Bar = 40 μm; Bar = 100 μm (SA+EA) presence of brownish yeast-lik

Bar = 40 μm; Bar = 100 μm. (SA+EA) presence of brownish yeast-like cells pericycle regions of the roots. Bar = 100 μm. The root samples were stain with MI-503 tryptophan blue (0.8%). In the micrographs, CC = cortex cells; EC = endophyte cell. Antioxidant’s modulation during stress with P. resedanum

and SA The results of antioxidant activities reveal stress modulation in pepper plants in the presence of endophyte as well as SA+endophyte under drought stress. The oxidative stress was promulgated by the imbalance in cellular water potential in control. In non-inoculated control, the total polyphenols were significantly lower than that of EA, SA and SA+EA treated plants. Though, the EA and SA plants had almost similar level of total polyphenol however in SA+EA plants, it was significantly Staurosporine ic50 higher. With immediate advent

of stress conditions for two days, the total polyphenol level dropped down in non-inoculated plants as compared to other treatments like SA, EA and SA+EA treated plants. After 2 days of stress, endophyte-infested and SA treated plants have significantly higher total polyphenol levels as compared to sole EA and SA treated plants (Figure 5). Similarly, the increased osmotic stress in pepper further deteriorated the total polyphenol levels in control plants under 4 and 8 days of drought stress as compared to EA, SA and SA+EA plants. During high osmotic stress, the endophyte-associated plants maintained the total polyphenol level. We observed no significant Urocanase different between EA, SA and SA+EA treated plants after exposure to 8 days of stress period. Figure 5 Influence of drought stress on the antioxidants activities of the pepper plants inoculated with or without endophyte. MDA refers to extent of lipid peroxidation; O2 – refers to superoxide anion. EA = infected with P. resedanum; SA = treated with SA; SA+EA = endophytic fungal associated plants treated with SA. NST, 2-DT, 4-DT and 8-DT represent non-stressed, 2, 4 and 8 days drought stressed plants

respectively. The different letter(s) in each stress period showed significant difference (P<0.05) as evaluated by DMRT. Reduced glutathione (GSH) contents were significantly lower in control plants as compared to EA and SA+EA. The highest level of GSH formation was observed in SA+EA plants than other treatments. Upon osmotic stress, the GSH level reduced sharply in control plants as compared to other treatments (Figure 5). At 4th and 8th day of stress, the control and SA treated plant’s GSH level was lower than that of the EA and SA+EA plants. On 8th day of stress, EA, SA and SA+EA plants were not significantly different in GSH level as compared to control plants. Thus, endophyte-association seems to have counteracted the stress in the presence of SA application. The extent of lipid peroxidation (MDA content) was significantly regulated during the presence of endophytic-fungal association and SA application. The EA and SA+EA plant had lower level of MDA formation as compared control plants.

The longer

The longer Epigenetics inhibitor deposition time may also cause an excessive blurring effect of line patterns, increasing the number

of CNTs grown outside the pattern and making the pattern fidelity worse. It is concluded from this experiment that there would be an optimized deposition time for clear pattern boundaries and high density of CNTs in the proposed method, and the excessive deposition of catalytic particles resulted in blurred boundary of CNT pattern and reduced density of the CNTs grown. The gap distance between the substrate and the shadow mask also influenced the density of the deposited catalyst. The nanoparticles spread out when they pass through the patterns of the shadow mask, and the larger the gap is, the more spreading is observed, resulting in a reduction in the density of the particles on the deposited region. To utilize this blurring effect to adjust the density of the grown CNTs, we tilted the shadow mask such that the gap distance between the shadow mask and the substrate changed linearly, as shown in Figure 4a. For this experiment, we used a shadow mask tilted at an angle of 4.76° with respect to the substrate surface, and the gap distance varied linearly from

0 to 4 mm. Figure 4b shows the schematic of the shadow mask pattern used for the CNT line pattern of SEM images shown in Figure 4c. click here The stainless steel mask is the same as the one used in other experiments and has a length and width of 48 mm × 22 mm and 100 μm of thickness. The width of the laser-cut line pattern is 100 μm. Figure 4d,e,f shows the different site densities of CNTs at the positions illustrated in Figure 4c, where the heights of the shadow mask from the substrate were 1.58, 2.08, and 2.16 mm, respectively. As expected, when the distance between the shadow mask and the substrate was increased, the density of CNTs progressively decreased and the line became wider because of the blurring. The CNT line pattern looks broken when viewing the location of (f) in Figure 4c. The reason for the unclear

pattern on the left side of (f) is a reduction of the density of CNTs due to an increase of the blurring effect caused by the receded gap distance between the substrate and the shadow mask. Using this approach, we could gradually vary the density of catalytic nanoparticles and thus gradually change the density next of CNTs on a single substrate with a single run of the synthetic process. Figure 4 Density-controlled growth of CNTs using the tilted mask. (a) Schematic image showing control of the density of deposited nanoparticles using the tilted mask. The angle between the mask and the substrate is 4.76°. The (d) to (f) in (a) represent the distances and blurring of the deposited particles at the corresponding positions, (d) to (f) in (c). The distances between the mask and the substrate at points (d) to (f) are 1.58, 2.08, and 2.16 mm, respectively. (b) Schematic of the shadow mask with line pattern.

The diameter of the nanowires is relatively uniform along

The diameter of the nanowires is relatively uniform along

their entire length and equal to the diameter of alumina nanopores (approximately 40 nm). Figure 4e,f represents the tilted images of Co-Ni binary nanowires partially separated from the AAO template. It further verifies the suppression of cape formation over the top surface of Co-Ni binary nanowires. CCI-779 These results show that the most of the nanochannels of alumina are successfully filled with Co-Ni binary nanowires and have continuous morphology without any intermittence contrary to the chain-like CoNi alloy wires [29, 32, 33]. The formation of Co-Ni alloy nanowires has been confirmed using EDX. EDX analysis of Co-Ni binary nanowires [Co(II)/Ni(II) = 80:20] embedded in the AAO template is given in Figure 5. The characteristic peaks in the spectrum are associated with Co, Ni, Al, O, and S. Co and Ni peaks arise from the co-deposited Co-Ni binary nanowires, while O and Al peaks are appearing from the matrix of alumina template, and S peak is due to the use of sulfuric acid as electrolyte for anodization. The quantitative analysis obtained

from EDX analysis is almost close to the concentration ratio of the metallic species in the reaction solution. Figure 6 shows the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of Co-Ni binary nanowires embedded in the AAO template for [Co(II)/Ni(II) = 80:20] system. Both hexagonal

close-packed (hcp) and face-centered cubic (fcc) peaks observed in the XRD pattern MI-503 solubility dmso (JCPDS 05–0727 and 04–0850). Generally, cobalt is stabilized in the hcp structure at room temperature. Kawamori et al. [32] found both Progesterone hcp and fcc phases in the Co-Ni alloy nanoparticles and nanowires prepared using electroless disposition under magnetic field. They further reported that both hcp and fcc phases are the equilibrium phase at Co/Ni = 70:30 (atom%) which is close to our system composition. This result has been further verified from the binary phase diagram of Co-Ni. A mixed structure of hcp and fcc phases has been observed in the binary phase diagram of Co-Ni at Co71Ni29 alloy composition. Interestingly, peaks corresponding to pure Co and Ni have not been observed in the XRD pattern which shows that Co and Ni formed an alloy instead of existing in separate grains. The background noise observed in the XRD pattern originates from the amorphous nature of AAO [34]. Figure 7 shows the typical hysteresis loop of Co-Ni binary nanowires [Co(II)/Ni(II) = 80:20] embedded in the AAO template measured at room temperature at magnetic field of ±10 kOe applied both parallel and perpendicular to the nanowire axis. It can be seen from the figure that the square shape of the loop and widening is more in case when the field was applied parallel to the wire axis compared to the perpendicular direction.

The weak vibration

The weak vibration RXDX-106 cell line resonance centered at 2,090 cm−1 can be assigned to the coupled H-Si-Si-H stretching

or monohydride Si-H bonds. This result shows that the Si-H bonds were only partially replaced by Si-C because of the rigid and steric effect of the N-vinylcarbazole molecule. Compared to the IR spectrum of N-vinylcarbazole, similar vibrational peaks can be found in the spectrum of N-ec-Si QDs. The CH2 symmetric and asymmetric stretching vibrations in the range 2,920 to 2,850 cm−1, the CH2 bending vibration at approximately 1,450 cm−1, and the aromatic group vibration bands at approximately 750 cm−1 can be assigned to the surface-modified N-ethylcarbazole (-NC14H12) ligands. This indicates the successful modification of N-vinylcarbazole onto the Si QDs. It should be noticed that the Si-O-Si vibration band at 1,000 to 1,200 cm−1 is recorded, suggesting possible oxidation of the Si QD surface. This may due to the steric effect of carbazole, that is, the Si QD surface cannot be fully protected by the ligand, in which some Si-H remained and encountered oxidation when exposed to air. Figure 2 Characterization of

Si QDs and N-ec-Si QDs. (a) XRD pattern of the hydrogen-terminated Si QDs. (b) TEM image and HRTEM image (inset) of the N-ec-Si QDs (scale bar 20 nm, inset 2 nm). (c) Size distribution of the N-ec-Si QDs. (d) FTIR spectra of the N-ec-Si QDs and pure N-vinylcarbazole. Figure 3a shows the absorption spectra of N-vinylcarbazole and N-ec-Si QDs. The absorption band at 320 to 360 nm of the N-ec-Si QDs is assigned selleck inhibitor to the carbazole ligand. It suggests that ligands can be employed to enhance the absorption of pure Si QDs, therefore providing a potential strategy to increase the light-harvesting efficiency of QDs Racecadotril in solar cells [52, 53]. Upon excitation at 302 nm, the N-ec-Si QDs and N-vinylcarbazole show intense emission bands at approximately 358 nm and

approximately 366 nm, respectively (Figure 3b). In comparison with N-vinylcarbazole, the emission in the 9-ea-Si QDs exhibits a blueshift of 8 nm and a shoulder peak at approximately 372. When carbazole was linked to the surface of Si QDs by Si-C bond by the hydrosilylation reaction, the vinyl group in N-vinylcarbazole was transformed into an ethyl group. Therefore, the conjugate system of the molecule reduced from N-vinylcarbazole to carbazole, inducing a bigger electronic bandgap. In addition, the ligand to QD bonding would enhance the structural rigidity of the ligand. These reasons may contribute to the blueshift of the PL spectrum. Commonly, the extension of molecular conjugated orbitals of a ligand to the attached materials would lead to a redshift. In N-ec-Si QDs, the ethyl group formed through the hydrosilylation reaction separates the conjugated part, the carbazole group, from the silicon nanocrystal, which prevents or weakens the interaction of the carbazole group with the electronic wave functions of the Si QDs.

49 Begg Y, Whyte J, Haddock B: The identification of mutants of

49. Begg Y, Whyte J, Haddock B: The identification of mutants of Escherichia coli deficient in formate dehydrogenase and nitrate reductase activities using dye indicator plates. FEMS Microbiol Lett 1977, 2:47–50.CrossRef 50. Baba T, Ara T, Hasegawa M, Takai Y, Okumura Y, Baba M, Datsenko K, Tomita M, Wanner B, Mori H: Construction of Escherichia coli

K-12 in-frame, single-gene knockout mutants: the Keio collection. Mol Syst Biol 2006, 2:0008.PubMedCrossRef 51. Cherepanov P, Wackernagel W: Gene disruption in Escherichia coli: TcR and KmR cassettes with the option of Flp-catalyzed excision of the https://www.selleckchem.com/products/chir-99021-ct99021-hcl.html antibiotic-resistance determinant. Gene 1995, 158:9–14.PubMedCrossRef 52. Enoch HG, Lester RL: The purification and properties of formate dehydrogenase and nitrate reductase from Escherichia coli. J Biol Chem 1975, 250:6693–6705.PubMed 53. Towbin H, Staehelin T, Gordon J: Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose sheets: procedure and some applications. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1979, 76:4350–4354.PubMedCrossRef 54. Bradford MM: A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 1976, 72:248–254.PubMedCrossRef Competing interests The authors declare that

they have no competing interests. Authors’ contributions CP carried AZD8055 cell line out the experimental studies and drafted the manuscript. MJ conducted the redox potential measurements and the gel staining experiments, RGS and FS conceived and coordinated the study and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.”
“Background Vector-borne helminthic diseases, such as onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, are major human diseases in endemic areas. Novel treatment approaches have been recently

focusing on the interaction between the causative helminth agent and its bacterial symbiont. Consequently, antibiotics, such as doxycycline, are used instead of, or with, anti-helminthic drugs for treatment [1, 2]. However, because of difficulties in application, various bacterial targets are constantly studied [3]. This approach has also been adopted in veterinary helminthic diseases, such as bovine onchocerciasis and canine heartworm disease [4–6]. Spirocercosis is a vector-borne helminthic disease, mostly Cytidine deaminase affecting carnivores, especially canids [7, 8]. It is caused by the esophageal nematode Spirocerca lupi (Spirurida: Thelaziidae) that has a wide distribution, but is mostly prevalent in warm, humid areas. The exact annual number of dogs affected annually worldwide has never been assessed. However, the disease has a wide distribution in the Mediterranean basin, Africa, Central and South America [9]. The definitive canid host of S. lupi is infected by ingesting an obligate intermediate coprophagous beetle vector, or a variety of paratenic hosts including birds, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals [10] that are infected by S.

The most recent study of reference genes in colon cancer was repo

The most recent study of reference genes in colon cancer was reported by Kheirelseid et al., 2010, where 64 colorectal tumours and tumour associated normal specimens were examined using qRT-PCR followed by three different statistical algorithms, geNorm, NormFinder and qBaseplus [30]. Kheirelseid et al., 2010, found that the combination of two reference genes, B2M and PPIA, more accurately normalized qRT-PCR data in colorectal cancer. This is in concordance with our findings, where PPIA was one of the two genes identified as the most stable pair. In contrast, B2M was identified as one of the most variable genes in the tissue examined. This disparity may be explained by the difference

in patient material since selleck compound Kheirelseid et al., 2010, included all stages of colon cancer and even included rectum tumour samples. Furthermore the percentage of tumour cells in the samples was not addressed. In the study of Kheirelseid et al., 2010, all three algorithms confirmed the selection of the B2M and PPIA pairing as the best combination of reference genes. In the present study however, the geNorm algorithm differs from the results

obtained by NormFinder. According to geNorm HPRT1 and PPIA were the most suitable genes for normalization, but NormFinder suggested IPO8 and PPIA. This discrepancy confirms previous results reported by Caradec et al., 2010, concluding that the evaluation of suitable reference genes dramatically differs according to the statistical method used [12]. Caradec et al., 2010, investigated reference GDC-0973 datasheet genes in four cell lines treated with four different oxygen concentrations, and observed large variations in gene expression results depending of statistical method used.

Thus Caradec et al., 2010, recommended Ct coefficients of variation (CtCV%) calculation for each reference gene for validation of the statistical methods. It is defined as the ratio of the standard deviation Phospholipase D1 to the mean. Genes with low CtCV% value indicate more stable expression of those genes. In the present study, IPO8 was the most stable gene on the basis of CtCV% (5.12%), followed by GUSB (5.55%) and HPRT1 (6.04%) as the second and third most stable gene. Using NormFinder IPO8 was one of the genes which were identified as the most stable pair of genes, which may indicate that the CtCV% verifies the NormFinder results. Nevertheless, PPIA, which was suggested by both geNorm and NormFinder as one of the stable pair of genes, was ranked as the tenth most stable gene with a CtCV% of 7.34%. This may be explained by the low Ct mean of this particular gene (18.0), resulting in a relatively high CtCV% despite a low standard deviation. Another aspect which strengthens the results achieved by NormFinder compared with geNorm is the argument that geNorm lacks robustness compared with NormFinder [32].

The difference in gene order suggests that rearrangement of these

The difference in gene order suggests that rearrangement of these genes had occurred during evolution. Orf25 to orf31, except orf29 that encoded

a possible membrane protein, encoded tail proteins, whereas https://www.selleckchem.com/products/pci-32765.html orf32 encoded a late gene control protein. These genes corresponded to the P2 operon F I F II EE’TUD (Figure 3, Additional file 1: Table S1; [31]). In P2, E’ overlaps the start of gene T, lacks a potential ribosome binding site, and extends 37 nt back into E in the -1 reading frame. A run of 6 T residues (T6G slippery sequence) was located 20 nt upstream of the possible GUG start of E’ and an extension of gene E following a -1 translational frameshift has been designated as E + E’[31]. The arrangement of E and E’ genes within the tail gene cluster and their coupling through

a translational frameshift is conserved among P2-related phages as well as in several other phages such as lambda although they share no similarity in amino acid sequence [31–33]. Near the 3′-end of orf27, there is a T7G similar selleck compound to the conserved T6G slippery sequence [31], nt 288–295 relative to the orf27 start codon. Thus, by analogy, a -1 translational frameshift may occur here during translation, thereby producing a protein product of orf27.1 (Additional file 4: Figure S2A). Instead of the T7G, a predicted T7C slippery sequence was observed in the corresponding tail genes of prophages of S. maltophilia K279a, X. campestris pv. campestris 33913, X. oryzae pv. oryzae strains KACC10331, MAFF311018, and PXO99A (Additional

file 4: Figure S2B). These findings indicate that this type of arrangement may be conserved in all P2-like phages. The protein predicted for BCKDHB orf33 was a phage-related protein similar to gp17 of phage BcepMu; orf34 encoded a protein similar to that of P2 regulatory protein Ogr (see below); the products predicted for orf35-46 were all hypothetical proteins, except that orf39 and orf43 encoded a DNA primase-like protein and a tyrosine family integrase, respectively. Tyrosine family integrases are responsible for DNA cleavage, strand exchange, and religation steps with a covalently bound phosphotyrosine intermediate [34]. As shown in Additional file 5: Figure S3, similarity search based on domain architecture [35] and sequence alignments showed that the predicted protein of orf43 possessed 4 residues of the pentad conserved residues (R241, K264, H348 and H366) and the possible catalytic site Tyr375 (Additional file 5: Figure S3). However, no significant similarity in amino acid sequence was observed between the N-terminal region of Smp131 integrase and those of other integrases. Varied degrees of identity were shared by Smp131 proteins with the analogous proteins from phages encompassing a wild host range (Figure 3, Additional file 6: Table S3). These homologues include 23 encoded by Pseudomonas phage phiCTX (27% to 73% identity), 22 by Burkholderia phage KL3 (34% to 62% identity), and 20 by Enterobacteria phage P2 (26% to 60% identity).

Previous studies have shown that several genes take part in the r

Previous studies have shown that several genes take part in the regulation of AlgU activation and alginate overproduction. MucA is a trans-membrane protein that negatively regulates mucoidy by acting as an anti-sigma factor

via sequestering AlgU to the cytoplasmic membrane [7]; MucB and intra-membrane proteases AlgW, MucP and ClpXP were reported to affect alginate production by affecting the stability of MucA [8]. A small envelope protein called MucE was found to be a positive regulator for mucoid conversion in P. aeruginosa strains with a wild type MucA [9]. The mechanism for mucE induced mucoidy is due to its C-terminal –WVF signal, which can activate the protease AlgW possibly by interaction with the PDZ domain [9]. Upon activation, AlgW initiates the proteolytic degradation of the periplasmic portion of MucA, causing the release of AlgU to drive expression of the alginate biosynthetic operon [9]. While INCB024360 datasheet the function of MucE as an alginate inducer was identified, its physiological role, and its role in the regulation of mucoidy in clinical isolates, remains unknown. Comparative analysis through Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) using the

genomes of Pseudomonas species from the public databases reveals that MucE orthologues are found only in the strains of P. aeruginosa[9]. In order to study the role selleck kinase inhibitor and regulation of MucE in P. aeruginosa, we first mapped the mucE transcriptional start site. We then examined the effect of five different sigma factors on the expression of mucE in vivo. Different cell wall stress agents were tested for the induction of mucE transcription. Expression of MucE was also analyzed in non-mucoid CF isolates to determine its ability to induce alginate overproduction. Methods Bacteria strains, plasmids, and growth conditions Bacterial strains and plasmids used in this eltoprazine study are shown in Additional file 1: Table S1. E. coli strains were grown at 37°C in Luria broth (LB, Tryptone 10 g/L, Yeast extract 5 g/L and sodium chloride

5 g/L) or LB agar. P. aeruginosa strains were grown at 37°C in LB or on Pseudomonas isolation agar (PIA) plates (Difco). When required, carbenicillin, tetracycline or gentamicin were added to the growth media. The concentration of carbenicillin, tetracycline or gentamycin was added at the following concentrations: for LB broth or plates 100 μg ml-1, 20 μg ml-1 or 15 μg ml-1, respectively. The concentration of carbenicillin, tetracycline or gentamycin to the PIA plates was 300 μg ml-1, 200 μg ml-1 or 200 μg ml-1, respectively. The mucE primer extension assay Total RNA was isolated from P. aeruginosa PAO1 grown to an OD600 of 0.6 in 100 ml LB at 37°C as previously described [10]. The total RNA was isolated using the RNeasy kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) per the manufacturer’s instructions.

This process, called taxis, is in both prokaryotic domains of lif

This process, called taxis, is in both prokaryotic domains of life based on a modified two-component signal transduction system ([2–5], reviewed in [6]), and a motility organelle. The best understood motility organelle in bacteria, and the only one known in archaea, is the flagellum, a rotating, propeller-like structure (reviewed for example in [7–9]. Pili have been observed on the surface of many archaeal species, but their cellular function is

unknown [10]). In response to external stimuli, the taxis signal transduction system modulates the frequency by which the flagellar motor changes its direction of rotation, and thus enables a biased random walk, and leads to movement to places with improved environmental conditions (reviewed in [11]). Even though several variations of the taxis signaling system exist find more in different bacterial Ferroptosis inhibitor and archaeal species (see for example [12]), the overall mechanism, as well as the proteins involved, are conserved (for review see [6]). The receptors, also known as methyl-accepting

chemotaxis proteins (MCP), sense a multitude of environmental stimuli such as various chemicals, oxygen, osmolarity and, in H. salinarum, also light. They regulate the autophosphorylation activity of the histidine kinase CheA, which is coupled to them by the adaptor protein CheW [13–15]. After autophosphorylation, the phosphoryl group is transferred from CheA to the response regulator CheY [16]. Phosphorylated CheY (CheY-P) is the flagellar motor switch factor [4, 17]. Hence CheA acts as an integrator of diverse stimuli to generate an unambiguous output for the flagellar motor. Other proteins mediate adaptation to the signal (CheR, CheB, CheC, CheD, CheV) [18–23] and removal of the phosphate from CheY-P (CheZ, CheX, CheC, FliY) [16, 24, 25]. In bacteria, CheY-P binds to the flagellar motor switch protein FliM [26], which forms together with FliN and FliG, and in Endonuclease B. subtilis also FliY, the motor switch complex. The binding site of CheY-P is the highly conserved N-terminal region of FliM [27]. Without bound CheY-P, the flagellar motor in bacteria rotates in one default direction. Binding of CheY-P increases the

probability that the motor switches to rotation in the opposite direction (reviewed in [28]). The taxis signal transduction system of H. salinarum is built from 18 receptors (called halobacterial transducer proteins, Htrs), and the Che proteins A, Y, W1, W2, R, B, C1, C2, C3, and D [29, 30]. Due to its ability to perform phototaxis, H. salinarum is an excellent model organism for studying cellular responses. In several studies, detailed data of the halobacterial response to light has been obtained [31–33], which allowed the generation of a quantitative model of the flagellar motor switch and its sensory control in this organism [34, 35]. However, in spite of the good understanding of the switch cycle in H. salinarum on a systems level, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.

To ensure the comparability of the two populations, we identified

To ensure the comparability of the two populations, we identified patients in the placebo group with the same FRAX® score, i.e. 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture, at baseline (year https://www.selleckchem.com/products/PD-0332991.html 0) as the 10-year population at entry to the extension study (year 6) using a modified case–control analysis with

a ratio of two patients from TROPOS to one patient from the extension study. This FRAX®-matched placebo population comprised 458 patients. The Greedy’s algorithm (an optimal version of the k-means method) with six clusters was used. A P value of 0.05 or less was considered significant. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS/PC software version 9.1. Results Patient characteristics The 10-year extension study was performed in 36 centers in eight European countries and Australia. Out of the 2055 patients who entered the extension study at 5 years, 1420 (69%) completed the 3-year treatment period to 8 years. A total of 603 patients accepted to participate in the 2-year prolongation of the extension study to 10 years, of whom 237 had been treated with strontium ranelate for 8 years (i.e. the 10-year population, Fig. 1). The 10-year population consisted of 233 patients (56 from SOTI and 177 from TROPOS; four patients excluded since they did not take the study treatment). The characteristics of the 10-year population at year 0 were similar to those of the two main study populations at

year 0 (Table 1). Table 1 Baseline characteristics at year 0   Pooled SOTI and TROPOSa (n = 6503) 10-Year population (n = 237) Age (years) 75.2 ± 6.4 72.0 ± 5.4 Body mass index (kg/m2) 25.65 ± 4.09 25.80 ± 3.82 Time since menopause (years) 27.4 ± 8.3 Volasertib 23.65 ± 6.81 ≥ 1 Prevalent nonvertebral fracture, n (%) 2365 (36) 103 (44) ≥ 1 Prevalent vertebral fracture, n (%) 2857 (44) 100 (45) Lumbar BMD (g/cm2)

0.781 ± 0.152 0.755 ± 0.136  T-score −3.00 ± 1.52 −3.266 ± 1.420 Femoral neck BMD (g/cm2) 0.561 ± 0.075 0.576 ± 0.063  T-score −3.06 ± 0.67 −2.946 ± 0.566 Total hip BMD (g/cm2) 0.658 ± 0.102 0.688 ± 0.089  T-score −2.64 ± 1.00 −2.344 ± 0.876 BMD bone mineral density aRandomized set SOTI and TROPOS excluding the 10-year population The mean persistence Rutecarpine with strontium ranelate in the 10-year population was 117.8 ± 6.1 months (i.e. 9 years and 9 months); the mean compliance was 89.4 ± 12.6%. Blood strontium values reached a plateau after 3 months of treatment. Mean values of blood strontium ranged from 136.1 ± 89.3 to 158.8 ± 105.7 μmol/L and were consistent with good exposure to the treatment over 10 years. Fractures The cumulative incidence of new fracture in the 10-year population in years 6 to 10 was similar to the cumulative incidence in years 0 to 5 (vertebral fracture: 20.6 ± 3.0% versus 18.5 ± 2.6%, respectively, P = 1.00; non-vertebral fracture: 13.7 ± 2.3% versus 12.9 ± 2.2%, P = 0.672; and any osteoporotic fracture: 30.3 ± 3.1% versus 27.5 ± 2.9%, P = 0.734) (Fig. 2).