Reduced Phagocytic Capacity of Blood Monocyte/Macrophages in Tuberculosis Patients Is Further Reduced by Smoking.

Tuberculosis (TB) and tobacco use are two major alarming global health issues posing immense threats to human populations. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) by activation of macrophages could induce the sequences of cells activation and releases of inflammatory cytokines such as CXCL-8, Il-12 and TNF-α which in turn induces the immune system network. However no information is available on other activity of cells by MTB and smoking. In the current study we aimed to investigate the serum levels TNF-a, CXCL-8 and phagocytosis capacity in tuberculosis patients with and without smoking. 103 subjects entered the study including 61 new diagnosed pulmonary TB patients (23 smokers and 38 nonsmokers) and 42 control healthy subjects. The phagocytosis of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FITC-dextran) in blood monocytes/macrophages through flowcytometry was assessed. Serum levels of TNF-a and CXCL-8 were analyzed by ELISA methods. A lower percentage of cells from TB patients who smoked [50.29% (43.4-57.2), p<0.01] took up FITC-dextran after 2h compared to non-smoking TB subjects [71.62% (69.2-74.1)] and healthy cases [97.45% (95.9-99.1). Phagocytic capacity was inversely correlated with cigarette smoking as measured by pack years (r=-0.73, p<0.001). The serum levels of TNF-a and CXCL-8 were significantly higher in the TB patients who smoked compared to the TB non-smoker group (p<0.001, p<0.01 respectively). Blood monocytes/macrophages from TB patients have reduced phagocytic capacity which is further reduced in TB patients who smoke. Smoking enhanced serum levels of TNF-a and CXCL-8 suggesting a greater imbalance between the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors in these patients

Constructing a Periodic Table of Arguments

The existing classifications of arguments are unsatisfying in a number of ways. This paper proposes an alternative in the form of a Periodic Table of Arguments. The newly developed table can be used as a systematic and comprehensive point of reference for the analysis, evaluation and production of argumentative discourse as well as for various kinds of empirical and computational research in the field of argumentation theory

Trajectories of fatigue in cancer patients during psychological care

OBJECTIVE: Psycho-oncological institutions offer specialized care for cancer patients. Little is known how this care might impact fatigue. This study aimed to identify fatigue trajectories during psychological care, examined factors distinguishing these trajectories and predicted fatigue severity after nine months of psychological care. DESIGN: Naturalistic, longitudinal study of 238 cancer patients receiving psycho-oncological care in the Netherlands. Data were collected before initiation of psychological care (T1) and three (T2) and nine months (T3) afterwards. Latent class growth analysis, repeated measure analyses (RMA) and linear regression analysis were performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fatigue severity: Checklist Individual Strength. RESULTS: Three fatigue trajectories were identified: high- (30%), moderate- (62%) and low-level fatigue (8%). While statistically significant decreases in fatigue were found, this decrease was not clinically relevant. RMA showed main effects for time for fatigue trajectories on depression, anxiety, personal control and illness cognitions. Fatigue severity and physical symptoms at T1, but not demographic or clinical factors, were predictive of fatigue severity at T3. CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue is very common during psycho-oncological care, and notably not clinically improving. As symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety and physical symptoms often cluster, supplementary fatigue treatment should be considered when it is decided to treat other symptoms first

Групповая эргатическая совместимость авиационных операторов в процессе эксплуатации авионики

Рассмотрены проблемы групповой эргатической совместимости авиационных операторов (пилотов, авиадиспетчеров, технического персонала) и использования технических средств для оценки групповой эргатической совместимости операторов как средства повышения авиационной безопасности за счет более тщательного отбора кандидатов для совместной работы в составе лeтных и космических экипажей.Розглянуто питання проблеми групової ергатичної сумісності авіаційних операторів (пілотів, авіадиспетчерів, технічного персоналу) і використання технічних пристроїв для оцінки групової ергатичної сумісності операторів як засобу підвищення авіаційної безпеки за рахунок більш кращого відбору кандидатів для спільної роботи у складі льотних і космічних екіпажів.We issued the problems of group ergatic aircraft operators (pilots, air traffic controllers, technicians) and the use of technical devices to assess the compatibility of the group ergatic operators as means of improving aviation safety through a better selection of candidates to work together as part of flight and space crews. In this research article to better selection of candidates for collaboration in the space flight crews and the authors propose to use modern computers with appropriate software. This computer complex will answer a number of important issues related to ensuring: compatibility Soames, rational distribution of functions between components ergatic systems, proper interaction with the machine operators as well as each other in normal and special situations professional selection, preparation and training of aviation operators

Prebiotic-supplemented partially hydrolysed cow’s milk formula for the prevention of eczema in high risk infants: a randomised controlled trial

Background: Prevention guidelines for infants at high risk of allergic disease recommend hydrolysed formula if formula is introduced before 6 months, but evidence is mixed. Adding specific oligosaccharides may improve outcomes. Objective: To evaluate whether partially hydrolysed whey formula containing oligosaccharides (0.8 g/100 ml) (pHF-OS) can prevent eczema in high-risk infants [ISRCTN65195597]. Methods: We conducted a parallel-group, multicentre, randomized double-blind controlled trial of pHF-OS vs standard cow's milk formula. Infants with a family history of allergic disease were randomized (stratified by centre/maternal allergy) to active (n = 432) or control (n = 431) formula until 6 months of age if formula was introduced before 18 weeks. Primary outcome was cumulative incidence of eczema by 12 months in infants randomized at 0-4 weeks (375 pHF-OS, 383 control). Secondary outcomes were cumulative incidence of eczema by 12 or 18 months in all infants randomized, immune markers at 6 months and adverse events. Results: Eczema occurred by 12 months in 84/293 (28.7%) infants allocated to pHF-OS at 0-4 weeks of age, vs 93/324 (28.7%) control (OR 0.98 95% CI 0.68, 1.40; P = 0.90), and 107/347 (30.8%) pHF-OS vs 112/370 (30.3%) control in all infants randomized (OR 0.99 95% CI 0.71, 1.37; P = 0.94). pHF-OS did not change most immune markers including total/specific IgE; however, pHF-OS reduced cow's milk-specific IgG1 (P <0.0001) and increased regulatory T-cell and plasmacytoid dendritic cell percentages. There was no group difference in adverse events. Conclusion: pHF-OS does not prevent eczema in the first year in high-risk infants. The immunological changes found require confirmation in a separate cohort

Altered microbial community structure and metabolism in cow's milk allergic mice treated with oral immunotherapy and fructo-oligosaccharides

Previously, we showed enhanced efficacy of oral immunotherapy (OIT) using fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS, prebiotics) added to the diet of cow's milk allergic mice indicated by a reduction in clinical symptoms and mast cell degranulation. Prebiotics are fermented by gut bacteria, affecting both bacterial composition and availability of metabolites (i.e. short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)). It is thus far unknown which microbial alterations are involved in successful outcomes of OIT with prebiotic supplementation for the treatment of food allergy. To explore potential changes in the microbiota composition and availability of SCFA induced by OIT+FOS. C3H/HeOuJ mice were sensitised and received OIT with or without a FOS supplemented diet. After three weeks, faecal samples were collected to analyse gut microbiota composition using 16S rRNA sequencing. SCFA concentrations were determined in cecum content. FOS supplementation in sensitised mice changed the overall microbial community structure in faecal samples compared to sensitised mice fed the control diet (P=0.03). In contrast, a high level of resemblance in bacterial community structure was observed between the non-sensitised control mice and the OIT+FOS treated mice. OIT mice showed an increased relative abundance of the dysbiosis-associated phylum Proteobacteria compared to the OIT+FOS mice. FOS supplementation increased the relative abundance of genus Allobaculum (Firmicutes), putative butyrate-producing bacteria. OIT+FOS reduced the abundances of the genera's unclassified Rikenellaceae (Bacteroidetes, putative pro-inflammatory bacteria) and unclassified Clostridiales (Firmicutes) compared to sensitised controls and increased the abundance of Lactobacillus (Firmicutes, putative beneficial bacteria) compared to FOS. OIT+FOS mice had increased butyric acid and propionic acid concentrations. OIT+FOS induced a microbial profile closely linked to non-allergic mice and increased concentrations of butyric acid and propionic acid. Future research should confirm whether there is a causal relationship between microbial modulation and the reduction in acute allergic symptoms induced by OIT+FOS

Mice co-administrated with partially hydrolysed whey proteins and prebiotic fibre mixtures show allergen-specific tolerance and a modulated gut microbiota

Non-breastfed infants at-risk of allergy are recommended to use a hydrolysed formula before the age of 6 months. The addition of prebiotics to this formula may reduce the allergy development in these infants, but clinical evidence is still inconclusive. This study evaluates (1) whether the exposure duration to different prebiotics alongside a partially hydrolysed whey protein (pHP) influences its' effectiveness to prevent allergy development and (2) whether the gut microbiota plays a role in this process. Mice orally sensitised with whey and/or cholera toxin were orally treated for six days before sensitization with phosphate buffered saline, whey or pHP to potentially induce tolerance. Two groups received an oligosaccharide diet only from day -7 until -2 (GFshort and GFAshort) whereas two other groups received their diets from day -15 until 37 (GFlong and GFAlong). On day 35, mice underwent an intradermal whey challenge, and the acute allergic skin response, shock score, and body temperatures were measured. At day 37, mice received whey orally and serum mouse mast cell protease-1, SLPI and whey-specific antibodies were assessed. Faecal samples were taken at day -15, -8 and 34. Feeding mice pHP alone during tolerance induction did not reduce ear swelling. The tolerance inducing mechanisms seem to vary according to the oligosaccharide-composition. GFshort, GFlong, and GFAlong reduced the allergic skin response, whereas GFAshort was not potent enough. However, in the treatment groups, the dominant Lactobacillus species decreased, being replaced by Bacteroidales family S24- 7 members. In addition, the relative abundance of Prevotella was significantly higher in the GFlong, GFAshort and GFAlong groups. Co-administration of oligosaccharides and pHP can induce immunological tolerance in mice, although tolerance induction was strongest in the animals that were fed oligosaccharides during the entire protocol. Some microbial changes coincided with tolerance induction, however, a specific mechanism could not be determined based on these data

The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol facilitates allergic sensitization to whey in mice

Intestinal epithelial stress or damage may contribute to allergic sensitization against certain food antigens. Hence, the present study investigated whether impairment of intestinal barrier integrity by the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) contributes to the development of whey-induced food allergy in a murine model. C3H/HeOuJ mice, orally exposed to DON plus whey once a week for 5 consecutive weeks, showed whey-specific IgG1 and IgE in serum and an acute allergic skin response upon intradermal whey challenge, although early initiating mechanisms of sensitization in the intestine appeared to be different compared with the widely used mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin (CT). Notably, DON exposure modulated tight-junction mRNA and protein levels, and caused an early increase in IL-33, whereas CT exposure affected intestinal γδ T cells. On the other hand, both DON- and CT-sensitized mice induced a time-dependent increase in the soluble IL-33 receptor ST2 (IL-1R1) in serum, and enhanced local innate lymphoid cells type 2 cell numbers. Together, these results demonstrate that DON facilitates allergic sensitization to food proteins and that development of sensitization can be induced by different molecular mechanisms and local immune responses. Our data illustrate the possible contribution of food contaminants in allergic sensitization in humans.Mucosal Immunology advance online publication, 17 February 2016; doi:10.1038/mi.2016.13

Susceptibility to mycobacterial disease due to mutations in IL-12Rβ1 in three Iranian patients

In the last decade, autosomal recessive interleukin-12 receptor β1 (IL-12Rβ1) deficiency, the most common cause of Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD), has been diagnosed in a few children and adults with severe tuberculosis in Iran. Here, we report three cases referred to the Immunology, Asthma and Allergy ward at the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD) at Masih Daneshvari Hospital from 2012 to 2017 with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacteria infections due to defects in IL-12Rβ1 but with different clinical manifestations. All three were homozygous for either an IL-12Rβ1 missense or nonsense mutation that caused the IL-12Rβ1 protein not to be expressed on the cell membrane and completely abolished the cellular response to recombinant IL-12. Our findings suggest that the presence of IL-12Rβ1 deficiency should be determined in children with mycobacterial infections at least in countries with a high prevalence of parental consanguinity and in areas endemic for TB like Iran

Development of ranking system for higher education of Ukraine

A system of determination of university ranking in Ukraine was developed based on the creation of the corresponding methods adequate to the structure, peculiarities and conditions of the Ukrainian universities functioning. A complex of organizational and program-technical means was proposed for collection of the necessary data and determination of university rankings. For specialists in the field of higher education management, those seeking for higher education and employers.Разработана система определения рейтингов университетов Украины, которая основывается на создании определенной методики, адекватной структуре, особенностям и условиям функционирования отечественной высшей школы. Предложен комплекс организационных и программно-технических средств, который применяется при сборе данных и определении оценок рейтингов университетов для специалистов в области управления высшим образованием, а также желающих получить образование и работодателей.Розроблено систему визначення рейтингів університетів України, яка ґрунтується на створенні відповідної методики, адекватної до структури, особливостей та умов функціонування вітчизняної вищої школи. Запропоновано комплекс організаційних і програмно-технічних засобів, що застосовується при збиранні даних та визначенні оцінок рейтингів університетів для фахівців у галузі управління вищою освітою, а також бажаючих отримати освіту та роботодавців