Salivary Cytokines in Healthy Adolescent Girls: Intercorrelations, Stability, and Associations with Serum Cytokines, Age and Pubertal Stage.

Theoretically, the measurement of cytokines in saliva may have utility for studies of brain, behavior, and immunity in youth. Cytokines in saliva and serum were analyzed across three annual assessments in healthy adolescent girls (N = 114, 11-17 years at enrollment). Samples were assayed for GM-CSF, IFNγ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, TNFα, adiponectin, and cotinine. Results revealed: (1) cytokine levels, except IFNγ and IL-10, were detectable in saliva, and salivary levels, except IL-8 and IL-1β, were lower than serum levels; (2) salivary cytokine levels were lower in older girls and positively associated with adiponectin; (3) compared to serum levels, the correlations between salivary cytokines were higher, but salivary cytokines were less stable across years; and (4) except for IL-1β, there were no significant serum-saliva associations. Variation in basal salivary cytokine levels in healthy adolescent girls reflect compartmentalized activity of the oral mucosal immune system, rather than systemic cytokine activity

Non-Abelian T-duality for open strings

In the first part of the talk we discuss T-duality for a free boson on a world sheet with boundary in a setting suitable for the generalization to non-trivial backgrounds. The gauging method as well as the canonical transformation are considered. In both cases Dirichlet strings as T-duals of Neumann strings arise in a generic way. In the second part the gauging method is employed to construct the T-dual of a model with non-Abelian isometries.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, psfig.sty, one figure; Talk given at the International Symposium on the Theory of Elementary Particles, Buckow 1996, References adde

Aspects of T-duality in Open Strings

We study T-duality for open strings in various $D$-manifolds in the approach of canonical transformations. We show that this approach is particularly useful to study the mapping of the boundary conditions since it provides an explicit relation between initial and dual variables. We consider non-abelian duality transformations and show that under some restrictions the dual is a curved $(d-{\rm dim}G-1)$ D-brane, where $d$ is the dimension of the space-time and $G$ the non-abelian symmetry group. The generalization to $N=1$ supersymmetric sigma models with abelian and non-abelian isometries is also considered.Comment: 24 pags, latex file, some references added (version to be published in Nucl. Phys. B

A Vanadium(III) Complex with Blue and NIR-II Spin-Flip Luminescence in Solution

Luminescence from Earth-abundant metal ions in solution at room temperature is a very challenging objective due to the intrinsically weak ligand field splitting of first-row transition metal ions, which leads to efficient nonradiative deactivation via metal-centered states. Only a handful of 3dn metal complexes (n ≠ 10) show sizable luminescence at room temperature. Luminescence in the near-infrared spectral region is even more difficult to achieve as further nonradiative pathways come into play. No Earth-abundant first-row transition metal complexes have displayed emission >1000 nm at room temperature in solution up to now. Here, we report the vanadium(III) complex mer-[V(ddpd)2][PF6]3 yielding phosphorescence around 1100 nm in valeronitrile glass at 77 K as well as at room temperature in acetonitrile with 1.8 × 10–4% quantum yield (ddpd = N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-dipyridine-2-ylpyridine-2,6-diamine). In addition, mer-[V(ddpd)2][PF6]3 shows very strong blue fluorescence with 2% quantum yield in acetonitrile at room temperature. Our comprehensive study demonstrates that vanadium(III) complexes with d2 electron configuration constitute a new class of blue and NIR-II luminophores, which complement the classical established complexes of expensive precious metals and rare-earth elements

MicroRNAs in cardiac arrhythmia: DNA sequence variation of MiR-1 and MiR-133A in long QT syndrome.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a genetic cardiac condition associated with prolonged ventricular repolarization, primarily a result of perturbations in cardiac ion channels, which predisposes individuals to life-threatening arrhythmias. Using DNA screening and sequencing methods, over 700 different LQTS-causing mutations have been identified in 13 genes worldwide. Despite this, the genetic cause of 30-50% of LQTS is presently unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (∼ 22 nucleotides) noncoding RNAs which post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding complementary sequences within messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The human genome encodes over 1800 miRNAs, which target about 60% of human genes. Consequently, miRNAs are likely to regulate many complex processes in the body, indeed aberrant expression of various miRNA species has been implicated in numerous disease states, including cardiovascular diseases. MiR-1 and MiR-133A are the most abundant miRNAs in the heart and have both been reported to regulate cardiac ion channels. We hypothesized that, as a consequence of their role in regulating cardiac ion channels, genetic variation in the genes which encode MiR-1 and MiR-133A might explain some cases of LQTS. Four miRNA genes (miR-1-1, miR-1-2, miR-133a-1 and miR-133a-2), which encode MiR-1 and MiR-133A, were sequenced in 125 LQTS probands. No genetic variants were identified in miR-1-1 or miR-133a-1; but in miR-1-2 we identified a single substitution (n.100A> G) and in miR-133a-2 we identified two substitutions (n.-19G> A and n.98C> T). None of the variants affect the mature miRNA products. Our findings indicate that sequence variants of miR-1-1, miR-1-2, miR-133a-1 and miR-133a-2 are not a cause of LQTS in this cohort

BNIP3 and NIX Mediate Mieap-Induced Accumulation of Lysosomal Proteins within Mitochondria

Mieap, a p53-inducible protein, controls mitochondrial quality by repairing unhealthy mitochondria. During repair, Mieap induces the accumulation of intramitochondrial lysosomal proteins (designated MALM for Mieap-induced accumulation of lysosome-like organelles within mitochondria) by interacting with NIX, leading to the elimination of oxidized mitochondrial proteins. Here, we report that an additional mitochondrial outer membrane protein, BNIP3, is also involved in MALM. BNIP3 interacts with Mieap in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent manner via the BH3 domain of BNIP3 and the coiled-coil domains of Mieap. The knockdown of endogenous BNIP3 expression severely inhibited MALM. Although the overexpression of either BNIP3 or NIX did not cause a remarkable change in the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), the co-expression of all three exogenous proteins, Mieap, BNIP3 and NIX, caused a dramatic reduction in MMP, implying that the physical interaction of Mieap, BNIP3 and NIX at the mitochondrial outer membrane may regulate the opening of a pore in the mitochondrial double membrane. This effect was not related to cell death. These results suggest that two mitochondrial outer membrane proteins, BNIP3 and NIX, mediate MALM in order to maintain mitochondrial integrity. The physical interaction of Mieap, BNIP3 and NIX at the mitochondrial outer membrane may play a critical role in the translocation of lysosomal proteins from the cytoplasm to the mitochondrial matrix

Optimization of Control Strategies for Non-Domiciliated Triatoma dimidiata, Chagas Disease Vector in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Chagas disease is the most important vector-borne disease in Latin America. Residual insecticide spraying has been used successfully for the elimination of domestic vectors in many regions. However, some vectors of non-domestic origin are able to invade houses, and they are now a key challenge for further disease control. We developed a mathematical model to predict the temporal variations in abundance of non-domiciliated vectors inside houses, based on triatomine demographic parameters. The reliability of the predictions was demonstrated by comparing these with different sets of insect collection data from the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. We then simulated vector control strategies based on insecticide spraying, insect, screens and bednets to evaluate their efficacy at reducing triatomine abundance in the houses. An optimum reduction in bug abundance by at least 80% could be obtained by insecticide application only when doses of at least 50 mg/m2 were applied every year within a two-month period matching the house invasion season by bugs. Alternatively, the use of insect screens consistently reduced bug abundance in the houses and offers a sustainable alternative. Such screens may be part of novel interventions for the integrated control of various vector-borne diseases

Two Distinct Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811) Taxa Are Found in Sympatry in Guatemala and Mexico

Approximately 10 million people are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, which remains the most serious parasitic disease in the Americas. Most people are infected via triatomine vectors. Transmission has been largely halted in South America in areas with predominantly domestic vectors. However, one of the main Chagas vectors in Mesoamerica, Triatoma dimidiata, poses special challenges to control due to its diversity across its large geographic range (from Mexico into northern South America), and peridomestic and sylvatic populations that repopulate houses following pesticide treatment. Recent evidence suggests T. dimidiata may be a complex of species, perhaps including cryptic species; taxonomic ambiguity which confounds control. The nuclear sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA and the mitochondrial cytochrome b (mt cyt b) gene were used to analyze the taxonomy of T. dimidiata from southern Mexico throughout Central America. ITS2 sequence divides T. dimidiata into four taxa. The first three are found mostly localized to specific geographic regions with some overlap: (1) southern Mexico and Guatemala (Group 2); (2) Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica (Group 1A); (3) and Panama (Group 1B). We extend ITS2 Group 1A south into Costa Rica, Group 2 into southern Guatemala and show the first information on isolates in Belize, identifying Groups 2 and 3 in that country. The fourth group (Group 3), a potential cryptic species, is dispersed across parts of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. We show it exists in sympatry with other groups in Peten, Guatemala, and Yucatan, Mexico. Mitochondrial cyt b data supports this putative cryptic species in sympatry with others. However, unlike the clear distinction of the remaining groups by ITS2, the remaining groups are not separated by mt cyt b. This work contributes to an understanding of the taxonomy and population subdivision of T. dimidiata, essential for designing effective control strategies