Carriage of Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria lactamica in northern Greece

In response to an increase in the number of cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in northern regions of Greece, a survey was carried out to determine if there was an increase in carriage of Neisseria meningitidis, particularly in areas where there have been increases in immigrant populations from neighbouring countries. The second objective was to determine if there was an increase in the serogroup C:2a:P1.5,2 a phenotype associated with recent outbreaks or changes in antibiotic sensitivities. As carriage of Neisseria lactamica is associated with development of natural immunity to IMD, the third objective was to determine the carriage rate of N. lactamica in this population. Among 3167 individuals tested, meningococci were isolated from 334 (10.5%). Compared with our previous studies, the proportion of meningococcal carriers was significantly increased among children in secondary education (11.3%) (chi2=9.67, P<0.005) and military recruits (37.4%) (chi2=21.11, P<0.000). Only 5/334 (1.5%) isolates expressed the phenotype associated with the increase in IMD in Greece. N. lactamica was isolated from 146/3167 (4.6%) participants. It was isolated from 71/987 (7.2%) children attending primary or nursery schools; however, the highest proportion of carriers (11.3%) was found in the boarding school for young Albanian men. In the 21-59-year age range, the majority of N. lactamica isolates (22/25, 88%) were from women, probably due to closer or more prolonged contact with children in the primary school age range. Smoking was significantly associated with isolation of meningococci from men but not from women. Penicillin-insensitive strains (25/334, 7.5%) were identified in all four regions examined; the majority (14/25, 56%) were obtained from military personnel. We conclude that there was a higher proportion of carriers in the population of northern Greece; however, the increase in carriage rate was not associated with the influx of immigrants from neighbouring countries, and there was not a higher incidence of the C:2a:P1.5,2 strain responsible for increased disease activity in Greece in either the immigrant or local populations.     

Enhanced ROS production and cell death through combined photo- and sono-activation of conventional photosensitising drugs

A combination of light and ultrasound activation of two conventional photosensitising drugs, methylene blue and rose bengal, was shown to generate higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lower LD50 values than either light or ultrasound activation alone.     

Dopamine mimics the cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning via activation of alpha1-adrenoceptors in the isolated rat heart

The aim of the present study was to clarify whether pharmacological preconditioning with dopamine protects the heart against ischemia and whether this effect is mediated through dopaminergic receptors (D1 and D2) or alpha1-adrenoceptors. Isolated perfused rat hearts were either non-preconditioned, preconditioned with 5 min ischemia, or treated for 5 min with dopamine (1, 5 or 10 microM) before being subjected to 45 min of sustained ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion. Postischemic functional recovery and infarct size were used as indices of the effects of ischemia. Treatment with the lower concentration of dopamine (1 microM), did not provide any protection to the ischemic myocardium. On the other hand, treatment with 5 microM dopamine resulted in significantly improved functional recovery, whereas administration of dopamine (10 microM) resulted in significantly improved functional recovery as well as reduction of infarct size. Pretreatment with the mixed D1/D2 dopaminergic receptor antagonist haloperidol or the beta-adrenoceptor selective antagonist propranolol did not attenuate the protective effect of pharmacological preconditioning with 10 microM dopamine with respect to both functional recovery and infarct size reduction. On the other hand, the cardioprotective effect of dopamine was blocked when the alpha1-adrenoceptor selective antagonist, prazosin, was administered. In conclusion, pharmacological preconditioning with dopamine protects the myocardium against ischemia and this effect seems to be mediated through activation of alpha1-adrenoceptors.     

Effects of phosphorus concentration and light intensity on the biomass composition of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis

This paper presents the effects of various phosphorus concentrations (10, 50, 250 and 500 mg l(-1) K(2)HPO(4)) on the biomass production and composition of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis in relation to light intensity (24, 42 and 60 μE m(-2) s(-1)). The maximum biomass production was 3,592 ± 392 mg l(-1) and this was observed in 250 mg l(-1) K(2)HPO(4) at 60 μE m(-2) s(-1) light intensity after 32 days of cultivation. A maximum specific growth rate (μ(max)) of 0.55 d(-1) was obtained in 500 mg l(-1) K(2)HPO(4) at 60 μE m(-2) s(-1). The protein, lipid and chlorophyll contents of the biomass varied from 33.59 to 60.57 %, 5.34 to 13.33 % and 0.78 to 2.00 %, respectively. The most significant finding was that phosphorus limitation (10 mg l(-1) K(2)HPO(4)) caused a drastic increase of the carbohydrate content (59.64 %). The effect of phosphorus limitation on the carbohydrate content was independent of the light intensity. The accumulated carbohydrates are proposed to be used as substrate for biofuel generation via one of the appropriate biomass energy conversion technologies. Also, it was observed that phosphorus removal is a function of biomass density, phosphorus concentration and light intensity.     

Signal transduction pathways through cytoprotective, apoptotic and hypertrophic stimuli: a comparative study in adult cardiac myocytes

In response to pathophysiological stresses, cardiac myocytes undergo hypertrophic growth or apoptosis. Multiple signalling pathways have been implicated in these responses and among them, kinases such as mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and Akt. However, the distinction between signalling pathways originally believed to be specific for either hypertrophy, apoptosis or cell survival is fading. The existing data, coming from different experimental systems, often are conflicting. In this study, we sought to compare aspects of intracellular signalling activated by diverse stimuli in a single experimental system, adult rat cardiac myocytes. Furthermore, we assessed the role of these stimuli in eliciting a particular cell phenotype, i.e. whether they promote hypertrophy, cell survival or apoptosis. The results demonstrate that the hypertrophic agonist phenylephrine is the most potent activator of MAPKs/mitogen and stress‐ activated kinase MSK1, although its effect on Akt phosphorylation is relatively minor. The pro‐apoptotic concentration of H₂O₂ activates strongly both MAPKs and PI3K/Akt pathways. Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 has a minimal effect on phosphorylation of MAPKs/MSK1, but it is a potent activator of Akt. In conclusion, hypertrophic, pro‐survival or apoptotic stimuli operate through the same signalling pathways with different time course and amplitude of kinase activation. Thus, to determine the effect of different stimuli on cell fate, it is important to assess signalling pathways as a network and not as a single pathway. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

STAT-Related Profiles Are Associated with Patient Response to Targeted Treatments in Locally Advanced SCCHN

The anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody cetuximab (Erbitux, CTX) is currently used for the treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA-SCCHN), as yet with modest effectiveness, prompting for the identification of response predictors to this treatment and for the targeting of additional pathways implicated in this disease. Within this scope, we investigated the effect of SRC/STAT pathway components on LA-SCCHN patient outcome. SRC, STAT1, STAT3, STAT5A, STAT5B, ANXA1, CAV1, IGFBP2, EPHA2, EPHB2, and MSN relative gene expression, as well as Stat protein activation, were assessed on LA-SCCHN tumor tissues from 35 patients treated with combined radiotherapy (RT) and CTX-based regimens. Stat1, Stat3, and Stat5 proteins were usually found activated in neoplastic nuclei (70.4%, 85.7%, and 70.8%, respectively). Activated Stat3 and Stat5 were associated with each other (P = .017) and with a CAV1(high)/MSN(high)/IGFBP2(low) profile. All patients with tumors expressing high STAT5A/EPHA2 experienced a complete response on RT-CTX-based treatments (12/15 complete responders, P < .0001) and a longer progression-free survival (P = .024). Few tumors expressed high ANXA1/CAV1/EPHA2 and low IGFBP2, a putative dasatinib response-related profile, whereas high ANXA1 was associated with shorter overall survival (P = .003). In conclusion, Stat activation is common in LA-SCCHN, where overexpression of STAT5A and EPHA2 may predict for response to RT-CTX treatments. The STAT5A/EPHA2 profile seems of particular interest for validation in larger cohorts and in multiple tumor types because markers for the positive selection of patients to benefit from CTX-containing treatments are currently lacking.     

Opinion Formation Models on a Gradient

Statistical physicists have become interested in models of collective social behavior such as opinion formation, where individuals change their inherently preferred opinion if their friends disagree. Real preferences often depend on regional cultural differences, which we model here as a spatial gradient g in the initial opinion. The gradient does not only add reality to the model. It can also reveal that opinion clusters in two dimensions are typically in the standard (i.e., independent) percolation universality class, thus settling a recent controversy about a non-consensus model. However, using analytical and numerical tools, we also present a model where the width of the transition between opinions scales , not as in independent percolation, and the cluster size distribution is consistent with first-order percolation.