Host ethnicity and virus genotype shape the hepatitis B virus-specific T-cell repertoire

Repertoire composition, quantity, and qualitative functional ability are the parameters that define virus-specific T-cell responses and are linked with their potential to control infection. We took advantage of the segregation of different hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in geographically and genetically distinct host populations to directly analyze the impact that host and virus variables exert on these virus-specific T-cell parameters. T-cell responses against the entire HBV proteome were analyzed in a total of 109 HBV-infected subjects of distinct ethnicities (47 of Chinese origin and 62 of Caucasian origin). We demonstrate that HBV-specific T-cell quantity is determined by the virological and clinical profiles of the patients, which outweigh any influence of race or viral diversity. In contrast, HBV-specific T-cell repertoires are divergent in the two ethnic groups, with T-cell epitopes frequently found in Caucasian patients seldom detected in Chinese patients. In conclusion, we provide a direct biological evaluation of the impact that host and virus variables exert on virus-specific T-cell responses. The discordance between HBV-specific CD8 T-cell repertoires present in Caucasian and Chinese subjects shows the ability of HLA micropolymorphisms to diversify T-cell responses and has implications for the rational development of therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines for worldwide use.     

Juvenile and adult immature and in vitro matured ovine oocytes evaluated in relation to membrane electrical properties, calcium stores, IP3 sensitivity and apoptosis occurrence in cumulus cells

The analysis of differences between juvenile and adult oocytes may provide useful information on the acquisition of meiotic and developmental competence of the female gamete. In oocytes collected from either ewes or 40-day-old lambs, we evaluated membrane electrical properties, such as resting potential, conductance, activation ion currents, L-type Ca(2+) currents as well as calcium stores and IP3 sensitivity; in addition, the incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells in these two age categories was compared. The analysis was carried out in oocytes both prior to and after in vitro maturation. Significant differences were found in all the examined parameters in relation to maturational stages whereas minor differences were recorded in relation to age of the donor. IP3 sensitivity strongly increased after in vitro maturation following a dose-dependent pattern from 1 to 500 micromol/L with a significant interaction (P < 0.01) between dose and maturational stage. The incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells strongly increased after in vitro maturation and was greater in adult than in juvenile cumulus cells (39.2 +/- 5.8% vs. 21.9 +/- 3.5%; P < 0.01). In conclusion, all the examined parameters were greatly affected by the maturational stage, whereas minor differences were due to age-related oocyte quality, that is, at plasma membrane levels to conductance, activation current peaks and calcium currents, at cytosol level to calcium stores and IP3 sensitivity, and to incidence of apoptosis in cumulus cells. These parameters were compared with previous data in bovine to analyze oocyte quality in juvenile and adult individuals or between species.     

The reservoir-pusher in breast reconstructive surgery

This paper describes a surgical instrument designed for the subcutaneous insertion of the Becker expander reservoir. The instrument has proven to be particularly easy to use, and it has several safety features for avoiding rupture of the reservoir and the linkup tube.     

Current and novel polymeric biomaterials for neural tissue engineering

The nervous system is a crucial component of the body and damages to this system, either by of injury or disease, can result in serious or potentially lethal consequences. Restoring the damaged nervous system is a great challenge due to the complex physiology system and limited regenerative capacity.Polymers, either synthetic or natural in origin, have been extensively evaluated as a solution for restoring functions in damaged neural tissues. Polymers offer a wide range of versatility, in particular regarding shape and mechanical characteristics, and their biocompatibility is unmatched by other biomaterials, such as metals and ceramics. Several studies have shown that polymers can be shaped into suitable support structures, including nerve conduits, scaffolds, and electrospun matrices, capable of improving the regeneration of damaged neural tissues. In general, natural polymers offer the advantage of better biocompatibility and bioactivity, while synthetic or non-natural polymers have better mechanical properties and structural stability. Often, combinations of the two allow for the development of polymeric conduits able to mimic the native physiological environment of healthy neural tissues and, consequently, regulate cell behaviour and support the regeneration of injured nervous tissues.Currently, most of neural tissue engineering applications are in pre-clinical study, in particular for use in the central nervous system, however collagen polymer conduits aimed at regeneration of peripheral nerves have already been successfully tested in clinical trials.This review highlights different types of natural and synthetic polymers used in neural tissue engineering and their advantages and disadvantages for neural regeneration.     

Predilection sites of Trichinella spiralis larvae in naturally infected horses.

A total of 120 muscle tissues from three horses naturally infected with Trichinella spiralis were examined. The head was the most infected site. In particular, the muscles harbouring the highest number of larvae were: musculus buccinator (12, 411 and 1183 larvae g-1), the tongue (11, 615 and 1749 larvae g-1), m. levator labii maxillaris (17,582 and 1676 larvae g-1), and the masseter (4.9, 289 and 821 larvae g-1). Compared with the diaphragm, the number of larvae per gram was from 3.5 to 6.8 times higher in the tongue, from 3.5 to 6.5 higher in m. levator labii maxillaris, and from 2.5 to 4.6 higher in m. buccinator. Of the examined muscles, the diaphragm had from the 6th to the 15th highest level of infection (3.1, 166 and 256 larvae g-1). Published data from experimentally infected horses confirm these results, suggesting that efforts to detect predilection sites should focus on the head muscles.     

Validity and reliability of the medicine ball throw for kindergarten children

The purpose of this study was to establish validity and reliability evidence for the medicine ball throw test for kindergarten students, an underrepresented group in the literature. The subjects were 105 students, 5-7 years old, BMI 17.44 +/- 3.17 kg x m(-2), 43% female and 57% male. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to examine reliability, and Pearson correlation coefficients and a paired t-test were used to examine validity. To accomplish this, the kindergarten students completed the medicine ball throw test on two different days and the modified pull-up test, the "criterion" measure, on another day. For the medicine ball throw, each student sat on the floor before throwing the medicine ball forward like a chest pass three times. The medicine ball throw was highly reliable both within 1 day (ICCs = 0.93 and 0.94 for day 1 and day 2, respectively) and across 2 days (ICC = 0.88), with all reliability estimates over the acceptable level of 0.80. The medicine ball throw scores were positively related with height (r = 0.34) and weight (r = 0.34), and there was a significant difference between the 5-year-old group (mean +/- SD; 111.78 +/- 34.93) and the 6-year-old group (135.60 +/- 39.77), t = -3.23, p = 0.002, which supports correlational and known-difference evidence of validity for the medicine ball throw test. Even though no correlation was found between the medicine ball throw test and the modified pull-up test, r = -0.04, other forms of validity evidence (i.e., known-difference and correlational) were apparent. In conclusion, the medicine ball throw test seems to be a valid and reliable measure of upper-body strength for kindergarten children.     

Gender-dependent regulation of G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium current in dorsal raphe neurons in knock-out mice devoid of the 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter

Agonists at G-protein-coupled receptors in neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of knock-out mice devoid of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT(-/-)) exhibit lower efficacy to inhibit cellular discharge than in wild-type counterparts. Using patch-clamp whole-cell recordings, we found that a G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) current is involved in the inhibition of spike discharge induced by 5-HT1A agonists (5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT) and (+/-)-2-dipropylamino-8-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT); 50 nM-30 microM) in both wild-type and 5-HTT(-/-) female and male mice. These effects were mimicked by 5'-guanylyl-imido-diphosphate (Gpp(NH)p; 400 microM) dialysis into cells with differences between genders. The 5-HTT(-/-) knock-out mutation reduced the current density induced by Gpp(NH)p in females but not in males. These data suggest that the decreased response of 5-HT1A receptors to agonists in 5-HTT(-/-) mutants reflects notably alteration in the coupling between G-proteins and GIRK channels in females but not in males. Accordingly, gender differences in central 5-HT neurotransmission appear to depend-at least in part-on sex-related variations in corresponding receptor-G protein signaling mechanisms.     

Polymorphic phase behaviour of dilinoleoylphosphatidylethanolamine and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine mixtures: Structural changes between hexagonal,cubic and bilayer phases

The polymorphic phase behaviour of dilinoleoylphosphatidyethanolamine (DLPE) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) is investigated by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and ³¹P-NMR. The structures at 5% or less POPC are predominantly inverted hexagonal (H_II), whereas at 15% or more POPC, the structure is mostly bilayer (L), interrupted by defects (lipidic particles). A cubic phase structure is observed in the transition range between H and L phases; the cubic arrangement deteriorates at higher temperatures into an amorphous aggregate of spherical units. Both cubic and amorphous structures contribute to the isotropic ³¹P resonance, with no preference for PC or PE partitioning in the isotropic motion as observed by high resolution NMR. The existence of the cubic phase seems to depend critially on the homogeneity and the degree unsaturation of the phospholipids.     

The occurrence of Gonyaulax tamarensis Lebour bloom in the Adriatic Sea along the coast of Emilia-Romagna

Abstract

The authors describe the occurrence of Gonyaulax tamarensis Lebour bloom in the Adriatic Sea between 200 and 1000 m off the coast of Emilia-Romagna during the period of August 14-20 1982.