Noelchoate0112

This study evaluated the reliability of MALDI-TOF MS coupled with statistical tools for the identification of Streptococcus mutans in comparison with PCR-based techniques. Bacterial isolates were identified and serotyped by conventional PCR, using S. mutans species and serotype-specific primers. For bacterial identification, mass spectra data from S. mutans and other streptococci were compared with Biotyper V 3.1 database and the mass peak lists were examined by cluster and principal component (PCA) analysis. Identification of potential biomarkers was performed using UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot and UniProtKB/TrEMBL databases and BLAST tool of the NCBI database. PCR identified 100% of the isolates as S. mutans. S. mutans strains were typed as serotypes c (85.6%), e (8.6%), k (4.8%), and f (0.9%). Although only the 70% of the strains tested were identified at species level by the Biotyper database, PCA and cluster analysis of mass peaks allowed the identification of 100% S. mutans isolates and its differentiation from the other oral and non-oral streptococci. One mass peak at m/z value of 9572.73 was identified as species-specific biomarker for S. mutans. No biomarkers were identified for S. mutans serotypes. KEY POINTS • MALDI-TOF MS coupled with statistical tools for the identification of S. mutans. • Detection of species identifying biomarkers by MALDI-TOF MS. • PCR identification and serotyping of S. mutans from saliva samples.Cell membranes are a great obstacle for entrance of gene therapeutic agents. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been proven as a promising gene delivery tool. However, the early TAT peptide derived from the HIV transcription activator protein has been proven that the sequence contains Furin protease cleaved motifs which limited the TAT application in delivery of exogenous active molecules. In the present study, through the bioinformatics and experimental approach, we have identified a novel CPP derived from the N terminus of VP1 protein of chicken anemia virus (CAV), designated as CVP1-N2, which is rich in arginine residues and contains α-helical structure. Then, the ability of CVP1-N2 cell penetrating was detected using confocal imaging and flow cytometry. FITC-labeled CVP1-N2 peptide could rapidly internalize into different types of live cells with dose dependence and without cytotoxic effects by MTT assay. Surprisingly, CVP1-N2 with a pattern of nuclear sub-location has shown the higher uptake efficiency than TAT. At 10, 1, and 0.1 μM, the mean relative internalization of CVP1-N2 was respectively 1.08-, 12-, and 75-fold higher than that of CVP1, as well as 1.6-, 56-, and 75-fold higher than that of TAT. Moreover, using endocytic inhibitors along with low-temperature stress validated that the CVP1-N2 internalization route is direct translocation pathway. Finally, the capacity of CVP1-N2 for delivery of gene into cells was determined, where it was able to carry red fluorescent protein (RFP) and apoptin genes into cells respectively and induce the apoptosis. All these data indicate that CVP1-N2 could be used as a novel gene delivery vehicle for gene therapy in the future. KEY POINTS • 1CVP1-N2 was identified as a novel more efficient cell-penetrating peptide. • 2. CVP1-N2 localized to the nucleus through the direct transduction pathway. • 3. see more CVP1-N2 was able to deliver the apoptin gene into HCT116 cells and induce apoptosis.The comprehensive research programme of the Vogt-Vogt (V-V) school, which was active during the period 1900-1970, included detailed cytoarchitectonic and myeloarchitectonic analyses of the human cerebral cortex, with the aim to integrate the data obtained into a map, showing a parcellation of the human cerebral cortex into fundamental structural and potentially functional units. The cytoarchitectonic V-V analyses yielded two maps of the human cerebral cortex, the famous map of Brodmann (Vergleichende Lokalisationslehre der Grosshirnrinde in ihren Prinzipien dargestellt auf Grund des Zellenbaues. Barth, Leipzig, 1909), Brodmann (in Bruns P (ed) Neue deutsche Chirurgie, Enke, Stuttgart, 1914), and the less known, but more detailed map of Sarkisov et al. (Cytoarchitecture of the human cortex cerebri. Medgiz, Moscow, 1949). Sarkisov et al. used in their cytoarchitectonic parcellation of the cortex the same numbering scheme as Brodmann. They confirmed the presence of most of the areas delineated by the latter, but prepared myeloarchitectonic map, an attempt is made here to realize at last the original aim of the V-V school, viz. the preparation of a single, combined (cyto + myelo) architectonic map of the human cortex. To this end, the following three steps have been made. First, Brodmann's (BR) map, and the map of Sarkisov et al. (SA) were harmoniously transferred to the same template brain as the one used during the construction of our myeloarchitectonic map. Second, the standardized BR and our myeloarchitectonic (NI) map were compared, and the data contained within these maps were integrated into a single standardized combined BR-NI map (Fig. 11). The standardized SA and NI maps were subjected to the same procedure (Fig. 12). Finally, the standardized combined BR-NI and SA-NI maps were united into a single combined BR-SA-NI map (Fig. 13). This map renders it possible to make direct comparisons between the results of the architectonic studies of the V-V school and current parcellations of the human neocortex.This study tested the hypothesis whether hypothalamic cocaine-and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART)-containing systems were involved in photoperiod-induced responses associated with spring migration (hyperphagia and weight gain) and reproduction (gonadal maturation) in migratory songbirds. We specifically chose CART to examine neural mechanism(s) underlying photoperiod-induced responses, since it is a potent anorectic neuropeptide and involved in the regulation of changes in the body mass and reproduction in mammals. We first studied the distribution of CART-immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus of migratory redheaded buntings (Emberiza bruniceps). CART-immunoreactive neurons were found extensively distributed in the preoptic, lateral hypothalamic (LHN), anterior hypothalamic (AN), suprachiasmatic (SCN), paraventricular (PVN), dorsomedialis hypothalami (DMN), inferior hypothalamic (IH), and infundibular (IN) nuclei. Then, we correlated hypothalamic CART-immunoreactivity in buntings with photostimulated seasonal states, particularly winter non-migratory/non-breeding (NMB) state under short days, and spring premigratory/pre-breeding (PMB) and migratory/breeding (MB) states under long days.