To Be or Not to Be a Tapeworm Parasite: That Is the Post-Genomic Question in Taenia solium Cysticercosis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana G. Ríos-Valencia ◽  
José Navarrete-Perea ◽  
Arturo Calderón-Gallegos ◽  
Jeannette Flores-Bautista ◽  
Juan Pedro Laclette

Cestode parasites rely on their host to obtain their nutrients. Elucidation of tapeworm genomes has shown a remarkable reduction in the coding of multiple enzymes, particularly those of anabolic pathways. Previous findings showed that 10–13% of the proteins found in the vesicular fluid of Taenia solium cysticerci are of host origin. Further proteomic characterization allowed identification of 4,259 different proteins including 891 of host origin in the parasite’s protein lysates. One explanation for this high abundance and diversity of host proteins in the parasite lysates is related to the functional exploitation of host proteins by cysticerci. Supporting this concept is the uptake of host haptoglobin and hemoglobin by the parasite, as a way to acquire iron. Surprisingly, internalized host proteins are minimally degraded by the parasite physiological machinery. Additional proteomic analysis demonstrated that these host proteins become part of the organic matrix of calcareous corpuscles; as 60–70% of the protein content are host proteins. In this review, a collection of available genomic and proteomic data for taeniid cestodes is assembled, the subject of the use and processing of host proteins is particularly addressed; a sketchy and unique cell physiological profile starts to emerge for these parasitic organisms.


Author(s):  
Gábor Sulyok

AbstractThe history of the breach of treaties can be traced back to the ancient Near East. The relative abundance and diversity of contemporary sources attest that the breaking of treaty obligations must have been a rather persistent problem, and that such occurrences were regarded as events of utmost importance throughout the Bronze and Iron Ages. The present study strives to demonstrate how peoples of old may have perceived and reacted to the breach of treaties on the basis of selected writings—the Legend of Etana, the Indictment of Madduwatta, the Indictment of Mita, the plague prayers of Mursili and the Old Testament—that provide, beyond the exposition of actual or alleged facts, a deeper insight into the psychological and procedural aspects of the subject.



Author(s):  
Manfred Sieminski ◽  
Manfred Schneider

Low Frequency Noise at Gas Turbines A natural gas compressor station that was equipped with Hispano Suiza Turbines THM 1202 emitted high intensity noise between 20 Hz and 40 Hz, causing window vibrations and standing waves within the living rooms of a nearby residential area. Since additional sound attenuation by increasing the volume of the exhaust silencers was impossible, further investigations were carried out to explain the mechanism of this low frequency noise emission. By changing the flame pattern inside the combustion chambers of the turbines it was possible to achieve a remarkable reduction at 31.5 Hz amounting to 15 dB. The investigation procedure leading to the final results will be the subject of this presentation.



Author(s):  
Maik Pietzner ◽  
Eleanor Wheeler ◽  
Julia Carrasco-Zanini ◽  
Johannes Raffler ◽  
Nicola D. Kerrison ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTStrategies to develop therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2 infection may be informed by experimental identification of viral-host protein interactions in cellular assays and measurement of host response proteins in COVID-19 patients. Identification of genetic variants that influence the level or activity of these proteins in the host could enable rapid ‘in silico’ assessment in human genetic studies of their causal relevance as molecular targets for new or repurposed drugs to treat COVID-19. We integrated large-scale genomic and aptamer-based plasma proteomic data from 10,708 individuals to characterize the genetic architecture of 179 host proteins reported to interact with SARS-CoV-2 proteins or to participate in the host response to COVID-19. We identified 220 host DNA sequence variants acting in cis (MAF 0.01-49.9%) and explaining 0.3-70.9% of the variance of 97 of these proteins, including 45 with no previously known protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) and 38 encoding current drug targets. Systematic characterization of pQTLs across the phenome identified protein-drug-disease links, evidence that putative viral interaction partners such as MARK3 affect immune response, and establish the first link between a recently reported variant for respiratory failure of COVID-19 patients at the ABO locus and hypercoagulation, i.e. maladaptive host response. Our results accelerate the evaluation and prioritization of new drug development programmes and repurposing of trials to prevent, treat or reduce adverse outcomes. Rapid sharing and dynamic and detailed interrogation of results is facilitated through an interactive webserver (https://omicscience.org/apps/covidpgwas/).



Arts ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Serra Desfilis

Modern historiography has studied the influence of messianic and millennialist ideas in the Crown of Aragon extensively and, more particularly, how they were linked to the Aragonese monarchy. To date, research in the field of art history has mainly considered royal iconography from a different point of view: through coronation, historical or dynastic images. This article will explore the connections, if any, between millennialist prophetic visions and royal iconography in the Crown of Aragon using both texts and the figurative arts, bearing in mind that sermons, books and images shared a common space in late medieval audiovisual culture, where royal epiphanies took place. The point of departure will be the hypothesis that some royal images and apparently conventional religious images are compatible with readings based on sources of prophetic and apocalyptic thought, which help us to understand the intentions and values behind unique figurative and performative epiphanies of the dynasty that ruled the Crown of Aragon between 1250 and 1516. With this purpose in mind, images will be analysed in their specific context, which is often possible to reconstruct thanks to the abundance and diversity of the written sources available on the subject, with a view to identifying their promoters’ intentions, the function they fulfilled and the reception of these images in the visual culture of this time and place.



2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (12) ◽  
pp. 6050-6059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Zhi-Ping Zhang ◽  
Xian-En Zhang ◽  
Fu-Sen Lin ◽  
Feng Ge

ABSTRACT The discovery of a novel coronavirus (CoV) as the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has highlighted the need for a better understanding of CoV replication. The replication of SARS-CoV is highly dependent on host cell factors. However, relatively little is known about the cellular proteome changes that occur during SARS-CoV replication. Recently, we developed a cell line expressing a SARS-CoV subgenomic replicon and used it to screen inhibitors of SARS-CoV replication. To identify host proteins important for SARS-CoV RNA replication, the protein profiles of the SARS-CoV replicon cells and parental BHK21 cells were compared using a quantitative proteomic strategy termed “stable-isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture-mass spectrometry” (SILAC-MS). Our results revealed that, among the 1,081 host proteins quantified in both forward and reverse SILAC measurements, 74 had significantly altered levels of expression. Of these, significantly upregulated BCL2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) was selected for further functional studies. BAG3 is involved in a wide variety of cellular processes, including cell survival, cellular stress response, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. Our results show that inhibition of BAG3 expression by RNA interference led to significant suppression of SARS-CoV replication, suggesting the possibility that upregulation of BAG3 may be part of the machinery that SARS-CoV relies on for replication. By correlating the proteomic data with these functional studies, the findings of this study provide important information for understanding SARS-CoV replication.



2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanette Flores-Bautista ◽  
José Navarrete-Perea ◽  
Gladis Fragoso ◽  
Ana Flisser ◽  
Xavier Soberón ◽  
...  

During the study of host–parasite relationships in taeniid parasite diseases, including cysticercosis and hydatidosis, reports have described the presence of host proteins in the cyst fluid and tissue of metacestodes. However, the fate or role of host elements inside the parasite remains barely explored. After the publication of genomes of four cestode species, it became clear that these organisms possess a limited biosynthetic capability. The initial goal of the present study was to determine if uptaken host proteins could be a source of essential amino acids for cysticerci. To track the utilization of uptaken proteins, we added metabolically labeled IgG-3H and GFP-3H to the culture medium of Taenia crassiceps cysticerci. Incorporation of labeled amino acid was evaluated by fluorography in cysticerci extracts. Our results showed that the use of uptaken proteins by cysticerci as a source of amino acids appeared negligible. Exploring alternative fates for the host proteins, proteomic analysis of the protein matrix in calcareous corpuscles was carried out. Since T. crassiceps does not contain calcareous corpuscles, proteomic analyses were performed in corpuscles of Taenia solium cysticerci. Our results demonstrated that host proteins represented approximately 70% of protein content in the calcareous corpuscles. The presence of the two major uptaken host proteins, namely albumin and IgG, was also demonstrated by Western blot in the matrix of corpuscles. Our findings strongly suggested that the uptake and disposal of host proteins involve calcareous corpuscles, expanding the physiological role of these mineral concretions to a far more important level than previously proposed.



2014 ◽  
Vol 143 ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Navarrete-Perea ◽  
Bárbara Moguel ◽  
Guillermo Mendoza-Hernández ◽  
Gladis Fragoso ◽  
Edda Sciutto ◽  
...  


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Julien Piqueray ◽  
Valentin Gilliaux ◽  
Bernard Bodson ◽  
Grégory Mahy

Description of the subject. Wildflower strips are used to provide flower resources for insects in agroecosystems. There is a need to determine implementation processes that maximize the development of the sown flowering species. Objectives. To determine the effect of i) sowing period (autumn and spring) and ii) early cutting of annuals during the first growing season on the development of the sown perennial species. Method. We surveyed species development during three years (2012-2014) in 24 plots in an experimental wildflower strip. Plots were sown either in autumn or in spring, and received or not an early cutting management in 2012. Results. Sown species were favored by autumn sowing. A few species did better after spring sowing. Two years later (2014), early cutting management enhanced sown flowering species abundance and diversity in case of spring sowing only. Conclusions. Studying implementation and management protocols is of first importance to improve the efficiency of wildflower strips. We recommend autumn sowing as a first approach, and mowing aimed at controlling annuals in the first year after sowing.



PMLA ◽  
1935 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 1320-1327
Author(s):  
Colbert Searles

THE germ of that which follows came into being many years ago in the days of my youth as a university instructor and assistant professor. It was generated by the then quite outspoken attitude of colleagues in the “exact sciences”; the sciences of which the subject-matter can be exactly weighed and measured and the force of its movements mathematically demonstrated. They assured us that the study of languages and literature had little or nothing scientific about it because: “It had no domain of concrete fact in which to work.” Ergo, the scientific spirit was theirs by a stroke of “efficacious grace” as it were. Ours was at best only a kind of “sufficient grace,” pleasant and even necessary to have, but which could, by no means ensure a reception among the elected.



1966 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 363-371
Author(s):  
P. Sconzo

In this paper an orbit computation program for artificial satellites is presented. This program is operational and it has already been used to compute the orbits of several satellites.After an introductory discussion on the subject of artificial satellite orbit computations, the features of this program are thoroughly explained. In order to achieve the representation of the orbital elements over short intervals of time a drag-free perturbation theory coupled with a differential correction procedure is used, while the long range behavior is obtained empirically. The empirical treatment of the non-gravitational effects upon the satellite motion seems to be very satisfactory. Numerical analysis procedures supporting this treatment and experience gained in using our program are also objects of discussion.



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