Association between idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss and genetic polymorphisms in cytokine and matrix metalloproteinase genes

Objectives: Recurrent reproductive loss (RPL) is a global health issue affecting a significant number of women. Approximately half of miscarriages have an unexplained etiology. Familial aggregation and twins studies prove that some cases of the RPL could have a genetic background. Recent evidences suggest that cytokines (e.g. IL-6, TNF alpha or TGF beta) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are important for maintenance of pregnancy. Single gene polymorphisms (SNP), affecting these proteins production or their function may predispose to the loss of the pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the following polymorphisms of IL6 (rs1800795), TNF (rs1800629), TGFB1 (rs1800471), MMP1 (rs1799750), MMP2 (rs2285053 and rs243865), MMP3 (rs35068180), MMP9 (rs3918242) and the recurrent pregnancy loss in polish population.Material and methods: Study subjects comprised of 67 patients with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (≥ 2 miscarriages in history) and 75 controls. The distribution of genotypes for selected polymorphisms were determined by RFLP-PCR.Results: Maternal genotypes GG TNF, or 5A/5A MMP3 may be associated with the recurrent pregnancy loss. No association between the IL6, TGFB1, MMP1, MMP2, or MMP9 studied polymorphisms and the predisposition to miscarriage was found.Conclusions: This study demonstrated a possible association between rs1800629 TNF, rs35068180 MMP3 polymorphisms and recurrent pregnancy loss

Introduction Studies of Plasma-Focus discharges within the PF-360 facility equipped with needle D 2 O-ice target

Numerous PF experiments, which were performed in many laboratories all over the world showed a promising scaling of the neutron yield (Y n ) from D-D fusion reactions. Some investigations extended this scaling to a multi-MJ and multi-MA level Experimental set-up Recent studies within the PF-360 facility have been carried out by using larger coaxial electrodes of 120 mm and 170 mm in diameter, respectively. Both electrodes were 300 mm in length, and the main ceramic insulator, embracing the basis of the inner electrode, was 80 mm in length. The main experimental chamber of the PF-360 facility was filled with pure deuterium under the initial pressure, which was varied from 5.1 mbar to 12.0 mbar. PF discharges were powered from a capacitor bank of 288 µF. Abstract The paper describes a new technique which has been investigated in order to overcome the neutron saturation effect and to increase the neutron yield from the plasma-focus (PF) discharge

M (2000) Studies of Plasma-Focus discharges within the PF-360 facility equipped with a planar D2O-ice target. Nukleonika 46;S1:65–68 37Results of large scale Plasma-Focus experiments and prospects for neutron yield optimization

Introduction Many Plasma-Focus (PF) experiments, which were performed in different laboratories, showed an optimistic scaling of the neutron emission. These scaling laws for the fusion neutron yield (Y n ) from the Plasma-Focus facilities are described by the simple formulae: where W 0 is the initial energy input, I max is the maximum value of the main discharge current, α = 2.0-2.2 as well as β = 3.3-4.4 depend on a machine type and input energy value. For the PF-360 facility There were some papers, which suggested that it is possible to extend this scaling to a higher discharge current and initial energy values [1], but there is no experimental verification of this hypothesis so far. On the contrary, it was found that the promising scaling laws are valid only up to some critical levels, at which the neutron yield saturates (or even decreases) The PF-360 machine was built during the turn of the 70s and 80

Measurements of fast electron beams and soft X-ray emission from plasma-focus experiments

The paper reports results of the recent experimental studies of pulsed electron beams and soft X-rays in plasma-focus (PF) experiments carried out within a modified PF-360U facility at the NCBJ, Poland. Particular attention was focused on time-resolved measurements of the fast electron beams by means of two different magnetic analyzers, which could record electrons of energy ranging from about 41 keV to about 715 keV in several (6 or 8) measuring channels. For discharges performed with the pure deuterium filling, many strong electron signals were recorded in all the measuring channels. Those signals were well correlated with the first hard X-ray pulse detected by an external scintillation neutron-counter. In some of the analyzer channels, electron spikes (lasting about dozens of nanoseconds) and appearing in different instants after the current peculiarity (so-called current dip) were also recorded. For several discharges, fast ion beams, which were emitted along the z-axis and recorded with nuclear track detectors, were also investigated. Those measurements confirmed a multibeam character of the ion emission. The time-integrated soft X-ray images, which were taken side-on by means of a pinhole camera and sensitive X-ray films, showed the appearance of some filamentary structures and so-called hot spots. The application of small amounts of admixtures of different heavy noble gases, i.e. of argon (4.8% volumetric), krypton (1.6% volumetric), or xenon (0.8% volumetric), decreased intensity of the recorded electron beams, but increased intensity of the soft X-ray emission and showed more distinct and numerous hot spots. The recorded electron spikes have been explained as signals produced by quasi-mono-energetic microbeams emitted from tiny sources (probably plasma diodes), which can be formed near the observed hot spots

Metabolic syndrome is associated with similar long-term prognosis in non-obese and obese patients. An analysis of 45 615 patients from the nationwide LIPIDOGRAM 2004-2015 cohort studies

Aims We aimed to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and long-term all-cause mortality. Methods The LIPIDOGRAM studies were carried out in the primary care in Poland in 2004, 2006 and 2015. MetS was diagnosed based on the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III) and Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria. The cohort was divided into four groups: non-obese patients without MetS, obese patients without MetS, non-obese patients with MetS and obese patients with MetS. Differences in all-cause mortality was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Results 45,615 participants were enrolled (mean age 56.3, standard deviation: 11.8 years; 61.7% female). MetS was diagnosed in 14,202 (31%) by NCEP/ATP III criteria, and 17,216 (37.7%) by JIS criteria. Follow-up was available for 44,620 (97.8%, median duration 15.3 years) patients. MetS was associated with increased mortality risk among the obese (hazard ratio, HR: 1.88 [95% CI, 1.79-1.99] and HR: 1.93 [95% CI 1.82-2.04], according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria, respectively) and non-obese individuals (HR: 2.11 [95% CI 1.85-2.40] and 1.7 [95% CI, 1.56-1.85] according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria respectively). Obese patients without MetS had a higher mortality risk than non-obese patients without MetS (HR: 1.16 [95% CI 1.10-1.23] and HR: 1.22 [95%CI 1.15-1.30], respectively in subgroups with NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria applied). Conclusions MetS is associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in non-obese and obese patients. In patients without MetS obesity remains significantly associated with mortality. The concept of metabolically healthy obesity should be revised