Serum Lipid Studies in Multiple Sclerosis

Peer Reviewe

Genes Involved in Systemic and Arterial Bed Dependent Atherosclerosis - Tampere Vascular Study

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a complex disease with hundreds of genes influencing its progression. In addition, the phenotype of the disease varies significantly depending on the arterial bed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We characterized the genes generally involved in human advanced atherosclerotic (AHA type V-VI) plaques in carotid and femoral arteries as well as aortas from 24 subjects of Tampere Vascular study and compared the results to non-atherosclerotic internal thoracic arteries (n=6) using genome-wide expression array and QRT-PCR. In addition we determined genes that were typical for each arterial plaque studied. To gain a comprehensive insight into the pathologic processes in the plaques we also analyzed pathways and gene sets dysregulated in this disease using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). According to the selection criteria used (>3.0 fold change and p-value <0.05), 235 genes were up-regulated and 68 genes down-regulated in the carotid plaques, 242 genes up-regulated and 116 down-regulated in the femoral plaques and 256 genes up-regulated and 49 genes down-regulated in the aortic plaques. Nine genes were found to be specifically induced predominantly in aortic plaques, e.g., lactoferrin, and three genes in femoral plaques, e.g., chondroadherin, whereas no gene was found to be specific for carotid plaques. In pathway analysis, a total of 28 pathways or gene sets were found to be significantly dysregulated in atherosclerotic plaques (false discovery rate [FDR] <0.25). CONCLUSIONS: This study describes comprehensively the gene expression changes that generally prevail in human atherosclerotic plaques. In addition, site specific genes induced only in femoral or aortic plaques were found, reflecting that atherosclerotic process has unique features in different vascular beds

The biological water quality assessment of the Rudna river situated near the post-flotation tailing pond "Żelazny Most" on the basis of communities of benthic invertebrates

W wyniku wydobycia rudy miedzi powstają drobnoziarniste odpady mineralne, stanowiące ponad 90 % wydobytej rudy, zawierają one śladowe ilości metali, substancje modyfikujące właściwości powierzchniowe minerałów miedzi oraz środki pianotwórcze stosowane w procesie wzbogacania. Odpady są składowane w specjalnych zbiornikach. Istotne wydaje się poznanie wpływu takich osadników na makrobezkręgowce zamieszkujące graniczący ze składowiskiem ciek wodny. W pracy oceniono jakość wody rzeki Rudna na czterech różnych stanowiskach badawczych. Zastosowano następujące systemy biotyczne: BMWP-PL, ASPT-PL, FBI, EPT, BBI, TBI oraz CBS. Otrzymane wyniki porównano między sobą, co umożliwiło ocenę przydatności analizowanych systemów biotycznych. Oceniono także bioróżnorodność wód na badanym obszarze. W tym celu obliczono dominację oraz frekwencję rodzin na stanowiskach badawczych, oraz obliczono wskaźnik bioróżnorodności Hurlberta i indeks Margalefa. Wyniki wskazują na istotny wpływ osadnika poflotacyjnego na biocenozę rzeki na terenach znajdujących się najbliżej "Żelaznego Mostu". Stwierdzono bowiem, że większość indeksów biotycznych i bioróżnorodności (BMWP-PL, TBI, BBI, Margalef, Hurlbert) klasyfikuje stanowiska najbliżej osadnika jako wody o najniższej jakości i bioróżnorodności, co potwierdza jednocześnie wysoką przydatność wymienionych wskaźników do badań bioindykacyjnych.As a result of copper ore extraction lots of fine-grained mineral waste, constituting over 90% of extracted ore, appear. It contains traces of heavy metals, biosurfactants and foams applied in the process of extraction and copper enrichment. Waste rock with technological water is delivered and deposited in post-flotation tailing ponds. Such sites are harmful to the environment as dust containing toxic heavy metals is blown away causing water and soil contamination. The influence of such sediments on macroinvertebrates inhabiting the neighbouring river Rudna seems significant, since they are regarded as almost perfect bioindicators and constitute the majority of systems of water quality control. A four study sites of different distance from "Żelazny Most" tailing pond have been selected in order to assess a water quality. A set of different biotic indices based on zoobenthos was applied for the assessment. The water quality was evaluated with following indices: BMWP-PL, ASPT-PL, FBI, EPT, BBI, TBI and CBS which were compared with each other in order to check their usefulness. The water biodiversity was also assessed in the studied area. We calculated a dominance and frequency of families, as well as Hurlbert and Margalef indices. The obtained results suggest the significant influence of the tailing pond on river biocoenosis in the closest areas to "Żelazny Most"