The usability of the Judd-Ofelt theory for luminescent thermometry using Eu3+-doped phosphate glass

The Judd-Ofelt theory, which is the most thorough and insightful method to determine theoretically the luminescent properties of the trivalent rare earth dopants, is here tested on Eu3+-doped glasses in the P2O5 – SrO – CaO – Na2O system to assess their usefulness as luminescent thermometers. It is demonstrated that the thermometric sensitivity (change of the emission lines ratio in response to change in temperature) can be estimated using the Judd-Ofelt theory and aligns well with the experimentally obtained values. It is shown here that the addition of B2O3 or SiO2 in a phosphate network increases the absolute sensitivity due to an increase in the phosphate network connectivity while having no significant impact on the site of Eu3+ ions. The applicability of the Judd-Ofelt theory for predicting the thermometric parameters of a glass luminescent material, without the time-consuming measurement of the glasses spectroscopic properties as a function of temperature, is clearly demonstrated and allows for further development of novel efficient luminescent thermal sensors with high sensitivity

Intestinal histostructure and immune protection activity of age -1+ carp after consumption of a prebiotic feed additive

Currently, it is important in aquaculture to study and use products and additives, which have positive effects on the digestibility of nutrients by helping to normalize the intestinal microflora, thereby modulating fish immune response. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a prebiotic based on mannan oligosaccharides produced from the outer walls of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells on the histological structure, morphometric state of the intestine and activity of cellular and humoral components of nonspecific resistance of age -2+ carp. The experiment was conducted in four analogous ponds, which were stocked with age-1 scaly carp with an average weight of 55–58 g with a stocking density of 1000 fish/ha. Carp had been fed balanced compound feed for 60 days. Experimental groups of fish were fed with a prebiotic as a feed additive in the amount of: 0.025 % – Experiment 1, 0.05 % – Experiment 2 and 0.075 % – Experiment 3. Use of the studied prebiotic did not damage the intestinal histological structure of carp of the experimental groups. The villi height and intestinal crypt depth of carp in Experiment 1 (P < 0.05) and Experiment 2 (P < 0.01) were larger compared to the control group. Experiment 3 showed destructive changes in intestinal mucosa. The results of histological examination indicated the effectiveness of the use of the studied prebiotic in the amount of 0.025 and 0.05 % in the diet of age -1+ carp due to the absence of pathological changes and active morphofunctional state of the intestine, which, in turn, had a positive effect on feed absorption and metabolic processes in fish body. Analysis of the indicators of cellular and humoral links of natural resistance showed that in carp of the second and third experimental groups lysozyme activity of serum was 5 and 11 % (P < 0.001) higher than in the control group. Similar changes, though found in a greater extent, were recorded in the study of bactericidal activity of blood serum, especially in individuals of the second and third experimental groups (by 6.8 (P < 0.01) and 15.2 %). While with carps of the third experimental group, which used a prebiotic drug in the amount of 0.075 %, the content of CEC was 20.5 % higher than in the control group, which indicates an additional antigenic load on the body and is an unfavorable diagnostic factor. At the same time, with the fish of the second experimental group, which received, respectively, 0.05 % of the supplement of the drug “Actigen” to the main diet, probably higher phagocytic activity of blood neutrophils was recorded. A direct dependence of the growth of the phagocytic index and the phagocytic number of neutrophils on the dose of the studied prebiotic was detected. Immunological studies indicated a dose-dependent effect of the prebiotic on the activity of cellular and humoral components of non-specific resistance of carp. Given this, for the effective functioning of innate protective mechanisms, for the increase of the body's immune potential and productivity, it is most appropriate to apply to the diet of carp prebiotic supplement “Actigen” in the amount of 0.025 and 0.05 %

A novel COL4A1 frameshift mutation in familial kidney disease: the importance of the C-terminal NC1 domain of type IV collagen.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary microscopic haematuria often segregates with mutations of COL4A3, COL4A4 or COL4A5 but in half of families a gene is not identified. We investigated a Cypriot family with autosomal dominant microscopic haematuria with renal failure and kidney cysts. METHODS: We used genome-wide linkage analysis, whole exome sequencing and cosegregation analyses. RESULTS: We identified a novel frameshift mutation, c.4611_4612insG:p.T1537fs, in exon 49 of COL4A1. This mutation predicts truncation of the protein with disruption of the C-terminal part of the NC1 domain. We confirmed its presence in 20 family members, 17 with confirmed haematuria, 5 of whom also had stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease. Eleven family members exhibited kidney cysts (55% of those with the mutation), but muscle cramps or cerebral aneurysms were not observed and serum creatine kinase was normal in all individuals tested. CONCLUSIONS: Missense mutations of COL4A1 that encode the CB3 [IV] segment of the triple helical domain (exons 24 and 25) are associated with HANAC syndrome (hereditary angiopathy, nephropathy, aneurysms and cramps). Missense mutations of COL4A1 that disrupt the NC1 domain are associated with antenatal cerebral haemorrhage and porencephaly, but not kidney disease. Our findings extend the spectrum of COL4A1 mutations linked with renal disease and demonstrate that the highly conserved C-terminal part of the NC1 domain of the α1 chain of type IV collagen is important in the integrity of glomerular basement membrane in humans

Diffusion tensor imaging correlates with cytopathology in a rat model of neonatal hydrocephalus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a non-invasive MRI technique that has been used to quantify CNS abnormalities in various pathologic conditions. This study was designed to quantify the anisotropic diffusion properties in the brain of neonatal rats with hydrocephalus (HCP) and to investigate association between DTI measurements and cytopathology.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>DTI data were acquired between postnatal day 7 (P7) and P12 in 12 rats with HCP induced at P2 and in 15 age-matched controls. Animals were euthanized at P11 or P22/P23 and brains were processed with immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule (Iba-1), and luxol fast blue (LFB) to assess astrocytosis, microglial reactivity and degree of myelination, respectively.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Hydrocephalic rats were consistently found to have an abnormally low (at corrected <it>p</it>-level of <0.05) fractional anisotropy (FA) value and an abnormally high mean diffusivity (MD) value in the cerebral cortex (CX), the corpus callosum (CC), and the internal capsule (IC). Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated trends of increasing astrocyte and microglial reactivity in HCP rats at P11 that reached statistical significance at P22/P23. A trend toward reduced myelination in the HCP rats was also found at P22/P23. Correlation analysis at P11 for the CC demonstrated statistically significant correlations (or trends) between the DTI measurement (the decreased FA and increased MD values) and the GFAP or Iba-1 rankings. The immunohistochemical rankings in the IC at P22/P23 were also significantly correlated or demonstrated a trend with both FA and MD values.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study demonstrates the feasibility of employing DTI on the brain in experimental hydrocephalus in neonatal rats and reveals impairments in multiple regions of interest in both grey and white matter. A strong correlation was found between the immunohistochemical results and the changes in anisotropic diffusion properties.</p

Interleukin 7 from Maternal Milk Crosses the Intestinal Barrier and Modulates T- Cell Development in Offspring

Background Breastfeeding protects against illnesses and death in hazardous environments, an effect partly mediated by improved immune function. One hypothesis suggests that factors within milk supplement the inadequate immune response of the offspring, but this has not been able to account for a series of observations showing that factors within maternally derived milk may supplement the development of the immune system through a direct effect on the primary lymphoid organs. In a previous human study we reported evidence suggesting a link between IL-7 in breast milk and the thymic output of infants. Here we report evidence in mice of direct action of maternally-derived IL-7 on T cell development in the offspring. Methods and Findings  We have used recombinant IL-7 labelled with a fluorescent dye to trace the movement in live mice of IL-7 from the stomach across the gut and into the lymphoid tissues. To validate the functional ability of maternally derived IL- 7 we cross fostered IL-7 knock-out mice onto normal wild type mothers. Subsets of thymocytes and populations of peripheral T cells were significantly higher than those found in knock-out mice receiving milk from IL-7 knock-out mothers. Conclusions/Significance Our study provides direct evidence that interleukin 7, a factor which is critical in the development of T lymphocytes, when maternally derived can transfer across the intestine of the offspring, increase T cell production in the thymus and support the survival of T cells in the peripheral secondary lymphoid tissue

Incidence of end-stage renal disease in the Turkish-Cypriot population of Northern Cyprus: a population based study.

BACKGROUND: This is the first report of the incidence and causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) of the Turkish-Cypriot population in Northern Cyprus. METHODS: Data were collected over eight consecutive years (2004-2011) from all those starting renal replacement therapy (RRT) in this population. Crude and age-standardised incidence at 90 days was calculated and comparisons made with other national registries. We collected DNA from the entire prevalent population. As an initial experiment we looked for two genetic causes of ESRD that have been reported in Greek Cypriots. RESULTS: Crude and age-standardised incidence at 90 days was 234 and 327 per million population (pmp) per year, respectively. The mean age was 63, and 62% were male. The age-adjusted prevalence of RRT in Turkish-Cypriots was 1543 pmp on 01/01/2011. The incidence of RRT is higher than other countries reporting to the European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association, with the exception of Turkey. Diabetes is a major cause of ESRD in those under 65, accounting for 36% of incident cases followed by 30% with uncertain aetiology. 18% of the incident population had a family history of ESRD. We identified two families with thin basement membrane nephropathy caused by a mutation in COL4A3, but no new cases of CFHR5 nephropathy. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first estimate of RRT incidence in the Turkish-Cypriot population, describes the contribution of different underlying diagnoses to ESRD, and provides a basis for healthcare policy planning

Differential Effects of Migration and Deportation on HIV Infection among Male and Female Injection Drug Users in Tijuana, Mexico

HIV prevalence is rising, especially among high risk females in Tijuana, Baja California, a Mexico-US border city situated on major migration and drug trafficking routes. We compared factors associated with HIV infection among male and female injection drug users (IDUs) in Tijuana in an effort to inform HIV prevention and treatment programs. IDUs aged ≥18 years were recruited using respondent-driven sampling and underwent testing for HIV, syphilis and structured interviews. Logistic regression identified correlates of HIV infection, stratified by gender. Among 1056 IDUs, most were Mexican-born but 67% were born outside Tijuana. Reasons for moving to Tijuana included deportation from the US (56% for males, 29% for females), and looking for work/better life (34% for females, 15% for males). HIV prevalence was higher in females versus males (10.2% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.001). Among females (N = 158), factors independently associated with higher HIV prevalence included younger age, lifetime syphilis infection and living in Tijuana for longer durations. Among males (N = 898), factors independently associated with higher HIV prevalence were syphilis titers consistent with active infection, being arrested for having ‘track-marks’, having larger numbers of recent injection partners and living in Tijuana for shorter durations. An interaction between gender and number of years lived in Tijuana regressed on HIV infection was significant (p = 0.03). Upon further analysis, deportation from the U.S. explained the association between shorter duration lived in Tijuana and HIV infection among males; odds of HIV infection were four-fold higher among male injectors deported from the US, compared to other males, adjusting for all other significant correlates (p = 0.002). Geographic mobility has a profound influence on Tijuana's evolving HIV epidemic, and its impact is significantly modified by gender. Future studies are needed to elucidate the context of mobility and HIV acquisition in this region, and whether US immigration policies adversely affect HIV risk

Border Crossing to Inject Drugs in Mexico Among Injection Drug Users in San Diego, California

We examined correlates of ever injecting drugs in Mexico among residents of San Diego, California. From 2007 to 2010, injecting drug users (IDUs) in San Diego underwent an interviewer-administered survey. Logistic regression identified correlates of injection drug use in Mexico. Of 302 IDUs, 38% were Hispanic, 72% male and median age was 37; 27% ever injected in Mexico; 43% reported distributive syringe sharing there. Factors independently associated with ever injecting drugs in Mexico included being younger at first injection, injecting heroin, distributive syringe sharing at least half of the time, and transporting drugs over the last 6 months. One-quarter of IDUs reported ever injecting drugs in Mexico, among whom syringe sharing was common, suggesting possible mixing between IDUs in the Mexico-US border region. Prospective studies should monitor trends in cross-border drug use in light of recent Mexican drug policy reforms partially decriminalizing drug possession