Lack of relationship between 174G_C promoter polymorphism of the IL-6 gene and indices of metabolic syndrome in non-obese healthy subjects

Wstęp: W ostatnim czasie pojawiły się doniesienia na temat związku polimorfizmu 174G_C genu interleukiny 6 (IL-6) z wskaźnikami zespołu metabolicznego. Jednak problem ten nie był badany u osób z należną masą ciała. Celem opisanych badań było znalezienie związku między zawartością tkanki tłuszczowej brzusznej a wybranymi zapalnymi czynnikami ryzyka rozwoju miażdżycy i polimorfizmem 174G_C genu IL-6 u zdrowych osób z należną masą ciała. Materiał i metody: Badano związek między cechami antropometrycznymi, takimi jak: masa ciała, wzrost, wskaźnik masy ciała (BMI, body mass index), obwód talii, stosunek obwodu talii do obwodu bioder (WHR, waist-to-hip index), dystrybucja tkanki tłuszczowej (DXA), stężeniem białka C-reaktywnego (CRP, C-reactive protein) i IL-6 oraz wskaźnikami insulinowrażliwości/oporności a polimorfizmem 174G_C IL-6. Grupę badaną stanowiło 232 zdrowe nieotyłe kobiety (wiek 31,4 &#177; 5,5 lat) oraz 199 mężczyzn (wiek 30,3 &#177; 6,0 lat). Wyniki: Autorzy stwierdzili, że genotyp CC występował u 15,56%, CG u 52,74%, a GG u 31,7% badanych. Stężenia IL-6 i CRP nie różniły się pomiędzy genotypami. Nie było także różnic odnośnie BMI i WHR. Jedyne różnice pomiędzy genotypami, widoczne tylko w grupie mężczyzn dotyczyły całkowitej zawartości tkanki tłuszczowej (genotyp CC wykazywał większą zawartość tłuszczu niż CG i GG), różnica ta była istotna statystycznie między CC a GG (p < 0,05), oraz depozytu gynoidalnego (wyższe wartości u genotypu CC niż u CG i GG), różnica ta była istotna statystycznie między CC a GG (p < 0,025) oraz między CC i CG (p < 0,05). Parametry biochemiczne i wrażliwość na insulinę nie różniły się pomiędzy genotypami. Wnioski: Uzyskane wyniki wskazują na brak związku między polimorfizmem 174G_C IL-6 a zaburzeniami metabolicznymi u osób zdrowych z należną masą ciała.Introduction: Homozygosity for interleukin-6 (IL-6) 174G_C promoter polymorphism has recently been associated with indices of metabolic syndrome; however, this problem has not been investigated in non-obese subjects. The aim of this study was to explore the relation between abdominal fat distribution and some inflammatory risk factors of atheromatosis and IL-6 174G_C gene polymorphism in non-obese healthy subjects. Material and methods: Relationships were investigated between anthropometric variables, i.e. weight, height, BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), body fat distribution (DXA), serum CRP and IL-6, insulin sensitivity/resistance indices, and IL-6 174G_C gene polymorphism, in healthy non-obese Polish subjects: 232 women (age 31.4 &#177; 5.5 years) and 199 men (age 30.3 &#177; 6.0 years). Results: The genetic study revealed that the CC genotype was observed in 15.56% of subjects, the CG genotype in 52.74%, and the GG genotype in 31.7%. IL-6 and CRP concentration did not differ among the genotypes. There were also no differences regarding BMI and WHR. The only differences among genotypes, observed only in men, were those concerning total fat (CC had higher fat content than CG and GG); the difference being statistically significant between CC and GG (p < 0.05), and gynoidal fat deposit (CC had higher gynoidal fat deposit than CG and GG); the difference being statistically significant between CC and GG (p < 0.025) and between CC and CG (p < 0.05). Biochemical parameters and insulin sensitivity did not differ among the genotypes. Conclusions: These data show that IL-6 174G_C polymorphism is not associated with features describing metabolic syndrome in nonobese healthy subjects

Simulation of S-entropy production during the transport of non-electrolyte solutions in the double-membrane system

Using the classical Kedem-Katchalsky' membrane transport theory, a mathematical model was developed and the original concentration volume flux (J(v)), solute flux (J(s)) characteristics, and S-entropy production by J(v), ((psi S)Jv) and by J(s) ((psi S)Js) in a double-membrane system were simulated. In this system, M-1 and M-r membranes separated the l, m, and r compartments containing homogeneous solutions of one non-electrolytic substance. The compartment m consists of the infinitesimal layer of solution and its volume fulfills the condition V-m -> 0. The volume of compartments l and r fulfills the condition V-l = V-r -> infinity. At the initial moment, the concentrations of the solution in the cell satisfy the condition C-l < C-m < C-r. Based on this model, for fixed values of transport parameters of membranes (i.e., the reflection (sigma(l), sigma(r)), hydraulic permeability (L-pl, L-pr), and solute permeability (omega(l), omega(r)) coefficients), the original dependencies C-m = f(C-l - C-r), J(v) = f(C-l - C-r), J(s) = f(C-l - C-r), (psi S)Jv = f(C-l - C-r), (psi S)Js = f(C-l - C-r), R-v = f(C-l - C-r), and R-s = f(C-l - C-r) were calculated. Each of the obtained features was specially arranged as a pair of parabola, hyperbola, or other complex curves.Web of Science224art. no. 46

Simultaneous growth releases and reductions among Populus alba as an indicator for floods in dry mountains (Morocco)

We studied the growth reaction of silver poplar trees (Populus alba) to a large flood in November 2014 in the semi-arid High Atlas Mountains, Morocco. The flood resulted in half of the studied trees developing wider tree rings in 2015 and the other half developing narrower rings in 2015, next year after the flood. For 57.1% of trees which released growth in 2015, this was the most significant increase of ring width during their whole lives (in whole tree-ring chronologies), and for 23.8% of trees which reduced growth in 2015, this was the most significant decrease of ring width. Tree-ring reductions in next year after the 2014 flood resulted from environmental stress related to burying stems with alluvia deposited during the flood. Fresh sediments cut off air access from the root system, and for some of the sampled trees, this stress was strong enough to control their radial growth. Growth releases that follow the 2014 flood are a record of trees benefitting from a sudden supply of water, a rare opportunity in dry study area, where water is usually scarce. The study demonstrates that floods in high mountains of arid zone can cause dual, opposite growth reaction of affected trees. Such dual record is characteristic for environmental impulses, which exert stress on trees, but, at the same time, improve other conditions of tree growth. Environmental events that cause simultaneous positive and negative reactions among a population of trees, like studied flood, can easily be overlooked in chronologies based on average widths of tree rings each year. For trees affected during studied flood arithmetical mean of ring widths in 2015 is average and does not stand out from arithmetical means for other years. However, when analysed in detail, the year 2015 is significantly different from other years, as is demonstrated by high values of dispersion indicators (standard deviation and coefficient of variation) calculated for all sampled trees. This study demonstrates that following the standard procedure (developing tree-ring chronology from average ring widths) is not a reliable solution for reconstructions of environmental impulses which cause dual, opposite reaction among sampled trees. Even strong events of this type will not be emphasised in standard chronologies, which can lead to underestimating frequency and magnitude of processes and, in the case of floods, to underestimating hazard and risk

SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre in Krakow, Poland

The SOLARIS synchrotron located in Krakow, Poland, is a third-generation light source operating at medium electron energy. The first synchrotron light was observed in 2015, and the consequent development of infrastructure lead to the first users’ experiments at soft X-ray energies in 2018. Presently, SOLARIS expands its operation towards hard X-rays with continuous developments of the beamlines and concurrent infrastructure. In the following, we will summarize the SOLARIS synchrotron design, and describe the beamlines and research infrastructure together with the main performance parameters, upgrade, and development plans

Mathematical Model of Relations Between Waist Circumference, Hip Circumference and Waist Fat Mass

Przedstawiono model matematyczny wiążący obwód talii (lt) z obwodem w biodrach i masą tłuszczu w talii (mt). Ów model jest oparty o podstawowe zależności geometryczne dla pierścienia kulistego oraz wyniki badań doświadczalnych polegających na pośrednim pomiarze całkowitej masy tłuszczu i masy tłuszczu wisceralnego metodą bioimpedancji oraz pomiaru obwodu talii (lt) i obwodu w biodrach (lb) przy pomocy ergonomicznej taśmy mierniczej do pomiaru obwodów. Wyniki obliczeń obwodu talii (lt) wykonane na podstawie tego modelu są zgodne w 4% korytarzu błędu z wynikami pomiarów dla mężczyzny uczestniczącego w eksperymencie polegającym na redukcji masy ciała w oparciu o dietę niskocukrową. Wyniki badań są istotne z biomedycznego punktu widzenia.A mathematical model that correlates waist circumference (lt) with fat mass (mt) was presented. This model is based on basic geometrical dependencies for spherical ring and the results of experimental studies involving the indirect measurement of peripheral fat mass by bioimpedance method and measurement of waist circumference by means of an ergonimic measure used for circuit measurements. The calculated waist circumference (lt) based on this model significantly correlated with the results of waist circumference measurement using an ergonomic circumferential measuring ruler for four participants that followed a low-sugar diet in a weight reduction experiment

DENSITY CHARACTERISTIC AND MODEL EQUATION FOR THE GRAVIOSMOTIC FLUX

Przedstawiono gęstościowe charakterystyki strumienia grawiosmotycznego oraz model matematyczny owego strumienia, opracowany na podstawie formalizmu Kedem-Katchalsky’ego. Korzystając z otrzymanych równań, wykonano obliczenia dla układu dwóch membran z octanu celulozy (Nephrophan) oraz wodnych roztworów KCl i amoniaku. Otrzymane wyniki badań wskazują, że układ dwumembranowy zawierający w przedziale międzymemranowym roztwór ternary o gęstości równej gęstości wody znajdującej się w przedziałach zewnętrznych, może spełniać rolę grawireceptora.Density characteristics of the graviosmotic flux and the mathematical model of this flux, developed on the basis of Kedem-Katchalsky formalism are presented. Using this equation, calculations were made for a system of two membranes of cellulose acetate (Nephrophan) and aqueous solutions of KCl and ammonia. The obtained results in-dicate that the double-membrane system containing in the central compartment a ter-nary solution with a density equal to the density of water in the external compartments, can act as a gravitceptor