Pea proteins immunotherapy in peanut allergic mice model

Mice (Balb/c), with peanut allergy induced, were subjected to desensitization therapy with the use of pea protein extract (PE) or isolated globulin fractions: legumin (PL) and vicilin (PV). B- and T-cell responses to peanut proteins were analysed by determination of the IgE, IgG1, and IgG2a antibody levels in plasma and the concentration of IL-4, IFN-gamma and IL-10 cytokines secreted by isolated splenocytes.Conducted studies have demonstrated that immunotherapy with proteins resulted in the decrease of total IgE and peanut-specific IgG1 levels and significantly enhanced synthesis of peanut-specific IgG2a in plasma (ELISA method) and at the cellular level (ELISPOT type B). A successful and effective immunotherapy is related to the shift in profile of lymphocytes from Th2 subpopulation towards Th1 subpopulation. In our studies significant increase in the activity of Th1 lymphocytes was observed in groups desensitized with pea protein extracts (PE) and pea legumin fraction (PL). In these groups, significant statistic decrease in IL-4 secreted and increase in IL-10 level were found.Desensitization method with the use of pea proteins being suggested in the presented studies can be an alternative method for specific immunotherapy for people, especially with strong allergic reaction to peanuts; however, this method needs further studies with mouse model

The relationship between the dimensions of the right coronary artery and the type of coronary vasculature in human foetuses

Background: The area of vascular supply of particular coronary arteries is directly linked to the varying typology of the coronary vasculature. This factor may have a significant influence on the coronary vessel diameters. To date there has been no published research that analyses the relationship between the type of coronary vasculature and the dimensions of the epicardial arteries in the human foetus. There are only a few papers that deal with this issue in the postnatal period of human life. Material and methods: The study was carried out on a group of 187 human foetuses aged five to seven months of intrauterine life. Prior to examination all foetuses had been conserved in a 9% formaldehyde solution for a minimum of three months. All foetuses had been aborted naturally. None of them had any external signs of malformations or developmental abnormalities. The number of foetuses in the particular age groups was variable. Adachi/Bianchi classification was used to categorize the particular vasculature types: type I - classic, neither artery is dominating; type II - dominant right coronary artery; type III - dominant left coronary artery. Results and conclusions: The analysis of differences between the artery dimensions in particular types of coronary vasculature revealed that such differences existed between types I and II and also between types II and III. (Folia Morphol 2011; 70, 1: 13-17

The occurrence of 226Ra and 228Ra in groundwaters of the Polish Sudety Mountains

The paper presents preliminary measurement results of the concentrations of 226Ra and 228Ra isotopes in the groundwaters of the Polish part of the Sudety Mountains. The analysis of sampling results for water from 55 intakes showed that the average concentrations amount to 0.144 Bq/dm3 for 226Ra and 0.083 Bq/dm3 for 228Ra, while the extreme values reach 0.007 and 0.92 Bq/dm3 for 226Ra, and 0.004 and 0.4 Bq/dm3 for 228Ra. The activity ratio 228Ra/226Ra in the examined groundwaters ranges between 0.099 and 2.059. The result of the conducted research implies that the highest concentrations of 226Ra and 228Ra occur in the waters with the highest general mineralization (the highest values of total dissolved solids (TDS))

Correlation between Endosonographic and Doppler Ultrasound Features of Portal Hypertension in Patients with Cirrhosis

Purpose. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) permits the detailed visualization of clinically significant features of portal hypertension; however, it is an invasive procedure that is not widely available. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether a correlation exists between the features of portal hypertension detected using both Doppler ultrasound and EUS in subjects with liver cirrhosis. Materials and Methods. Analyzed cohort included 42 patients who underwent a detailed Doppler ultrasound focusing on the parameters of blood flow in the portal/splenic vein as well as an endoscopic/EUS procedure that included the assessment of the size and localization of “deep” varices. Results. The size of “deep” oesophageal varices detected with EUS exhibited no correlation with the parameters assessed by Doppler ultrasound. However, the size of the “deep” gastric varices detected using EUS correlated with the time averaged maximum velocity (Tmax as well as Vmin, Vmax) for the portal vein using Doppler ultrasound and exhibited a correlation with the Vmax and Tmax for the splenic vein. No significant correlation was determined between the diameter of the azygous vein and the thickness of the gastric wall when seen on EUS versus the parameters measured with Doppler ultrasound. Conclusion. EUS provides important information regarding the features of portal hypertension, and in the case of “deep” oesophageal varices exhibits a limited correlation with the parameters detected by Doppler ultrasound. Thus, despite its invasiveness, EUS is a method that provides a reliable and unique assessment of the features of portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis

The topographical anatomy of the round window and related structures for the purpose of cochlear implant surgery

The treatment of total deafness using a cochlear implant has now become a routine medical procedure. The tendency to expand the audiological indications for cochlear stimulation and to preserve the remnants of hearing has brought new problems. The authors have studied the topographical anatomy of the internal structures of the ear in the area where cochleostomy is usually performed and an implant electrode inserted. Ten human temporal bones were obtained from cadavers and prepared in a formalin stain. After dissection of the bone in the area of round and oval windows, the following diameters were measured using a microscope with a scale: the transverse diameters of the cochlear and vestibular scalae at the level of the centre of the round window and 0.5 mm anteriorly to the round window, the distance between the windows and the distances from the end of the spiral lamina to the centre of the round window and to its anterior margin. The width of the cochlear scala at the level of the round window was 1.23 mm, and 0.5 mm anteriorly to the round window membrane it was 1.24 mm. The corresponding diameters for the vestibular scala are 1.34 and 1.27 mm. The distances from the end of the spiral lamina to the centre of the round window and to its anterior margin are 1.26 and 2.06 respectively. The authors noted that the two methods of electrode insertion show a difference of 2 mm in the length of the stimulated spiral lamina. The average total length of the unstimulated lamina is 2.06 and 4.06 in the two situations respectively

Natural radioactivity of groundwater from the Przerzeczyn-Zdrój Spa

The present authors performed investigations of natural radioactivity in groundwater from the Przerzeczyn- -Zdrój Spa. Some of the waters are regarded as medical and are used for balneological purposes. Samples from seven groundwater intakes were collected 5 times over a period of 8 years (1999–2007). In order to obtain necessary data, two different nuclear spectrometry techniques were applied: α spectrometry and liquid scintillation spectrometry. The activity concentrations of 222Rn varied in the range from 15±2 Bq/l to 154±22 Bq/l. The results of activity concentrations of 226,228Ra varied from below 10 mBq/l to 30±1.5 mBq/l and from below 30 mBq/l to 60±4 mBq/l, respectively. Activity concentration lower than minimum detectable activity (MDA) was obtained for 3 samples for 226Ra and 4 for 228Ra determinations out of 7 investigated samples. The uranium content in the studied samples was determined once and the value ranged from 4.5±0.6 mBq/l to 13.6±1.2 mBq/l for 238U and from 17.1±0.9 mBq/l to 52.2±2.8 mBq/l for 234U. All obtained values for uranium isotopes showed activity concentrations above MDA. The activity ratios 234U/238U, 222Rn/226Ra and 226Ra/238U and the correlations between different isotopes concentrations were evaluated

Murine glial progenitor cells transplantation and synthetic PreImplantation Factor (sPIF) reduces inflammation and early motor impairment in ALS mice.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive motor neuronal disorder characterized by neuronal degeneration and currently no effective cure is available to stop or delay the disease from progression. Transplantation of murine glial-restricted precursors (mGRPs) is an attractive strategy to modulate ALS development and advancements such as the use of immune modulators could potentially extend graft survival and function. Using a well-established ALS transgenic mouse model (SOD1G93A), we tested mGRPs in combination with the immune modulators synthetic PreImplantation Factor (sPIF), Tacrolimus (Tac), and Costimulatory Blockade (CB). We report that transplantation of mGRPs into the cisterna magna did not result in increased mice survival. The addition of immunomodulatory regimes again did not increase mice lifespan but improved motor functions and sPIF was superior compared to other immune modulators. Immune modulators did not affect mGRPs engraftment significantly but reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Finally, sPIF and CB reduced the number of microglial cells and prevented neuronal number loss. Given the safety profile and a neuroprotective potential of sPIF, we envision its clinical application in near future