Gross karyotypic and phenotypic alterations among different progenies of the candida glabrata cbs138/atcc2001 reference strain

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The Association of Insomnia, Perceived Immune Functioning, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Complaints

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can have a significant negative impact on quality of life, mood and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between experiencing IBS symptoms and insomnia, and perceived health status. METHOD: An online survey was conducted among n = 1950 Dutch university students (83.6% women). IBS was assessed with the Birmingham IBS Symptom Questionnaire, quality of life with the WHO-5 wellbeing index, and sleep outcomes with the SLEEP-50 questionnaire. Perceived immune functioning and general health were assessed using 1-item scales. RESULTS: IBS symptom severity was significantly associated with insomnia complaints (r = 0.32, p = 0.0001), sleep quality (r = -0.21, p = 0.0001), sleep onset latency (r = 0.11, p = 0.0001) and the number of nightly awakenings (r = 0.24, p = 0.0001). Total sleep time was not significantly associated with IBS symptom severity. Significant correlations were also found between IBS symptom severity and perceived general health (r = -0.30, p = 0.0001), perceived immune functioning (r= -0.25, p = 0.0001), and quality of life (r = -0.24, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing IBS complaints is associated with reduced perceived immune functioning, a poorer perception of general health, and sleep disturbances. These effects are reflected in a significantly lower reported quality of life in subjects with more IBS and/or sleep complaints

Газификация промышленных отходов непрерывным лазерным излучением

Liposome-encapsulated corticosteroids have shown to exert strong beneficial effects in inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and cancer. To extend the clinical applicability of these potent nanomedicines, the therapeutic effect of dexamethasone phosphate loaded long-circulating liposomes (LCL-DXP) was evaluated in animal models of multiple sclerosis (MS) and Crohn's disease (CD). In mice with experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE), a model for MS, treatment with LCL-DXP, but not free DXP, resulted in a decrease in disease activity when compared to PBS treated mice. In contrast, in mice with chronic DSS-induced colitis, a model for CD, treatment with LCL-DXP did not induce an improvement, but in fact worsened the fecal blood loss after treatment, indicating an aggravation of the disease. It is hypothesized that modulation of macrophage polarization towards a M2 phenotype underlies the efficacy of corticosteroid-based drug delivery systems, which is supported by the presented data. On the one hand, M1 polarized macrophages are part of the pathogenesis of MS; the modulation to M2-polarization by LCL-DXP is therefore beneficial. On the other hand, M1-polarized intestinal macrophages fulfill a protective and inflammation-suppressing role in intestinal homeostasis; changing their phenotype to M2 causes reduced protection to invading microorganisms, leading to a more severe intestinal inflammation. These findings therefore indicate that the interplay between the specific phenotype of macrophages and the specific inflammatory context of the inflammatory disease in question may be an important determining factor in the therapeutic applicability of liposomal corticosteroids in inflammatory disease

Возможности использования ксеноселезенки в клинической практике

Рассмотрена проблема применения ксеноселезенки в клинике. Показана целесообразность применения криобиологических технологий для получения биологически активных экстрактов из фрагментов ксеноселезенки. Разработан такой экстракт, определены его биофармацевтические свойства и клиническая эффективность при эндобронхиальном введении больным с абсцессами легких.The problem of xenospleen use in clinical practice is discussed. Reasonability of application of cryobiological technologies to obtain biologically active extracts from xenospleen fragments is shown. The extract has been developed, its biopharmaceutical properties and clinical efficacy at endobronchial administration in patients with lung abscess is shown

Особенности процесса трещинообразования в массиве при управлении его газодинамикой

Исследован процесс сдерживания перехода угля из потенциально устойчивого состояния в стадию бурного разрушения. Ей, как правило, предшествует некоторый промежуток времени относительного затишья. Особенно важно улавливать этот момент среди массы различных откликов массива на ведение горных работ. Одним из вариантов управления развитием и релаксацией системы трещин может служить физико-химическая обработка.The inhibition process of coal transition from the potentially stable state in the stage of stormy destruction is investigation. As a rule, to it is preceded some interval of relative time calm. It is especially important to catch this moment among mass of different responses of array on the conduct of mountain works. Physical and chemical treatment can serve as one of control variants the development and relaxation of the cracks system

Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus rhamnosus treatment is as effective as budesonide at reducing inflammation in a murine model for chronic asthma

__Background:__ Asthma is estimated to affect as many as 300 million people worldwide and its incidence and prevalence are rapidly increasing throughout the world, especially in children and within developing countries. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the use of potentially beneficial bacteria for allergic diseases. This study is aimed at exploring the therapeutic effects of long-term treatment with two different beneficial bacterial strains (Bifidobacterium breve M-16 V and Lactobacillus rhamnosus NutRes1) and a glucocorticoid (budesonide), as a reference treatment, on inflammatory response in a murine model for chronic allergic asthma. __Methods:__ To mimic the chronic disease in asthmatic patients, we used the murine ovalbumin-induced asthma model combined with prolonged allergen exposure. Airway function; pulmonary airway inflammation; airway remodelling, mRNA expression of pattern recognition receptors, Th-specific cytokines and transcription factors in lung tissue; mast cell degranulation; in vitro T cell activation; and expression of Foxp3 in blood Th cells were examined. __Results:__ Lactobacillus rhamnosus reduced lung resistance to a similar extent as budesonide treatment in chronically asthmatic mice. Pulmonary airway inflammation, mast cell degranulation, T cell activation and airway remodelling were suppressed by all treatments. Beneficial bacteria and budesonide differentially modulated the expression of toll-like receptors (TLRs), nod-like receptors (NLRs), cytokines and T cell transcription factors. Bifidobacterium breve induced regulatory T cell responses in the airways by increasing Il10 and Foxp3 transcription in lung tissue as well as systemic by augmenting the mean fluorescence intensity of Foxp3 in blood CD4+ T cells. __Conclusion:__ These findings show that Bifidobacterium breve M-16 V and Lactobacillus rhamnosus NutRes1 have strong anti-inflammatory properties that are comparable to budesonide and therefore may be beneficial in the treatment of chronic asthma

Targeted exhaled breath analysis for detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients

Background Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an important respiratory pathogen for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Routine microbiology surveillance is time-consuming, and is best performed on expectorated sputum. As alternative, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may be indicative of PA colonisation. In this study, we aimed to identify VOCs associated with PA in literature and perform targeted exhaled breath analysis to recognize PA positive CF patients non-invasively. Methods This study consisted of 1) a literature review to select VOCs of interest, and 2) a cross-sectional CF study. Definitions used: A) PA positive, PA culture at visit/chronically; B) PA free, no PA culture in ≥12 months. Exhaled VOCs were identified via quadrupole MS. The primary endpoint was the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROCC) of individual VOCs as well as combined VOCs against PA culture. Results 241 VOCs were identified in literature, of which 56 were further evaluated, and 13 could be detected in exhaled breath in our cohort. Exhaled breath of 25 pediatric and 28 adult CF patients, PA positive (n=16) and free (n=28) was available. 3/13 VOCs were significantly (p<0.05) different between PA groups in children; none were in adults. Notably, a composite model based on 5 or 1 VOC(s) showed an AUROCC of 0.86 (CI 0.71–1.0) and 0.87 (CI 0.72–1.0) for adults and children, respectively. Conclusions Targeted VOC analysis appears to discriminate children and adults with and without PA positive cultures with clinically acceptable sensitivity values

Early life antibiotic exposure is associated with an increased risk of atopic eczema and hay fever

Background: Several studies suggested that early life exposure to antibiotics is associated with an increased risk of developing allergies later in life, but results are inconsistent. In this study we aimed to systematically review and quantify the relationship between early life exposure to antibiotics and the risk of atopic eczema (dermatitis) or hay fever (allergic rhinitis). Method: PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched for observational studies published from January 1966 through November 11, 2015. Studies were included that assessed the association between antibiotic consumption during the first 2 years of life and the risk of eczema or hay fever later in life. Separate metaanalyses were performed to assess the risk estimates for cohort studies, cross sectional studies and case control studies. Furthermore, in subgroup analyses the effect of child's age at the time of antibiotic use/diagnosis of allergies, and the number of courses of antibiotic treatments have been analyzed. Overall pooled estimates of the odds ratios (ORs) were obtained using fixed or random-effects models. Results: Twenty-two studies (including 394 517 patients) were selected to study the risk of eczema and 23 studies (including 256 609 patients) to study the risk of hay fever. In all separate meta-analyses of the distinct study designs, those who were exposed to antibiotics early in life were found to have a statistically significantly increased risk of eczema and hay fever. The summary OR for risk of eczema were 1.24 (95% CI, 1.09-1.41; I2: 60.0%) in the meta-analyses of the cohort studies (n = 50 824); 1.41 (95% CI, 1.33-1.49; I2: 0.0%) in the cross sectional studies (n = 217 752), and 1.15 (95% CI, 1.01- 1.42; I2: 79.5%) in the case control studies (n = 125 941). The summary OR for risk of hay fever were 1.18 (95% CI, 1.01-1.37; I2: 74.3%) in the cohort studies (n = 46 540); 1.56 (95% CI, 1.29-1.90; I2: 63.6%) in cross sectional studies (n = 27 608), and 1.14 (95% CI, 1.04-1.26; I2: 64.8%) in the case control studies (n = 182 461). In subgroup analyses, there was no statistically significant effect of the child's age at time of antibiotic use as well as the time of allergy diagnosis on these associations. The association was stronger if patients had been treated with ≥2 courses compared with one course of antibiotics both for eczema and for hay fever. Conclusion: Early life exposure to antibiotics is related to an increased risk of both atopic eczema and hay fever later in life