Galectin 1—A Key Player between Tissue Repair and Fibrosis

Galectins are ten family members of carbohydrate-binding proteins with a high affinity for β galactose-containing oligosaccharides. Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is the first protein discovered in the family, expressed in many sites under normal and pathological conditions. In the first part of the review article, we described recent advances in the Gal-1 modulatory role on wound healing, by focusing on the different phases triggered by Gal-1, such as inflammation, proliferation, tissue repair and re-epithelialization. On the contrary, Gal-1 persistent over-expression enhances angiogenesis and extracellular matrix (ECM) production via PI3K/Akt pathway activation and leads to keloid tissue. Therefore, the targeted Gal-1 modulation should be considered a method of choice to treat wound healing and avoid keloid formation. In the second part of the review article, we discuss studies clarifying the role of Gal-1 in the pathogenesis of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, liver, renal, pancreatic and pulmonary fibrosis. This evidence suggests that Gal-1 may become a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of tissue fibrosis and a promising molecular target for the development of new and original therapeutic tools to treat fibrosis in different chronic diseases.     

Untersuchungen zur Maillard-Reaktion XX. Nachweis von Glycerinaldehyd, Dihydroxyaceton und anderen hydrophilen Zuckerabbauprodukten in Caramellisierungsgemischen

Zusammenfassung Zuckerabbauprodukte lassen sich durch Umsetzung mit O-Methylhydroxylamin und anschließende Acetylierung zu gaschromatographisch gut trennbaren Verbindungen umsetzen. In Zucker-caramellisierungsgemischen konnten so Glycerinaldehyd, Dihydroxyaceton, Erythrose, 3-Deoxyhexosulose und Methylglyoxal nachgewiesen werden. Auch in der Kruste von Brezen entstehen Glycerinaldehyd und Dihydroxyaceton.

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Investigations relating to the maillard reaction XX. Identification of glyceraldehyd dihydroxyacetone and other hydrophilic sugar degradation products in caramel mixtures

Summary Sugar degradation products can be determined by g.l.c. after reaction with O-Methylhydroxylamine and subsequent acetylation. Thus dihydroxyacetone, glyceraldehyde, erythrose, 3-deoxyhexosulose and methylglyoxale have been detected in caramelisation mixtures. Dihydroxy-acetone and glyceraldehyde could also be identified in the crust of a special bakery product.

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XIX. Mitteilung: Ledl F, Hiebl J, Severin Th (1983) 177:353–355     

Colorimetrische Bestimmung der Glutamins?ure ohne vorhergehende Isolierung in Hydrolysaten von Lebensmitteln

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine colorimetrische Glutaminsäurebestimmung mit Hydroxylamin und Eisenchlorid beschrieben, die direkt in Hydrolysaten von Nahrungsmitteln u. a. durchgeführt werden kann, ohne daß eine vorhergehende Abtrennung der anderen Aminosäuren erforderlich ist.     

Brominated flame retardants in Belgian home-produced eggs: levels and contamination sources

The extent and the sources of contamination with brominated flame retardants (BFRs), such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), in home-produced eggs from free-foraging chicken of Belgian private owners were investigated. Various factors, such as seasonal variability, exposure of chickens through diet (kitchen waste) and soil, and elimination of BFRs through eggs and faeces were assessed. PBDEs were more important than HBCD in terms of concentrations and detection frequency. Concentrations of PBDEs and HBCD in Belgian home-produced eggs were relatively low and comparable with reported levels from other European countries and the US. The concentrations of PBDEs (sum of 13 congeners, including BDE 209) ranged between not detected and 32 ng/g lipid weight (lw), with medians of 3.0 and < 2.0 ng/g lw for the autumn 2006 and spring 2007 campaigns, respectively. When present, BDE 209 was the major PBDE congener (45% of sum PBDEs). When BDE 209 was not detected, the PBDE profile was composed of PentaBDE (BDE 99 and BDE 47), with, in some cases, higher contribution of OctaBDE (BDE 183 and BDE 153). HBCD was also detected (< 0.4 and 2.9 ng/g lw for the autumn 2006 and spring 2007 campaigns, respectively), but at lower detection frequency. The highest HBCD value was 62 ng/g lw. The similarity between profiles and seasonal variations in the concentrations of BFRs in soil and eggs indicate that soil is an important source, but not the sole source, for eggs laid by free-foraging chicken. The contamination of eggs with PBDEs and HBCD appears to be of low concern for public health and the contribution of eggs to the total daily intake of PBDEs appears to be limited (10% for chicken owners and 5% for the average Belgian consumer).     

A thermal vascular test for distinguishing between patients with Raynaud's Phenomenon and healthy controls.

This study tested the reliability and validity of a diagnostic thermal vascular test (TVT) for patients with Raynaud's Phenomenon (RP). The TVT examined digital blood pressure responses to combined cooling and occlusion and was developed as part of the Raynaud's Treatment Study, a multicenter clinical trial comparing the efficacy of biofeedback and pharmacological treatment. A computerized system permitted efficient, accurate, and uniform testing at different geographical sites. A comparison of 199 patients with RP and 52 healthy controls is reported. The TVT showed a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 88%. Test–retest reliability was acceptable (r?=?.80). Addition of a psychological challenge failed to improve the discrimination between patients with RP and controls. The TVT separated patients with RP and controls as well as or better than existing tests and did so with enhanced ease of operation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interferometric null test of a deep parabolic reflector generating a Hertzian dipole field

We report on interferometric characterization of a deep parabolic mirror with a depth of more than five times its focal length. The interferometer is of Fizeau type; its core consists of the mirror itself, a spherical null element, and a reference flat. Because of the extreme solid angle produced by the paraboloid, the alignment of the setup appears to be very critical and needs auxiliary systems for control. Aberrations caused by misalignments are removed via fitting of suitable functionals provided by means of ray tracing simulations. It turns out that the usual misalignment approximations fail under these extreme conditions.     

Zur bestimmung des säuregrads in mehl und teigwaren

European Food Research and Technology -     

Antibiotic treatment protocols revisited: the challenges of a conclusive assessment by mathematical modelling

Hospital-acquired bacterial infections lead to prolonged hospital stays and increased mortality. The problem is exacerbated by antibiotic-resistant strains that delay or impede effective treatment. To ensure successful therapy and to manage antibiotic resistance, treatment protocols that draw on several different antibiotics might be used. This includes the administration of drug cocktails to individual patients (combination therapy) but also the random assignment of drugs to different patients (mixing) and a regular switch in the default drug used in the hospital from drug A to drug B and back (cycling). For more than 20 years, mathematical models have been used to assess the prospects of antibiotic combination therapy, mixing and cycling. But while tendencies in their ranking across studies have emerged, the picture remains surprisingly inconclusive and incomplete. In this article, we review existing modelling studies and demonstrate by means of examples how methodological factors complicate the emergence of a consistent picture. These factors include the choice of the criterion by which the effects of the protocols are compared, the model implementation and its analysis. We thereafter discuss how progress can be made and suggest future modelling directions.     

Enhanced performance of a bolometric detector at mK temperatures in high magnetic fields

Results on the operation of a bolometer detector in high magnetic fields and at very low temperatures are presented. We tested a diamond absorber on a Ge thermistor in magnetic fields up to 8 Tesla and temperatures down to 10 mK using an⁵⁵Fe X-ray and¹⁰⁹Cd electron source. Heavily doped Ge shows a giant magnetoresistance effect. This was used to tune the thermistor impedance to an optimal value.