The Content of Elements in Rainwater and its Relation to the Frequency of Hospitalization for Diabetes and Obesity in Opole Voivodship,Poland, During 2000–2002

Environmental factors significantly influence the incidence and course of metabolic syndrome diseases such as diabetes and obesity. The content of elements in rainwater is an indirect indicator of their presence in dust suspended in the air. In this paper we present the relationships between the content of selected elements in rainwater and hospitalization frequencies due to diabetes (E10–E13) and obesity (E66). It was assumed that the hospitalization frequency could be taken as a measure of deterioration of the metabolic process in the course of diabetes and its complications. The observations concerned the population of Opole Voivodeship, Poland (one million inhabitants), distributed in small communities of 44,000 to 151,000 inhabitants during the years 2000–2002. In cases of diabetes E10–E13 for all subjects relevant correlation indicators were found for chromium (r = 0.71), cadmium (r = 0.65), and lead (r = 0.66). Borderline relevance was seen for copper (r = 0.57) and zinc (r = 056). For diabetic men the statistically relevant correlations were chromium (r = 0.79), lead (r = 0.77), cadmium (r = 0.74), copper (r = 0.70), chloride (r = 0.69), zinc (r = 0.68), and iron (r = 0.64). For women the only relevant correlations were chromium (r = 0.62) and cadmium (r = 0.55). No significant correlations were found in obese individuals of both sexes.     

Mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocytes show increased fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activity in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus

The activity and localization of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase; EC 3.1.3.11) in blood leukocytes of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy adults were investigated immunocytochemically. The amount of polymorphonuclear (PMN) and mononuclear (MN) cells with positive FBPase immunocytochemical reaction was 57% and 68%, respectively, in pathological, and 38% and 42%, respectively, in healthy donors. Results of light microscopic investigations were confirmed by measurements of FBPase activity following lysis of PMN and MN cells. The enzyme activity of PMN and MN leukocytes was higher in diabetes mellitus than in healthy adults, by 30% and 127%, respectively. Using immunocytochemistry together with electron microscopy, FBPase was detected not only in the cytoplasm but also in the nucleus of leukocytes of both patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and healthy donors.     

High-density genetic map of durum wheat × wild emmer wheat based on SSR and DArT markers

A genetic linkage map of tetraploid wheat was constructed based on a cross between durum wheat [Triticum turgidum ssp. durum (Desf.) MacKey] cultivar Langdon and wild emmer wheat [T. turgidum ssp. dicoccoides (K?rn.) Thell.] accession G18-16. One hundred and fifty-two single-seed descent derived F(6) recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were analyzed with a total of 690 loci, including 197 microsatellite and 493 DArT markers. Linkage analysis defined 14 linkage groups. Most markers were mapped to the B-genome (60%), with an average of 57 markers per chromosome and the remaining 40% mapped to the A-genome, with an average of 39 markers per chromosome. To construct a stabilized (skeleton) map, markers interfering with map stability were removed. The skeleton map consisted of 307 markers with a total length of 2,317 cM and average distance of 7.5 cM between adjacent markers. The length of individual chromosomes ranged between 112 cM for chromosome 4B to 217 cM for chromosome 3B. A fraction (30.1%) of the markers deviated significantly from the expected Mendelian ratios; clusters of loci showing distorted segregation were found on chromosomes 1A, 1BL, 2BS, 3B, and 4B. DArT markers showed high proportion of clustering, which may be indicative of gene-rich regions. Three hundred and fifty-two new DArT markers were mapped for the first time on the current map. This map provides a useful groundwork for further genetic analyses of important quantitative traits, positional cloning, and marker-assisted selection, as well as for genome comparative genomics and genome organization studies in wheat and other cereals.     

A Novel Attempt to Standardize Results of CFD Simulations Basing on Spatial Configuration of Aortic Stent-Grafts

Currently, studies connected with Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) techniques focus on assessing hemodynamic of blood flow in vessels in different conditions e.g. after stent-graft’s placement. The paper propose a novel method of standardization of results obtained from calculations of stent-grafts'' “pushing forces” (cumulative WSS—Wall Shear Stress), and describes its usefulness in diagnostic process. AngioCT data from 27 patients were used to reconstruct 3D geometries of stent-grafts which next were used to create respective reference cylinders. We made an assumption that both the side surface and the height of a stent-graft and a reference cylinder were equal. The proposed algorithm in conjunction with a stent-graft “pushing forces” on an implant wall, allowed us to determine which spatial configuration of a stent-graft predispose to the higher risk of its migration. For stent-grafts close to cylindrical shape (shape factor φ close to 1) WSS value was about 267Pa, while for stent-grafts different from cylindrical shape (φ close to 2) WSS value was about 635Pa. It was also noticed that deformation in the stent-graft’s bifurcation part impaired blood flow hemodynamic. Concluding the proposed algorithm of standardization proved its usefulness in estimating the WSS values that may be useful in diagnostic process. Angular bends or tortuosity in bifurcations of an aortic implant should be considered in further studies of estimation of the risk of implantation failure.     

Melanotropic activity of gamma MSH peptides in melanoma cells.

We studied the pigmentary activity of the peptides gamma 1, gamma 2 and gamma 3 melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH), which differ in the structure of their C-termini, using hamster and mouse melanoma cell lines responsive to beta-MSH by increasing tyrosinase activity. Gamma 1-MSH alone or in combination with beta-MSH had no effect on either cell line. Gamma 2-MSH alone was biologically inactive but potentiated beta-MSH stimulation of tyrosinase activity. Gamma 3-MSH at high concentration (10 microM) induced tyrosinase activity and dendrite formation in the hamster melanoma line. When added together with beta-MSH, gamma 3-MSH partially inhibited the tyrosinase activity response to beta-MSH. Thus, gamma-MSH peptides have low intrinsic melanotropic activity in mammalian melanoma cells; the specific pigmentary responses appear to be affected by the structure of the C-terminal portion.     

APC gene mutations causing familial adenomatous polyposis in Polish patients

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a well-known hereditary condition characterised by alimentary system tumours. Tens to thousands of polyps occur in the colon and rectum of the patients. There is a high heterogeneity with regard to the number and time of the occurrence of polyps. The occurrence of FAP is associated with mutations in theAPC tumour suppressor gene, which was described in 1991. Since then, many studies have been done to analyse the distribution of mutations in individual populations and to determine the function of the gene and a diagnostic approach to FAP. Here theAPC gene was studied with respect to the occurrence of small mutations and large rearrangements in 300 unrelated Polish FAP families. Ninety-seven mutations were identified in 164 families. Out of these mutations, 80 were small mutations, including 58 small mutations that were first identified in the Polish population (42 novel and 16 described previously). An increased frequency of mutation c.3927_3931delAAAGA was observed in 10% of the Polish group. Seventeen large rearrangements were found in 29 families. Out of those rearrangements, 8 repeat rearrangements occurred in 20 families. A problem in fast molecular diagnostics of FAP is a high heterogeneity of mutations in theAPC gene. It seems that a multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification test and searching for small mutations by the use of screening methods at the 5’ end of exon 15 and exons 14, 9, 11, 13, 5, and 3, help to improve the molecular diagnostics of FAP in Polish patients.