Serum IgA, IgG, IgM and Salivary IgA in Recurrent Aphthous Ulceration

Radial immunodiffusion technique was used to estimate salivary immunoglobulin A, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for estimation of serum IgA, IgG and IgM in 30 patients with acute recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU) and during remission period compared to 30 healthy controls. Significantly elevated level of salivary IgA (p < 0.05) was found in patients with minor RAU when compared to the control group. Serum IgA level was elevated in patients with minor acute RAU when compared to the controls (p < 0.05). Serum immunoglobulin level of IgG and IgM showed no differences between patients with either minor or major recurrent aphthous ulceration and controls

Salivary IgA and IgG Subclass Levels in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus - A Pilot Study

Oralni lihen planus (OLP) kronična je upalna bolest koju karakterizira imunoreaktivnost usmjerena prema bazalnim keratinocitima i posredovana je T-limfocitima. Svrha istraživanja bila je odrediti potklase salivarnog imunoglobulina A1 (IgA1) i IgA2 te IgG1,2,3,4 kod bolesnika s retikularnim oblikom OLP-a tijekom akutne faze i remisije te u kontrolnoj skupini. U ukupnoj nestimuliranoj slini kod 19 bolesnika s OLP-om u dobi od 30 do 72 godine, srednje dobi od 58 godina, u akutnoj fazi i tijekom remisije te kod 21 kontrolnog ispitanika u dobi od 20 do 52 godine, srednje dobi od 35 godina, određene su potklase salivarnog IgA-a radijalnom imunodifuzijom i potklase salivarnog IgG-a uz pomoć enzimskog imunotesta. Između bolesnika u akutnoj fazi i kontrolnih ispitanika nije bilo znatnih razlika u IgG-u1 i 2 IgA-a1 te IgA-a2 (p>0,05). Bolesnici u akutnoj fazi imali su znatno veće vrijednosti IgG-a3 i IgG-a4 te proteina sline (p=0,021; p=0,004; p=0,029) u odnosu prema kontrolnoj skupini. Između bolesnika u akutnoj fazi i u remisiji nije bilo većih razlika u vrijednostima IgG-a1,2,3,4 i IgA-a1, a znatno su bile povišene vrijednosti IgA-a2 ustanovljene u akutnoj fazi (p=0,049). Između bolesnika u fazi remisije i kontrolne skupine nije bilo razlika ni u jednoj salivarnoj potklasi - bilo IgA-a bilo IgG-a (p>0,05). Iz svega navedenoga može se zaključiti da u akutnoj fazi raste IgA2, što bi mogao biti utjecaj pojačane aktivnosti sekretorne imunosti, a možda je i posljedica mikrobne stimulacije koja se vidi u akutnoj fazi lihena u odnosu prema fazi remisije.Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease which is characterized by an immunoreactivity directed against basal keratinocytes and mediated by T/lymphocytes. However, it is well known that salivary immunoglobulins have important role in the protection of mucosal surfaces. The aim of this study was to determine salivary immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) and IgA2, together with IgG 1,2,3,4 subclass levels in patients with oral reticular lichen planus during acute stage and remission period as well as in comparison to the controls. In the whole resting saliva of 19 patients with OLP, age range 30-72, mean 58 years in acute phase and during remission period, and in 21 controls, age range 20-52, mean 35 years, salivary IgA and IgG subclasses were determined with radial immunodiffusion and enzyme immunoassay respectively. There were no significant differences in salivary IgG1 and IgG2 as well as IgA1 and IgA2 between patients in acute phase and controls (p>0.05). Patients in acute phase had significantly increased IgG3, IgG4 and proteins in comparison to the controls (p=0,021; p=0,004; p=0,029). No significant differences could be found between patients in acute phase and during remission period in IgG1,2,3,4 and IgA1 while IgA2 was significantly increased in acute phase in comparison to the remission period (p=0,049). Between patients in remission period and controls there were no significant differences in any IgA or IgG salivary subclasses (p>0,05). We can conclude that acute phase is characterized with increase in IgA2 which might reflect increased activity of secretory immunity as a possible result of microbial stimulation seen in acute phase in comparison to the remission period

Mechanisms explaining transitions between tonic and phasic firing in neuronal populations as predicted by a low dimensional firing rate model

Several firing patterns experimentally observed in neural populations have been successfully correlated to animal behavior. Population bursting, hereby regarded as a period of high firing rate followed by a period of quiescence, is typically observed in groups of neurons during behavior. Biophysical membrane-potential models of single cell bursting involve at least three equations. Extending such models to study the collective behavior of neural populations involves thousands of equations and can be very expensive computationally. For this reason, low dimensional population models that capture biophysical aspects of networks are needed. \noindent The present paper uses a firing-rate model to study mechanisms that trigger and stop transitions between tonic and phasic population firing. These mechanisms are captured through a two-dimensional system, which can potentially be extended to include interactions between different areas of the nervous system with a small number of equations. The typical behavior of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in the rodent is used as an example to illustrate and interpret our results. \noindent The model presented here can be used as a building block to study interactions between networks of neurons. This theoretical approach may help contextualize and understand the factors involved in regulating burst firing in populations and how it may modulate distinct aspects of behavior.Comment: 25 pages (including references and appendices); 12 figures uploaded as separate file

Trajectory Estimation for Particles Observed in the Vicinity of (101955) Bennu

We analyze the trajectories of 313 particles seen in the near‐Bennu environment between December 2018 and September 2019. Of these, 65% follow sub‐orbital trajectories, 20% undergo more than one orbital revolution around the asteroid, and 15% directly escape on hyperbolic trajectories. The median lifetime of these particles is ~6 h. The trajectories are sensitive to Bennu's gravitational field, which allows us to reliably estimate the spherical harmonic coefficients through degree 8 and to resolve nonuniform mass distribution through degree 3. The particles are perturbed by solar radiation pressure, enabling effective area‐to‐mass ratios to be estimated. By assuming that particles are oblate ellipsoids of revolution, and incorporating photometric measurements, we find a median axis ratio of 0.27 and diameters for equivalent‐volume spheres ranging from 0.22‐‐6.1 cm, with median 0.74 cm. Our size distribution agrees well with that predicted for fragmentation due to diurnal thermal cycling. Detailed models of known accelerations do not produce a match to the observed trajectories, so we also estimate empirical accelerations. These accelerations appear to be related to mismodeling of radiation pressure, but we cannot rule out contributions from mass loss. Most ejections take place at local solar times in the afternoon and evening (12:00‐‐24:00), although they occur at any time of day. We independently identify ten ejection events, some of which have previously been reported. We document a case where a particle ricocheted off the surface, revealing a coefficient of restitution 0.57±0.01 and demonstrating that some apparent ejections are not related to surface processes

A systems perspective on water markets: barriers, bright spots, and building blocks for the next generation

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2019-000940-

Controlling Groundwater Exploitation Through Economic Instruments: Current Practices, Challenges and Innovative Approaches

Groundwater can be considered as a common-pool resource, is often overexploited and, as a result, there are growing management pressures. This chapter starts with a broad presentation of the range of economic instruments that can be used for groundwater management, considering current practices and innovative approaches inspired from the literature on Common Pool Resources management. It then goes on with a detailed presentation of groundwater allocation policies implemented in France, the High Plains aquifer in the USA, and Chile. The chapter concludes with a discussion of social and political difficulties associated with implementing economic instruments for groundwater management

Emerging Capabilities for Detection and Characterization of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs)

Here we describe the status for the detection and characterization of Near- Earth Objects (NEO) with current and future observatories. A summary of the capabilities, limitations, and obtainable NEO parameters is provided. <p/