iCarer: AAL for the Informal Carers of the Elderly.

In the context of the long-term care for older adults, informal carers play a key role. Daily competing priorities or a care-skills deficit may lead them to stress, anxiety and/or depression. The iCarer project (AAL-2012-5-239) proposes the design and implementation of a cloud-inspired personalised and adaptive platform which will offer support to informal carers of older adults with cognitive impairment. By means of a holistic approach comprising technologies and services addressing the intelligent and interactive monitoring of activities, knowledge management for personalised guidance and orientation, virtual interaction, e-learning, care coordination facilities and social network services, iCarer aims to reduce the informal carer stress and to enhance the quality of care they provide, thus improving their quality of life. The iCarer platform will be evaluated through a multi-centre non-controlled study (4 months; 48 homes located in England and in Slovenia). Currently the iCarer project is completing the development work. The evaluation trial is expected to start in August 2015.

The Caenorhabditis elegans genome: a multifractal analysis.

The Caenorhabditis elegans genome has several regular and irregular characteristics in its nucleotide composition; these are observed within and between chromosomes. To study these particularities, we carried out a multifractal analysis, which requires a large number of exponents to characterize scaling properties. We looked for a relationship between the genetic information content of the chromosomes and multifractal parameters and found less multifractality compared to the human genome. Differences in multifractality among chromosomes and in regions of chromosomes, and two group averages of chromosome regions were observed. All these differences were mainly dependent on differences in the contents of repetitive DNA. Based on these properties, we propose a nonlinear model for the structure of the C. elegans genome, with some biological implications. These results suggest that examining differences in multifractality is a viable approach for measuring local variations of genomic information contents along chromosomes. This approach could be extended to other genomes in order to characterize structural and functional regions of chromosomes.

Biocatalysis: towards ever greener biodiesel production.

The cost of lipases and the relatively slower reaction rate remain as the major obstacles for enzymatic production of biodiesel as opposed to the conventional chemical processes. This paper reviews the starting oils usually employed in biodiesel production, the processes for transforming them to biodiesel placing particular emphasis on enzymatic transesterification. The pros and cons of the lipase-based process, the key operational variables and the technological alternatives for attenuating lipase deactivation are also discussed. Finally, suggestions are made for future studies, paying particular attention to the use of whole cell immobilization in the production process, as this methodology may reduce both the cost of the biocatalyst and dependence on lipase manufacturers.

Highly conserved regions in the 5' region of human olfactory receptor genes.

Regulation of human olfactory receptor (hOR) genes is a complex process of control and signalization with various structures and functions that are not clearly understood. To date, nearly 390 functional hOR genes and 462 pseudogenes have been discovered in the human genome. Enhancer models and trans-acting elements for the regulation of different hOR genes are among the few examples of our knowledge concerning regulation of these genes. We looked for upstream control elements that might help explain these complex control mechanisms. To analyze the human olfactory gene family, we looked for functional genes and pseudogenes common to all hOR genes obtained from public databases. Subsequently, we analyzed sequences upstream of the transcription start sites with data mining and bioinformatics tools. We found two highly conserved regions, which we called HCR I and HCR II, upstream of the transcription start sites in 77 hOR genes and 87 pseudogenes. These regions showed possible enhancer functions common to both genes and pseudogenes, an intriguing feature that may be associated with the expression of pseudogenes. Based on these HCRs, we propose a structural model of gene regulation for the olfactory gene family.

Production of structured lipids by acidolysis of an EPA-enriched fish oil and caprylic acid in a packed bed reactor: analysis of three different operation modes.

Structured triacylglycerols (ST) enriched in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in position 2 of the triacylglycerol (TAG) backbone were synthesized by acidolysis of a commercially available EPA-rich oil (EPAX4510, 40% EPA) and caprylic acid (CA), catalyzed by the 1,3-specific immobilized lipase Lipozyme IM. The reaction was carried out in a packed bed reactor (PBR) operating in two ways: (1) by recirculating the reaction mixture from the exit of the bed to the substrate reservoir (discontinuous mode) and (2) in continuous mode, directing the product mixture leaving the PBR to a product reservoir. By operating in these two ways and using a simple kinetic model, representative values for the apparent kinetic constants (kX) for each fatty acid (native, Li or odd, M) were obtained. The kinetic model assumes that the rate of incorporation of a fatty acid into TAG per amount of enzyme, rX (mole/(h g lipase)) is proportional to the extent of the deviation from the equilibrium for each fatty acid (i.e., the difference of concentration between the fatty acid in the triacylglycerol and the concentration of the same fatty acid in the triacylglycerol once the equilibrium of the acidolysis reaction is reached). The model allows comparing the two operating modes through the processing intensity, defined as mLt/(V[TG]0) and mL/(q[TG]0), for the discontinuous and continuous operation modes, respectively. In discontinuous mode, ST with 59.5% CA and 9.6% EPA were obtained. In contrast, a ST with 51% CA and 19.6% EPA were obtained when using the continuous operation mode. To enhance the CA incorporation when operating in continuous mode, a two-step acidolysis reaction was performed (third operation mode). This continuous two-step process yields a ST with a 64% CA and a 15% EPA. Finally, after purifying the above ST in a preparative silica gel column, impregnated with boric acid, a ST with 66.9% CA and 19.6% EPA was obtained. The analysis by reverse phase and Ag+ liquid chromatography of the EPA-enriched ST demonstrated that the CA was placed in positions 1 and 3 and the EPA was occupying position 2 of the final ST.

Acute and chronic effects of cadmium on blood homeostasis of an estuarine crab, Chasmagnathus granulata, and the modifying effect of salinity.

Whole body oxygen consumption and some hemolymph parameters such as pH, partial pressure of gases, level of ions and lactate were measured in the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulata after both acute (96 h) and chronic (2 weeks) exposure to cadmium at concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 6.3 mg/l. In all instances, the crabs developed hemolymph acidosis, but no respiratory (increased PCO2) or lactate increases were evident. Hemolymph levels of sodium and calcium were always increased by cadmium exposure. The chronic toxicity of cadmium was enhanced at 12 per mil salinity, even causing a significantly higher mortality in comparison with the higher salinity (30 per mil ) used. A general metabolic arrest took place at 12 per mil salinity in the crabs chronically exposed to cadmium, as indicated by decreases of oxygen consumption and PCO2, an increase of PO2, along with no changes in lactate levels. These imbalances were associated with severe necrosis and telangiectasia in the respiratory gills, probably leading to respiratory impairment and finally histotoxic hypoxia and death of the animals.

Acute and chronic effects of cadmium on blood homeostasis of an estuarine crab, Chasmagnathus granulata, and the modifying effect of salinity

Whole body oxygen consumption and some hemolymph parameters such as pH, partial pressure of gases, level of ions and lactate were measured in the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulata after both acute (96 h) and chronic (2 weeks) exposure to cadmium at concentrations ranging from 0.4 to 6.3 mg/l. In all instances, the crabs developed hemolymph acidosis, but no respiratory (increased PCO2) or lactate increases were evident. Hemolymph levels of sodium and calcium were always increased by cadmium exposure. The chronic toxicity of cadmium was enhanced at 12 0/00 salinity, even causing a significantly higher mortality in comparison with the higher salinity (30 0/00) used. A general metabolic arrest took place at 12 0/00 salinity in the crabs chronically exposed to cadmium, as indicated by decreases of oxygen consumption and PCO2, an increase of PO2, along with no changes in lactate levels. These imbalances were associated with severe necrosis and telangiectasia in the respiratory gills, probably leading to respiratory impairment and finally histotoxic hypoxia and death of the animals

An integrated physical map of 8q22-q24: use in positional cloning and deletion analysis of Langer-Giedion syndrome.

We have developed an integrated map for a 35-cM area of human chromosome 8 surrounding the Langer-Giedion syndrome deletion region. This map spans from approximately 8q22 to 8q24 and includes 10 hybrid cell intervals, 89 polymorphic STSs, 118 ESTs, and 37 known genes or inferred gene homologies. The map locations of 25 genes including osteoprotegerin, syndecan-2, and autotaxin have been refined from the general locations previously reported. In addition, the map has been used to indicate the location of nine deletions in patients with Langer-Giedion syndrome and trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type I to demonstrate the potential usefulness of the map in the analysis of these complex syndromes. The map will also be of interest to anyone trying to clone positionally disease genes in this region, such as Cohen syndrome (8q22-q23), Klip-Feil syndrome (8q22.2), hereditary spastic paraplegia (8q24), and benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy (8q23.3-q24.1).

Oestrid myiasis in European mouflon from Spain.

From February 1992 to March 1997, 245 European mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) from Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park (southern Spain) were surveyed for oestrid larvae in order to estimate prevalence and mean intensity of parasitism by Oestrus ovis. Over 46 percent of the animals surveyed were infected, with a mean intensity of 9.6 larvae/host parasitized. No significant differences in prevalence rates between host sexes were observed, but older mouflons were infected with more larvae than younger ones.

Isolation, characterization, molecular cloning and amplification of a species-specific M. leprae antigen.

A polyclonal serum sample from a lepromatous leprosy (LL) patient, which presented a specific recognition pattern for leprosin, was used to screen a Mycobacterium leprae genomic library constructed with DNA isolated from human lepromas. One clone, designated ML4-1, which expressed a specific antigenic determinant of M. leprae as part of a beta-galactosidase fusion protein, was isolated. The 1.932 bp M. leprae-derived genomic fragment was sequenced, and it had an incomplete open-reading frame shown to code for a 644 amino-acid polypeptide (72.3 kDa). Some partial nucleotide homology to the M. tuberculosis MTCY9C4 cosmid and the M. leprae B1913 cosmid were found. Southern blot assays using the 584 bp Eco RI-Bam HI fragment excised from the ML4-1 clone revealed that this sequence is present only in the M. leprae genome and not in the 24 different mycobacterial DNA tested. Two oligonucleotides based on the genomic sequence were also synthesized and used as amplifiers for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, giving a positive signal exclusively in M. leprae DNA. Furthermore, 32 sequential synthetic peptides, 20 amino-acids long, spanning the entire protein corresponding to the hypothetical ML4-1 clone sequence, were synthesized and evaluated by ELISA. A peptide included in the 221-240 region was significantly recognized by either lepromatous leprosy or healthy tuberculosis contact patient sera. Thus, PCR amplification of this fragment, along with the recognition of its protein sequence by leprosy patient sera, could be a useful tool for a potential diagnostic method in the detection of M. leprae infection in the future.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II involvement in release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

Involvement of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) in regulation of GnRH release was tested by determining the effect of CaM kinase II antagonists (KN-62 or KN-93) on GnRH release from rat or cattle infundibular (stalk median eminence) explants. Preincubation of male rat infundibular explants for 30 min with KN-62 (0.5, 1, 5 or 10 microM) 1.5 h prior to the addition of 59.3 mM (high) K+ resulted in a dose-dependent suppression of GnRH release. A longer pretreatment period (2 h) of rat infundibular explants with KN-62 (1 or 10 microM) appeared to enhance the suppressive effect of the CaM kinase II antagonist. Exposure (2 h) of rat infundibular explants to 10 microM, but not 0.1 microM KN-93, resulted in a complete inhibition of high K+-induced GnRH release. Exposure of steer infundibular explant halves to KN-62 (50 or 100 microM) or KN-93 (50 microM) inhibited high K+-induced GnRH release. Likewise, treatment of heifer infundibular explant halves with KN-93 (50 microM) abolished high K+-induced GnRH release. The period of exposure required for KN-62 to elicit its effect was relatively short since exposure of KN-62 (100 microM) for only 91-150 min of incubation was sufficient to block high K+-induced GnRH release from steer infundibular explant halves. In conclusion, these results: (1) support the hypothesis that CaM kinase II is involved in GnRH release from the rat and cattle infundibulum, (2) demonstrate that the effect of CaM kinase II on GnRH release from cattle infundibula is independent of reproductive state, (3) confirm previous reports supporting Ca2+ and CaM involvement in GnRH release from rat and cattle infundibula and (4) establish that infundibular explants incubated in vitro are useful for studying selected mechanisms regulating hypothalamic neurohormone release from neuron terminals.

Enhanced susceptibility of mouse embryos heterozygous for oligosyndactyly (Os/+) to mitomycin C-induced skeletal abnormalities.

The mouse mutation, oligosyndactyly (Os), results in syndactyly, muscle anomalies, and deficiency of nephrons in heterozygous animals and early embryonic lethality in homozygotes. Since the homozygous lethality results from mitotic arrest with intact spindles at the time of implantation, we have hypothesized that the heterozygous manifestations may result from impairment of cell proliferation in regions with high proliferative rates. To test this hypothesis, Os/+ and +/+ mouse embryos at 6.5 days of gestation were exposed to mitomycin C (MMC), an agent that causes a high degree of embryonic cell death which is "compensated" for by a period of rapid cell proliferation. 17.9% of MMC-treated +/+ fetuses had fused vertebrae, a significant increase over untreated fetuses, and this frequency was further increased to 33.6% in MMC-treated Os/+ fetuses. Saline treated Os/+ and +/+ fetuses showed the same low rate (0-3%) of vertebral fusion. These results indicate that Os/+ embryos have an increased sensitivity to the vertebral fusion-inducing effect of MMC at 6.5 days of gestation, a finding compatible with the hypothesis that rapid cell proliferation may be impaired in Os/+ embryos and fetuses.