Membrane Fatty Acid Composition and Cell Surface Hydrophobicity of Marine Hydrocarbonoclastic Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2 Grown on Diesel, Biodiesel and Rapeseed Oil as Carbon Sources.

The marine hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis is well known for its ability to successfully degrade various mixtures of n-alkanes occurring in marine oil spills. For effective growth on these compounds, the bacteria possess the unique capability not only to incorporate but also to modify fatty intermediates derived from the alkane degradation pathway. High efficiency of both these processes provides better competitiveness for a single bacteria species among hydrocarbon degraders. To examine the efficiency of A. borkumensis to cope with different sources of fatty acid intermediates, we studied the growth rates and membrane fatty acid patterns of this bacterium cultivated on diesel, biodiesel and rapeseed oil as carbon and energy source. Obtained results revealed significant differences in both parameters depending on growth substrate. Highest growth rates were observed with biodiesel, while growth rates on rapeseed oil and diesel were lower than on the standard reference compound (hexadecane). The most remarkable observation is that cells grown on rapeseed oil, biodiesel, and diesel showed significant amounts of the two polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid and linolenic acid in their membrane. By direct incorporation of these external fatty acids, the bacteria save energy allowing them to degrade those pollutants in a more efficient way. Such fast adaptation may increase resilience of A. borkumensis and allow them to strive and maintain populations in more complex hydrocarbon degrading microbial communities.

[Cinacalcet in the therapy of secondary hyperparathyroidism--own experiences]. / Doswiadczenia wlasne w stosowaniu cynakalcetu u chorych z wtónq nadczynnoscia przytarczyc.

UNLABELLED: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) affects 20-25% dialysed patients and is related to the bone, mineral and cardiovascular complications. Cinacalcet, acts on the calcium-sensing receptor increasing its sensitivity to calcium, thereby reducing parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cinacalcet in dialysed patients with sHPT Material and methods. We studied group of 12 patients on dialysis > 3 month with sHPT and baseline iPTH > 450 pg/ml (F = 6, M = 6; peritoneal dialysis 2 patients and HD 10 patients; mean age 56 +/- 14). Cinacalcet was titrated from 30 mg once daily during a 6 month period. The following parameters were determined in serum: iPTH, Ca, P, before onset of therapy and every 4 weeks during 6 months therapy. RESULTS: Serum iPTH significantly decreased after 4 weeks therapy compared to the start point (from 849 +/- 253 to 338 +/- 260 pg/ml) and after 24 weeks cinacalcet therapy to 298 +/- 153 pg/ml. (64% reduction). Serum calcium and phosphate decrease but not significantly 8.7 +/- 1.2 vs 8.6 +/- 1.1 mg/dl and 7.3 +/- 2.8 vs 6.3 +/- 1.7 mg/dl respectively. There weren't serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Cinacalcet is effective and well tolerated nonsurgical management treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in dialysed patients.

[Tartrate resistant acid phosphatase--TRACP-5b as a modern bone resorption marker]. / Winianooporna kwasna fosfataza--TRACP-5b jako nowoczesny marker resorpcji kosci.

The evaluation of bone metabolism in everyday practise is based on measurements of non-invasive bone markers. TRACP-5b has been considered as a potentially useful marker of bone resorption rate. It is an enzyme that is secreted by osteoclasts in the course of bone resorption. This review summarizes recent informations about TRACP 5b as a bone resorption marker in various clinical situations.

[Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase--TRAP 5b--as a novel marker of bone resorption in patients with irreversible renal failure treated with dialysis]. / Winianooporna kwasna fosfataza--TRAP 5b--jako nowoczesny wskaznik resorpcji kosci u chorych z nieodwracalna niewydolnoscia nerek leczonych dializami.

UNLABELLED: The evaluation of renal osteodystrophy in everyday practise is based on measurements of non-invasive bone markers. TRAP 5b has been considered as a potentially useful marker of bone resorption rate. We assessed the clinical usefulness of TRAP 5b as a marker of bone resorption in renal osteodystrophy in comparison with standard marker which is intact parathormone (iPTH) level. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 84 patients: 61 on hemodialysis (HD) for 43 +/- 25 months (36M, 25F aged 59 +/- 25 yr.) and 23 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for 47 +/- 28 months (12M, 11F, aged 53 +/- 23 yr). The following parameters were determined in serum: TRAP 5b, iPTH, Ca, P, total acid phosphatase (AP). Serum TRAP 5b activity was measured using a solid phase immunofixed enzyme activity assay Bone TRAP (SBA Finland). Intact PTH was measured using immunoradiometric assay (Incstar USA). According to iPTH level patients were divided into 3 subgroups: A--(iPTH < 100 pg/ml); B--(iPTH 100 - 450 pg/ml); C--(iPTH > 450 pg/ml). RESULTS: We found significant correlation between iPTH and TRAP in dialysed pts. (r = 0.6764, p < 0.0001). In patients with high turnover renal osteodystrophy-group C significantly higher values of TRAP were found in comparison with patients with low turnover renal osteodystrophy-group A (7.5 +/- 1.4 vs. 2.9 +/- 1.4 p < 0.001). There was not significant correlation between values of TRAP and gender, cause of irreversible renal failure as well as method of dialysotherapy. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, highly significant correlation between level of TRAP 5b and iPTH found in our study justifies using TRAP 5b as an important marker of bone resorption rate in clinical practice.

[Usefulness of neuron specific enolase in patients with head and neck malignant tumors]. / Przydatnosc oznaczen neuronowej swoistej enolazy u chorych na nowotwory zlosliwe glowy i szyi.

The authors present results of evaluation of neuron specific enolase (NSE) in 146 persons. We analyzed a concentration of NSE in preliminary study and in monitoring depending on clinical advances of tumour, mass of primary tumour and metastases to lymph nodes. Neuron specific enolase was excluded because the number of positive results was the same both in the main and control group. Our results indicate that evaluation of NSE have not height value in monitoring patients with head and neck carcinoma.