The Structural and Functional Changes of Blood Vessels during Aging

The vascular adventitia is recognized as a dynamic mediator of vascular structure and function, yet its role in aging is not understood. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the age-related changes of the vascular adventitia and determine the underlying mediators responsible. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were aged to 15, 30, 50 and 80 weeks before being anesthetised and euthanized by exsanguination. Thoracic aortas, mesenteric and pudental arteries were isolated, formalin fixed, and embedded in paraffin then sectioned at 5μm. Vessels were examined by microscopy and protein expression was determined by indirect immunofluorescence. The thickness of the adventitia increased dramatically with age. Immunofluorescence revealed a robust expression of endothelin system proteins in the adventitia. Additionally, extracellular matrix proteins collagen and fibronectin, and the proliferation marker Ki67 showed strong adventitial origin. The changes observed in the vascular adventitia with aging clearly demonstrate an important role in the process of vascular aging

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: effect of CRHR1 genotype on fatigue and depression

Background Emotional health disturbances are common after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and their causes are largely unexplored. Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) is a key factor in stress reactivity and development of mental health disturbances after adverse life-events. Methods We explore the effect of CRHR1 genotype on mental health after aSAH in a retrospective cohort study. One hundred twenty-five patients have been assessed using EST-Q mental health questionnaire. Genotyping of CRHR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP-s) was performed (Rs7209436, Rs110402, Rs242924). Results Fatigue was present in almost half of aSAH patients, depression and anxiety in one-third. There was a high prevalence of insomnia and panic complaints. Rs110402 minor allele decreased the risk of depression (OR = 0.25, p = 0.027 for homozygotes). Depression was present in 14% vs 41% in minor and major allele homozygotes, respectively. Rs110402, Rs242924 and Rs7209436 minor alleles and TAT-haplotype, formed by them, were protective against fatigue. After Bonferroni correction only the association of Rs110402 with fatigue remained statistically significant (OR = 0.21, p = 0.006 for minor allele homozygotes). Results remained statistically significant when adjusted for gender, admission state, age and time from aSAH. In multiple regression analysis occurrence of fatigue was dependent on anxiety, modified Rankin score and Rs110402 genotype (R2 = 0.34, p <  0.001). Conclusions CRHR1 minor genotype was associated with a lower risk of fatigue and depression after aSAH. Genetic predisposition to mental health disturbances associated with negative life-events could be a risk factor for fatigue and depression after aSAH and selected patients might benefit from advanced counselling in the recovery phase

Assignment of the Q-Bands of the Chlorophylls: Coherence Loss via Q x - Q y Mixing

We provide a new and definitive spectral assignment for the absorption, emission, high-resolution fluorescence excitation, linear dichroism, and/or magnetic circular dichroism spectra of 32 chlorophyllides in various environments. This encompases all dat

Association analysis of class II cytokine and receptor genes in vitiligo patients

The loss of melanocytes in vitiligo is mainly attributed to defective autoimmune mechanisms and lately autoinflammatory mediators have become more emphasized. Among these, a number of class II cytokines and their receptors have displayed altered expression patterns in vitiligo. Thus, we selected 30 SNPs from the regions of respective genes to be genotyped in Estonian case-control sample (109 and 328 individuals, respectively). For more precise analyses, patients were divided into subgroups based on vitiligo progression activity, age of onset, sex, occurrence of vitiligo among relatives, extent of depigmented areas, appearance of Köbner’s phenomenon, existence of halo nevi, occurrence of spontaneous repigmentation, and amount of thyroid peroxidase antibodies. No associations appeared in whole vitiligo group. In subgroups, several allelic and haplotype associations were found. The strongest involved SNPs rs12301088 (near IL26 gene), that was associated with familial vitiligo and existence of halo nevi, and rs2257167 (IFNAR1 gene), that was associated with female vitiligo. Additionally, haplotypes consisting of rs12301088 and rs12321603 alleles (IL26–IL22 genes), that were associated with familial vitiligo and existence of halo nevi. In conclusion, several genetic associations with vitiligo subphenotypes were revealed and functional explanations to these remain to be determined in respective studies

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: Effect of CRHR1 genotype on mental health-related quality of life

Quality of life (QoL) disturbances are common after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) both in physical and mental health domains and their causes are not clearly understood. Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1) is involved in stress reactivity and development of mental health disturbances after negative life-events. We performed a retrospective cohort study of long-term QoL outcomes among 125 surgically treated aSAH patients (2001–2013). QoL was assessed with Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and compared to an age and gender matched general population. Genotyping of CRHR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms was performed (Rs7209436, Rs110402, Rs242924) and their effect on QoL scores was explored. aSAH patients experienced a reduced quality of life in all domains. CRHR1 minor genotype was associated with higher SF-36 mental health (OR = 1.31–1.6, p < 0.05), role-emotional (OR = 1.57, p = 0.04) and vitality scores (OR = 1.31–1.38, p < 0.05). Association of all studied SNP’s with vitality and Rs242924 with mental health scores remained statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. Mental quality of life scores were associated with physical state of patients, antidepressant history and CRHR1 genotype. Predisposition to mental health disturbances after stressful life-events might be associated with reduced mental QoL after aSAH and selected patients could be provided advanced counselling in the recovery phase

Spectral phase encoding for data storage and addressing

We propose to use a broad-bandwidth laser source for storing and retrieving multiple holograms in a photorefractive material. Each storage address is defined by a specific spectral encoding of the reference beam. The validity of the spectral encoding method is tested in a preliminary experiment

How does toxoplasmosis affect the maternal-foetal immune interface and pregnancy?

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite which, depending on the geographical location, can infect between 10 to 90% of humans. Infection during pregnancy mayresult in congenital toxoplasmosis. The effects on the fetus vary depending on the stage of gestation in which primary maternal infection arises. A large body of research has focused on understanding immune response to toxoplasmosis, although few studies have addressed how it is affected by pregnancy or the pathological consequences of infection at the maternal-fetal interface. There isa lack of knowledge about how maternal immune cells, specifically macrophages are modulated during infection and the resulting consequences for parasite control and pathology. Herein, we discuss the potential of T. gondii infection to affect the maternal-fetal interface and the potential of pregnancy to disrupt maternal immunity to T. gondii infection