Role of Streptococcus gordonii surface proteins SspA/SspB and Hsa in platelet function.

Streptococcus gordonii colonization of damaged heart surfaces in infective endocarditis is dependent upon the recognition of host receptors by specific bacterial surface proteins. However, despite several attempts to identify the mechanisms involved in this interaction, the nature of the bacterial proteins required remains poorly understood. This study provides clear evidence that several S.

Model fluorous polyurethane surface modifiers having co-polyoxetane soft blocks with trifluoroethoxymethyl and bromomethyl side chains.

Polyurethanes containing poly(2-trifluoroethoxymethyl-2-methyl)-co-(2-bromomethyl-2-methyl)-1,3-propylene oxide (co-polyoxetane) soft blocks, P[3FOx:BrOx-m:n], were prepared and used (0.5-2 wt %) to modify the surface properties of a conventional polyurethane. The substrate polyurethane was composed of an isophorone diisocyanate/butanediol hard block and a polytetramethylene oxide soft block [IPDI/BD(50%)-PTMO(2000)].

Proteomic profiling of chronic low-frequency stimulated fast muscle.

Skeletal muscle fibre transitions occur in many biological processes, in response to alterations in neuromuscular activity, in muscular disorders, during age-induced muscle wasting and in myogenesis. It was therefore of interest to perform a comprehensive proteomic profiling of muscle transformation. Chronic low-frequency stimulation of the rabbit tibialis anterior muscle represents an established model system for studying the response of fast fibres to enhanced neuromuscular activity under conditions of maximum activation.

Laparoscopic management of difficult recurrent choledocholithiasis.

The management of common bile duct stones has traditionally required open laparotomy and bile duct exploration. With the advent of endoscopic and laparoscopic technology in the latter half of the last century, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration has become the mainstream treatment for common bile duct stones in most medical centers around the world. However, in some patients, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is difficult and laparoscopy is challenging because of previous surgery.

The ultrafast dynamics of hydrogen-bonded liquids: molecular structure-dependent occurrence of normal arrhenius or fractional Stokes-Einstein-Debye rotational diffusive relaxation.

The ultrafast rotational-diffusive dynamics of the peptide linkage model compounds N-methylacetamide (NMA), acetamide (Ac), and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) have been studied as a function of temperature using optically heterodyne-detected optical Kerr effect (OHD-OKE) spectroscopy. Both NMA and Ac exhibit a non-Arrhenius temperature dependence of the rotational diffusive relaxation time. By contrast, the non-hydrogen-bonding DMA exhibits normal hydrodynamic behavior.

200 ns pulse high-voltage supply for terahertz field emission.

We present a method of generating 200 ns high-voltage (up to 40 kV) pulses operating at repetition rates of up to 100 kHz, which may be synchronized with laser pulses. These supplies are simple to make and were developed for ultrafast terahertz pulse generation from GaAs photoconductive antennas using a high-repetition-rate regeneratively amplified laser. We also show an improvement in signal-to-noise ratio over a continuous dc bias field and application of the supply to terahertz pulse generation.

Highly effective contact antimicrobial surfaces via polymer surface modifiers.

Contact antimicrobial coatings with poly(alkylammonium) compositions have been a subject of increasing interest in part because of the contribution of biocide release coatings to antibiotic resistance. Herein, a concept for antimicrobial coatings is developed on the basis of the thermodynamically driven surface concentration of soft block side chains. The concept incorporates structural and compositional guidance from naturally occurring antimicrobial proteins and achieves compositional economy via a polymer-surface modifier (PSM).

Annexin-1 and peptide derivatives are released by apoptotic cells and stimulate phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by macrophages.

The resolution of inflammation is a dynamically regulated process that may be subverted in many pathological conditions. Macrophage (Mphi) phagocytic clearance of apoptotic leukocytes plays an important role in the resolution of inflammation as this process prevents the exposure of tissues at the inflammatory site to the noxious contents of lytic cells. It is increasingly appreciated that endogenously produced mediators, such as lipoxins, act as potent regulators (nanomolar range) of the phagocytic clearance of apoptotic cells.

Terahertz-pulse emission through laser excitation of surface plasmons in a metal grating.

The second-order processes of optical-rectification and photoconduction are well known and widely used to produce ultrafast electromagnetic pulses in the terahertz frequency domain. We present a new form of rectification that relies on the excitation of surface plasmons in metal films deposited on a shallow grating. Multiphoton ionization and ponderomotive acceleration of electrons in the enhanced evanescent field of the surface plasmons results in a femtosecond current surge and emission of terahertz electromagnetic radiation.

The dynamics of water-protein interaction studied by ultrafast optical Kerr-effect spectroscopy.

Changes in the ultrafast dynamics and terahertz Raman spectrum accompanying a helix-to-coil transition of a homo-polypeptide have been observed for the first time. Formation of the alpha-helix is associated with a shift to lower frequency of a broad Raman band attributable to solvent-peptide intermolecular hydrogen bonding. This band facilitates direct spectroscopic observation of so-called hydration water near a peptide and yields the first quantitative estimate of the time scale of the ultrafast dynamics in the solvation shell, which range from 0.

Moderation of the platelet releasate response by aspirin.

Modulation of the proteins released during activation is one mechanism whereby aspirin may influence platelet-mediated human disease. We investigated the effect of aspirin on the platelet releasate using mass spectrometry and found that different agonists evoked different releasate profiles, with aspirin having a general moderating effect on the amount of protein released regardless of the agonist. These observations were confirmed for several cytokines using an antibody array approach.

Water makes it hydrophobic: contraphilic wetting for polyurethanes with soft blocks having semifluorinated and 5,5-dimethylhydantoin side chains.

A series of polyurethanes with novel copolymer soft blocks display a new surface phenomenon, contraphilic wetting, in which the dry surface is hydrophilic and the wetted surface is hydrophobic. A precursor polymer was prepared with copolymer soft blocks containing semifluorinated (trifluoroethoxy, 3FOx, or pentafluoropropoxy, 5FOx) and bromomethyl functional pendant groups with 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 semifluorinated/bromomethyl ratios. The hard block consists of isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 1,4-butanediol (BD).

Enrichment of phosphotyrosine proteome of human platelets by immunoprecipitation.

Proteomics offers the opportunity to comprehensively investigate the anucleate platelet. Here, we present a detailed procedure for enrichment by immunoprecipitation, using the monoclonal antibody 4G10, of the dynamic phosphotyrosine proteome of human platelets. Such an approach offers the possibility of capturing the dynamic tyrosine phosphorylation events that occur upon platelet activation and aggregation, with an aim to identify novel signaling proteins.

The role of oxyntomodulin and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY) in appetite control.

Oxyntomodulin and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY) are released from intestinal enteroendocrine cells in response to a meal. These circulating hormones are considered to be satiety signals, as they have been found to decrease food intake, body weight and adiposity in rodents. Their effect on energy homeostasis is mediated by the hypothalamus and brainstem, and several studies have demonstrated alterations in neuropeptide signaling within the arcuate nucleus.

Inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding in phenol derivatives: a model system for poly-L-tyrosine.

The ultrafast dynamics of solutions of phenol and two phenol derivatives--hydroquinone (1,4-benzenediol) and pyrocatechol (1,2-benzenediol)--have been studied with Optically Heterodyne-Detected Optical Kerr-Effect (OHD-OKE) spectroscopy. The solvents, methanol and acetonitrile, were selected to provide strong and weak solvent-solute hydrogen-bonding interactions, respectively, while pyrocatechol features an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Together these provide a series of model systems for polypeptides such as polytyrosine, which facilitate the direct study of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding.

Femtosecond pump-probe measurements of non-radiative relaxation in LiAlO(2):V(3+).

We report on time-resolved studies of non-radiative relaxation of V(3+) ions in LiAlO(2) by means of a two-beam, pump-probe saturation experiment performed with the 150 fs pulsed output of a Ti-sapphire laser. Exciting into the vibronically broadened [Formula: see text] transition at 800 nm, a (3)T(1) relaxation time of 199 ps has been measured at 4 K. This value decreases to 82 ps at room temperature, representing a reduction in the lifetime of a factor of 2.

Oxyntomodulin increases energy expenditure in addition to decreasing energy intake in overweight and obese humans: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Oxyntomodulin has recently been found to decrease body-weight in obese humans and may be a potential anti-obesity therapy.

Objective: To determine whether oxyntomodulin alters energy expenditure, in addition to reducing energy intake, in 'free-living' overweight and obese volunteers.

Design: Randomized double-blind controlled cross-over trial.

Differential immune effects mediated by Toll-like receptors stimulation in precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common paediatric malignancy and, although current therapy is widely effective, relapse remains a significant clinical problem for which new treatment strategies are required. The ligation of Toll-like receptors (TLR) on antigen-presenting cells stimulates the generation of strong T-cell helper type 1 (Th1) adaptive immune responses. Although TLR9 ligation has been shown to enhance immunogenicity of a number of leukaemia cell types, there have been few reports of the effects mediated through other TLR.

Polyurethanes containing oxetane-derived poly(2,2-substituted-1,3-propylene oxide) soft blocks: copolymer effect on wetting behavior.

Hydroxy-terminated poly(2,2-substituted-1,3-propylene oxide) telechelics and co-telechelics bearing semifluorinated (R = -CH(2)OCH(2)(CF(2))(n)CF(3), n = 0, 1) and/or bromomethyl pendant groups were synthesized from the corresponding 3,3-substituted oxetanes. The new telechelics were incorporated in polyurethanes (PUs) with isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and 1,4-butanediol (BD) as the hard block. Surface properties were evaluated using tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) and dynamic contact angle (DCA) analysis.

Fouling-release coatings prepared from alpha,omega-dihydroxypoly(dimethylsiloxane) cross-linked with (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)triethoxysilane.

Surface properties of pristine and water-aged polymeric films made of alpha,omega-dihydroxypoly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) cross-linked with (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)triethoxysilane (FTEOS17) or tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were investigated. The FTEOS17-cured coatings showed stable advancing and receding contact angles over a period of 3 months of water exposure, compared to a 70 degrees decrease in receding contact angle for the TEOS-cured coatings. After immersion in water, hydroxyl groups were detected on the TEOS-cured coatings with attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT/IR).

Hormonal regulation of food intake.

Our knowledge of the physiological systems controlling energy homeostasis has increased dramatically over the last decade. The roles of peripheral signals from adipose tissue, pancreas, and the gastrointestinal tract reflecting short- and long-term nutritional status are now being described. Such signals influence central circuits in the hypothalamus, brain stem, and limbic system to modulate neuropeptide release and hence food intake and energy expenditure.

Polyurethane biocidal polymeric surface modifiers.

Polyurethanes (PUs) with soft blocks containing semifluorinated (-CH2OCH2CF3) and 5,5-dimethylhydantoin pendant groups were prepared and employed (2 wt%) as biocidal polymeric surface modifiers (PSMs) for a conventional PU coating comprised of an isophorone diisocyanate/1,4-butanediol-derived hard block (50%) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) soft block. Surface enrichment of the PSM was verified by dynamic contact angle measurements. The PSM modified PU was activated by converting near-surface amide groups to chloramide with 3wt% hypochlorite.

Attenuated peptide YY release in obese subjects is associated with reduced satiety.

The responses of the gut hormone peptide YY (PYY) to food were investigated in 20 normal-weight and 20 obese humans in response to six test meals of varying calorie content. Human volunteers had a graded rise in plasma PYY (R2 = 0.96; P < 0.

Subcutaneous oxyntomodulin reduces body weight in overweight and obese subjects: a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

This study investigated the effect of subcutaneously administered oxyntomodulin on body weight in healthy overweight and obese volunteers. Participants self-administered saline or oxyntomodulin subcutaneously in a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group protocol. Injections were self-administered for 4 weeks, three times daily, 30 min before each meal.