Down-regulation of ERAP1 mRNA expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: ERAP1 is a major aminopeptidase that serves as an editor of the peptide repertoire by trimming N-terminal residues of antigenic peptides, creating a pool of peptides with the optimal length for MHC-I binding. As an important component of the antigen processing and presenting machinery - APM, ERAP1 is frequently down-regulated in many cancers. Since ERAP1 expression has not yet been thoroughly investigated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we decided to analyze ERAP1 mRNA levels in tissues collected from NSCLC patients. METHODS: Using real-time qPCR, we evaluated ERAP1 mRNA expression in samples of tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissue (serving as control tissue) from 61 NSCLC patients. RESULTS: We observed a significantly lower level of ERAP1 mRNA expression in tumor tissue (MedTumor = 0.75) in comparison to non-tumor tissue (MedNon-tumor = 1.1), p = 0.008. One of the five tested polymorphisms, namely rs26653, turned out to be significantly associated with ERAP1 expression in non-tumor tissue (difference [d] = 0.59 CI95% (0.14;1.05), p = 0.0086), but not in tumor tissue. The levels of ERAP1 mRNA expression did not affect the overall survival of NSCLC patients, either in the case of the tumor (p = 0.788) or in non-tumor (p = 0.298) tissue. We did not detect any association between mRNA ERAP1 expression level in normal tissue and: (i) age at diagnosis (p = 0.8386), (ii) patient's sex (p = 0.3616), (iii) histological type of cancer (p = 0.7580) and (iv) clinical stage of NSCLC (p = 0.7549). Furthermore, in the case of tumor tissue none of the abovementioned clinical parameters were associated with ERAP1 expression (p = 0.76). CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of ERAP1 mRNA observed in NSCLC tissue may be related to tumor immune evasion strategy. The rs26653 polymorphism can be considered an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) associated with ERAP1 expression in normal lung tissue.

Enhancement of Room-Temperature Low-Field Magnetoresistance in Nanostructured Lanthanum Manganite Films for Magnetic Sensor Applications.

The results of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) properties of La1-xSrxMnyO3 (LSMO) films grown by the pulsed injection MOCVD technique onto an Al2O3 substrate are presented. The grown films with different Sr (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) and Mn excess (y > 1) concentrations were nanostructured with vertically aligned column-shaped crystallites spread perpendicular to the film plane. It was found that microstructure, resistivity, and magnetoresistive properties of the films strongly depend on the strontium and manganese concentration. All films (including low Sr content) exhibit a metal−insulator transition typical for manganites at a certain temperature, Tm. The Tm vs. Sr content dependence for films with a constant Mn amount has maxima that shift to lower Sr values with the increase in Mn excess in the films. Moreover, the higher the Mn excess concentration in the films, the higher the Tm value obtained. The highest Tm values (270 K) were observed for nanostructured LSMO films with x = 0.17−0.18 and y = 1.15, while the highest low-field magnetoresistance (0.8% at 50 mT) at room temperature (290 K) was achieved for x = 0.3 and y = 1.15. The obtained low-field MR values were relatively high in comparison to those published in the literature results for lanthanum manganite films prepared without additional insulating oxide phases. It can be caused by high Curie temperature (383 K), high saturation magnetization at room temperature (870 emu/cm3), and relatively thin grain boundaries. The obtained results allow to fabricate CMR sensors for low magnetic field measurement at room temperature.

The effect of LILRB1 but not LILRA3 gene polymorphism in immunopathology of ankylosing spondylitis-A parallel to KIR genes.

LILR and KIR receptors recognize HLA-B27 and may influence immune response in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) development. Purpose of the study was to analyse LILRB1/LILRA3 polymorphisms in AS. We observed a possible protective effect of the T allele of LILRB1 rs1061680:T>C and no association with insertion/deletion polymorphisms of LILRA3 with AS.

HLA-C*06:02-independent, gender-related association of PSORS1C3 and PSORS1C1/CDSN single-nucleotide polymorphisms with risk and severity of psoriasis.

Psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) is a common, chronic skin disease with a complex genetic and environmental etiology. We investigated, in 461 psoriatic patients and 454 healthy controls, the associations with psoriasis of four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the psoriasis susceptibility 1 (PSORS1) interval: rs1062470 (PSORS1C1/CDSN), rs887466 (PSORS1C3), rs2894207 and rs10484554 (LOC105375015). The minor alleles of three SNPs (rs1062470A, rs2894207C and rs10484554T) strongly increased the disease risk (OR = 2.17, p < 0.0001; OR = 2.33, p < 0.0001 and OR = 2.68, p < 0.0001, respectively), whereas the minor A allele of rs887466 exerted a protective effect (OR = 0.73, p = 0.001). The strength of association for SNPs was the highest in patients with very early onset psoriasis (≤ 20 years), while in late onset psoriasis (> 40 years) the association was the weakest. The haplotype rs1062470A/rs887466G/rs2894207C/rs10484554T highly significantly increased the disease risk (OR = 3.58, p = 8.0e-027), while the haplotypes rs1062470G/rs887466A/rs2894207T/rs10484554C and rs1062470G/rs887466G/rs2894207T/rs10484554C were strongly protective (OR = 0.65, p = 0.002 and OR = 0.55, p = 2.4e-009, respectively). Additionally, we showed a HLA-C*06:02-independent gender-related effect of the rs887466A allele which was protective against psoriasis in males (OR = 0.61, p = 9.2e-005), but not in females (p = 0.66). We also demonstrated a correlation of PASI score value with rs1062470 genotype, and again only in male patients (p = 0.006) and HLA-C*06:02-independent. Our results show, for the first time, the male-only associations of the PSORS1C3 gene with psoriasis risk and of the PSORS1C1/CDSN gene with severity of disease. However, the age dependent associations need to be validated in larger sample sizes as well as in other populations.

The impact of HLA-G, LILRB1 and LILRB2 gene polymorphisms on susceptibility to and severity of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a disease in which endometriotic tissue occurs outside the uterus. Its pathogenesis is still unknown. The most widespread hypothesis claims that ectopic endometrium appears as a result of retrograde menstruation and its insufficient elimination by immunocytes. Some reports have shown expression of non-classical HLA-G molecules on ectopic endometrium. HLA-G is recognized by KIR2DL4, LILRB1 and LILRB2 receptors on natural killer (NK) and other cells. These receptors are polymorphic, which may affect their activity. In this study we investigated whether HLA-G, KIR2DL4, LILRB1 and LILRB2 polymorphisms may influence susceptibility to endometriosis and disease progression. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and allelic discrimination methods with TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays for typing of 276 patients with endometriosis and 314 healthy fertile women. The HLA-G rs1632947:GG genotype was associated with protection against the disease and its severe stages; HLA-G rs1233334:CT protected against progression; LILRB1 rs41308748:AA and LILRB2 rs383369:AG predisposed to the disease and its progression. No effect of KIR2DL4 polymorphism was observed. These results support the role of polymorphisms of HLA-G and its receptors LILRB1 and LILRB2 in susceptibility to endometriosis and its progression.

Birth body length, birth body weight and birth head circumference in neonates born in a single centre between 2011 and 2016.

OBJECTIVES: Access to updated and accurate standards for local populations is important for the interpretation of body measurements in neonates and may have an impact on the doctor's recommendations for monitoring early childhood development. STUDY AIM: to present individual mean values for the most prevalent body measurements (i.e. birth body length (BBL), birth body weight (BBW) and birth head circumference (BHC)) in neonates and compare them to the duration of pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The measurements (BBL, BBW and BHC) were collected and analyzed from over 27,000 neonates born in a single center. All women with single pregnancies with gestation ranging from 33 to 42 weeks were included in the study. RESULTS: Mean values and statistically significant standard deviation values from population standards of BBL, BBW, and BHC were evaluated for neonates that were born between the 33rd and 42nd week of gestation. Analysis was conducted for the lower limit (10th percentile), average (50th percentile) and upper limit (90th percentile). CONCLUSIONS: This was the first time in Polish literature when population standards were presented for three body meas-urements of neonates. With the size of the cohort, these standards can be successfully implemented into routine clinical practice, especially for screening children with body size deficits.

Polymorphisms in the CD6-ALCAM axis may modulate psoriasis risk and outcomes.

The fact that CD6, along with its ligand - ALCAM, plays a role in regulating T cell activation makes the genes encoding these molecules promising candidates for research in T cell-mediated diseases such as psoriasis vulgaris (PsV). Our study aimed to determine whether CD6 (rs17824933C>G, rs11230563C>T and rs12360861G>A) and ALCAM (rs6437585C>T, rs11559013G>A) polymorphisms may affect psoriasis susceptibility and severity (assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI)). Moreover, the presence of HLA-C*06:02, the strongest psoriasis risk factor in the Caucasian population, was also investigated. 273 patients diagnosed with psoriasis vulgaris and 256 blood donors with no history of PsV or other dermatoses were included in this study. Genotyping of the investigated polymorphisms was carried out using the allelic discrimination method with the application of TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays. We observed the association of rs17824933G allele with a higher psoriasis risk in HLA-C*06:02(+) individuals (CG + GG vs CC, OR = 1.87, CI95% = 1.03; 3.37, p = 0.0350). Furthermore, we found a difference in average PASI score among groups of patients divided according to the number of CD6 and ALCAM polymorphic sites with minor alleles (F2,173 = 6.159, p = 0.0026). Collectively, our findings suggest that polymorphisms of CD6-ALCAM axis genes may modulate psoriasis risk and outcomes.

N,N,N-Trimethyl-N-(methyl 5-de-oxy-2,3-O-iso-propyl-idene-ß-d-ribo-furan-osid-5-yl)ammonium 4-methyl-benzene-sulfonate sesquihydrate.

The structure of the title compound, [C12H24NO4][C7H7O3S]·1.5H2O, contains alternating layers parallel to (001) of hydro-phobic and polar character, stabilized by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonding. The furan ring adopts an envelope conformation with the C(OMe) atom as the flap, and the dioxolane ring is twisted about one of the O-C(methine) bonds. A comparison to related compounds is presented. The tosyl-ate-O atoms were disordered over two positions with the major component having a site occupancy factor = 0.566 (12). The structure was refined as a rotary twin with regard to rotation about the c axis with the contribution of the second component being 0.0048 (6). Solvate water mol-ecules are highly disordered and were removed using the SQUEEZE procedure; the unit cell characteristics take into account the presence of the disordered solvent. High-resolution (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopic data are also presented.

The role of the novel adipokines vaspin and omentin in chronic inflammatory diseases.

Obesity is a disease of epidemic proportions in many countries around the world. White adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ; therefore, its excess results in chronic and systemic inflammation. This inflammation is caused and maintained mostly by adipokines secreted by adipose tissue cells, mainly adipocytes and macrophages. The relatively newly discovered adipokines comprise vaspin and omentin. Their concentration in the blood, tissues, or bronchial secretion varies depending on the amount of adipose tissue and other accompanying factors, including comorbidities. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the usefulness of omentin and vaspin as biomarkers in inflammatory diseases. The Medline/PubMed database was used to search for information on obesity, inflammation, omentin, vaspin, and adipose tissue. Data from selected scientific studies, both original and review papers, are presented. Vaspin has been found to improve insulin sensitivity mainly in white adipose tissue. Omentin has an anti-inflammatory effect and, like vaspin, sensitizes tissues to insulin. The serum concentration and tissue expression of both adipokines are different in different inflammatory diseases. This review aims to present the biological functions of vaspin and omentin in the body and to indicate the possible use of these adipokines as disease markers in the future.

Effects of Vibrotherapy with Different Characteristics and Body Position on Post-Exercise Recovery after Anaerobic Exercise.

The aim of this project was to indicate the optimal parameters such as frequency, duration of a single vibrotherapy, and body position, which will be used as a form of recovery modality after physical exercise. Sixteen healthy male volunteers were involved in this study. The aerobic and anaerobic capacity of participants was assessed. Each of the subjects performed a set of intensive physical exercises and then underwent vibrotherapy treatment. In random order, each of the men tested the effectiveness of eight of the combinations of frequency, duration, and body position. The effect of the procedure accelerating recovery was assessed 24 h after physical exercise with the Wingate test. Changes in oxygen saturation and biochemical markers (interleukins: Il-1ß, Il-6, and creatine kinase: CK), hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (Hct) were assessed 1 h and 24 h after the physical effort. Lactate concentrations were measured 3, 15, 30, and 60 min after the end of the vibration. It was indicated that the optimal treatment should be based on lower ranges of frequency values (2-52 Hz). The procedure with raised feet is also more beneficial than the flat, supine position. To improve the overall work, and a number of biochemical markers (CK and Il-1ß), a 45 min treatment will be more efficient, because significantly lower CK activity was indicated for the 45 min treatment. For this duration, higher values of Il-1ß were indicated in the measurement carried out for samples collected 60 min after the treatment and lower in the measurement carried out 24 h after the treatment.

High-Pressure Synthesis and the Enhancement of the Superconducting Properties of FeSe0.5Te0.5.

A series of FeSe0.5Te0.5 bulk samples have been prepared using the high gas pressure and high-temperature synthesis (HP-HTS) method to optimize the growth conditions for the first time and investigated for their superconducting properties using structural, microstructure, transport, and magnetic measurements to reach the final conclusions. Ex situ and in situ processes are used to prepare bulk samples under a range of growth pressures using Ta-tube and without Ta-tube. The parent compound synthesized by convenient synthesis method at ambient pressure (CSP) exhibits a superconducting transition temperature of 14.8 K. Our data demonstrate that the prepared FeSe0.5Te0.5 sealed in a Ta-tube is of better quality than the samples without a Ta-tube, and the optimum growth conditions (500 MPa, 600 °C for 1 h) are favorable for the development of the tetragonal FeSe0.5Te0.5 phase. The optimum bulk FeSe0.5Te0.5 depicts a higher transition temperature of 17.3 K and a high critical current density of the order of >104 A/cm2 at 0 T, which is improved over the entire magnetic field range and almost twice higher than the parent compound prepared using CSP. Our studies confirm that the high-pressure synthesis method is a highly efficient way to improve the superconducting transition, grain connectivity, sample density, and pinning properties of a superconductor.

Cometal Addition Effect on Superconducting Properties and Granular Behaviours of Polycrystalline FeSe0.5Te0.5.

The enhanced performance of superconducting FeSe0.5Te0.5 materials with added micro-sized Pb and Sn particles is presented. A series of Pb- and Sn-added FeSe0.5Te0.5 (FeSe0.5Te0.5 + xPb + ySn; x = y = 0-0.1) bulks are fabricated by the solid-state reaction method and characterized through various measurements. A very small amount of Sn and Pb additions (x = y ≤ 0.02) enhance the transition temperature (Tconset) of pure FeSe0.5Te0.5 by ~1 K, sharpening the superconducting transition and improving the metallic nature in the normal state, whereas larger metal additions (x = y ≥ 0.03) reduce Tconset by broadening the superconducting transition. Microstructural analysis and transport studies suggest that at x = y > 0.02, Pb and Sn additions enhance the impurity phases, reduce the coupling between grains, and suppress the superconducting percolation, leading to a broad transition. FeSe0.5Te0.5 samples with 2 wt% of cometal additions show the best performance with their critical current density, Jc, and the pinning force, Fp, which might be attributable to providing effective flux pinning centres. Our study shows that the inclusion of a relatively small amount of Pb and Sn (x = y ≤ 0.02) works effectively for the enhancement of superconducting properties with an improvement of intergrain connections as well as better phase uniformity.

Common inherited variants of PDCD1, CD274 and HAVCR2 genes differentially modulate the risk and prognosis of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PDCD1, CD274, and HAVCR2 genes with the risk and outcomes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) subtypes: squamous cell lung cancer (LUSC) and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). METHODS: TaqMan SNP genotyping assays or polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods were used to determine genotypes of: PDCD1: rs36084323, rs7421861, rs11568821, rs2227981, rs10204525; CD274: rs822335, rs10815225, rs17718883, rs2297136, rs4742098, rs4143815; HAVCR2: rs10057302, rs1036199. Among 383 NSCLC patients, 112 were diagnosed with LUAD and 116 with LUSC. The control group consisted of 433 unrelated, cancer-free subjects. RESULTS: A CC genotype of rs4143815 and GG genotype of rs4742098 were associated with two times higher risk of developing LUSC (CC vs. GG + GC, OR = 2.31; 95% CI = 1.32, 4.06; P = 0.003; GG vs. AA + AG, OR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.17, 4.36; P = 0.016, respectively). Moreover, rs4143815 was an independent predictor of the age at diagnosis of LUAD. The carriers of C allele were diagnosed 4.81 years later (95% CI = 1.47, 8.15; P = 0.006) than patients with the GG genotype. The rs10057302 CA genotype was an independent predictor of overall survival in LUSC (adjusted HR = 0.13; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.93; P = 0.043). NSCLC carriers of rs11568821 T allele had almost double the risk of death (adjusted HR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.28, 3.29; P = 0.003) compared to carriers of CC genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provided additional evidence that SNPs of genes for PD-1, PD-L1 and TIM-3 differentially modulate the risk and prognosis of LUSC and LUAD.

The impact of cystocele repair on urge symptoms in women with pelvic organ prolapse.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of cystocele repair on urinary urge symptoms and to determine the likelihood that urge symptoms are caused by cystocele and therefore cured by cystocele repair. The secondary aim was to assess the impact of baseline cystocele stage POP on the improvement of urge symptoms following surgical treatment of POP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 321 female patients with cystocele stages II, III or IV (POP), who underwent repair surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, were included. A retrospective analysis was performed to determine the presence of urge symptoms in patients with cystocele and to evaluate how many patients were cured from urge symptoms by the cystocele repair. Postoperative data were obtained by interview during a follow-up examination six weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Preoperatively, 52.02% of all patients diagnosed with cystocele stages II, III or IV POP experienced urge symptoms. Urge symptoms were cured in 88.62% of patients with cystocele stages II after POP repair (p < 0.005). 88.60% of patients with cystocele stage II POP and 88.68% of patients with cystocele stages III to IV POP reported improvement in urge symptoms (p < 0.005). Despite cystocele repair, 11.4% of patients with preoperative cystocele stage II POP and 11.32% with preoperative cystocele stages III and IV POP reported persistent urge symptoms. 5.84% of the study group who showed no urge symptoms preoperatively, experienced de novo urge symptoms after following surgery (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Cystocele repair cured urge symptoms in the majority of patients. Therefore, repair of bladder prolapse may help to differentiate urge symptoms from other urinary tract dysfunctions and assist in determining a proper diagnosis and treatment. However, the severity of POP had no significant influence on the improvement in urge symptoms following cystocele repair. Risk of de novo urge symptoms after anatomical repair still needs to be explored.

The impact of soluble HLA-G in IVF/ICSI embryo culture medium on implantation success.

The HLA-G molecule is widely accepted as an important factor for pregnancy success. Its expression has been detected in the extravillous trophoblasts. Soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) was found in the genital tract, pre-implanted embryos as well as in seminal fluid. In this study, we investigated the concentration of sHLA-G (sHLA-G1 and sHLA-G5) in media from 344 single cultured embryos following in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI). The level of sHLA-G (U/ml) was tested with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. We correlated sHLA-G secretion with ovarian stimulation protocols, the type of embryo transfer (fresh or frozen cycle) and the quality of the embryos. The ovarian stimulation protocol affects the secretion of sHLA-G by the embryo. Embryos obtained from the long agonist protocol secreted more sHLA-G than those originating from the short antagonist protocol (p = 0.0001). Embryos whose transfer resulted in a clinical pregnancy and/or live birth secreted more sHLA-G compared to those whose transfer ended without pregnancy. This was particularly observable in embryos following the long ovarian stimulation protocol and from a frozen embryo cycle. In conclusion, sHLA-G secreted by the embryo has an impact on implantation and live birth and could be a developmental potential marker of the embryo. Its concentration depends on the ovarian stimulation protocol used.

The association of BTLA gene polymorphisms with non-small lung cancer risk in smokers and never-smokers.

Introduction: Lung cancer is the predominant cause of death among cancer patients and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type. Cigarette smoking is the prevailing risk factor for NSCLC, nevertheless, this cancer is also diagnosed in never-smokers. B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) belongs to immunological checkpoints which are key regulatory molecules of the immune response. A growing body of evidence highlights the important role of BTLA in cancer. In our previous studies, we showed a significant association between BTLA gene variants and susceptibility to chronic lymphoblastic leukemia and renal cell carcinoma in the Polish population. The present study aimed to analyze the impact of BTLA polymorphic variants on the susceptibility to NSCLC and NSCLC patients' overall survival (OS). Methods: Using TaqMan probes we genotyped seven BTLA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs2705511, rs1982809, rs9288952, rs9288953, rs1844089, rs11921669 and rs2633582 with the use of ViiA 7 Real-Time PCR System. Results: We found that rs1982809 within BTLA is associated with NSCLC risk, where carriers of rs1982809G allele (AG+GG genotypes) were more frequent in patients compared to controls. In subgroup analyses, we also noticed that rs1982809G carriers are significantly overrepresented in never-smokers, but not in smokers compared to controls. Additionally, the global distribution of the haplotypes differed between the never-smokers and smokers, where haplotypes A G G C A, C G A C G, and C G A T G were more frequent in never-smoking patients. Furthermore, the presence rs1982809G (AG+GG genotypes) allele as well as the presence of rs9288953T allele (CT+TT genotypes) increased NSCLC risk in females' patients. After stratification by histological type, we noticed that rs1982809G and rs2705511C carriers were more frequent among adenocarcinoma patients. Moreover, rs1982809G and rs2705511C correlated with the more advanced stages of NSCLC (stage II and III), but not with stage IV. Furthermore, we showed that rs2705511 and rs1982809 significantly modified OS, while rs9288952 tend to be associated with patients' survival. Conclusion: Our results indicate that BTLA polymorphic variants may be considered low penetrating risk factors for NSCLC especially in never-smokers, and in females, and are associated with OS of NSCLC patients.

Electronic properties of TaAs2topological semimetal investigated by transport and ARPES.

We have performed electron transport and angle-resolved photo-emission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements on single crystals of transition metal dipnictide TaAs2cleaved along the (2¯01) surface which has the lowest cleavage energy. A Fourier transform of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations shows four different peaks whose angular dependence was studied with respect to the angle between magnetic field and the [2¯01] direction. The results indicate elliptical shape of the Fermi surface cross-sections. Additionally, a mobility spectrum analysis was carried out, which also reveals at least four types of carriers contributing to the conductance (two kinds of electrons and two kinds of holes). ARPES spectra were taken on freshly cleaved (2¯01) surface and it was found that bulk states pockets at constant energy surface are elliptical, which confirms the magnetotransport angle dependent studies. First-principles calculations support the interpretation of the experimental results. The theoretical calculations better reproduce the ARPES data if the theoretical Fermi level (FL) is increased, which is due to a small n-doping of the samples. This shifts the FL closer to the Dirac point, allowing investigating the physics of the Dirac and Weyl points, making this compound a platform for the investigation of the Dirac and Weyl points in three-dimensional materials.

Stability of cefuroxime in 1% and 5% buffered eye drops determined with HPLC method.

The aim of the studies was to develop formulary technologies of 1% and 5% eye drops containing cefuroxime with stability of at least 10-12 days. The stability was defined as the time required to reach the cutoff value of 10% degradation of cefuroxime in the drops, as determined using an HPLC assay. The drops should have such properties as optical clarity, pH in the range of 3.5 to 8.5 and osmotic pressure not lower than 280 mOsm/L. Additionally, drops of enhanced viscosity within the range 7-9 mPaxs were developed. Drops (1% and 5%) were prepared under aseptic conditions by dissolving Biofuroksym (Cefuroxime natricum) IBA Bioton--the form of the drug for dry injections--in citrate buffer of pH 6.05-6.28. Polyvinyl alcohol was used to increase the viscosity of the drops. Phenylmercuric borate at the final concentration of 0.001% was used together with beta-phenylethyl alcohol at the final concentration of 0.4% to preserve the drops. The drops were stored for 30 days in tightly closed glass bottles at the temperature of 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C, protected from light. As the course of the infection may differ in intensity, location and the area of the infection in the eye, the composition of the drops was developed at two concentrations (1% and 5%), and five formulary versions for each concentration were prepared. The concentration of cefuroxime in the drops was determined every three days using HPLC. Such properties as pH, osmotic pressure and viscosity were also examined. Additionally, organoleptic analysis (clarity, color, odor) was performed. Physical and chemical properties of all formulations of 1% and 5% drops containing cefuroxime prepared in citrate buffer of pH 6.05-6.28 met the standards set in the objective of the work. The stability of cefuroxime in buffered drops stored at the temperature of 4 degrees C, determined with HPLC as the time of 10% degradation of cefuroxime, was 15 days for 1% and 5% drops. In the drops, which were buffered and of increased viscosity, the times of 10% cefuroxime degradation were 18 days for 1% drops and 30 days for 5% drops. The preservatives added to the buffered drops did not lower their stability. Osmotic pressure, pH and viscosity of the drops during the period of 30-day-storage at the temperature of 4 degrees C met the requirements acceptable for the eye drops. The stability of 1% and 5% buffered drops containing cefuroxime stored at the temperature of 4 degrees C allows preparing the drops in pharmacies on the basis of doctor's prescription. Depending on the character and the course of the infection the drops can be prepared at the concentration of 1% and 5% following the composition of the selected formulation which would meet the individual needs of the patient's therapy.

Research of Vibrations of an Armoured Personnel Carrier Hull with FE Implementation.

Modern wheeled armoured vehicles can perform a variety of tasks, making the development of weapon systems that can be safely and effectively integrated with the vehicle structure an area of interest. Due to the cost of implementing new models, it is more economical to test potential configurations using numerical methods, such as the finite element method. The numerical model has been validated to confirm the reliability of the obtained results. Modal tests were also performed using four configurations to identify the frequency and mode shape of natural vibrations occurring within the support structure. In an experimental setting, hull vibrations were forced using the modal hammer testing method. The modal assurance criterion (MAC) and the authors' procedure were used to confirm the experimental and numerical test results. Additional testing in the form of impact loads was carried out for turret-containing structures. Structural strain at indicated points and forces transmitted by brackets to the bottom of the hull were compared.

Contribution of Antigen-Processing Machinery Genetic Polymorphisms to Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory dermatosis. We recently described an association of the C allele of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs26618 in the ERAP1 gene and a synergism of ERAP1 and ERAP2 effects on AD risk. Here, we examined whether polymorphisms of other antigen-presenting machinery genes encoding immunoproteasome components LMP2 and LMP7 and peptide transporter components TAP1 and TAP2 may also affect susceptibility to AD or its outcome. We found that the LMP7 rs2071543*T allele decreased disease risk by about 1.5-fold (odds ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.44-0.99). On the other hand, the LMP2 rs1351383*C allele reduced the mean age at diagnosis from 23 to 15 years (p < 0.001). Similarly, the TAP1 rs1135216*C allele decreased the mean age at diagnosis from almost 20 to 14 years (p = 0.033). The results are discussed in light of other reports on the role of these polymorphisms in human disease.