TNF-α gene polymorphisms: association with age-related macular degeneration in Russian population

AIM: To study polymorphisms in promotor regions of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α TNF-863 A/C(rs1800630), TNF-308 A/G(rs1800629), and TNF-238 A/G(rs361525) in patients with age-related macular degeneration(AMD) and associations of complex TNF-α genotypes with AMD. METHODS: One hundred and two patients(82 women, 20 men; mean age 64.2±1.2 y) with AMD and 100 healthy age-and sex-matched controls(82 women, 18 men; 60±1.4 y) were included in the study. All subjects were Caucasian, all subjects and their parents were inhabitants of Russia. Genomic DNA was obtained from EDTA-preserved blood using the standard phenol-chloroform method. Polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction followed by the restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The following TNF-α genotypes were studied: TNF-α-238 AA, GA, GG, TNF-α-308 AA, GA, GG, TNF-α-863 AA, CA, CC. RESULTS: Differences in TNF-α-863 and TNF-α-238 genotypes frequencies in patients with AMD and healthy controls were not found. The distribution of TNF-α-308 AA and TNF-α-308 GA genotypes was significantly different between the studied group and the controls [odds ratios(OR) =0.22, P=0.0287 and OR=2.91, P=0.0063, respectively]. TNF-863 CC/TNF-308 GA and TNF-308 GA/TNF-238 GG genotypes were associated with the increased risk of AMD(OR=2.48, P=0.0332 and OR=2.51, P=0.0187, respectively). Five genotypes combinations appeared to be protective. CONCLUSION: In the present study, single nucleotide polymorphisms and complex polymorphisms of one of the key inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, and a number of significant associations of these polymorphisms with AMD in Russian population have been shown. Complexanalysis of genotypes could be important in AMD risk factors detection and studying pathogenesis.

IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A and vascular endothelial growth factor in the vitreous of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

In current article, results of the determination of the concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and some interleukins (IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17А) in the vitreous of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy are presented. We have found that in the mechanism of development of diabetic retinopathy, significant role plays an activation of local inflammation process and vascular proliferation. This is evidenced by a significant increase in the vitreous concentration of IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A and vascular endothelial growth factor. Identified correlations between VEGF and IL-17A, between VEGF and IL-4, and between IL-17A and IL-4 show the relationship of inflammation and proliferation processes in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.

Simulation of thermal processes in metamaterial millimeter-wave to infrared converter for millimeter-wave imager

The main characteristics of millimeter-wave(MM-wave)image detector were simulated by means of accurate numerical modeling of thermophysical processes in a metamaterial MM-to-IR converter.The converter represents a multilayer structure consisting of an ultra thin resonant metamaterial absorber and a perfect emissive layer.The absorber consists of a dielectric self-supporting film that is metallized from both sides.A micropattern is fabricated from one side.Resonant absorption of the MM waves induces the converter heating that yields enhancement of IR emission from the emissive layer.IR emission is detected by IR camera.In this contribution an accurate numerical model for simulation of the thermal processes in the converter structure was created by using COMSOL Multiphysics software.The simulation results are in a good agreement with experimental results that validates the model.The simulation shows that the real-time operation is provided for the converter thickness less than 3µm and time response can be improved by decreasing of the converter thickness.The energy conversion efficiency of MM waves into IR radiation is over 80%.The converter temperature increase is a linear function of a MM-wave radiation power within three orders of the dynamic range.The blooming effect and ways of its reducing are also discussed.The model allows us to choose the ways of converter structure optimization and improvement of image detector parameters.

Revealing the underlying mechanisms behind TE extraordinary THz transmission

Transmission through seemingly opaque surfaces,so-called extraordinary transmission,provides an exciting platform for strong light–matter interaction,spectroscopy,optical trapping,and color filtering.Much of the effort has been devoted to understanding and exploiting TM extraordinary transmission,while TE anomalous extraordinary transmission has been largely omitted in the literature.This is regrettable from a practical point of view since the stronger dependence of the TE anomalous extraordinary transmission on the array’s substrate provides additional design parameters for exploitation.To provide high-performance and cost-effective applications based on TE anomalous extraordinary transmission,a complete physical insight about the underlying mechanisms of the phenomenon must be first laid down.To this end,resorting to a combined methodology including quasi-optical terahertz(THz)time-domain measurements,full-wave simulations,and method of moments analysis,subwavelength slit arrays under s-polarized illumination are studied here,filling the void in the current literature.We believe this work unequivocally reveals the leaky-wave role of the grounded-dielectric slab mode mediating in TE anomalous extraordinary transmission and provides the necessary framework to design practical high-performance THz components and systems.