Ultrasound study in the differential diagnosis of thyroid focal lesions of various origin

The present study deals with the ultrasound differential diagnosis of thyroid lesions. A hundred and ninety-two patients, including 130 patients with benign diseases (nodular colloidal goiter) (36.9%), chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (30.7%), and adenomas (32.3%) and 62 patients with malignant diseases (thyroid cancer (88%), lymphoproliferative diseases (6.4%), and recurrent thyroid cancer) (4.8%), were clinically examined. Ultrasound studies (USS) were performed in the B- and (see text symbols) modes. The diagnosis was verified from cytological and histological findings with mandatory morphological confirmation. Interdisease comparison has shown that USS is both a screening and diagnostic technique in revealing thyroid changes and determining their site, sizes, and structure. Ultrasound pathognomonic signs were detected in different morphological types of adenomas, thyroiditis, and nodular colloidal goiter, in the classical, pseudoadenomatous and pseudocystic types of thyroid cancer. At the same time there were characteristic ultrasound parameters at the stage of pronounced changes in undifferentiated thyroid cancer (pseudothyroiditis), lymphoproliferative diseases, and acute thyroiditis. The exception was the diffuse form of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis in which both thyroid lobes were always altered.     

Temperature and state dependence of dynamic phrenic oscillations in the decerebrate juvenile rat

The aim of the present study was to determine characteristics of fast oscillations in the juvenile rat phrenic nerve (Ph) and to establish their temperature and state dependence. Two different age-matched decerebrate, baro- and chemodenervated rat preparations, in vivo and in situ arterially perfused models, were used to examine three systemic properties: 1) generation and dynamics of fast oscillations in Ph activity (both preparations), 2) responses to anoxia (both preparations), and 3) the effects of temperature on fast oscillations (in situ only). Both juvenile preparations generated power and coherence in two major bands analogous to adult medium- and high-frequency oscillations (HFO) at frequencies that increased with temperature but were lower than in adults. At < 28 degrees C, however, Ph oscillations were confined primarily to one low-frequency band (20-45 Hz). During sustained anoxia, both preparations produced stereotypical state changes from eupnea to hyperpnea to transition bursting (a behavior present only in vivo during incomplete ischemia) to gasping. Thus the juvenile rat produces a sequential pattern of responses to anoxia that are intermediate forms between those produced by neonates and those produced by adults. Time-frequency analysis determined that fast oscillations demonstrated dynamics over the course of the inspiratory burst and a state dependence similar to that of adults in vivo in which hyperpnea (and transition) bursts are associated with increases in HFO, while gasping contains no HFO. Our results confirm that both the fast oscillations in Ph activity and the coherence between Ph pairs produced by the juvenile rat are profoundly state- and temperature-dependent.     

Methane production through anaerobic digestion of various energy crops grown in sustainable crop rotations

Biogas production is of major importance for the sustainable use of agrarian biomass as renewable energy source. Economic biogas production depends on high biogas yields. The project aimed at optimising anaerobic digestion of energy crops. The following aspects were investigated: suitability of different crop species and varieties, optimum time of harvesting, specific methane yield and methane yield per hectare. The experiments covered 7 maize, 2 winter wheat, 2 triticale varieties, 1 winter rye, and 2 sunflower varieties and 6 variants with permanent grassland. In the course of the vegetation period, biomass yield and biomass composition were measured. Anaerobic digestion was carried out in eudiometer batch digesters. The highest methane yields of 7500-10200 m(N)(3)ha(-1) were achieved from maize varieties with FAO numbers (value for the maturity of the maize) of 300 to 600 harvested at "wax ripeness". Methane yields of cereals ranged from 3200 to 4500 m(N)(3)ha(-1). Cereals should be harvested at "grain in the milk stage" to "grain in the dough stage". With sunflowers, methane yields between 2600 and 4550 m(N)(3)ha(-1) were achieved. There were distinct differences between the investigated sunflower varieties. Alpine grassland can yield 2700-3500 m(N)(3)CH(4)ha(-1). The methane energy value model (MEVM) was developed for the different energy crops. It estimates the specific methane yield from the nutrient composition of the energy crops. Energy crops for biogas production need to be grown in sustainable crop rotations. The paper outlines possibilities for optimising methane yield from versatile crop rotations that integrate the production of food, feed, raw materials and energy. These integrated crop rotations are highly efficient and can provide up to 320 million t COE which is 96% of the total energy demand of the road traffic of the EU-25 (the 25 Member States of the European Union).     

Defect formation of lytic peptides in lipid membranes and their influence on the thermodynamic properties of the pore environment

We present an experimental study of the pore formation processes of small amphipathic peptides in model phosphocholine lipid membranes. We used atomic force microscopy to characterize the spatial organization and structure of alamethicin- and melittin-induced defects in lipid bilayer membranes and the influence of the peptide on local membrane properties. Alamethicin induced holes in gel DPPC membranes were directly visualized at different peptide concentrations. We found that the thermodynamic state of lipids in gel membranes can be influenced by the presence of alamethicin such that nanoscopic domains of fluid lipids form close to the peptide pores, and that the elastic constants of the membrane are altered in their vicinity. Melittin-induced holes were visualized in DPPC and DLPC membranes at room temperature in order to study the influence of the membrane state on the peptide induced hole formation. Also differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate the effect of alamethicin on the lipid membrane phase behaviour.     

Microsecond Time-Resolved Absorption Spectroscopy Used to Study CO Compounds of Cytochrome bd from Escherichia coli

Cytochrome bd is a tri-heme (b ₅₅₈, b ₅₉₅, d) respiratory oxygen reductase that is found in many bacteria including pathogenic species. It couples the electron transfer from quinol to O₂ with generation of an electrochemical proton gradient. We examined photolysis and subsequent recombination of CO with isolated cytochrome bd from Escherichia coli in one-electron reduced (MV) and fully reduced (R) states by microsecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy at 532-nm excitation. Both Soret and visible band regions were examined. CO photodissociation from MV enzyme possibly causes fast (τ<1.5 µs) electron transfer from heme d to heme b ₅₉₅ in a small fraction of the protein, not reported earlier. Then the electron migrates to heme b ₅₅₈ (τ∼16 µs). It returns from the b-hemes to heme d with τ∼180 µs. Unlike cytochrome bd in the R state, in MV enzyme the apparent contribution of absorbance changes associated with CO dissociation from heme d is small, if any. Photodissociation of CO from heme d in MV enzyme is suggested to be accompanied by the binding of an internal ligand (L) at the opposite side of the heme. CO recombines with heme d (τ∼16 µs) yielding a transient hexacoordinate state (CO-Fe²⁺-L). Then the ligand slowly (τ∼30 ms) dissociates from heme d. Recombination of CO with a reduced heme b in a fraction of the MV sample may also contribute to the 30-ms phase. In R enzyme, CO recombines to heme d (τ∼20 µs), some heme b ₅₅₈ (τ∼0.2–3 ms), and finally migrates from heme d to heme b ₅₉₅ (τ∼24 ms) in ∼5% of the enzyme population. Data are consistent with the recent nanosecond study of Rappaport et al. conducted on the membranes at 640-nm excitation but limited to the Soret band. The additional phases were revealed due to differences in excitation and other experimental conditions.     

Chitosan coated alginate beads for the survival of microencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum in pomegranate juice

This work studied the effect of multi-layer coating of alginate beads on the survival of encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum in simulated gastric solution and during storage in pomegranate juice at 4°C. Uncoated, single and double chitosan coated beads were examined. The survival of the cells in simulated gastric solution (pH 1.5) was improved in the case of the chitosan coated beads by 0.5-2 logs compared to the uncoated beads. The cell concentration in pomegranate juice after six weeks of storage was higher than 5.5logCFU/mL for single and double coated beads, whereas for free cells and uncoated beads the cells died after 4 weeks of storage. In simulated gastric solution, the size of the beads decreased and their hardness increased with time; however, the opposite trend was observed for pomegranate juice, indicating that there is no correlation between cell survival and the hardness of the beads.     

Ultrasound diagnosis in endoprosthesis of lower extremity arterial aneurysms with "Hemobahn"- and "Viabahn"-eluted stents

The paper presents the results of color duplex scanning (CDS) in 7 patients treated at the Unit of Vascular Surgery, Clinical Hospital No. 83, from 2002 to 2006, in whom 5 Hemobahn grafting stents and 2 Viabahm ones were implanted into the lower limb arterial aneurysms and the proximal anastomoses of the iliofemoral alloshunts "Gore-tex". A grafting stent was individually selected for each specific case. All the examinees were males. The patients' age was 60 to 70 years. The results of endovascular interventions were assessed, by analyzing color duplex scanning (CDS) of a grafting stent implantation area in early postoperative periods (days 1-3), further by the scheme following 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and then twice a year. Endovascular intervention areas were studied by the standard procedure on Logic-500 and Vivid-700 ultrasound apparatuses (USA) with a 7.5-MHz linear transducer and a 3.5-MHz convection transducer. In the postoperative period, multiprojection scanning was used to detect stent configuration impairments. According to the data of examination using the CDS technique, a surgical success was noted in 100% of cases. In all cases, stage, adequate aneurysmal stenting along with the restoration of the geometry of proximal anastomoses of iliofemoral alloshunts, iliac and superficial femoral arteries with exclusion of aneurysms from blood flow was diagnosed at a hospital stage. Follow-up ultrasonography revealed no changes in the area of endovascular intervention. Thus, as a highly informative, noninvasive technique, CDS can assess the results of implantation of grafting stents into the arteries and shunts of the lower extremities in both early and late postoperative periods.     

Differential effect of sanguinarine, chelerythrine and chelidonine on DNA damage and cell viability in primary mouse spleen cells and mouse leukemic cells

Sanguinarine, chelerythrine and chelidonine are isoquinoline alkaloids derived from the greater celandine. They possess a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. It has been shown that their anti-tumor activity is mediated via different mechanisms, which can be promising targets for anti-cancer therapy. We focused our study on the differential effects of these alkaloids upon cell viability, DNA damage effect and nucleus integrity in mouse primary spleen cells and mouse lymphocytic leukemic cells, L1210. Sanguinarine and chelerythrine produce a dose-dependent increase in DNA damage and cytotoxicity in both primary mouse spleen cells and L1210 cells. Chelidonine did not show a significant cytotoxicity or damage DNA in both cell types, but completely arrested growth of L1210 cells. Examination of nuclear morphology revealed more cells with apoptotic features upon treatment with chelerythrine and sanguinarine, but not chelidonine. In contrast to primary mouse spleen cells, L1210 cells showed slightly higher sensitivity to sanguinarine and chelerythrine treatment. This suggests that cytotoxic and DNA damaging effects of chelerythrine and sanguinarine are more selective against mouse leukemic cells and primary mouse spleen cells, whereas chelidonine blocks proliferation of L1210 cells. The action of chelidonine on normal and tumor cells requires further investigation.     

A sequence motif within chromatin entry sites directs MSL establishment on the Drosophila X chromosome

The Drosophila MSL complex associates with active genes specifically on the male X chromosome to acetylate histone H4 at lysine 16 and increase expression approximately 2-fold. To date, no DNA sequence has been discovered to explain the specificity of MSL binding. We hypothesized that sequence-specific targeting occurs at "chromatin entry sites," but the majority of sites are sequence independent. Here we characterize 150 potential entry sites by ChIP-chip and ChIP-seq and discover a GA-rich MSL recognition element (MRE). The motif is only slightly enriched on the X chromosome ( approximately 2-fold), but this is doubled when considering its preferential location within or 3' to active genes (>4-fold enrichment). When inserted on an autosome, a newly identified site can direct local MSL spreading to flanking active genes. These results provide strong evidence for both sequence-dependent and -independent steps in MSL targeting of dosage compensation to the male X chromosome.