Delayed hypersensitivity and Ig level in 210 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

Summary Serum immunoglobulin concentration and skin reactivity to at least three recall antigens were determined in 210 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Immunoglobulin concentration was normal in the great majority of the patients. Skin tests were negative in 50 of 210 cases (24%). No relationship could be demonstrated between skin reactivity, age, time since diagnosis, WBC, lymphocyte count, and splenectomy. Prior antileukemic therapy was a major factor in determining the response to skin tests.S. Tura (Chairman) and M. Baccarani (Secretary), Cattedra di Ematologia dell'Università e Servizio di Ematologia dell'Ospedale S. Orsola, Bologna; G. de Sandre, G. Perona, G. Cetto, G. Pizzolo, Istituto di Patologia Medica e Cattedra di Ematologia dell'Università, Verona; P. Rambotti, B. Falini, Clinica Medica dell'Università, Perugia; T. Chisesi, G. Capnist, Divisione di Ematologia, Ospedale Civile, Vicenza; A. Cajozzo, P. Citarella, Cattedra di Ematologia dell'Università, Palermo; G. Broccia, Sezione di Ematologia, Ospedale Armando Businco, Cagliari; V. Liso, G. Troccoli, Clinica Medica II dell'Università, Bari; L. Bruzzese, G. Nappi, A. Abbadessa, Clinica Medica (I Facoltà) dell'Università, Napoli; A. Porcellini, C. Delfini, Divisione di Ematologia, Ospedali Riuniti, Pesaro; E. Cacciola, R. Giustolisi, R. Musso, V. Raimondi, Cattedra di Ematologia dell'Università, Catania; G. Torlontano, L. Geraci, Cattedra di Ematologia dell'Università, Chieti, e Divisione di Ematologia, Ospedale Civile, Pescara; F. Mandelli, G. Mariani, B. Monarca, N. Petti, Cattedra di Ematologia dell'Università, Roma; R. di Guglielmo, A. Miliani, Clinica Medica dell'Università, Firenze; C. Bernasconi, M. Lazzarino, G. Castelli, Divisione di Ematologia, Ospedale S. Matteo, Pavia; A. Alberti, S. Magro, Servizio di Ematologia, Ospedale Generale Regionale, Catanzaro; A. Neri, P. Iacopino, Divisione di Ematologia, Ospedali Riuniti, Reggio Calabria; R. Delsignore, M. C. Baroni, Istituto di Patologia Medica dell'Universita, Parma; E. Bajetta, S. Monfardini, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milano; S. Tognella, Istituto Scientifico di Medicina Interna, Cattedra di Clinica Medica 2R, Università, Genova.     

Impact of Anesthetics on Immune Functions in a Rat Model of Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been successfully performed in animals for the treatment of different experimental models of inflammation. The anti-inflammatory effect of VNS involves the release of acetylcholine by vagus nerve efferent fibers inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. TNF-α) produced by macrophages. Moreover, it has recently been demonstrated that splenic lymphocytic populations may also be involved. As anesthetics can modulate the inflammatory response, the current study evaluated the effect of two different anesthetics, isoflurane and pentobarbital, on splenic cellular and molecular parameters in a VNS rat model. Spleens were collected for the characterization of lymphocytes sub-populations by flow cytometry and quantification of cytokines secretion after in vitro activation. Different results were observed depending on the anesthetic used. The use of isoflurane displayed a non-specific effect of VNS characterized by a decrease of most splenic lymphocytes sub-populations studied, and also led to a significantly lower TNF-α secretion by splenocytes. However, the use of pentobarbital brought to light immune modifications in non-stimulated animals that were not observed with isoflurane, and also revealed a specific effect of VNS, notably at the level of T lymphocytes’ activation. These differences between the two anesthetics could be related to the anti-inflammatory properties of isoflurane. In conclusion, pentobarbital is more adapted than isoflurane in the study of the anti-inflammatory effect of VNS on an anesthetized rat model in that it allows more accurate monitoring of subtle immunomodulatory processes.     

Inexpensive and easily built small scale 2D electrophoresis equipment

Octopine can be estimated fluorometrically by the reduction of NAD using octopine dehydrogenase. The method is very sensitive and specific for this unusual amino acid. Octopine can be estimated from neutralized perchloric acid extracts without further treatment.     

Microbial carbon limitation: The need for integrating microorganisms into our understanding of ecosystem carbon cycling

Numerous studies have demonstrated that fertilization with nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium increases plant productivity in both natural and managed ecosystems, demonstrating that primary productivity is nutrient limited in most terrestrial ecosystems. In contrast, it has been demonstrated that heterotrophic microbial communities in soil are primarily limited by organic carbon or energy. While this concept of contrasting limitations, that is, microbial carbon and plant nutrient limitation, is based on strong evidence that we review in this paper, it is often ignored in discussions of ecosystem response to global environment changes. The plant‐centric perspective has equated plant nutrient limitations with those of whole ecosystems, thereby ignoring the important role of the heterotrophs responsible for soil decomposition in driving ecosystem carbon storage. To truly integrate carbon and nutrient cycles in ecosystem science, we must account for the fact that while plant productivity may be nutrient limited, the secondary productivity by heterotrophic communities is inherently carbon limited. Ecosystem carbon cycling integrates the independent physiological responses of its individual components, as well as tightly coupled exchanges between autotrophs and heterotrophs. To the extent that the interacting autotrophic and heterotrophic processes are controlled by organisms that are limited by nutrient versus carbon accessibility, respectively, we propose that ecosystems by definition cannot be ‘limited’ by nutrients or carbon alone. Here, we outline how models aimed at predicting non‐steady state ecosystem responses over time can benefit from dissecting ecosystems into the organismal components and their inherent limitations to better represent plant–microbe interactions in coupled carbon and nutrient models.     

Movement of sturgeons (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus and A. fulvescens) in the St. Lawrence Estuary: A 35-year tagging study

Movement of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and lake sturgeon (A. fulvescens) in the St. Lawrence Estuary (Québec, Canada) are not fully understood. To assess the movement extent of both species, a mark–recapture study was conducted in collaboration with commercial fishermen operating in the St. Lawrence Estuary. Between 1981 and 2015, 3,367 Atlantic sturgeon (fork length 21.8–199.5 cm) and 3,180 lake sturgeon (fork length 17.8–190.8 cm) were tagged and released. Of these, 673 Atlantic sturgeon and 42 lake sturgeon were recaptured. The maximum distances traveled between capture and recapture locations were 1,307 km for Atlantic sturgeon (8 years after initial capture) and 252 km for lake sturgeon (less than 1 year after initial capture). Statistical analyses identified differences in the dispersal distance of both species as revealed by a first component characterized by individuals with short dispersal distances (98% and <35 km for Atlantic sturgeon; 58% and <1 km for lake sturgeon) and a second component characterized by individuals with longer dispersal distances (2% and >600 km for Atlantic sturgeon; 42% and >190 km for lake sturgeon). We suggest that the short dispersal distances detected in the vast majority of Atlantic sturgeon recaptures likely reflect strong site fidelity, highlighting the importance of the St. Lawrence Estuary as a preferred habitat for juveniles and subadults. Although recaptures were low for lake sturgeon because this species is only marginally targeted by commercial fishermen in the St. Lawrence Estuary, our results also showed that this species uses estuarine habitats and that half of the population seems to exhibit strong site fidelity (67% of individuals were recaptured within 2 km).     

Predictive markers of safety and immunogenicity of adjuvanted vaccines

Vaccination represents one of the greatest public health triumphs; in part due to the effect of adjuvants that have been included in vaccine preparations to boost the immune responses through different mechanisms. Although a variety of novel adjuvants have been under development, only a limited number have been approved by regulatory authorities for human vaccines. This report reflects the conclusions of a group of scientists from academia, regulatory agencies and industry who attended a conference on the current state of the art in the adjuvant field. Held at the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) in Rockville, Maryland, USA, from 18 to 19 April 2013 and organized by the International Association for Biologicals (IABS), the conference focused particularly on the future development of effective adjuvants and adjuvanted vaccines and on overcoming major hurdles, such as safety and immunogenicity assessment, as well as regulatory scrutiny. More information on the conference output can be found on the IABS website, http://www.iabs.org/.     

Microarray Analysis of Microbiota of Gingival Lesions in Noma Patients

Noma (cancrum oris) is a gangrenous disease of unknown etiology affecting the maxillo-facial region of young children in extremely limited resource countries. In an attempt to better understand the microbiological events occurring during this disease, we used phylogenetic and low-density microarrays targeting the 16S rRNA gene to characterize the gingival flora of acute noma and acute necrotizing gingivitis (ANG) lesions, and compared them to healthy control subjects of the same geographical and social background. Our observations raise doubts about Fusobacterium necrophorum, a previously suspected causative agent of noma, as this species was not associated with noma lesions. Various oral pathogens were more abundant in noma lesions, notably Atopobium spp., Prevotella intermedia, Peptostreptococcus spp., Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus anginosus. On the other hand, pathogens associated with periodontal diseases such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga spp., Porphyromonas spp. and Fusobacteriales were more abundant in healthy controls. Importantly, the overall loss of bacterial diversity observed in noma samples as well as its homology to that of ANG microbiota supports the hypothesis that ANG might be the immediate step preceding noma.     

Genetic variation in oxytocin rs2740210 and early adversity associated with postpartum depression and breastfeeding duration

Mothers vary in duration of breastfeeding. These individual differences are related to a variety of demographic and individual maternal factors including maternal hormones, mood and early experiences. However, little is known about the role of genetic factors. We studied single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the OXT peptide gene (rs2740210; rs4813627) and the OXT receptor gene (OXTR rs237885) in two samples of mothers from the Maternal adversity, Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment study (MAVAN), a multicenter (Hamilton and Montreal, Canada) study following mothers and their children from pregnancy until 7 years of age. Data from the Hamilton site was the primary sample (n = 201) and data from Montreal was the replication sample (n = 151). Breastfeeding duration, maternal mood (measured by the CES‐D scale) and early life adversity (measured by the CTQ scale) were established during 12 months postpartum. In our primary sample, polymorphisms in OXT rs2740210, but not the other SNPs, interacted with early life adversity to predict variation in breastfeeding duration (overall F_8,125 = 2.361, P = 0.021; interaction effect b = ?8.12, t = ?2.3, P = 0.023) and depression (overall F_8,118 = 5.751, P ≤ 0.001; interaction effect b = 6.06, t = 3.13, P = 0.002). A moderated mediation model showed that higher levels of depression mediated the inverse relation of high levels of early life adversity to breastfeeding duration, but only in women possessing the CC genotype [effect a′ = ?3.3401, 95% confidence interval (CI) = ?7.9466 to ?0.0015] of the OXT SNP and not in women with the AA/AC genotype (a′ = ?1.2942, ns). The latter findings (moderated mediation model) were replicated in our Montreal sample (a′ = ?0.277, 95% CI = ?0.7987 to ?0.0348 for CC; a′ = ?0.1820, ns for AA/AC) .