Urine proteomic studies in preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystem disorder of pregnancy that develops after 20 wk of gestation in previously normotensive women and complicates 5–8% of pregnancies. This rapidly progressive syndrome is usually diagnosed when the mother develops hypertension and proteinuria. The only effective treatment is delivery of the baby although early low-dose aspirin has been shown to significantly reduce the risk for PE. Recent advances in proteomic methods of protein separation, identification, and quantitation may allow for the identification of proteins and peptides that could facilitate early detection of disease, improve assessment of prognosis, and allow closer monitoring of women at risk for PE. This review summarizes all currently available markers for prediction and diagnosis of PE and presents urine proteomic studies performed for the identification of novel biomarkers.     

The effect of Se and Se/Al passivation on the oxidation of Ge

The molecular and atomic oxidation of molecular beam deposited Se passivating layers on Ge substrates was in situ investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It turns out that while Se is efficient in suppressing Ge oxidation upon molecular oxygen exposure, an extra thin Al layer is needed to protect the Ge surface from highly reactive atomic oxygen radicals. Electrical measurements performed on the Al-covered surfaces reveal that Se is beneficial in reducing the interface state density.     

Morpholine As a Scaffold in Medicinal Chemistry: An Update on Synthetic Strategies

Morpholine is a frequently used heterocycle in medicinal chemistry and a privileged structural component of bioactive molecules. This is mainly due to its contribution to a plethora of biological activities as well as to an improved pharmacokinetic profile of such bioactive molecules. The synthesis of morpholines is a subject of much study due to their biological and pharmacological importance, with the last such review being published in 2013. Here, an overview of the main approaches toward morpholine synthesis or functionalization is presented, emphasizing on novel work which has not been reviewed so far. This review is an update on synthetic strategies leading to easily accessible libraries of bioactives which are of interest for drug discovery projects.     

Sonolysis of natural phenolic compounds in aqueous solutions: degradation pathways and biodegradability

The sonochemical degradation in water of p-coumaric acid and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, compounds that are commonly found in effluents of agricultural origin, was investigated using an 80 kHz horn-type sonicator. Experiments were performed at initial concentrations varying between 10 and 100 mg L(-1), an applied power varying between 75 and 150 W and liquid bulk temperatures varying between ambient and 70 degrees C. At the conditions in question, substrate removal was found to increase with increasing power and decreasing initial concentration and temperature. Addition of 1-butanol as a radical scavenger at a concentration of 1000 mg L(-1) nearly completely suppressed p-coumaric acid degradation. Conversely, addition of radical promoters (Fe2+ ions or H2O2) had a positive effect on removal, thus implying that degradation proceeds predominantly via hydroxyl radical-induced reactions. Reaction intermediates were determined using liquid and gas chromatography and a reaction network for p-coumaric acid degradation is suggested. Shake flask tests with activated sludge were performed to assess the aerobic biodegradability (in terms of chemical oxygen demand removal) before and after sonochemical treatment. At the conditions under consideration, the use of ultrasound enhanced the aerobic degradability of the substrates in question.     

The microbiological condition of minced pork prepared at retail stores in Athens, Greece

Minced pork samples (n = 150) obtained from butchers' shops and supermarkets in Greece, during summer (n = 75) and winter (n = 75), were subjected to microbiological analysis. Microbial counts (log CFU/g) for the parameters tested were: total viable count (TVC), 6.8 ± 1.0; Pseudomonas spp., 6.4 ± 1.2; Brochothrix thermosphacta, 5.9 ± 1.1; lactic acid bacteria, 5.3 ± 1.0; yeasts and moulds, 4.6 ± 0.7; hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S)-producing bacteria, 4.3 ± 1.3; Enterobacteriaceae, 3.6 ± 1.2; total coliforms, 2.9 ± 1.1; Escherichia coli, 1.4 ± 0.7; Staphylococcus spp., 4.3 ± 1.0; S. aureus, 2.4 ± 0.9, and Listeria spp., 1.4 ± 0.6. The highest correlations were between TVC and pseudomonads, B. thermosphacta and H(2)S-producing bacteria, while the lowest were between total coliforms and all other groups of microorganisms except Enterobacteriaceae. The type of retail outlet and the seasonality of sampling did not have any significant effects (p>0.05) on minced pork meat quality. Interrelationships between (i) meat quality and shelf life, (ii) hygienic conditions during mince preparation and (iii) personnel hygiene were revealed.     

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics in reproductive medicine

The emergence of powerful mass spectrometry-based proteomic techniques has added a new dimension to the field of biomedical research. Application of these high throughput methodologies in pregnancy-related pathology has contributed to the comprehension of the underlying pathophysiologies and the successful identification of relevant protein biomarkers that can potentially change early diagnosis and treatment of several medical conditions related to human pregnancy. Most of the existing research on human reproduction and gestation has focused on follicular fluid, cervical/vaginal fluid, and amniotic fluid. Although proteome technologies in reproductive medicine research are not as yet widely applied, characterization of the proteome of reproductive fluids can be expected to significantly improve maternal healthcare. This article aims to summarize the applications of mass spectrometry based technology on the most important and specific biological fluids related to reproduction and gestation.     

Stabilization of a very high-k tetragonal ZrO2 phase by direct doping with germanium

The influence of Ge incorporation on the structural phase transformation of ZrO₂ films was investigated with the aim to control the resulting dielectric properties. For this reason, Ge-doped ZrO₂ thin films were prepared by atomic oxygen beam deposition at 225 °C. Admixture of low Ge concentrations (3–6.2 at.%) stabilizes the tetragonal ZrO₂ phase, and concurrently increases the permittivity to a maximum value of 37.7. Structural analysis shows that the permittivity enhancement can be explained by the increase of the tetragonal distortion upon Ge doping. The tetragonal phase is stable upon post-deposition high temperature annealing up to 1050 °C under N₂.     

II. Yeast sequencing reports. The nucleotide sequence of TTP1, a gene encoding a predicted type II membrane protein

The DNA sequence of a 2967 bp fragment located near the centromere of chromosome II, between the CEN2 and FUR4 genes, was determined. The segment contains a new open reading frame of 1794 bp. The product encoded by the gene, designated TTP1, is a predicted type II membrane protein of 597 amino acid residues with a short cytoplasmic NH₂-terminus, a membrane-spanning region and a large COOH-terminal region containing three potential N-glycosylation sites. Gene disruption indicated that TTP1 is not essential for cell growth. The sequence has been deposited in the GenBank data library under Accession Number U05211.     

Proteomic analysis of human reproductive fluids

Fertilization, fetal development, and delivery depend upon a coordinated series of events in the oocyte, the embryo, and the supporting tissues and fluids. Proteomic techniques which are capable of identifying and characterizing multiple proteins simultaneously have added new dimensions to the field of human reproduction. Application of these high throughput methodologies in pregnancy-related research has begun to provide a novel perspective on the biochemical pathways involved in pregnancy and its related disorders. Most of the existing research on human reproduction and gestation has focused on follicular fluid (FF) and amniotic fluid (AF). Proteome analysis of FF has yielded significant information relevant to oocyte maturation and quality. Studies performed on the protein content of AF cells and supernatant contributed to the comprehension of the underlying pathophysiology, clinical diagnosis of pregnancy-related disorders and identification of relevant disease biomarkers. Although proteome technologies in reproduction research are not as yet widely applied, characterization of the proteome of reproductive fluids can be expected to significantly improve maternal healthcare in the future.     

The p.Pro482Ala Variant in the CNNM2 Gene Causes Severe Hypomagnesemia Amenable to Treatment with Spironolactone

Renal hypomagnesemia syndromes involving CNNM2 protein pathogenic variants are associated with variable degrees of neurocognitive dysfunction and hypomagnesemia. Here, we report a family with a novel CNNM2 p.Pro482Ala variant, presenting with overt hypomagnesemia and mild neurological involvement (autosomal dominant renal hypomagnesemia 6, HOMG6, MIM# 613882). Using a bioinformatics approach, we showed that the p.Pro482Ala amino acid substitution causes a 3D conformational change in CNNM2 structure in the cystathionin beta synthase (CBS) domain and the carboxy-terminal protein segment. A novel finding was that aldosterone inhibition with spironolactone helped to alleviate hypomagnesemia and symptoms in the proband.