Search results for "thesis"
showing 10 items of 4193 documents
Deciphering the functional role of spatial and temporal muscle synergies in whole-body movements
2018
AbstractVoluntary movement is hypothesized to rely on a limited number of muscle synergies, the recruitment of which translates task goals into effective muscle activity. In this study, we investigated how to analytically characterize the functional role of different types of muscle synergies in task performance. To this end, we recorded a comprehensive dataset of muscle activity during a variety of whole-body pointing movements. We decomposed the electromyographic (EMG) signals using a space-by-time modularity model which encompasses the main types of synergies. We then used a task decoding and information theoretic analysis to probe the role of each synergy by mapping it to specific task …
Investigating mixotrophic metabolism in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum.
2017
Diatoms are prominent marine microalgae, interesting not only from an ecological point of view, but also for their possible use in biotechnology applications. They can be cultivated in phototrophic conditions, using sunlight as the sole energy source. Some diatoms, however, can also grow in a mixotrophic mode, wherein both light and external reduced carbon contribute to biomass accumulation. In this study, we investigated the consequences of mixotrophy on the growth and metabolism of the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum , using glycerol as the source of reduced carbon. Transcriptomics, metabolomics, metabolic modelling and physiological data combine to indicate that glycerol affect…
ABO blood group A transferase and its codon 69 substitution enzymes synthesize FORS1 antigen of FORS blood group system
2019
AbstractHuman histo-blood group A transferase (AT) catalyzes the biosynthesis of oligosaccharide A antigen important in blood transfusion and cell/tissue/organ transplantation. This enzyme may synthesize Forssman antigen (FORS1) of the FORS blood group system when exon 3 or 4 of the AT mRNA is deleted and/or the LeuGlyGly tripeptide at codons 266–268 of AT is replaced by GlyGlyAla. The Met69Ser/Thr substitutions also confer weak Forssman glycolipid synthase (FS) activity. In this study, we prepared the human AT derivative constructs containing any of the 20 amino acids at codon 69 with and without the GlyGlyAla substitution, transfected DNA to newly generated COS1(B3GALNT1 + A4GALT) cells e…
The Expression of NOX From Synthetic Promoters Reveals an Important Role of the Redox Status in Regulating Secondary Metabolism of
2020
Redox cofactors play a pivotal role in primary cellular metabolism, whereas the clear link between redox status and secondary metabolism is still vague. In this study we investigated effects of redox perturbation on the production of erythromycin in Saccharopolyspora erythraea by expressing the water-forming NADH oxidase (NOX) from Streptococcus pneumonia at different levels with synthetic promoters. The expression of NOX reduced the intracellular [NADH]/[NAD+] ratio significantly in S. erythraea which resulted in an increased production of erythromycin by 19∼29% and this increment rose to 60% as more oxygen was supplied. In contrast, the lower redox ratio resulted in a decreased production…
Targeting cellular fatty acid synthesis limits T helper and innate lymphoid cell function during intestinal inflammation and infection
2019
CD4+ T cells contribute critically to a protective immune response during intestinal infections, but have also been implicated in the aggravation of intestinal inflammatory pathology. Previous studies suggested that T helper type (Th)1 and Th17 cells depend on de novo fatty acid (FA) synthesis for their development and effector function. Here, we report that T-cell-specific targeting of the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), a major checkpoint controlling FA synthesis, impaired intestinal Th1 and Th17 responses by limiting CD4+ T-cell expansion and infiltration into the lamina propria in murine models of colitis and infection-associated intestinal inflammation. Importantly, pharmacolog…
Probiotics Can Cure Oral Aphthous-Like Ulcers in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: A Review of the Literature and a Working Hypothesis
2019
Dysbiosis has been associated with the onset of several chronic autoimmune or inflammatory pathologies (e.g., inflammatory bowel diseases—IBD), because of its primary role in the establishment of a chronic inflammatory process leading to tissue damage. Inflammatory bowel diseases can even involve areas far away from the gut, such as the extraintestinal manifestations involving the oral cavity with the onset of aphthous-like ulcers (ALU). Studies carried out on animal models have shown that intestinal dysbiosis may be related to the development of autoimmune diseases, even if the mechanisms involved are not yet well known. The aim of this paper is to verify the hypothesis that in inflammator…
Host-based lipid inflammation drives pathogenesis in Francisella infection
2017
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) was used to elucidate host lipids involved in the inflammatory signaling pathway generated at the host-pathogen interface during a septic bacterial infection. Using Francisella novicida as a model organism, a bacterial lipid virulence factor (endotoxin) was imaged and identified along with host phospholipids involved in the splenic response in murine tissues. Here, we demonstrate detection and distribution of endotoxin in a lethal murine F. novicida infection model, in addition to determining the temporally and spatially resolved innate lipid inflammatory response in both 2D and 3D renderings using MSI. Further, we show that the cyclooxygenase-2-dependent lip…
The Complete Structure of the Core Oligosaccharide from Edwardsiella tarda EIB 202 Lipopolysaccharide
2017
The chemical structure and genomics of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core oligosaccharide of pathogenic Edwardsiella tarda strain EIB 202 were studied for the first time. The complete gene assignment for all LPS core biosynthesis gene functions was acquired. The complete structure of core oligosaccharide was investigated by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry MSn, and matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The following structure of the undecasaccharide was established: The heterogeneous appearance of the core oligosaccharide structure was due to the partial lack of β-d-Galp and the replace…
Muscle and serum metabolomes are dysregulated in colon-26 tumor-bearing mice despite amelioration of cachexia with activin receptor type 2B ligand bl…
2019
Cancer-associated cachexia reduces survival, which has been attenuated by blocking the activin receptor type 2B (ACVR2B) ligands in mice. The purpose of this study was to unravel the underlying physiology and novel cachexia biomarkers by use of the colon-26 (C26) carcinoma model of cancer cachexia. Male BALB/c mice were subcutaneously inoculated with C26 cancer cells or vehicle control. Tumor-bearing mice were treated with vehicle (C26+PBS) or soluble ACVR2B either before (C26+sACVR/b) or before and after (C26+sACVR/c) tumor formation. Skeletal muscle and serum metabolomics analysis was conducted by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cancer altered various biologically functional groups …
Radiographic evaluation of conical tapered platform‐switched implants in the posterior mandible: 1‐year results of a two‐center prospective study
2015
Abstract Objective Long‐term success of dental implants depends on healthy peri‐implant soft tissues and adequate bone levels. This prospective study aims to assess bone level changes around implants with internal conical connection and platform‐switching abutments in the posterior mandible. Material and methods Adult patients missing at least two teeth in the posterior mandible and with a natural tooth mesial to the implant site received two or three adjacent internal conical connection implants. After a minimum transmucosal healing period of 8 weeks, single crown restorations were cemented over platform‐switching abutments. Changes in marginal bone levels were measured in standardized per…