Engineering Selectively Targeting Antimicrobial Peptides

The rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacterial pathogens has necessitated the development of new therapeutics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a class of compounds with potentially attractive therapeutic properties, including the ability to target specific groups of bacteria. In nature, AMPs exhibit remarkable structural and functional diversity, which may be further enhanced through genetic engineering, high-throughput screening, and chemical modification strategies. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying AMP selectivity and highlight recent computational and experimental efforts to design selectively targeting AMPs. While there has been an extensive effort to find broadly active and highly potent AMPs, it remains challenging to design targeting peptides to discriminate between different bacteria on the basis of physicochemical properties. We also review approaches for measuring AMP activity, point out the challenges faced in assaying for selectivity, and discuss the potential for increasing AMP diversity through chemical modifications. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, Volume 23 is June 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

The development of German business in Russia in 2020-2021: top-managers’ opinion

The article presents the results of the survey of the heads of structural divisions of German companies operating in Russia – on the outcome of their activity in 2020 and expectations for 2021. Top-managers indicate the deterioration of business climate in 2020 and express the pessimism in relation to the situation in 2021. Most of them define their current business position in Russia as satisfactory. The majority of them do not plan to attract additional labor force and to implement new investment projects in 2021. Respondents highlight three most acute current problems of the Russian market (ruble’s exchange rate, anti-pandemic measures, low economic activity), point to the deterioration of German-Russian relations in 2020. They consider Nord Stream 2 as an important contribution to ensuring energy supply to Europe and at the same time expect a decrease in the importance of Russia as an energy partner of the EU by 2050, assess the measures of the Russian government to support the economy during the coronacrisis period as insufficient and indicate the most promising business sectors and regions of the country.

Guest Perceptions of Physical Activity Point-of-Decision Prompts at a Conservatory with Botanical Gardens

Point-of-decision prompts are cost-effective strategies to promote physical activity in public spaces. This study explored how adult and child guests of a conservatory with botanical gardens perceived point-of-decision prompts that aimed to promote physical activity. Seven point-of-decision prompts were developed and displayed throughout the conservatory. Adult guests (n = 140) were invited to complete a voluntary and anonymous survey to assess awareness of point-of-decision prompts, adult–child interactions, and physical activity engagement. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS version 23. Sixty-one percent of guests (n = 86) who responded to the survey noticed the point-of-decision prompts. Over 65% (n = 56) of those guests completed at least one of the physical activities, and 53% (n = 46) completed one to three. Of guests attending with (a) child(ren) (n = 17) who completed the survey, over half (n = 9) engaged in at least one physical activity together. In sum, the point-of-decision prompts were noticed by some guests in this public space. More research is needed to determine whether point-of-decision prompts are able to lead to sustainable behavior change.

Project the day focused on physical activity and diet

<p>Healthy physical activity and well-balanced diet are means of maintaining and promoting health. The presented Project Day involving pupils of the 1^st level of elementary school in Senice na Hané focuses on well-balanced diet and health enhancing physical activity in terms of the current educational reality. These two phenomena are inseparable. One is associated with the other, they complement each other. They are the two crucial aspects of a healthy lifestyle of each individual. Without a balanced and appropriate diet, physical activity of pupils is useless. The main objective of the Project Day called “A sound mind in a sound body” was to, in a playful way, familiarize the pupils with basic information concerning diet and health benefits of physical activity. The aim of the initial part was to motivate the pupils for activity at various activity points. This part included a brief introduction with information about division into groups, duration at various activity points (length of activity at a specific activity point and length of transfers between activity points). The pupils were shown a short sketch, which symbolised a “clash” between the importance of diet and physical activity for humans. In their groups, the pupils were supposed to answer the principal motivation question: What is healthier for a human? Healthy food or sport? The following main part of the Project Day held on 2 December 2014 was attended by 69 pupils and was organized as group work at various thematic activity points. Each group visited all activity points. Activity point 1 was called “Agile duck-bill”, where the pupils tried out and learned about various preconditions for certain types of physical activity. The key competences involved communication, personal, social, and learning. The second activity point was called “Forest supermarket” and focused on the issue of a sedentary lifestyle. The key competences involved communication, personal, social, learning, problem solving, professional, and civic. The following activity point called “Juicy blueberry” focused on determining the importance of fruit and vegetables in terms of a balanced diet. The key competences involved communication, personal, social, learning, professional, and civic. The fourth activity point was called “Oversalted chip”, where the pupils were supposed to understand the negative health consequences of consuming fast food. The key competences involved personal, social, learning, and professional. The last activity point called “Great pyramid” invited the pupils to place various types of food into a pyramid. The key competences involved learning, problem solving, communication, professional, social and personal, professional, civic.</p><p>During a break the pupils completed worksheets, and in groups though about the principal motivation question. The project was completed by a final assembly of all participants, and by joint reflection in classes.</p><p>The present paper is not a traditional field-based research study. This is a project day, which followed a previous questionnaire survey on pupils’ healthy lifestyle and anthropometric measurement of pupils under the following project: The epidemic of obesity – a common problem: knowledge transfer, education, prevention under Reg. No. PL.3.22/2.3.00/11.02576.</p>

Preparation and enhanced electrocatalytic activity of graphene supported palladium nanoparticles with multi-edges and corners

Pd nanoparticles with multi-edges and corners are prepared and assembled on reduced graphene oxide to examine the electrocatalytic activity. Point discharge is regarded to be capable of facilitating the electron transfer.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe pfh1+Encodes an Essential 5′ to 3′ DNA Helicase That Is a Member of thePIF1 Subfamily of DNA Helicases

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pif1p DNA helicase is the prototype member of a helicase subfamily conserved from yeast to humans. S. cerevisiae has two PIF1-like genes, PIF1 itself and RRM3, that have roles in maintenance of telomeric, ribosomal, and mitochondrial DNA. Here we describe the isolation and characterization ofpfh1 + , aSchizosaccharomyces pombe gene that encodes a Pif1-like protein. Pfh1p was the only S. pombe protein with high identity to Saccharomyces Pif1p. Unlike the twoS. cerevisiae Pif1 subfamily proteins, the S. pombe Pfh1p was essential. Like SaccharomycesPif1p, a truncated form of the S. pombe protein had 5′ to 3′ DNA helicase activity. Point mutations in an invariant lysine residue in the ATP binding pocket of Pfh1p had the same phenotype as deleting pfh1 + , demonstrating that the ATPase/helicase activity of Pfh1p was essential. Although mutant spores depleted for Pfh1p proceeded through S phase, they arrested with a terminal cellular phenotype consistent with a postinitiation defect in DNA replication. Telomeric DNA was modestly shortened in the absence of Pfh1p. However, genetic analysis demonstrated that maintenance of telomeric DNA was not the sole essential function of S. pombe Pfh1p.