The impact of soluble HLA-G in IVF/ICSI embryo culture medium on implantation success.

The HLA-G molecule is widely accepted as an important factor for pregnancy success. Its expression has been detected in the extravillous trophoblasts. Soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) was found in the genital tract, pre-implanted embryos as well as in seminal fluid.

ERAP/HLA-C and KIR Genetic Profile in Couples with Recurrent Implantation Failure.

Proper embryo implantation depends on the tolerance of the maternal immune system to the fetus and its foreign paternal antigens. During implantation and early pregnancy, the dominant leukocytes in the uterus are uterine NK cells, expressing killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). KIRs recognize human leukocyte antigens (HLA-C) on the human trophoblast inherited from the father and mother.

The Association of Gene Polymorphism and Its Soluble Form With Male Infertility.

Successful reproduction depends on many factors. Male factors contribute to infertility in approximately 50% of couples who fail to conceive. Seminal plasma consists of secretions from different accessory glands containing a mixture of various cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors, which together can induce a local immune response that might impact on a male's as well as a female's fertility.

ERAP, KIR, and HLA-C Profile in Recurrent Implantation Failure.

The mother's uterine immune system is dominated by uterine natural killer (NK) cells during the first trimester of pregnancy. These cells express killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) of inhibitory or activating function. Invading extravillous trophoblast cells express HLA-C molecules, and both maternal and paternal HLA-C allotypes are presented to KIRs.

Nitrogen Source Dependent Changes in Central Sugar Metabolism Maintain Cell Wall Assembly in Mitochondrial Complex I-Defective and Secondarily Affect Programmed Cell Death.

For optimal plant growth, carbon and nitrogen availability needs to be tightly coordinated. Mitochondrial perturbations related to a defect in complex I in the () mutant, carrying a point mutation in the 8-kD Fe-S subunit of NDUFS4 protein, alter aspects of fundamental carbon metabolism, which is manifested as stunted growth. During nitrate nutrition, plants showed a dominant sugar flux toward nitrogen assimilation and energy production, whereas cellulose integration in the cell wall was restricted.

Suppression of External NADPH Dehydrogenase-NDB1 in Confers Improved Tolerance to Ammonium Toxicity via Efficient Glutathione/Redox Metabolism.

Environmental stresses, including ammonium (NH₄⁺) nourishment, can damage key mitochondrial components through the production of surplus reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. However, alternative electron pathways are significant for efficient reductant dissipation in mitochondria during ammonium nutrition. The aim of this study was to define the role of external NADPH-dehydrogenase (NDB1) during oxidative metabolism of NH₄⁺-fed plants.

A randomized comparison of modified subcutaneous "Z"-stitch versus manual compression to achieve hemostasis after large caliber femoral venous sheath removal.

Objectives: To compare subcutaneous "Z"-stitch versus manual compression in attaining hemostasis after large bore femoral venous access, and to assess its impact on venous patency.

Background: Structural interventions increasingly require large caliber venous access, for which convenient, safe, and effective method of postprocedural hemostasis is needed. "Z"-stitch has been introduced for this purpose in some centers but systematic data on its performance is limited.

Self-assembling corroles.

trans-A2B-corroles bearing -OCH2CONHR groups at the ortho position of the meso-phenyl substituent undergo self-organization both in the solid state as well as in solution. The lack of additional donor atoms induces sheet formation, but if the pyridine unit is present in the structure, more complex helical forms are formed.

Anti-CMV-IgG positivity of donors is beneficial for alloHSCT recipients with respect to the better short-term immunological recovery and high level of CD4+CD25high lymphocytes.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from anti-cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G (anti-CMV-IgG) positive donors facilitated immunological recovery post-transplant, which may indicate that chronic CMV infection has an effect on the immune system. This can be seen in the recipients after reconstitution with donor lymphocytes. We evaluated the composition of lymphocytes at hematologic recovery in 99 patients with hematologic malignancies post hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Synthesis of zinc chlorophyll materials for dye-sensitized solar cell applications.

To design sensitizers for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), a series of zinc chlorins with different substituents were synthesized. Novel zinc methyl 3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethyl-20-phenylacetylenylpyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-1), zinc methyl 20-bromo-3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethylpyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-2), zinc methyl 3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethyl-pyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-3), zinc propyl 3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethyl-pyropheophorbide-a (ZnChl-4) were synthesized and their photovoltaic performances were evaluated in dye-sensitized solar cells. Photoelectrodes with a 7 μm thick nanoporous layer and a 5 μm thick light-scattering layer were used to fabricate dye sensitized solar cells.

A nanoscale bio-inspired light-harvesting system developed from self-assembled alkyl-functionalized metallochlorin nano-aggregates.

Self-assembled supramolecular organization of nano-structured biomimetic light-harvesting modules inside solid-state nano-templates can be exploited to develop excellent light-harvesting materials for artificial photosynthetic devices. We present here a hybrid light-harvesting system mimicking the chlorosomal structures of the natural photosynthetic system using synthetic zinc chlorin units (ZnChl-C6, ZnChl-C12 and ZnChl-C18) that are self-aggregated inside the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nano-channel membranes. AAO nano-templates were modified with a TiO2 matrix and functionalized with long hydrophobic chains to facilitate the formation of supramolecular Zn-chlorin aggregates.

LMNA mutations in Polish patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: prevalence, clinical characteristics, and in vitro studies.

Background: LMNA mutations are most frequently involved in the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy with conduction disease. The goal of this study was to identify LMNA mutations, estimate their frequency among Polish dilated cardiomyopathy patients and characterize their effect both in vivo and in vitro.

Methods: Between January, 2008 and June, 2012 two patient populations were screened for the presence of LMNA mutations by direct sequencing: 66 dilated cardiomyopathy patients including 27 heart transplant recipients and 39 dilated cardiomyopathy patients with heart failure referred for heart transplantation evaluation, and 44 consecutive dilated cardiomyopathy patients, referred for a family evaluation and mutation screening.

CMV Serostatus of Donor-Recipient Pairs Influences the Risk of CMV Infection/Reactivation in HSCT Patients.

CMV donor/recipient serostatus was analyzed in 200 patients allografted in our institution from unrelated (122 patients) donors and 78 sibling donors in the years 2002-2011 in relation to posttransplant complications. On a group basis independently of the CMV serostatus of donor-recipient pairs sibling transplantations and those from unrelated donors that matched 10/10 at allele level had a similar rate of CMV reactivation (17/78 versus 19/71, P = ns). The rate of CMV reactivation/infection was higher in patients grafted from donors accepted at the lower level of matching than 10/10 (18/38 versus 36/149, P = 0.

Reactivations of cytomegalovirus, human herpes virus 6, and Epstein-Barr virus differ with respect to risk factors and clinical outcome after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

One hundred two recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs) 45, from siblings and 57 from matched unrelated donors, were followed for cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpes virus (HHV) 6, and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) reactivation by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in the context of immunologic reconstitution and posttransplantation complications. CMV, EBV, and HHV6 DNA copies (>100 copies/10(5) cells) were detected in 34%, 27%, and 26% of patients, respectively. The presence of 100 copies of EBV or CMV was associated with posttransplant complications: 29/66 versus 6/36 (P<.

An unusual oesophageal foreign body in neonate - case report.

Background: Foreign bodies in the esophagus in children are usually swallowed accidentally during play. An oesophageal foreign body in neonate is rare and thus the diagnostic work-up may be difficult.

Case Report: We present a case of an 8-day-old baby with symptoms of oesophageal obstruction.

NMR structure of biosynthetic engineered human insulin monomer B31(Lys)-B32(Arg) in water/acetonitrile solution. Comparison with the solution structure of native human insulin monomer.

A solution NMR-derived structure of a new long -acting, B31(Lys)-B32(Arg) (LysArg), engineered human insulin monomer, in H(2)O/CD(3)CN, 65/35 vol %, pH 3.6, is presented and compared with the available X-ray structure of a monomer that forms part of a hexamer (Smith, et al., Acta Crystallogr D 2003, 59, 474) and with NMR structure of human insulin in the same solvent (Bocian, et al.

Direct insight into insulin aggregation by 2D NMR complemented by PFGSE NMR.

The aggregation of Zn(II)-bound and zinc-free human insulin was studied in solution using the H(beta)-CH(3) crosspeaks of threonine residues in 2D COSY, TOCSY, and NOESY NMR spectra which allow viewing of the oligomers in equilibrium. This is complemented by PFGSE measurements of the translational diffusion coefficient, D(i), used for monitoring the changes in equilibrium composition of aggregates on dilution of both insulins in physiological medium. The back calculation of the dilution isotherm allows establishing the association constants for oligomeric equilibria in solution and discussion of the models of association.

Structure of human insulin monomer in water/acetonitrile solution.

Here we present evidence that in water/acetonitrile solvent detailed structural and dynamic information can be obtained for important proteins that are naturally present as oligomers under native conditions. An NMR-derived human insulin monomer structure in H2O/CD3CN, 65/35 vol%, pH 3.6 is presented and compared with the available X-ray structure of a monomer that forms part of a hexamer (Acta Crystallogr.

Latrogenic complications due to the nasogastric and rectal cannula in neonates.

Background: An abnormal position of nasogastric and rectal tubes can be the cause of iatrogenic injuries Most often it can happen in neonates and premature infants.

Material/methods: From 1982 through 2003, we observed 9 neonates (8 premature infants) with perforation of the alimentary tract.

Results: In most of these patients the only radiological sign was displacement of the nasogastric tube.

Anomalies of the coronary arteries in children.

Background: Anomalies of the coronary arteries in children occur very rarely. Congenital coronary anomalies may be isolated, or they may accompany other congenital heart defects, such as Fallot's Syndrome, transposition of the great arteries, or pulmonary atresia. The most common cause of acquired abnormalities of the coronary vessels in children is Kawasaki Disease.