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Surface modification of corneal contact lens with phosphoryl choline by glow discharge.

Polymers like poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) (PHEMA) are widely used in the development of hard and soft contact lenses. Cell adhesion and deposition of chemicals such as calcium, lipoproteins and mucin on the lens surface cause visual acuity which is the main problem in extended uses of contact ocular lenses. In order to minimise the cell adhesion and other type of depositions, a method of surface modification of lens involving the use of phosphoryl choline, a phospholipid and the glow discharge technique has been described. The power variation of the lenses after modification has been checked using Topcon lensometer. The possible power changes of the modified samples due to the exposure to the normal light in the laboratory, darkness, ultraviolet (U.V.) light or saline have been investigated by taking the visible and ultra violet spectra using Beckman spectrophotometer. Surface energy variations after modifications of the samples have been checked by sessile drop water contact angle measurements. Glow discharge treatment increases the hydrophilicity of the samples. It seems, the modifications do not affect the power of hard contact lens significantly. It is also observed that the exposure of samples to the normal light in the laboratory, darkness, U.V. light or saline make no significant change in the visible and ultraviolet spectra of the samples before and after modification.

Air↗

Modification of electrophysiological properties of rat heart with age.

The authors have determined the serum thyroid hormone levels [total (TT3) and free (FT3) triiodothyronine], the heart weight/body weight ratio and the heart rate of differently aged male rats. The variations of these parameters show a modification of thyroid state as a function of ageing. The authors have also recorded, at about 26 degrees C, resting and action potentials from single cells of papillary muscles isolated from the same groups of rats. The animals in the higher thyroid state exhibited a repolarization speed higher than the other animals. The thyroidectomy, performed on 50 day old rats, and T3 treatment of the thyroidectomized rats give rise to modifications of repolarization speed and then of action potential duration analogous to ones obtained in previous study for animals thyroidectomized at 30 days of age. These data demonstrate that the modifications of heart electrophysiological properties with age, are due fundamentally to thyroid state modifications. The results suggest also that the cardiac chronotropism modifications which the rat undergoes as a function of ageing are due to the changes of levels of thyroid hormone which might exert its effect by modifying the ion channel kinetics as well as the cardiac receptors.

Action Potentials↗

[Effects of behavior modification on obesity index, skinfold thickness, body fat, serum lipids, serum leptin in obese elementary school children].

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate effects of behavior modification on obesity index, skinfold thickness, body fat, serum lipids, serum leptin in obese elementary school children. METHOD: Forty seven students were selected from two elementary schools. Twenty four children in one school were assigned to experimental group and twenty three children in another school were assigned to control group. Experimental group was received 60-70 minutes of behavior modification once a week for 8 weeks. RESULT: Obesity index of the experimental group was significantly decreased after behavior modification. But there was no significant difference between two groups. The increase of skinfold thickness was significantly low in the experimental group compared to the control group. Percentage of body fat and fat mass were significantly decreased in the experimental group. Fat free mass was significantly increased in the experimental group. HDL-C, triglyceride and serum leptin between the experimental group and control group showed no significant difference. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that behavior modification is effective in decreasing percentage of body fat and fat mass, in less increasing skinfold thickness and in increasing fat free mass. In conclusion, behavior modification can be used as effective strategy for managing obesity in elementary school children.

English Abstract↗

Antigen-specific T cell repertoire modification of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.

T cell immune responses are regulated by the interplay between effector and suppressor T cells. Immunization with Ag leads to the selective expansion and survival of effector CD4(+) T cells with high affinity TCR against the Ag and MHC. However, it is not known if CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (T(reg)) recognize the same Ag as effector T cells or whether Ag-specific TCR repertoire modification occurs in T(reg). In this study, we demonstrate that after a primary Ag challenge, T(reg) proliferate and TCR repertoire modification is observed although both of these responses were lower than those in conventional T cells. The repertoire modification of Ag-specific T(reg) after primary Ag challenge augmented the total suppressive function of T(reg) against TCR repertoire modification but not against the proliferation of memory CD4(+) T cells. These results reveal that T cell repertoire modification against a non-self Ag occurs in T(reg), which would be crucial for limiting excess primary and memory CD4(+) T cell responses. In addition, these studies provide evidence that manipulation of Ag-specific T(reg) is an ideal strategy for the clinical use of T(reg).

Animals↗

Intracellular bacteria differentially regulated endothelial cytokine release by MAPK-dependent histone modification.

Epigenetic histone modifications contribute to the regulation of eukaryotic gene transcription. The role of epigenetic regulation in immunity to intracellular pathogens is poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that epigenetic histone modifications influence cytokine expression by intracellular bacteria. Intracellular Listeria monocytogenes, but not noninvasive Listeria innocua, induced release of distinct CC and CXC chemokines, as well as Th1 and Th2 cytokines and growth factors by endothelial cells. Cytokine expression was in part dependent on p38 MAPK and MEK1. We analyzed global histone modification and modifications in detail at the gene promoter of IL-8, which depended on both kinase pathways, and of IFN-gamma, which was not blocked by kinase inhibition. Intracellular Listeria induced time-dependent acetylation (lysine 8) of histone H4 and phosphorylation/acetylation (serine 10/lysine 14) of histone H3 globally and at the il8 promoter in HUVEC, as well as recruitment of the histone acetylase CREB-binding protein. Inhibitors of p38 MAPK and MEK1 reduced lysine 8 acetylation of histone H4 and serine 10/lysine 14 phosphorylation/acetylation of histone H3 in Listeria-infected endothelial cells and disappearance of histone deacetylase 1 at the il8 promoter in HUVEC. In contrast, IFN-gamma gene transcription was activated by Listeria monocytogenes independent of p38 MAPK and MEK1, and histone phosphorylation/acetylation remained unchanged in infected cells at the IFN-gamma promoter. Specific inhibition of histone deacetylases by trichostatin A increased Listeria-induced expression of IL-8, but not of IFN-gamma, underlining the specific physiological impact of histone acetylation. In conclusion, MAPK-dependent epigenetic modifications differentially contributed to L. monocytogenes-induced cytokine expression by human endothelial cells.

Acetylation↗

Human mitochondrial diseases associated with tRNA wobble modification deficiency.

A growing number of mutations in mitochondrial (mt) tRNA genes have been found to associate with human mitochondrial diseases. Our previous analysis of mutant mt tRNAs isolated from cells derived from patients with mitochondrial diseases revealed the lack of a post-transcriptional taurine-modification at the anticodon wobble uridine in two mt tRNAs bearing typical pathogenic mutations: mt tRNA(Leu(UUR)) with either the MELAS 3243 or 3271 mutation and mt tRNA(Lys) with the MERRF 8344 mutation. We here summarize our recent studies that clarify the molecular basis of the defective mitochondrial translation caused by this wobble modification deficiency. The MERRF mt tRNA(Lys) lacking the wobble modification cannot translate either of its codons (AAA and AAG), while the translational activity of MELAS mt tRNA(Leu(UUR)) lacking wobble modification is more depressed in decoding of UUG codon than UUA codon. These findings suggest that the wobble modification deficiency plays a primary role in the molecular pathogenesis of the MELAS and MERRF mitochondrial diseases.

Base Sequence↗

The effect of lifestyle modification on physical fitness and work ability in different workstyles.

It is generally considered that physical fitness is affected by daily life activities including leisure time activity and working time activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different levels of physical activity at work on physical fitness, analyze the effects of 12-week lifestyle modification outside of working hours on physical fitness, work satisfaction and subjective symptoms, and to consider the role of lifestyle modification in occupational health. Lifestyle modification, consisting of aerobic exercise and diet counseling, was conducted for 12 weeks. The data before and after the intervention from 49 male workers were obtained. Physical fitness such as exercise endurance, flexibility, agility, balance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and muscular power was measured before and after the intervention. The subjects were asked to fill out questionnaires about their work activities, subjective complaints, and work satisfaction. Subjects were divided into active work group (n = 14) and sedentary work group (n = 35) for analysis according to their work activities. As for differences in physical fitness due to different levels of physical activity, the active work group had superior exercise endurance and balance compared to the sedentary work group. In addition, the sedentary work group tended to experience greater fatigue than the active work group. In the active work group, flexibility and muscular strength were significantly increased with lifestyle modification and, in the sedentary work group, exercise endurance, flexibility and muscular endurance were significantly improved while balance also showed a tendency to improve. In the sedentary work group, lifestyle modification resulted in reduced fatigue and stiff neck as well as an increased work satisfaction. In the active work group, no change was observed in complaints or work satisfaction, but improved physical fitness led to a reduction in subjective complaints and an increase in work satisfaction. The level of physical activity at work contributes to the physical fitness of the worker and the addition of aerobic exercise in the worker's leisure time improves physical fitness and thereby contributes to increased work ability regardless of differences in the level of physical activity at work.

Hand Strength↗

[Serial modifications of bacon's pull through resection for low rectal cancer].

Four modifications of Bacon's pull-thru resection were undertaken to improve postoperative defecatory control and to avoid the 2nd stage resection of the pull-thru colon stump. 54 cases of modified Bacon's rectal resection (9.64% of sphincter saving resections) were performed between 1954-1989. The 1st modification (1954) preserves the levator ani and the intact anorectal ring. The 2nd modification (1964) preserves the dentate margin and anal transitional zone (acute anal sensation), thus greatly improving defecatory control. The 3rd modification (1980) simplified intraanal resective procedure. The 4th modification (1991) was to encircle and ligate the distal end of colon over a sterilized corrugated intraluminal splinting tube (The other end of which is already connected to a long latex tube prior to operation). The latex tube was pulled out thru anus, until the colonic ligature reaches the Dentate margin, to substitute for colonic pull-thru and to divert feces during & after operation, 4-8 fine stitches approximate the colon wall 1 cm proximal to the ligature, to the cut edge of anal mucosa. The colon wall distal to the ligature sloughed in 7-10 days, the proximal colon has partially healed to the raw areas of anal canal without infection. The 2nd stage colon stump resection is thus obviated and hospitalization shortened. The postoperative anal function was good in 86.66%. Modified Bacon's operation is indicated for very low rectal cancer when the rectal remnant above levator ani after adequate resection is less than 1 cm which is difficult for intraabdominal anastomosis. It extends the scope of sphincter-saving operation. It is a good substitute for Park's coloanal anastomosis.

Defecation↗

Reliability of the pediatric dysfunctional voiding symptom score in monitoring response to behavioral modification.

PURPOSE: We previously evaluated the performance of a newly devised dysfunctional voiding symptom score to quantify abnormal voiding behaviors in children. The symptom score ranges from 0 to 30 with higher scores indicating greater severity. In this study, we test the performance of the symptom score in monitoring effectiveness and compliance with a program of behavioral modification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred four patients (age 3-10 years) were clinically diagnosed as having dysfunctional voiding (DV). At initial visit, after their baseline DV symptom scores were tabulated, they were introduced to a program of behavioral modification that included both verbal and written instructions. After an average follow up of 5 months, all families were mailed questionnaires to: a) assess whether the child was compliant with bladder retraining, and b) request the completion of a second DV symptom-scoring sheet. The change in symptom score was correlated with treatment compliance. Statistical analysis of the data was done using non-parametric method (Mann-Whitney U test). RESULTS: Forty-eight out of 104 children (46%) completed the mailed questionnaires. Twenty-eight (Group A1) were compliant with the behavioral modification program, and the remaining 20 children (Group A2) were not compliant. Although the median score at initial evaluation was similar in both groups (15 versus 14.5 respectively), scores in last follow up were significantly lower in Group A1 than the initial scores (6 versus 14.5 respectively). The scores in last follow-up in Group A2 were not significantly different from their initial symptom scores (median 11 versus 14.5 respectively). CONCLUSION: The DV symptom score reliably and quantitatively reflects improvement in voiding symptoms in patients compliant with behavioral modification. Patients non-compliant with a bladder retraining program may be identified by lack of decrease in their DV symptom score. Key Words: voiding dysfunction, pediatric, behavioral modification, symptom score

Behavior Therapy↗

Realities of craniofacial growth modification.

Facial growth modification can be an effective method of resolving skeletal discrepancies. There still is much controversy regarding our understanding of the nature and extent of skeletal orthopedic change possible in individual patients and the most effective appliances and timing of such treatment. In the treatment of class II patients, growth modification can lead to an improvement, if not complete correction of the class II malocclusion. Although two-phase treatment with an early first prepubertal phase can be effective, a later single-phase approach during early puberty seems to be equally effective. Certainly, before surgical correction of the mild to moderate skeletal class II problem in a growing patient is considered, an orthopedic phase of treatment prior to the pubertal growth spurt is an appropriate first step. Skeletal class III patients with a maxillary deficiency stand to gain significant benefits from early orthopedic treatment. However, such therapy may produce more favorable changes for older children and adolescents than previously thought. Nevertheless, orthopedic correction of the mild to moderate skeletal class III should be accompanied by regular progress evaluations to avoid creating significant dental compensations in the face with little skeletal change that ultimately requires surgery anyway. Skeletal class III patients with mandibular excess and/or vertical excess are poor candidates for growth modification. Orthopedic palatal expansion appears to be effective and stable at any time prior to late puberty, a stage of development when ossification of the maxillary sutures is more advanced. Consequently, the timing for expansion may be better determined by the specific needs of each patient. A functional shift resulting from a crossbite is optimally corrected early, so that asymmetric growth of the mandible can be reduced or even prevented. Postpubertal orthopedic expansion is likely to result in bone bending, which will reverse itself over time, potentially leaving periodontal compromise of the maxillary posterior teeth. Therefore, surgically assisted expansion should be considered in such cases. Vertical maxillary excess is challenging to treat with growth modification. The combination of interocclusal acrylic bite blocks combined with a high-pull headgear presently appears to be the best means available. Unfortunately, this treatment has limited success, it must be continued over many years owing to the long-term nature of vertical growth, and it is counterproductive in achieving a balanced sagittal jaw relationship in class I or class III patients with vertical excess. Future research will permit us to have a greater understanding of the nature and extent of facial growth modification possible in individual patients and the optimal appliances and timing of treatment to achieve the best outcome. The development of intraoral osseointegrated attachments such as implants and onplants hold promise for a future means of dissipating orthopedic forces to prevent unwanted dentoalveolar changes that presently occur with our tooth-borne appliances. Analogous attachments presently are undergoing clinical testing for surgically assisted orthopedic movements associated with distraction osteogenesis.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of the Inhibitory Effects of Quercetin and Rutin on the Oxidative Modification of LDL induced By Fe(2+)Cu(2+).

Using the oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) as a model and the content of thiobabituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) s an index, the inhibitory effects of quercetin and rutin on oxidative modification of LDL induced by Fe(2+) and Cu(2+) were compared. The results showed that the rates of oxidative modification of LDL induced by Fe(2+) and Cu(2+) were similar in 0.15 mM NaCl (pH 7.4). The inhibitory action of quercetin on the oxidative modification of LDL induced by Cu(2+) was slightly more effective than in the case of induction by Fe(2+), and the action of rutin on the oxidation modification induced by Fe(2+) was significantly more effective than in the case of induction by Cu(2+).

Journal Article↗

[Inhibition effect of soybean isoflavones on the oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein].

In order to investigate the effect of soybean isoflavones(SI) on the oxidative modification to low-density lipoprotein(LDL) and to differentiate the effect of SI and alpha-tocopherol, in vitro and in vivo test were conducted. An in vitro model of LDL oxidative modification induced by copper-ion was established by monitoring the production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and conjugated dienes after SI or alpha-tocopherol was added. The in vivo test was conducted by feeding rats with a high fat diet supplemented with SI and measured the sensitivity of LDL oxidative modification mediated by Cu2+ in vitro. The results revealed that when SI was added into the in vitro LDL oxidation system, the content of TBARS or conjugated dienes in the system was much reduced with a dose-effect relationship, whether lipid oxidation being initiated or not by copper-ion at 37 degrees C. In comparison with SI, only a significant inhibiting effect on lipid oxidation while alpha-tocopherol was added before the initiation of oxidation. High fat diet induced a rising of LDL sensitivity of oxidative stress, and adding SI to the high fat diet could counteract the sensitivity of LDL oxidative modification significantly. It is concluded that SI is a valuable natural antioxidant different from alpha-tocopherol in inhibiting LDL oxidative modification both in vitro and inv vivo.

Animals↗

[The effect of chemical modification on the immunochemical activity of Rm-III neurotoxin from the anemone Radiantus macrodactylus].

A chemical modification was used for studying the organization of antigenic determinants of neurotoxin Rm-III from the sea anemone Radianthus macrodactylus. Immunochemical experiments were performed using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with polyclonal antibodies to Rm-III. The modification affected N-terminal amino group of Gly1, Lys4, Arg13, Trp30 residues, a residue in the Lys46-Lys47-Lys48 sequence, two different residues in the Asp6-Asp7-Glu8 sequence in two samples of the toxin, and two disulphide bonds. Only the modification of the disulphide bonds led to a considerable change in the toxin's affinity to antibodies. The modification of Trp30 resulted in two-fold decrease of the toxin concentration necessary for 50% inhibition of the test-system, whereas upon modification of any other amino acid residue this concentration increased but not more than by 2.2 times. It is suggested that Rm-III sequence lacks individual residues which are of great importance for the toxin's antigenic activity, its conformation being of vital importance for the formation of the toxin's antigenic determinants.

Animals↗

Effectiveness of temperature modification in decreasing the bias in milk fat test results between the Babcock and Ether extraction methods.

Both the Babcock (AOAC Method 989.04, revised Final Action 2000) and modified Mojonnier ether extraction (AOAC Method 989.05) methods are used in the dairy industry to determine the fat content of milk. Prior to revision in 1997, the Babcock method gave consistently higher fat test results than did the ether extraction. In 1997, a modification of the Babcock method was introduced to bring the results of the Babcock test into closer agreement with the ether extraction. The Babcock method was modified by lowering the temperatures used at various points in the method from about 57.5 to 48 degrees C to increase the density of the material in the Babcock column. A collaborative study of the modification indicated it was successful in bringing the Babcock and ether extraction results into agreement but suggested that performance of the modified method was not as good as that of the unmodified method. In the present study, substantial evidence is presented to validate the success of the Babcock modification in bringing test results into agreement with ether extraction, and to document that temperature modification does not adversely affect method performance. Data were evaluated from an on-going proficiency testing program where 8-15 laboratories tested 7 milk samples in blind duplicate once every 2 months. Laboratories used the unmodified method from 1995 through 1996 and the modified method from 1998 through 1999. Compared with ether extraction, test results from the unmodified Babcock test were consistently higher by an average of 0.022% fat. For the modified Babcock test, average test results were -0.003% fat lower than with ether extraction and not significantly different from zero. AOAC method performance statistics (within- and between-laboratory precision) were equivalent for both the unmodified (Sr = 0.027, SR = 0.041, RSDr = 0.73%, RSDR= 1.08%) and modified (Sr = 0.023, SR = 0.038, RSDr = 0.60%, RSDR = 1.02%) Babcock methods. Modification of the Babcock method was successful in bringing test results into agreement with those of ether extraction.

Animals↗

Loss of p53 has site-specific effects on histone H3 modification, including serine 10 phosphorylation important for maintenance of ploidy.

Histone modification enables the ordered regulation of DNA-related processes. Here, we ask if p53, which interacts with histone modifying complexes in vivo, influences histone H3 modification. For this purpose, we compared isogenic clones of human p53+/+ and p53-/- cells in which it is reasonable to attribute any observed differences in histone modification to p53-related effects. Cell growth and cell cycle analyses indicated equivalent proliferation rates for the p53+/+ and p53-/- cell clones. Modification of histone H3 was determined under normal cell growth conditions and also after UV irradiation and/or treatment with trichostatin A (TSA) or nicotinamide (two inhibitors of histone deacetylation). Site-specific histone H3 modifications were determined by immunoblotting. We provide evidence that p53 influences histone H3 acetylation at lysine 9 (K9) and K14, whereas acetylation of K18 appears to be p53 independent. The most striking p53-related effects are at K9, which is underacetylated in p53-/- cells under normal conditions of growth but which shows a dramatic increase in acetylation after combined treatment with UV plus TSA. Conversely, phosphorylation of serine 10 (S10P) is elevated in p53-/- cells and reduced after UV plus TSA treatment. Similar reciprocity between K9Ac and S10P was not evident in p53+/+ cells. Abnormal S10P in p53-/- cells was also observed under completely different experimental conditions where cells were treated with nocodazole to induce G(2)-M arrest and elevation of S10P (which is linked with G(2)-M of the cell cycle). On removal of nocodazole, the p53+/+ cells exhibited rapid reduction in S10P levels and cell cycle recovery. In contrast, the p53-/- cells retained elevated S10P levels and failed to show normal cell cycle recovery. Phosphorylation of S10 is known to be linked with the initiation of chromosome condensation in G(2) and is also important for proper chromosome segregation at mitosis. Our results indicate that loss of p53, directly or indirectly, perturbs the normal regulation of S10 phosphorylation. We suggest that this effect may contribute toward the development of abnormal chromosomes and aneuploidy in p53-deficient cancers.

Acetylation↗

Neither lipid modification nor processing of prolipoprotein is essential for the formation of murein-bound lipoprotein in Escherichia coli.

The relationship between the modification and processing of prolipoprotein and the formation of murein-bound lipoprotein has been investigated using Escherichia coli mutants altered in the signal sequence of prolipoprotein and an E. coli strain producing OmpF-Lpp hybrid protein. The glyceride-modified prolipoprotein in mutant lppT20 and in globomycin-treated wild-type strain were covalently attached to the peptidoglycan. Likewise, the unmodified prolipoproteins in mutants lppL20, lppV20, and lppG21 were attached to the peptidoglycan. The OmpF-Lpp hybrid protein that is processed but not modified with lipid due to the absence of the cysteine-containing modification site in the hybrid protein was also covalently linked to the peptidoglycan. These results indicate that neither lipid modification nor the processing of prolipoprotein is essential for the formation of murein-bound lipoprotein in E. coli. In contrast, introduction of a charged amino acid residue such as Asp or Arg at the 14th position of prolipoprotein affected not only the lipid modification and processing of the mutant prolipoprotein but also the formation of murein-bound lipoprotein. Replacement of the Gly14 with Glu or Lys partially affected the lipid modification and processing of prolipoprotein; the peptidoglycan of the lppE14 and lppK14 mutants contained a reduced amount of mature lipoprotein but no mutant prolipoprotein. In addition, lpp mutants A20I23I24 and A20I23K24 were found to be defective in both lipid modification/processing of prolipoprotein and the formation of murein-bound lipoprotein. The defective formation of murein-bound lipoprotein in the latter mutants may be related to an alteration in the secondary structure at the modification/processing site of the mutant prolipoproteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Time course of ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative modification of neural proteins in rat forebrain.

Time course of oxidative modification of forebrain neural proteins was investigated in the rat model of global and partial cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. Animals were subjected to 4-vessel occlusion for 15 min (global ischemia). After the end of ischemia and at different reperfusion times (2, 24 and 48 h), lipoperoxidation-dependent and direct oxidative modification neural protein markers were measured in the forebrain total membrane fraction (tissue homogenate). Ischemia itself causes significant changes only in levels of tryptophan and bityrosine fluorescence when compared to controls. All tested parameters of protein modification altered significantly and were maximal at later reperfusion stage. Content of carbonyl group in re-flow period steadily increased and culminated at 48 h of reperfusion. The highest increase in the fluorescence of bityrosines was detected after 24 h of reperfusion and was statistically significant to both sham operated and ischemic groups. The changes in fluorescence intensity of tryptophan decreased during a reperfusion time dependent manner. Formation of lysine conjugates with lipoperoxidation end-products significantly increased only at later stages of reperfusion. Total forebrain membranes from animals subjected to 3-vessel occlusion model to 15 min (partial ischemia) show no altered content of oxidatively modified proteins compared to controls. Restoration of blood flow for 24 h significantly decreased only fluorescence of aromatic tryptophan. Partial forebrain ischemia/reperfusion resulted in no detectable significant changes in oxidative products formation in extracerebral tissues (liver and kidney) homogenates. Our results suggest that global ischemia/reperfusion initiates both the lipoperoxidation-dependent and direct oxidative modifications of neural proteins. The findings support the view that spatial and temporal injury at later stages of ischemic insult at least partially involves oxidative stress-induced amino acid modification. The results might have important implications for the prospective post-ischemic antioxidant therapy.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Recent progress of structural biology of tRNA processing and modification.

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is a key molecule to decode the genetic information on mRNA to amino aicds (protein), in a ribosome. For tRNA to fulfill its adopter function, tRNA should be processed into the standard length, and be post-transcriptionally modified. This modification step is essential for the tRNA to maintain the canonical L-shaped structure, which is required for the decoding function of tRNA. Otherwise, it has recently been proposed that modification procedure itself contributes to the RNA (re)folding, where the modification enzymes function as a kind of RNA chaperones. Recent genome analyses and post-genome (proteomics and transcriptomics) analyses have identified genes involved in the tRNA processings and modifications. Furthermore, post-genomic structural analysis has elucidated the structural basis for the tRNA maturation mechanism. In this paper, the recent progress of the structural biology of the tRNA processing and modification is reviewed.

Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases↗