Biochemical markers of psoriasis as a metabolic disease

Psoriasis is a chronic immune mediated inflammatory skin disease with a population prevalence of 2-3%. In recent years, psoriasis has been recognized as a systemic disease associated with metabolic syndrome or its components such as: obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and atherogenic dyslipidemia. Many bioactive substances have appeared to be related to metabolic syndrome. Based on current literature, we here discuss the possible role of adiponectin, leptin, ghrelin, resistin, inflammatory cytokines, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, uric acid, C-reactive protein and lipid abnormalities in psoriasis and in metabolic syndrome.     

Genetics,Recombination and Clinical Features of Human Rhinovirus Species C (HRV-C) Infections; Interactions of HRV-C with Other Respiratory Viruses

To estimate the frequency, molecular epidemiological and clinical associations of infection with the newly described species C variants of human rhinoviruses (HRV), 3243 diagnostic respiratory samples referred for diagnostic testing in Edinburgh were screened using a VP4-encoding region-based selective polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HRV-C along with parallel PCR testing for 13 other respiratory viruses. HRV-C was the third most frequently detected behind respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus, with 141 infection episodes detected among 1885 subjects over 13 months (7.5%). Infections predominantly targeted the very young (median age 6–12 months; 80% of infections in those <2 years), occurred throughout the year but with peak incidence in early winter months. HRV-C was detected significantly more frequently among subjects with lower (LRT) and upper respiratory tract (URT) disease than controls without respiratory symptoms; HRV-C mono-infections were the second most frequently detected virus (behind RSV) in both disease presentations (6.9% and 7.8% of all cases respectively). HRV variants were classified by VP4/VP2 sequencing into 39 genotypically defined types, increasing the current total worldwide to 60. Through sequence comparisons of the 5′untranslated region (5′UTR), the majority grouped with species A (n = 96; 68%, described as HRV-Ca), the remainder forming a phylogenetically distinct 5′UTR group (HRV-Cc). Multiple and bidirectional recombination events between HRV-Ca and HRV-Cc variants and with HRV species A represents the most parsimonious explanation for their interspersed phylogeny relationships in the VP4/VP2-encoding region. No difference in age distribution, seasonality or disease associations was identified between HRV-Ca and HRV-Cc variants. HRV-C-infected subjects showed markedly reduced detection frequencies of RSV and other respiratory viruses, providing evidence for a major interfering effect of HRV-C on susceptibility to other respiratory virus infections. HRV-C''s disease associations, its prevalence and evidence for interfering effects on other respiratory viruses mandates incorporation of rhinoviruses into future diagnostic virology screening.     

Mycoplasma restriction-modification system MunI and its possible role in pathogenesis processes]

The restriction-modification system, named RMMunI, has been purified and characterised from Friend murine erythroleukemia cells. The site-specific endonuclease recognizes and cleaves the 5'C1AATTG nucleotide sequence. RMunI is an isoschizomer of RMfeI from Mycoplasma fermentans. Site-specific methylase modifies the second adenine residue in the same sequence (5'Cam6ATTG). It was established that the discovered enzymatic system is from mycoplasma which contaminates cell lines. Mycoplasma's DNA hybridizes with species-specific DNA probed for Mycoplasma fermentans and Mycoplasma arginini. The possible role of mycoplasmic restriction-modification enzymes in the process of acquired immune deficiency syndrome are discussed.     

The environmental and cultural contexts of the late Iron Age and medieval settlement in the Mazurian Lake District,NE Poland: combined palaeobotanical and archaeological data

Pollen analysis of sediments from three lakes and analysis of plant macroremains including charcoal from archaeological sites in the Mazurian Lake District provide new data for the reconstruction of vegetation changes related to human activity between the 1st and 13th century ad. At that time settlements of the Bogaczewo culture (from the turn of the 1st century ad to the first part of the 5th century ad), the Olsztyn Group (second part of the 5th century ad to the 7th or beginning of the 8th century ad), and the Prussian Galinditae tribes (8th/9th–13th century ad) developed. The most intensive woodland clearing occurred between the 1st and 6th/7th century ad. Presence of Cerealia-type, Secale cereale and Cannabis-type pollen, as well as macroremains of Hordeum vulgare, S. cereale, Triticum spelta, T. cf. monococcum, T. cf. dicoccum, Avena sp. and Panicum miliaceum documented local agriculture. High Betula representation synchronous with microcharcoal occurrence suggests shifting agriculture. After forest regeneration between c. ad 650 and 1100, the area was strongly deforested due to the early medieval occupation by Prussian tribes. The archaeobotanical examination of samples taken in a cemetery and a large settlement of the Roman Iron Age revealed strong differences in the taxonomic composition of the fossil plant remains. An absolute dominance of birch charcoal in the samples from the cemetery indicates its selective use for funeral pyre construction. There is a difference between cereals found in both contexts: numerous grains of Triticum have been found in the cemetery, while in the settlement crops were represented mostly by Secale and Hordeum. Grass tubers, belonging probably to Phleum pratense, are among the particularly interesting plant remains found in the cemetery.     

A laboratory-based comparison of osmoregulatory ability at different water temperatures and salinities in the stenothermic isopod Saduria entomon (Linnaeus, 1758) and the eurythermic amphipod Corophium volutator (Pallas, 1766) from the Baltic Sea

The aim of the investigation was a comparison of osmoregulatory ability at different water temperatures and salinities by the stenothermic isopod Saduria entomon (Linnaeus, 1758) and the eurythermic amphipod Corophium volutator (Pallas, 1766) from the Baltic Sea. The experiments were performed under laboratory conditions at different water temperatures (5, 10 and 15?°C) and salinities (3, 6.6, 15 and 25 PSU for S. entomon and 3, 6.3, 15 and 25 PSU for C. volutator). The osmotic concentrations of the crustaceans’ haemolymph were determined using the melting point method. Temperature had a statistically significant effect on the osmoregulation in S. entomon, but had generally no statistical influence on the osmoregulation in C. volutator. This physiological information regarding adaptation provides a basis for predicting the distribution of these species in changing environments. The implications of the results for the comparative adaptability of the two species are considered.     

Feasibility of intensity-modulated radiotherapy to treat gastric cancer

AimTo present a proposed gastric cancer intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment planning protocol for an institution that have not introduced volumetric modulated arc therapy in clinical practice. A secondary aim was to determine the impact of 2DkV set-up corrections on target coverage and organ at risk (OAR).Methods and MaterialsTwenty consecutive patients were treated with a specially-designed non-coplanar 7-field IMRT technique. The isocenter-shift method was used to estimate the impact of 2DkV-based set-up corrections on the original base plan (BP) coverage. An alternative plan was simulated (SP) by taking into account isocenter shifts. The SP and BP were compared using dose-volume histogram (DVH) plots calculated for the internal target volume (ITV) and OARs.ResultsBoth plans delivered a similar mean dose to the ITV (100.32 vs. 100.40%), with no significant differences between the plans in internal target coverage (5.37 vs. 4.96%). Similarly, no significant differences were observed between the maximal dose to the spinal cord (67.70 and 67.09%, respectively) and volume received 50% of the prescribed dose of: the liver (62.11 vs. 59.84%), the right (17.62 vs. 18.58%) and left kidney (29.40 vs. 30.48%). Set-up margins (SM) were computed as 7.80 mm, 10.17 mm and 6.71 mm in the left-right, cranio-caudal and anterior-posterior directions, respectively.ConclusionPresented IMRT protocol (OAR dose constraints with selected SM verified by 2DkV verification) for stomach treatment provided optimal dose distribution for the target and the critical organs. Comparison of DVH for the base and the modified plan (which considered set-up uncertainties) showed no significant differences.     

Effects of prolactin on the morphology and function of rat Leydig cells: short-term versus long-term administration

Summary The bolus administration of prolactin (PRL) to adult rats did not cause any apparent change in the basal and luteinizing hormone (LH)-stimulated blood levels of testosterone (as estimated by radioimmune assay). Prolonged PRL infusion did not affect either basal testosterone plasma concentration or the morphology of Leydig cells (as evaluated by electron microscopy and stereology). Conversely, prolonged PRL treatment notably increased the gonadotrophic effects of chronic LH administration; this mainly consisted of a rise in the blood concentration of testosterone and a conspicuous hypertrophy of Leydig cells. The LH-induced increase in the volume of Leydig cells was the result of an increase in the volumes of all the organelles involved in steroid synthesis (i.e., smooth endoplasmic reticulum, peroxisomes and mitochondria). However, the trophic effects of PRL infusion exclusively concerned smooth endoplasmic reticulum and peroxisomes. In the light of these findings, the hypothesis is advanced that the mechanism underlying the gonadotrophic action of PRL involves an enhancement of the endogenous cholesterol synthesis, which could provide an abundance of precursors for testosterone synthesis, the post-cholesterol steps of which, in turn, would be exclusively controlled by LH.     

New finds of Malus sylvestris Mill. (wild apple) from Neolithic sites in Poland

The oldes Neolithic crab apple (Malus sylvestris L.) remains have been found in the Gwoździec 2 site (southeast Poland), archaeologically dated to the earliest part of the Linear Pottery Culture. There is also another find of apple pips from Poland (Dąbki site) identified as Malus sylvestris L. and after a long discussion archaeologically dated to the proto-Neolithic period. Wild apple fruits were gathered and dried for storage, as was the case in several other sites in Europe. Received October 10, 2000 / Accepted December 13, 2000