Interaction of Gram-negative bacteria with cationic proteins: Dependence on the surface characteristics of the bacterial cell

Gram-negative bacteria can enter the bloodstream and interact with serum cationic proteins. The character of interaction will depend on the surface characteristics of bacterial cells, which are determined by bacterial chemotype and density of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) packing in the cell wall. It was shown that the lysozyme treatment resulted in the increase sensitivity to hypotonic shock. Significant differences to this effect were found between Escherichia coli strain D21 and D21f2 under treatment with physiological protein concentration. On the basis of electrokinetic measurements and studies of the interaction of cells with lysozyme, the hypothesis was formed that the cell wall of the E. coli strain D21f2 contains more LPS and has a higher density of their packing than the cell wall of the E. coli D21 cells. The effect of lysozyme and lactoferrin on the viability of E. coli cells of two different strains was examined. Lysozyme was found to more effectively inhibit the growth of the E. coli D21 bacteria, and lactoferrin suppressed mainly the growth of the E. coli D21f2 bacteria. These results indicate that the differences in LPS core structure of bacterial R-chemotype, which determines surface charge and density of LPS packing, plays an essential role in the mechanisms of interaction of the cationic proteins with the cell wall

Monoclonal Antibody to CD14, TLR4, or CD11b: Impact of Epitope and Isotype Specificity on ROS Generation by Human Granulocytes and Monocytes

Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs or endotoxins) from Gram-negative bacteria represent pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) that are recognized by CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Lipopolysaccharides prime polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) for substantial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during its response to secondary stimuli such as chemoattractants or pathogens. The excessive ROS production can damage surrounding host tissues, thereby amplifying the inflammatory reaction caused by pathogens. Today, specific antibodies against CD14, TLR4, and CD11b are being used as the essential tools to elucidate the role of these receptors in acute inflammation and some of these antibodies have advised as therapeutic agents for clinical use. Because each antibody has two antigen-binding arms [F(ab′)2] and one Fc arm, its effect on cellular response is much more complicated rather than simple blockage of target receptor. In fact, IgG antibody, once bound to target receptor, engages Fc receptors γ (FcγRs) and thereby is able to activate the adaptive immune system. The consequences of antibody-dependent binary heterotypic association of CD14, TLR4, or CD11b with FcγRs as well as homotypic one on ROS production are not well elucidated. Moreover, the consequences of antigenic recognition of CD14, TLR4, or CD11b by specific F(ab′)2 fragments are not always investigated. In this review, we will discuss known mechanisms underlying the therapeutic efficiency of CD14, TLR4, and CD11b/CD18 antibodies with a focus on LPS-dependent ROS or cytokine production by PMNs or monocytes. The impacts of F(ab′)2 as well as antibody IgG subclasses (isotypes) in therapeutic efficiency or agonistic potency of known antibodies against abovementioned receptors are presented. We also pay attention to how the efficiency of different IgG antibody subclasses is modulated during LPS-induced inflammation and by production of priming agents such as interferon γ (IFN-γ). Our review reinforces the molecular targets and therapeutic approaches to amelioration of harmful consequences of excessive activation of human pattern recognition receptors

Strain-Tuned Spin-Wave Interference in Micro- and Nanoscale Magnonic Interferometers

Here, we report on the experimental study of spin-wave propagation and interaction in the double-branched Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) scheme. We show that the use of a piezoelectric plate (PP) with separated electrodes connected to each branch of the MZI leads to the tunable interference of the spin-wave signal at the output section. Using a finite element method, we carry out a physical investigation of the mechanisms of the impact of distributed deformations on the magnetic properties of YIG film. Micromagnetic simulations and finite-element modelling can explain the evolution of spin-wave interference patterns under strain induced via the application of an electric field to PP electrodes. We show how the multimode regime of spin-wave propagation is used in the interferometry scheme and how scaling to the nanometer size represents an important step towards a single-mode regime. Our findings provide a simple solution for the creation of tunable spin-wave interferometers for the magnonic logic paradigm

Effect of Various Agents on the Direction of THP-1 Cell Differentiation

The ability of physiological (1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, retinoic acid) and non-physiological (various LPS) agents and their combinations to influence the direction of promonocytic THP-1 cell differentiation was studied

Ranking Technologies of Additive Manufacturing of Removable Complete Dentures by the Results of Their Mechanical Testing

In this study, a methodology was developed for ranking manufacturing technologies of removable complete dentures (RCDs) according to the results of their full-scale mechanical tests. The actuality of the study is motivated by establishing the advantages and drawbacks of 3D-printed RCDs in contrast with ones manufactured via an analog protocol. The RCDs were fabricated via four technological routes that included various combinations of subtractive technologies (hot polymerization/HP and CAD/CAM milling) and additive manufacturing (digital light processing/DLP) ones and the installation of commercially available cosmetic denture teeth (DT). In the mechanical tests, different blocks of teeth (incisors, canines, premolars and molars) were loaded. To solve the ranking problem, it was proposed to interpret the results of the mechanical tests in terms of the reliability, durability and compliance/stiffness criteria. For this purpose, the combined AHP-VIKOR method was applied. In addition, a computer simulation of the mechanical loading conditions and the response of the RCDs was performed based on the finite element method (FEM). As the key conclusion, it was stated that additive manufacturing (AM) methods are competitive and cost-effective techniques for the fabrication of RCDs

Spectral Fresnel filter for pulsed broadband terahertz radiation

We proposed a simple and cost-effective method to manipulate the temporal and spectral properties of pulsed terahertz waves. A deep modulation of a pulse spectrum was both numerically and experimentally verified using Fresnel apertures with a radius ranging from several to several tens of the central wavelength of the broadband terahertz radiation. N-fold frequency minima were formed in the spectrum at a specific axial position behind the filter. Non-paraxial properties of this filter were also analyzed. A significant value (35%) of the ratio of the longitudinal to the transverse field component at the filter frequency was obtained. The measured results agree well with the simulation and theoretical predictions. The property of such a diffractive Fresnel notch filter can benefit the generation of longitudinal terahertz fields and relevant applications.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Dental Material Selection for the Additive Manufacturing of Removable Complete Dentures (RCD)

This research addresses the development of a formalized approach to dental material selection (DMS) in manufacturing removable complete dentures (RDC). Three types of commercially available polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) grades, processed by an identical Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printer, were compared. In this way, a combination of mechanical, tribological, technological, microbiological, and economic factors was assessed. The material indices were calculated to compare dental materials for a set of functional parameters related to feedstock cost. However, this did not solve the problem of simultaneous consideration of all the material indices, including their significance. The developed DMS procedure employs the extended VIKOR method, based on the analysis of interval quantitative estimations, which allowed the carrying out of a fully fledged analysis of alternatives. The proposed approach has the potential to enhance the efficiency of prosthetic treatment by optimizing the DMS procedure, taking into consideration the prosthesis design and its production route