Coexistence of multiple sclerosis and brain tumours: Case report and review

In the present report, a review of the literature on the combination of multiple sclerosis and brain tumours is performed. Additionally, the frequency of such combination, possible etiopathogenetic mechanisms, current diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches are reviewed. Furthermore, the case of a 30-year-old man with multiple sclerosis and anaplastic astrocytoma of the right temporal lobe is described in detail. Specifically, the patient underwent a series of tests, including laboratory analyses of blood and cerebrospinal fluid, brain MRI in various modes, MR spectroscopy and excised tumour’s pathohistological and immunohistochemical examination. Results of the tests are reported here. A staged examination and treatment of the patient allowed the researchers to perform a correct diagnosis and obtain a satisfactory functional outcome

Design of Pre-Dumping Ring Spin Rotator with a Possibility of Helicity Switching for Polarized Positrons at the ILC

The use of polarized beams enhance the possibility of the precision measurements at the International Linear Collider (ILC). In order to preserve the degree of polarization during beam transport spin rotators are included in the current TDR ILC Lattice. In this report some advantages of using a combined spin rotator/spin flipper are discussed. A few possible lattice designs of spin flipper developed at DESY in 2012 are presented.Comment: Talk presented at the International Workshop on Future Linear Colliders (LCWS15), Whistler, Canada, 2-6 November 201

High folic acid consumption leads to pseudo-MTHFR deficiency, altered lipid metabolism, and liver injury in mice.

Increased consumption of folic acid is prevalent, leading to concerns about negative consequences. The effects of folic acid on the liver, the primary organ for folate metabolism, are largely unknown. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) provides methyl donors for S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthesis and methylation reactions

Hydrogel Nanocomposites with Silver Nanoparticles

Copolymer hydrogels based on acrylic monomers (primarily acrylamide and acrylonitrile) are synthesized and their physicochemical properties are investigated. Methods of incorporation of nanoparticles of gold and silver into hydrogel pores and methods of their stabilization using reagents of different nature are developed. Our studies showed pronounced bactericidal properties of the nanocomposites regarding gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and, at the same time, their biocompatibility to stem cells

FOXP3, IL2R, CD8A and RORγ gene expression in peripheral blood leukocytes of healthy people and patients with arterial hypertension

Impaired balance of T regulatory and T effector lymphocytes has recently been considered as an important pathogenetic link in arterial hypertension (AH). There are, however, contradictory literature data about contents of these cells in the patients with hypertension, or obtained in experimental animal models of induced hypertension. Most results about changed patterns of immune cells in cardiovascular diseases were obtained by means of flow cytometry. There are also some works on expression of genes encoding surface and cytoplasmic differentiation antigens of immune cells in the patients with cardiovascular pathologies. These results coincide with the data obtained with flow cytometric techniques. Purpose of the present study was to analyze of the levels of gene transcripts encoding differentiation markers of regulatory (FOXP3, IL2R) T cells, effector T subpopulations (T helpers 17 (RORγ), and CD8 lymphocytes (CD8A) in healthy subjects and the patients with arterial hypertension (stages I-II). We examined healthy individuals (40 people, 20 men and 20 women), 27 patients with hypertension who did not receive antihypertensive therapy (14 men and 13 women), 26 hypertensive patients taking β-adrenergic receptor blockers (metoprolol or bisoprolol), including 12 men and 14 women. The relative levels of transcripts in peripheral blood leukocytes were assessed by real-time RT-PCR. It was shown that the transcriptional activity of FOXP3, IL2R, RORγ, and CD8A genes in peripheral blood leukocytes of the diseased people was significantly higher than in healthy individuals (p < 0.01). This finding may indicate an increased number of circulating T regulatory lymphocytes, CD8+ cells and T helpers 17 in hypertensive patients, and activation of T cell immunity in these patients. There were no statistically significant gender differences in FOXP3, IL2R, RORγ and CD8A gene expression in leukocytes, both in the group of healthy people and in hypertensive patients. The patients receiving cardioselective β-adrenergic receptor blockers (metoprolol and bisoprolol) exhibited lower expression of these genes, thus, probably, indicating antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of these drugs

Three very young HgMn stars in the Orion OB1 Association

We report the detection of three mercury-manganese stars in the Orion OB1 association. HD 37886 and BD-0 984 are in the approximately 1.7 million year old Orion OB1b. HD 37492 is in the approximately 4.6 million year old Orion OB1c. Orion OB1b is now the youngest cluster with known HgMn star members. This places an observational upper limit on the time scale needed to produce the chemical peculiarities seen in mercury-manganese stars, which should help in the search for the cause or causes of the peculiar abundances in HgMn and other chemically peculiar upper main sequence stars.Comment: 8 pages including 1 figure. To appear in Astrophysical Journal Letter