Quantitative Analysis of Phagocytosis in Whole Blood Using Double Staining and Visualization.

Phagocytosis is an essential innate immunity function in humans and animals. A decrease in the ability to phagocytize is associated with many diseases and aging of the immune system. Assessment of phagocytosis dynamics requires quantification of bacteria inside and outside the phagocyte.

Towards Bright Single-Photon Emission in Elliptical Micropillars.

In recent years, single-photon sources (SPSs) based on the emission of a single semiconductor quantum dot (QD) have been actively developed. While the purity and indistinguishability of single photons are already close to ideal values, the high brightness of SPSs remains a challenge. The widely used resonant excitation with cross-polarization filtering usually leads to at least a two-fold reduction in the single-photon counts rate, since single-photon emission is usually unpolarized, or its polarization state is close to that of the exciting laser.

Annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma in a woman with metabolic syndrome.

Annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma (AEGCG) is a rare granulomatous skin condition. It belongs to a group of skin and elastic fiber disorders. When it affects sun-exposed skin, it is also called actinic granuloma.

A mechanism of self-lipid endocytosis mediated by the receptor Mincle.

Cellular lipid uptake (through endocytosis) is a basic physiological process. Dysregulation of this process underlies the pathogenesis of diseases such as atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. However, to date, only some mechanisms of lipid endocytosis have been discovered.

LC-MS Analysis Revealed the Significantly Different Metabolic Profiles in Spent Culture Media of Human Embryos with Distinct Morphology, Karyotype and Implantation Outcomes.

In this study we evaluated possible differences in metabolomic profiles of spent embryo culture media (SECM) of human embryos with distinct morphology, karyotype, and implantation outcomes. A total of 153 samples from embryos of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs were collected and analyzed by HPLC-MS. Metabolomic profiling and statistical analysis revealed clear clustering of day five SECM from embryos with different morphological classes and karyotype.

The first observation of osmotically neutral sodium accumulation in the myocardial interstitium.

The aim of this study was the detection and quantification of the Na depositions in the extracellular matrix of myocardial tissue, which are suggested to be bound by negatively charged glycosaminoglycan (GAG) structures. The presented experimental results are based on high resolution X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectromicroscopy technique used to perform a comparative analysis of sodium containment in intracellular and interstitial spaces of cardiac tissues taken from animals selected by low and high sodium intake rates. The experimental results obtained show that high sodium daily intake can result in a remarkable increase of sodium content in the myocardial interstitium.

-Acyl Dopamines Induce Apoptosis in Endometrial Stromal Cells from Patients with Endometriosis.

Endometriosis is characterized by the formation and development of endometrial tissues outside the uterus, based on an imbalance between proliferation and cell death, leading to the uncontrolled growth of ectopic foci. The potential target for the regulation of these processes is the endocannabinoid system, which was found to be involved in the migration, proliferation, and survival of tumor cells. In this paper, we investigated the effect of endocannabinoid-like compounds from the -acyl dopamine (NADA) family on the viability of stromal cells from ectopic and eutopic endometrium of patients with ovarian endometriosis.

Design optimization for bright electrically-driven quantum dot single-photon sources emitting in telecom O-band.

A combination of advanced light engineering concepts enables a substantial improvement in photon extraction efficiency of micro-cavity-based single-photon sources in the telecom O-band at ∼1.3 µm. We employ a broadband bottom distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) and a top DBR formed in a dielectric micropillar with an additional circular Bragg grating in the lateral plane.

Methylation of the PTENP1 pseudogene as potential epigenetic marker of age-related changes in human endometrium.

The processed pseudogene PTENP1 is involved in the regulation of the expression of the PTEN and acts as a tumor suppressor in many types of malignances. In our previous study we showed that PTENP1 methylation is present not only in tumor, but also in normal endometrium tissues of women over 45 years old. Here we used methylation-specific PCR to analyze methylation status of CpG island located near promoter region of PTENP1 in malignant and non-malignant endometrium tissues collected from 236 women of different age groups.

SeqURE - a new copy-capture based method for sequencing of unknown Retroposition events.

Background: Retroelements (REs) occupy a significant part of all eukaryotic genomes including humans. The majority of retroelements in the human genome are inactive and unable to retrotranspose. Dozens of active copies are repressed in most normal tissues by various cellular mechanisms.

[Chromoblastomycosis].

The paper describes a case of chromoblastomycosis, a rare implantation mycosis in the Russian Federation. It gives data on the prevalence, etiology, and clinical presentations of the disease, and the diagnostic possibilities. Emphasis is laid on the leading role of a pathomorphological study in the diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis in non-endemic countries, including Russia.

Neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects of endocannabinoid-like compounds, N-arachidonoyl dopamine and N-docosahexaenoyl dopamine in differentiated cultures of induced pluripotent stem cells derived from patients with Parkinson's disease.

The prominent protective effects in diverse neuron injury paradigms exerted by cannabinoids and in particular their endogenously produced species render the endocannabinoid system a promising molecular target in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the effects of individual endocannabinoids in human cells remain poorly investigated. Neural derivatives of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) offer unique opportunities for studying the neuroprotective compounds and development of patient-specific treatment.

Archaeal cyclopentane fragment in a surfactant's hydrophobic tail decreases the Krafft point.

Archaea are prokaryotic microorganisms famous for their ability to adapt to extreme environments, including low and high temperatures. Archaeal lipids often are macrocycles with two polar heads and a hydrophobic core that contains methyl groups and in-line cycles. Here we present the design of novel general-purpose surfactants that have inherited features of archaeal lipids.

Fibroin-Gelatin Composite Stimulates the Regeneration of a Splinted Full-Thickness Skin Wound in Mice.

The effects of composite fibroin-gelatin microparticles (100-250 μ) on the rate of wound healing and regeneration under conditions of contraction prevention were studied on the model of splinted full-thickness skin wound in a mouse. Subcutaneous injection of these particles into the defect area accelerated wound healing and promoted re-epithelialization and recovery of normal structure of the epidermis. In addition, the composite microparticles promoted the formation of connective tissue of characteristic structure, replacing the derma over the entire defect, and stimulated regeneration of subcutaneous muscle (panniculus carnosus) and skin appendages (sebaceous glands and hair follicles).

Early-life N-arachidonoyl-dopamine exposure increases antioxidant capacity of the brain tissues and reduces functional deficits after neonatal hypoxia in rats.

Perinatal hypoxia-ischemia is one of the most common causes of perinatal brain injury and subsequent neurological disorders in children. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of N-arachidonoyl-dopamine (NADA) in the model of acute neonatal hypoxia (ANH) in rat pups. Male and female Wistar rats were exposed to a hypoxic condition (8% oxygen for 120 min) at postnatal day 2 (P2).

Selective Action of N-Arachidonoyl Dopamine on Viability and Proliferation of Stromal Cells from Eutopic and Ectopic Endometrium.

We performed a comparative study of the cytotoxic effect of endocannabinoid N-arachidonoyl dopamine (AA-DA) on cultured stromal cells of ectopic and eutopic endometrium. It was found that AA-DA in the concentration range of 1-20 μM produces more selective cytotoxic effect on the stromal cells of the ectopic endometrium due to interaction with cannabinoid type 1 receptor. In concentrations below 1 μM, AA-DA stimulated the proliferation of stromal cells of the eutopic endometrium and did not affect the division of ectopic endometrium cells.

Fluorescence of radiation-induced tissue damage.

Purpose: The aim of this study was evaluating changes in the photosensitizer fluorescence in vivo in the radiation-induced damage area in comparison of intact areas with a simultaneous assessment of changes both in blood parameters and in histological data.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted in white outbred SHK mice (n = 21). Their right hindlimbs were irradiated with a dose of 25 Gy after the intraperitoneal injections of photosensitizer 'Photosens'.

Neuroprotective Properties of Endocannabinoids N-Arachidonoyl Dopamine and N-Docosahexaenoyl Dopamine Examined in Neuronal Precursors Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Neuroprotective properties of endocannabinoids N-arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) and N-docosahexaenoyl dopamine (DHDA) were examined in neuronal precursor cells differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells and subjected to oxidative stress. Both compounds exerted neuroprotective activity, which was enhanced by elevating the concentration of the endocannabinoids within the 0.1-10 µM range.

[Metabolomic profiling in culture media of day-5 human embryos].

The aim of this study was to determine the changes of metabolomic profiles in embryonic culture media (ECM) for the evaluation of quality and implantation potential of human embryos. ECM (n=163) were collected on day 5 before transfer or cryopreservation. Some embryos were used in preimplantation genetic screening for detection of aneuploidy karyotypes.

Expression of Type I Cannabinoid Receptors at Different Stages of Neuronal Differentiation of Human Fibroblasts.

Differential expression of type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CR1) was evaluated at different stages of human skin fibroblast transformation into terminally differentiated neurons. Immunocytochemical staining detected no CR1 on fibroblasts, but their transformation into induced pluripotent stem cells was accompanied by marked stimulation of CR1 expression. In neuronal precursors, the receptors were located mainly on cell bodies and at the base of their processes.

Receptor Mincle promotes skin allergies and is capable of recognizing cholesterol sulfate.

Sterile (noninfected) inflammation underlies the pathogenesis of many widespread diseases, such as allergies and autoimmune diseases. The evolutionarily conserved innate immune system is considered to play a key role in tissue injury recognition and the subsequent development of sterile inflammation; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet completely understood. Here, we show that cholesterol sulfate, a molecule present in relatively high concentrations in the epithelial layer of barrier tissues, is selectively recognized by Mincle (Clec4e), a C-type lectin receptor of the innate immune system that is strongly up-regulated in response to skin damage.

Quantum dot semiconductor disk laser at 1.3 μm.

We present a semiconductor disk laser (SDL) emitting at the wavelength of 1.3 μm. The active region of the SDL comprises InAs quantum dots (QDs) that are embedded into InGaAs quantum wells (QWs).

Effect of N-arachidonoyl dopamine on activity of neuronal network in primary hippocampus culture upon hypoxia modelling.

We studied the effect of endocannabinoid N-arachidonoyl dopamine on spontaneous bioelectric activity of cultured hippocampal neurons in a model of hypoxia/reoxygenation. Incubation under hypoxic conditions induced irreversible decrease in spontaneous bioelectric activity of neurons and their death. Application of N-arachidonoyl dopamine during hypoxia and in the post-hypoxic period preserved bioelectric activity and viability of neurons.