Synovial tissue macrophages: friend or foe?

Healthy synovial tissue includes a lining layer of synovial fibroblasts and macrophages. The influx of leucocytes during active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) includes monocytes that differentiate locally into proinflammatory macrophages, and these produce pathogenic tumour necrosis factor. During sustained remission, the synovial tissue macrophage numbers recede to normal. The constitutive presence of tissue macrophages in the lining layer of the synovial membrane in healthy donors and in patients with RA during remission suggests that this macrophage population may have a role in maintaining and reinstating synovial tissue homeostasis respectively. Recent appreciation of the different origins and functions of tissue-resident compared with monocyte-derived macrophages has improved the understanding of their relative involvement in organ homeostasis in mouse models of disease. In this review, informed by mouse models and human data, we describe the presence of different functional subpopulations of human synovial tissue macrophages and discuss their distinct contribution to joint homeostasis and chronic inflammation in RA

Sustainable planning of cross-border cooperation: a strategy for alliances in border cities

In recent years, cooperation among nations has become a critical issue towards sustainable development of neighbor cities in border areas. In this regard, sustainable common planning approaches and policies are an increasing reality, particularly in European territories. Considering the significant amount of cross-border cooperation (CBC) projects and strategies within Europe, it is crucial to promote research approaches that are able to identify the most positive approaches towards the establishment of alliances in border territories, serving as pivotal methodologies for achieving success. Contextually, the present study considered direct and indirect research methods and tools, literature reviews, data collection, computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) and computer-assisted web interview (CAWI), all applied over two European border cities: Cieszyn (Poland) and Cesky Tesin (Czech Republic). These methods enabled the assembly of perspectives of local authorities, public and private institutions, non-governmental organizations, and entrepreneurs from the cities under study. Through the analysis of the collected data, five conditions have been identified for the success of strategic alliances in CBC projects: (i) well defining the alliance goals; (ii) ensuring participation in the alliance of various groups of stakeholders; (iii) involvement of both partners with extensive experience in CBC; (iv) ensuring the coherence of the key objective; and (v) guaranteeing the alliance benefits both sides. These conditions might effectively contribute to achieve more successful outputs in CBC projects, highlighting the relevance of previously developed strategies on the definition of future approaches.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Recent Advances in Molecular Toxicology of Cadmium and Nickel

Cadmium (Cd) and nickel (Ni) are two toxic elements which are widespread in the human environment, but less recognized as hazardous by the general public. Herein, we describe molecular mechanisms of their toxicity towards humans, in the context of general chemical and toxicological properties of these metals. Following the introductory remarks, the routes of exposure are outlined. The next chapter covers the health hazards posed by cadmium and nickel with the main stress placed on diseases like cadmium induced nephropathy, reproductive disorders due to cadmium exposure, cadmium related COPD and cadmium carcinogenesis. In respect to nickel, acute toxicity, nickel allergy and nickel carcinogenicity were described. This overall description provides the basis for a detailed account of molecular mechanisms of cadmium and nickel toxicity. They include the involvement of metallothioneins and their role in the transport of Cd(II) ions, and the role of oxidative damage and DNA repair inhibition in cadmium carcinogenesis. The final issue covered in respect to molecular mechanisms of cadmium toxicity is its influence on cellular junctions. Molecular mechanisms of nickel toxicity are divided into subjects of nickel allergy and several mechanisms related to its carcinogenicity. The discussion is completed by the presentation of nickel and cadmium interactions with zinc fingers as a possible common ground of their molecular toxicity

Freedom of self-discreditation. On Witkacy’s letters to his wife

„If these letters are to be found by someone after my death, I will be brought into disrepute (…)” – wrote Witkacy to Jadwiga and he reminded his wife of destroying all the letters she receives from him. The question what and why could put the artist in disgrace seems fundamental and not so simple as one could assume. In order to find answer to this question I analyze letters in reference to Witkacy’s theory of Pure Form. According to Marshall Berman, the elements of antimodernity in modernism, i.e. an art which strived for originality and innovation, were of utmost importance because due to them the artist keeps his identity. Witkacy, an artist from the provinces, who wished to become an artist fitting modern West European art, and who tailored his theory of Pure Form to that, did not express his anti-modernist resistance directly. His resistance is visible in creating low, carnal, trivial and autobiographic forms – brought into disrepute from the point of view of modernist art and Witkacy’s own theory. Thus in his letters to his wife, Witkacy found a peculiar area of freedom – freedom of self-discreditation. Although he constantly blamed Jadwiga for lack of interest in philosophy, he was glad to communicate with her via the low art and low carnality

MicroRNA-155—at the critical interface of innate and adaptive immunity in arthritis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that fine-tune the cell response to a changing environment by modulating the cell transcriptome. MiR-155 is a multifunctional miRNA enriched in cells of the immune system and is indispensable for the immune response. However, when deregulated, miR-155 contributes to the development of chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer and fibrosis. Herein, we review the evidence for the pathogenic role of miR-155 in driving aberrant activation of the immune system in Rheumatoid Arthritis, and its potential as a disease biomarker and therapeutic target

Ternary Complex Formation and Competition Quench Fluorescence of ZnAF Family Zinc Sensors

Our current understanding of the intracellular thermodynamics and kinetics of Zn(II) ions is largely based on the application of fluorescent sensor molecules, used to study and visualize the concentration, distribution and transport of Zn(II) ions in real time. Such agents are designed for high selectivity for zinc in respect to other biological metal ions. However, the issue of their sensitivity to physiological levels of 10 low molecular weight Zn(II) ligands (LMWLs) has not been addressed. We followed the effects of eight such compounds on the fluorescence of ZnAF-1 and ZnAF-2F, two representatives of ZnAF family of fluorescein-based zinc sensors containing the N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine chelating unit. Fluorescence titrations of equimolar Zn(II)/ZnAF-1 and Zn(II)/ZnAF-2F solutions with acetate, phosphate, citrate, glycine, glutamic acid, histidine, ATP and GSH demonstrated strong fluorescence 15 quenching. These results are interpreted in terms of an interplay of the formation of the [ZnAF-Zn(II)- LMWL] ternary complexes and the competition for Zn(II) between ZnAF and LMWLs. UV-vis spectroscopic titrations revealed the existence of supramolecular interactions between the fluorescein moiety of ZnAF-1 and ATP and His, which, however, did not contribute to fluorescence quenching. Therefore, the obtained results show that the ZnAF sensors, other currently used zinc sensors containing 20 the N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine unit, and, in general, all sensors that do not saturate the Zn(II) coordination sphere, may co-report cellular metabolites and Zn(II) ions, leading to misrepresentations of the concentrations and fluxes of biological zinc

Bilingualism; Creation and Migration; Homes and Nostalgia: Art and Life with Joanna Kurowska: A Polish-American perspective.

Joanna Kurowska is the author of seven critically acclaimed volumes of poetry, Stained Glass (coming March 2016); Intricacies (coming November 2015); The Butterfly's Choice (Broadstone Books, 2015); Inclusions (Cervena Barva Press, 2014); The Wall & Beyond (eLectio Publishing, 2013); Obok : Near (Oficyna Literacka, 1999, Poland); and Ściana : The Wall (Wydawnictwo Dolnośląskie, 1997, Poland). Her poems, flash fiction, and scholarly work have been published widely in American and international journals, such as Atticus Review, Bateau, Christianity and Literature, The Conradian (UK), Episteme (India); International Poetry Review, Journal of Religion and the Arts, Kultura (Paris), Levure littéraire, Room Magazine, Slavic & East European Journal, Southern Quarterly, and elsewhere. Kurowska has taught at American Universities, including Indiana University, Bloomington, and the University of Chicago. She is the recipient of scholarly and literary awards, including Bruce Harkness Young Conrad Scholar Award, Kościuszko Foundation Stipend, Pushcart nominations; Jerzy Popiełuszko National Poetry Contest Award; and others. Joanna Kurowska currently works as an independent scholar and writer. Website: http://joanna-kurowska.co

Making Work Pay: Increasing Labour Supply of Secondary Earners in Low Income Families with Children

In-work support through the tax-benefit system has proved to be an effective way of increasing labour supply of lone mothers and first earners in couples in a number of OECD countries. At the same time these instruments usually create negative employment incentives for secondary earners. This in turn reduces the potential of in-work support to address the joint objectives of higher employment and lower poverty levels. In this paper we present a simulation exercise to examine labour supply implications of a diverse set of possible reforms to the main elements of tax and benefit support of families with children. We set the analysis in the context of the Polish tax and benefit system and show how an adequate combination of increased generosity of support with the introduction of a "double earner" premium may result in increased labour supply of first and second earners in couples. The simulated reactions are concentrated in the lower half of the income distribution thus increasing the potential of in-work support to alleviate poverty