bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Regulatory T cell: a protection for tumour cells
Authors: Wang Yi , Ma Yushui , Fang Ying , Wu Shengdi , Liu Lili , Fu Da , Shen Xizhong 
Published: September 2011

AbstractIntroductionThe mechanisms of Tregs stimulating metastasis and mediating immunosuppression ‐ Tregs stimulate cancer metastasis through RANKL‐RANK signal ‐ TGF‐b inhibits anti‐tumour immunity in tumour microenvironment ‐ Immunosuppression of Tregs can be abolished by neutralized or knocked out IL‐10 ‐ CTLA‐4 participates in the suppression of Tregs ‐ Blocking GITR weakens the immunosuppression of Tregs ‐ OthersThe manners of Tregs in tumour stroma ‐ Tregs proliferate in tumour microenvironment ‐ Tumours secrete chemokines recruiting Tregs from peripheral blood ‐ Non‐regulatory T cells converse into Tregs in tumour stromaThe target cells of Tregs in tumour microenvironment ‐ Tregs weaken body immune surveillance by inhibiting DCs ‐ Tregs suppress non‐regulatory CD4+ T cells ‐ Tregs inhibit the proliferation and anti‐tumour capacity of CD8+ T cells ‐ Tregs suppress the lysis of NK cells ‐ Tregs inhibit the proliferation of B cells ‐ Tregs inhibit function of macrophage directlyA new immunotherapeutic target ‐ Depletion of Tregs leads to tumour regression ‐ Inhibiting the immunosuppression of Tregs improves the prognosis of cancer patients ‐ Combination immunotherapy may be the best choiceConclusionsCharacterized by immunosuppression regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a key role in maintaining immune tolerance. A growing number of tumours have been found with Tregs accumulating in microenvironment and patients with high density of Tregs in tumour stroma get a worse prognosis, which suggests that Tregs may inhibit anti‐tumour immunity in stroma, resulting in a poor prognosis. In this paper, we demonstrate the accumulation of Tregs in tumour stroma and the possible suppressive mechanisms. We also state the immunotherapy that has being used in animal and clinical trials.
Dental service utilization by Europeans aged 50 plus
Authors: Listl Stefan , Moran Valerie , Maurer Jürgen , Faggion Clovis M. 
Published: September 2011

Listl S, Moran V, Maurer J, Faggion CM Jr. Dental service utilization by Europeans aged 50 plus. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2012; 40: 164–174. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/SAbstractObjectives:  To describe variations in the utilization of dental services by persons aged 50+ from 14 European countries and to identify the extent to which such variations are attributable to differences in oral health need and in accessibility of dental care.Methods:  We use data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE Waves 2 and 3) and estimate a series of multivariate logistic regression models to analyze variations in dental service utilization (overall dental attendance, preventive treatment and/or operative treatment, dental attendance in early life years)Results:  Overall dental attendance and incidence of solely preventive treatment are comparatively high in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. In contrast, overall dental attendance is relatively low in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Poland, and Ireland. Moreover, a high incidence of solely operative treatment is observed in Austria, Italy, and France, whereas in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Ireland, the incidence of solely operative treatment is comparably low. By and large, these variations persist even when controlling for cross‐country differences in oral health need and in accessibility of dental care.Conclusions:  In comparison with other European regions, there is a tendency toward more frequent and preventive dental treatment of the elderly populations residing in Scandinavia and Western Europe. Such utilization patterns appear only partially attributable to differences in need for and accessibility of dental care.
The mitogen‐induced generation of interferon‐gamma producing cells in cultures of rhesus monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells is age‐dependent
Authors: van Besouw N.M. , van der Meide P.H. , Bakker N.P.M. 
Published: September 2011

An enzyme‐linked immunoabsorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay has been developed for measuring the frequency of interferon‐gamma (IFN‐gamma) producing cells in rhesus monkeys.Aged monkeys revealed, upon mitogenic stimulation, a significantly higher percentage of IFN‐gamma secreting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) compared to young animals. No correlation was found between the frequency of IFN‐gamma producing PBMC and the mitogen‐driven proliferation, indicating that in rhesus monkeys no direct correlation exists between these two activation parameters.
The history of simian AIDS
Authors: Gardner Murray B. 
Published: September 2011

Abstract: Gardner MB. The history of simian AIDS. J Med Primatol 1996; 25:148–157. Munksgaard, CopenhagenRetrospective data indicate that two separate outbreaks of simian AIDS and associated lymphoma were caused by Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIVmac and SIVstm, respectively) in group‐housed macaques at the California Regional Primate Research Center (CRPRC) in the early and mid‐1970s. Because these epizootics were not then recognized as infectious in nature, surviving healthy SIV carriers were sent to other primate centers where they transmitted the viruses to resident macaques. The source of SIV at the CRPRC was by contact with co‐housed seropositive sooty mangabeys. Spread of SIV via saliva and blood while fighting most likely accounted for these epizootics. Separate outbreaks of a somewhat different version of simian AIDS, caused by the simian Type D retrovirus (SRV‐1), and spread from healthy carriers via saliva and blood also occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s in group‐housed macaques at the CRPRC. Initially, these SRV‐1 outbreaks were also not recognized as infectious.
Three‐phase general border detection method for dermoscopy images using non‐uniform illumination correction
Authors: Norton Kerri‐Ann , Iyatomi Hitoshi , Celebi M. Emre , Ishizaki Sumiko , Sawada Mizuki , Suzaki Reiko , Kobayashi Ken , Tanaka Masaru , Ogawa Koichi 
Published: September 2011

BackgroundComputer‐aided diagnosis of dermoscopy images has shown great promise in developing a quantitative, objective way of classifying skin lesions. An important step in the classification process is lesion segmentation. Many studies have been successful in segmenting melanocytic skin lesions (MSLs), but few have focused on non‐melanocytic skin lesions (NoMSLs), as the wide variety of lesions makes accurate segmentation difficult.MethodsWe developed an automatic segmentation program for detecting borders of skin lesions in dermoscopy images. The method consists of a pre‐processing phase, general lesion segmentation phase, including illumination correction, and bright region segmentation phase.ResultsWe tested our method on a set of 107 NoMSLs and a set of 319 MSLs. Our method achieved precision/recall scores of 84.5% and 88.5% for NoMSLs, and 93.9% and 93.8% for MSLs, in comparison with manual extractions from four or five dermatologists.ConclusionThe accuracy of our method was competitive or better than five recently published methods. Our new method is the first method for detecting borders of both non‐melanocytic and melanocytic skin lesions.
Flow‐Cytometric Characterization of Hematopoietic Cells in Non‐Pregnant Human Endometrium
Authors: Lachapelle M.‐H. , Miron P. , Hemmings R. , Baron C. , Roy D. C. 
Published: September 2011

Lachapelle M‐H, Miron P, Hemmings R, Baron C, Roy DC. Flow‐cytometric characterization of hematopoietic cells in non‐pregnant human endometrium. Am J Reprod Immunol 1996; 35:5–13 cP Munksgaard, CopenhagenPROBLEM: Immunologic evaluation and quantitation of hematopoietic cells in human endometrium has been difficult to perform, particularly in nonpregnant subjects. In this study, we describe a method for the flow‐cytometric characterization of hematopoietic cells present in the endometrium of non‐pregnant women.METHOD: Endometrial biopsy samples from normal donors were first mechanically disrupted and filtered to generate a single‐cell suspension of leukocyte‐enriched endometrial cells. Cells were labeled with a panel of monoclonal antibodies, stained with propidium iodide (PI), and one‐ or two‐color flow‐cytometric analysis performed on cells excluding PI.RESULTS: The methodology described in this study was highly reproducible in experiments evaluating the interrun and intrarun variability. We then determined the immunophenotypic profile of endometrial leukocytes from 12 normal females. The majority of leukocytes were T cells (CD3: 47%; CD4: 24%; CD8: 28%) with an important contingent of NK cells (CD56: 32%), the majority of which harbored the unusual CD16‐CD56 bright phenotype, and a minority of B cells (CD20: 6%) and monocytes (CD14: 7%).CONCLUSIONS: Flow cytometry can be used to assess antigen expression on the surface of endometrial leukocytes from nonpregnant women. In future studies, it will be possible to use this approach to investigate the role of immune cell populations in the endometrium of patient experiencing reproductive failure.
Immunological Prevention of Spontaneous Early Embryo Resorption Is Mediated by Non‐Specific Immunosimulation
Authors: Baines Malcolm G. , Duclos Alain J. , de Fougerolles Antonin R. , Gendron Robert L. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Spontaneous early embryo resorption following implantation occurs in many species, but little is known regarding the causes or the prevention of early pregnancy failure. Embryo and fetal loss have widely been assumed to be due to maternal allospecific immune rejection. Alloimmunization therapy with paternal tissues has been successfully used in human and murine pregnancies to prevent early embryo demise. The mechanisms of this treatment have been assumed to be the induction of antigen specific, fetal “graft” enhancing antibodies and suppressor cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of this assumption.METHOD: To investigate these general assumptions, female CBA/J mice were immunized with either specific or nonspecific antigens prior to mating with DBA/2 or Balb/c males. Further, a model system for the study of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced abortion was used to demonstrate the nature of antigen specific immune protection against abortion.RESULTS: Whereas the administration of 1 μg of LPS to CFW♀ x CFW♂ pregnant mice on day 7 of gestation induced complete fetal resorption, prior immunization with 20 μg of LPS completely prevented LPS induced abortion as long as the anti‐LPS antibody titers remained above a threshold value of about 1/500. Therefore, early embryo loss could be induced by a bacterial infection and could be prevented by appropriate immunity to abortogenic factors. However, due to the short half‐life of IgM antibodies, immunity to LPS was short‐lived and the protective effect of LPS immunization against LPS induced abortion waned after 5 wk. Through the use of the CBA/J♀ x DBA/2 ♂ model system to study spontaneous early embryo loss, previous vaccination of CBA/J female mice with Balb/c spleen cells expressing paternal MHC antigens, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or LPS, all decreased the incidence of spontaneous resorption in subsequent pregnancies. Similarly, a previous mating with a Balb/c ♂ prevented spontaneous embryo loss for a period of up to 6 wk. However, none of the immunotherapeutic vaccinations or matings had a permanent effect on CBA/J ♀ × DBA/2 ♂ embryo survival, which one would have expected if specific immune mediators were involved.CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that the decrease in the incidence of spontaneous embryo resorption following alloimmunization was more likely to be due to nonspecific immunomodulatory effects on the immune system of the female mice, as opposed to specific antipaternal immunity. This may, in part, explain the placebo effects observed for alloimmunization therapy for human habitual pregnancy loss. The relevance of these results to the development of immunotherapy strategies for the prevention of habitual abortion is discussed.
Influence of Histocompatibility Antigens in Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion Couples and on Their Reproductive Performances
Authors: Sbracia Marco , Mastrone Marcello , Scarpellini Fabio , Grasso John A. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: To determine if human leukocyte antigens (HLA) play any role in the aetiology of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), a substantial group of RSA couples were studied, and their reproductive performances in a 3‐year follow‐up recorded.METHODS: HLA typing was performed for HLA‐A, ‐B, and DR antigens in both partners of 75 couples with unexplained RSA, and compared with a control group of 30 fertile couples that never experienced abortion. A further 57 couples of this group were studied for their reproductive performance in a 3‐year follow‐up, and subdivided into three subgroups: 1) couples that achieved successful pregnancy during the follow‐up; 2) couples that experienced abortion and no livebirth during the follow‐up; and 3) couples that experienced infertility during the follow‐up.RESULTS: There were no significant differences for antigen frequency in all the different HLA loci, and HLA antigen sharing between all the RSA couples and controls. Significant increase of sharing for HLA‐DR locus was observed in the couples that aborted during the follow‐up with respect to the couples that achieved livebirth and controls (P < 0.03 and P < 0.02 respectively), and significantly increased frequency of B44, DR5 antigen combination in the same comparison (P < 0.03). No significant differences were observed in terms of the interval between conceptions in couples without antigen sharing with respect to couples with 1, 2 or more antigens shared, and antigen sharing in Locus A, B or DR.CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that gene(s) disadvantageous for reproduction may exist between the HLA‐B and ‐DR chromosomal region which influences the pregnancy outcome in RSA couples, and that HLA‐antigen sharing itself does not influence the outcome.
ZP3 Peptide Vaccine That Induces Antibody and Reversible Infertility Without Autoimmune Oophoritis
Authors: Tung Kenneth S.K. , Ang Jennifer , Lou Yahuan 
Published: September 2011

Autoantibodies to ZP3, a major glycoprotein of the zona pel lucida (ZP) with sperm receptor function, can block sperm/oocyte interaction. However, only mice of certain major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotype respond to the ZP3 peptide. Moreover, ZP3‐specific T cells can mediate ovarian autoimmune disease.A chimeric peptide has been designed that induces antibody to native ZP3 regardless of the MHC haplotype of the inbred mice tested. This results in reduction in fertility that is reversible. Infertility correlates well with ZP antibody titer, and the mice do not develop concomitant autoimmune oophoritis. The vaccine contains (1) a promiscuous foreign T‐cell peptide capable of eliciting a T‐cell response regardless of the animals' MHC haplotype, and (2) a modified native B‐cell peptide of ZP3.
HLA Antigen Sharing in Italian Couples in Which Women Were Affected by Gestational Trophoblastic Tumors
Authors: Sbracia M. , Scarpellini F. , Mastrone M. , Grasso J.A. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: The development of gestational trophoblastic tumors (GTT), in which genetic factors are strongly involved, is a rare event. To test the possibility that gene(s) linked to the Major histocompatibility Complex (MHC) may have a role in both embryo growth and tumor development, the HLA typing was performed on patients affected by GTT and on their partners.METHOD: The study group of sixteen couples, in which the women were affected by an invasive mole or choriocarcinoma, and the control group of thirty normal fertile couples without history of spontaneous abortion or GTT were typed for class I and class II HLA antigen.RESULTS: The results showed no differences in single HLA‐A and B antigen frequency between GTT couples and controls. In HLA‐DR, locus an increased frequency of DR‐6 antigen was observed (p<0.05). No differences were observed in the frequency of number of antigens shared. When considering the single locus no differences were found in the sharing of the antigens of the A and B locus, while the frequency of antigenic sharing for DR locus was significantly higher in GTT couples with respect to controls (p<0.025). Furthermore a higher frequency of Bw35‐DR5 antigenic combination was found in GTT partners than in controls (P<0.02).CONCLUSIONS: These data represent a confirmation of the existence of a MHC linked gene(s) influencing the GTT development.
Development and Validation of an Assay for Measuring Preimplantation Factor (PIF) of Embryonal Origin
Authors: Roussev Roumen G. , Coulam Carolyn B. , Barnea Eytan R. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Tests to determine presence of embryos prior to implantation are needed. METHODS: Sera from women after embryo transfer were tested for preimplantation factor (PIF) using the lymphocyte/platelet binding assay. Autorosettes were counted using blood type O+ donor lymphocytes and platelets incubated with blinded serum in the presence of antiCD2 antibody and rabbit complement. Human chorion gonadotropin (hCG) concentrations were determined 7 days later and compared with results of the lymphocyte/platelet assay. Implantation was confirmed by ultrasonographic evidence of presence of an intrauterine gestational sac. The roles of platelet activating factor (PAF) and chaperonin 10 in the observed phenomena were studied experimentally.RESULTS: Significantly more lymphocyte/platelet rosette formations were observed when sera from women who successfully implanted were compared to sera from women who failed to implant. Neither PAF nor chaparonin added to the tested sera controls influenced the percentage of lymphocyte/platelets rosettes.CONCLUSIONS: PIF is a likely candidate to be the next frontier of diagnosing the presence of viable preimplantation embryos in vivo.
Interleukins‐6 and −8 Levels in Sera and Cervical Mucus of Fertile, Idiopathic Infertile, and Immunoinfertile Women: Implication in Infertility
Authors: Naz Rajesh K. , Butler Avigdor 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of interleukin‐6 and −8 (IL‐6 and IL‐8) in sera and cervical mucus of infertile (idiopathic and immunoinfertile) women and to compare the levels with those in age‐matched normally cycling fertile women.METHODS: Levels of IL‐6 and IL‐8 were measured in the sera and cervical mucus of fertile and infertile women by the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A non‐parametric Mann‐Whitney test was used to evaluate significance between the means. Linear regression analysis of IL‐6 and IL‐8 concentrations in serum versus cervical mucus and with antisperm antibody titers was performed by condition as well as all groups together. P < 0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS: Both IL‐6 and IL‐8 were detected in sera and cervical mucus of fertile as well as infertile groups. Although serum levels of IL‐6 and IL‐8 were significantly different between fertile and infertile groups, the differences were more pronounced in the cervical mucus samples. Cervical mucus of idiopathic and immunoinfertile women demonstrated significantly (P = 0.002 to < 0.0001) greater concentrations of IL‐6 and IL‐8 compared to fertile controls. In general, there was no significant correlation between the serum and cervical mucus IL‐6 and IL‐8 levels, whether analyzed by condition or all groups together.CONCLUSIONS: Elevated levels of IL‐6 and IL‐8 in cervical mucus of infertile groups may play a role in etiology of idiopathic and immunologic infertility. These findings suggest that the measurements of cytokines (especially IL‐6 and IL‐8) in cervical mucus may provide a tool for specific diagnosis and possibly treatment of infertility, especially idiopathic infertility.
On the Use of Paramagnetic Beads and Ferrofluids to Assess and Eliminate the Leukocytic Contribution to Oxygen Radical Generation by Human Sperm Suspensions
Authors: Aitken R.J. , Buckingham D.W. , West K. , Brindle J. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: To develop a methodology to determine a) the leukocytic contribution to reactive oxygen species generation by human sperm suspensions and b) the therapeutic value of removing these cellular contaminants.METHODS: Leukocytes were removed with paramagnetic beads or colloidal ferrofluids coated with anti‐CD45 antibody. The sperm suspensions were monitored for oxidant generation by chemiluminescence, leukocyte contamination by immunocytochemistry, and fertilizing potential using zona‐free hamster oocytes.RESULTS: Percoll®‐prepared human sperm suspensions exhibited a competence for PMA‐induced reactive oxygen species generation which was significantly correlated with leukocyte contamination. However, the purified spermatozoa remaining after paramagnetic bead treatment, also demonstrated an intrinsic capacity for PMA‐responsive reactive oxygen species generation and, freed from the oxidative stress created by the leukocytes, exhibited a significantly enhanced capacity for sperm‐oocyte fusion.CONCLUSIONS: Although human spermatozoa can generate reactive oxygen species, sperm function is inhibited by the additional oxidative stress created by contaminating leukocytes. Removal of these cells with paramagnetic beads enhances fertilizing potential.
Enhancement of the Expression of Progesterone Receptor on Progesterone‐Treated Lymphocytes After Immunotherapy in Unexplained Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion
Authors: Chiu Lin , Nishimura Motoko , Ishii Yasuo , Nieda Mie , Maeshima Masaki , Takedani Yuji , Shibata Yoichi , Tadokoro Kenji , Juji Takeo 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: The immunological mechanism of an effective immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes for unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is not yet clear. Previous studies revealed that progesterone plays an important role in maintaining normal pregnancy and lower expression of progesterone receptor (PGR) on lymphocytes was found in RSA. Therefore, it was of interest to investigate whether immunotherapy for RSA would be able to enhance the expression of PGR on lymphocytes of RSA.METHOD: PGR expression on lymphocytes was analyzed with indirect immunofluorescence using flow cytometry.RESULTS: There was no change of PGR expression on PBL of RSA between pre‐ and post‐immunotherapy (P > 0.05), while in the presence of 10.0 ug/ml progesterone for 24 h, PGR expressed on PBL on post‐immunotherapy was increased significantly as compared with that of pre‐immunotherapy in successful cases (P < 0.05) and decreased in abortive cases (P < 0.05). Most PGR was expressed on both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte subsets. In successful cases, CD8+PGR+ subset of post‐immunotherapy was found to be increased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison with that of pre‐immunotherapy.CONCLUSION: The data in the present study suggest that immunotherapy for RSA induced a higher expression of PGR on progesterone‐treated lymphocytes, which may be involved in successful pregnancy.