Fibronectin fragments modulate human retinal capillary cell proliferation and migration

Capillary morphogenesis involves cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Proteases elaborated by capillary cells modify the extracellular matrix (ECM) to facilitate capillary tube formation. Previously, we detected the presence of fibronectin fragments (Fn-f) associated with the proform of matrix metalloprotease-2 (MMP-2) in conditioned medium of human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs). Association of this fragment to latent MMP-2 prevented autocatalytic activation of MMP-2, suggesting a modulatory role of Fn-f in MMP-2 activation. In this report, we examined the potential role of Fn-f on two processes involved in angiogenesis, proliferation and migration of vascular cells. The effects of Fn-f on proliferation were determined by DNA synthesis and cell counts. Their effects on migration were assessed using modified Boyden chambers. Seven Fn-f were tested on vascular cell migration and/or proliferation. Three Fn-f induced migration. Fn-f of 30-kDa and 120-kDa size positively affected proliferation of microvascular cells but not macrovascular cells. A 45-kDa gelatin binding fragment of Fn inhibited HREC proliferation but stimulated pericyte and smooth muscle cell proliferation. The potency of these fragments exceeded that of the known angiogenic growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), on HREC migration. ECM components such as fibronectin may influence capillary morphogenesis by the generation of fragments that can modulate proliferation, migration, and protease activation. In the setting of diabetes, excess Fn is generated and is available for degradation. Thus, the production of Fn-f may be specifically relevant to the angiogenesis observed in proliferative diabetic retinopathy.     

A new class of tobacco chitinases homologous to bacterial exo-chitinases displays antifungal activity

A novel chitinase gene of tobacco was isolated and characterized by DNA sequence analysis of a genomic clone and a cDNA clone. Comparative sequence analysis of both clones showed an identity of 94%. The proteins encoded by these sequences do not correspond to any of the previously characterized plant chitinases of classes I-IV and are designated as class V chitinases. Comparison of the chitinase class V peptide sequence with sequences in the Swiss Protein databank revealed significant sequence similarity with bacterial exo-chitinases from Bacillus circulans, Serratia marcescens and Streptomyces plicatus. It was demonstrated that class V chitinase gene expression is induced after treatment of tobacco with different forms of stress, like TMV-infection, ethylene treatment, wounding or ultraviolet irradiation. Two related chitinase class V proteins of 41 and 43 kDa were purified from Samsun NN tobacco leaves inoculated with tobacco mosaic virus. The proteins were purified by Chelating Superose chromatography and gel filtration. In vitro assays demonstrated that class V chitinases have endo-chitinase activity and exhibit antifungal activity toward Trichoderma viride and Alternaria radicina. In addition, it was shown that class V chitinase acts synergistically with tobacco class I beta-1,3-glucanase against Fusarium solani germlings.     

Testicular lymphoma: a population-based study of incidence, clinicopathological correlations and prognosis. The Danish Lymphoma Study Group, LYFO

In a Danish population-based non-Hodgkin's lymphoma registry, 2687 newly diagnosed patients were registered from 1983 to 1992. 39 had testicular involvement (TL) (incidence 0.26/10(5)/year). Median age was 71 years. 24 cases had localised and 15 had disseminated disease. Histologically, all cases were diffuse (65% diffuse centroblastic type). Of the 27 tested, 11% were of T- and 89% of B-immunophenotype. In localised cases, where surgery was supplemented by combination chemotherapy (CCT), the relapse rate was 15.4%. The relapse rate for cases with localised disease treated with other regimens (orchiectomy and/or radiotherapy) was 63.6% (P < 0.05). Median relapse-free survival was 28 and 14 months, respectively. Overall 5-year survival for all cases was 17%. Adverse prognostic factors at the univariate level were stage IV, constitutional symptoms, serum lactic dehydrogenase elevation and performance score (WHO 3-4). It is suggested that the treatment of stage IE/IIE TL should include early CCT and CNS prophylaxis.     

Optimisation of solar photovoltaic (PV) parameters using meta-heuristics

Microsystem Technologies - This paper presents a critical analysis of the meta-heuristic techniques used in various researches on the optimisation of photovoltaic (PV) parameters, which involves...     

Impact of agriculture on soil consumption of atmospheric CH4 and a comparison of CH4 and N2O flux in subarctic, temperate and tropical grasslands

Increasing concentrations of methane (CH₄) in the atmosphere are projected to account for about 25% of the net radiative forcing. Biospheric emissions of CH₄ to the atmosphere total approximately 400 Tg C y^-1. An estimated 300 Tg of CH₄-C y^-1 is oxidized in the atmosphere by hydroxyl radicals while about 40 Tg y^-1 remains in the atmosphere. Approximately 40 Tg y^-1 of the atmospheric burden is oxidized in aerobic soils. Research efforts during the past several years have focused on quantifying CH₄ sources while relatively less effort has been directed toward quantifying and understanding the soil sink for atmospheric CH₄. Recent research has demonstrated that land use change, including agricultural use of native forest and grassland systems has decreased the soil sink for atmospheric methane. Some agricultural systems consume atmospheric CH₄ at rates less than 10% of those found in comparable undisturbed soils. While it has been necessary to change land use practices over the past centuries to meet the required production of food and fiber, we need to recognize and account for impacts of land use change on the biogeochemical nutrient cycles in the biosphere. Changes that have ensued in these cycles have and will impact the atmospheric concentrations of CH₄ and N₂O. Since CH₄ and N₂O production and consumption are accomplished by a variety of soil microorganisms, the influence of changing agricultural, forest, and, demographic patterns has been large. Existing management and technological practices may already exist to limit the effect of land use change and agriculture on trace gas fluxes. It is therefore important to understand how management and land use affect trace gas fluxes and to observe the effect of new technology on them. This paper describes the role of aerobic soils in the global CH₄ budget and the impact of agriculture on this soil CH₄ sink. Examples from field studies made across subarctic, temperate and tropical climate gradients in grasslands are used to demonstrate the influence of nutrient cycle perturbations on the soil consumption of atmospheric CH₄ and in increased N₂O emissions. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Molecular structures and conformational studies of triarylcyclopropyl and related nonsteroidal antiestrogens

Molecular structures and conformational characteristics of a series of 1,1-dichloro-2,2,3-triarylcyclopropanes (DTACs), which were reported previously to be distinctly antiestrogenic and inhibitors of the estrogen-receptor-positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in culture, are reported. In addition, structural and conformational features of the DTACs were compared to the first-known nonsteroidal antiestrogen, MER25, and the clinically useful antiestrogen Tamoxifen. The molecular structures of four DTAC compounds were determined by X-ray diffraction. Crystallographic structures show that the DTAC molecules have nearly the same relative conformation for the three aryl rings which is designated as a "nonpropeller" conformation in contrast to the observed "propeller" conformation for the three rings in all known triarylethylenes. Systematic conformational searches were performed to find the conformational preferences of DTACs, MER25, and Tamoxifen using idealized model compounds built from their respective crystal structure. Energy-minimization and conformational-search studies demonstrated that all DTAC molecules have a common, single global minimum energy conformer for their central core containing the dichlorotriarylcyclopropyl system, which is similar to that found in their crystal structures. Conformational search of MER25 showed that the molecule can assume a number of low-energy conformers of which two, one anti (A1) and one gauche (G1A), have about the same energy. The anti conformation is similar to the one observed in its crystal structure and resembles the estrogenic E-isomer of Tamoxifen, while the lowest energy gauche conformer of MER25 resembles more closely the antiestrogenic Z-isomer of Tamoxifen. NMR spectroscopic analysis of MER25 showed that the molecule exists predominantly in the anti conformation in solution. A comparative review of the structural features and bioactivities of Tamoxifen, DTACs, and MER25 provides a possible explanation for their low estrogen receptor binding affinity which is common to these compounds together with their antiestrogenic activity.     

Estimating shear properties of walnut wood: a combined experimental and theoretical approach

In this study, several theoretical models to numerically estimate shear properties of orthotropic materials are introduced. These approaches are based on the combination of Hankinson’s empirically derived formula with other empirical and analytical calculations. Next to shear moduli, which are estimated from the elastic moduli and Poisson’s ratios, shear strengths are also estimated from the in-axis strengths. The models are validated by mechanical tests on walnut wood (Juglans regia L.), for which a sufficient data set can be found in literature. The Arcan test is used to estimate the shear moduli, while the shear block test is used to estimate the shear strengths. The results show that the model, which is based on a combined use of Hankinson’s formula and tensor rotation, gives the best estimation of shear moduli as evaluated by the minimum differences to the experimentally obtained results. For the shear strengths, a combination of Hankinson’s formula and Norris’ failure criterion shows the best agreement in comparison to the experimental data. The theoretical calculations may be used for a time efficient estimation of shear modulus and strength in comparison to the very time-consuming experimental estimation.