Histone H3 posttranslational modified enzymes defined neutrophil plasticity and their vulnerability to IL-10 in the course of the inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophils are a heterogeneous population capable of antimicrobial functions associated with pre-activation/activation and tissue regeneration. The specific polarisation of immune cells is mediated by the modification of 'chromatin landscapes', which enables differentiated access and activity of regulatory elements that guarantee their plasticity during inflammation No specific pattern within histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) controlling this plasticity has been identified. METHODS: Using the in vitro model of inflammation, reflecting different states of neutrophils from resting, pre-activated cells to activated and reducing tissue regeneration, we have analysed 11 different histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs), PTM enzymes associated with remodelling neutrophil chromatin, and H3K4me3 ChIP-Seq Gene Ontology analysis focusing on the processes related to histone PTMs. These findings were verified by extrapolation to adequate clinical status, using neutrophils derived from the patients with sepsis (systemic septic inflammation with LPS-stimulated neutrophils), neuromyelitis optical spectrum disorders (aseptic inflammation with pre-activated neutrophils) and periodontitis (local self-limiting septic inflammation with IL-10-positive neutrophils). RESULTS: Physiological activation of neutrophils comprises a pre-activation characterised by histone H3K27ac and H3K4me1, which position enhancers; direct LPS exposure is induced explicitly by H3K4me3 which marked Transcription Start Site (TSS) regions and low-level of H3K9me3, H3K79me2 and H3K27me3 which, in turn, marked repressed genes. Contrary to antimicrobial action, IL-10 positively induced levels of H3S10p and negatively H3K9me3, which characterised processes related to the activation of genes within heterochromatin mediated by CHD1 and H3K9me3 specific demethylase JMJD2A. IL-10 protects changes within histone PTMs induced by TNF or LPS that affected H3K4me3-specific methyltransferase SETD1A and MLL1. Neutrophils previously exposed to inflammatory factors become unvulnerable to IL-10 because previous LPS stimulation interrupts TSS regions marked by H3K4me3 of CHD1 and JMJD2A genes. Therefore, LPS-activated neutrophils are disabled to induce CHD1/JMJD2A enzymes by IL-10, making this process irreversible. Because transcription of JMJD2A and CHD1 also depends on TSS positioning by H3K4me3, neutrophils before LPS stimulation become insensitive to IL-10. CONCLUSION: Neutrophils, once pre-activated by TNF or directly stimulated by LPS, become insensitive to the anti-inflammatory effects of IL-10, and vice versa; IL-10 protects neutrophils against these proinflammatory stimuli. This phenomenon is responsible for disturbing the natural process of resolving inflammation and tissue regeneration.

Pulp Revascularization After Autotransplantation of the Mandibular Canines With Partially Resected Roots: Report of 5 Cases With Follow-ups Between 26 and 80 Months.

INTRODUCTION: Transmigrated (migrated through the midline) mandibular canines constitute a treatment challenge. Advanced transmigration can be successfully treated by autotransplantation. In developing canines, pulp revascularization is typical after transplantation. On the contrary, the pulp of teeth with completed apex formation does not undergo revascularization. In this case, root canal treatment becomes compulsory and decreases the success of autotransplantation. The aim of this observational retrospective study was to evaluate whether partial resection of the root (performed during the autotransplantation of mature canines) would enable revascularization of the pulp after the surgery. METHODS: Five transmigrated mandibular canines with complete apex formation before the surgery were evaluated. During the autotransplantation surgery, the resection of 2 to 4 mm of the root apex was performed to open the path for revascularization of the pulp after surgery. The transplanted teeth were observed during healing after the surgery for the presence of pulp obliteration. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed. RESULTS: All treated canines survived the minimum observation period of 2 years (ranging from 26 to 80 months, mean: 55 months) without pulp healing complications. The survival was 100%, and the success was 80%. In one canine, the external cervical root resorption was diagnosed and treated 1 year after the surgery. At the final examination, transplanted canines presented radiographic features of pulp obliteration, normal mobility, and healthy periodontal tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical protocol proved to be successful in promoting revascularization to maintain pulp vitality, in all cases. The outcomes confirm that autotransplantation, combined with the resection of the root, constitutes a valid treatment for mature ectopic canines.

Soluble Hemojuvelin and Ferritin: Potential Prognostic Markers in Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: Iron overload (IO) is a common and life-threatening complication resulting from the therapy of AL and HCT patients. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of 12 serum biomarkers of iron metabolism in pediatric patients treated for AL or undergoing HCT. PATIENTS: Overall, 50 patients with AL after intensive treatment and 32 patients after HCT were prospectively included in the study. AL patients at diagnosis and healthy controls served as reference groups. METHODS: The impact of the following 12 serum iron metabolism parameters on the outcome of AL/HCT patients was analyzed: iron, transferrin (Tf), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, ferritin heavy chains (FTH1), ferritin light chains (FTL), hepcidin, soluble hemojuvelin (sHJV), soluble ferroportin-1 (sFPN1), erythroferrone (ERFE), erythropoietin (EPO), and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR). RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 2.2 years, high levels of ferritin and low levels of sHJV had an adverse prognostic impact on OS and EFS in children after HCT. If these patients were combined with those with AL after intensive chemotherapy, the results were confirmed for OS and EFS both for ferritin and sHJV. CONCLUSIONS: Among the 12 analyzed serum parameters of iron metabolism, increased levels of ferritin and decreased levels of sHJV had an adverse prognostic impact on survival in children after HCT. More data are needed to clarify the relationship between ferritin, sHJV, and mortality of AL children after intensive chemotherapy, and more extensive prospective studies are required to prove sHJV predictivity.

Air Pollution, Oxidative Stress, and the Risk of Development of Type 1 Diabetes.

Despite multiple studies focusing on environmental factors conducive to the development of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), knowledge about the involvement of long-term exposure to air pollution seems insufficient. The main focus of epidemiological studies is placed on the relationship between exposure to various concentrations of particulate matter (PM): PM1, PM2.5, PM10, and sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (O3), versus the risk of T1DM development. Although the specific molecular mechanism(s) behind the link between increased air pollution exposure and a higher risk of diabetes and metabolic dysfunction is yet unknown, available data indicate air pollution-induced inflammation and oxidative stress as a significant pathway. The purpose of this paper is to assess recent research examining the association between inhalation exposure to PM and associated metals and the increasing rates of T1DM worldwide. The development of modern and more adequate methods for air quality monitoring is also introduced. A particular emphasis on microsensors, mobile and autonomous measuring platforms, satellites, and innovative approaches of IoT, 5G connections, and Block chain technologies are also presented. Reputable databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, were used to search for relevant literature. Eligibility criteria involved recent publication years, particularly publications within the last five years (except for papers presenting a certain novelty or mechanism for the first time). Population, toxicological and epidemiological studies that focused particularly on fine and ultra-fine PM and associated ambient metals, were preferred, as well as full-text publications.

Changes Within H3K4me3-Marked Histone Reveal Molecular Background of Neutrophil Functional Plasticity.

Neutrophils are a heterogenous population capable of both antimicrobial functions and suppressor ones, however, no specific pattern of transcription factors controlling this plasticity has been identified. We observed rapid changes in the neutrophil status after stimulation with LPS, pre-activating concentration of TNF-α, or IL-10. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) analysis of histone H3K4me3 allowed us to identify various transcriptional start sites (TSSs) associated with plasticity and heterogeneity of human neutrophils. Gene Ontology analysis demonstrated great variation within target genes responsible for neutrophil activation, cytokine production, apoptosis, histone remodelling as well as NF-κB transcription factor pathways. These data allowed us to assign specific target genes positioned by H3K4me3-marked histone with a different pattern of gene expression related to NF-κB pathways, apoptosis, and a specific profile of cytokines/chemokines/growth factors realised by neutrophils stimulated by LPS, IL-10, or TNF-α. We discovered IL-10-induced apoptotic neutrophils being transcriptionally active cells capable of switching the profile of cytokines/chemokines/growth factors desired in resolving inflammation via non-canonical NF-κB pathway with simultaneous inhibition of canonical NF-κB pathway. As apoptotic/suppressive neutrophils induced by IL-10 via positioning genes within H3K4me3-marked histone were transcriptionally active, newly described DNA binding sites can be considered as potential targets for immunotherapy.H3K4me3 histone ChIP-Seq analysis reveals molecular drivers critical for switching neutrophils from their pro- to anti-inflammatory properties.

Environmental Factors and the Risk of Developing Type 1 Diabetes-Old Disease and New Data.

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is increasing worldwide. The onset of T1D usually occurs in childhood and is caused by the selective destruction of insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells (ß-cells) by autoreactive T cells, leading to insulin deficiency. Despite advanced research and enormous progress in medicine, the causes of T1D are still not fully understood. Therefore, an extensive online search for scientific research on environmental factors associated with diabetes and the identification of new factors of unexplained etiology has been carried out using the PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases. The search results were limited to the past 11 years of research and discovered 143 manuscripts published between 2011 and 2022. Additionally, 21 manuscripts from between 2000 and 2010 and 3 manuscripts from 1974 to 2000 were referenced for historical reference as the first studies showcasing a certain phenomenon or mechanism. More and more scientists are inclined to believe that environmental factors are responsible for the increased incidence of diabetes. Research results show that higher T1D incidence is associated with vitamin D deficiency, a colder climate, and pollution of the environment, as well as the influence of viral, bacterial, and yeast-like fungi infections. The key viral infections affecting the risk of developing T1DM are rubella virus, mumps virus, Coxsackie virus, cytomegalovirus, and enterovirus. Since 2020, i.e., from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more studies have been looking for a link between Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and diabetes development. A better understanding of the role of viral, bacterial, and yeast-like fungi infections related to the risk of T1DM in children and adolescents and the identification of new risk factors, especially those spread by the droplet route, is of great importance for people and families with diabetes.

The Effects of Wastewater Treatment Plant Failure on the Gulf of Gdansk (Southern Baltic Sea).

In August 2019 and during August/September 2020, the main collection system of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in Warsaw, Poland, malfunctioned. During that system failure, over 4.8 million m3 of untreated wastewater was dropped directly into the Vistula River in just a few days. It is currently considered as one of the largest known failures of WWTP worldwide. In order to assess the environmental impact, water samples were collected from 2 spots at the Vistula river estuary (406 and 415 km from the discharge location, respectively), and 4 spots at the Gulf of Gdansk, situated on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. The sampling was conducted before the wastewater wave reached the Vistula river's mouth, followed by daily sampling during 21 days after the malfunction occurred. The study showed the decline in water quality at the Vistula river estuary and the Baltic shore waters as the wave of wastewater reached those points, despite being situated over 400 km downstream from the place of the accident. Those changes included the reduction in the dissolved oxygen content (by 0.69-fold at its peak), the increase in Total Organic Carbon (TOC) (by 1.28-fold at its peak), nitrate-nitrogen (N-NO3) (by 1.68-fold at its peak), phosphorous (P) (by 2.41-fold at its peak), conductivity (by 16.8-fold at its peak), and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (by 1.84-fold). In the samples from the Vistula river, the decline in water quality was seen as incidental and lasted 2-3 days. Subsequently, the levels of physical and chemical parameters returned to the levels from before the accident. However, the changes in the Gulf of Gdansk lasted significantly longer, especially on the West side of the Vistula river, where, even after 21 days from the initial accident, some parameters remained altered.

Associations between carabid beetles and fungi in the light of 200 years of published literature.

Describing and conserving ecological interactions woven into ecosystems is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. Here, we present a unique dataset compiling the biotic interactions between two ecologically and economically important taxa: ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and fungi. The resulting dataset contains the carabid-fungus associations collected from 392 scientific publications, 129 countries, mostly from the Palearctic region, published over a period of 200 years. With an updated taxonomy to match the currently accepted nomenclature, 3,378 unique associations among 5,564 records were identified between 1,776 carabid and 676 fungal taxa. Ectoparasitic Laboulbeniales were the most frequent fungal group associated with carabids, especially with Trechinae. The proportion of entomopathogens was low. Three different formats of the data have been provided along with an interactive data digest platform for analytical purposes. Our database summarizes the current knowledge on biotic interactions between insects and fungi, while offering a valuable resource to test large-scale hypotheses on those interactions.

The emergency discharge of sewage to the Bay of Gdansk as a source of bacterial enrichment in coastal air.

The purpose of this research was to study the presence of potential pathogenic bacteria in the seawater and air in five coastal towns (Hel, Puck, Gdynia, Sopot, Gdansk-Brzezno) as well as the enrichment of bacteria from the seawater into the coastal air after an emergency discharge of sewage into the Bay of Gdansk. A total of 594 samples of air and seawater were collected in the coastal zone between spring and summer (between 2014 and 2018). Air samples were collected using the impact method with a SAS Super ISO 100. The multivariate analysis, conducted using contingency tables, showed a statistically significant variation between the concentration of coliforms, psychrophilic and mesophilic bacteria in the seawater microlayer and air in 2018, after an emergency discharge of sewage into the Bay of Gdansk, compared to 2014-2017. Moreover, we detected a marine aerosol enrichment in psychrophilic, mesophilic bacteria, coliforms and Escherichia coli. We also showed a statistically significant relationship between the total concentration of bacteria and humidity, air temperature, speed and wind direction. This increased concentration of bacteria in the seawater and coastal air, and the high factor of air enrichment with bacteria maybe associated with the emergency discharge of wastewater into the Bay of Gdansk. Therefore, it is suggested that in the event of a malfunction of a sewage treatment plant, as well as after floods or sudden rainfall, the public should be informed about the sanitary and epidemiological status of the coastal waters and be recommended to limit their use of coastal leisure areas.

H3K4me3 Histone ChIP-Seq Analysis Reveals Molecular Mechanisms Responsible for Neutrophil Dysfunction in HIV-Infected Individuals.

Peripheral neutrophils in HIV-infected individuals are characterized by impairment of chemotaxis, phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and oxidative burst ability regardless of whether patients are receiving antiretroviral therapy or not. Neutrophil dysfunction leads not only to increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections but also to tissue damage through the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), proteases, and other potentially harmful effector molecules contributing to AIDS progression. In this study, we demonstrated high levels of histone H3 lysine K4 trimethylated (H3K4me3) and dysregulation of DNA transcription in circulating neutrophils of HIV-infected subjects. This dysregulation was accompanied by a deficient response of neutrophils to LPS, impaired cytokine/chemokine/growth factor synthesis, and increased apoptosis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIPseq) H3K4me3 histone analysis revealed that the most spectacular abnormalities were observed in the exons, introns, and promoter-TSS regions. Bioinformatic analysis of Gene Ontology, including biological processes, molecular function, and cellular components, demonstrated that the main changes were related to the genes responsible for cell activation, cytokine production, adhesive molecule expression, histone remodeling via upregulation of methyltransferase process, and downregulation of NF-κB transcription factor in canonical pathways. Abnormalities within H3K4me3 implicated LPS-mediated NF-κB canonical activation pathway that was a result of low amounts of κB DNA sites within histone H3K4me3, low NF-κB (p65 RelA) and TLR4 mRNA expression, and reduced free NF-κB (p65 RelA) accumulation in the nucleus. Genome-wide survey of H3K4me3 provided evidence that chromatin modifications lead to an impairment within the canonical NF-κB cell activation pathway causing the neutrophil dysfunction observed in HIV-infected individuals.

Mold and Yeast-Like Fungi in the Seaside Air of the Gulf of Gdansk (Southern Baltic) after an Emergency Disposal of Raw Sewage.

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between the meteorological factors and the number of molds and yeast-like fungi in the air in the five coastal towns in the years 2014-2017, and in 2018, after emergency disposal of raw sewage to the Gdansk Gulf. In the years 2014-2018, a total number of 88 air samples were collected in duplicate in the five coastal towns of Hel, Puck, Gdynia, Sopot, and Gdansk-Brzezno. After the application of the (PCA) analysis, this demonstrated that the first principal component (PC1) had a positive correlation with the water temperature, wind speed, air temperature, and relative humidity. The second principal component (PC2) had a positive correlation with the relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and air temperature. In 2018, potentially pathogenic mold and yeast-like fungi (Candida albicans, Stachybotrys chartarum complex, Aspergillus section Fumigati) were detected in the seaside air. While the detected species were not observed in the years 2014-2017. We suggest that it is advisable to inform residents about the potential health risk in the event of raw sewage disposal into the water. Moreover, in wastewater treatment plants, tighter measures, including wastewater disinfection, should be introduced.

Duration of the pubertal growth spurt in patients with increased craniofacial growth component in sagittal and vertical planes-retrospective and cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to assess the skeletal age at the onset and end of the pubertal growth spurt and determine its duration in four growth type groups: (1) normodivergent skeletal Class I (I N), (2) normodivergent skeletal Class III (III N), (3) high-angle skeletal Class III (III H) and (4) high-angle skeletal Class I (I H). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred thirteen subjects were selected from 2163 examined files. The cervical vertebral maturation stage was recorded by means of Baccetti's method. The sagittal and vertical skeletal relations were evaluated according to Steiner analysis with Kaminek's modification. The duration of the pubertal growth spurt was calculated from the difference between the means of the chronological age related to CS3 and CS4 maturation stages. RESULTS: The shortest lasting pubertal growth spurt was observed in group I N (1.1), followed by group III N (1.6). Major differences between arithmetic means CS4-CS3 were seen in groups I H and III H (2.3 and 2.7, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The following tendency was observed in the duration of the pubertal growth spurt: I N < III N < I H < III H. This tendency has statistical significance only in high-angle patients in comparison with normodivergent skeletal Class I. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowledge on the longer pubertal growth spurt in high-angle patients compared to patients with normal anteroposterior and vertical relationships can be useful in the selection of an appropriate therapeutic method and a treatment time.

First report of the presence of Vibrio vulnificus in the Gulf of Gdansk.

BACKGROUND: Vibrio infections are becoming more frequent in the Baltic Sea region, which is caused by an increase in the sea surface temperature. Climate change creates the conditions for the emergence of new environmental niches that are beneficial for Vibrio spp., especially in the summer months. Vibrio vulnificus, which causes wound infections and septicaemia, represents a particularly dangerous species of Vibrio spp. There are numerous publications on the prevalence of V. vulnificus in various regions of the Baltic Sea, but there is a lack of such data for the Polish coast. This prompted us to conduct a pilot study into the prevalence of the bacteria in the Gulf of Gdansk. The study aimed to detect Vibrio spp. in the coastal waters and the wet sand at the beaches and bathing areas in the Gulf of Gdansk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the period from June 16th to September 23rd 2020, 112 samples of seawater and 105 samples of wet sand were collected at 16 locations along the coast of the Gulf of Gdansk and Hel peninsula. Isolation of Vibrio spp. was conducted by filtering method and the isolated bacteria was cultured on CHROM agar Vibrio and TCBS agar. Final genus identification was performed by the MALDI TOF technique. RESULTS: In the present study, 10 isolates of Vibrio spp. were obtained from seawater and wet sand samples collected in the Gulf of Gdansk and Hel peninsula coast. Three of the isolates were identified as V. vulnificus; the presence of the species was confirmed in the seawater samples which had been collected in Hel (1 isolate), Jastarnia (1 isolate), and Chalupy (1 isolate). One strain of Vibrio alginolyticus was isolated from the seawater sample collected in Hel. Moreover, identification was incomplete for 6 of the isolated strains, these were identified as Vibrio cholerae/mimicus These strains were collected in Jastarnia (1 isolate), Kuznica (1 isolate), Gdansk-Brzezno (1 isolate), Puck (2 isolates), Chalupy (1 isolate). CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary research study confirmed the presence of potentially pathogenic V. vulnificus in the Gulf of Gdansk in the summer months. Therefore, further monitoring of the presence of Vibrio spp. in the Baltic coast area is necessary.

Assessment of the duration of the pubertal growth spurt in patients with skeletal open bite : A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSES: The objectives were to assess the skeletal age of patients with skeletal open bite and to estimate and compare the mean chronological age related to CS3 and CS4 (cervical stage, CS) and the duration of the pubertal growth spurt (PGS). METHODS: Orthodontic records of 145 patients were analyzed in this retrospective cross-sectional study. The study group comprised 104 patients with skeletal open bite (angle between cranial base plane line [NS] and mandible base plane line [ML] > 39° according to Steiner), whereas the control group comprised 41 patients with normal anteroposterior and vertical measurements. Skeletal age was assessed using the 6­stage CVM (cervical vertebral maturation) method according to Baccetti. Quantitative variables were characterized by means of the arithmetic mean and standard deviation. The PGS duration was calculated as the difference between the means of the chronological ages related to CS3 and CS4. RESULTS: In the study group, the arithmetic means related to CS3 and CS4 were 11.12 and 13.54 years, respectively; the duration of the PGS was 2.42 years. In the control group, the arithmetic means related to CS3 and CS4 were 10.71 and 11.82 years, respectively; the duration of the PGS was 1.11 years. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with skeletal open bite, the duration of PGS is longer but it occurs at a similar chronological age compared to patients with normal anteroposterior and vertical measurements. The PGS in males begins later than in females. Knowledge on the longer growth spurt in patients with skeletal open bite compared to patients with normal anteroposterior and vertical relationships can be useful in the selection of an appropriate therapeutic method and also provides information about the possibility of a longer and thus more effective orthopedic approach directed at positive change in the vertical growth pattern during intense bone remodeling.

Gaseous Pollutants and Particulate Matter (PM) in Ambient Air and the Number of New Cases of Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland.

The increase in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) incidence in children is worrying and not yet fully explored. It is suggested that probably air pollution exposure could contribute to the development of T1DM. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the concentration of gaseous pollutants including, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM) in the air, and the number of new cases of T1DM in children. The number of new cases of T1DM was obtained from the Clinic of Paediatrics, Diabetology, and Endocrinology, Medical University of Gdansk. The number of children of 0-18 years old in Pomeranian Voivodeship was acquired from the Statistical Yearbook. The concentrations of PM10 absorbance, NO2, NOx, SO2, and CO were measured at 41 measuring posts, between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2016. It was detected that the average annual concentration of PM10 was higher than the value acceptable to the WHO. Furthermore, the average 24-hour concentration of PM10 was 92 µg/m3 and was higher compared to the acceptable value of 50 µg/m3 (acc. to EU and WHO). Moreover, the number of new cases of T1DM showed a correlation with the annual average concentration of PM10 (ß = 2.396, p < 0.001), SO2 (ß = 2.294, p < 0.001), and CO (ß = 2.452, p < 0.001). High exposure to gaseous pollutants and particulate matter in ambient air may be one of the factors contributing to the risk of developing T1DM in children. Therefore, it is important to take action to decrease air pollutant emissions in Poland. It is crucial to gradually but consistently eliminate the use of solid fuels, such as coal and wood in households, in favour of natural gas and electricity. The development of new technologies to improve air quality, such as "best available techniques" (BAT) or renewable energy sources (water, wind, and solar generation) is of critical importance as well.

The XVIII Congress of European Mycologists: Conference Report.

The 18th Congress of European Mycologists took place from 16 to 21 September 2019 in Warsaw and Bialowieza, Poland (Figure 1) [...].

Potential effects of microbial air quality on the number of new cases of diabetes type 1 in children in two regions of Poland: a pilot study.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the concentration of psychrophilic bacteria, mesophilic bacteria and mold fungi in bioaerosols, and the number of new cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children. Methods: Air samples from the Lubelskie and Pomeranian voivodeships in Poland were collected from January 2015 to December 2016 in winter, spring, summer and autumn. Thirty-three samples were collected in the Pomeranian and 27 in the Lubelskie voivodeship. The air samples were collected on the first day of each month at 1:00 pm for 10 mins at a height of 1.5 m above the ground. The number of mesophilic bacteria was detected after 24-48 hrs incubation at 37°C on tryptone soya agar (TSA; Merck, Darmstadt, Germany). The number of psychrophilic bacteria was detected after 72 hrs incubation at 22°C on TSA. The number of fungi was detected by a 5-day long incubation at 28°C on chloramphenicol yeast glucose agar. Results: In the Lubelskie voivodeship, the mean concentration of psychrophilic bacteria was significantly higher than in the Pomeranian voivodeship (2739 vs 608 CFU/m3, respectively), the mean concentration of mesophilic bacteria was significantly higher (2493 vs 778/m3, respectively) and the concentration of fungi was significantly higher (3840 vs 688 CFU/m3, respectively). We also showed a statistically significant relationship between the number of children with recently diagnosed T1DM and the mean concentration of psychrophilic and mesophilic bacteria in the Pomeranian and Lubelskie voivodeships (P<0.001). Moreover, we found a significant relationship between the number of new cases of T1DM in children and the mean concentration of fungi in bioaerosols in the Lubelskie voivodeship (P<0.001), but not in the Pomeranian voivodeship (P=NS). Conclusion: The results of our research showed that there is a higher concentration of microbial particles in the Lublin voivodeship. Therefore, we recommend changes in climate for children (trips to the sea, mountains, etc) as often as possible.

Anti-angiogenic efficacy in invasive breast carcinoma patients depends on clinicopathological determinants.

PURPOSE: The biggest problem with the occurrence of breast cancer is late diagnosis, which is associated with high mortality rates. The aim of the study was to appraise the number of circulating endothelial precursors and the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and the soluble forms of its receptors, sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, in breast cancer patients with respect to clinicopathological features. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 85 women of Caucasian ethnicity aged 45-66 with primary breast cancer without distant metastases (M0). Inclusion criteria were as follows: histopathological examination confirming the diagnosis of primary breast cancer, without previous radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Immunohistochemistry evaluation of oestrogen and progesterone receptors, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, Ki67 expression was made in all cases. In the EDTA-plasma, the concentrations of VEGF-A and its soluble receptors, sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, were measured applying immunoassay techniques. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were identified with the immune-phenotype CD45-, CD34+, CD133+, CD31+ using flow cytometry. RESULTS: Older women with breast cancer had significantly higher concentrations of VEGF-A as well as sVEGFR2 compared with their younger counterparts. A significantly higher concentration of the soluble form of VEGF receptor type 1 in patients with T1 breast cancer in relation to T2 cases was noted. Also, negative correlations between circulating EPCs and histological grading as well as a soluble form of VEGFR2 with histological grading of breast cancer according to the Elston-Ellis classification were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-angiogenic potential is divergent in relation to the clinicopathological determinants.

The effects of humic water on endothelial cells under hyperglycemic conditions: inflammation-associated parameters.

Humic waters (HW) are globally unique, deep underground, dark-brown waters containing humic acids, and they present numerous therapeutic activities including anti-inflammatory. In the present study, we use HW from source in Poland. Diabetes has become an epidemic and is a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. Hyperglycemia in diabetes is responsible for damaging of the endothelium and increases inflammation on the surface of the vascular lining. The inflammatory process in diabetes is associated with the secretion of inflammatory cytokines by endothelial cells, e.g., tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), and with the reduction of cell proliferation. In the study, we used cultures of endothelial cells (HUVEC line-human umbilical vein endothelial cells) with the addition 30 mM/L of glucose in the culture medium which imitated the conditions of uncontrolled diabetes. The addition of HW in the proper volume to the culture medium causes reduction of inflammation by significant decrease in inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα and IL-6 and also leads to enhancement of the cell proliferation. It appears that the adverse effects of hyperglycemia on vascular endothelial cells may be corrected by addition of humic water. The above promising results of in vitro tests provide an opportunity to the possible use of humic water in the supportive treatment of endothelial dysfunction disorders in diabetes. However, this issue requires further clinical research.