The first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic-impact on otorhinolaryngology

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader The first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic-impact on otorhinolaryngology Via hno HNO. 2021 Feb 23. doi: 10.1007/s00106-021-01015-2. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The first year of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has already affected our public health care system to an enormous extent and will continue to do so in the future. Otorhinolaryngologists (ORLs) are suspected to be at high risk of infection, due to the high viral load in the mucosa of the upper airways. The current review evaluates the impa ct of the pandemic on ORLs' activities and assesses the risk infection. METHODS: A selective literature research was conducted using relevant English and German terms for ORL, SARS-CoV‑2, risk, and infection at PubMed, medRxiv, and bioRxiv, as well as in the Deutsches Ärzteblatt and on the websites of the Robert Koch Institute and the Johns Hopkins University. RESULTS: Protection recommendations for ORL include general hygiene measures and wearing KN95 masks for routine professional activities. When in contact with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, it is recommended to extend the personal protective equipment by eye protection, gloves, cap, and gown. International otorhinolaryngology societies have released guidelines for procedures (e.g., tracheostomy, sinus surgery), propagating personal protection for the surgical team and reduction of aerosols. Testing for SARS-CoV‑2 in patients and medical staff can contribute to reducing the risk of infection. Vacc ination would provide some additional protection for ORLs and other health care professionals with increased exposure to aerosols. There is increasing evidence that ORLs are at a high risk of contracting SARS-CoV‑2. CONCLUSION: Consequent personal protection, frequent testing of patients and health care professionals, and the promised SARS-CoV‑2 vaccinations may provide adequate protection for highly exposed persons. PMID:33620505 | DOI:10.1007/s00106-021-01015-2 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Telocytes in the atherosclerotic carotid artery: Immunofluorescence and TEM evidence

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Telocytes in the atherosclerotic carotid artery: Immunofluorescence and TEM evidence Via histochem Acta Histochem. 2021 Feb;123(2):151681. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151681. Epub 2021 Jan 22. ABSTRACT Telocytes, which possess distinct body shapes and long telopodes, are allocated in the vascular wall. As a fundamental cell type, telocytes construct a three-dimensional network to form a support structure for the artery. This study aims to characterize the morphology and ultrastructure of telocytes in atherosclerotic arteries. ApoE gene-deficient mice were selected as the a therosclerosis animal model and fed a high-fat diet for at least 12 weeks, and immunofluorescence assays and transmission electron microscopy techniques were used to observe changes in telocytes in atherosclerotic arteries. By immunofluorescence staining, CD34, CD117 and PDGFR-α were positive compared with negative CD28/vimentin in telocytes in the atherosclerotic carotid artery, and they were distributed in the tunica intima and tunica adventitia. Under transmission electron microscopy, the bodies of telocytes became larger, while telopodes became shorter compared with their normal condition, and a mass of lipidosomes was present during the progression of atherosclerosis. These results demonstrate that immunofluorescence with TEM is the critical method for identifying TCs and that steatosis of TCs is a reason for atherosclerotic artery dysfunction. PMID:33493960 | DOI:10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151681 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Androgen and estrogen receptors immunolocalization in the sand rat (Psammomys Obesus) cauda epididymis

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Androgen and estrogen receptors immunolocalization in the sand rat (Psammomys Obesus) cauda epididymis Via histochem Acta Histochem. 2021 Feb;123(2):151683. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151683. Epub 2021 Jan 25. ABSTRACT Both androgens and estrogens play key, albeit incompletely described, roles in the functioning of the epididymis. Because this tightly-coiled tubular structure is compartmented, precise mapping of the distribution of sex steroid's receptors is important. Such receptors have been located in the first segments (caput, corpus), but the last part (cauda) remains poorly explored. We used immunochemistry to localize androgen (AR) and estrogen (ESR1 and ESR2) receptors in the cauda in the fat sand rat (Psammomys obesus). We compared results obtained during the breeding versus resting seasons. We also used individuals castrated, or castrated then treated with testosterone, or subjected to the ligation of their efferent ducts. During the breeding season, in principal cells, we found strong staining both for AR and ESR1 in the apical cytoplasm, and strong staining for ESR2 in the nucleus. During the resting season, principal cells were positive for AR and ESR1, but negative for ESR2. In castrated animals, staining was null for ESR2 and AR, and weak for ESR1. In castrated then treated animals, immuno-expression was restored but only for AR and ESR1. Following efferent duct ligation, AR reactivity decreased while ESR1 and ESR2 provided strong staining. Broadly similar, but not fully identical patterns were observed in basal cells. They were positive for ESR2 and A R during the breeding season, but not for ESR1. During the resting season, staining was modest for ESR1 and AR and negative for ESR2. In all experimentally treated animals, we observed weak staining for AR and ESR1, and a lack of signal for ESR2. Overall, this study provides strong evidence that androgens and estrogens are involved in the seasonal regulation of the whole epididymis in the fat sand rat, with marked differences between caput and cauda (the corpus is highly reduced in rodent). PMID:33508524 | DOI:10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151683 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

The vomeronasal organ of the Korean black goat, Capra hircus coreanae

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Histological and lectin histochemical studies in the vomeronasal organ of the Korean black goat, Capra hircus coreanae Via histochem Acta Histochem. 2021 Feb;123(2):151684. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151684. Epub 2021 Jan 28. ABSTRACT We examined the localization of olfactory marker protein (OMP), protein gene product9.5 (PGP9.5), and glycan diversity in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) of the Korean black goat (Capra hircus coreanae) during the prenatal and postnatal periods using immunohistochemistry and lectin histochemistry. In fetal and 1-day-old goats, OMP was occasionally identified in receptor cells of the VNO sensory epithelium, and PGP9.5 was localized in both the sensory and non-sensory epithelia. In VNO from adult goats, OMP was abundant in the sensory epithelium and scarce in single cells of the non-sensory epithelium. These results suggest that OMP production is initiated in the VNO sensory epithelium (VNE) during the fetal stage, and that its activity is increased in adult VNO receptor cells and solitary cells in the non-sensory epithelium (VNSE). Furthermore, the free borders of the sensory epithelia were positive for 7 lectins, and 6 lectins were moderately and/or highly abundant in receptor cells. Supporting and basal cells, and nerve bundles had similar expression patterns. In VNE, 7 lectins were observed in the free border, and 6 in ciliated, goblet, and basal cells, and in gland acini. The intensities of WGA, LCA, and PNA were high in VSE receptor cells, and the intensity of PNA was high in ciliated cells of the VNSE. The other 3 lectins showed similar patterns throu ghout development. Collectively, these results confirm that the Korean black goat VNO starts developing during the late fetal stages and differentiates further after birth. PMID:33517140 | DOI:10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151684 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

IGF-1 as selected growth factor multi-response to antidepressant-like substances activity in C57BL/6J mouse testis model

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader IGF-1 as selected growth factor multi-response to antidepressant-like substances activity in C57BL/6J mouse testis model Via histochem Acta Histochem. 2021 Feb 5;123(3):151685. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151685. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) affects almost all cells in the body. Extremely important functions of this growth factor have been demonstrated in the brain and the reproductive system of both, females and males. Also, it is considered as a pro-inflammatory cytokine adjusting tissue homeostasis. However, it seems to play a special role in the male reproductive sys tem and it may be disturbed by the application of antidepressants with different mechanisms of drug action during therapy. To date, the effect of antidepressant-like substances (ALS) on the course of physiological processes in male testicular cells is poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of the research was to determine the presence, localizationof IGF-1R (insulin-like growth factor 1 β receptor) and mRNA gene expression of IGF-1R and IGF-1 after administration of 3-[(2-methyl-1,3-tiazol-4-yl)ethynyl]-pyridine (MTEP) and N-[2-(Cyclohexyloxy)-4-nitrophenyl]-methanesulfonamide (NS-398) in the different scheme in the testis of mice. Imipramine was used as a reference drug having a documented interaction with the mGluR5 receptors. The immunohistochemical analyses showed the localization of IGF-1R in Sertoli, Leydig, and germinal cells after all used substances. Differences in receptor localization were observed depending on the drugs applied and the type of analyzed cells. In cont rast, there was a significant increase in IGF-1 gene expression after IMI + NS-398 and in IGF-1R after MTEP + NS-398 and IMI + NS-398 administration. It can, therefore, be assumed that the use of a combination of NS-398 with some ALS may run different mechanisms of action and affect the regulation of reproductive function in mouse testis through maintaining homeostasis at the molecular and immunological levels related to IGF. PMID:33556704 | DOI:10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151685 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Does fresh or frozen embryo transfer affect imprinted gene expressions in human term placenta?

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Does fresh or frozen embryo transfer affect imprinted gene expressions in human term placenta? Via histochem Acta Histochem. 2021 Feb 8;123(3):151694. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151694. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Our research aimed to compare the epigenetic alterations between placentae of in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients and spontaneous pregnancies. Additionally, the expression levels of proliferation markers (PCNA, Ki67) and glucose transporter proteins (GLUT1, GLUT3) were assessed in control and IVF placentae to examine the possible consequences of epigenetic alteratio ns on placental development. Control group placentae were obtained from spontaneous pregnancies of healthy women (n = 16). IVF placentae were obtained from fresh (n = 16) and frozen (n = 16) embryo transfer pregnancies. A group of maternal and paternal imprint genes H19, IGF2, IGF2, IGF2R, PHLDA2, PLAGL1, MASH2, GRB10, PEG1, PEG3, and PEG10 were detected by Real-Time PCR. Additionally, PCNA, Ki67, GLUT1, and GLUT3 protein levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot. In the fresh embryo transfer placenta group (fETP), gene expression of paternal PEG1 and PEG10 was upregulated compared with the control group. Increased gene expression in paternal PEG1 and maternal IGFR2 genes was detected in the frozen embryo transfer placenta group (FET) compared with the control group. Conversely, expression levels of H19 and IGF2 genes were downregulated in the FET group. On the other hand, GLUT3 and PCNA expression was increased in FET group placentae. IVF techniques affect place ntal imprinted gene expressions which are important for proper placental development. Imprinted genes are differently expressed in fresh ET placentae and frozen ET placentae. In conclusion, these data indicate that altered imprinted gene expression may affect glucose transport and cell proliferation, therefore play an important role in placental development. PMID:33571695 | DOI:10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151694 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Effects of sodium valproate on the chromatin of Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) under in vitro culture conditions

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Effects of sodium valproate on the chromatin of Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) under in vitro culture conditions Via histochem Acta Histochem. 2021 Feb 8;123(3):151695. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151695. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Sodium valproate (VPA) is a classic anticonvulsive, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and a chromatin remodeling inducer. When injected into specimens of Triatoma infestans, a vector of Chagas disease, VPA affects the chromatin supraorganization of chromocenter heterochromatin in only a few cells of the Malpighian tubules. To test whether this result was explained by t he inaccessibility of all of the organ's cells to the drug, we investigated the nuclear phenotypes and global acetylation of lysine 9 in histone H3 (H3K9ac) in Malpighian tubules cultivated in vitro for 1-24 h in the presence of 0.05 mM-1 mM VPA. The present results revealed that the chromatin decondensation event in the chromocenter body, which was detected only under low VPA concentrations up to a 4-h treatment, was not frequent during organ culture, similar to the results for injected insects. Cultivation of T. infestans Malpighian tubules in vitro for 24 h revealed inadequate for cell preservation even in the absence of the drug. Immunofluorescence signals for H3K9ac following VPA treatment showed a slightly increased intensity in the euchromatin, but were never detected in the chromocenter bodies, except with great intensity at their periphery, where the 18S rDNA is located. In conclusion, when VPA affects the chromocenter heterochromatin in this animal cell model, it occurs th rough a pathway that excludes a classic global H3K9ac mark. Investigation of nonhistone proteins associated with histone methylation marks is still required to further explain the differential response of T. infestans chromatin to VPA. PMID:33571696 | DOI:10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151695 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.