Search results for "CHON"

ATP distribution and localization of mitochondria in Suberites domuncula (Olivi 1792) tissue

2011

SUMMARY The metabolic energy state of sponge tissue in vivo is largely unknown. Quantitative bioluminescence-based imaging was used to analyze the ATP distribution of Suberites domuncula (Olivi 1792) tissue, in relation to differences between the cortex and the medulla. This method provides a quantitative picture of the ATP distribution closely reflecting the in vivo situation. The obtained data suggest that the highest ATP content occurs around channels in the sponge medulla. HPLC reverse-phase C-18, used for measurement of ATP content, established a value of 1.62 μmol ATP g–1 dry mass in sponge medulla, as opposed to 0.04 μmol ATP g–1 dry mass in the cortex, thus indicating a specific and…

What is the function of neuroglobin?

2009

SUMMARY For a long time, haemoglobin and myoglobin had been assumed to represent the only globin types of vertebrates. In 2000, however, we discovered a third globin type by mining the genome sequence data. Based on a preferential expression in the nervous system, this globin is referred to as neuroglobin. Despite nine years of research, its function is still uncertain and a number of hypotheses have been put forward. Neuroglobin enhances cell viability under hypoxia and under various types of oxidative stress in transgenic systems, but does not appear to be strongly upregulated in response to stress. A close phylogenetic relationship with invertebrate nerve globins and its positive correla…

Explaining the phenomenon of nitrate tolerance.

2005

During the last century, nitroglycerin has been the most commonly used antiischemic and antianginal agent. Unfortunately, after continuous application, its therapeutic efficacy rapidly vanishes. Neurohormonal activation of vasoconstrictor signals and intravascular volume expansion constitute early counter-regulatory responses (pseudotolerance), whereas long-term treatment induces intrinsic vascular changes, eg, a loss of nitrovasodilator-responsiveness (vascular tolerance). This is caused by increased vascular superoxide production and a supersensitivity to vasoconstrictors secondary to a tonic activation of protein kinase C. NADPH oxidase(s) and uncoupled endothelial nitric oxide synthase …

Bioactivity of fractions and constituents of Piper capense fruits towards a broad panel of cancer cells.

2020

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Piper capense is a medicinal spice whose fruits are traditionally used as aqueous decoction to heal several ailments such as trypanosomiasis, helminthic infections, and cancer. Aim of the study. (1) To perform phytochemical investigation of the methanol extract of Piper capense; (2) to evaluate the cytotoxicity of botanicals (PCF, fractions PCFa-e), isolated phytochemicals on a broad panel of animal and human cancer cell lines; (3) to evaluate the induction of apoptosis of the most active samples. Material and methods Resazurin reduction assay (RRA) was used to determine the cytotoxicity of the studied samples. Cell cycle distribution (PI staining), a…

Prima segnalazione di Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) (Chondrichthyes Lamnidae) nei sedimenti pleistocenici di Balestrate (Palermo, Sicilia)

2010

Return flight to the Canary Islands – The key role of peripheral populations of Afrocanarian blue tits (Aves: Cyanistes teneriffae) in multi-gene rec…

2012

Abstract Afrocanarian blue tits (Cyanistes teneriffae) have a scattered distribution on the Canary Islands and on the North African continent. To date, the Canary Islands have been considered the species’ main Pleistocene evolutionary center, but their colonization pathways remain uncertain. We set out to reconstruct a dated multi-gene phylogeny and ancestral ranges for Cyanistes tit species including the currently unstudied, peripheral Libyan population of C. t. cyrenaicae. In all reconstructions the most easterly and westerly peripheral populations (in Libya and on La Palma) represented basal offshoots of C. teneriffae. These two peripheral populations shared all four major indels and dif…

Mitochondrial dysfunction and host immune response during pneumococcal pneumonia : impact of mechanical ventilation?

2020

Lung damage induced by mechanical ventilation (MV) worsens the prognosis of pneumonia. Mitochondrial dysfunctions could account for such deleterious effects. Accordingly, data obtained from both in vitro and in vivo experimental studies, as well as in ventilated patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, show that mitochondrial alarmins, especially mitochondrial DNA, are released in the alveolar compartment as a result of the cyclic stretch, and could thus represent one link between the mechanical insult and the sterile inflammation leading to VILI (ventilator-induced lung injury). In rabbits, we show herein that adverse and prolonged MV worsens the prognosis of pneumococcal pneumon…

In situ forming hydrogels of hyaluronic acid and inulin derivatives for cartilage regeneration.

2014

An in situ forming hydrogel obtained by crosslinking of amino functionalized hyaluronic acid derivatives with divinylsulfone functionalized inulin (INU-DV) has been here designed and characterized. In particular two hyaluronic acid derivatives bearing respectively a pendant ethylenediamino (EDA) portion (HA-EDA) and both EDA and octadecyl pendant groups (HA-EDA-C18) were crosslinked through an azo-Michael reaction with INU-DV. Gelation time and consumption of DV portions have been evaluated on hydrogel obtained using HA-EDA and HA-EDA-C18 derivatives with a concentration of 3% w/v and a ratio 80/20 w/w respect to the crosslinker INU-DV. The presence of pendant C18 chains improves mechanical…

Amorphous Ca2+ polyphosphate nanoparticles regulate the ATP level in bone-like SaOS-2 cells

2015

ABSTRACT Polyphosphate (polyP) is a physiologically occurring polyanion that is synthesized especially in bone-forming osteoblast cells and blood platelets. We used amorphous polyP nanoparticles, complexed with Ca2+, that have a globular size of ∼100 nm. Because polyP comprises inorganic orthophosphate units that are linked together through high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds, we questioned whether the observed morphogenetic effect, elicited by polyP, is correlated with the energy-generating machinery within the cells. We show that exposure of SaOS-2 osteoblast-like cells to polyP results in a strong accumulation of mitochondria and a parallel translocation of the polyP-degrading enzyme alka…

Cracking the nut: Geographical adjacency of sister taxa supports vicariance in a polytomic salamander clade in the absence of node support

2008

The urodelan genus Lyciasalamandra, which inhabits a relatively small area along the southern Turkish coast and some Aegean islands, provides an outstanding example of a diverse but phylogenetically unresolved taxon. Molecular trees contain a single basal polytomy that could be either soft or hard. We here use the information of nuclear (allozymes) and mitochondrial (fractions of the 16S rRNA and ATPase genes) datasets in combination with area relationships of lineages to resolve the phylogenetic relationships among Lyciasalamandra species in the absence of sufficient node support. We can show that neither random processes nor introgressive hybridization can be invoked to explain that the m…