Calbindin D28k-Immunoreactivity in Human Enteric Neurons

Calbindin (CALB) is well established as immunohistochemical marker for intrinsic primary afferent neurons in the guinea pig gut. Its expression by numerous human enteric neurons has been demonstrated but little is known about particular types of neurons immunoreactive for CALB. Here we investigated small and large intestinal wholemount sets of 26 tumor patients in order to evaluate (1) the proportion of CALB+ neurons in the total neuron population, (2) the colocalization of CALB with calretinin (CALR), somatostatin (SOM) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and (3) the morphology of CALB+ neurons. CALB+ neurons represented a minority of myenteric neurons (small intestine: 31%; large intestine: 25%) and the majority of submucosal neurons (between 72 and 95%). In the submucosa, most CALB+ neurons co-stained for CALR and VIP (between 69 and 80%) or for SOM (between 20 and 3%). In the myenteric plexus, 85% of CALB+ neurons did not co-stain with the other markers investigated. An unequivocal correlation between CALB reactivity and neuronal morphology was found for myenteric type III neurons in the small intestine: uniaxonal neurons with long, slender and branched dendrites were generally positive for CALB. Since also other neurons displayed occasional CALB reactivity, this protein is not suited as an exclusive marker for type III neurons

Untersuchungen zur Kontaktsensibilisierung in der Allgemeinbevölkerung: Häufigkeiten und Unterschiede in zwei deutschen städtischen Regionen, Jena und Heidelberg, und Gegenüberstellung zu Sensibilisierungshäufigkeiten aus IVDK-Daten

Diese Arbeit untersucht die Häufigkeit von Kontaktsensibilisierungen in der Allgemeinbevölkerung im Vergleich zu Klinikpopulationen (Personen, die aufgrund von dermatologischen Problemen in einer Klinik vorstellig wurden) in zwei deutschen Städten, Jena und Heidelberg, und vergleicht deren Sensibilisierungsraten miteinander. Die Basis der Arbeit bilden zwei Datenkollektive: Allgemeinbevölkerung (EDEN-Duftstoff-Studie, 4 092 Probanden) und Klinikpopulation (IVDK, 2 435 Patienten). In beiden Kollektiven wurden anhand von Fragebögen, dermatologische Diagnosen sowie potentielle Allergenexpositionen erhoben. Ferner wurde eine Epikutantestung durchgeführt. In der Allgemeinbevölkerung ließ sich anhand der Fragebogenresultate eine signifikant höhere Prävalenz für ekzematöse Hautveränderungen und Atopie bei Frauen feststellen. Es konnte nachfolgend in beiden Kollektiven gezeigt werden, dass weibliches Geschlecht, trockene Haut und Alter ab 40 Jahren mit einem erhöhten Kontaktekzemrisiko einhergehen. Die Prävalenz für Duftstoffsensibilisierungen in der Allgemeinbevölkerung betrug insgesamt 5,7 %, die Prävalenz für Sensibilisierungen auf die beiden Duftstoffmixe (FM I/FM II) jeweils etwa 3 %. Die häufigsten Einzelkomponenten unter den Duftstoffen waren Eichenmoos (1 %) und HICC (Lyral®) (2,2 %). Wie auch in vielen anderen Publikationen stellte das häufigste sensibilisierungsauslösende Kontaktallergen Nickel (13,9 %) dar. In der Klinikpopulation fand sich eine Prävalenz von 16,4 % für jegliche Duftstoffsensibilisierungen, 7,5 % für FM I- und 5,2 % für FM II-Sensibilisierungen. Regionale Unterschiede waren bei HICC, FM II, Wollwachs und Paraben-Mix ersichtlich, wobei in Jena höhere Raten ermittelt wurden als in Heidelberg. Im Vergleich zwischen Allgemeinbevölkerung und Patienten (Klinikpopulation) zeigten sich aufgrund der Vorselektion in der Patientengruppe meist höhere Sensibilisierungsraten und Fälle von Kontaktekzem als in der Allgemeinbevölkerun

Identification of the agr Peptide of Listeria monocytogenes

Artículo científicoListeria monocytogenes (Lm) is an important food-borne human pathogen that is able to strive under a wide range of environmental conditions. Its accessory gene regulator (agr) system was shown to impact on biofilm formation and virulence and has been proposed as one of the regulatory mechanisms involved in adaptation to these changing environments. The Lm agr operon is homologous to the Staphylococcus aureus system, which includes an agrD-encoded autoinducing peptide that stimulates expression of the agr genes via the AgrCA two-component system and is required for regulation of target genes. The aim of the present study was to identify the native autoinducing peptide (AIP) of Lm using a luciferase reporter system in wildtype and agrD deficient strains, rational design of synthetic peptides and mass spectrometry. Upon deletion of agrD, luciferase reporter activity driven by the PII promoter of the agr operon was completely abolished and this defect was restored by co-cultivation of the agrD-negative reporter strain with a producer strain. Based on the sequence and structures of known AIPs of other organisms, a set of potential Lm AIPs was designed and tested for PII-activation. This led to the identification of a cyclic pentapeptide that was able to induce PII-driven luciferase reporter activity and restore defective invasion of the agrD deletion mutant into Caco- 2 cells. Analysis of supernatants of a recombinant Escherichia coli strain expressing AgrBD identified a peptide identical in mass and charge to the cyclic pentapeptide. The Lm agr system is specific for this pentapeptide since the AIP of Lactobacillus plantarum, which also is a pentapeptide yet with different amino acid sequence, did not induce PII activity. In summary, the presented results provide further evidence for the hypothesis that the agrD gene of Lm encodes a secreted AIP responsible for autoregulatio

Impact of processing degree on fermentation profile and chemopreventive effects of oat and waxy barley in LT97 colon adenoma cells

Abstract The chemopreventive effects of β-glucan-rich cereals such as oat and barley (beta®barley) have been examined previously, but studies comparing fermentation characteristics and chemopreventive effects of oat and barley of different processing stages are rare. Therefore, the present study aims at investigating the fermentation end points (pH values, concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia) in fermentation supernatants (FS) obtained from differently processed oat and barley samples (kernels, thick and thin flakes). Chemopreventive effects of FS, such as growth inhibition, apoptosis, and induction of cell cycle- and redox-relevant genes ( p21 , SOD2 ), were analysed in LT97 colon adenoma cells. After fermentation, pH values were reduced (∆ pH − 1.3, on average) and SCFA concentrations were increased (∆ + 59 mmol/L, on average) with a shift towards butyrate formation in FS obtained from oat and barley samples compared to the fermentation negative control (FS blank). Ammonia was reduced more effectively in FS obtained from barley (∆ − 4.6 mmol/L, on average) than from oat samples (∆ − 1.0 mmol/L, on average). Treatment of LT97 cells with FS resulted in a time- and dose-dependent reduction of cell number, an increase in caspase-3 activity (up to 9.0-fold after 24 h, on average) and an induction of p21 (2.1-fold, on average) and SOD2 (2.3-fold, on average) mRNA expression, while no genotoxic effects were observed. In general, the results indicate no concrete effect of the type of cereal or processing stage on fermentation and chemopreventive effects of oat and barley

Ruisasi 1 and the earliest evidence of mass-produced ceramics in Caution Bay (Port Moresby region), Papua New Guinea

The history of pottery use along the south coast of Papua New Guinea spans from Lapita times, here dated to 2900–2600 cal BP, through to mass production of pottery associated with a number of ethnographically-known interaction (and exchange) networks. Understanding the antecedents and developmental histories of these interaction networks is of considerable importance to archaeological research from local to western Pacific geographical scales. The archaeological site of Ruisasi 1 located at Caution Bay near Port Moresby provides new insights into scales of pottery production before the development of the regional Motu hiri exchange system within the past 500 years. Here faunal remains indicate occupation by marine specialists who exploited a diverse range of local marine environments. Nearly 20,000 ceramic sherds are present in Square A, mostly from a 26 cm thick ‘pottery midden’. A minimum of 45 red slip/plainware vessels based on conjoined sets of sherds plus two vessels with incised decoration are present; the maximum number of clay vessels based on Fabric Types is 155. The globular red slip/plainware pots have highly standardized shapes and sizes, consistent with mass pottery production. The concentration of sherds from these pots within the pottery midden reflects short-duration depositional events within the period of village life c. 1630–1220 cal BP. Whether or not the pots were made locally or imported is the subject of ongoing research. Whatever the case, Ruisasi 1 raises the possibility of mass pottery production possibly linked to a regional interaction network pre-dating the hiri

MouR controls the expression of the Listeria monocytogenes Agr system and mediates virulence

The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) causes invasive infection in susceptible ani- mals and humans. To survive and proliferate within hosts, this facultative intracellular pathogen tightly coordinates the expression of a complex regulatory network that controls the expression of virulence fac- tors. Here, we identified and characterized MouR, a novel virulence regulator of Lm. Through RNA-seq transcriptomic analysis, we determined the MouR regulon and demonstrated how MouR positively con- trols the expression of the Agr quorum sensing sys- tem (agrBDCA) of Lm. The MouR three-dimensional structure revealed a dimeric DNA-binding transcrip- tion factor belonging to the VanR class of the GntR superfamily of regulatory proteins. We also showed that by directly binding to the agr promoter region, MouR ultimately modulates chitinase activity and biofilm formation. Importantly, we demonstrated by in vitro cell invasion assays and in vivo mice infec- tions the role of MouR in Lm virulence.Peer reviewe

Fox News – “Fair and Balanced?” : the reporting of the American News channel Fox News

Die Bachelorarbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Medienmogul Rupert Murdoch und dessen 24-stündigen Nachrichtensender Fox News. Es wird der Werdegang von Rupert Murdoch zu einem der populärsten und mächtigsten Medienmagnaten unserer Zeit geschildert. Außerdem wird aufgezeigt inwiefern Rupert Murdoch seine politischen Einstellungen und Meinungen auf seine Publikationen, insbesondere auf den Nachrichtensender Fox News Channel überträgt. Ein großer Teil dieser Arbeit behandelt die Berichterstattung während des Irakkriegs und den Wahlkampf zwischen George W. Bush und John Kerry. Außerdem wird auf die umstrittenen, politischen Talkshows auf Fox News näher eingegangen. Anhand zahlreicher Beispiele und Statistiken wird untersucht, ob es tatsächlich einen Einfluss von Rupert Murdochs politischen Einstellun-gen auf die journalistische Tätigkeit seiner Redakteure gibt

Design of logistics co-operation in the field of distribution logistics

Auf Basis von Untersuchungen von Fallstudien und der Befragung sowie Diskussion mit Experten wurde ein Gestaltungsleitfaden entwickelt , der Verlader, je nach Komplexitätsgrad, spezifische Handlungsmöglichkeiten aufzeigt, wie Logistikkooperationen in der Distributionslogistik weiterentwickelt werden können.On the analysis of case studies and detailed interviews with experts, a design guideline for the configuration of logistics co-operation in the field of distribution logistics was developed. Depending on the degree of complexity, the subjected companies are presented with specific guidelines on how to implement these co-operations