The propensity of Staphylococcus aureus to cause acute endovascular infections during transient bacteremia is poorly understood. To examine the events leading to the attachment ofstaphylococci to endothelium, adherence assays were developed to study the role of blood factors in the mediation of staphylococcal adherence to cultured human umbilical vein endothelium in vitro. Results indicate that the preferential attachment of S. aureus to endothelial cells is mediated by fibrinogen adsorbed from plasma onto the endothelial surface. The binding is apparently specific because it could be blocked by goat anti-human fibrinogen antibody in a dose-dependent fashion while nonimmune goat IgG, mouse MAb against AG-i (a platelet antigen found on the endothelial cell surface), nonspecific mouse MAb and rabbit antibodies to human vitronectin and fibronectin were not inhibitory. Our data also indicate that fibrinogen is a necessary but not the only blood constituent in the mediation of binding of S. aureus to endothelium. This was supported by the finding that fibrinogen alone, at a concentration equivalent to that in plasma, did not potentiate staphylococcal adherence as much as plasma while afibrinogenemic plasma reconstituted with fibrinogen did. Because fibrinogen is known to bind to endothelial cells, our data is consistent with the hypothesis that fibrinogen and additional plasma factor(s), possibly activated during inflammation, promote staphylococcal adherence to endothelium. In addition, the role of the fibrinogen binding receptor of S. aureus as an adherence factor to native endothelium is also suggested. (J. Clin. Invest. 1991. 87:2236-2245

Plants respond to high temperature stress by the synthesis of an assortment of heat shock proteins that have been correlated with an acquired thermal tolerance to otherwise lethal temperatures. This study was conducted to determine whether genotypic differences in acquired thermal tolerance were associated with changes in the pattern of heat shock protein synthesis. The pattern of heat shock protein synthesis was analyzed by wSmethionine incorporation in wheat (Trlfcum aestivum L.) varieties exhibiting distinct levels of acquired thermal tolerance. Significant quantitative differences between the cultivars Mustang and Sturdy were observed in the HSP exhibiting apparent molecular weights of 16, 17, 22, 26, 33, and 42 Kilodaltons. Genotypic differences in the synthesis of the small subunit of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase were observed at 340C. Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis revealed unique proteins (16, 17, and 26 kilodaltons) in the thermal tolerant variety Mustang that were absent in the more thermal sensitive variety Sturdy. These results provide a correlation between the synthesis of specific low molecular weight heat shock proteins and the degree of thermal tolerance expressed following exposure to elevated temperatures.

Obesity is a metabolic disorder that manifests into various forms. Recent studies have indicated that the pomegranate (Punica granatum) seed oil (PSO) has many biologically active components that help in controlling diet‐induced obesity and insulin resistance. However, its impact on the adipogenic differentiation of human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (HADMSC) remains unclear. Here we have attempted to study the anti‐obesity potential of SHAMstat3pg, a fatty acid composite extracted from PSO. It is composed of three dietary fatty acids: punicic acid [(9Z,11E,13Z)‐9,11,13‐Octadecatrienoic acid], oleic acid [Cis‐9‐Octadecenoic acid], and linoleic acid [(9Z,12Z)‐octadeca‐9,12‐dienoic acid]. In this study, we discuss the impact of the fatty acids on adipogenesis, inflammation, glucose uptake, and mitochondrial ATP production. The impact of SHAMstat3pg on the expression of various obesity‐associated protein and mRNA transcripts in HADMSC was also analyzed. The results indicate that exposure to 10 µg/ml of SHAMstat3pg (24 hr) inhibited adipogenesis of HADMSC, ameliorated inflammation, attenuated ATP production, and glucose uptake. Also, the extract favorably regulated the mRNA expression of the studied obesity‐associated gene transcripts. Practical applications SHAMstat3pg has the potential to serve as a multi‐targeted therapy for the management of obesity. This study demonstrated that the dietary fatty acids inhibited the differentiation of preadipocytes to adipocytes. SHAMstat3pg has also shown to have a favorable impact on the expression of the obesity‐linked proteins and genes in HADMSC that are associated with adipogenesis, inflammation, satiety, energy intake/expenditure (central and peripheral signaling molecules). The study gives an overview of the vast number of genes impacted by the treatment with SHAMstat3pg paving the way for future studies to demonstrate the exact mode of action of how dietary fatty acids can help manage obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.

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In recent years food safety has been a global concern. Foodborne pathogens play a key role in food contamination and affect human health. Bacillus cereus, a foodborne pathogen, causes gastroenteritislike symptoms, resulting in vomiting and diarrhea. Bacillus cereus produces four different types of diarrheal toxins. In this paper we describe a quantitative and sensitive Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method for the detection of one of the diarrheal toxinshaemolytic enterotoxin (HBL)using avian antibodies (IgY). The antibody reaction was optimized for different concentrations of antigen and antibody dilutions. Antigen concentration of 20 ng protein and antibody concentration of 200 ng protein were observed to be optimum for the reaction. Cross reactivity with other foodborne pathogens was less than 5% in competitive ELISA. The detection range and the detection limit were 1 mg to 1 pg, and 250 pg, respectively. The inhibition concentration (IC 50 ) value of this avian antibody was 473.4 ng.Spiked recovery studies in different food samples showed that the avian antibodies could recognize B. cereus haemolytic enterotoxin (HBL) in food samples with negligible matrix interference.