Structure of poly(acrylic acid) in electrolyte solutions determined from simulations and viscosity measurements.

In this work, the structure of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) molecules in electrolyte solutions obtained from molecular dynamic simulations was compared with experimental data derived from dynamic light scattering (PCS), dynamic viscosity, and electrophoretic measurements. Simulations and measurements were carried out for polymer having a molecular weight of 12 kD for various ionic strengths of the supporting electrolyte (NaCl). The effect of the ionization degree of the polymer, regulated by the change in the pH of the solution in the range 4-9 units, was also studied systematically. It was predicted from theoretical simulations that, for low electrolyte concentration (10(-3) M) and pH = 9 (full nominal ionization of PAA), the molecule assumed the shape of a flexible rod having the effective length L(ef) = 21 nm, compared to the contour length L(ext) = 41 nm predicted for a fully extended polymer chain. For an electrolyte concentration of 0.15 M, it was predicted that L(ef) = 10.5 nm. For a lower ionization degree, a significant folding of the molecule was predicted, which assumed the shape of a sphere having the radius of 2 nm. These theoretical predictions were compared with PCS experimental measurements of the diffusion coefficient of the molecule, which allowed one to calculate its hydrodynamic radius R(H). It was found that R(H) varied between 6.6 nm for low ionic strength (pH = 9) and 5.8 nm for higher ionic strength (pH = 4). The R(H) values for pH = 9 were in a good agreement with theoretical predictions of particle shape, approximated by prolate spheroids, bent to various forms. On the other hand, a significant deviation from the theoretical shape predictions occurring at pH = 4 was interpreted in terms of the chain hydration effect neglected in simulations. To obtain additional shape information, the dynamic viscosity of polyelectrolyte solutions was measured using a capillary viscometer. It was found that, after considering the correction for hydration, the experimental results were in a good agreement with the Brenner's viscosity theory for prolate spheroid suspensions. The effective lengths derived from viscosity measurements using this theory were in good agreement with values predicted from the molecular dynamic simulations.

CTLA-4 gene polymorphism is associated with predisposition to IDDM in a population from central Poland.

Susceptibility to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is strongly associated with particular HLA class II alleles. However, non-HLA genetic factors are likely to be required for the development of the disease. The candidate genes include the cytoxic T-lymphocyte associated-4 (CTLA-4) gene located on chromosome 2q33, which encodes a cell surface molecule providing a negative signal for T-cell activation. We investigated CTLA-4 exon 1 polymorphism (position 49 A/G) in 192 IDDM children and 136 healthy controls from Central Poland, using allele-specific hybridisation. The CTLA-4/G allele was found on 56.0% of chromosomes in IDDM patients as compared to 43.4% in controls (p = 0.002), mostly in homozygous form (31.2% in patients vs 15.4% in controls, p = 0.002). This difference was even more pronounced in non-DRB1*03/non-DRB1*04 IDDM patients (G/G genotype frequency: 35.0% of IDDM patients vs 12.3% of controls, p = 0.04). Our data indicate that CTLA-4 exon 1 position 49 A/G dimorphism was significantly associated with predisposition to IDDM in our Central Poland population, particularly in patients lacking the strongly predisposing DRB1 alleles.

HLA class II-associated predisposition to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in a Polish population.

Susceptibility and resistance to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) are strongly associated with alleles of HLA class II DR and DQ genes. We have studied HLA DRB1, DQA1, DQB1 allele and haplotype distribution in 152 IDDM children and 103 unrelated healthy individuals from the region of Lodz in central Poland by the polymerase chain reaction and hybridisation with allele-specific oligonucleotide probes. The DRB1*04 allele showed the strongest association with IDDM in the Polish population (OR = 3.87). The DRB1*03 allele was also associated with predisposition to the disease (OR = 3.25), particularly in DR3/4 heterozygous individuals (OR = 14.47). Among DR4 subtypes, DRB1*0401 was the most frequent both in patients and controls, whereas DRB1*0403 was rarely observed in patients and conferred a significant protection from IDDM. The DRB1*04-DQA1*0301-DQB1*0302 haplotype conferred the highest risk to develop IDDM. The presence of DRB1*0401 on this haplotype reinforced the disease risk whereas DRB1*0403 had a dominant protective effect even in the presence of the predisposing DQB1*0302 allele (OR = 0.24). The DRB1*1501-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602 haplotype conferred a dominant protective effect (OR = 0.04). The different behaviour of the DRB1*04-DQB1*0302 haplotypes in conferring IDDM risk confirms that DRB1 by itself is strongly associated with IDDM independently from DQB1, with DRB1*0401 being a high frequency/moderate risk allele, and DRB1*0403 a high frequency/low risk allele in the Polish population.

HLA class II allele and haplotype distribution in a population from central Poland.

We have studied the distribution of HLA DRB1, DQA1, DQB1 alleles and haplotypes in a sample of 103 unrelated healthy individuals from the region of Lodz in central Poland by the polymerase chain reaction and hybridization with allele-specific oligonucleotide probes (PCR-SSO). DRB1*0101, DRB1*07, DRB1*1501, DRB1*03 and DRB1*11 were the most frequent alleles at the DRB1 locus. The DRB1*04 group was observed at a high frequency, but only five out of the 19 DR4 subtypes tested were observed. The most frequent was DRB1*0401, followed by DRB1*0403, DRB1*0402, DRB1*0407 and DRB1*0417. Eight DQA1 alleles were found in this Polish population, among which DQA1*0501, DQA1*0101 and DQA1*0102 were the most frequent. At the DQB1 locus 13 alleles were found. Among them, four were present with frequencies above 10%: DQB1*0201, DQB1*0301, DQB1*0501 and DQB1*0602. Our results underline significant differences between the population of central Poland and populations of neighbouring countries such as Germany, Ukraine and the Czech Republic. This study will serve as a reference for further anthropological studies, as well as studies of associations between HLA and disease.

[Disturbances of upper airway patency and their sequelae]. / Zaburzenia droznosci górnych dróg oddechowych i ich nastepstwa.

The authors present their investigations of the effects of upper airway compromise from hypertrophy of lymphoid tissue, nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum and hypertrophy of the nasal conchae. All the patients were under the age of 18 years. Methods of assessing children with airway compromise include 6-hour polysomnography (PSG). Special attention was paid to the heart function, as well as to pO2 and pCO2 saturation. Computer analysis of PSG studies revealed disturbances in circulatory system function, unnoticed in routine physical examination. The results may serve as one more voice in a debate about the advisability of surgical treatment of airway compromise performed in childhood.