Development of a low-cost silica-titania optical platform for integrated photonics applications

This paper investigates a highly attractive platform for an optical waveguide system based on silica-titania material. The paper is organized into two parts. In the first part, an experimental study on the development of an optical waveguide system is conducted via the sol-gel dip-coating method, and the optical characterization of the waveguide system is performed at a visible wavelength. This system is capable of operating from visible to near-IR wavelength ranges. The experimental results prove the dominance of this waveguide platform due to its low-cost, low loss, and easy to develop integrated optics systems. The numerical analysis of a one-dimensional Photonic crystal waveguide optical filter based on the silica-titania platform is considered in the second part of the paper by utilizing the 2D-finite element method (2D-FEM). A Fabry-Perot structure is also analyzed for refractive index sensing applications. We believe that the results presented in this work will be valuable in the realization of low-cost photonic integrated circuits based on the silica-titania platform.

Plasmonic sensor based on metal-insulator-metal waveguide square ring cavity filled with functional material for the detection of CO2 gas

In this work, a straightforward and highly sensitive design of a CO₂ gas sensor is numerically investigated using the finite element method. The sensor is based on a plasmonic metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide side coupled to a square ring cavity filled with polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) functional material. The refractive index of the functional material changes when exposed to the CO₂ and that change is linearly proportional to the concentration of the gas. The sensors based on surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waves are highly sensitive due to the strong interaction of the electromagnetic wave with the matter. By utilizing PHMB polymer in the MIM waveguide plasmonic sensor provides a platform that offers the highest sensitivity of 135.95 pm/ppm which cannot be obtained via optical sensors based on silicon photonics. The sensitivity reported in this work is ∼7 times higher than reported in the previous works. Therefore, we believe that the results presented in this paper are exceedingly beneficial for the realization of the sensors for the detection of toxic gases by employing different functional materials.

Are new variants of psoriasis therapy (IL-17 inhibitors) safe?

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory, and proliferative skin disease. Its etiology has not yet been fully assessed, but undoubtedly it is a multifaceted disease. The key role in its pathomechanism is played by genetic, immunologic, and environmental factors and stress. If traditional methods of psoriasis treatment (phototherapy, methotrexate, retinoids, cyclosporine A) fail, we reach for the following biopharmaceuticals - infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, or ustekinumab. However, genetic engineering progress discovers new possibilities - the pending clinical trials involve IL-17, IL-23 antagonists, PDE4 and -3 and -1. Psoriasis etiopathogenesis mainly involves the IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-17A/F subtypes, which affect the keratinocytes. The biological therapy molecularly oriented with the antagonists of interleukin 17 is based mainly on the influence onto the cytokine in the manner that prevents it from binding with the receptor. Three biopharmaceuticals are currently under third phase studies: two fully humanized antibodies neutralizing IL-17 - ixekizumab and secukinumab, and one human monoclonal antibody, brodalumab. The below work will be devoted to the analysis of possible undesirable symptoms, which were observed during the studies. We will try to review the latest literature concerning the most important clinical trials conducted in many centers.

Psoriasis Treatment Changes the Expression Profile of Selected Caspases and their Regulatory MicroRNAs

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Psoriasis, an autoimmune diseases of the skin, characterized by patches of abnormal/inflammed skin, although not usually life-threatening, it causes severe discomfort, esthetic impairments, and may lead to impaired social functions and social withdrawal. Besides UV-phototherapy, various anti-inflammatory treatments are applied, depending on the severity of symptoms. In 2008, adalimumab (fully humanized human anti-TNF antibody) was launched for the treatment of psoriasis. In the quest to better understand the pathomechanism of adalimumab's therapeutic effects, and the acquired resistance to the drug, we have investigated how its administration affect the regulation of the expression of selected caspases, including those activated by inflammosome.

METHODS

The research was initially carried out on normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) treated with adalimumab for 2, 8 and 24 hours in vitro. Then, expression profile of genes encoding caspases and their regulatory micro-RNAs was determined with the use of oligonucleotide microarray. The validation of the microarray results was carried out by qRT-PCR. The in vitro study was followed by ex-vivo investigation of adalimumab's effects on the expression of caspase-6 in blood of the psoriatic patients. The samples were collected before, and 2 hours after adalimumab's administration and the analysis was determined by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

The result of the analysis indicated that introduction of adalimumab to the NHDF culture resulted in the change of the transcription activity of genes encoding caspases and genes encoding miRNAs. The analysis revealed 5 different miRNA molecules regulating the expression of: CASP2, CASP3 and CASP6. There were no statistically significant differences in the expression of gene encoding caspase-6 in the patients' blood before and 2 hours after the anti-TNF drug administration.

CONCLUSION

We have found that adalimumab administration affects caspases expression, thus they may be used as molecular markers for monitoring the therapy with the use of an anti-TNF drugs, including adalimumab. It is likely that the mechanisms responsible for changed expression profiles of genes encoding caspase-2,-3, and -6, may be caused by the upregulation of the respective microRNA molecules. Increased expression of genes encoding specific caspases may induce inflammatory processes, as well as trigger apoptosis. Furthermore, the proapoptotic activity of caspases may be enhanced by miRNA molecules, which exhibit proapoptotic function. The overexpression of such miRNAs was observed in our study.

WPŁYW KINESIOTAPINGU NA DOLEGLIWOŚCI BÓLOWE ODCINKA LĘDŹWIOWO-KRZYŻOWEGO KRĘGOSŁUPA

Wstęp: Bóle kręgosłupa lędźwiowo-krzyżowego są obecnie jedną z najczęściej występujących dolegliwości bólowych wśród osób starszych. Za powstawanie bólów kręgosłupa bardzo często odpowiedzialne są zwyrodnienia, przeciążenia, choroby krążka międzykręgowego i osłabienie aparatu więzadłowego kręgosłupa.Materiał i metody: Badania zostały przeprowadzone wśród 60 pensjonariuszy Domu Pomocy Społecznej w Szczecinie z przewlekłymi dolegliwościami bólowymi odcinka lędźwiowo-krzyżowego. Przedział wiekowy wynosił 56–85 lat. W sposób losowy dokonano podziału na dwie 30-osobowe grupy (grupę badaną, gdzie została naklejona aplikacja KinesioTaping, oraz grupę kontrolną – bez aplikacji). Do oceny stopnia odczuwanego bólu użyto wizualno-analogowej skali VAS w formacie poziomej skali cyfrowej w zakresie 0–10, na której pensjonariusze zaznaczali natężenie odczuwanego bólu. W badaniu ruchomości kręgosłupa i tułowia zmierzono za pomocą centymetra zgięcie, wyprost, nachylenie i rotację. Rozpatrując zakres ruchu nachylenia z uwzględnieniem płci badanych, można zauważyć, że poprawa nastąpiła u mężczyzn w grupie badanej w zakresie nachylenia w obie strony.Wyniki: U wszystkich badanych, którym zaaplikowano Kinesio-Taping na okolicę lędźwiowo-krzyżową, nastąpiło zmniejszenie dolegliwości bólowych według skali VAS (p ≤ 0,001). Nastąpiła również istotna poprawa w zakresie: rotacji w prawą stronę (p ≤ 0,05), zgięcia ocenianego testem „palec–podłoga” (p ≤ 0,01) i ruchu wyprostu (p ≤ 0,01). Nie odnotowano różnic istotnych statystycznie pomiędzy grupą badaną a grupą kontrolną.Wnioski: KinesioTaping jest korzystną metodą redukującą dolegliwości bólowe oraz wpływającą na poprawę zakresu ruchów kręgosłupa w odcinku lędźwiowo-krzyżowym u osób starszych.

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen (ROS and RNS) species generation and cell death in tomato suspension cultures--Botrytis cinerea interaction

This article reports events connected to cell survival and Botrytis cinerea infection development in cell suspension cultures of two tomato cultivars which show different levels of susceptibility to the pathogen: cv. Corindo (more susceptible) and cv. Perkoz (less susceptible). In parallel changes in reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species generation and in S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) activity were studied. In vivo staining methods with acridine orange (AO) and ethidium bromide (EB) as well as fluorescent microscopy were used to assess tomato and B. cinerea cells death. The biochemical studies of ROS and RNS concentrations in plant cell extract were complemented by in vivo ROS and nitric oxide (NO) imaging using nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT), diaminobenzidine (DAB) and diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF-DA) staining methods, and confocal microscope technique. B. cinerea infection proceeded slower in Perkoz cell cultures. It was evidenced by measuring the pathogen conidia germination and germination tube development in which nuclei revealing cell death dominated. Two different types of tomato cell death were observed: cells with necrotic nuclei dominated in Corindo whereas in Perkoz cells with characteristic of vacuolar death type prevailed. In Perkoz cells, constitutive levels of NO and S-nitrosothiols (SNO) were significantly higher and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide anion (O₂(-)) concentrations were slightly higher as compared with Corindo cells. Moreover, increases in these molecule concentrations as a result of B. cinerea inoculation were observed in both, Perkoz and Corindo cell cultures. The enzymatic GSNOR activity seems to be an important player in controlling the SNO level in tomato cells. Involvements of the studied compounds in molecular mechanisms of tomato resistance to B. cinerea are discussed in the paper.

[The influence of kinesiotaping on lumbar spine pain]

INTRODUCTION

Pain in the lumbosacral spine is currently one of the most common pain complaints among the elderly. About 72% of the Polish population younger than 40 years have at least once been treated by a doctor for back pain. Degenerative changes of intervertebral joints, overloads, intervertebral disc diseases, and dysfunction of spinal ligaments are very often responsible for the formation of back pain, which is basically a problem of the elderly,

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was conducted among 60 residents of a Nursing Home in Szczecin with chronic lumbar pain. The age range was 56-85 years. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups of 30 (study group, where KinesioTaping was used, and a control group without KinesioTaping application). To assess the degree of pain experienced by the patient a visual analogue scale (VAS) in the horizontal format from 0-10 was used, on which subjects scored the severity of pain. Flexion, extension, tilt and rotation were measured with a tape to assess spinal and trunk mobility.

RESULTS

In all patients, who had a KinesioTaping patch applied on the lumbosacral spine pain measured by VAS reduced (p ≤ 0.001). Considering respondents' sex, the spine mobility in the tilting position improved in men in the study group in terms of tilting to both sides. In all patients, the application of a KinesioTaping patch significantly improved the rotation to the right side (p ≤ 0.05), scores in the "finger-floor" flexion test (p ≤ 0.01), and the extension range (p ≤ 0.01).

CONCLUSION

KinesioTaping is a beneficial method reducing pain and improving the mobility in the lumbosacral spine. The improvement was independent of the sex of the respondents.

Cytokinins résumé: their signaling and role in programmed cell death in plants

Cytokinins (CKs) are a large group of plant hormones which play a crucial role in many physiological processes in plants. One of the interesting functions of CKs is the control of programmed cell death (PCD). It seems that all CKs-dependent phenomena including PCD are accompanied by special multi-step phosphorelay signaling pathway. This pathway consists of three elements: histidine kinase receptors (HKs), histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPs) and response regulators (RRs). This review shows the résumé of the latest knowledge about CKs signaling pathways in many physiological processes in plants with special attention paid to PCD process.

A packaged optical slot-waveguide ring resonator sensor array for multiplex label-free assays in labs-on-chips

We present the design, fabrication, and characterisation of an array of optical slot-waveguide ring resonator sensors, integrated with microfluidic sample handling in a compact cartridge, for multiplexed real-time label-free biosensing. Multiplexing not only enables high throughput, but also provides reference channels for drift compensation and control experiments. Our use of alignment tolerant surface gratings to couple light into the optical chip enables quick replacement of cartridges in the read-out instrument. Furthermore, our novel use of a dual surface-energy adhesive film to bond a hard plastic shell directly to the PDMS microfluidic network allows for fast and leak-tight assembly of compact cartridges with tightly spaced fluidic interconnects. The high sensitivity of the slot-waveguide resonators, combined with on-chip referencing and physical modelling, yields a volume refractive index detection limit of 5 x 10(-6) refractive index units (RIUs) and a surface mass density detection limit of 0.9 pg mm(-2), to our knowledge the best reported values for integrated planar ring resonators.

Ethylene is a positive regulator for GA3-induced male sex in Anemia phyllitidis gametophytes

Effects of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) on the development and expression of male sex were tested using the model of the three-zonal structure of 12-day-old (15-celled) Anemia phyllitidis gametophyte. ACC at 10 microM concentration enhanced the number of antheridia induced by gibberellic acid. Cytomorphological measurements showed that this effect was limited to only the antheridial region of gametophytes and depended on transverse expansion of antheridial mother cells. Time-course cytophotometrical measurements showed that this promotive effect of ACC was preceded by reorganization of nuclear chromatin and induction of DNA synthesis in nuclei in the antheridial region cells of fern gametophytes.

GA3 content in antheridia of Chara vulgaris at the proliferative stage and in spermiogenesis estimated by capillary electrophoresis

In male sex organs of Chara vulgaris L., the gibberellic acid (GA3), was identified by capillary zone electrophoresis. The antheridia at cell division stage of antheridial filaments leading to formation of spermatids contain 0.09 microg GA3 per antheridium, i.e. 5.3 times more than antheridia at differentiation stage of spermatozoids (spermiogenesis). Spermiogenesis is not regulated by gibberellins.

Cell cycle arrest in antheridial extract-treated root meristems of Allium cepa and Melandrium noctiflorum

Previous results have demonstrated that extracts derived from maturing male sex organs of Chara tomentosa are capable of inducing profound structural and functional effects upon M-phase cells in the primary root meristems of Melandrium noctiflorum and Allium cepa. Evident changes produced by a putative factor engaged in morphogenesis of antheridial filaments are manifested by: (1) significant shortening of chromosomes, (2) decreased mitotic indices, and (3) altered proportions estimated for the prophase and telophase transit times. The present image analysis of late G2 phase nuclei in antheridial filaments of C. tomentosa supports the concepts that progressive changes of their functional activities correspond closely to the increasing proportion of condensed chromatin. Cytophotometric measurements of Feulgen-stained cell nuclei in root meristems after a prolonged incubation in antheridial extracts revealed that cells which previously divided asynchronously became preferentially arrested in G1 (M. noctiflorum) and G2 (A. cepa). The stages at which the cells arrest are supposed to counterpart restriction checkpoints that prevent the initiation of DNA synthesis and mitosis. This assumption has been confirmed by autoradiographic studies using 3H-thymidine. In terms of the "Principal Control Points" (PCP) hypothesis, the obtained results suggest that two PCPs regulate G1-->S and G2-->M transition in a nuclear structure-dependent and a species-specific manner. Although in antheridial extract-treated roots of both M. noctiflorum and A. cepa there are only slight changes in the levels of chromatin condensation, the relative proportions of G1- and G2-arrested cells and their nuclear density profiles differ, as compared with the control and carbohydrate-starved plants.