Pollen-specific immunoglobulin E positivity is associated with worsening of depression scores in bipolar disorder patients during high pollen season

Manalai P, Hamilton RG, Langenberg P, Kosisky SE, Lapidus M, Sleemi A, Scrandis D, Cabassa JA, Rogers CA, Regenold WT, Dickerson F, Vittone BJ, Guzman A, Balis T, Tonelli LH, Postolache TT. Pollen‐specific immunoglobulin E positivity is associated with worsening of depression scores in bipolar disorder patients during high pollen season. Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 90–98. © 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objective: An association between allergic disease and depression has been consistently reported, but whether the key mediating ingredients are predominantly biological, psychological, or mere artifacts remains unknown. In the current study, we examined a hypothesized relationship between allergen‐specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) status and changes in allergy symptoms with worsening in depression scores. Methods: In patients with recurrent mood disorders, we individually coupled sensitization to specific seasonal aeroallergens (as assessed by allergen‐specific IgE) with temporal windows of exposure to aeroallergens (low versus high tree or ragweed pollen counts, measured according to the National Allergy Bureau guidelines). We compared Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale–Seasonal Affective Disorder Version (SIGH‐SAD) depression score changes in 41 patients with mood disorders [25 with major depression and 16 with bipolar I disorder, diagnosed by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID)] seropositive for tree or ragweed pollen‐specific IgE antibody versus 53 patients with mood disorders (30 with major depression and 23 with bipolar I disorder) seronegative for aeroallergen‐specific IgE. Results: Worsening in total depressive scores from low to high pollen exposure was greater in allergen‐specific IgE‐positive patients as compared to allergen‐specific IgE antibody‐negative patients (p = 0.01). When stratified by polarity, the association was significant only in patients with bipolar I disorder (p = 0.004). This relationship was resilient to adjustment for changes in allergy symptom scores. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of coupling a molecular marker of vulnerability (allergen‐specific IgE) with a specific environmental trigger (airborne allergens) leading to exacerbation of depression in patients with bipolar I disorder.     

Aqueous-soluble bipyridine cobalt(ii/iii) complexes act as direct redox mediators in photosystem I-based biophotovoltaic devices

Sustainable energy production is critical for meeting growing worldwide energy demands. Due to its stability and reduction potential, photosystem I (PSI) is attractive as the photosensitizer in biophotovoltaic devices. Herein, we characterize aqueous and organic solvent soluble synthetic bipyridine-based cobalt complexes as redox mediators for PSI-based biophotovoltaics applications. Cobalt-based complexes are not destructive to protein and have appropriate midpoint potentials for electron donation to PSI. We report on PSI stability in organic solvents commonly used in biophotovoltaics. We also show the effects of a mixed organic solvent phase on PSI reduction kinetics, slowing reduction rates approximately 8–38 fold as compared to fully aqueous systems, with implications for dye regeneration rates in PSI-based biophotovoltaics. Further, we show evidence of direct electron transfer from cobalt complexes to PSI. Finally, we report on photocurrent generation from Co mediator-PSI biophotovoltaic devices. Taken together, we discuss the development of novel Co complexes and our ability to fine-tune their characteristics via functional groups and counteranion choice to drive interaction with a biological electron acceptor on multiple levels from redox midpoints, spectral overlap, and solvent requirements, among others. This work suggests that fine-tuning of redox active species for interaction with a biological partner is possible for the creation and improvement of low cost, carbon-neutral energy production in the future.

Sustainable energy production is critical for meeting growing worldwide energy demands.     

Experimental Study on the Corrosion of Carbon Steel and Aluminum Alloy in Firefighting Protein Foam Concentrates

The corrosion of mild steel and Al alloy in Fomtec P 6% and 6% P Profoam 806 protein-based foam concentrates was investigated. Weight-loss data for steel showed corrosion penetration of 0.745 mipy in Fomtec and 2.269 mipy in Profoam, whereas for Al alloy the penetration levels were 0.474 and 1.093 mipy, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy allowed characterization of the metallic surface covered or free from corrosion products. Values of corrosion potential, corrosion current density and corrosion penetration were calculated by using potentiodynamic polarization curves. Electrochemical impedance spectra illustrated the change in polarization resistance during anodic polarization. Data obtained by accelerated electrochemical methods confirm the greater aggressiveness of the Profoam concentrate compared to Fomtec concentrate.     

Rapid isothermal substrate microfabrication of a biocompatible thermoplastic elastomer for cellular contact guidance

The use of microstructured substrates to study and influence cell orientation, which plays an important role in tissue functionality, has been of great interest lately. Silicon and poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrates have typically been used, but long processing times and exogenous protein surface coating, required to enhance cell viability, limit their use as large-scale platforms. There is thus a need for a non-biodegradable biocompatible substrate that allows rapid and low cost microfabrication. In this paper a styrene-(ethylene/butylene)-styrene block co-polymer (SEBS) microstructured by a rapid replication technique using low pressure an isothermal hot embossing approach has been demonstrated. SEBS substrates were treated with oxygen plasma to enhance cell adhesion and sterilized using ethylene oxide gas. While cell adhesion to and proliferation on these substrates was as good as on tissue culture polystyrene, cellular alignment on microstructured SEBS was also very high (97.7±0.5%) when calculated within a 10° angle variation from the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, tissue sheets on microstructured SEBS have been produced and exhibited cellular alignment within the engineered tissue. In addition, these results were obtained without coating the material with exogenous proteins. Such substrates should be helpful in the culture of tissue engineered substitutes with an intrinsic orientation and to elucidate questions in cell biology.     

BRAF Mutant Lung Cancer: Programmed Death Ligand 1 Expression,Tumor Mutational Burden,Microsatellite Instability Status,and Response to Immune Check-Point Inhibitors

Introduction

The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPi) in BRAF mutant NSCLC is unknown.