Vibrational spectroscopy of GdCr3(BO3)4: Quantitative separation of crystalline phases

This work is devoted to the investigation of GdCr3(BO3)4 crystals by the method of infrared spectroscopy. Incongruently melting borate GdCr3(BO3)4 was obtained as a result of spontaneous crystallization. Crystal structures were identified by the method of infrared spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations in the frame of density functional theory enabled us to separate modes belonging to the R32 and C2/c phases and to estimate the ratio of these phases in GdCr3(BO3)4 crystals. We have found that the content of the rhombohedral R32 (non- centrosymmetric) modification is about 85%. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

The alpha 7 nicotinic receptor agonist PHA-543613 hydrochloride inhibits <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i>-induced expression of interleukin-8 by oral keratinocytes

Objective: The alpha 7 nicotinic receptor (α7nAChR) is expressed by oral keratinocytes. α7nAChR activation mediates anti-inflammatory responses. The objective of this study was to determine if α7nAChR activation inhibited pathogen-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression by oral keratinocytes.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Materials and methods: Periodontal tissue expression of α7nAChR was determined by real-time PCR. OKF6/TERT-2 oral keratinocytes were exposed to &lt;i&gt;Porphyromonas gingivalis&lt;/i&gt; in the presence and absence of a α7nAChR agonist (PHA-543613 hydrochloride) alone or after pre-exposure to a specific α7nAChR antagonist (α-bungarotoxin). Interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression was measured by ELISA and real-time PCR. Phosphorylation of the NF-κB p65 subunit was determined using an NF-κB p65 profiler assay and STAT-3 activation by STAT-3 in-cell ELISA. The release of ACh from oral keratinocytes in response to &lt;i&gt;P. gingivalis&lt;/i&gt; lipopolysaccharide was determined using a GeneBLAzer M3 CHO-K1-blacell reporter assay.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Results: Expression of α7nAChR mRNA was elevated in diseased periodontal tissue. PHA-543613 hydrochloride inhibited &lt;i&gt;P. Gingivalis&lt;/i&gt;-induced expression of IL-8 at the transcriptional level. This effect was abolished when cells were pre-exposed to a specific α7nAChR antagonist, α-bungarotoxin. PHA-543613 hydrochloride downregulated NF-κB signalling through reduced phosphorylation of the NF-κB p65-subunit. In addition, PHA-543613 hydrochloride promoted STAT-3 signalling by maintenance of phosphorylation. Furthermore, oral keratinocytes upregulated ACh release in response to &lt;i&gt;P. Gingivalis&lt;/i&gt; lipopolysaccharide.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; Conclusion: These data suggest that α7nAChR plays a role in regulating the innate immune responses of oral keratinocytes.&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt

Future therapeutic targets in rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by persistent joint inflammation. Without adequate treatment, patients with RA will develop joint deformity and progressive functional impairment. With the implementation of treat-to-target strategies and availability of biologic therapies, the outcomes for patients with RA have significantly improved. However, the unmet need in the treatment of RA remains high as some patients do not respond sufficiently to the currently available agents, remission is not always achieved and refractory disease is not uncommon. With better understanding of the pathophysiology of RA, new therapeutic approaches are emerging. Apart from more selective Janus kinase inhibition, there is a great interest in the granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor pathway, Bruton's tyrosine kinase pathway, phosphoinositide-3-kinase pathway, neural stimulation and dendritic cell-based therapeutics. In this review, we will discuss the therapeutic potential of these novel approaches

Adrenergic β2 receptor activation stimulates anti-inflammatory properties of dendritic cells in vitro

Vagal nerve efferent activation has been shown to ameliorate the course of many inflammatory disease states. This neuromodulatory effect has been suggested to rest on acetylcholine receptor (AChR) activation on tissue macrophages or dendritic cells (DCs). In more recent studies, vagal anti-inflammatory activity was shown involve adrenergic, splenic, pathways. Here we provide evidence that the adrenergic, rather than cholinergic, receptor activation on bone marrow derived DCs results in enhanced endocytosis uptake, enhanced IL-10 production but a decreased IL-6, IL-12p70 and IL-23 production. In antigen specific T cell stimulation assays, adrenergic β2 receptor activation on bone marrow DCs led to an enhanced potential to induce Foxp3 positive suppressive Treg cells. These effects were independent of IL10-R activation, TGFβ release, or retinoic acid (RA) secretion. Hence, adrenergic receptor β2 activation modulates DC function resulting in skewing towards anti-inflammatory T cell phenotypes

Quality of life of patients after surgical treatment of spinal metastases

The surgical approach of spinal metastases treatment is becoming more common and it requieres a certain optimal surgical critical care that at minimum surgical trauma it will increase the life quality and prolong the patients lifetime. The prospective analysis of clinical and lab data of the patient cases was carried out. The cases were reviewed from October of 2016 to August of 2018 to evaluate the life quality of the patients after their surgery for metastatic spine lesions at the Department of Neurosurgery GBUZ SO SOOD Hospital. Evaluated parameters: performance status, Karnofsky performance score, SF-36 and EQ-5D health questionnaires, Tomita, Tokuhashi, Frankel scores, VAS, SINS score. All the cases after the surgery that had a histological confirmation of metastatic spine lesions except myeloma cases were reviewed. The life quality was evaluated and the Visual Analog scale of the patients was calculated at the pre-operative stage and the post-operative stage after 3, 6 and 12 months. We found positive changes in the pain syndrome, life quality and level of functional activity in post-operative stage. This evidences the viability of the combined modality treatment of the patients with metastatic spine lesions.Хирургическая тактика лечения метастазов позвоночного столба становится всё более распространённой, что требует определения оптимального объёма помощи, приводящей к повышению качества и продолжительности жизни при минимальной операционной травме. С целью оценки качества жизни (КЖ) пациентов, прооперированных по поводу метастатического поражения позвоночника, проведён проспективный анализ объективных клинических и лабораторно-инструментальных данных пациентов с метастатическим поражением позвоночника с октября 2016 года по август 2018 года на базе нейрохирургического отделения ГБУЗ Со "Соод". В работе использованы: шкала ECOG, индекс карновского, анкеты SF-36 и EQ-5D, шкалы Bauer, Tomita, Tokuhashi, Frankel, ВАШ, SINS. критерием включения явился любой прооперированный и гистологически подтверждённый случай метастатического поражения позвоночника, кроме миеломной болезни. Проводилась оценка КЖ и болевого синдрома по ВАШ у пациентов на дооперационном этапе и в послеоперационном периоде через 3, 6 и 12 месяцев. Выявлена положительная динамика по болевому синдрому, качеству жизни и уровню функциональной активности в послеоперационном периоде, что свидетельствует о целесообразности комбинированного лечения пациентов с метастатическим поражением позвоночника

Donepezil, Anti-Alzheimer's Disease Drug, Prevents Cardiac Rupture during Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction in Mice

Background: We have previously demonstrated that the chronic intervention in the cholinergic system by donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, plays a beneficial role in suppressing long-term cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). In comparison with such a chronic effect, however, the acute effect of donepezil during an acute phase of MI remains unclear. Noticing recent findings of a cholinergic mechanism for anti-inflammatory actions, we tested the hypothesis that donepezil attenuates an acute inflammatory tissue injury following MI. Methods and Results: In isolated and activated macrophages, donepezil significantly reduced intra- and extracellular matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). In mice with MI, despite the comparable values of heart rate and blood pressure, the donepezil-treated group showed a significantly lower incidence of cardiac rupture than the untreated group during the acute phase of MI. Immunohistochemistry revealed that MMP-9 was localized at the infarct area where a large number of inflammatory cells including macrophages infiltrated, and the expression and the enzymatic activity of MMP-9 at the left ventricular infarct area was significantly reduced in the donepezil-treated group. Conclusion: The present study suggests that donepezil inhibits the MMP-9-related acute inflammatory tissue injury in the infarcted myocardium, thereby reduces the risk of left ventricular free wall rupture during the acute phase of MI

Anti-inflammatory effects of nicotine in obesity and ulcerative colitis

Cigarette smoke is a major risk factor for a number of diseases including lung cancer and respiratory infections. Paradoxically, it also contains nicotine, an anti-inflammatory alkaloid. There is increasing evidence that smokers have a lower incidence of some inflammatory diseases, including ulcerative colitis, and the protective effect involves the activation of a cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway that requires the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) on immune cells. Obesity is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, which contributes to insulin resistance. Nicotine significantly improves glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in genetically obese and diet-induced obese mice, which is associated with suppressed adipose tissue inflammation. Inflammation that results in disruption of the epithelial barrier is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease, and nicotine is protective in ulcerative colitis. This article summarizes current evidence for the anti-inflammatory effects of nicotine in obesity and ulcerative colitis. Selective agonists for the α7nAChR could represent a promising pharmacological strategy for the treatment of inflammation in obesity and ulcerative colitis. Nevertheless, we should keep in mind that the anti-inflammatory effects of nicotine could be mediated via the expression of several nAChRs on a particular target cell