Regulation of TLR2, TLR4 and CD14 mRNA in gingival fibroblasts.

Gingival fibroblasts constitutively express pattern recognition molecules including the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and produce various cytokines following interaction with bacterial ligands including LPS. Hence gingival fibroblasts are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory periodontal disease.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation of expression of TLRs and CD-14 mRNA by gingival fibroblasts, and subsequently the responsiveness of these cells to bacterial stimulation Methods: Gingival fibroblasts were stimulated with IL-1ß (10ng/ml), IFN-g (1000IU/ml), P. gingivalis LPS (1µg/ml), E. coli LPS (1µg/ml) or P. gingivalis sonicate (10µg/ml) for 6 and 24 hr. TLR2, TLR4 and CD14 mRNA expression was subsequently determined by Q-PCR utilising Taqman chemistry. The effects of each factor on mRNA expression was analysed by ANOVA. Cells were pre-incubated with IFN-g (1000IU/ml) for 48hr followed by stimulation with E. coli LPS over the concentration range 0 - 10.0 µg/ml for a further 48 hr. IL-8 production by fibroblasts was subsequently determined by ELISA. Results: After 24 hr IFN-g induced a statistically significant increase in TLR2, TLR4 and CD14 mRNA expression. In contrast, IL-1ß, P. gingivalis LPS, E. coli LPS and P. gingivalis sonicate had no significant effect on mRNA expression at either timepoint. Following pre-stimulation with IFN-g, E. coli LPS increased IL-8 production by gingival fibroblasts in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion: IFN-g stimulates mRNA expression levels of TLR2, TLR4 and CD14 in gingival fibroblasts, which may subsequently lead to an increased responsiveness of fibroblasts to bacterial stimulation.

On the Source of Propagating Slow Magnetoacoustic Waves in Sunspots

Recent high-resolution observations of sunspot oscillations using simultaneously operated ground- and space-based telescopes reveal the intrinsic connection between different layers of the solar atmosphere. However, it is not clear whether these oscillations are externally driven or generated in situ. We address this question by using observations of propagating slow magnetoacoustic waves along a coronal fan loop system. In addition to the generally observed decreases in oscillation amplitudes with distance, the observed wave amplitudes are also found to be modulated with time, with similar variations observed throughout the propagation path of the wave train. Employing multi-wavelength and multi-instrument data, we study the amplitude variations with time as the waves propagate through different layers of the solar atmosphere. By comparing the amplitude modulation period in different layers, we find that slow magnetoacoustic waves observed in sunspots are externally driven by photospheric p-modes, which propagate upward into the corona before becoming dissipated.

Mismatches and matches in address information from the Census and the BSO: A longitudinal perspective 2001-2011

Accurate address information from health service providers is fundamental for the effective delivery of health care and population monitoring and screening. While it is currently used in the production of key statistics such as internal migration estimates, it will become even more important over time with the 2021 Census of UK constituent countries integrating administrative data to enhance the quality of statistical outputs. Therefore, it is beneficial to improve understanding of the accuracy of address information held by health service providers and factors that influence this. This paper builds upon previous research on the social geography of address mismatch between census and health service records in Northern Ireland. It is based on the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study; this is a large data linkage study including about 28 per cent of the Northern Ireland population, which is matched between the census (2001, 2011) and Health Card Registration System maintained by the Health and Social Care Business Service Organisation (BSO). This research compares address information from the Spring 2011 BSO download (Unique Property Reference Number, Super Output Area) with comparable geographic information from the 2011 Census. Multivariate and multilevel analyses are used to assess the individual and ecological determinants of match/mismatch between geographical information in both data sources to determine if the characteristics of the associated people and places are the same as the position observed in 2001. It is important to understand if the same people are being inaccurately geographically referenced in both Census years or if the situation is more variable.