Effects of GSM cellular phones on human hearing: the European project "GUARD"

The European multicenter project named GUARD involved nine centers and aimed to assess potential changes in auditory function as a consequence of exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produced by GSM cellular phones. Participants were healthy young adults without any evidence of hearing or ear disorders. Auditory function was assessed immediately before and after exposure to EMFs, and only the exposed ear was tested. The procedure was conducted twice in a double blinded design, once with a genuine EMF exposure and once with a sham exposure (at least 24 h apart). Tests for assessment of auditory function were hearing threshold level (HTL), transient otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR). The exposure consisted of speech at a typical conversational level delivered via an earphone to one ear, plus genuine or sham EMF exposure. The EMF exposure used the output of a software-controlled consumer cellular phone at full power for 10 min. A system of phone positioning that allowed participants to freely move their heads without affecting exposure was used. Analysis of the data showed there were no effects of exposure to GSM mobile phone signals on the main measures of the status of the auditory system.     

Antimicrobial efficiency and stability of two decontamination solutions

Two decontamination solutions, commercially produced BASE?128 and laboratory decontamination solution (LDS), with analogous content of antibiotic and antimycotic agents, were compared in their antimicrobial efficiency and stability (pH and osmolarity). Both solutions were compared immediately after thawing aliquots frozen for 1, 3 or 6 months. Agar well diffusion method was used to test their antimicrobial efficiency against five human pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis. The difference in the inhibition of growth between the two decontamination solutions was mostly not statistically significant, with few exceptions. The most pronounced difference between the LDS and BASE?128 was observed in their decontamination efficacy against E. coli and E. faecalis, where the LDS showed to be more efficient than BASE?128. The osmolarity value of LDS decreased with cold-storage, the osmolarity values of the BASE?128 could not be measured as they were below the range of the osmometer. Slight changes were found in pH of the less stable LDS solution, whose pH increased from initial value 7.36?±?0.07 to 7.72?±?0.19 after 6 m-storage. We verified that BASE?128 and LDS are similarly efficient in elimination of possible placental bacterial contaminants and may be used for decontamination of various tissues.     

Effects of nutrient enrichment on the growth rates and community structure of summer phytoplankton from the Gulf of Riga, Baltic Sea

Sea water collected in mid-July was spiked with different combinationsof nutrients. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) became exhausted,while significant amounts of P-PO₄ and Si-SiO₃ remained available.NH₄ was taken up before NO₃, but, in some cultures, NO₃ uptakeappears to have started in the presence of     

Contribution of ambient ozone to changes in Scots pine defoliation. Step II of Lithuanian studies

This study aimed to explore if changes in peak ozone (O3) concentrations may reinforce the phytotoxic effects of air concentration of acidifying compounds and their deposition, as well as unfavorable climatic factors on pine crown defoliation. Forty-eight pine stands with more than 8000 sample pine trees have been monitored annually. The impact of sulfur dioxide (SO2) on pine defoliation was found to be the most significant. The impacts of peak O3 concentrations, acid deposition, and amount of precipitation were considerably lower, whereas the impact of air temperature, the least. Contribution of peak O3 concentrations to the integrated impact of acid deposition and amount of precipitation on pine defoliation was most significant, whereas the contribution to the impact of acidifying air compounds, mainly SO2, was the least. No synergetic effect between peak O3 concentrations and high temperature during vegetation period was detected.     

Rare lichen associations on common oak (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus robur</Emphasis>) in Lithuania

The current paper presents four lichen associations, including rare and endangered lichen species found in Lithuanian oak-woods. The structure of communities on the oak, characteristic of these localities, and geographical and sociological evaluation of communities are presented. Main reasons causing the extinction of rare species in the communities are mentioned as well.     

Modelling analysis of source regions of long-range transported birch pollen that influences allergenic seasons in Lithuania

This study analyses the spatial and temporal distribution of regional and long-range transported birch (Betula L.) pollen in Lithuania and the neighbouring countries. The potential long-range transport cases of birch pollen in Lithuania were analysed for the whole period of available observations, 2004–2007. The birch pollen was recorded at three measurement stations in Lithuania by using Hirst-type volumetric spore traps. The phenological observations in Lithuania were also used for the detection of potential long-range transport-induced episodes. Two variants of the regional and continental scale atmospheric dispersion model SILAM (Lagrangian and Eulerian) in an adjoint mode (used for inverse dispersion modelling and data assimilation), and the trajectory model HYSPLIT were employed to evaluate the source origins of the observed pollen. During four seasons in 2004–2007, we found in total 24 cases, during which remarkable pollen concentrations were recorded before the local flowering season. According to modelling, most of these were originated from the sources outside Lithuania: Latvia, southern Sweden, Denmark, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, possibly, also coastal regions of Germany and Poland. Two episodes were attributed to local early-flowering birch trees. The spatial and temporal patterns of the long-range transport of early pollen to Lithuania were found out to be highly variable; the predicted source regions for the cases considered were similar only for some dates in 2004 and 2006. During the analysed period, we found both cases, in which the predictions of the SILAM model variants and those of the HYSPLIT model were similar, and cases, in which there were substantial differences. In general, for complicated atmospheric circulation patterns the model predictions can be drastically different, with a tendency of trajectory model to fail reproducing the key episode features.     

Influence of Plasmid Concentration on DNA Electrotransfer In Vitro Using High-Voltage and Low-Voltage Pulses

DNA electrotransfer in vivo for gene therapy is a promising method. For further clinical developments, the efficiency of the method should be increased. It has been shown previously that high efficiency of gene electrotransfer in vivo can be achieved using high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) pulses. In this study we evaluated whether HV and LV pulses could be optimized in vitro for efficient DNA electrotransfer. Experiments were performed using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. To evaluate the efficiency of DNA electrotransfer, two different plasmids coding for GFP and luciferase were used. For DNA electrotransfer experiments 50 μl of CHO cell suspension containing 100, 10 or 1 μg/ml of the plasmid were placed between plate electrodes and subjected to various combinations of HV and LV pulses. The results showed that at 100 μg/ml plasmid concentration LV pulse delivered after HV pulse increased neither the percentage of transfected cells nor the total transfection efficiency (luciferase activity). The contribution of the LV pulse was evident only at reduced concentration (10 and 1 μg/ml) of the plasmid. In comparison to HV (1,200 V/cm, 100 μs) pulse, addition of LV (100 V/cm, 100 ms) pulse increased transfection efficiency severalfold at 10 μg/ml and fivefold at 1 μg/ml. At 10 μg/ml concentration of plasmid, application of four LV pulses after HV pulse increased transfection efficiency by almost 10-fold. Thus, these results show that contribution of electrophoretic forces to DNA electrotransfer can be investigated in vitro using HV and LV pulses.     

Characterization of three novel pathogenic SLC40A1 mutations and genotype/phenotype correlations in 7 Italian families with type 4 hereditary hemochromatosis

Mutations of SLC40A1 encoding ferroportin (Fpn), the unique cellular iron exporter, severely affect iron homeostasis causing type 4 hereditary hemochromatosis, an autosomal dominant iron overload condition with variable phenotypic manifestations. This disease can be classified as type 4A, better known as “ferroportin disease”, which is due to “loss of function” mutations that lead to decreased iron export from cells, or as type 4B hemochromatosis, which is caused by “gain of function” mutations, conferring partial or complete resistance to hepcidin-mediated Fpn degradation.In this work, we discuss clinical and molecular findings on a group of patients in whom a SLC40A1 single copy missense variant was identified. Three novel variants, p.D181N, p.G204R and p.R296Q were functionally characterized. Fpn D181N and R296Q mutants can be classified as full or partial loss of function, respectively. Replacement of G204 with arginine appears to cause a more complex defect with impact both on iron export function and hepcidin sensitivity. This finding confirms the difficulty of predicting the effect of a mutation on the molecular properties of Fpn in order to provide an exhaustive explanation to the wide variability of the phenotype in type 4 hereditary hemochromatosis.     

How Taxonomic Relations Affect the Physicochemical Properties of Chitin

Chitin specimens from 16 arthropod species (13 of Insecta and 3 of Arachnida) were isolated for the first time using the same method. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and elemental analysis have been applied to determine how physicochemical properties of chitin specimens are affected by taxonomic relationship. The characterisation studies revealed that physicochemical nature of the chitin specimens differed greatly and were found partially specific to taxa. Significant differences in the surface morphologies of chitin specimens were observed even in the same order. However, the chitin contents were recorded to be specific to the order in the class Insecta. The highest chitin content was observed in Coleoptera (18.2–25.2 %) followed by Hemiptera (10.6–14.5 %), Odonata (9.5–10.1 %), Hymenoptera (7.8–9.3 %), Diptera (8.1 %), Blattodea (4.7 %). In addition, the crystalline index (CrI) values of chitin specimens from Coleoptera were found to be higher than the other orders in Insecta. This study revealed that the chitin contents and CrI values can be related to taxonomical relationships.     

The impact of pollen load on quality of life: a questionnaire-based study in Lithuania

Populations worldwide have been increasingly affected by allergic rhinitis associated with pollen allergens. Alterations in the geographical distribution of pollinating flora resulting from climatic changes and increased production of pollens caused by higher atmospheric CO₂, have changed the environment in which humans reside. This study, carried out in Lithuania, aimed to demonstrate how people with pollen allergy are affected by symptoms associated with changing pollen loads and to evaluate the resultant changes in human quality of life. This study assessed pollen loads in Lithuania during 2013–2014. Skin prick tests were carried out on 665 individuals aiming to evaluate sensitivity to pollen allergens. Self-reports on symptoms and their impact on quality of life were collected from each study subject. There were 24× to 42× differences in inter-annual peaks of Betula pollen concentrations, while differences of plant pollen concentrations of the other genus/families varied from 1.5 to 92 % on peak days. Positive reactions to pollen allergens were reported in 54 % of the study subjects; 90 % of these subjects had been continuously suffering from moderate-to-severe symptoms of allergic rhinitis. The most frequently reported symptoms were sneezing (99 %), runny nose (98 %) and stuffy nose (97 %). The dominant group of subjects reported symptoms during the entire period of vegetation (7 months). This study demonstrated that people with pollen allergies have attributed symptom-associated worsening of their quality of life to the typical periods of unavoidable exposure and have made only minimal changes in their lifestyle during the season of pollen load.