Allergological characterisation of the storage mite Acarus gracilis (Acari: Acaridae)

BACKGROUND

Storage mites of the genus Acarus can be responsible for allergic sensitisation in domestic environments. Acarus gracilis is a frequent species in some geographical regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Since the allergenicity of this mite has not been described before, the objectives of this study were to characterise it immunologically, and to compare it with the closely related and more extensively studied species Acarus siro.

METHODS

Extracts from A. gracilis and A. siro cultures were characterised by Lowry, 1D and 2D-SDS and IEF. Zymogram, and determination of different enzymatic activities were performed. Skin prick solution of A. gracilis was tested in consecutive patients attending the Hospital of Mérida (Extremadura, Spain). Serum samples from eight individuals with positive skin prick test were collected. IgE determination, immunoblot and immunoblot-inhibition studies were performed.

RESULTS

Extracts of both species showed a very similar protein and allergenic profile. Allergens at 14 and 17 kDa were clearly recognised in both extracts by serum samples. Immunoblot-inhibition studies demonstrated that both extracts were totally inhibited by the opposite one. Enzymatic activity was similar in both cases with the most important differences being in kallikrein, serine protease and collagenase activities.

CONCLUSION

The storage mite A. gracilis has a similar protein and allergen profile to A. siro and can induce allergic sensitisation. Due to the higher prevalence of this species respect to A. siro in some regions, more studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of sensitisation to this storage mite species.

Structural analysis of strained LaVO3 thin films

While structure refinement is routinely achieved for simple bulk materials, the accurate structural determination still poses challenges for thin films due on the one hand to the small amount of material deposited on the thicker substrate and, on the other hand, to the intricate epitaxial relationships that substantially complicate standard x-ray diffraction analysis. Using both electron and x-ray diffraction, we analyze the crystal structure of epitaxial LaVO3 thin films grown on (1 0 0)-oriented SrTiO3. Transmission electron microscopy study reveals that the thin films are epitaxially grown on SrTiO3 and points to the presence of 90° oriented domains. The mapping of the reciprocal space obtained by high resolution x-ray diffraction permits refinement of the lattice parameters. We finally deduce that strain accommodation imposes a monoclinic structure onto the LaVO3 film. The reciprocal space maps are numerically processed and the extracted data computed to refine the atomic positions, which are compared to those obtained using precession electron diffraction tomography.

The effect of anode support on the electrochemical performance of microtubular solid oxide fuel cells fabricated by gel-casting

Different cell configurations of anode-supported microtubular solid oxide fuel cells (mT-SOFCs) using samaria-doped ceria (SDC) as the electrolyte were fabricated.

Glutamate neurons within the midbrain dopamine regions

Midbrain dopamine systems play important roles in Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, addiction, and depression. The participation of midbrain dopamine systems in diverse clinical contexts suggests these systems are highly complex. Midbrain dopamine regions contain at least three neuronal phenotypes: dopaminergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic. Here, we review the locations, subtypes, and functions of glutamatergic neurons within midbrain dopamine regions. Vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGluT2) mRNA-expressing neurons are observed within each midbrain dopamine system. Within rat retrorubral field (RRF), large populations of VGluT2 neurons are observed throughout its anteroposterior extent. Within rat substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC), VGluT2 neurons are observed centrally and caudally, and are most dense within the laterodorsal subdivision. RRF and SNC rat VGluT2 neurons lack tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), making them an entirely distinct population of neurons from dopaminergic neurons. The rat ventral tegmental area (VTA) contains the most heterogeneous populations of VGluT2 neurons. VGluT2 neurons are found in each VTA subnucleus but are most dense within the anterior midline subnuclei. Some subpopulations of rat VGluT2 neurons co-express TH or glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), but most of the VGluT2 neurons lack TH or GAD. Different subsets of rat VGluT2-TH neurons exist based on the presence or absence of vesicular monoamine transporter 2, dopamine transporter, or D2 dopamine receptor. Thus, the capacity by which VGluT2-TH neurons may release dopamine will differ based on their capacity to accumulate vesicular dopamine, uptake extracellular dopamine, or be autoregulated by dopamine. Rat VTA VGluT2 neurons exhibit intrinsic VTA projections and extrinsic projections to the accumbens and to the prefrontal cortex. Mouse VTA VGluT2 neurons project to accumbens shell, prefrontal cortex, ventral pallidum, amygdala, and lateral habenula. Given their molecular diversity and participation in circuits involved in addiction, we hypothesize that individual VGluT2 subpopulations of neurons play unique roles in addiction and other disorders.

A rare case of hemolytic anemia in a pediatric patient due to ring dehiscence after mitral valve repair: utility of real-time three-dimensional imaging and management

A rare case of hemolytic anemia in a 3-year-old child due to mitral valve ring dehiscence is described. The dehiscence of mitral valve ring was diagnosed utilizing real-time three-dimensional echocardiography. The patient subsequently underwent reoperation with successful resolution of hemolysis after replacement of the ring.

Structure and magnetism of epitaxial PrVO3 films

The interplay between charge, spin, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom in transition metal oxides has motivated extensive research aiming to understand the coupling phenomena in these multifunctional materials. Among them, rare earth vanadates are Mott insulators characterized by spin and orbital orderings strongly influenced by lattice distortions. Using epitaxial strain as a means to tailor the unit cell deformation, we report here on the first thin films of PrVO3 grown on (001)-oriented SrTiO3 substrate by pulsed laser deposition. An extensive structural characterization of the PrVO3 films, combining x-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies, reveals the presence of oriented domains and a unit cell deformation tailored by the growth conditions. We have also investigated the physical properties of the PrVO3 films. We show that, while PrVO3 exhibits an insulating character, magnetic measurements indicate low-temperature hard-ferromagnetic behavior below 80 K. We discuss these properties in view of the thin-film structure.

Inactivation of Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli present in treated urban wastewater by coagulation-flocculation and photo-Fenton processes

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the inactivation of three different kinds of bacteria usually present in municipal wastewater treatment effluents (Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) using a coagulation-flocculation-decantation (CFD) process combined with photo-Fenton treatment at pH 5. Different concentrations of Fe(3+)-H2O2 (0.4/25, 5/25 and 15/25 mg L(-1)), and H2O2 (25 mg L(-1)) were evaluated for 210 minutes under artificial solar irradiation in a solar chamber ATLAS SUNTEST CPS+. The results were compared applying the CFD process before or after the disinfection treatment. The results of the bacteria inactivation show that the highest rate was observed using CFD-photo-Fenton treatment with 15 mg L(-1) of Fe(3+) and 25 mg L(-1) of H2O2, obtaining the total inactivation of Pseudomonas sp., a 5.64-log inactivation of Enterococcus sp. and a 4.61-log inactivation of E. coli. In addition, turbidity and suspended solids decreased more than 90% with the combined treatments. The treated wastewater samples could be reused in urban, agricultural, industrial, recreational and environmental uses according to current Spanish legislation (RD 1620/2007).

Stress, κ manipulations, and aversive effects of ethanol in adolescent and adult male rats

Elevated ethanol use during adolescence, a potentially stressful developmental period, is accompanied by insensitivity to many aversive effects of ethanol relative to adults. Given evidence that supports a role for stress and the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system in mediating aversive properties of ethanol and other drugs, the present study assessed the role of KOR antagonism by nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) on ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA) in stressed (exposed to repeated restraint) and non-stressed male rats (Experiment 1), with half of the rats pretreated with nor-BNI before stressor exposure. In Experiment 2, CTA induced by the kappa agonist U62,066 was also compared in stressed and non-stressed adolescents and adults. A highly palatable solution (chocolate Boost) was used as the conditioned stimulus (CS), thereby avoiding the need for water deprivation to motivate consumption of the CS during conditioning. No effects of stress on ethanol-induced CTA were found, with all doses eliciting aversions in adolescents and adults in both stress conditions. However, among stressed subjects, adults given nor-BNI before the repeated stressor displayed blunted ethanol aversion relative to adults given saline at that time. This effect of nor-BNI was not seen in adolescents, findings that support a differential role for the KOR involvement in ethanol CTA in stressed adolescents and adults. Results from Experiment 2 revealed that all doses of U62,066 elicited aversions in non-stressed animals of both ages that were attenuated in stressed animals, findings that support a modulatory role for stress in aversive effects of KOR activation. Collectively, these results suggest that although KOR sensitivity appears to be reduced in stressed subjects, this receptor system does not appear to contribute to age differences in ethanol-induced CTA under the present test circumstances.

Dyrk1A influences neuronal morphogenesis through regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics in mammalian cortical neurons

Down syndrome (DS) is the most frequent genetic cause of mental retardation. Cognitive dysfunction in these patients is correlated with reduced dendritic branching and complexity, along with fewer spines of abnormal shape that characterize the cortical neuronal profile of DS. DS phenotypes are caused by the disruptive effect of specific trisomic genes. Here, we report that overexpression of dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A, DYRK1A, is sufficient to produce the dendritic alterations observed in DS patients. Engineered changes in Dyrk1A gene dosage in vivo strongly alter the postnatal dendritic arborization processes with a similar progression than in humans. In cultured mammalian cortical neurons, we determined a reduction of neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis. The mechanism underlying neurite dysgenesia involves changes in the dynamic reorganization of the cytoskeleton.

SU-E-T-407: Freedom from Conventional: Application of RapidArc for SBRT Lung Treatments

PURPOSE

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been applied in treating early stage small lung lesions, delivering hypofractionated doses in a conformai manner. Studies have shown that SBRT has similar outcomes compared with surgery. Conventionally, SBRT lung treatments rely on utilization of multiple small, conformai, static fields in coplanar and non- coplanar arrangements. With the advent of RapidArc, it is important to evaluate the differences in dosimetry and delivery of conformai SBRT lung treatments for both conventional static field and VMAT techniques.

METHODS

A retrospective study of 12 patients at our institution who have received SBRT for primary lung lesions was used to evaluate the application of RapidArc for such cases. Originally treated plans utilized eight to ten conformai static coplanar and non-coplanar fields. RapidArc plans were generated in Eclipse using single and multiple arc setups.

RESULTS

As an ntensity-modulated modality, RapidArc provides greater freedom as compared to conventional static field delivery, as one can achieve dose uniformity throughout the PTV or replicate the dosimetry synonymous with conventional SBRT. RapidArc is capable of reproducing the high conformality achieved by conventional SBRT; dual arc plans, delivering uniform dose distributions, yielded an average CI100% of 1.11 and D2cm maximum of 63% of the prescribed dose, compared to 1.33 and 77% (p- values of .002 and .005, respectively) for conventional SBRT. Application of a short, non-coplanar arc, in conjunction with dual coplanar arcs, improved sparing of OARs in direct proximity of the PTV at the expense of treatment time. RapidArc allows for faster treatment delivery; conventional SBRT delivery averages 13.7 minutes at our institution, whereas coplanar dual arcs are estimated to average treatment durations of 4.2 minutes.

CONCLUSIONS

RapidArc is capable of generating conformai dose distributions and sparing of OARs, allows greater freedom in plan optimization, and reduces treatment time significantly.

Contact mechanics at nanometric scale using nanoindentation technique for brittle and ductile materials

In the last years, Nanoindentation or Instrumented Indentation Technique has become a powerful tool to study the mechanical properties at micro/nanometric scale (commonly known as hardness, elastic modulus and the stress-strain curve). In this review, the different contact mechanisms (elastic and elasto-plastic) are discussed, the recent patents for each mechanism (elastic and elasto-plastic) are summarized in detail, and the basic equations employed to know the mechanical behaviour for brittle and ductile materials are described.