediate their supramolecular aggregation in the solid state--hydrogen bonds and pi-pi interactions. The crystal structure analyses of the mononuclear complexes cis-[Pt(C6F5)2(napy)](1), cis-[Pt(C6F5)2(CH2napy)](3), cis-[Pt(C6F5)2(2-ammpy)](5), and cis-[Pt(C6F5)2(2-bipym)](6) reveal the influence of D-HPt and D-HF (D=C, N) hydrogen bonding on the organization of molecules into stacks, which can be further interconnected to generate channels. The prevalence of hydrogen bonding over pi-pi interactions between aromatic rings in establishing the nature of the observed supramolecular aggregation is demonstrated.

Endothelial NO synthase genotype and risk of preeclampsia: a multicenter case-control study.

Polymorphisms in the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) gene have been evaluated as risk factors for preeclampsia. However, data from small studies are conflicting. We assessed whether eNOS genotypes alter the risk of preeclampsia in a population in which the incidence of this disorder is high.