Generation of CD1+RelB+ dendritic cells and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells from human monocytes

We previously showed that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) stimulate the differentiation of human monocytes into two phenotypically distinct types of macrophages. However, in vivo, not only CSF but also many other cytokines are produced under various conditions. Those cytokines may modulate the differentiation of monocytes by CSFs. In the present study, we showed that CD14+ adherent human monocytes can differentiate into CD1+relB+ dendritic cells (DC) by the combination of GM-CSF plus interleukin-4 (IL-4) and that they differentiate into tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells (MGC) by the combination of M-CSF plus IL-4. However, the monocyte-derived DC were not terminally differentiated cells; they could still convert to macrophages in response to M-CSF. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) stimulated the terminal differentiation of the DC by downregulating the expression of the M-CSF receptor, cfms mRNA, and aborting the potential to convert to macrophages. In contrast to IL-4, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) had no demonstrable effect on the differentiation of monocytes. Rather, IFN- gamma antagonized the effect of IL-4 and suppressed the DC and MGC formation induced by GM-CSF + IL-4 and M-CSF + IL-4, respectively. Taken together, these results provide a new aspect to our knowledge of monocyte differentiation and provide evidence that human monocytes are flexible in their differentiation potential and are precursors not only of macrophages but also of CD1+relB+DC and TRAP-positive MGC. Such a diverse pathway of monocyte differentiation may constitute one of the basic mechanisms of immune regulation.     

Translating Evidence Into Practice via Social Media: A Mixed-Methods Study

BackgroundApproximately 80% of research evidence relevant to clinical practice never reaches the clinicians delivering patient care. A key barrier for the translation of evidence into practice is the limited time and skills clinicians have to find and appraise emerging evidence. Social media may provide a bridge between health researchers and health service providers.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of social media as an educational medium to effectively translate emerging research evidence into clinical practice.MethodsThe study used a mixed-methods approach. Evidence-based practice points were delivered via social media platforms. The primary outcomes of attitude, knowledge, and behavior change were assessed using a preintervention/postintervention evaluation, with qualitative data gathered to contextualize the findings.ResultsData were obtained from 317 clinicians from multiple health disciplines, predominantly from the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, India, and Malaysia. The participants reported an overall improvement in attitudes toward social media for professional development (P<.001). The knowledge evaluation demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge after the training (P<.001). The majority of respondents (136/194, 70.1%) indicated that the education they had received via social media had changed the way they practice, or intended to practice. Similarly, a large proportion of respondents (135/193, 69.9%) indicated that the education they had received via social media had increased their use of research evidence within their clinical practice.ConclusionsSocial media may be an effective educational medium for improving knowledge of health professionals, fostering their use of research evidence, and changing their clinical behaviors by translating new research evidence into clinical practice.     

A Synthetic Influenza Virus Vaccine Induces a Cellular Immune Response That Correlates with Reduction in Symptomatology and Virus Shedding in a Randomized Phase Ib Live-Virus Challenge in Humans

Current influenza vaccines elicit primarily antibody-based immunity. They require yearly revaccination and cannot be manufactured until the identification of the circulating viral strain(s). These issues remain to be addressed. Here we report a phase Ib trial of a vaccine candidate (FLU-v) eliciting cellular immunity. Thirty-two males seronegative for the challenge virus by hemagglutination inhibition assay participated in this single-center, randomized, double-blind study. Volunteers received one dose of either the adjuvant alone (placebo, n = 16) or FLU-v (500 μg) and the adjuvant (n = 16), both in saline. Twenty-one days later, FLU-v (n = 15) and placebo (n = 13) volunteers were challenged with influenza virus A/Wisconsin/67/2005 (H3N2) and monitored for 7 days. Safety, tolerability, and cellular responses were assessed pre- and postvaccination. Virus shedding and clinical signs were assessed postchallenge. FLU-v was safe and well tolerated. No difference in the prevaccination FLU-v-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ) response was seen between groups (average ± the standard error of the mean [SEM] for the placebo and FLU-v, respectively, 1.4-fold ± 0.2-fold and 1.6-fold ± 0.5-fold higher than the negative-control value). Nineteen days postvaccination, the FLU-v group, but not the placebo group, developed FLU-v-specific IFN-γ responses (8.2-fold ± 3.9-fold versus 1.3-fold ± 0.1-fold higher than the negative-control value [average ± SEM] for FLU-v versus the placebo [P = 0.0005]). FLU-v-specific cellular responses also correlated with reductions in both viral titers (P = 0.01) and symptom scores (P = 0.02) postchallenge. Increased cellular immunity specific to FLU-v correlates with reductions in both symptom scores and virus loads. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01226758","term_id":"NCT01226758"}}NCT01226758 and at hra.nhs.uk under EudraCT no. 2009-014716-35.)     

Concepts of occlusion in prosthodontics: A literature review,part I

Occlusion and its relationship to the function of the stomatognathic system have been widely studied in dentistry since many decades. This series of articles describe about occlusion in the complete denture, fixed partial denture, and implants. Part I and II of this articles series describe concepts and philosophies of occlusion in complete denture. So far, available research has not concluded a superior tooth form or occlusal scheme to satisfy the requirements of completely edentulous patients with respect to comfort, mastication, phonetics, and esthetics. Since then, several balanced and nonbalanced articulation concepts were proposed in the literature. A balanced articulation appears to be most appropriate because of tooth contacts observed during nonfunctional activities of patients. This article discusses about evolution of different concepts of occlusion and occlusal schemes in complete denture occlusion.Key Words: Articulation, complete denture, occlusion     

Mechanical and Tribological Behavior of Mechanically Alloyed Ni-TiC Composites Processed via Spark Plasma Sintering

Titanium carbide (TiC) reinforced nickel (Ni) matrix composites were processed via mechanical alloying (MA) followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. Mechanical alloying has gained special attention as a powerful non-equilibrium process for fabricating amorphous and nanocrystalline materials, whereas spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a unique technique for processing dense and near net shape bulk alloys with homogenous microstructure. TiC reinforcement varied from 5 to 50 wt.% into nickel matrix to investigate its effect on the microstructure and mechanical behavior of Ni-TiC composites. All Ni-TiC composites powder was mechanically alloyed using planetary high energy ball mill with 400 rpm and ball to powder ratio (BPR) 15:1 for 24 h. Bulk Ni-TiC composites were then sintered via SPS process at 50 MPa pressure and 900–1200 °C temperature. All Ni-TiC composites exhibited higher microhardness and compressive strength than pure nickel due to the presence of homogeneously distributed TiC particles within the nickel matrix, matrix grain refinement, and excellent interfacial bonding between nickel and TiC reinforcement. There is an increase in Ni-TiC composites microhardness with an increase in TiC reinforcement from 5 to 50 wt.%, and it reaches the maximum value of 900 HV for Ni-50TiC composites.     

Relationship of Quality of Life with Disability Grade in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder

Background:

There is paucity of information on the relationship of quality of life (QOL) in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and dysthymic disorder (DD) with disability grade in India.

Aim:

To assess the relation of QOL with disability level in OCD and DD.

Materials and Methods:

This hospital based study was conducted in a medical institution in Davanagere, Karnataka, India. Data was collected by using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV Text Revision (DSM IV TR) criteria, WHO QOL BREF and IDEAS. Relationship between disability grade and QOL was assessed by independent sample t test.

Results:

Mild disabled OCD patients had a significantly better QOL in the Q1 domain i.e. perception on quality of life as compared to moderately disabled patients (P < 0.05), while in other domains of QOL, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). But, QOL score in physical domain showed significant difference across disability grades (56.00, SD = 6.89; 48.50, SD = 12.28) in DD, but not in other domains.

Conclusion:

Perception of QOL is better in those with mild disability in OCD, but in DD, physical domain of QOL score is more in mild disability compared to moderate disability.     

Self-assembled pearl-necklace patterned upconverting nanocrystals with highly efficient blue and ultraviolet emission: femtosecond laser based upconversion properties

This work reports new findings on the formation of a pearl-necklace pattern in self-assembled upconverting nanocrystals (UCN-PNs) which exhibit strong upconversion emission under an NIR excitation source of a femtosecond laser (Fs-laser). Each nano-necklace consists of several upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) having a size ca. 10 ± 1 nm. UCN-PNs are arranged in a self-organized manner to form necklace type chains with an average length of 140 nm of a single row of nanoparticles. Furthermore, UCN-PNs are comprised of UCNPs with an average interparticle separation of ca. 4 nm in each of the nanonecklace chains. Interestingly, these UCN-PNs exhibit high energy upconversion especially in the UV region on interaction with a 140 Fs-laser pulse duration at 80 MHz repetition rate and intense blue emission at 450 nm on interaction with a 900 nm excitation source is obtained. The preparation of self-assembled UCNPs is easy and they are very stable for a longer period of time. The emission (fluorescence/luminescence) intensity is very high which can make them unique in innumerable industrial and bio-applications such as for disease diagnosis and therapeutic applications by targeting the infected cells with enhanced efficiency.

Self-assembled pearl necklace patterned-upconverting nanoparticles and their femtosecond laser based upconversion properties.     

Cyclooxygenase‐2 in epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the more prevalent neurologic disorders in the world, affecting approximately 50 million people of different ages and backgrounds. Epileptic seizures propagating through both lobes of the forebrain can have permanent debilitating effects on a patient's cognitive and somatosensory brain functions. Epilepsy, defined by the sporadic occurrence of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS), is often accompanied by inflammation of the brain. Pronounced increases in the expression of key inflammatory mediators (e.g., interleukin ‐1β [IL‐1β], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFα], cyclooxygenase‐2 [COX‐2], and C‐X‐C motif chemokine 10 [CXCL10]) after seizures may cause secondary damage in the brain and increase the likelihood of repetitive seizures. The COX‐2 enzyme is induced rapidly during seizures. The increased level of COX‐2 in specific areas of the epileptic brain can help to identify regions of seizure‐induced brain inflammation. A good deal of effort has been expended to determine whether COX‐2 inhibition might be neuroprotective and represent an adjunct therapeutic strategy along with antiepileptic drugs used to treat epilepsy. However, the effectiveness of COX‐2 inhibitors on epilepsy animal models appears to depend on the timing of administration. With all of the effort placed on making use of COX‐2 inhibitors as therapeutic agents for the treatment of epilepsy, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases there has yet to be a selective and potent COX‐2 inhibitor that has shown a clear therapeutic outcome with acceptable side effects.