Association between vitamin D, antimicrobial peptides and urinary tract infection in infants and young children.

AIM: Vitamin D stimulates production of the endogenous antimicrobial peptides cathelicidin and ß-defensin-2, which are expressed in the urinary tract. We investigated vitamin D status and levels of cathelicidin and ß-defensin-2 and their association with urinary tract infection (UTI). METHODS: The study included 120 children under three years of age: 76 children with UTIs and 44 otherwise healthy children with congenital hydronephrosis. Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol levels were measured by direct competitive electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay, and plasma cathelicidin and ß-defensin-2 concentrations were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: We found that vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent in young children (21%). Serum vitamin D levels negatively correlated with age and were significantly lower in girls. Levels of vitamin D positively correlated with levels of cathelicidin but not with ß-defensin-2. Low concentrations of vitamin D were associated with UTIs in girls, but we did not see any correlation with the recurrence of infection at one-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is common and may prove to be a risk factor for UTIs especially in girls. We hypothesise that adequate supplementation with vitamin D may become a way to prevent first-time UTIs.

[SEX HORMONE INFLUENCE ON PERIPHERAL NATURAL KILLER CELLS COUNT].

Proper evaluation of immunological factors connected with pregnancy establishment increased the possibility for exact treatment in high risk gestation cases. Hormonal changes during an ovarian cycle may affect immune response, which is crucial for the embryonic implantation. Peripheral Natural killer (pNK) cells are key components of immune systems and their activities could be regulated by sex hormones. In the present study we investigated the effects of estrogen fluctuation on the number of NK cells in vivo during the early follicular and middle luteal phase of menstrual cycle. In 63 healthy women with at least one full term pregnancy and regular menstrual cycle with duration between 24 and 32 days, blood samples have been collected twice for investigation of CD3/CD16/CD56 positive lymphocytes. The mean pNK count in follicular phase was 11.6% with 4.7% variation. The median was 10.6%. The mean pNK count in luteal phase was 12.1% with 5.1% variation, respectively median for cell number 11.8%. The two-tailed t-test comparison did not find any statistical difference despite the slight elevation of pNK cells count in luteal phase. The insignificant variation in pNK cells count objected the suggestion to evaluate immunological status in women with adverse pregnancy outcome in specific phase of menstrual cycle.

Gene mapping in Gypsies identifies a novel demyelinating neuropathy on chromosome 8q24.

Founder effect and linkage disequilibrium have been successfully exploited to map single gene disorders, and the study of isolated populations is emerging as a major approach to the investigation of genetically complex diseases. In the search for genetic isolates ranging from Pacific islands to Middle East deserts, the 10 million Gypsies resident in Europe have largely escaped the attention of geneticists. Because of their geographical ubiquity, lack of written history and the presumed social and cultural nature of their isolation, Gypsies are construed as not meeting the criteria for a well defined founder population. Gypsy society has a complex structure with subdivisions and stratifications that are incomprehensible to the surrounding populations. Marginalization by the health care systems in most countries results in a lack of information on causes of morbidity and mortality and little is known about hereditary disorders or the population genetic characteristics of Gypsies. This study is the first example of mapping a disease gene in endogamous Gypsy groups. Using lod score analysis and linkage disequilibrium, we have located a novel demyelinating neuropathy to a narrow interval on chromosome 8q24. We show that the disease, occurring in Gypsy groups of different identity and history of migrations, is caused by a single mutation whose origin predates the divergence of these groups.

Negative ion behavior in single- and dual-frequency plasma etching reactors: particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision study.

Particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo simulations are used to simulate the trajectories and energies of randomly sampled F- and CF-(3) ions in capacitively coupled radio-frequency discharges, in order to clarify the movement of the negative ions in the sheaths and plasma in both single- and dual-frequency regimes, as well as in symmetric and asymmetric discharges. In the single-frequency reactor both types of negative ions are confined in the plasma and the main loss mechanism is recombination with positive ions. In the dual-frequency reactor under certain operating conditions when the sheaths are wide and the bulk plasma is narrow the light F- ions move across from one sheath to the other, and they can even be lost at the electrodes. The main loss mechanisms are then electron detachment and absorption at the electrodes. The much heavier CF-(3) ions are still confined in the bulk and represent the major negative charge. In an asymmetric discharge the electric field in the sheath to the smaller (powered) electrode is much stronger than that in the sheath to the grounded electrode. Consequently, the F- ions reach mainly the grounded electrode.

Genotoxic activity of benomyl in different test systems.

Benomyl (methyl-1-[butylcarbamoyl]-2-benzimidazole carbamate), a benzimidazole derivative fungicide, was tested in the Ames test for point mutations; in human lymphocyte cultures for cell division disturbances, chromosomal aberrations, and SCE; in rat bone marrow cells in vivo for micronuclei; and in rats in vivo for dominant lethals. Benomyl was negative in the Ames test. In human lymphocytes, benomyl at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 micrograms/ml decreased the number of cells undergoing third division whereas at the concentrations of 0.25 to 4.0 micrograms/ml it strongly increased the number of aneuploid cells. Benomyl was also shown to induce sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei but not chromosome aberrations. Benomyl decreased the number of female rats with implants but did not cause any dominant lethals.

Comparative analysis of sister-chromatid exchanges in plant and human chromosomes.

Species specificity concerning the two main SCE characteristics, namely frequency and localization, of "spontaneous" SCEs in plant cells (root tips of Crepis capillaris) and in human lymphocytes was investigated under comparable conditions. The FPG technique was used for detection of SCEs after bifilar incorporation of BrdU into DNA (TB-BB). Data of parallel experiments showed that the frequency of SCEs in plant cells was considerably higher than that observed in human lymphocytes--13.2 and 7.3 SCEs per cell respectively. The difference was even more pronounced when the SCE frequency was estimated on the basis of DNA content/cell (pg). Analysis of SCE distribution was limited to SCEs localized in the centromere, since contradictory results most frequently concerned this chromosome region. The data of the present experiments showed that the frequency of SCEs localized in the centromere regions of plant chromosomes was considerably lower than that observed in human chromosomes. Compared with the relative sizes of the centromere regions in the two genomes, however, these frequencies proved to be quite similar. In both systems the centromeres were involved in SCE, as could be expected for random distribution, along the length of the chromosomes.

On the genotoxicity of the pesticides Endodan and Kilacar in 6 different test systems.

Two pesticides, the fungicide Endodan (ethylene thiuram monosulphide) and the insecticide-acaricide Kilacar (bis(parachlorophenyl)cyclopropyl methanol), produced or used in the neighbouring countries of Bulgaria and Greece were investigated in a coordinated research programme for their genotoxic effects in a variety of test systems. This included the Ames test, Aspergillus nidulans for mitotic segregation, in vitro human lymphocyte cell cultures for SCE and chromosomal aberrations, in vivo bone marrow cells in hamsters and rats and the dominant lethal test in rats. The genotoxicity of Endodan was found to range from negative to slightly positive in different test systems. At concentrations of 7.5 and 12.0 micrograms/plate together with S9 mix it induced base-pair substitutions in the TA100 strain of Salmonella typhimurium at a rather low level. At a dose of 93 mg/kg b.w. it also caused chromosomal aberrations in acutely treated hamster bone marrow cells. A significant increase of SCE was also found in human lymphocyte cultures at a concentration of 20.0 micrograms/ml. Endodan was found to be negative in A. nidulans for somatic segregation, lymphocyte cultures for chromosomal aberrations and mitotic activity and in rats for dominant lethals and chromosomal aberrations. Kilacar was found to be a weak mutagen in the TA97 strain of S. typhimurium at concentrations of 2.5 and 5.0 micrograms/plate together with S9 mix. At concentrations of 1.0, 1.5 and 2 micrograms/ml Kilacar increased the number of mitotic segregants in A. nidulans by 160%, 220% and 156% respectively over the control. In Syrian hamster bone marrow cells after acute administration at concentrations of 0, 40, 80 and 160 mg/kg, the MI was 5.50, 4.30, 3.10 and 1.30 respectively, and an increase in chromosomal aberrations of about 300% over the control was observed with a concentration of 80 mg/kg. In human lymphocytes no significant changes were observed in either MI or SCE. In the dominant lethal test after chronic treatment of male rats at doses of 5.1, 10.2 and 102.0 mg/kg b.w. no significant mutagenic effect was found although a decrease was shown in the percentage of females with implants mated with treated males in the first week.

Numerical investigation of ion-energy-distribution functions in single and dual frequency capacitively coupled plasma reactors.

Ion-energy-distribution functions (IEDFs) are numerically investigated in capacitively coupled (cc) radio frequency (rf) Ar/CF(4)/N(2) discharges by a one-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo model. The simulation considers electron-neutral collisions, various kinds of collisions of ions (Ar+, CF+3, N+2, F-, and CF-3) with neutral, positive-negative ion, and electron-ion recombination. The influence of pressure, applied voltage amplitude, and applied frequency on the Ar+, CF+3, and N+2 IEDFs is presented. The dependence on the frequency regime is investigated by simulations of the Ar/CF(4)/N(2) mixture in single (13.56 MHz) and dual frequency (2+27 MHz or 1+27 MHz) cc reactors. A comparison of the simulation results with analytical calculations in a collisionless rf sheath is discussed. The results show that the IEDFs shift toward the low energies with increasing pressure or decreasing applied voltage amplitude. The Ar+ and N+2 IEDFs exhibit secondary maxima due to the charge transfer collisions. The CF+3 IEDF has a peak at high energies in consistency with the average sheath potential drop. The IEDFs in the dual frequency regime are broad and bimodal.

[The transfer of genes for Brown Rust resistance from Aegilops umbellulata Eig. to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genome]. / Perenos genoc ustoichivosti k buroi listovoi rzhavchine ot Aegilops umbellulata Eig. v genom pshenitsy (Triticum arstivum L.).

The potential of a genome-substituted form Avrolata (AABBUU) as a genetic system in genomic and chromosome manipulations for gene transfer from the wild species Aegilops umbellulata Eig. (UU) to cultivated wheat was studied. It was shown that plants combining resistance to leaf brown rust with high productivity may be produced from this form by classical hybridization procedures. The resistance gene introduced to line R-12 is dominant and probably identical to the Lr9 gene. By N-banding, chromosome staining technique and gliadin electrophoresis, the structural changes in chromosomes 1A, 2A, 4B, 6B, 7B, 1D, and 2D of the resistant line R-12 were revealed.

[Lansinoh in the treatment of sore nipples in breastfeeding women]. / Prilozhenie na lansinoh pri vuzpalenie na grudnite zurna u kurmachki.

UNLABELLED: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and side effects of purified lanolin (Lansinoh) in the prophylactics and treatment of sore nipples. Fifty-seven women aged 20-35 years have been treated - 41 (72%) with phototype III-IV and 16 (28%) with phototype I-II. Thirty-seven (65%) of them were primiparous and 20 (35%) were multiparous. Pre-delivery preparation of the breast has been performed in 16 (28%) of the women. Two groups of patients were formed: I gr. - 10 women (17,5%) with no complaints applying the preparation with preventive aim and II gr. - 47 (82,5%) women with sore nipples of different severity. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed according to the nipple attribute score. In the first group of patients due to the application of Lansinoh the skin remained smooth and elastic and breast-feeding was not disturbed. In the II group Lansinoh lead to a statistically significant difference in the nipple attribute score before and after treatment. The improvement was most pronounced in patients with light and moderate forms of inflammation, in women with phototype III-IV, in multipara and in patients with pre-delivery preparation of the breast. CONCLUSION: Lansinoh is purified lanolin suitable for prophylactics and treatment of sore nipples.

[Results of a multi-year use of combined laser-surgical treatment in tumors of the epibulbar and limbocorneal localizations]. / Rezul'taty mnogoletnego opyta ispol'zovaniia kombinirovannogo lazerno-khirurgicheskogo lecheniia opukholei épibul'barnoí i limborogovichnoí lokalizatsii.

Fifty-five patients (55 eyes) were followed up. The "Romashka-2" CO2-laser plant was used for treatment of epithelial and epibulbar tumors (41 patients, 41 eyes). Microsurgical interventions with subsequent lamellar or penetrating keratoplasty were made in 14 patients (14 eyes). The experimental group of patients was followed up from 3 to 10 years. Relapses were registered in 4 eyes (4 patients). The CO2-laser treatment had a number of advantages before surgery or cryotreatment in removing the epibulbar tumors without growth in the cornea. Ablasticity, minimal trauma to tissues and evaporation of diffusive neoplasms can be named among such advantages. In cases of growth of epibulbar tumors in the cornea, there were direct indications for keratoplasty with preliminary barrage of CO2 irradiation on the sides of the mucous tunic of epibulbar tumor. Tumors were surgically removed with subsequent lamellar or penetrating keratoplasty being made with respect to a tumor type. The perfection of surgical technique consists in that one transplant of a bigger diameter is used instead of a corneoscleral transplant.

[Reconstructive surgery in epibulbar tumors]. / Rekonstruktivnaia khirurgiia épibul'barnykh opukholei.

Fourteen patients (14 eyes) were followed up after removal of epibulbar tumors (Bowen's disease, 6 patients, 6 eyes; squamous-cell carcinoma, 6 patients, 6 eyes; progressive nevus, 2 patients, 2 eyes). The vision acuity attained after the treatment was 0.3-0.8 diopters. A recurrence was recorded in 1 case of the 14. Surgical removal of the tumor was carried out with layer-by-layer or perforating keratoplasty. Despite the severity of the condition, the size and infiltrative growth of the tumor, its removal by reconstructive microsurgical methods with preliminary blocking of the vessels with CO2 laser of diathermocoagulation provided the absence of blasts and permitted a reliable and effective recovery of vision in the patients.