Dietary polyamines promote the growth of azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci in rat colon

We have examined whether dietary polyamines influence the formation and initial growth of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in rat colon. Effects of a combination of dietary polyamines at three dose levels (putrescine: 50, 280, 740 nmol/g; spermidine: 10, 261, 763 nmol/g; spermine: 1, 31, 91 nmol/g) in the polyamine-poor AIN-76A diet were studied in animals in two different experimental situations: animals treated with AOM alone and animals treated with AOM + difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific inhibitor of endogenous polyamine synthesis. In both experimental situations, dietary polyamines enhanced the growth of ACF, expressed as the number of large ACF (foci with three or more aberrant crypts, ACF > or = 3), whereas the formation of ACF, expressed as the number of ACF, was apparently not altered. In animals treated with AOM alone, maximal growth enhancing effect on ACF was nearly obtained with the median level of dietary polyamine. In rats fed a low polyamine diet, basic AIN-76A, DFMO reduced the growth of AOM-induced ACF by 83%. This inhibitory effect of DFMO was counteracted by dietary polyamines in a dose- dependent manner, and it was abolished at the highest level of polyamines. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that dietary polyamines are able to enhance the growth of AOM-induced ACF. Further, dietary polyamines reversed the DFMO-caused inhibition of ACF growth, probably by compensating for the DFMO-reduced endogenous polyamine synthesis.      

New method of <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> culturing of pigment retinal epithelium in the structure of the posterior eye sector of adult rat

We propose a new method of organotypic roller 3D-culturing of the posterior sector of the eye. The method allows maintaining tissue viability in vitro for 14 days (which considerably surpasses the capacities of stationary culturing) and studying of the behavior of pigment retinal epithelial cells and choriocapillary membrane. Using this method we demonstrated phenotypic transformation, migration, and proliferation of pigment retinal epithelial cells under conditions of roller organotypic culture. In the absence of the retina, these cells exhibit properties of scavenger cells (phagocytes) both within and outside the layer. Under conditions of roller culturing in vitro, cells of the pigment retinal epithelium undergo changes similar to those observed in various retinal pathologies in vivo, including age-associated changes. Here we discuss the possibility of using the proposed method for evaluation of the effect of various factors added to the culture medium on the pigment epithelium, for modeling of processes developing in damaged pigment epithelium or under conditions of various pathologies, and for the study of regeneration responses in cells of pigment retinal epithelium in adult vertebrates. __________ Translated from Kletochnye Tehnologii v Biologii i Medicine, No. 4, pp. 207–215, October, 2007     

Morphological evaluation of modern diagnosis of osteomyelitis]

Current osteomyelitis diagnosis is based on detection of intraosseous abscess using radiopharmaceuticals--67Ga-citrate and 111In-citrin. Morphological examination confirms the presence of inflammation in the zone of local accumulation of radionuclide. A correlation was found between the degree of radionuclide absorption and phase of inflammatory process.     

Evasin‐3‐like anti‐chemokine activity in salivary gland extracts of ixodid ticks during blood‐feeding: a new target for tick control

Ticks exploit many evasion mechanisms to circumvent the immune control of their hosts including subversion of the communication language between cells of the immune system provided by chemokines and other cytokines. One subversive molecule secreted in the saliva of Rhipicephalus sanguineus is Evasin‐3, a structurally unique 7 kDa protein that selectively binds the neutrophil chemoattractants, CXCL8 and (with lower affinity) CXCL1. We compared anti‐human CXCL8 and anti‐mouse CXCL1/KC activities in salivary gland extracts prepared from adult Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks during blood‐feeding. Both anti‐CXCL8 activity and anti‐CXCL1 activity were detected in all species and in both adult females and males, with consistently higher activity levels against CXCL8. These results suggest that Evasin‐3‐like activity is common amongst metastriate ixodid tick species, and provide further evidence of the importance to ticks in controlling neutrophils during blood‐feeding. As such, Evasin‐3 offers a new target for anti‐tick vaccine development.     

The efficacy of the application of essential oils for the prevention of acute respiratory diseases in organized groups of children

The efficacy and safety of the application of essential oils for the prevention of acute respiratory diseases and alleviation of clinical manifestations of rhinitis was evaluated in a group of children aged 3-4 years. It was shown that inhalation of a mixture of essential oils resulted in a 42.5% decrease of the prevalence of the above pathologies. Specifically, they developed only in each third child from the group of frequently ill children. No side effects of the treatment were documented. 25% of the children suffered only from mild acute respiratory diseases, fever was absent in 5%. The severity and duration of the symptoms of rhinitis decreased in more than 80% of the children. Simultaneously, the requirement of decongestants and local (intranasal) antibiotics was reduced.     

β地贫CD41-42突变杂合子复合缺失型α地贫双重杂合子的基因检测与血液学分析

目的了解β地中海贫血(地贫)CD41-42(-TCTT)杂合子(β41-42杂合子)复合缺失型α地贫双重杂合子在本地区β41-42杂合子个体中的检出情况及其临床血液学表现.方法分别采用单管多重PCR与反向点杂交法检测缺失型α地贫与β地贫基因,常规进行血细胞分析及其它地贫筛查试验.结果 144例β41-42杂合子有8例同时复合缺失型α地贫杂合子,其中7例(4.9%)携带有α地贫1基因(αα/--SEA),1例(0.69%)携带有缺失型HbH基因(-α3.7/--SEA).7例复合α地贫1患者的MCV均都高于另外136例单纯的β41-42杂合子的MCV平均值(63.53fl); 而对携带有HbH基因的样本进行pH8.6与6.5的血红蛋白电泳时都无法找到HbH区带.结论诊断β41-42杂合子复合α地贫双重杂合子的患者时,如只依赖其临床表现和常规的实验室检查结果作为筛查诊断的指标,容易会出现有病患的α或β地贫基因漏诊的情况.