Para-inflammation-mediated retinal recruitment of bone marrow-derived myeloid cells following whole-body irradiation is CCL2 dependent

Previous studies have shown that following whole-body irradiation bone marrow (BM)-derived cells can migrate into the central nervous system, including the retina, to give rise to microglia-like cells. The detailed mechanism, however, remains elusive. We show in this study that a single-dose whole-body ?-ray irradiation (8 Gy) induced subclinical damage (i.e., DNA damage) in the neuronal retina, which is accompanied by a low-grade chronic inflammation, para-inflammation, characterized by upregulated expression of chemokines (CCL2, CXCL12, and CX3CL1) and complement components (C4 and CFH), and microglial activation. The upregulation of chemokines CCL2 and CXCL12 and complement C4 lasted for more than 160 days, whereas the expression of CX3CL1 and CFH was upregulated for 2 weeks. Both resident microglia and BM-derived phagocytes displayed mild activation in the neuronal retina following irradiation. When BM cells from CX3CR1gfp/+ mice or CX3CR1gfp/gfp mice were transplanted to wild-type C57BL/6 mice, more than 90% of resident CD11b+ cells were replaced by donor-derived GFP+ cells after 6 months. However, when transplanting CX3CR1gfp/+ BM cells into CCL2-deficient mice, only 20% of retinal CD11b+ cells were replaced by donor-derived cells at 6 month. Our results suggest that the neuronal retina suffers from a chronic stress following whole-body irradiation, and a para-inflammatory response is initiated, presumably to rectify the insults and maintain homeostasis. The recruitment of BM-derived myeloid cells is a part of the para-inflammatory response and is CCL2 but not CX3CL1 dependent. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Coxiella buvnetii infection of an aortic graft with multiple vertebral body erosion

Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii and often has an insidious clinical presentation. We describe a rare case of Q fever infection of an aortic graft presenting with pyrexia and constant severe midlumbar pain due to erosion of multiple vertebral bodies. After successful treatment with graft resection and extra-anatomic vascular reconstruction, the patient continues on lifelong antibiotic therapy. We also present regional Q fever epidemiologic data together with a review of all previously documented cases of Q fever infections of vascular prostheses.

Modification of biomaterial surface characteristics by body fluids in vitro

In practice, polyvinyl chloride endotracheal tubes and polyurethane urinary catheters are located in areas where they are exposed to the conditioning fluids saliva and urine, respectively. Samples of both biomaterials were incubated in these conditioning fluids and, following treatment, dynamic contact angle measurement and surface roughness assessment by atomic force microscopy were used to analyse surface characteristics. Over a 24 h period of contact with the conditioning fluids, the surface of both materials became significantly more hydrophilic (p

Changing one's mind: the final frontier?

Considerable interest is being shown these days in evidence-based approaches to social work. In both health and social care there is increased emphasis on the quality of original research and reviews of research, and on the organized dissemination of findings. However, a number of formidable obstacles stand in the way of the achievement of such aims in our field. Some are organizational ; some are to do with the way in which the social work training is organised and managed, and some are psychological. Each of these sets of factors is reviewed in this article .