Frequency of gamma delta T cells in peripheral blood, synovial fluid, synovial membrane and lungs from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The percentages and absolute numbers of gamma delta T cells per CD3 positive cells (T cells) in four different compartments, namely peripheral blood, synovial fluid, synovial membrane and lungs from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in peripheral blood from healthy controls were studied by two color flow-cytometric analysis. The percentages (mean +/- SEM = 6.3 +/- 0.8%, n = 22) and absolute numbers (70 +/- 11/microliters, n = 22) of gamma delta T cells in peripheral blood from RA patients were not different from those of 22 age-matched healthy controls (7.5 +/- 0.9%, 81 +/- 17/microliters, respectively). The gamma delta T cells in peripheral blood from 50 RA patients were, however, significantly decreased in negative correlation with the value of CRP as a marker for inflammation, although they had no correlation with the titer of rheumatoid factor as an autoantibody. The percentages of gamma delta T cells in synovial fluid from 10 patients (3.3 +/- 0.5%, n = 10) or in synovial membrane from 5 patients (4.2 +/- 1.9%, n = 5) and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 6 patients (3.6 +/- 0.8%, n = 6) were not different from those in peripheral blood from the same patients. Thus, gamma delta T cells are not the dominant infiltrating T cell subset in the inflammatory sites of RA patients.</p

Novel immunostimulatory effects of osteoclasts and macrophages on human γδ T cells

25/10/2014 Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the Oliver Bird Foundation (RHE/00092/S1 24105) (A.P.) and Arthritis Research UK (18439) (K.T.) for funding this work, and to thank Dr Heather M. Wilson for the helpful comments on the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Comparing two EI measures: TEIQue and WLEIS

Both TEIQue-SF and WLEIS are self-report EI measures, but developed based on different EI models. TEIQue-SF was based on the Trait EI model by Petrides and Furnman (2001) which posits that EI is located at lower level of personality domains whereas WLEIS was based on the mixed EI model by Salovey and Mayer (1990) that EI is a set of mental abilities that process affective information and some dispositional aspects. In the current study, these two measures are compared in terms of incremental validity over five personality factors in predicting empathy, autistic trait and life satisfaction. Pearson’s correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were conducted. The results showed that TEIQue have incremental validity on empathy, autistic trait and life satisfaction over five personality factors whereas WLEIS only have incremental validity on empathy and life satisfaction. From the results, it was suggested that both TEIQue and WLEIS capture the individual differences in the ability for perceiving and understanding emotions in others. However, WLIES do not fully cover the sampling domains defined for TEIQue (e.g. Well being) thus it was concluded that at the moment TEIQue is more adequate Trait EI measure than WLEIS. For the future direction, it was suggested to conduct the comparison of Trait EI measures with criterion variables at factor level to reveal precise relationships. Also it was suggested to use objective variables such as health or finance status for criterion variables

: Autism Quotient, Empathy Quotient and Life Satisfaction

Emotional intelligence (EI) is divided into two constructs, namely ability and trait EI, for theoretical and methodological concerns. Trait emotional intelligence (EI) is termed under the hierarchical construction of personality (Petrides, Pita, & Kokkinaki, 2007), and is mainly measured via self-report inventories. The trait EI measuring tools developed by this school of scholar, TEIQue-SF (Petrides & Furnham, 2006) in this context, is often scrutinized for obtaining overlapping results with that of personality trait. But various studies evidence trait EI’s incremental predictive power and this overlap only indicates neat association between the two constructs (trait EI and personality trait). In comparison, WLEIS (Wong and Law, 2002) represents trait EI scales developed under the influence of Mayer and Salovey’s (1997) conceptualization of EI, which comprises measurement of an aggregation of items on trait EI as well as cognition-related perceptions. WLEIS is therefore possible to obtain greater incremental predictability than TEIQue-SF, over and above personality trait scales. The fact that WLEIS is shorter (16 items) and predicts scores on four subcomponents also makes it a strong competitor to TEIQue-SF (30 items). With such structural differences in mind, our study selected autism spectrum quotient (AQ), empathy quotient (EQ), and satisfaction of life (Life Satisfaction) as criterion variables, and carried out six two-step hierarchical regressions to study the explanative power of the two trait EI measures, over and above the Five Factors constructed in mini-IPIP (Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Intellect: Donnellan et al., 2006). Overall they both displayed satisfactory incremental validity while, opponent to our prediction, results suggest that TEIQue-SF outscored WLEIS in all cases. Both TEIQue-SF and WLEIS were highly correlated with all personality traits. Autism tendency can be predicted by Extraversion and Agreeableness, and incrementally predicted by TEIQue-SF; trait EI and Agreeableness was significantly predictive of empathy; Life Satisfaction was negatively related to Neuroticism but positively related to trait EI. Results suggest that it is difference in construction of each trait EI measure that accounts for their differentiated predictive power, and suggest that further study should select variables that equally benefit from WLEIS’s construction, and might yield different results

Comparative Analysis of Cartilage Marker Gene Expression Patterns during Axolotl and Xenopus Limb Regeneration.

Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) can completely regenerate lost limbs, whereas Xenopus laevis frogs cannot. During limb regeneration, a blastema is first formed at the amputation plane. It is thought that this regeneration blastema forms a limb by mechanisms similar to those of a developing embryonic limb bud. Furthermore, Xenopus laevis frogs can form a blastema after amputation; however, the blastema results in a terminal cone-shaped cartilaginous structure called a "spike." The causes of this patterning defect in Xenopus frog limb regeneration were explored. We hypothesized that differences in chondrogenesis may underlie the patterning defect. Thus, we focused on chondrogenesis. Chondrogenesis marker genes, type I and type II collagen, were compared in regenerative and nonregenerative environments. There were marked differences between axolotls and Xenopus in the expression pattern of these chondrogenesis-associated genes. The relative deficit in the chondrogenic capacity of Xenopus blastema cells may account for the absence of total limb regenerative capacity

Nerve independent limb induction in axolotls

AbstractUrodele amphibians can regenerate their limbs. During limb regeneration, dermal fibroblasts are transformed into undifferentiated cells called blastema cells. These dermis–blastema cells show multipotency. Such so-called endogenous reprogramming of cell differentiation is one of the main targets of amphibian limb regeneration studies. It is well recognized that nerve presence controls the initiation of limb regeneration. Accordingly, nerve factors have been sought in amphibian limb regeneration. To investigate it, a relatively new study system called the accessory limb model (ALM) was developed. Using ALM, two signaling cascades (Fgf and Gdf5 signaling) came under focus. In the present study, Growth and differentiation factor-5 (Gdf5) application to wounded skin initiated limb regeneration responses and resulted in induction of a blastema-like structure in the absence of a nerve. However, the Gdf5-induced structure showed defects as a regeneration blastema, such as absence of detectable Prrx1 expression by in situ hybridization. The defects could be remedied by additional Fibroblasts growth factor (Fgf) inputs. These two inputs (Gdf5 and Fgfs) were sufficient to substitute for the nerve functions in the induction of limb regeneration. Indeed, Fgf2, Fgf8, and Gdf5 applications with the contralateral skin graft resulted in limb formation without nerve supply. Furthermore, acquisition of cartilage differentiation potential of dermal fibroblasts was tested in an in vivo and in vitro combination assay. Dermal fibroblasts cultured with Gdf5 were difficult to participate in cartilage formation when the cultured cells were grafted into cartilage forming region. In contrast, dermal fibroblasts cultured with Fgf2 and Fgf8 became easier to participate into cartilage formation in the same procedure. These results contribute to our understanding of molecular mechanisms of the early phase of amphibian limb regeneration