Bifidobacteria from human origin: interaction with phagocytic cells.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Given that phagocytic cells are main players of the host immune response, we studied the interaction of bifidobacteria with monocytic THP-1 cells in nonopsonic conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Association/internalization, cell response (expression of HLA-DR and TLR2), M1/M2 macrophage polarization and colocalization of micro-organisms with Lysotracker or transferrin were evaluated. Screening with eight Bifidobacterium strains showed two patterns of interactions with THP-1 cells: high and low association and phagocytosis. Two strains with different surface properties were further studied: B. bifidum CIDCA 5310 and B. adolescentis CIDCA 5317. Strain CIDCA 5310 showed higher levels of colocalization in lysosome than strain CIDCA 5317. Both strains stimulated TLR2 expression. Strain CIDCA 5317 significantly increases HLA-DR expression, however, when cells are stimulated with IFN-γ, strain CIDCA 5310 induces the highest value of expression. Noteworthy, strain CIDCA 5310 was able to upregulate both M1 and M2 markers of macrophage polarization. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that bifidobacteria from human origin show different patterns of interaction with phagocytic cells thus leading to different cell responses. These findings add further insight on the mechanisms involved in the biologic effects of probiotics. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Knowledge of the interaction of bifidobacteria with key players of the host immune response is paramount for the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects.

Nonlinear entanglement and its application to generating cat States.

The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) paradox, which was formulated to argue for the incompleteness of quantum mechanics, has since metamorphosed into a resource for quantum information. The EPR entanglement describes the strength of linear correlations between two objects in terms of a pair of conjugate observables in relation to the Heisenberg uncertainty limit. We propose that entanglement can be extended to include nonlinear correlations. We examine two driven harmonic oscillators that are coupled via third-order nonlinearity can exhibit quadraticlike nonlinear entanglement which, after a projective measurement on one of the oscillators, collapses the other into a cat state of tunable size.

Adolescent's knowledge about AIDS--perspective from Islamabad.

OBJECTIVE: To study the adolescent student's knowledge and its sources about AIDS, and its mode of spread in Islamabad. SETTING: One boys and two girls schools in Islamabad. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, using an anonymous, self-administered, brief Urdu questionnaire which was distributed among 100 boys and 182 girls. RESULTS: The response rate was 100% and the average age of respondents was 14.6 years in boys and 12 years in girls. Most respondents knew about AIDS and reported television as their main source of knowledge. Most respondents also correctly believed that AIDS patient can pass on the disease to others, however, they had erroneous beliefs about its mode of transmission. CONCLUSION: This study testifies to the effectiveness of the successful television based health education campaign regarding AIDS in the adolescent boys and girls, in Islamabad.

Health care for diabetic patients in developing countries: a case from Egypt.

The aim of this was to evaluate the pattern of care for diabetic patients in Alexandria as a model from a developing country. It is a cross-sectional multi-centric. One thousand diabetic patients who had diabetes for no less than one year were randomly selected from 14 out-patient clinics and diabetic centres. Results showed that monitoring of the glycaemic state was based, almost entirely upon fasting blood glucose levels, with only a small minority (4%) having HbA measurements. During the previous 12 months, an electrocardiogram had not been performed in 26% of the subjects studies and the fundus was not examined in 38%. Twenty nine percent did not receive neurological examination, and feet were not inspected in 24%. Testing for albuminuria, serum creatinine, blood cholesterol, and triglycerides was performed only in 34%, 37%, 36% and 32% respectively. Patient's habits in seeking care revealed that 78% regularly attended the medical centre for follow up, 64% followed dietetic instructions, and 89% were compliant with prescribed therapy. Only 8% did self examination of blood glucose and 26% checked glucose in urine by themselves. Generally, the pattern of care provided for health insured diabetic patients is better than that received by non-health-insured cases. It is concluded that in Egypt the quality of diabetes care differs in many aspects from the recommended standards and that structural as well as organisational improvements are urgently needed, particularly to guarantee adequate care to non-health insured patients.

Over a decade of experience with a yeast recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.

Experience with the yeast recombinant hepatitis B vaccine Engerix-B now exceeds 10 years. We reviewed published studies on this vaccine. These show the vaccine to be safe, causing mostly only minor local symptoms and to be highly immunogenic both in monitored clinical trials and under field conditions. Engerix-B consistently elicits high geometric mean antibody titres and a high protective efficacy has been established in three groups at high-risk of hepatitis B infection, homosexual men, institutionalised mentally handicapped subjects and neonates of chronic carrier mothers. The profile of the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in certain high-risk groups and immuno compromised people is discussed. Finally we present updated post marketing surveillance data based on 496 million distributed doses of vaccine.

The effects of honey on Leishmania parasites: an in vitro study.

The activities of honey dilutions were investigated against three species of Leishmania. The results were compared with the effects of the same concentrations of sugar. Honey and sugar both have anti-leishmanial effects in vitro, but our results indicated that honey is superior to sugar.

Topical glyceryl trinitrate: a possible treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is difficult in both the old and new worlds. However, nitric oxide (NO) is involved in host cell mediated immune responses against intracellular parasites such as Leishmania major, and both in vitro and in vivo immunological studies indicate that Leishmania parasite killing by macrophages is mediated by this substance. Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is an exogenous NO donor; we have successfully treated a young man with cutaneous leishmaniasis with topical GTN. We believe this to be the first reported use of GTN in the treatment of human CL.

Effect of honey versus thyme on Rubella virus survival in vitro.

In this paper, we assess the antiviral properties of honey solutions and thyme extracts at varying concentrations. This was done by testing these solutions in vitro using monkey kidney cell cultures that were infected with the Rubella virus. Our results indicated that honey had good anti-Rubella activity, while thyme did not. These results may justify the continuing use of honey in traditional medicines from different ethnic communities worldwide and in some modern medications such as cough syrups.