Function Of Different Groups Research Articles

The role of family in supporting adherence to diabetes self-care management practices: An umbrella review.

Synthesize a review of reviews of the family's role in supporting adherence to diabetes self-care management practices (DSMP) for adults with type 2 diabetes (DM2). An umbrella review. Scopus, Web of Science including MEDLINE, CINAHL via EBSCO, PubMed and Science Direct were searched for systematic reviews from their year of establishment until June 2021. The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines for umbrella reviews. The JBI data extraction form for systematic reviews and research syntheses was used for data extraction. Methodological quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic reviews and Research Syntheses. Nineteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. The key findings were summarized using a narrative and thematic analysis methods. Four main themes were identified: family interactions and diabetes self-management, family support as informal social support, factors affecting families' roles, and tailoring culturally sensitive family-based interventions. There appears to be a consensus regarding the impact of family on adults' self-management of DM2. Additional research is needed to comprehend the role of the family in underrepresented populations and examine what constitutes a family and the diverse family functions in different groups. Enhancing adherence to self-care management practices is crucial for the well-being of adults with DM2. Family support is a key to successful self-care management at home. However, understanding the unique needs of adults with DM2 and their families can help healthcare professionals plan appropriate support strategies and sustainable family-based interventions. This review did not incorporate direct patients or public input as it summarizes evidence from previously published systematic reviews.

First Steps in an Epistemology of Collective Intellectual Self-Trust

When one looks at the extensive literature on collectivity in philosophy, it may seem that every item in the family of collective states, traits and entities has been examined, but one crucial state has largely been left out of focus: collective intellectual self-trust. In this article I propose a novel conception of collective intellectual self-trust and explain the role of collective intellectual self-trust in groups. I start with a short overview of individual intellectual self-trust, then I introduce what kinds of groups are capable of having collective intellectual self-trust. Against this background I develop the constituents of collective intellectual self-trust. Then I turn to the differences between warranted and unwarranted collective intellectual self-trust and their function in different groups. I close by discussing an objection about the acquisition of collective intellectual self-trust. These are first steps in an epistemology of collective intellectual self-trust that aim to provide the ground for further work in this field.

Flight or protection: the genes Ultrabithorax and apterous in the determination of membranous and sclerotized wings in insects.

Present-day pterygote insects have two pairs of wings, one in the mesothorax (T2), the other in the metathorax (T3), and both have diverged in structure and function in different groups. Studies in endopterygote and paraneopteran species have shown that the gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx) specifies the identity and wing structure in T3, whereas the gene apterous (ap) significantly contributes to forming modified T2 wings. We wondered whether these Ubx and ap mechanisms operate in the lineage of polyneopterans. To explore this possibility, we used the cockroach Blattella germanica (Polyneoptera and Blattodea), in which the T2 wings are sclerotized (tegmina), whereas those of the T3 are membranous. We found that Ubx determines the structure of T3 and the membranous wing, while ap significantly contributes to form the sclerotized T2 tegmina. These results along with the studies carried out on the beetle Tribolium castaneum by Tomoyasu and collaborators suggest that ap plays an important role in the sclerotization and melanization of the T2 wings in neopteran groups that have sclerotized forewings. In turn, the sclerotizing properties of ap demonstrated in beetles and cockroaches suggest that the origin of this function goes back to the emergence of Neoptera, in the mid Devonian.

Effects of Aging on Metabolic Characteristics of Human B Cells.

:Metabolic changes represent the most common sign of aging and lead to increased risk of developing diseases typical of old age. Age-associated metabolic changes, such as decreased insulin sensitivity, decreased mitochondrial function, and dysregulated nutrient uptake, fuel the low-grade chronic systemic inflammation, known as inflammaging, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, linked to the development of several diseases of old age. How aging affects the metabolic phenotype of immune cells, and B cells in particular, is not well known and is under intensive investigation by several groups. In this study, we summarized the few published results linking intrinsic B-cell metabolism and B-cell function in different groups of young and elderly individuals: healthy, with type-2 diabetes mellitus, or with HIV infection. Although preliminary, these results suggest the intriguing possibility that metabolic pathways can represent potential novel therapeutic targets to reduce inflammaging and improve humoral immunity.

2',6'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy Dihydrochalcone Improves the Cognitive Impairment of Alzheimer's Disease: A Structure-activity Relationship Study.

Chalcones and dihydrochalcones present potent inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, currently considered the most efficient approach for symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The present study aimed to explore the potential benefits of 2',6'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy dihydrochalcone on the cognitive deficits of animals submitted to the streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's model, as well as evaluating the possible mechanisms of action. Learning and memory functions of different groups of animals were submitted to the streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's model (STZ 2.5 mg/mL, i.c.v.) and subsequently treated with 2',6'-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy dihydrochalcone (DHMDC) administered at doses of 5, 15, and 30 mg/kg (p.o.), respectively. Rivastigmine (0,6 mg/kg, i.p.) and vehicle were evaluated in aversive memory test (inhibitory avoidance test) and spatial memory test (object recognition test). Molecular docking simulations were performed to predict the binding mode of DHMDC at the peripheral site of AChE, to analyze noncovalent enzyme-ligand interactions. DFT calculations were carried out to study well-known acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and DHMDC. DHMDC markedly increased the learning and memory of mice. STZ caused a significant decline of spatial and aversive memories in mice, attenuated by DHMDC (15 and 30 mg/kg). Furthermore, STZ conspicuously increased lipid peroxidation and compromised the antioxidant levels in mice brains. DHMDC pretreatment significantly increased GSH activity and other oxidative stress markers and decreased TBARS level in the brain of STZ administered mice. AChE activity was significantly decreased by DHMDC in the brain of mice. The results together point out that DHMDC may be a useful drug in the management of dementia.

Impact of Dietary Potassium Nitrate on the Life Span of Drosophila melanogaster

The recently defined and yet rather new topic of healthy aging is attracting more attention worldwide. As the world population is getting older, it is rapidly becoming essential to develop and maintain functional abilities at older age and develop mechanisms to protect the senior population from chronic diseases. One of the most effective components, as well as processes associated with aging, is the recently discovered and Nobel prize-awarded—nitric oxide (NO) (as a signaling molecule), which, followed by later discoveries, showed to have a positive metabolic, immunological, and anti-inflammatory effect. Nitrates are one of the most debated topics of the last decade in the scientific community due to their pathways involved in the production of nitric oxide. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of different potassium nitrate concentrate supplementation on Drosophila melanogaster longevity imitating a human carbohydrate-based diet with relationship to possible cause of oxidative stress. Influence of 0.5–3% potassium nitrate medium on the lifespan and motor function in different groups consisting of 100 fruit fly females in each was analyzed. In this assay, female fly species supplemented with potassium nitrate diet showed life span increase by 18.6% and 5.1% with 1% and 2% KNO3, respectively, with a positive impact on locomotor function. In conclusion, we found that low concentration of potassium nitrate medium increased lifespan and locomotor function in Drosophila melanogaster.

Difference in Survival Outcome of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma By Histologic Types

▪Background: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare type of lymphoma typically associated with aggressive clinical course and poor outcome. Most cases of PCNSL are diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Induction regimens incorporating CNS penetrating doses anti-metabolite containing induction therapy and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplant have improved outcomes for patients with primary CNS DLBCL in phase II clinical trials (Ferreri et al, Lancet Haem 2016; Omuro et al, Blood 2015). However, due to the rarity of non-DLBCL PCNSL, the outcomes of these patients are not well described.Patients and Methods: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was used to evaluate survival outcomes among adult (≥18 yrs) patients diagnosed with PCNSL between 1998 and 2014. We only included patients with stage I disease in this analysis. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from diagnosis to death from any cause using the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences in the survival function in different groups were analyzed using the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate associations between patient characteristics and survival.Results: A total of 4375 patients were diagnosed with stage IE PCNSL. The median age of the patients was 64 years (range, 18-96 years). DLBCL was the most common histology (N=3,091), following follicular lymphoma (FL, N=83), peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL, N=64), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL, N=63), Burkitt lymphoma (BL, N=27), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL, N=22) and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL, N=13). 1,012 patients (23%) were reported with other or unclear histology. With a median follow up of 43 months, 3,083 patients (70%) died and the median OS was 18 months (95%CI: 16-19 months). Twenty-two percent of patients received neither radiation therapy (RT) nor chemotherapy, 19% of patients received RT alone, 40% of patients received chemotherapy alone and 19% of patients received combined modality therapy (CMT). Receiving chemotherapy was associated with significantly longer OS relative to patients who received RT alone in aggressive lymphoma such as DLBCL, PTCL, HL and BL but RT alone showed similar survival outcome compared to chemotherapy or CMT in FL, SLL and MZL. There is a significant difference in OS by histology (Figure): 5-year OS was 30% in DLBCL, 66% in FL, 33% in PTCL, 79% in MZL, 42% in BL, 38% in SLL and 45% in HL. Multivariate analysis adjusted with age and treatment confirmed that FL and MZL have significantly longer survival compared to DLBCL.Summary: PCNSL is difficult to treat; however, outcomes vary considerable among different histologic subtypes, with DLBCL and PTCL having the poorest outcome. Acknowledging probable treatment allocation bias, patients with FL and MZL could be treated with RT alone. [Display omitted] DisclosuresFanale:GENENTECH: Research Funding; ONYX: Research Funding; CELGENE: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; TAKEDA: Honoraria, Research Funding; MOLECULAR TEMPLATES: Research Funding; ADC THERAPEUTICS: Research Funding; AMGEN: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; SEATTLE GENETICS: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; MERCK: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Nastoupil:Karus Therapeutics: Research Funding; TG Therapeutics: Honoraria, Research Funding; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Genentech: Honoraria, Research Funding; Gilead: Honoraria. Westin:Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Apotex: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kite Pharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Neelapu:Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Karus: Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Kite Pharma: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Poseida Therapeutics, Inc: Research Funding; Cellectis Inc.: Research Funding.

Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy Improves Ventricular Function by Relieving Fibrosis Through PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway: Evidence From a Rat Model of Post-infarction Heart Failure.

Objection: Cumulative studies have identified the effectiveness of cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) in treating heart failure after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but little have been discussed with regard to the beneficial effects of CSWT on anti-fibrosis along with the underlying mechanism. In this study, we investigated whether CSWT could reduce post-AMI fibrosis and further explored the molecular mechanism.Methods: Rat heart failure (HF) models induced by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery were established and validated by echocardiography. Eligible animals were randomly categorized into five groups: the sham group, the HF group, the HF + CSWT group, the HF + LY294002 group, and the HF + CSWT + LY294002 group. The cardiac weight, serum level of BNP, NT-pro BNP and echocardiography parameters were measured to assess cardiac function in different groups. Masson's trichrome staining was used to assess the proportions of the fibrotic area. The expression level of CD34, αSMA was measured by RT-PCR, Immunohistochemistry and Immunofluorescent analyses and the level of PI3K/Akt was quantified by Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.Results: The application of CSWT significantly improved cardiac function and reduced myocardial fibrosis and level of CD34 and αSMA, compared to the HF group. CSWT led to significant elevations of p-PI3K and p-Akt expression levels compared to that of the HF group and the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway abolished the observed beneficial effects of CSWT.Conclusion: CSWT can facilitate the alleviation of cardiac fibrosis induced by AMI through the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Synergistic effect of sarcopenia and poor balance on osteoporotic vertebral fracture in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

This study aimed to investigate the synergistic effect of sarcopenia and poor balance on osteoporotic vertebral fracture (VOPF) in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A total of 238 RA patients and 158 normal subjects were enrolled in the case-control study. Poor balance capability (Berg balance scale (BBS) score < 40) and sarcopenia (skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) <7.0 (male)/5.7 (female)) between RA patients and normal subjects were compared. Associations of poor balance capability or sarcopenia with disease activity, structural damage, and joint function in different groups were also investigated. The incidence of sarcopenia in RA was 58.4%, significantly higher than that in controls (P<0.0001). Moreover, the percentages of low balance capacity (BBS<40) in RA were 43.7%, which was higher than that in controls (P<0.0001). The prevalence of VOPF in the case group was 19.3%, which was higher than that in the controls (P<0.0001). In the RA group, compared to RA patients without VOPF, RA patients with VOPF had higher percentages of poor balance and sarcopenia (P<0.05). Compared with RA patients without sarcopenia or good balance, RA patients with sarcopenia or poor balance had a higher incidence of VOPF, higher disease activity, severer structural damage, and worse joint function (P<0.05). The incidence of VOPF in patients combined with good balance and non-sarcopenia (4.8%) was significantly lower than that in patients combined with poor balance and sarcopenia (38.2%) (P<0.0001). Logistic regression indicated that higher SMI and higher BBS scores were protective factors for VOPF in RA patients, while age was a risk factor for VOPF in RA patients (P<0.0001). Sarcopenia and poor balance are popular in Chinese patients with RA, and they are associated with disease activity and structural damage. There is a synergistic effect of sarcopenia and poor balance on VOPF in RA. Key Points • Sarcopenia and balance capability were popular (about a half) in patients with RA. • Sarcopenia and poor balance had a synergistic effect on VOPF in RA.

Soil biota suppress maize growth and influence root traits under continuous monoculture

This study investigated maize-soil biota interactions as well as the soil legacy effects of continuous monoculture (CM) on maize performance. We conducted a glasshouse experiment that compared the performance of maize inoculated with living or sterilized soil inocula collected from experimental field plots with cropping histories of 1 to 5 years of continuous maize monoculture, where the soil type is Nicollet clay loam with moderate fertility. We measured the biomass, yield, root traits and leaf nutrients of maize as well as eukaryotic soil organisms. Inoculation with living soil dramatically reduced maize biomass and yield compared to inoculation with sterilized soil, showing CM to have strong negative soil biotic legacy effects on maize. Nonetheless, the strength of soil biotic effects on most maize variables were relatively stable over time under CM. The response of maize total biomass to living soil inoculation correlated positively with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal abundance but negatively with soil fauna abundance, whereas it did not relate with the abundance of plant pathogenetic fungi or herbivorous nematodes. The roots showed acquisitive syndromes (high specific root length but low root diameter) in sterilized soil but conservative syndromes (opposite traits) in living soil. The responses in root system structure were tightly related with AM fungal diversity and community composition. Our study shows strong and stable negative effects of soil biota on maize under CM. The complex effects of soil biota on maize performance highlight the need to explore the functions of different groups of soil organisms to better understand and control negative soil legacy effects in agroecosystems.

Fiber optic endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess human airways: The relationship between anatomy and physiological function during dynamic exercise.

Airway luminal area (Ai) influences respiratory mechanics during dynamic exercise; however, previous studies have investigated the relationship between airway anatomy and physiological function in different groups of individuals. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Ai on respiratory mechanics by making in vivo measures of airway dimensions and work of breathing (Wb) in the same individuals. Healthy participants (3F/2M; 23–45 years) completed a cycle exercise test to exhaustion. During exercise, Wb was assessed using an esophageal balloon catheter, while simultaneously assessing minute ventilation (V˙ E). On a separate day, subjects underwent a bronchoscopy procedure to capture optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures of three airways in the right lung. Each participant's Wb‐V˙ E data were fit to a non‐linear regression equation (Wb = a V˙ E 3 + b V˙ E 2) that partitions Wb into its turbulent resistive (a) and viscoelastic (b) components. Measures of Ai and luminal diameter were made for the 4th–6th airway generations. A composite index of airway size was calculated as the sum of the Ai for each generation and the total area of the 4th–6th generation was calculated based on Weibel's model. Constant a was significantly correlated to the Weibel model total airway area (r = −0.94, p = 0.017) and index of airway size (r = −0.929, p = 0.023), whereas constant b was not associated with either measure (both p > 0.05). We found that individuals who had the smallest Ai had the highest resistive Wb and our findings provide the basis for further study of the relationship between airway size and respiratory mechanics during exercise.

Acute toxicity of Aristolochia longa L. of aqueous extract in mice

Aristolochia longa L. (Aristolochiaceae) is widely used to treat breast cancer in Algerian traditional medicine. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of ingestion of aqueous extracts of different parts of the plant on liver and kidney functions in wistar albinos mice. Acute oral toxicity was performed to determine DL50, this toxicity was carried out by the oral administration in single doses of 0–12 g/kg for tubers aqueous extracts and 2 g/kg and 5 g/kg for aerial and fruit aqueous extract respectively. General behavior, adverse effects and mortality were determined for up to 14 days. The animals were sacrificed and biochemical study was done. The acute oral toxicity result revealed that LD50 of the tubers and fruit aqueous extracts was respectively more than 12 g/kg and 5 g/kg, but DL50 of the aerial aqueous extract was at 5 g/kg. The result revealed also that liver and kidney function of different groups receiving high doses was affected as ASAT, ALAT, Urea, creatinine was significantly increased as compared to control group. Histological examination showed alterations of the renal parenchyma and the liver which is greater in animals treated with high dose. Thus, caution should be exercised with its usage.&#x0D; Keywords: Acute toxicity, Biochemical parameters, Histological examination Aristolochia longa L.

Fragility functions of different groups of diagonally reinforced concrete coupling beams (DRCBs)

Diagonally reinforced concrete coupling beams (DRCBs) act as a fuse element that dissipates most of the seismic energies imparted to coupled shear wall systems during earthquakes. The objective of this study is to develop the fragility functions of different groups of DRCBs: (1) all DRCBs, (2) DRCBs conforming to the ACI 318-14 (Building code requirements for structural concrete and commentary (ACI 318-14), American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, 2014) confinement options A and B, and (c) DRCBs not conforming to the ACI 318-14 confinement options. Forty-three specimens were collected from nineteen previous experimental studies to estimate their empirical fragility using four different damage states. It was found that maximum shear stress (υmax) played an important role in the fragility curves. Without considering υmax, the fragility of DRCBs was significantly underestimated for DRCBs with υmax 4.0. In this study, fragility curves were constructed considering the level of υmax. Mean chord rotations (μθ) of DRCB specimens were estimated for life safety and collapse prevention limit states, and compared to corresponding limiting values specified in ASCE 41-17 (Seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings, American Society of Civil Engineers, Reston, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784414859). DRCBs conforming to the ACI 318-14 confinement options produced μθ larger than the limiting values whereas μθ of DRCBs not conforming to the ACI 318-14 did not exceed the limiting values.

Electromyographic Response of the Pelvic Floor Muscles in Female Sex Workers [23I

INTRODUCTION: Sex workers are exposed to situations of vulnerability and may have intercourse many times a day. This intense, constant sexual activity may result in changes to the vagina, overburdening the perineum and other pelvic muscles. Various studies have evaluated PF muscle function in different groups of women. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted with 30 female sex workers aged 18-56 years. The study was approved by local IRB. All the women underwent electromyographic evaluation. RESULTS: A negative correlation was found between electromyographic activity of the pelvic floor muscles and age (r = -0.369; p=0.045), weight (r = -0.401; p=0.028), body mass index (r = -0.412; p=0.024) and number of pregnancies (r = -0.399; p=0.029). Electromyographic activity of the external pelvic floor muscles was greater in the women who worked longer hours compared to those working fewer hours/day (p<0.001). No statistically significant difference was found in relation to skin color, time working in the profession or number of partners per day. CONCLUSION: No correlation was found between the frequency and intensity of sexual activity and electromyographic activity of the pelvic floor muscles in this group of female sex workers; however, electromyographic activity of the external pelvic floor muscles was greater in the women who worked longer hours.

Rs1894720 polymorphism inMIAT increased susceptibility to age-related hearing loss by modulating the activation of miR-29b/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling.

MIAT may be implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related hearing loss (AHL). This study aimed to clarify the effect of a MIAT signaling pathway on the risk of AHL. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay, auditory brainstem response (ABR) and quantitative hair cell counts were used to compare the hearing functions in different groups of mice. 5,5,6,6-Tetrachloro-1,1,3,3-tetraethylbenzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide (JC-1) dye method was used to establish the potential association between mitochondrial dysfunction and aging. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis, computational analysis, and luciferase assay were conducted to establish a myocardial infarction associated transcript (MIAT) signaling pathway, whose role in the pathogenesis of AHL was further validated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide(MTT) assay and flow cytometry. Aged C57BL/6 mice were associated with a more severe level of hair cell loss, while exhibiting a higher ABR threshold at various frequencies as well as a lower percentage of inner/outer hair cells. A reduced mitochondrial membrane potential in the cochleae of aged C57BL/6 mice indicated the presence of mitochondrial dysfunction in these mice. Relative expression of MIAT, Sirtuin1 (SIRT1), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) was downregulated in aged mice, with microRNA-29b (miR-29b) being highly expressed. Also, MIAT binds to miR-29b, an inhibitor of SIRT1 expression. The regulatory relationship among MIAT, miR-29b, and SIRT1 was further validated by comparing the differentiated expression of these factors in cells treated with phosphate-buffered saline + H2 O2, a negative control + H2 O2, MIAT + H2 O2 , or H2 O2 + anti-miR-29b. MIAT could elevate the expression of SIRT1/PGC-1α via downregulating miR-29b. And the downregulated SIRT/PGC-1α increased the incidence of AHL via promoting the apoptosis of cochlear hair cells.

Importance of Membrane Proteins in the Treatment of Tumor Diseases and the Possibilities of Their Further Study.

The proteins of the cellular cytoplasmic membrane represent a heterogeneous group of proteins with different structures, localizations, and functions. They participate in many cellular processes including cellular signaling and communication with the external environment and communication between cells. Mutations and post-translational modifications alter the chemical-physical properties of membrane proteins and thus significantly affect the process of carcinogenesis. Therefore, membrane proteins represent important targets for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Nowadays, treatment in the form of monoclonal antibodies or low molecular weight inhibitors targets mainly receptors of growth factors on the surface of tumor cells and various types of molecules including the targets of the so-called checkpoint inhibitors on the surface of the cells of the immune system. In order to better understand the properties and functions of membrane proteins, especially with the perspective of developing new targeted approaches in therapy, mainly proteomic and molecular biological approaches are currently being used. The aim of this article is to describe the properties and functions of different groups of membrane proteins and to summarize their current relevance and potential for use in oncology. Attention is focused on those groups that regulate the proliferation of tumor cells, affect the immune response, cause drug resistance and metastasis, and are already used or accepted as potential targets of biological therapy. Glycosylation and phosphorylation are described in detail as the most studied post-translational modification of membrane proteins, and mass spectrometry is presented as an effective tool for the identification and quantification of membrane proteins. Key words: membrane proteins - glycosylation - phosphorylation - proteomic analysis - targeted therapy This work was supported by the project MEYS - NPS I - LO1413. The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers. Accepted: 3. 8. 2018.

MicroRNA16 regulates glioma cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion by targeting Wip1-ATM-p53 feedback loop.

The present study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of microRNA16 (miR-16) on proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of glioma cells. The cell models of miR-16 upregulation and Negative control group (NC group) were built. The cell functions of different groups were detected by colony formation assay, transwell chamber assay, proliferation, apoptosis and cycle experiments. The intracranial orthotopic transplantation animal models were built to different groups: miR-16 agomir group, miR-16 antagomir group and their NC group. The expressions of miR-16, Wip1, ATM and p53 were measured by qRT-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. As a result, miR-16 overexpressed groups had lower cloning formation rate and proliferation rate, less invasive cells, higher early apoptosis rate than the control groups. G1 phase was significantly smaller compared miR-16 overexpressed groups with the control groups, and S phase significantly lesser. Cell growth was retardated. Differences were statistically significant (P <0.05). Compared with miR-16 overexpressed groups and NC groups, the Wip1 gene and protein expression were downregulated, while ATM and p53 genes, p-ATM and p-p53 proteins were upregulated. The differences were statistically significant (P <0.05). Taken together, our findings demonstrated that miR-16 suppressed glioma cell proliferation and invasion, promoted apoptosis and inhibited cell cycle by targeting Wip1-ATM-p53 signaling pathway.

First-Principles Molecular Dynamics Study of a Hydrocarbon Copolymer for Use in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

The structural and dynamic properties of a brush-type hydrocarbon copolymer are investigated using first-principles molecular dynamics simulations. Two model compounds, one with mainly hydrophilic domains and one with mainly hydrophobic domains, were selected and used in the simulations. A series of radial distribution functions of different groups, such as water–water, sulfonic group–hydrogen, and ether–hydrogen, is obtained to investigate the structure of the whole systems. The radial distribution functions of sulfonic groups, gS–S(r), and the structure of water clusters indicate the formation of a well-developed water channel in the studied copolymer. Analysis of proton dissociation reveals that the protons in both systems are not completely dissociated when the number of water molecules per sulfonic group is equal to 4. The low dissociation nature of this copolymer compared with that of Nafion is explained by its intrinsic acid strength and the presence of ineffective hydrogen bonds in the system, whe...

Functional diversification of sea urchin ABCC1 (MRP1) by alternative splicing.

The multidrug resistance protein (MRP) family encodes a diverse repertoire of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters with multiple roles in development, disease, and homeostasis. Understanding MRP evolution is central to unraveling their roles in these diverse processes. Sea urchins occupy an important phylogenetic position for understanding the evolution of vertebrate proteins and have been an important invertebrate model system for study of ABC transporters. We used phylogenetic analyses to examine the evolution of MRP transporters and functional approaches to identify functional forms of sea urchin MRP1 (also known as SpABCC1). SpABCC1, the only MRP homolog in sea urchins, is co-orthologous to human MRP1, MRP3, and MRP6 (ABCC1, ABCC3, and ABCC6) transporters. However, efflux assays revealed that alternative splicing of exon 22, a region critical for substrate interactions, could diversify functions of sea urchin MRP1. Phylogenetic comparisons also indicate that while MRP1, MRP3, and MRP6 transporters potentially arose from a single transporter in basal deuterostomes, alternative splicing appears to have been the major mode of functional diversification in invertebrates, while duplication may have served a more important role in vertebrates. These results provide a deeper understanding of the evolutionary origins of MRP transporters and the potential mechanisms used to diversify their functions in different groups of animals.

Shifting the focus to people: Global societal priorities and the contribution made by conservation science

During the ICCROM Forum on Conservation Science in 2013, one of the main themes discussed was the ability for conservation science to contribute to global societal priorities. Today's world is in many ways globalized. Human actions have an impact at local as well as global level. Information travels fast, more or less in real time. To set up a framework for international interactions and cooperation, the majority of the recognized nations have joined the United Nations and signed the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Global societal priorities are various and wide-ranging. This paper deals primarily with those that are referred to under the UN Millennium Development Goals and the term Sustainable Development. The first aims to fight extreme poverty, raise education levels, achieve gender equality, combat diseases, etc. The second deals with the interconnecting systems of social, economic, and environmental sustainability. A core aspect in the discussion is that culture and cultural heritage is integrated in all human activities, yet is diverse because culture holds various values, meanings, and functions for different groups in society. Cultural heritage is a powerful tool to reach and interact with people. It can be used for good and for ill. For conservation science as a discipline to take its professional responsibility seriously, it should contribute to the multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary environment of conservation, and enhance its benefits for society. Through advanced research it can provide historical perspectives and raise awareness of traditional methods, transforming it into ‘easily accessible’ knowledge. It can also contribute by providing facts and information that can open up different narratives based on the same cultural historical realia. Examples of how that can be done are given under the headings: social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Finally, addressing the global conservation community, the following three areas are recommended for future development: the need for process managers and facilitators; the need for active participation in the global sustainability challenges, and the need for inspirational role models and case studies.