bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long‐term study of infliximab in Japanese patients with plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, pustular psoriasis and psoriatic erythroderma
Authors: TORII Hideshi , NAKAGAWA Hidemi ,   THE JAPANESE INFLIXIMAB STUDY INVESTIGATORS
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe efficacy and safety of infliximab in patients with plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, pustular psoriasis (excluding localized type) and psoriatic erythroderma were assessed in clinical practice. Without washout of the existing treatment of psoriasis, treatment was switched to infliximab, which was given at a dose of 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2 and 6 and then every 8 weeks up to week 46. The primary end‐points were 75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score (PASI 75 response rate) for plaque psoriasis, 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR 20 response rate) for psoriatic arthritis, and global improvement in pustular psoriasis and psoriatic erythroderma. The PASI 75 response rate in plaque psoriasis was 72.2% at week 10 and 53.6% at week 50. The ACR 20 response rate in psoriatic arthritis was 66.7% at week 14 and 80.0% at week 46. The response defined as global improvement in pustular psoriasis was between 66.7% and 100.0% during the 2–50‐week period. The response defined as global improvement in psoriatic erythroderma was between 75.0% and 100.0% during the week‐2–50 period. There were 14 discontinued patients. The most frequently reported reason for discontinuation was the development of adverse events. However, there were no serious respiratory diseases, infections or infusion reactions. In patients with plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, pustular psoriasis and psoriatic erythroderma, infliximab was well tolerated, regardless of prior treatment, and also showed superior efficacy over a period of approximately 1 year.
Physico‐chemical features of the environment affect the protein conformation and the immunoglobulin E reactivity of kiwellin (Act d 5)
Authors: Bernardi M. L. , Picone D. , Tuppo L. , Giangrieco I. , Petrella G. , Palazzo P. , Ferrara R. , Tamburrini M. , Mari A. , Ciardiello M. A. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryBackground
Allergy diagnostic systems sometimes give false positive or negative results. In this respect, the influence of protein conformational changes on the allergen–IgE interaction sites is worthy to be investigated.Objective
To investigate the influence of different experimental conditions on the structural properties and IgE reactivity of kiwellin (Act d 5) as a model system.Methods
Act d 5 was purified from the natural source. To study its conformational features, experiments of circular dichroism (CD) in different media were performed. The IgE reactivity was investigated by skin testing, immunoblotting and ISAC microarray system, in a population of kiwifruit allergic subjects.Results
CD experiments indicated that Act d 5 has a mainly helical structure and the conformation is strongly affected by the experimental conditions. The protein is more structured in low polarity media and at acidic pH values, similar to those of the natural source. Eleven subjects of 29 (38%) allergic to kiwifruit were positive to purified natural Act d 5 by skin test. Among them, three patients (10%) showed a reaction only to Act d 5 at pH 4.5, and three (10%) showed a reaction only to the allergen in standard neutral conditions. No one of the 11 subjects with positive skin test recognized Act d 5 immobilized on the ISAC system. Eight of nine subjects detected Act d 5 by IgE immunoblotting. One subject did not recognize the sequence epitopes of Act d 5 in IgE immunoblotting experiments and reacted to the skin test only when the allergen was in acidic conditions.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
The conformation and IgE reactivity of Act d 5 are affected by the physico‐chemical characteristics of the solvent. These findings suggest that the assay conditions influence the results of the diagnostic systems by modulating the pattern of exposed antigenic epitopes. Cite this as: M. L. Bernardi, D. Picone, L. Tuppo, I. Giangrieco, G. Petrella, P. Palazzo, R. Ferrara, M. Tamburrini, A. Mari and M. A. Ciardiello, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 1819–1826.
Serum neopterin levels in spontaneous urticaria and atopic dermatitis
Authors: Ciprandi G. , De Amici M. , Berardi L. , Vignini M. , Caimmi S. , Marseglia A. , Marseglia G. , Fuchs D. 
Published: August 2010

Summary
Serum neopterin may be considered a diagnostic marker of the degree of activation of the immune system. This preliminary study was performed to measure serum neopterin levels in patients with acute spontaneous urticaria (ASU), chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and atopic dermatitis (AD). In total, 180 patients [96 men, 84 women; mean age 23.1 years; 41 with spontaneous urticaria (13 ASU and 28 CSU), 48 with AD] and 96 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Patients with ASU had the highest neopterin levels, and all three groups of patients (ASU, CSU and AD) had higher values than normal subjects. This preliminary study demonstrates that serum neopterin could be a biomarker of immune activation in patients with SU or AD.
Versican targeting by RNA interference suppresses aggregative growth of dermal papilla cells
Authors: Feng M. , Yang G. , Wu J. 
Published: August 2010

Summary
Background. Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are specialized fibroblasts found in the hair follicle papilla, which are associated with the development and cycle regulation of hair follicles (HFs). DPCs exhibit a multilayer aggregative growth character, which is closely related to induction of HF formation. Versican, a large chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan and one of the major components of the extracellular matrix, is involved in the formation of HF.
Methods. To confirm the relationship between versican and the aggregative growth of DPCs, we first induced and established an aggregative cell model in DPCs in vitro, with cells taken to passage 8. Simultaneously, aggregative passage 2 DPCs and nonaggregative passage 8 DPCs were selected as parallel controls. RNA interference (RNAi) targeted to versican was used in passage 2 DPCs using a lentiviral vector. Reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and western blotting were used to assay the expression of versican in DPCs.
Results. RNAi targeted to versican efficiently suppressed the aggregative growth of passage 2 DPCs, and the inhibitory effect was significant 3 days after RNAi treatment. The mRNA and protein levels of versican were also downregulated in passage 2 DPCs, and were lower than levels in nonaggregative passage 8 DPCs. Notably, the aggregative growth of nonaggregative passage 8 DPCs was restored after induction in a 1 : 1 v/v mixture of fresh DMEM and medium recycled from a previous passage.
Conclusion. Versican is a key gene for the aggregative growth of DPCs, and might be significant in the regeneration of HF.
Apoptosis and cell proliferation correlated with tumour grade in peritoneal fluids of patients with serous ovarian cancer
Authors: Kalogeraki A. , Karvela‐Kalogeraki I. , Petraki P. E. , Zois I. , Tamiolakis D. , Stathopoulos E. N. 
Published: August 2010

A. Kalogeraki, I. Karvela‐Kalogeraki, P. E. Petraki, I. Zois, D. Tamiolakis and E. N. Stathopoulos  Apoptosis and cell proliferation correlated with tumour grade in peritoneal fluids of patients with serous ovarian cancerObjective:  Apoptosis and cell proliferation in peritoneal fluids of patients with ovarian serous adenocarcinoma have not been well described in cytology. To investigate the contribution of cell death to the growth of this tumour we analysed both apoptosis and cell proliferation in peritoneal fluids of patients with ovarian serous adenocarcinoma.Methods:  We studied 40 tumours from 40 patients with ovarian serous adenocarcinoma. Twelve tumours were high grade, 13 were moderately differentiated and 15 were poorly differentiated. The detection of DNA fragments in situ using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidy transferase (TDT)‐mediated dUTP‐digoxigenin nick‐end labelling (TUNEL) assay was applied to investigate active cell death (apoptosis), and the MIB‐1 antigen was used to investigate cell proliferation.Results:  The TUNEL indices were 0.29 ± 0.05, 0.79 ± 0.10 and 2.1 ± 0.90 in Grade I, Grade II and Grade III ovary carcinomas, respectively. The MIB‐1 antigen labelling indices were 6.5 ± 0.09, 12.9 ± 3 and 25.8 ± 6.2, respectively, in the same order of tumour differentiation. The differences in both TUNEL and MIB‐1 labelling indices were statistically significant between Grade I, Grade II and Grade III carcinomas and there was a positive correlation between the two indices (P < 0.001).Conclusions:  Apoptosis and cell proliferation increased as the grade of tumour increased in ovarian serous adenocarcinoma, suggesting a rapid turnover of the tumour cells in tumours of higher grade, and may play an important role in the growth and the extension of such cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity.
Relationship between total hip replacement appropriateness and surgical priority instruments
Authors: Allepuz Alejandro , Quintana José M , Espallargues Mireia , Escobar Antonio , Moharra Montse , Arostegui Inmaculada 
Published: August 2010

AbstractRationale  Variability in indications for total hip replacement (THR) and unequal waiting times may limit health care access.Objective  To analyse the relationship between appropriateness and previously developed surgical priority instruments.Method  Multicentre cross‐validation study of patients placed on the waiting list for THR. Information on surgical priority, surgeons' evaluation of priority through a visual analogue scale (VAS) and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) (Health Utilities Index mark 3, EQ‐5D, Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritic Index) was collected. THR indications were considered appropriate, uncertain or inappropriate according to appropriateness criteria. Statistical differences and clinically important differences in surgical priority, VAS and HRQOL between appropriateness categories were analysed with the Mann–Whitney U‐test and effect size (ES), respectively. Surgical priority score's ability to discriminate appropriate and inappropriate indications was evaluated through the area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUC) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI).Results  49.4% (87) of the THR indications were deemed appropriate, 39.8% (70) uncertain and 10.8% (19) inappropriate. Differences in surgical priority score, VAS and HRQOL between appropriateness categories were statistically significant. Clinically important differences were generally small (ES, 0.2–0.5) between inappropriate and uncertain, moderate (ES, 0.5–0.8) between uncertain and appropriate, and large (ES > 0.8) between inappropriate and appropriate categories. The AUC to discriminate appropriate and inappropriate indications was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96–0.99) and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83–0.97), respectively.Conclusions  The relationship between the surgical priority and appropriateness instruments reinforces their validity and could improve waiting list management by establishing maximum waiting periods based on patients' characteristics.
Shr of group A streptococcus is a new type of composite NEAT protein involved in sequestering haem from methaemoglobin
Authors: Ouattara Mahamoudou , Bentley Cunha Elizabeth , Li Xueru , Huang Ya‐Shu , Dixon Dabney , Eichenbaum Zehava 
Published: August 2010

SummaryA growing body of evidence suggests that surface or secreted proteins with NEAr Transporter (NEAT) domains play a central role in haem acquisition and trafficking across the cell envelope of Gram‐positive bacteria. Group A streptococcus (GAS), a β‐haemolytic human pathogen, expresses a NEAT protein, Shr, which binds several haemoproteins and extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Shr is a complex, membrane‐anchored protein, with a unique N‐terminal domain (NTD) and two NEAT domains separated by a central leucine‐rich repeat region. In this study we have carried out an analysis of the functional domains in Shr. We show that Shr obtains haem in solution and furthermore reduces the haem iron; this is the first report of haem reduction by a NEAT protein. More specifically, we demonstrate that both of the constituent NEAT domains of Shr are responsible for binding haem, although they are missing a critical tyrosine residue found in the ligand‐binding pocket of other haem‐binding NEAT domains. Further investigations show that a previously undescribed region within the Shr NTD interacts with methaemoglobin. Shr NEAT domains, however, do not contribute significantly to the binding of methaemoglobin but mediate binding to the ECM components fibronectin and laminin. A protein fragment containing the NTD plus the first NEAT domain was found to be sufficient to sequester haem directly from methaemoglobin. Correlating these in vitro findings to in vivo biological function, mutants analysis establishes the role of Shr in GAS growth with methaemoglobin as a sole source of iron, and indicates that at least one NEAT domain is necessary for the utilization of methaemoglobin. We suggest that Shr is the prototype of a new group of NEAT composite proteins involved in haem uptake found in pyogenic streptococci and Clostridium novyi.
OsEDR1 negatively regulates rice bacterial resistance via activation of ethylene biosynthesis
Authors: SHEN XIANGLING , LIU HONGBO , YUAN BIN , LI XIANGHUA , XU CAIGUO , WANG SHIPING 
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACTRice OsEDR1 is a sequence ortholog of Arabidopsis EDR1. However, its molecular function is unknown. We show here that OsEDR1‐suppressing/knockout (KO) plants, which developed spontaneous lesions on the leaves, have enhanced resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causing bacterial blight disease. This resistance was associated with increased accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA), induced expression of SA‐ and JA‐related genes and suppressed accumulation of 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylic acid (ACC), the direct precursor of ethylene, and expression of ethylene‐related genes. OsEDR1‐KO plants also showed suppressed production of ethylene. Knockout of OsEDR1 suppressed the ACC synthase (ACS) gene family, which encodes the rate‐limiting enzymes of ethylene biosynthesis by catalysing the formation of ACC. The lesion phenotype and enhanced bacterial resistance of the OsEDR1‐KO plants was partly complemented by the treatment with ACC. ACC treatment was associated with decreased SA and JA biosynthesis in OsEDR1‐KO plants. In contrast, aminoethoxyvinylglycine, the inhibitor of ethylene biosynthesis, promoted expression of SA and JA synthesis‐related genes in OsEDR1‐KO plants. These results suggest that ethylene is a negative signalling molecule in rice bacterial resistance. In the rice–Xoo interaction, OsEDR1 transcriptionally promotes the synthesis of ethylene that, in turn, suppresses SA‐ and JA‐associated defence signalling.
Supra‐optimal expression of the cold‐regulated OsMyb4 transcription factor in transgenic rice changes the complexity of transcriptional network with major effects on stress tolerance and panicle development
Authors: PARK MYOUNG‐RYOUL , YUN KIL‐YOUNG , MOHANTY BIJAYALAXMI , HERATH VENURA , XU FUYU , WIJAYA EDWARD , BAJIC VLADIMIR B. , YUN SONG‐JOONG , DE LOS REYES BENILDO G. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractThe R2R3‐type OsMyb4 transcription factor of rice has been shown to play a role in the regulation of osmotic adjustment in heterologous overexpression studies. However, the exact composition and organization of its underlying transcriptional network has not been established to be a robust tool for stress tolerance enhancement by regulon engineering. OsMyb4 network was dissected based on commonalities between the global chilling stress transcriptome and the transcriptome configured by OsMyb4 overexpression. OsMyb4 controls a hierarchical network comprised of several regulatory sub‐clusters associated with cellular defense and rescue, metabolism and development. It regulates target genes either directly or indirectly through intermediary MYB, ERF, bZIP, NAC, ARF and CCAAT‐HAP transcription factors. Regulatory sub‐clusters have different combinations of MYB‐like, GCC‐box‐like, ERD1‐box‐like, ABRE‐like, G‐box‐like, as1/ocs/TGA‐like, AuxRE‐like, gibberellic acid response element (GARE)‐like and JAre‐like cis‐elements. Cold‐dependent network activity enhanced cellular antioxidant capacity through radical scavenging mechanisms and increased activities of phenylpropanoid and isoprenoid metabolic processes involving various abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), ethylene and reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsive genes. OsMyb4 network is independent of drought response element binding protein/C‐repeat binding factor (DREB/CBF) and its sub‐regulons operate with possible co‐regulators including nuclear factor‐Y. Because of its upstream position in the network hierarchy, OsMyb4 functions quantitatively and pleiotrophically. Supra‐optimal expression causes misexpression of alternative targets with costly trade‐offs to panicle development.
Increased intracellular H2O2 availability preferentially drives glutathione accumulation in vacuoles and chloroplasts
Authors: QUEVAL GUILLAUME , JAILLARD DANIELLE , ZECHMANN BERND , NOCTOR GRAHAM 
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACTOne biochemical response to increased H2O2 availability is the accumulation of glutathione disulphide (GSSG), the disulphide form of the key redox buffer glutathione. It remains unclear how this potentially important oxidative stress response impacts on the different sub‐cellular glutathione pools. We addressed this question by using two independent in situ glutathione labelling techniques in Arabidopsis wild type (Col‐0) and the GSSG‐accumulating cat2 mutant. A comparison of in situ labelling with monochlorobimane (MCB) and in vitro labelling with monobromobimane (MBB) revealed that, whereas in situ labelling of Col‐0 leaf glutathione was complete within 2 h incubation, about 50% of leaf glutathione remained inaccessible to MCB in cat2. High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzymatic assays showed that this correlated tightly with the glutathione redox state, pointing to significant in vivo pools of GSSG in cat2 that were unavailable for MCB labelling. Immunogold labelling of leaf sections to estimate sub‐cellular glutathione distribution showed that the accumulated GSSG in cat2 was associated with only a minor increase in cytosolic glutathione but with a 3‐ and 10‐fold increase in plastid and vacuolar pools, respectively. The data are used to estimate compartment‐specific glutathione concentrations under optimal and oxidative stress conditions, and the implications for redox homeostasis and signalling are discussed.
Genetic diversity of the root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii and development of a SCAR marker for this guava‐damaging species
Authors: Tigano M. , De Siqueira K. , Castagnone‐Sereno P. , Mulet K. , Queiroz P. , Dos Santos M. , Teixeira C. , Almeida M. , Silva J. , Carneiro R. 
Published: August 2010

The objectives of this work were to evaluate the genetic variability of Meloidogyne enterolobii by molecular markers, and develop species‐specific molecular markers for application in detection. Sixteen M. enterolobii isolates from different geographical regions (Brazil and other countries) and hosts were used in this study. The identification and purification of the populations were carried out based on isoenzyme phenotype. The DNA amplification of the intergenic region (IGS) of the rDNA and of the region between the cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) and 16S rRNA genes (mtDNA) produced specific fragments of the expected size for this nematode, i.e. 780 and 705 bp, respectively. Intraspecific variability among the isolates was evaluated with three different neutral molecular markers: AFLP, ISSR and RAPD. The results showed a low level of diversity among the isolates tested, indicating that M. enterolobii is a genetically homogeneous root‐knot nematode species. The RAPD method allowed the identification of a species‐specific RAPD fragment for M. enterolobii. This fragment was cloned and sequenced, and from the sequence obtained, a set of primers was designed and tested. The amplification of a 520‐bp‐long fragment occurred only for the 16 isolates of M. enterolobii and not for the 10 other Meloidogyne species tested. In addition, positive detection was achieved in a single individual female, egg‐mass and second stage juvenile of this nematode. This SCAR species‐specific marker for M. enterolobii represents a new molecular tool to be used in the detection of this nematode from field samples and as a routine diagnostic test for quarantine devices.
Aspergillus thyroiditis in a renal transplant recipient mimicking subacute thyroiditis
Authors: Solak Y. , Atalay H. , Nar A. , Ozbek O. , Turkmen K. , Erekul S. , Turk S. 
Published: August 2010

Y. Solak, H. Atalay, A. Nar, O. Ozbek, K. Turkmen, S. Erekul, S. Turk. Aspergillus thyroiditis in a renal transplant recipient mimicking subacute thyroiditis. Transpl Infect Dis 2011: 13: 178–181. All rights reservedAbstract: Fungal pathogens are increasingly encountered after renal transplantation. Aspergillus causes significant morbidity and mortality in transplant patients. Fungal thyroiditis is a rare occurrence owing to unique features of the thyroid gland. Most cases are caused by Aspergillus species and have been described in immunocompromised patients. Presentation may be identical with that of subacute thyroiditis, in which hyperthyroidism features and painful thyroid are the prominent findings. Diagnosis can be ascertained by fine‐needle aspiration of thyroid showing branching hyphae of Aspergillus. We describe a renal transplant patient who developed Aspergillus thyroiditis as part of a disseminated infection successfully treated with voriconazole.
Co‐variation between the intensity of behavioural manipulation and parasite development time in an acanthocephalan–amphipod system
Authors: FRANCESCHI N. , BOLLACHE L. , CORNET S. , BAUER A. , MOTREUIL S. , RIGAUD T. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractPomphorhynchus laevis, a fish acanthocephalan parasite, manipulates the behaviour of its gammarid intermediate host to increase its trophic transmission to the definitive host. However, the intensity of behavioural manipulation is variable between individual gammarids and between parasite populations. To elucidate causes of this variability, we compared the level of phototaxis alteration induced by different parasite sibships from one population, using experimental infections ofGammarus pulexbyP. laevis. We used a naive gammarid population, and we carried out our experiments in two steps, during spring and winter. Moreover, we also investigated co‐variation between phototaxis (at different stages of infection, ‘young’ and ‘old cystacanth stage’) and two other fitness‐related traits, infectivity and development time. Three main parameters could explain the parasite intra‐population variation in behavioural manipulation. The genetic variation, suggested by the differences between parasite families, was lower than the variation owing to an (unidentified) environmental factor. Moreover, a correlation was found between development rate and the intensity of behavioural change, the fastest growing parasites being unable to induce rapid phototaxis reversal. This suggests that parasites cannot optimize at the same time these two important parameters of their fitness, and this could explain a part of the variation observed in the wild.