bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Immunologically Derived Equine Platelet-Activating Factor
Authors: Wimberly H. C. , Slauson D. O. , Neilsen N. R. 
Published: January 2017

Antigen-specific challenge of equine leukocytes induced the non-lytic release of a platelet-activating factor in vitro. The equine platelet-activating factor stimulated the release of serotonin from equine platelets in a dose-responsive manner, independent of the presence of cyclo-oxygenase pathway inhibitors such as indomethacin. Rabbit platelets were also responsive to equine platelet-activating factor. The release of equine platelet-activating factor was a rapid reaction with near maximal secretion taking place in 30 seconds. Addition of equine platelet-activating factor to washed equine platelets stimulated platelet aggregation which could not be inhibited by the presence of aspirin or indomethacin. Platelets preincubated with equine platelet-activating factor became specifically desensitized to equine platelet-activating factor while remaining responsive to other platelet stimuli such as collagen and epinephrine. The following biochemical properties of equine platelet-activating factor are identical to those properties of 1-0-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glyceryl-3-phosphorylcholine (AGEPC): stability upon exposure to air and acid; loss of functional activity after basecatalyzed methanolysis with subsequent acylation that returned all functional activity; and identical relative mobilities on silica gel G plates developed with chloroform:methanol:water (65:35:6, volume/volume). The combined functional and biochemical characteristics of equine platelet-activating factor strongly suggest identity between this naturally occurring, immunologically derived equine factor and AGEPC.
Life in the GDR
Authors: Volkmer Werner 
Published: January 2017

Gedächtnisprotokolle (Minutes from Memory) by Jürgen Fuchs rororo Reinbeck Vernehmungsprotokolle (Minutes of Interrogations) by Jürgen Fuchs rororo Reinbeck DDR-konkret by T. Auerbach, W. Hinkeldey, M. Kirstein, G. Lehmann, B. Markowsky, M. Sallmann Olle & Wolter Verlag Berlin 138pp Glaubt bloss nicht dass ich traurig bin (For Goodness Sake Don't Think I Am Sad) by Gerald K. Zschorsch Verlag Europäische Ideen Berlin 94pp Schattenstadt (Shadow Town) by Gerald K. Zschorsch Verlag Europäische Ideen Berlin 72pp Mein schmerzliches Land (My Painful Country) by Siegfried Heinrichs Bücherei Oberbaum Berlin 86pp Vor den Vätern sterben die Söhne (The Sons Die Before Their Fathers) by Thomas Brasch Rotbuch Verlag Berlin 110pp
Key Informants’ Perceptions on the Implementation of a National Program for Improving Nutritional Status of Children in Iran
Authors: Ghodsi Delaram , Omidvar Nasrin , Rashidian Arash , Raghfar Hossein , Eini-Zinab Hassan , Ebrahimi Marziyeh 
Published: January 2017

Introduction: Childhood malnutrition is a major public health issue. Multidisciplinary approach for Improvement of Nutritional Status of Children in Iran was implemented in order to reduce malnutrition among children. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the implementation aspect of the program and to explore key informants’ perceptions and experience regarding the factors affected its implementation. Methods: Data were collected through the review of secondary data and semistructured interviews at national, province, and local levels. Four layers of key informants were selected purposefully for interviewing, including policymakers, senior nutrition officers, head of Hygiene, Remedy and Insurance Affairs in Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation, and community health workers. Qualitative content analysis was carried out based on Supporting the Use of Research Evidence framework and Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases’ checklist to interpret the viewpoints of the study participants. Results: Results showed that the program had successes in improving mother’s knowledge on health, nutrition, and child care through health system and increased families’ access to food, but there were some aspects that affected program’s implementation. Some of these factors are the lack of clarity in the program’s protocol and indicators, human shortage and inadequate financial resources, poor facilities, inattention to staff motivation, insufficient commitment among different sections, poor communication and supervision among different executive sections, and program protocols designing regardless of practical condition. Conclusion: Based on the results, top-down approach in policymaking and inadequate financial and human resources were responsible for most of the challenges encountered in the implementation.
Nutrition Label Use in a Latin American Middle-Income Country
Authors: Mazariegos Monica , Barnoya Joaquin 
Published: January 2017

Background: Obesity has become a major public health issue in Latin America. Nutrition labels have been proposed as 1 strategy to address the obesity epidemic as they may encourage consumers to reassess their choices at point-of-purchase. Objective: We sought to determine the knowledge and stated use of the nutrition label in Guatemala. Methods: Caregivers were randomly selected from public and private schools in Guatemala City. Caregivers were interviewed to assess knowledge and behaviors related to nutrition label use. Anthropometric measurements were measured using standardized procedures. Descriptive statistics and χ2 test were used to determine the differences between school types. Results: Higher-income caregivers (88%) were more likely to be aware of nutrition labels, compared to those from low-income families (51%; P < .05). Furthermore, they were more likely to use it more frequently (42.2%) than their counterparts (18.3%; P = .03). Less than 50% of caregivers used nutrition labels for determining the amount of calories or nutritional content in a food portion, to compare nutrient content for different brands of the same food or to select products low in sugar, fat, and/or sodium. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence of the need to further explore nutritional label use and design that can better inform caregivers in Guatemala and other middle-income countries. Furthermore, given that the nutrition labels were for the most part rarely used by the participants in our study and that there are low literacy rates, other straightforward, easy-to-use strategies to communicate nutrition information at the point-of-sale could be useful to explore.
Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Adults with Seasonal and Perennial Rhinitis: Is There a Link for Asthma and Rhinitis?
Authors: Riccioni G. , Della Vecchia R. , Castronuovo M. , Di Pietro V. , Spoltore R. , De Benedictis M. , Di Iorio A. , Di Gioacchino M. , Guagnano M.T. 
Published: January 2017

Epidemiological studies have shown that asthma and rhinitis often coexist in the same patients and the prevalence of asthma is greater in patients with rhinitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in bronchial reactivity in subjects with seasonal and perennial rhinitis. We enrolled 128 subjects with seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis divided into three groups: A with perennial rhinitis and allergy to “Dermatophagoides Pteronissynus”; B with seasonal rhinitis and allergy to “Graminae” and “Parietaria”, who underwent methacholine challenge test (MCHt) during the exposure period (fron March until May); C with seasonal rhinitis and allergy to “Graminae” and “Parietaria”, who underwent MCHt during the non exposure period (from June until February). The PC20 mean values of group A (1774.8 ± 20.7) and group B (1740.7 ± 38.8) were not significantly different, but significantly lower than those of group C (3010.0 ± 56.9) (p=0.001). The subjects with group A were positive to the MCHt in 54.54%, against 29.28% of group B and 11.62% of group C (p=0.007). The results show differences in the degree of bronchial responsiveness. The dose-response curves documented a lower value of PC20 in the group with perennial rhinitis and a statistically significant difference of bronchial hyperresponsiveness prevalence between the three groups (p=0.007).
Chlamydia Pneumoniae in PBMC: Reproducibility of the OMPA Nested Touchdown PCR
Authors: Sessa R. , Schiavoni G. , Di Pietro M. , Petrucca A. , Cipriani P. , Puopolo M. , Zagaglia C. , Fallucca S. , Del Piano M. 
Published: January 2017

The aim of our study was to evaluate whether the replicate PCR testing may provide more accurate estimates of C. pneumoniae DNA prevalence in PBMC of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. Clinical sensitivity and reproducibility of ompA nested touchdown PCR was also performed. Clinical sensitivity and reproducibility was examined by testing C. pneumoniae-negative PBMC spiked with serial dilutions of semipurified C. pneumoniae elementary bodies (from 8 to 0.002 IFU/ml). Detection of C. pneumoniae DNA was performed by ompA nested touchdown PCR. Each clinical and spiked PBMC DNA specimen was analyzed in replicates of 1,3,5 and 10. PCR results of serial dilutions of C. pneumoniae DNA performed in replicates of 10 were analysed by probit analysis. C. pneumoniae DNA was detected in 14 of the 30 (46.7%) PBMC clinical specimens examined when 10 replicates were tested. When we analyzed 1, 3 and 5 replicates, 4 (13.3%), 7(23.3%), 12(40%) of the 30 specimens were positive, respectively. The limit of detection of ompA nested PCR touchdown was 0.008 IFU/ml when 10 replicates were tested. The ompA nested PCR had reproducibility scores of 10 for 10 from 8 to 4 IFU/ml concentration, but scores decreased for smaller numbers of IFU/ml. Our results showed that repeat testing of the same specimen increased clinical sensitivity as well as reproducibility of the ompA nested touchdown PCR. In conclusion the replicate PCR testing improves the performance of ompA nested touchdown PCR and provides a more accurate estimates of the prevalence of C. pneumoniae in PBMC of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Alcohol Dehydrogenase: An Autoantibody Target in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease
Authors: Ma Y. , Meregalli M. , Hodges S. , Davies N. , Bogdanos D. P. , Fargion S. , Fiorelli G. , Vergani D. 
Published: January 2017

The link between alcohol consumption and liver disease is not direct and several factors including autoimmunity to hepatocyte components have been implicated. We have previously identified alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) as an autoantigen in autoimmune liver disease and in a proportion of patients with alcoholic liver disease. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between the presence of anti-ADH antibodies, alcohol consumption and severity of liver damage in alcoholic patients. The presence of antibodies to human ADH β2 and horse ADH was investigated in 108 patients with documented history of alcohol consumption and alcohol related liver disease, 86 being active alcohol abusers and 22 on sustained alcohol withdrawal, 39 with non-alcohol related disease and 22 normal subjects. Antibodies to either ADH form were more frequently detected in active alcohol abusers (55/86, 64%) than in patients on sustained alcohol withdrawal longer than 6 months (1/8, 13%, p<0.005), HBV infection (2/8, 25%, P=0.03), non-alcohol related disease (9/29, 23%, p<0.0001) and in normal controls (3/22, 14%, p<0.0001); were more frequent in patients with cirrhosis than in those with steatosis (26/34, 76% vs 34/64, 53%, P=0.02); and were associated with elevated levels of ALT (anti-ADH β2, p<0.05), immunoglobulin A (p<0.05) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (P=0.01). Anti-ADH antibody positive serum samples were able to inhibit the enzymatic activity of ADH. These findings suggest that anti-ADH antibodies may be triggered by alcohol consumption and act as a disease activity marker in alcoholic liver disease.
A Subgroup of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Associated with Selective Binding of Rheumatoid Factors to Antigen Structures of Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Authors: Peichl P. , Haberhauer G. , Scriba M. , Bröll H. 
Published: January 2017

We compared antibodies (Ab) with both, antiviral and anti IgG properties in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with malignant progress, short remissions and no improvement to therapy. The selective binding of Rheumatoid Factor (RF) to antigen structures of CMV were tested in 180 patients by a newly established ELISA with antiidiotypic goat antibodies of CMV neutralizing human monoclonal Ab and against the virus antigen directly. Displacement reactions on the idiotypic bindingsite as well as comparative ELISA gave proof of the special RF activity. 24,2% of the patients suffering from RA, with IgM RF, showed selective binding to antigen structures of CMV and anti IgG activity. The evidence of the specific binding capacity of RF to the virus antigen in chronic CMV infection as well as their defined binding capacity to the Fc Fragment of IgG suggest CMV specific RF as the pathogenetic factor of malignant forms of inflammatory rheumatism.
Leukotriene B4 Production by Neutrophils from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Tawara Tohru , Shingu Masao , Ezaki Ichiko , Nobunaga Masashi 
Published: January 2017

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production by unstimululated and stimulated neutrophils from peripheral bloods of normal persons and rheumatoid arthritis patients and from rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluids were examined. Spontaneous production of LTB4 was observed in neutrophils from rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluids but not in peripheral blood neutrophils from rheumatoid arthritis and normal persons. Synovial fluid neutrophils produced significantly higher amounts of LTB4 than peripheral neutrophils of rheumatoid arthritis patients or normal persons, whether neutrophils were stimulated or not. Recombinant human IL-1B did not stimulate LTB4 production by neutrophils. Tiopronin, a SH group-containing compound, inhibited neutrophil LTB4 production. These results indicate that LTB4 plays an important role in rheumatoid joint inflammation.
Soluble CD4 during Human HIV-1 Infection
Authors: De Paoli P. , Basaglia G. , Gennari D. , Jus A. , Crovatto M. , Santini G. 
Published: January 2017

The CD4 antigen has long been used as a surface marker for the indentification of a subset of T cells. CD4 acts also as the receptor for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 HIV-1 and as a signal transducing molecule. Recently CD4 positive cells have been shown to release a soluble form of CD4 (sCD4). This molecule can interact with free gp 120 viral antigen and with serum immunoglobulins. Because of the importance of CD4 in the natural history of HIV-1 infection, we decided to monitor it's serum levels in HIV-1 seropositive subjects. sCD4 increases, on a per cell basis, in the late stages of infection, when CD4 cell counts dramatically fall and antigenemia is frequently found. Asymptomatic patients had a mean of 6 Units/ml of sCD4 every 100 CD4 T cells, while in AIDS patients we found a mean of 51 Units/ml every 100 CD4 T cells. These data suggest that sCD4 may be of value in monitoring the involvement of CD4 T cells during a pathological event.
Does the Selenium (SE) Level and Se-Dependent Enzyme Activity in Blood Plasma Correlate with Human Lymphocyte Subpopulations and Function?
Authors: Baj Z. , Zeman K. , Majewska Ewa , Wasowicz W. , Sklodowska Maria , Gromadzinska Jola , Tchórzewski H. 
Published: January 2017

Recent literature data on the effects of Se on subpopulations of T lymphocytes, on autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) and on natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity are limited or poorly defined. In healthy volunteers we have estimated se levels, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and lipid peroxide levels in human plasma and simultaneously, the subpopulations of T lymphocytes, proliferation in AMLR, and activity of NK cells. We found a significantly positive correlation between the selenium level and GSH-Px activity. The proliferative response in AMLR significantly correlated with plasma selenium levels but not with GSH-Px activity. NK cytotoxicity, subpopulations of T lymphocytes, and lipid peroxide levels did not correlate with both selenium concentration and GSH-Px activity. We suppose that the effect of Se on the proliferation of suppressor T lymphocytes (Ts) in AMLR is not mediated through GSH-Px activity and fluctuations of Se concentration within a physiological range in healthy persons do not affect NK cytotoxicity.
Tumor Necrosis Factor in the Pathogenesis of Human Diseases
Authors: Ghezzi P. 
Published: January 2017

This paper will deal with the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the pathogenesis of various diseases. However, it will be important to remember that originally TNF was characterized as an antitumor factor. In fact, it was known that endotoxin was able to induce hemorrhagic necrosis of some tumors in mice. In 1975 Carswell et al. demonstrated the presence of a tumor necrotizing activity (termed “tumor necrosis serum”) in the sera of mice primed with C. parvum or BCG, and subsequently injected with endotoxin (1). Later it was found that this factor was a macrophage product and was termed TNF. In vivo TNF induced hemorrhagic necrosis of Meth A sarcoma and in vitro demonstrated cytotoxic activity against various tumor cell lines (2). In 1984, TNF was purified and its cDNA was cloned, and the production of substantial amounts of recombinant TNF allowed the characterization of its various biological activities (3). In parallel to these studies on tumor necrosis, the group of Cerami, at the Rockefeller University in New York was studying the mechanisms of cachexia and wasting associated with infection. They found that infection or injection of endotoxin in laboratory animals resulted in a marked hypertrygliceridemia, which was associated with an inhibition of lipoprotein lipase. They hypothesized that a host-derived mediator was responsible for this and other metabolic derangements observed in infection. This factor, which was termed “cachectin”, was later found to be produced by macrophages, and once it was purified and sequenced it became clear that TNF and cachectin were identical (4).
Cytokines Involved in the Pathophysiology of IgE Response
Authors: Del Prete G.F. , Ricci M. 
Published: January 2017

Recent data in both mouse and human systems have clearly indicated that IL-4 plays an essential role in the induction of IgE response, whereas IFN-γ exerts an opposite effect on this phenomenon. However, IL-4 alone is unable to induce IgE synthesis. A prior membrane contact signal delivered by activated T cells is required by B cells to synthesize IgE in response to IL-4. A cognate interaction between B and T cells producing IL-4 (but not IFN-γ) is optimal for induction of IgE synthesis. However, when such IL-4 producing T cells are activated, they may provide B cells with a membrane signal, through a non-cognate interaction, which also results in induction of IgE synthesis. Other cytokines, such as IL-2 and IL-6, play an auxiliary role in IL-4 dependent IgE production. Analyses at the clonal level of the profile of cytokine production by helper T cells have shown that imbalances between IL-4 and IFN-γ producing T cells can be detected in patients with hyperproduction of IgE. In children with hyper-IgE syndrome a strong reduction of circulating T cells able to produce IFN-γ (and TNF-α) was found, whereas both, reduction of IFN-γ-producing and increase of IL-4 producing T cells were found in patients with parasitic infestation. In allergic inflammatory infiltrates, such as those found in vernal conjuctivitis, helper T cells able to produce IL-4 and to induce IgE synthesis accounted for the large majority of infiltrating T cells. It is reasonable to suggest that systemic or microenvironmental alterations of the balance between IL-4- and IFN-γ-producing T cells may be involved, at least in part, in the pathophysiology of the increased igE response occurring in a number of human diseases.
The Effect of Transforming Growth Factor β1, and Tumor Necrosis Factor α on the Cytotoxic-Cytostatic Action of Interleukin-1 (α and β Isoforms) on the Pancreatic B Cell Line Rin-5ah
Authors: Mitlianga P. , Germanidis G. , Moutsopoulos H. M. , Papadopoulos G. K. 
Published: January 2017

The rat pancreatic β cell line RIN-5AH was treated with the cytokines IL-1 (α and β), TNFα and TGF-β1, in order to examine at the clonal level the reported mostly cytotoxic effects of IL-1, on isolated islets of Langerhans and islet cell preparations. In contrast to what has been previously reported for whole islets and islet cell preparations we find that IL-1 (α or β) is not cytotoxic to the RIN-5AH cells in logarithmic growth phase to any extent, even at very high cytokine concentrations (125 nM). Furthermore, TNFα does not in any way potentiate IL-1 cytotoxicity. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) at concentrations of 80 pM to 2 nM, has a potentiating effect on IL-1 cytotoxicity (conc. 5 nM) for this clonal cell line. The effect is proportional to the level of TGF-β1 present and is exerted regardless of the IL-1 isoform used. The effects of the various cytokines, alone or in combination, were only observed at high (25 mM) glucose concentrations, and no such effects were observed at the physiological (5 mM) glucose concentration. Furthermore the combination of TGF-β1 and IL-1 inhibits the release of insulin by these cells, whereas either cytokine alone has no effect. We conclude that the RIN-5AH cells in showing little cytotoxic/cytostatic response to IL-1 are responding more as isolated β cells than as cells within islets. The potentiation of the action of IL-1 by TGF-β1 on these cells is a matter of further investigation.
The Effect of Nickel Compounds on Mitogen Dependent Human Lymphocyte Stimulation
Authors: Sikora J. , Zeromski J. 
Published: January 2017

The effect of metal salts, three nickel and one non-nickel (manganese chloride), was examined on the ability to influence mitogen stimulated normal human blood lymphocytes by means of short term in vitro culture and a tritiated thymidine incorporation test. Purified lymphocytes were incubated for one hour with tissue culture medium containing either one of the nickel salts tested (nickel subsulfide, nickel sulfate or nickel acetate) or manganese chloride. Separate portions of cells were incubated in the metal salt mixtures containing both, nickel and manganese salts. All metal salts were used in predetermined subtoxic concentrations. Two mitogens, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A), were used as lymphocyte stimulatory agents. Cells were cultured for 72 hrs. It was found that following incubation with nickel salts, mitogen dependent lymphocyte stimulation was inhibited proportionally to the metal salt concentration. This blocking effect on tritiated thymidine incorporation was stronger for readily soluble nickel salts i.e. sulfate and acetate than for almost insoluble nickel subsulfide with either mitogen used. Manganese chloride used as a single salt resulted in a dose-dependent increase of lymphocyte stimulation as compared to the mitogen stimulated cells without preincubation with either metal (control samples). Cells preincubated with nickel salt-manganese chloride mixtures exhibited an increase of thymidine incorporation but below values for control cells.