bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genetic diversity of Moroccan populations of Orobanche foetida: evolving from parasitising wild hosts to crop plants
Authors: VAZ PATTO M C , DÍAZ‐RUIZ R , SATOVIC Z , ROMÁN B , PUJADAS‐SALVÀ A J , RUBIALES D 
Published: March 2008

Summary Orobanche foetida is widely distributed in western Mediterranean countries infecting wild legumes. Recently it has been reported in Morocco infecting common vetch, presenting a further constraint for legume production in this area. Comparative studies between Orobanche populations attacking wild species and Orobanche populations growing on crops from the same region may help to clarify whether a host specialisation process occurred. In the present study, the genetic variability of five O. foetida populations, four infecting wild plants and one infecting cultivated vetch in Morocco was characterised using amplified fragment‐length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to elucidate the existing genetic relationship between populations and to suggest a potential origin for the recently detected vetch‐infecting population. Analysis of molecular variance suggested the existence of genotypic differentiation among populations. The most genetic divergent population by cluster analysis was the population collected on Ornithopus sativus. The vetch‐infecting O. foetida population was closer to the three populations infecting Scorpiurus muricatus. The possibility of the presence of a reservoir of diversity is balanced against direct genetic adaptation and completely new introduction. The potential for this Orobanche species to shift host and become a threat to agriculture exists and has to be taken into account for future legume breeding for these areas.
Investigation of killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor gene diversity in KIR3DL1 and KIR3DS1 in a transplant population
Authors: Belle I. , Hou L. , Chen M. , Steiner N. K. , Ng J. , Hurley C. K. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractSeveral overlapping amplicons were used to obtain the sequence of genomic DNA covering most of the coding regions of KIR3DL1 and KIR3DS1 from a family and 77 bone marrow transplant patients and their unrelated donors. Alleles 3DL1*00101 and *002 were most frequently observed in addition to 12 other known 3DL1 alleles. A single 3DS1 allele, 3DS1*01301, was identified in the 31 of 32 individuals carrying this gene. Two new alleles, 3DL1*01702 and 3DS1*058, were characterized. Three samples appeared to carry the duplicated killer cell immunoglobulin‐like receptor (KIR) haplotype observed in other studies based on the presence of 3DS1 and two 3DL1 alleles. Additionally, one sample appeared to carry a novel KIR haplotype containing one 3DL1 and two 3DS1 alleles.
Expression of pemphigus‐autoantigen desmoglein 1 in human thymus
Authors: Mouquet H. , Berrih‐Aknin S. , Bismuth J. , Joly P. , Gilbert D. , Tron F. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractDesmoglein (Dsg) 1 is a transmembrane glycoprotein of the desmosome allowing cell–cell adhesion between keratinocytes, whose expression is restricted to stratified squamous epithelia‐like epidermis. Dsg1 is the target autoantigen of pathogenic autoantibodies produced by pemphigus foliaceus and 50% of pemphigus vulgaris patients in a Dsg1‐specific T‐cell‐dependent pathway. Herewith, we show that mRNA of the DSG1 gene is present in normal human thymus and show by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis that the expression of DSG1 transcript increases with age. Although immunoblot analysis on human thymus extracts using different anti‐Dsg1 antibodies did not allow to detect the protein, we show by double‐immunofluorescence assay that Dsg1 is expressed at protein level by CD19+ CD63+ cells located in the medulla. These data provide another illustration of the thymic expression of a tissue‐specific autoantigen involved in an organ‐specific autoimmune disease, which may participate in the tolerance acquisition and/or regulation of Dsg1‐specific T cells.
Adoptive transfer of double negative T regulatory cells induces B‐cell death in vivo and alters rejection pattern of rat‐to‐mouse heart transplantation
Authors: Ma Yuexia , He Kathy M. , Garcia Bertha , Min Weiping , Jevnikar Anthony , Zhang Zhu‐Xu 
Published: March 2008

Abstract:  Background:  Antibody‐mediated hyperacute and acute graft rejection are major obstacles in achieving long‐term graft survival in xenotransplantation. It is well documented that regulatory T (Treg) cells play a very important role in regulating immune responses to self and non‐self antigens. Our previous studies have shown that TCRαβ+CD3+CD4−CD8− (double negative, DN)‐Treg cells can suppress anti‐donor T‐cell responses and prolong graft survival in allo‐ and xenotransplantation models. We have demonstrated that DN‐Treg cells can induce B‐cell apoptosis in vitro through a perforin‐dependent pathway.Methods:  B6 mice received rat heart grafts, followed by 14 days of LF15‐0195 treatment. Some mice received Lewis rat cell activated DN‐Treg cells after LF treatment. DN‐Treg cells, purified from perforin−/− mice and from B6 mice pre‐immunized with third party rat cells, were used as controls.Results:  In this study, we investigated the possibility that adoptive transfer of xenoreactive DN‐Treg cells could suppress B cells in vivo, thus prolonging xenograft survival. We found that apoptotic death of B cells significantly increased after adoptive transfer of DN‐Treg cells. In addition, anti‐donor IgG subtypes were significantly inhibited in the DN‐Treg cell‐treated group, in which the rejection pattern was altered towards cellular‐mediated rejection rather than antibody‐mediated acute vascular rejection. However, perforin‐deficient DN‐Treg cells failed to induce B‐cell death and to prolong heart graft survival, indicating a perforin‐dependent mechanism contributes to B‐cell death in vivo.Conclusions:  This study suggests that adoptive transfer of xenoreactive DN‐Treg cells can inhibit B‐cell responses in vivo. DN‐Treg cells may be valuable in controlling B‐cell responses in xenotransplantation.
Pre‐treatment of porcine pulmonary xenograft with desmopressin: a novel strategy to attenuate platelet activation and systemic intravascular coagulation in an ex‐vivo model of swine‐to‐human pulmonary xenotransplantation
Authors: Kim Young Tae , Lee Hyun Joo , Lee Sang Woo , Kim Ji Yeon , Wi Hyun Cho , Park Sun Jung , Bae Sung Jin , Kang Hee Jung 
Published: March 2008

Abstract:  Background:  Von Willebrand factor (vWF) has been proposed as a major contributor to the development of coagulopathy in pulmonary xenotransplantation. Pretreatment of donor swine with 1‐deamino‐8‐d‐arginine vasopressin (DDAVP), an analog of vasopressin, can reduce the content of vWF in pulmonary xenografts. Here, we investigate the effects of DDAVP pre‐treatment in an ex‐vivo perfusion model of pulmonary xenotransplantation.Methods:  We set up and performed the ex‐vivo perfusion using porcine pulmonary accessory lobes and fresh human whole blood (n = 12). Half of the donor swine were given 3 μg/kg DDAVP intravenously for 3 days before ex‐vivo perfusion (DDAVP group) and half of them were left untreated (control group). The porcine lung was perfused with fresh blood for 1 h and changes in the following parameters were monitored: pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, blood cell counts, fibrinogen, antithrombin, platelet factor 4, D‐dimer, C3a, C4d, and xenoreactive IgM. The release of Galα1‐3Gal xenoantigen (αGal) from porcine lung which had been perfused and retained for 30 min with human blood was assessed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay using αGal‐binding lectin.Results:  Both DDAVP and control groups showed typical findings of immediate pulmonary dysfunction: an increase of pulmonary vascular resistance and sequestration of leukocytes and platelets after ex‐vivo perfusion. However, in the DDAVP group, the increase of platelet factor 4, C3a, and C4d after perfusion was attenuated compared to that in the control group. The release of αGal after blood retention was significantly lower in the DDAVP group than that of the control group.Conclusion:  Pre‐infusion of DDAVP to the donor swine was beneficial in attenuating platelet activation as well as complement/coagulation activation. These effects of DDAVP are likely to relate to the reduction of porcine vWF content in the xenograft. Therefore, the modulation of vWF secretion in donor lungs could be an additional therapeutic way to reduce systemic coagulopathy in pulmonary xenotransplantation.
Hepatolithiasis in East Asia: Comparison between Japan and China
Authors: NAKAYAMA FUMIO , KOGA AKITOSHI , ICHIMIYA HITOSHI , TODO SATORU , SHEN KUI , GUO REN‐XUAN , ZENG XIAN‐JIU , ZHANG ZEHN‐HUAN 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe incidence of hepatolithiasis is high throughout East Asia compared with the West, but the marked difference in the relative proportion of hepatolithiasis to all cholelithiasis cases exists even among countries of similar ethnic backgrounds. A retrospective study of cases was conducted in two areas in China with the aim of clarifying the presence of such regional difference in China itself. The relative proportion of hepatolithiasis was 21.2% in Shenyang, 9.2% in Beijing and 4.1% in Fukuoka, Japan. A significant difference in the location of stones was also found between Shenyang, Beijing and Fukuoka. Intra‐ and extrahepatic hepatolithiasis in all hepatolithiasis cases was 95% in Shenyang and 75% in Beijing. Involvement of both hepatic lobes was found in 73% in Shenyang and less than 60% in the other two, suggesting that hepatolithiasis of the old form or of an advanced stage still lingers in Shenyang.In conclusion, regional differences in the proportion and the type of hepatolithiasis exist in China itself, as well as in the Chinese population in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, as previously reported. The possible contribution of environmental factors to the occurrence of hepatolithiasis is again emphasized.
A comparison of Doppler flowmetry with conventional assessment of acute changes in hepatic blood flow
Authors: GIBSON PETER R. , GIBSON ROBERT N. , DONLAN JOHN D. , JONES PENELOPE A. , COLMAN JOHN C. , DUDLEY FRANCIS J. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe validity and clinical relevance of Doppler flowmetry in measuring changes in regional blood flow are uncertain. In the present study we compared changes induced by ketanserin in regional splanchnic blood flow as measured by Doppler flowmetry with changes in conventionally measured systemic and in hepatic haemodynamic indices estimated pharmacokinetically using indocyanine green. Fourteen patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and portal hypertension were evaluated. On multivariate analyses, significant associations were noted for only three indices: changes in estimated hepatic blood flow were predicted jointly by changes in flow in the main and right portal veins and hepatic artery (R2= 0.80); changes in intrahepatic shunting (indocyanine green extraction) were predicted by changes in flow in the main and right portal veins (R2= 0.55); and changes in sinusoidal perfusion (indocyanine green clearance) were significantly predicted by changes in main portal vein flow alone (R2= 0.76). These data support the validity of Doppler flowmetry in quantifying change in regional blood flow, but highlight the limitations in its clinical application and interpretation. The association of changes in main portal vein flow with changes in sinusoidal perfusion has clinical potential but requires confirmation using other modulating drugs.
Influence of clinicopathological variables on CYP protein expression in human liver
Authors: GEORGE JACOB , BYTH KAREN , FARRELL GEOFFREY C. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractDrug metabolism is usually impaired in malnourished patients with decompensated cirrhosis, but the separate influence of clinicopathological variables, including nutritional status, on the expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 proteins has not been well characterized. We determined the hepatic content of CYP1A2, CYP2C8/10, CYP2E1 and CYP3A proteins in 71 subjects, 21 with histologically normal livers and 50 with chronic liver disease, and then tested for potential relationships between patient variables and individual CYP proteins by multivariate linear regression analysis. Variables analysed included nutritional status (determined by experienced clinicians), serum albumin and bilirubin concentrations, prothrombin time, the grade of ascites and hepatic encephalopathy, and the Child‐Pugh score. Impaired nutrition and cachexia were associated with reductions of CYP2C8/10 levels of approximately 19 and 39%, respectively, relative to cases in which nutrition was replete. Similarly, CYP2E1 protein was reduced by approximately 13 and 26%, according to the apparent severity of nutritional impairment. In contrast, nutritional status did not contribute to variability in expression of CYP1A2 or CYP3A proteins. Of the clinicopathological variables analysed, only serum bilirubin was shown to have an independent influence on CYP protein content. Thus, elevated serum bilirubin concentrations were associated with significant declines in the contents of CYP1A2 and CYP2C8/10 but not CYP3A or CYP2E1. The mechanisms for the effects of nutritional status and serum bilirubin concentration on the levels of CYP proteins are unclear, but could be mediated by factors such as cytokines, dietary composition and alterations in the level of serum bile acids. Knowledge of the influence of clinicopathological factors and nutritional status on CYP expression should lead to more rational drug prescribing in patients with hepatic disease.
Changes in the localization of colorectal cancer: Implications for clinical practice
Authors: LOFFELD RJLF , PUTTEN ABMM , BALK A. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractA hospital‐based study was performed in order to examine the subsite distribution of colorectal cancer diagnosed in 1992–93 in the Zaanstreek region. The localization was compared with tumours diagnosed in the years 1972–73 and 1982–83. The number of colorectal cancers has markedly increased, and a significant rise in localization of tumours proximal to the splenic flexure has occurred (32% in 1972–73 to 43% in 1992–93). There also appears to be greater incidence of colorectal cancer in women. A trend towards an increase of proximal localization of tumours in women was noted. Possible explanations for this phenomenon are discussed. The results of this study suggest the importance of improved diagnostic accuracy in colorectal cancer and, in addition, may have consequences for screening programmes.
Bowel preparation for colonoscopy: A randomized prospective trial comparing sodium phosphate and polyethylene glycol in a predominantly elderly population
Authors: THOMSON A. , NAIDOO P. , CROTTY B. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractMany patients find polyethylene glycol‐based preparations (PEG) difficult to take because of the large volume of fluid they are required to consume. One hundred and sixteen predominantly elderly patients were randomized to receive either sodium phosphate (n= 61) or PEG (n= 55) bowel preparations before colonoscopy. Patients with a history of symptomatic ischaemic heart disease or cerebrovascular disease in the preceding 6 months, severe liver disease or heart failure, or serum creatinine above 200 μg/L were excluded from the study. Each patient filled in a questionnaire about the bowel preparation prior to the procedure. The colonoscopists, who were not aware which preparation had been used, were asked to complete a questionnaire about the quality of the bowel preparation after the procedure. The patients found the sodium phosphate preparation slightly more tolerable than PEG. Side effects were slightly more common with sodium phosphate. Neither difference was statistically significant. However, 91% of patients who had previously had PEG found sodium phosphate easier to take. Approximately 25% of patients in each group experienced at least one episode of incontinence. The colonoscopists found no difference in the overall quality of the bowel preparation. The amount of fluid in the colon was greater in patients prepared with PEG. As expected, patients taking sodium phosphate developed hyperphosphataemia (mean phosphate level before colonoscopy 1.56 mmol/L, normal 0.8–1.3). They also had a lower mean serum potassium level (3.8 mmol/L) than the PEG group (4.2 mmol/L). However, there were no clinically significant consequences. Sodium phosphate was a safe and effective bowel preparation for colonoscopy in this carefully selected group of patients. It was preferred by patients who had previously had PEG. Many elderly patients were found to develop faecal incontinence, irrespective of the type of bowel preparation used.
Herbal medicine ‘Sho‐saiko‐to’ induces tumour necrosis factor‐α and granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor in vitro in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: YAMASHIKI MASAYOSHI , NISHIMURA AKIRA , NOMOTO MINORU , SUZUKI HIROYUKI , KOSAKA YOSHITANE 
Published: March 2008

Abstract‘Sho‐saiko‐to’ (TJ‐9) is a Japanese herbal medicine that is commonly administered to patients with chronic viral liver disease in order to improve their overall physical condition and to prevent the development of liver cancer. The present in vitro study demonstrated that, by adding TJ‐9 to cell cultures, there were dose‐dependent increases in production levels of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) in peripheral mononuclear cells of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma accompanied by liver cirrhosis. Increases in the production of TNF‐α and G‐CSF in control cell cultures exposed to different herbal medicines were low, and this indicates the specificity of the responce increases in production of these cytokines to TJ‐9. TNF‐α and G‐CSF are known to play important roles in the biological defence mechanism. Administration of TJ‐9 may, therefore, be beneficial for patients afflicted with intractable liver diseases because it could mildly induce these cytokines.
Severe clinical rebound upon withdrawal of corticosteroid before interferon therapy: Incidence and risk factors
Authors: SHEEN I‐SHYAN , LIAW YUN‐FAN , LIN SHI‐MING , CHU CHIA‐MING 
Published: March 2008

AbstractTo analyse the incidence and risk factors of clinical rebound and hepatic decompensation during or upon withdrawal of prednisolone pretreatment before interferon (IFN) therapy, two series of Taiwanese patients with chronic viral hepatitis from two independent randomized controlled trials were compared. Group 1 included 41 patients with chronic hepatitis B who were pretreated with daily prednisolone (30 mg) for 3 weeks, 15 mg for 1 week and no prednisolone for 2 weeks prior to lymphoblastoid IFN therapy. Group 2 consisted of 59 patients with chronic hepatitis B who were pretreated with daily prednisolone (40 mg) for 2 weeks, 30 mg prednisolone for 2 weeks, 20 mg prednisolone for 2 weeks and no prednisolone for 2 weeks prior to IFNα‐2a therapy. Clinical rebound developed more frequently in group 2 (67.8%) than in group 1 patients (41.5%; P <0.01). The peak serum transaminase levels of group 1 and 2 patients during clinical rebound were similar. Icteric and symptomatic clinical rebound occurred in four (one cirrhotic) group 2 patients. The incidence of hepatic decompensation was 3.4% in group 2 patients, or 5.0% in group 2 patients with clinical rebound. Patients pretreated with a higher dose (40 mg) of prednisolone (odds ratio 3.0; 95% CI 1.3–6.6; P <0.01) and non‐cirrhotic patients (odds ratio 6.2; 95% CI 1.2–32.1; P < 0.02) tended to suffer from clinical rebound more frequently. However, once clinical rebound develops in cirrhotic patients, the relative risk of decompensation is 16 times that of non‐cirrhotic patients. These results suggest that clinicians should be cautious in prescribing a short course of corticosteroids for patients with chronic viral hepatitis, because hepatic decompensation might occur in Oriental people with or without cirrhosis.
Vasopressin plus oxygen vs vasopressin alone in cirrhotic patients with portal‐hypertensive gastropathy: Effects on gastric mucosal haemodynamics and oxygenation
Authors: IWAO TADASHI , TOYONAGA ATSUSHI , SHIGEMORI HIROYUKI , OHO KAZUHIKO , SUMINO MICHIHIRO , SATO MASAHIRO , TANIKAWA KYUICHI 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe effects of vasopressin plus oxygen and vasopressin alone on gastric mucosal perfusion and oxygenation were studied using reflectance spectrophotometry and laser Doppler velocimetry in 23 cirrhotic patients with portal‐hypertensive gastropathy. The measurements were performed under basal conditions and after double‐blinded administration of placebo (n= 7), vasopressin (0.3 U/min; n= 8) or vasopressin (0.3 U/min) plus nasal oxygen (4 L/min; n= 8). No significant effects on gastric mucosal haemodynamics and oxygenation were observed after placebo. In contrast, vasopressin and vasopressin plus oxygen induced a similar reduction in haemoglobin content (‐26 ± 2 and ‐21 ± 4%, respectively P < 0.01) and laser Doppler signal (‐23 ± 2 and ‐22 ± 2%, respectively, P < 0.01). Although each treatment induced a significant reduction in oxygen saturation (‐21 ± 2 and ‐7 ± 1%, respectively P < 0.01), the effect was less pronounced in patients receiving the combination than in those receiving vasopressin alone (P < 0.01). These data suggest that vasopressin and vasopressin plus oxygen reduce gastric mucosal hyperaemia and that the oxygen supplement partially protects against gastric mucosal hypoxia during vasopressin infusion in cirrhotic patients with portal‐hypertensive gastropathy.
Analysis of HLA alleles in Japanese patients with cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C
Authors: HIGASHI YOICHIRO , KAMIKAWAJI NOBUHIRO , SUKO HIRONOBU , ANDO MASAYUKI 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTHepatitis C virus (HCV) leads to chronic liver disease in at least 50–60% of infected people and approximately 40–50% of these patients will go on to develop cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis C (HCV‐C). The pathogenic mechanisms that result in HCV‐C are unknown. Sixty Japanese patients with HCV‐C were examined for HLA‐A, B, C and DR alleles by serologic typing and for HLA‐DQB1 alleles by DNA typing using the polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) method. As the control population, 293 healthy un‐related Japanese were used. The frequencies of HLA‐B61, Cw3, DR4, DQB1*0401 and DQB1*0402 were increased, while those of HLA‐DR9, DQB1*0301 and DQB1*0303 were decreased in the patients. The co‐ordinate increase in the frequency of HLA‐DR4, DQB1*0401 or 0402 and decrease in the frequency of DR9 or DQB1*0303 were suggestive of a strong linkage disequilibrium between HLA‐DR4 and DQB1*0401 or 0402 and between HLA‐DR9 and DQB1*0303, respectively. From the odds ratio (OR) analysis, the combinations of HLA‐Cw3+DR4‐DQB1*0401 or 0402, or HLA‐B61+DR4‐DQB1*0401 or 0402 increased the risk for developing HCV‐C when compared to each HLA allele alone. This suggested an additive effect for these classes I and II HLA allele combinations in HCV‐C. In contrast, HLA‐DR9‐DQB1*0303 and DQB1*0301 may confer resistance to this disease. These results suggest the existence of HLA‐linked susceptibility genes to HCV‐C.