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- Zitouni, J., et al.
(författare)
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Children with psoriasis and COVID-19 : factors associated with an unfavourable COVID-19 course, and the impact of infection on disease progression (Chi-PsoCov registry)
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0926-9959 .- 1468-3083. ; 36:11, s. 2076-2086
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions regarding the management of chronic skin diseases, especially in patients on systemic treatments. Data concerning the use of biologics in adults with psoriasis are reassuring, but data specific to children are missing. Moreover, COVID-19 could impact the course of psoriasis in children. Objectives The aim of this study was therefore to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the psoriasis of children, and the severity of the infection in relation to systemic treatments. Methods We set up an international registry of paediatric psoriasis patients. Children were included if they were under 18 years of age, had a history of psoriasis, or developed it within 1 month of COVID-19 and had COVID-19 with or without symptoms. Results One hundred and twenty episodes of COVID-19 in 117 children (mean age: 12.4 years) were reported. The main clinical form of psoriasis was plaque type (69.4%). Most children were without systemic treatment (54.2%); 33 (28.3%) were on biologic therapies, and 24 (20%) on non-biologic systemic drugs. COVID-19 was confirmed in 106 children (88.3%) and 3 children had two COVID-19 infections each. COVID-19 was symptomatic for 75 children (62.5%) with a mean duration of 6.5 days, significantly longer for children on non-biologic systemic treatments (P = 0.02) and without systemic treatment (P = 0.006) when compared with children on biologics. The six children who required hospitalization were more frequently under non-biologic systemic treatment when compared with the other children (P = 0.01), and particularly under methotrexate (P = 0.03). After COVID-19, the psoriasis worsened in 17 cases (15.2%). Nine children (8%) developed a psoriasis in the month following COVID-19, mainly a guttate form (P = 0.01). Discussion Biologics appear to be safe with no increased risk of severe form of COVID-19 in children with psoriasis. COVID-19 was responsible for the development of psoriasis or the worsening of a known psoriasis for some children.
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| 2. |
- Almqvist, Nils, et al.
(författare)
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Micromechanical and structural properties of a pennate diatom investigated by atomic force microscopy
- 2001
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Ingår i: Journal of Microscopy. - : Wiley. - 0022-2720 .- 1365-2818. ; 202:3, s. 518-532
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mechanisms behind natural nanofabrication of highly structured silicas are increasingly being investigated. We have explored the use of a standard Nanoscope III Multimode atomic force microscope (AFM) to study the silica shell of diatoms. The delicate structures of the shell surface of the diatom Navicula pelliculosa (Breb.) Hilse were imaged and the shell's micromechanical properties were measured semi-quantitatively with a resolution down to approximately 10 nm. The technique to measure elasticity and hardness with the AFM was demonstrated to be useable even on these hard glass-like surfaces, Different experimental configurations and evaluation methods were tested, They gave a consistent result of the shell micromechanical properties, The first results showed that the diatom shell's overall hardness and elasticity was similar to that of known silicas. However, regions with different mechanical proper ties were distinguished. The elastic modulus varied from 7 to 20 GPa, from 20 to 100 GPa and from 30 to hundreds of GPa depending on the location. In general, the hardness measurements showed similar spatial differences, The hardness values ranged from 1 to 12 GPa but one specific part of the shell was even harder. Hence, certain localized regions of the shell were significantly harder or more elastic. These regions coincide with known characteristic features and mechanisms appearing at the different stages of the shell's growth. These results show that this method serves as a complementary tool in the study of silica biomineralization, and can detect eventual crystalline phases.
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| 4. |
- Di Trani, Justin M., et al.
(författare)
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Structure of the bc1–cbb3 respiratory supercomplex from Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- 2023
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 120:40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Energy conversion by electron transport chains occurs through the sequential transfer of electrons between protein complexes and intermediate electron carriers, creating the proton motive force that enables ATP synthesis and membrane transport. These protein complexes can also form higher order assemblies known as respiratory supercomplexes (SCs). The electron transport chain of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is closely linked with its ability to invade host tissue, tolerate harsh conditions, and resist antibiotics but is poorly characterized. Here, we determine the structure of a P. aeruginosa SC that forms between the quinol:cytochrome c oxidoreductase (cytochrome bc1) and one of the organism’s terminal oxidases, cytochrome cbb3, which is found only in some bacteria. Remarkably, the SC structure also includes two intermediate electron carriers: a diheme cytochrome c4 and a single heme cytochrome c5. Together, these proteins allow electron transfer from ubiquinol in cytochrome bc1 to oxygen in cytochrome cbb3. We also present evidence that different isoforms of cytochrome cbb3 can participate in formation of this SC without changing the overall SC architecture. Incorporating these different subunit isoforms into the SC would allow the bacterium to adapt to different environmental conditions. Bioinformatic analysis focusing on structural motifs in the SC suggests that cytochrome bc1–cbb3 SCs also exist in other bacterial pathogens.
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| 5. |
- Johansson, Ann-Louise, et al.
(författare)
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Proton Uptake and pK(a) Changes in the Uncoupled Asn139Cys Variant of Cytochrome c Oxidase
- 2013
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Ingår i: Biochemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0006-2960 .- 1520-4995. ; 52:5, s. 827-836
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Cytochrome c oxidase (CytcO) is a membrane-bound enzyme that links electron transfer from cytochrome c to O-2 to proton pumping across the membrane. Protons are transferred through specific pathways that connect the protein surface with the catalytic site as well as the proton input with the proton output sides. Results from earlier studies have shown that one site within the so-called D proton pathway, Asn139, located similar to 10 angstrom from the protein surface, is particularly sensitive to mutations that uncouple the O-2 reduction reaction from the proton pumping activity. For example, none of the Asn139Asp (charged) or Asn139Thr (neutral) mutant CytcOs pump protons, although the proton-uptake rates are unaffected. Here, we have investigated the Asn139Cys and Asn139Cys/Asp132Asn mutant CytcOs. In contrast to other structural variants investigated to date, the Cys side chain may be either neutral or negatively charged in the experimentally accessible pH range. The data show that the Asn139Cys and Asn139Asp mutations result in the same changes of the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters associated with the proton transfer. The similarity is not due to introduction of charge at position 139, but rather introduction of a protonatable group that modulates the proton connectivity around this position. These results illuminate the mechanism by which CytcO couples electron transfer to proton pumping.
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| 8. |
- Rodriguez, A, et al.
(författare)
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Fitness, Food, and Biomarkers: Characterizing Body Composition in 19,634 Early Adolescents
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nutrients. - : MDPI AG. - 2072-6643. ; 14:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adolescent obesity persists as a major concern, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, yet evidence gaps exist regarding the pivotal early adolescent years. Our objective was to provide a comprehensive picture using a holistic approach of measured anthropometry in early adolescence, including body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and reported lifestyle characteristics. We aimed to elucidate potential sex/gender differences throughout and associations to biomarkers of disease risk for obese adolescents. Methods: Trained nurses measured 19,634 early adolescents (12–14-year-olds), we collected parental reports, and, for obese adolescents, fasting blood samples in four major Polish cities using a cross-sectional developmental design. Results: 24.7% boys and 18.6% girls were overweight/obese, and 2886 had BMI ≥ 90th percentile. With increasing age, there was greater risk of obesity among boys (p for trend = 0.001) and a decreasing risk of thinness for girls (p for trend = 0.01). Contrary to debate, we found BMI (continuous) was a useful indicator of measured fat mass (FM). There were 38.6% with CRF in the range of poor/very poor and was accounted for primarily by FM in boys, rather than BMI, and systolic blood pressure in girls. Boys, in comparison to girls, engaged more in sports (t = 127.26, p < 0.0001) and consumed more fast food (t = 188.57, p < 0.0001) and sugar-sweetened beverages (167.46, p < 0.0001). Uric acid, a potential marker for prediabetes, was strongly related to BMI in the obese subsample for both boys and girls. Obese girls showed signs of undernutrition. Conclusion: these findings show that overweight/obesity is by far a larger public health problem than thinness in early adolescence and is characterized differentially by sex/gender. Moreover, poor CRF in this age, which may contribute to life course obesity and disease, highlights the need for integrated and personalized intervention strategies taking sex/gender into account.
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