Relationship of Il-5 with Th1 and Th2 Cytokines in Individuals with or without Type-2 Diabetes

Obesity is linked to metabolic syndrome including insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes (T2D), and cardiovascular disease. Persistent low-grade inflammation is associated with metabolic disorders. Changes in plasma cytokines have been reported in obesity and T2D. Functionally polarized CD4+ T cells are classified as Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg subsets depending on the pattern of their cytokine production. Th1 cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ activate macrophages and are involved in inflammatory immune responses whereas Th2 cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13 have antiinflammatory properties and are involved in antibody production, eosinophil activation, and suppression of macrophage functions. Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance has been reported in chronic disease progression and in metabolic syndrome. IL-2 is a proinflammatory cytokine that promotes synthesis of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IFN-γ from natural killer cells (NK) cells and is associated with atherogenesis and T2D. IFN-γ is related with the production of macrophage mediators, chemokines, induction of leukocyte adhesion molecules and class II major histocompatibility antigens, and potentiates the antigen presenting cell functioning. IL-4 which is secreted by activated Th2 cells, basophils, and mast cells has pleiotropic functions including Th2 differentiation, B-cell proliferation and immunoglobulin class switching. IL-10 is an antiinflammatory cytokine which attenuates inflammation induced by IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α while it also promotes the release of anti-inflammatory IL-1RA.

IL-5 is an important T cell-derived cytokine that regulates the expression of diverse genes involved in proliferation, cell survival, as well as maturation and effector functioning of B cells and eosinophils. IL-5 plays a pivotal role in both the innate and adaptive immune responses and the biologic effects of IL-5 are best characterized for eosinophils in humans. It is not clear whether plasma IL-5 levels are modulated and also relate with the Th1/Th2 cytokine profile in metabolic disorders such as obesity and T2D. The aim of the study was, therefore, to determine the circulatory IL-5 levels in diabetic and nondiabetic individuals and evaluate the relationship of IL-5 levels with Th1/Th2 cytokine profile in these two populations. Here, we show that plasma IL-5 levels were significantly lower in diabetic individuals and these changes correlated with Th1/Th2 cytokines and clinical metabolic markers differentially between diabetics and non-diabetics.

Biomass and Lipid Content in Potential Green Algal Species for Biodiesel Production

The ever increasing world population and anthropogenic energy requirements, has necessitated the need for the scientific community to look out for novel/alternate sources of energy. Alternate fuels especially biodiesel is now known as a promising option to support our ever growing energy needs. Biodiesel was earlier produced from plant oil seeds such as Jatropha, Pongamia, Madhuca, Sunflower, etc., however, microalgae are presently studied widely as the next generation source of biofuels. Microalgae are miniature plants which photosynthesize and utilize atmospheric carbon dioxide and sunlight for their growth and multiplication. Microalgae produce lipids in substantial amounts which may be extracted and used for biodiesel production. Microalgae may be grown mixotrophically/ heterotrophically i.e., under the effect of carbon sources to accumulate higher amount of lipids. Certain wastes contain valuable carbohydrates which could act as a good carbon-rich source for the growth of algae especially enhancing lipid contents in the same. The wastes after recovery of carbohydrates may be disposed of either in incinerators or landfills.

Different types of waste carbon sources have been used to enhance biomass growth and lipid accumulation in microalgae. Some readily available chemical compounds such as glucose, acetate and glycerol have shown to expedite growth and lipid accumulation inChlorella protothecoides  and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Liu et al. used various carbon sources to study Chlorella zofingiensis as a feedstock for biodiesel production and found glucose as one of the best source. Heterotrophic growth of algae also led to 900% increase in lipid production in case of Chlorella zofingiensis with glucose as organic carbon source. Corn starch hydrolysate has been used for enhancement of lipid content by 20% in C. protothecoides. Molasses has also been used for the enhancement of biomass productivity in a prokaryotic alga, Spirulina platensis. Press mud extract and cane molasses were used to enhance the lipid content in C. minutissima. Liang et al. studied the effect of glycerol and glucose on the growth and lipid content of C. vulgaris which resulted in high increases in biomass production. B. braunii also showed enhancement in the lipid content with different sugars such as glucose, mannose, fructose. Various inexpensive and low cost carbon feed stocks from waste have also been used for algal growth which has been extensively reviewed by Subramanian et al. Some other nutrient sources such as sodiumthiosulphate , swine waste water and iron have been used for the enhancement of growth and lipid content in various green algal species such as Scenedesmus and Chlorella. Sugars have also been converted to oil in C. vulgaris by using a photosynthetic fermentation model which resulted in improvement of growth and lipid content . Further, Taylor et al.used the ethyl acetate extract of two algal species Skeletonema marinoi and Dunaliella salina for enhancement of growth of Nannochloropsis oculata.

Bacteraemia Caused by Kytococcus schroeteri in a Pneumonia Patient

Kytococci are a part of the normal skin microbiota of humans and can cause infections, particularly in patients with prosthetic devices or immunodeficiency. Due to insufficient identification methods and an intrinsic resistance to several β-lactams, infections due to Kytococci are a challenge to clinical microbiologists and clinicians]. Here, we report the first Korean case of bacteraemia due to Kytococcus schroeteri in a patient with pneumonia.

 A 55-year-old man was admitted to a tertiary-care hospital in Seoul, Korea, for evaluation of fever and dyspnea. The patient had no history of hypertension or diabetes mellitus. The patient had been living in a sanatorium because of quadriplegia resulting from a cerebral infarction diagnosed at age 20 years. Laboratory tests showed a leukocyte count of 12.89 × 109/L (neutrophil 83.6%) and a C-reactive protein level of 156.0 mg/L (normal range, 0.1-6.0 mg/L). A chest X-ray showed a large amount of pleural effusion and marked peribronchovascular markings in the left lung. Percutaneous catheter drainage of the pleural effusion was performed, but the pleural fluid culture did not yield any bacterial growth. The predominant organism of sputum cultures was α-Streptococcus species, which is thought to be part of the normal flora. A blood culture performed the day the patient was admitted showed Gram-positive cocci growth (isolate GNKS01) in an anaerobic blood culture vial, one of six total (three aerobic and three anaerobic).

Subculture of the blood culture fluid yielded small, slightly yellowpigmented, convex, catalase-positive, and non-haemolytic colonies on 5% sheep blood agar after 24 h of incubation in 6% CO2 at 35°C. Routine Gram staining of the smeared preparation showed Gram-variable cocci in pairs or tetrads. However, the isolate appeared to be Grampositive after shortening the destaining time from 3–4 sec to 1–2 sec. Morphologic evaluation using scanning electron microscopy (FE SEM S-800, Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan) showed spherical cells (1.0–1.5 μm in diameter) in pairs or tetrads.

Dysphagia Rehabilitation Journal

Swallowing function declines due to anatomical and physiological changes that accompany aging. In addition, dysphagia can be caused by numerous disorders. In patients with acute stroke, deglutition disorders are observed at a frequency of 37-78%, and can be fatal if aspiration pneumonia or suffocation occurs. More than 90% of patients who die of pneumonia are elderly, aged 65 years or older, and the most common cause is aspiration pneumonia due to dysphagia.

Silent aspiration (SA), which has no signs or symptoms, such as coughing, when saliva or food enter the subglottis, oropharyngeal aspiration is an important etiologic factor leading to pneumonia in the elderly. Video-fluorography (VF) or video-endoscopy (VE), which can indicate SA, are useful in diagnosing dysphagia and are performed routinely in facilities specializing in dysphagia rehabilitation. In facilities that do not have the necessary equipment for VF or VE, or under circumstances where the patients cannot be referred to a testing facility, the evaluation of dysphagia is performed using a variety of screening tests that can be performed at the bedside. These screening tests include the water swallowing test and the food test, and many of these tests assess the presence or absence of coughing to diagnose aspiration and swallowing dysfunction. Unfortunately, dysphagia with laryngopharyngeal sensory dysfunction is difficult to detect using these tests. Therefore, an accurate screening test for silent aspiration and dysphagia with laryngopharyngeal sensory dysfunction is needed.

Dietary Nucleotides in Neurodegenerative Diseases

There has been an explosion of scientific interest in the health enhancing role of specific foods or physiologically-active food components, the so-called functional foods. It is believed that diet play an important role against neurodegenerative diseases and some functional foods can help to prevent the onset of the disease or reduce the degree of progression, once established. The nutritional recommendations for most neurodegenerative diseases are an adequate intake of energy and protein, as well as vitamin E, for its antioxidant character, and vitamins of the B group (folic acid, B6, B12, choline), for its ability to prevent the accumulation of homocysteine. Other physiologically-active food components such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and gangliosides have been postulated.

During the last three decades numerous evidences of the benefits of dietary nucleotides have accumulated. Exogenous nucleotides, which are absorbed as nucleosides, are incorporated into the intracellular pool and thereby increase the availability of metabolites involved in the generation of energy (ATP GTP, etc.) and in many biosynthetic processes (CDP-choline, UDP-glucose, etc.). On the other hand, the nucleotide pool is closely related to rRNA and in lesser extent mRNA pools and the lack of dietary nucleotides originates a metabolic deactivation. In addition, nucleotides have an active role as modulators of gene expression, not only of the elements involved in its metabolism (enzymes, transporters, etc.), but a variety of genes not related (for example with the expression of genes of the inflammation and apoptosis), by a mechanism that involves changes in many transcription factors. Of especial importance are the functions as signaling molecules, the so call purinome or nucleotidome, is a complex interplay among ligands, degrading enzymes, receptors and transporters not fully characterized yet . Through the above mechanisms, dietary nucleotides play an important role in the development of the immune system and are also important for proliferation and tissue development, particularly for tissues with a rapid turnover, as the skin, intestinal mucosa, bone marrow cells and lymphocytes. They have been considered as semi-essential nutrients and food supplemented with them considered as functional food. Currently, there are numerous preparations containing nucleotides for infant and parenteral nutrition.

Signs And Symptoms Of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the common and highly fatal with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Even with advanced imaging technologies, detecting a pancreatic tumor measuring less than 10 mm is difficult. In some cases, the tumor in the pancreas is inconspicuous and indicated by extensive peri-pancreatic artery invasion.

A 66-year-old man was referred to our hospital for evaluation of an elevated serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level (130.9 U/mL, normal: <37 U/mL). His physical examination showed normal condition, with all other laboratory tests within normal range. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed no abnormalities in the pancreas, but soft-tissue density in the region surrounding the celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was present. On subsequent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) examination, the softtissue density surrounding the peri-pancreatic arteries was not clearly visualized except for that of the celiac trunks. CT scans performed at 2 months and 5 months revealed no abnormalities in the pancreas and no changes in the soft tissue surrounding the celiac axis and SMA. In addition, the serum CA19-9 level remained stable. Abdominal CT performed at 8 months revealed no marked changes in the soft-tissue density; however, mild dilation of the main pancreatic duct in the tail of the pancreas and a low-density area measuring 10 mm in the body of the pancreas were visualized. EUS also revealed a low-echoic mass measuring 10 mm in the pancreatic body. Subsequent EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) was performed for the pancreatic mass, and the histopathological diagnosis was ductal adenocarcinoma. There were no metastasis diseases, however we thought the tumor had directly invaded the celiac axis and SMA. According to the above, we diagnosed it as an unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer (T4aN0M0). Then chemotherapy was prescribed, resulting in reduction of the tumor size and shrinkage of the soft-tissue density. In addition, serum CA19-9 levels were followed and have remained relatively stable with time. The patient has survived more than two years.