Activation of human monocytes and granulocytes by monoclonal antibodies to glycosylphosphatidelinositol-anchored antigens

The present study investigated possible receptor-like characteristics of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked antigens on human monocytes and granulocytes by measuring cytoplasmic calcium fluxes and the oxidative burst in cells following cross-linking of GPI-linked antigens. Cross-linking of cell-bound anti-CD14, -CDw52 and -CD55 induced cytoplasmic calcium fluxes and oxidative bursts in unprimed human monocytes similar to those observed following FcyR cross-linking. In granulocytes primed with 200 nM N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (FMLP), cross-linking of cell-bound anti-CD16, -CD24, -CD59 and -CD67 led to calcium fluxes and activation of the oxidative burst. The oxidative bursts mediated by GPI-linked antigens were stronger than those induced by 200 nM FMLP, even though FMLP induced a larger increase in cytoplasmic calcium concentration. The responses were likely to be independent of FcyR interactions as F(ab′)2 fragments of IgG or IgM antibodies were used in the experiments. Activating effects of monoclonal antibody to GPI-linked antigens were not observed in cells from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, which are deficient in GPI-linked antigens. In addition, treatment with GPI-specific phospholipase C led to inhibition of cell activation through GPI-linked antigens but not through transmembrane receptors. Cross-linking of a number of non-GPI-linked antigens (CD11a, CD18, CD31, CD35, CD43, and CD45) neither induced calcium fluxes, nor activated the oxidative burst. The results indicate that most, if not all, GPI-linked surface glycoproteins on myeloid cells are capable of mediating cell activation and suggest that the GPI anchor is a structure facilitating signal transduction.     

Creep Resistance of S304H Austenitic Steel Processed by High-Pressure Sliding

Sheets of coarse-grained S304H austenitic steel were processed by high-pressure sliding (HPS) at room temperature and a ultrafine-grained microstructure with a mean grain size of about 0.14 µm was prepared. The microstructure changes and creep behavior of coarse-grained and HPS-processed steel were investigated at 500–700 °C under the application of different loads. It was found that the processing of S304H steel led to a significant improvement in creep strength at 500 °C. However, a further increase in creep temperature to 600 °C and 700 °C led to the deterioration of creep behavior of HPS-processed steel. The microstructure results suggest that the creep behavior of HPS-processed steel is associated with the thermal stability of the SPD-processed microstructure. The recrystallization, grain growth, the coarsening of precipitates led to a reduction in creep strength of the HPS-processed state. It was also observed that in the HPS-processed microstructure the fast formation of σ-phase occurs. The σ-phase was already formed during slight grain coarsening at 600 °C and its formation was enhanced after recrystallization at 700 °C.     

Die Fu?w?lbung nach Belastung durch einen 100 km-Marsch

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die Form der Fußfläche bei einer Gruppe von 44 Fußgängern geprüft, welche einen 100 km-Marsch absolvierten. Die Fußflächenform wurde vor und nach dem Marsch mittels einer plantographischen Abdruckmethode aufgezeichnet. Die Plantogramme wurden nach der Chippaux- und Clarke-Methode ausgewertet. Im ganzen betrachtet war bei den untersuchten Personen keine signifikante Senkung der Fußwölbung als Folge des Marsches festzustellen. Nur bei denjenigen Probanden, die schon vor dem Marsch einen Senkfuß aufwiesen, war eine weitere Senkung der Längswölbung festzustellen.

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The effect of a 100 kilometer hike on the arch of the foot

Summary A group of 44 persons who had completed a hike of 100 km were examined for changes in the form of the sole of the foot. A foot print was taken before and after the hike, using a plantographic print method. In evaluating the plantogram, the Chippaux and Clarke method was employed. On the whole, it was observed that there was no significant falling of the arch as a result of the hike. Only among those persons who had had fallen arches before the hike was there a further falling of the longitudinal arch.

     

Use of Er,Cr:YSGG versus standard lasers in laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty for treatment of snoring

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the Er,Cr:YSGG (Waterlase) laser with KTP and CO₂ lasers in laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) for treatment of snoring. Study Design: This is a prospective study of 63 patients who were treated for snoring by LAUP either with Er,Cr:YSGG (n = 21) or with KTP (n = 21) or CO₂ lasers (n = 21). Histologic analysis was performed, and the effects of KTP and Waterlase on soft tissue were compared. Methods: Patients were examined by an ENT surgeon and tested with polysomnography. Probands who suffered from obstructive sleep apnea or had an apnea‐hypopnea index of 15 or greater were excluded from the study. The remaining patients were assigned to either Er,Cr:YSGG, KTP, or CO₂ laser therapy. The three lasers were compared from a postoperative recovery point of view by immunohistochemical examination. Results: Pain medications were used on average for 4.1, 6.5, and 10.1 days, and the times to return to normal diet were on average 4.5, 6.8, and 8.6 days in the Er,Cr:YSGG, KTP, and CO₂ groups, respectively. Two cases of bleeding were observed in the CO₂ group. Foreign body sensation occurred in 14%, 19%, and 19% of subjects in the Er,Cr:YSGG, KTP, and CO₂ groups, respectively. Velopharyngeal insufficiency was noticed in one KTP treated patient; however, it was transient. Snoring and apnea‐hypopnea index was significantly reduced in all groups. Significantly larger coagulation of soft tissue was found in the KTP group than in the Waterlase group. Conclusions: Patients treated with Waterlase recovered more quickly in comparison with patients in the KTP and CO₂ groups, which was confirmed by immunohistochemical findings. The laser techniques did not differ in effectiveness.     

Prognostic importance of some clinical and therapeutic factors for the effect of portal vein embolization in patients with primarily inoperable colorectal liver metastases

Introduction

Portal vein embolization (PVE) may increase the resectability of liver metastases. However, the problem of PVE is insufficient growth of the liver or tumor progression in some patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of commonly available clinical factors for the result of PVE.

Material and methods

Portal vein embolization was performed in 38 patients with colorectal liver metastases. Effects of age, gender, time between PVE and liver resection, oncological therapy after PVE, indocyanine green retention rate test, synchronous, metachronous and extrahepatic metastases, liver volume before and after PVE, increase of liver volume after PVE and the quality of liver parenchyma before PVE on the result of PVE were evaluated.

Results

Liver resection was performed in 23 (62.2%) patients within 1.3 ±0.4 months after PVE. Tumor progression occurred in 9 (23.7%) patients and 6 (15.8%) patients had insufficient liver hypertrophy. Significant clinical factors of PVE failure were number of liver metastases (cut-off – 4; odds ratio – 4.7; p < 0.03), liver volume after PVE (cut-off 1000 cm³; odds ratio – 5.1; p < 0.02), growth of liver volume after PVE (cut-off 150 cm³; odds ratio – 18.7; p < 0.002), oncological therapy administered concomitantly with PVE (p < 0.003).

Conclusions

Negative clinical factors of resectability of colorectal cancer liver metastases after PVE included more than four liver metastases, liver volume after PVE < 1000 cm³, growth of the contralateral lobe by less than 150 cm³ and concurrent oncological therapy.     

The synthesis,characterization, DNA/BSA/HSA interactions,molecular modeling,antibacterial properties,and in vitro cytotoxic activities of novel parent and niosome nano-encapsulated Ho(iii) complexes

Based on the importance of metal-centered complexes that can interact with DNA, this research focused on the synthesis of a new Ho(iii) complex. This complex was isolated and characterized via elemental analysis, and FT-IR, fluorescence, and UV-vis spectroscopy. Additional confirmation of the Ho(iii) complex structure was obtained via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. DNA interaction studies were carried out via circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, viscosity measurements and emission spectroscopy; it was proposed that the metal complex acts as an effective DNA binder based on studies in the presence of fish DNA (FS-DNA), showing high binding affinity to DNA in the presence of hydrophobic and electron donating substituents. Also, the interactions of this complex with human (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) proteins were studied via fluorescence spectroscopy techniques and the obtained results reveal an excellent propensity for binding in both cases. Furthermore, the interactions of the Ho(iii) complex with DNA, BSA and HSA were confirmed via molecular docking analysis. The antimicrobial activities of the Ho(iii) complex were tested against Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, a niosome nano-encapsulated Ho(iii) complex was synthesized, and the parent and encapsulated complexes were evaluated as potential antitumor candidates. The main structure of the Ho(iii) complex is maintained after encapsulation using niosome nanoparticles. The MTT method was used to assess the anticancer properties of the Ho(iii) complex and its encapsulated form toward human lung carcinoma and breast cancer cell lines. The anticancer activity in the encapsulated form was more than that of the parent Ho(iii) complex. In conclusion, these compounds could be considered as new antitumor candidates.

A new complex of holmium, [Ho(bpy)(H₂O)₆]Cl₃ has been synthesized, their DNA/BSA/HSA binding, molecular docking, antibacterial activity and MTT assay of niosome nano-encapsulated are investigated.