A new immobilisation method to arrange particles in a gel matrix by ultrasound standing waves

Ultrasonic forces may be used to manipulate particles in suspension. For example, a standing wave ultrasound (US) field applied to a suspension moves the particles toward areas of minimal acoustic pressure, where they are orderly retained creating a predictable heterogeneous distribution. This principle of ultrasonic retention of particles or cells has been applied in numerous biotechnological applications, such as mammalian cell filtering and red blood cell sedimentation. Here, a new US-based cell immobilisation technique is described that allows manipulation and positioning of cells/particles within various nontoxic gel matrices before polymerisation. Specifically, gel immobilisation was used to directly demonstrate that the viability of yeast cells arranged by an US standing wave is maintained up to 4 days after treatment. The versatility of this immobilisation method was validated using a wide range of acoustic devices. Finally, the potential biotechnological advantages of this US-controlled particle positioning method combined with gel immobilisation/encapsulation technology are discussed.     

Immunity to melanin and to tyrosinase in melanoma patients, and in people with vitiligo

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the presence and the intensity of humoral immunity to melanoma-associated antigens: tyrosinase and melanin, in patients with melanoma, in persons with vitiligo and in control healthy people. METHODS: The study involved 63 patients with melanoma and 19 persons with vitiligo. Control group consisted up to 41 healthy volunteers. Mushroom tyrosinase and synthetic melanin were used as the antigens. RESULTS: ELISA test showed significantly (p<0.0000004 and p<0.04) lower levels of IgM anti-tyrosinase autoantibodies, in melanoma and vitiligo patients respectively, compared to controls. Although there was no significant difference between the levels of IgA anti-melanin autoantibodies in melanoma or vitiligo patients in comparison with controls, the enhanced concentrations of anti-melanin IgA autoantibodies were preferentially found in melanoma patients with metastatic disease. Significantly high percentage in the Fc alpha I (CD89) positive cells was determined in melanoma patients (p<0.002 and p<0.008) in comparison to that found in healthy people or in patients with vitiligo, in the already mentioned order, pointing that IgA dependent cellular cytotoxicity is not important for the immune action against melanoma, even more that it is included in some immune suppression. Levels of IgG autoantibodies to mentioned antigens in melanoma patients although low were not significantly lower from controls. These findings analyzed together with the statistically significant low percentage of FcgammaRIII, (CD16) positive immunocompetent cells (p<0.0007 and p<0.003), which was found in patients with melanoma compared with healthy or vitiligo people respectively, and statistically significant low percentage of (CD16+CD56+) natural killer (NK) cells (p<0.005) found in melanoma patients in comparison to healthy controls pointed to the low probability for anti-melanoma IgG mediated, antibody mediated cellular cytotoxicity, (ADCC) and NK cytotoxicity. Moreover the ratio of the percentages of granulocytes and percentage of lymphocytes was statistically higher in patients with melanoma in relation to healthy people as well as to people with vitiligo (p<0.0007 and p<0.05 respectively). CONCLUSION: Autoantibodies to tyrosinase and to melanin which are found even in healthy people, point that consummation of edible mushrooms that carry the antigen tyrosinase and melanin, could influence the humoral anti-melanoma immune response. Levels of different immunoglobulin classes of anti-melanin and anti-tyrosinase antibodies varied depending on the presence and the stage of studied diseases. Besides, the statistically enhanced ratio of the percentages of granulocytes and percentage of lymphocytes, together with statistically decreased percentage of NK cells is found in analyzed melanoma patients.     

About turn: how object orientation affects categorisation and mental rotation

High-density ERPs evoked by rotated alphanumeric characters were examined to determine how neural processing is affected by stimulus orientation during letter/digit classifications and during mirror/normal discriminations. The former task typically produces response times that are unaffected by stimulus orientation while the latter is thought to require mental rotation. Sensitivity to orientation was first observed around 100-140 ms and this effect was attributed to differences in low-level features between vertical and oblique orientations. Subsequently, character misorientation amplified the N170, a neural marker of object classification, between 160 and 220 ms. Top-down processing is reflected in the ERPs beginning at 280-320 ms and this time range may reflect binding of ventral and dorsal stream information. In the case of mirror-normal discrimination these top-down processes can lead to mental rotation between 340 and 700 ms. Therefore, although neural processing reflects object orientation, these effects do not translate into increases in reaction-times or impaired accuracy for categorisation, and precede those that do in the mental-rotation task.     

Modulated photoactivation of composite restoration: measurement of cuspal movement using holographic interferometry

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of modulated photoactivation on cuspal movement. Eight class II MOD composite restorations were analyzed under various photoactivation protocols in a real-time manner using holographic interferometry. During the first photoactivation protocol, the composite restoration was illuminated for 200 s continuously. In the second protocol, the polymerization lamp was first turned on for 5 s, then turned off for 120 s, and again turned on for a final 195 s. In both protocols, radiant exposure was the same. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in cuspal deflection was found for two-step irradiation (average value of total cuspal deflection was 5.03 ± 0.62 μm) compared to continuous irradiation (average value of total cuspal deflection was 5.95 ± 0.65 μm). The two-step photoactivation protocol was found preferable, since it resulted in a significantly lower cuspal deflection (11% lower, compared to the continuous illumination).     

Changes of behavioral parameters during long-term food restriction in middle-aged Wistar rats

Food restriction (FR) has a beneficial effect on aging process and exerts a significant effect on the responses of rodents to standard behavioral tasks. The aim of this study was to assess the cumulative influence of FR on the behavioral and biochemical parameters in Wistar rats. Six-month-old rats were subjected to restrictive feeding (50% of the daily food intake, every-other-day feeding regimen) for one month or for six months until ages of 7 and 12 months, respectively. We examined the habituation of exploratory movement, amphetamine (AMPH)-induced motor activity, as well as changes in serum corticosterone (CORT) and glucose levels. The results obtained from FR animals were compared with ad libitum (AL)-fed age-matched control rats. Habituation of motor activity was only affected by six months of restrictive feeding. The sensitization of the motor response to AMPH that was observed in animals exposed to FR for one month was not observed in animals that were exposed to the same feeding regimen for six months. Serum CORT was increased and serum glucose was decreased in both FR groups. These results clearly show that despite the similarity of the biochemical changes that were induced by one and six months of FR, the nature of the changes in motor activities in these two groups of animals during habituation and after AMPH treatment was different. Our findings indicate that long-term FR has complex behavioral consequences that need to be carefully evaluated with respect to animal age, duration of FR and severity of the diet.     

3000 years of solitude: extreme differentiation in the island isolates of Dalmatia, Croatia

Communities with increased shared ancestry represent invaluable tools for genetic studies of complex traits. "1001 Dalmatians" research program collects biomedical information for genetic epidemiological research from multiple small isolated populations ('metapopulation') in the islands of Dalmatia, Croatia. Random samples of 100 individuals from 10 small island settlements (n<2000 inhabitants) were collected in 2002 and 2003. These island communities were carefully chosen to represent a wide range of distinct and well-documented demographic histories. Here, we analysed their genetic make-up using 26 short tandem repeat (STR) markers, at least 5 cM apart. We found a very high level of differentiation between most of these island communities based on Wright's fixation indexes, even within the same island. The model-based clustering algorithm, implemented in STRUCTURE, defined six clusters with very distinct genetic signatures, four of which corresponded to single villages. The extent of background LD, assessed with eight linked markers on Xq13-21, paralleled the extent of differentiation and was also very high in most of the populations under study. For each population, demographic history was characterised and 12 "demographic history" variables were tentatively defined. Following stepwise regression, the demographic history variable that most significantly predicted the extent of LD was the proportion of locally born grandparents. Strong isolation and endogamy are likely to be the main forces maintaining this highly structured overall population.     

Immunosuppression caused by measles virus: role of viral proteins

Measles virus (MV) causes transient but profound immunosuppression resulting in increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial and viral infections. Due to the development of these opportunistic infections, measles remains the leading vaccine-preventable cause of child death worldwide. Different immune abnormalities have been associated with measles, including disappearance of delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions, impaired lymphocyte and antigen-presenting cell functions, down-regulation of pro-inflammatory interleukin 12 production and altered interferon alpha/beta signalling pathways. Several MV proteins have been suggested to hinder immune functions: hemagglutinin, fusion protein, nucleoprotein and the non-structural V and C proteins. This review will focus on the novel functions attributed to MV proteins in the immunosuppression associated with measles. Here, we highlight new advances in the field, emphasising the interaction between MV proteins and their cellular targets, in particular the cell membrane receptors, CD46, CD150, TLR2 and FcgammaRII in the induction of immunological abnormalities associated with measles.     

Pregnancy using gonadotropins and performing intrauterine insemination in a woman with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is one of the causes of infertility. In women with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism both follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone are required to induce optimal follicular growth and steroidogenesis. We described a case of singleton pregnancy in a 38-year-old patient, presenting with primary hypogonadotropic amenorrhea and empty sella syndrome, treated with human menopausal gonadotropins and performing intrauterine insemination in first attempt. This therapy led to maturation of two follicles and one of them was fertilized. A singleton pregnancy ensued and a normal infant was delivered by cesarean section.     

An unusual outcome in a child with hepatosplenic cat-scratch disease

Typical cat-scratch disease (Bartonella henselae infection) in an immunocompetent child is usually associated with a history of scratch, bite or intimate contact with a cat. Most patients develop a non-tender papule in the scratch line after three to ten days. This may persist for only a few days or as long as two to three weeks. During the next two weeks or more, regional lymph nodes that drain the area gradually enlarge and then slowly resolve in more than 10% of patients. The nodes develop overlying erythema and may suppurate. Atypical forms of cat-scratch disease occur in a minority of cases and are characterized by ocular or neurological manifestations, hepatosplenic involvement, vertebral osteomyelitis, endocarditis etc. Immunocompromised individuals with B. henselae infection may develop bacillary angiomatosis, bacillary peliosis, and relapsing bacteremia. There have been several reports of hepatosplenic granulomas caused by B. henselae in immunocompetent children. We report a case of a 6-year-old boy with the hepatosplenic form of cat-scratch disease. Despite early diagnosis and long-term antimicrobial treatment, splenectomy could not be avoided.     

The frequencies of apolipoprotein E genotypes in health and disease in the Croatian population--an overview of expectations and real results

The aim of the overview is to show the distribution of common apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes in the Croatian population, and to test whether it could serve as a new molecular biomarker in some clinical entities. The study included the following groups: patients with angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, Alzheimer's dementia, vascular dementia, hyperlipidemias, diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis, and healthy subjects. Group comparisons of different clinical entities and control group were performed using Pearson's Chi2-test. There was no difference in APOE genotype frequencies between coronary artery disease neither myocardial infarction and control group. The ApoE genotype frequencies in patients with Alzheimer's disease were significantly different from those in the control group. APOE-4 allele tends to be a risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's disease. The frequencies were only marginally different in vascular dementia. Patients with hypercholesterolemia, those with inherited familial hypercholesterolemia, children with diabetes mellitus, and patients with pancreatitis of different etiology showed distributions of APOE genotypes that differed from the control group. It is concluded that the frequencies of APOE genotypes yielded no statistically significant result to confirm the association between APOE genotypes and any specific disease with the exception of Alzheimer's disease; APO-epsilon4 allell has become one of the important biomarkers in diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia.