Osteoprotegerin, sRANKL and sRANKL /OPG ratio in pseudosynovial fluid from patients with aseptic loosening of total hip prosthesis

Background. Total hip replacement is the final solution in advanced osteoarthritis. The survival time of the implant significantly depends on the condition of the bone in which it has been located. Upsetting the balance in the RANK/RANKL/OPG system can lead to the development of bone metabolic disorders leading to bone loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate the osteoprotegerin (OPG) and soluble RANKL (sRANKL) concentrations in the pseudosynovial fluid in women with aseptic loosening of total hip prosthesis.Methods. OPG and sRANKL concentrations were assayed in the pseudosynovial fluid collected from 20 women during the revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) (group R), and in the synovial fluid of 13 women in the end-stage of idiopathic osteoarthritis collected during primary THA (group P). OPG and sRANKL were measured using commercially available ELISA kits.Results. OPG concentration was significantly lower, and sRANKL concentration was significantly higher, in group R than in group P. The sRANKL/OPG ratio in group R was significantly higher than in group P. The average total joint endoprosthesis survival time was 8.6 (SD 3.9) years. The OPG concentration was slightly lower in patients with a time interval shorter than 8.6 years. The sRANKL/OPG ratio was higher in women with a shorter implant survival time.Conclusion. Higher sRANKL/OPG ratio in the pseudosynovial fluid contributes to increased resorption of bone tissue surrounding total hip endoprosthesis, leading to its aseptic loosening

Photoluminescence and electrical properties in Pr-modified (Ba1-xCax)TiO3 multifunctional ceramics

Mechanoluminescence materials, characterized with non-thermal light emission in response to mechanical stimuli, can have many applications in direct conversion of mechanical energy into light energy. The aim of this study was to develop wet chemistry approaches for the synthesis of the finest ceramic powders of barium calcium titanate for the use in the production of a mechanoluminescent detector. Wet chemistry route allows the control of the particle size of ceramic materials up to several nanometers. For the first time luminescence was recorded in Ba0.9Ca0.1TiO3 ceramics despite reports that light emission in BCT is possibly only over 23% of calcium content. The resulting ceramics showed high relative density, reasonable ferro and dielectric properties, and red light emission can be observed with the naked eye

Halophytes as components of lawns under different soil salinity and human impact in the health resort “Ciechocinek”

The comparison was performed on the flora of lawns located in the vicinity of three brine concentration towers in the Spa Park in the town of Ciechocinek. It was found that a different level of saline water inflow into the soil and a different use of these lawns are the main causes of the observed differences in the number and the species composition of halophytes and glycophytes. The possibility of determining the differences in the intensity of human impact on the studied systems was discussed, as well as the value of the Environmental Sustainability Index was determined through emergy analysis. Energy flow diagrams were prepared for two basic greenery management methods and salt production, which best differentiates the flora of the studied lawns

Giant schwannoma of the cheek : a comprehensive histological and immunohistochemical description of a rare tumour

Schwannoma is a benign tumour originating from Schwann cells forming sheaths of peripheral nerves. Its location in the oral cavity, and particularly in the cheek, is very rare. A large tumour (5 cm) was surgically removed from the left cheek of a fifty-five-year-old man and pathological examination revealed schwannoma with Antoni A and B patterns. The tumour was investigated using immunofluorescence and histochemical stainings. It showed positive immunostaining for S-100, PGP 9.5, NSE, collagen IV, laminin, merosin and vimentin. No immunofluorescence for GFAP, NPY and CGRP was observed. Cells of the macrophage family (CD68-immunopositive) were scattered in the connective tissue. Neither B (CD20+) nor T (CD3+, CD8+) lymphocytes were found. The capillary network was revealed by CD34 immunostaining. SMA immunoreactivity was observed in walls of larger blood vessels but not in tumour cells. The tumour contained numerous mast cells visualized by thionin staining and an abundance of collagen fibres revealed by picrosirius red

Interaction of the S6 Proline Hinge with N-Type and C-Type Inactivation in Kv1.4 Channels

AbstractSeveral voltage-gated channels share a proline-valine-proline (proline hinge) sequence motif at the intracellular side of S6. We studied the proline hinge in Kv1.4 channels, which inactivate via two mechanisms: N- and C-type. We mutated the second proline to glycine or alanine: P558A, P558G. These mutations were studied in the presence/absence of the N-terminal to separate the effects of the interaction between the proline hinge and N- and C-type inactivation. Both S6 mutations slowed or removed N- and C-type inactivation, and altered recovery from inactivation. P558G slowed activation and N- and C-type inactivation by nearly an order of magnitude. Sensitivity to extracellular acidosis and intracellular quinidine binding remained, suggesting that transmembrane communication in N- and C-type inactivation was preserved, consistent with our previous findings of major structural rearrangements involving S6 during C-type inactivation. P558A was very disruptive: activation was slowed by more than an order of magnitude, and no inactivation was observed. These results are consistent with our hypothesis that the proline hinge and intracellular S6 movement play a significant role in inactivation and recovery. Computer modeling suggests that both P558G and P558A mutations modify early voltage-dependent steps and make a final voltage-insensitive step that is rate limiting at positive potentials

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials comparing efficacy and safety outcomes of insulin glargine with NPH insulin, premixed insulin preparations or with insulin detemir in type 2 diabetes mellitus

AIMS: A variety of basal insulin preparations are used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to summarize scientific evidence on relative efficacy and safety of insulin glargine (IGlar) and other insulins in T2DM. METHODS: A systematic review was carried out in major medical databases up to December 2012. Relevant studies compared efficacy and safety of IGlar, added to oral drugs (OAD) or/and in combination with bolus insulin, with protamine insulin (NPH) or premixed insulin (MIX) in the same regimen, as well as with insulin detemir (IDet), in T2DM. Target HbA1c level without hypoglycemic events was considered the primary endpoint. RESULTS: Twenty eight RCTs involving 12,669 T2DM patients followed for 12–52 weeks were included in quantitative analysis. IGlar + OAD use was associated with higher probability of reaching target HbA1c level without hypoglycemia as compared to NPH + OAD (RR = 1.32 [1.09, 1.59]) or MIX without OAD (RR = 1.61 [1.22, 2.13]) and similar effect as IDet + OAD (RR = 1.07 [0.87, 1.33]) and MIX + OAD (RR = 1.09 [0.86, 1.38]). IGlar + OAD demonstrated significantly lower risk of symptomatic hypoglycemia as compared to NPH + OAD (RR = 0.89 [0.83, 0.96]), MIX + OAD (RR = 0.75 [0.68, 0.83]) and MIX without OAD(RR = 0.75 [0.68, 0.83]), but not with IDet + OAD (RR = 0.99 [0.90, 1.08]). In basal-bolus regimens, IGlar demonstrated similar proportion of T2DM patients achieving target HbA1c as compared to NPH (RR = 1.14 [0.91, 1.44]) but higher than MIX (RR = 1.26 [1.12, 1.42) or IDet (RR = 1.38 [1.11, 1.72]). The risk of severe hypoglycemia was lower in IGlar than in NPH (RR = 0.77 [0.63, 0.94]), with no differences in comparison with MIX (RR = 0.74 [0.46, 1.20]) and IDet (RR = 1.10 [0.54, 2.25]). IGlar + OAD has comparable safety profile to NPH, with less frequent adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation than MIX + OAD (RR = 0.41 [0.22, 0.76]) and IDet + OAD (RR = 0.40 [0.24, 0.69]). Also severe adverse reactions were less common for IGlar + OAD when compared to MIX + OAD (RR = 0.71 [0.52; 0.98]). CONCLUSION: For the majority of examined efficacy and safety outcomes, IGlar use in T2DM patients was superior or non-inferior to the alternative insulin treatment options. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00592-014-0698-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users