The impact of discourse types on the acquisition of nominal determination in L2 French

+N) are much more frequent in descriptions than in narratives: the use of these forms is determined by the marking of the introduction of referents and change of reference, that are more common in descriptions. The comparison with the results of previous studies on NP acquisition allows us to put in perspective the precocity of the acquisition of the definite article compared to that of the indefinite article. Contrary to such studies, our results show that definite and indefinite determiners appear at the same time. Their frequency of use varies according to the communicative task and the type of discourse produced. The absence of a form in a certain type of production does not mean that it is absent in the learner's L2 system. Thus, the consideration of various contexts of production is imperative to describe the acquisition of linguisti

Open study to evaluate etidronate influence on bone markers, inflammation and RANKL/OPG system in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with active inflammation : effect of etidronate on number and metabolic activity of proinflammatory subpopulation of blood monocytes CD14+CD16+ in AS patients - a pilot study

Cel pracy: Ocena wpływu 3-miesięcznego cyklicznego leczenia etydronianem (bisfosfonianem) na markery kostne, wskaźniki zapalne i układ RANKL/osteoprotegeryna (RANKL/OPG) u pacjentów z aktywnym zesztywniającym zapaleniem stawów kręgosłupa (ZZSK). Ocena wpływu etydronianu na liczbę prozapalnych monocytów CD14+CD16+ i ich aktywność metaboliczną u pacjentów z aktywnym ZZSK. Materiał i metody: Etydronian podawano (w dwóch 14-dniowych cyklach) 25 mężczyznom spełniającym nowojorskie kryteria rozpoznania ZZSK, u których stwierdzono zwiększone stężenia wskaźników zapalnych (OB i/lub CRP). Przed podaniem leku i po kolejnych cyklach oznaczano osteokalcynę (OC, marker kościotworzenia), telopeptyd β-CTx (CTX, marker resorpcji), rozpuszczalny ligand receptora aktywującego czynnik jądrowy κB (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand – sRANKL) i osteoprotegerynę (OPG). Wyniki: Po leczeniu etydronianem stwierdzono istotne statystycznie zmniejszenie się stężeń CTX, OC i CRP oraz nieistotne statystycznie zmniejszenie stężenia sRANKL, natomiast zwiększenie stężenia OPG. Nie stwierdzono korelacji pomiędzy markerami kostnymi a CRP, sRANKL i OPG, a także pomiędzy CRP a sRANKL i OPG. Wykazano dodatnią korelację pomiędzy wskaźnikiem sRANKL/OPG wyjściowym i po 1. cyklu oraz wyjściowym i po 2. cyklu. Nie stwierdzono różnic w bezwzględnej liczbie subpopulacji monocytów, tj. prozapalnej (CD14+CD16+) i klasycznej (CD14++CD16–) przed 1. cyklem i po 1. cyklu etydronianu. Po stymulacji PHA uzyskano średnio ok. 80-krotny wzrost wydzielania immunosupresyjnej cytokiny IL-10 i ok. 40-krotny wzrost wydzielania TNF-α przez izolowane komórki jednojądrowe krwi obwodowej po 1. cyklu etydronianu. Wnioski: 1. Etydronian wykazuje działanie antyresorpcyjne i przeciwzapalne u mężczyzn chorych na ZZSK. 2. Nie stwierdzono korelacji pomiędzy CRP a markerami kostnymi, sRANKL, OPG i sRANKL/OPG, co sugeruje brak sprzężenia procesu zapalenia z remodelacją tkanki kostnej w ZZSK. 3. Etydronian nie wpływa na liczbę prozapalnych monocytów CD14+CD16+ we krwi obwodowej oraz zwiększa stymulowaną PHA syntezę cytokin przez jednojądrowe komórki krwi obwodowej, z przewagą wydzielania immunosupresyjnej IL-10.Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of etidronate (bisphosphonate) on bone markers, inflammatory markers and RANKL/OPG in male subjects with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). To explore the influence of etidronate on number and metabolic activity of proinflammatory subpopulation of blood monocytes CD14+CD16+ in AS patients. Material and methods: Etidronate (two 14-days cycles) was administered in a group of 25 men fulfiling New York AS criteria and having elevated ESR and/or CRP values. Osteocalcin (OC, formation marker), telopeptid β-CTx (CTX, resorption marker), soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (sRANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were assayed before and after each cycle of treatment. Results: The statistically significant decrease of CTX, OC and CRP, a non statistically significant elevation of OPG and reduction of sRANKL after etidronate treatment were observed. There were no correlation between bone markers and CRP, sRANKL and OPG as well as between CRP and sRANKL and OPG. Statistically significant correlation between sRANKL/OPG ratio before treatment and after 1st and 2nd cycle were found. No difference between number of proinflammatory monocytes (CD14+ CD16+) and classic monocytes (CD14++CD16–) were found before and after etidronate treatment with regard to the true number of cells in blood. Following PHA stimulation the avarage 80-fold increase in IL-10 production and only 40-fold rise in TNF-α were observed after 1. cycle of etidronate in PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients, in comparison to cytokine production straight before the first run of etidronate. Conclusions: 1. Etidronate has anti-resorptive and anti-inflammatory properties in men with AS. 2. There was no correlation between CRP and bone markers, sRANKL, OPG and sRANKL/OPG ratio which may suggest a lack of relationship between inflammation and bone remodeling in AS. 3. Etidronate treatment does not influence the number of proinflammatory monocytes CD14+CD16+ in peripheral blood and increases the PHA-stimulated cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with prevalent immunosuppressive IL-10 synthesis

Detection of specific lytic and latent transcripts can help to predict the status of Epstein-Barr virus infection in transplant recipients with high virus load

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a member of the family Herpesviridae, is widely spread in the human population and has the ability to establish lifelong latent infection. In immunocompetent individuals the virus reactivation is usually harmless and unnoticeable. In immunocompromised patients productive infection or type III latency may lead to EBV-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). The aim of our research was to investigate the utility of PCR-based methods in the diagnosis and monitoring of EBV infections in bone marrow transplant recipients. Thirty-eight peripheral blood leukocyte samples obtained from 16 patients were analysed, in which EBV DNA was confirmed by PCR. We used semi-quantitative PCR to estimate the viral load and reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) to differentiate between latent and productive EBV infection. In 14 patients we confirmed productive viral infection. We observed a correlation between higher number of EBV genome copies and the presence of transcripts specific for type III latency as well as clinical symptoms

Preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte and lymphocyte-monocyte ratios reflect immune cell population rearrangement in resectable pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR) may serve as a simple index of the immune function. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of NLR, PLR, and LMR in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and to verify whether such biomarkers are associated with changes in populations of lymphoid cells. METHODS: The prognostic implications of blood count parameters were evaluated in a retrospective cohort of 442 subjects undergoing pancreatic resections for PDAC. Subpopulations of lymphocytes and monocytes in peripheral blood were identified by FACS in a prospective cohort of 54 patients. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, NLR < 5 and LMR ≥ 3 were associated with significantly longer median survival of 25.7 vs 12.6 months and 29.2 vs 13.1 months, respectively. PLR did not influence survival. The Cox proportional hazards model showed that high NLR (HR 1.66, 95 % CI 1.12 to 2.46, P = 0.012) and low LMR (HR 1.65, 95 % CI 1.06 to 2.58, P = 0.026) were independent predictors of poor prognosis. NLR ≥ 5 and LMR < 3 correlated with an approximately twofold decrease in counts of helper and cytotoxic T cells, B cells, and NK cells. High NLR was also accompanied with increased neutrophil counts, while low LMR showed increased numbers of monocytes, mostly classical. CONCLUSIONS: NLR and LMR may carry important prognostic information for patients with resected PDAC. The unfavorable prognosis likely correlates with reduced numbers of immune cells effective against the tumor and increased populations of cells involved in immune suppression

Properties of monocytes generated from haematopoietic CD34+ stem cells from bone marrow of colon cancer patients

Monocytes exhibit direct and indirect antitumour activities and may be potentially useful for various forms of adoptive cellular immunotherapy of cancer. However, blood is a limited source of them. This study explored whether monocytes can be obtained from bone marrow haematopoietic CD34(+) stem cells of colon cancer patients, using previously described protocol of expansion and differentiation to monocytes of cord blood-derived CD34(+) haematopoietic progenitors. Data show that in two-step cultures, the yield of cells was increased approximately 200-fold, and among these cells, up to 60 % of CD14(+) monocytes were found. They consisted of two subpopulations: CD14(++)CD16(+) and CD14(+)CD16(−), at approximately 1:1 ratio, that differed in HLA-DR expression, being higher on the former. No differences in expression of costimulatory molecules were observed, as CD80 was not detected, while CD86 expression was comparable. These CD14(+) monocytes showed the ability to present recall antigens (PPD, Candida albicans) and neoantigens expressed on tumour cells and tumour-derived microvesicles (TMV) to autologous CD3(+) T cells isolated from the peripheral blood. Monocytes also efficiently presented the immunodominant HER-2/neu(369–377) peptide (KIFGSLAFL), resulting in the generation of specific cytotoxic CD8(+) T lymphocytes (CTL). The CD14(++)CD16(+) subset exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity, though nonsignificant, towards tumour cells in vitro. These observations indicate that generation of monocytes from CD34(+) stem cells of cancer patients is feasible. To our knowledge, it is the first demonstration of such approach that may open a way to obtain autologous monocytes for alternative forms of adaptive and adoptive cellular immunotherapy of cancer

Molecular characterization of central cytoplasmic loop in Aspergillus nidulans AstA transporter

AstA (alternative sulfate transporter) belongs to a large, but poorly characterized, Dal5 family of allantoate permeases of the Major Facilitator Superfamily. The astA gene has been cloned from an IAM 2006 Japanese strain of Aspergillus nidulans by complementation of a sulfate permease-deficient mutant. In this study we show that conserved lysine residues in Central Cytoplasmic Loop (CCL) of the AstA protein may participate in anion selectivity, and control kinetic properties of the AstA transporter. A three-dimensional model containing four clustered lysine residues was created, showing a novel substrate-interacting structure in Major Facilitator Superfamily transporters. The assimilation constant (Kτ) of wild type AstA protein is 85 μM, while Vmax/mg of DW of AstA is twice that of the main sulfate transporter SB per mg of dry weight (DW) of mycelium (1.53 vs. 0.85 nmol/min, respectively). Amino acid substitutions in CCL did not abolish sulfate uptake, but affected its kinetic parameters. Mutants affected in the lysine residues forming the postulated sulfate-interacting pocket in AstA were able to grow and uptake sulfate, indicating that CCL is not crucial for sulfate transportation. However, these mutants exhibited altered values of Kτ and Vmax, suggesting that CCL is involved in control of the transporter activity

Analysis of PD-1 expression in the monocyte subsets from non-septic and septic preterm neonates

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor system represents a part of recently reported immunoregulatory pathway. PD-1 is an immune checkpoint molecule, which plays an important role in downregulating the immune system proinflammatory activity. Until recently, PD-1 expression was not established on immune cells of the preterm infants. The study objectives were to confirm expression of the PD-1 receptors on the monocytes isolated from very low birth weight newborns (VLBW), and to analyze their expression during the first week of life and late-onset sepsis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 76 VLBW patients without early-onset sepsis on their 5th day of life (DOL). PD-1 expression was determined on the monocyte subsets (classical, intermediate, non-classical) by flow cytometry. In case of late-onset sepsis (LOS), the same analysis was performed. Our results demonstrated that on the 5th DOL, PD-1 receptors were present in all the monocyte subsets. Children, whose mothers had received antenatal steroids, presented higher absolute numbers of non-classical monocytes with PD-1 expression. Infants born extremely preterm who later developed LOS, initially showed a lower percentage of PD-1 receptor-positive intermediate monocytes in comparison to neonates born very preterm. During LOS, we observed a rise in the percentage of classical monocytes with PD-1 expression. In case of septic shock or fatal outcome, there was a higher percentage and absolute count of intermediate monocytes with PD-1 expression in comparison to children without these complications. In conclusion, monocytes from VLBW children express PD-1 receptors. Antenatal steroid administration seems to induce PD-1 receptor expression in the non-classical monocytes. PD-1 might play a role in immunosuppressive phase of sepsis in the prematurely born children with septic shock and fatal outcome

The absolute number of circulating nonclassical (CD14+CD16++CD14^{+}CD16^{++}) monocytes negatively correlates with DAS28 and swollen joint count in patients with peripheral spondyloarthritis

A different clinical course and pattern of skeletal involvement in peripheral and axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) suggests a distinct pathophysiology of these 2 phenotypic manifestations of SpA. Monocytes, as part of the innate immune system, seem to play an important role in the pathogenesis of SpA, but the exact inflammatory pathways remain to be elucidated. Regulatory T lymphocytes ($T_{reg}$) and Th17 lymphocytes are also known to influence proinflammatory and anti‑inflammatory reactions. The aim of our study was to compare the absolute numbers of monocyte subpopulations, $T_{reg}$, and Th17 lymphocytes with clinical measures of disease activity in patients with peripheral and axial SpA. We enrolled 21 patients with peripheral SpA and 27 patients with axial SpA diagnosed according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria, as well as 23 healthy controls. Patients were under 45 years, naïve to synthetic and biological disease‑modifying antirheumatic drugs and without the administration of systemic glucocorticoids. The absolute numbers of classical, intermediate, nonclassical monocytes, $T_{reg}$, and Th17 in peripheral blood were analyzed. Disease activity was assessed using the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS-CRP), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28). In patients with SpA, the number of circulating nonclassical monocytes was decreased in comparison with controls. Only in the peripheral SpA group, a significant negative correlation was found between the concentration of nonclassical monocytes and DAS28 and the number of swollen joints. The 3 groups did not differ in terms of the concentrations of classical or intermediate monocytes and $T_{reg}$ or Th17 lymphocytes. Nonclassical monocytes may play a role in induction and perpetuation of peripheral joint inflammation, at least in peripheral SpA, as cells infiltrating the synovium