Burn Injury Reduces Neutrophil Directional Migration Speed in Microfluidic Devices

Thermal injury triggers a fulminant inflammatory cascade that heralds shock, end-organ failure, and ultimately sepsis and death. Emerging evidence points to a critical role for the innate immune system, and several studies had documented concurrent impairment in neutrophil chemotaxis with these post-burn inflammatory changes. While a few studies suggest that a link between neutrophil motility and patient mortality might exist, so far, cumbersome assays have prohibited exploration of the prognostic and diagnostic significance of chemotaxis after burn injury. To address this need, we developed a microfluidic device that is simple to operate and allows for precise and robust measurements of chemotaxis speed and persistence characteristics at single-cell resolution. Using this assay, we established a reference set of migration speed values for neutrophils from healthy subjects. Comparisons with samples from burn patients revealed impaired directional migration speed starting as early as 24 hours after burn injury, reaching a minimum at 72–120 hours, correlated to the size of the burn injury and potentially serving as an early indicator for concurrent infections. Further characterization of neutrophil chemotaxis using this new assay may have important diagnostic implications not only for burn patients but also for patients afflicted by other diseases that compromise neutrophil functions.     

Distribution and altitudinal structuring of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in southern Anatolia, Turkey: their relation to human cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The two Old World genera, Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia, were both recorded in southern Anatolia in Turkey. Phlebotomus species predominated and comprised about 93% of the entire collection (3,172 specimens). Out of the sixteen species identified, two belonged to the genus Sergentomyia: S. dentata and S. theodori. The remaining fourteen species in the genus Phlebotomus were grouped under four subgenera including some species that are elsewhere known to act as vectors of human cutaneous leishmaniasis. Most of the Phlebotomus were P. tobbi (32.5%), but P. papatasi, P. transcaucasicus, P. halepensis, P. galilaeus, P. sergenti, P. syriacus, P. neglectus, P. simici, P. alexandri, P. similis, P jacusieli, P. perfiliewi, and P. brevis were also identified. There were two associations of sand fly fauna with altitudinal gradient; the first one at relatively higher altitudes and the second one at lower altitudes. The transition between these two assemblages was within the range of 800-1,000 m. It is likely that Adana and Hatay provinces are transitional areas between western and eastern Anatolia. Mountains do not appear to be important geographical barriers for sand fly distribution. We also found that the proven vector P. sergenti is a widely distributed species throughout southern Anatolia and this species, together with its closely related species P. similis, shows sympatry in Konya Province.     

Ethanol fermentation by ionically adsorbed Zymomomas mobilis: Environmental effects on cell immobilization

Batch ethanol fermentation by cells of Zymomomas mobilis ATCC 29191, ionically adsorbed on a DEAE-cellulose ion exchanger, was investigated in a stirred fermentor. Adsorption isotherms in different media were determined and used to interpret the effects of the environment on cell immobilization. Other factors affecting cell immobilization during an actual fermentation were studied. Mechanical agitation was found to cause detachment of cells from the ion exchange particles. The results suggest that the amount of cells adsorbed during a fermentation process is different from that found from adsorption isotherm data. Consequently, application of equilibrium adsorption data to actual fermentations should be done with caution.     

Odontometric profile of a prehistoric southeastern Florida population

This study analyzes and compares the dental size variation and sexual dimorphism of the Highland Beach Mound people, a late southeastern prehistoric aboriginal Florida population (ca. 800-1200 AD) with a somewhat earlier midwestern group (ca. 200-800 AD) and an Archaic sample (ca. 4160-2558 BC). The lengths and breadths of maxillary and mandibular permanent teeth of 99 individuals were measured, and crown surface areas were calculated for the molars. Results indicated that there was little sexual dimorphism. Only the mesiodistal dimensions of the upper P2 and lower C were significantly different at the P less than 0.05 level. In terms of dental size, what appears to be a chronologically based reduction in most points of comparison was seen in all three groups, with the exception of the molars, which were larger in the Highland Beach sample than in the earlier Schultz Mound.     

Interactions of cultured endothelial cells with TGF-beta, bFGF, PDGF and IGF-I

Endothelial cells in culture synthesize the growth factors transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and, perhaps, insulin like growth factor I (IGF-I). We have previously demonstrated that IGF-I and PDGF have both high affinity receptors and stimulate glucose and AIB uptake in the microvessel cells under study and that IGF-I, but not PDGF, has similar high affinity receptors in cultured large vessel endothelial cells. In the present study, cultured bovine endothelial cells were exposed to these four growth factors to determine a) their effects on the acute metabolic processes of neutral amino acid (AIB) and glucose uptake and b) their interactions at the endothelial cell surface. In microvessel endothelial cells, each growth factor stimulated AIB and glucose uptake 2-4 fold whereas in large vessel endothelial cells only bFGF stimulated glucose uptake. Each growth factor had specific high affinity binding to the microvessel cells that was not influenced by the presence of the other growth factors. In large vessel endothelial cells, similar high affinity binding was present only for IGF-I and to a lesser degree TGF-beta. When cells were exposed to a given growth factor for 18 hours, homologous receptor downregulation was observed, with a maximal 60-95% decrease in surface binding. These findings suggest several potential levels of interaction of the growth factors TGF-beta, bFGF, PDGF and IGF-I in cultured vascular endothelial cells.     

Separation of isoenzymatic forms of human serum galactosyltransferase by chromatofocusing and isoelectric focusing. Application to cancerology

Chromatofocusing is used to separate the multiple isoenzyme forms of human serum galactosyltransferase. At least 11 major peaks of activity are observed in normal sera, which are eluted between pH 4.3 and 6.9; a fraction of activity is eluted above pH 7.0. The normal patterns are compared with those obtained with sera from cancer patients and with an ascitic fluid. Chromatofocusing appears as resolutive as agarose isoelectric focusing.     

Mass rearing,distribution and colonization ofPteroptrix smithi (Compere) in Israel

Pteroptrix smithi (Compere) is a gregarious internal parasite of the diaspine scaleChrysomphalus aonidum. During the last few years, both host and parasite were mass reared in the laboratory on squash fruits. Releases were made in scaleinfested citrus orchards that were not reached by the parasite’s natural spread. Parasites were recovered from many of the release sites.     

A new cyclodextrin-agar medium for surface cultivation of microbes on lipophilic substrates

Summary Inclusion of cyclodextrins into an agar gel enabled a homogenous incorporation of water-immiscible lipophilic organic liquids and solids as substrates for surface microbial growth or conversion. Surface cultivation ofCandida lipolytica andC. tropicalis was demonstrated in and-cyclodextrin/hexadecane-agar media.