bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Levels of Antibodies Specific to Tetanus Toxoid,Haemophilus influenzaeType b, and Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide in Healthy Children and Adults
Authors: Schauer Uwe , Stemberg Frank , Rieger Christian H. L. , Büttner Wolfgang , Borte Michael , Schubert Simone , Möllers Helga , Riedel Frank , Herz Udo , Renz Harald , Herzog Wilhelm 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTAntibody levels specific for capsular polysaccharides ofStreptococcus pneumoniaeandHaemophilus influenzaetype b (Hib) and for tetanus toxoid were measured in serum samples of 386 age-stratified subjects. The study group consists of healthy adult blood donors and hospitalized children undergoing elective surgery, excluding individuals with a history of infection. In children, anti-tetanus toxoid antibody levels displayed two peaks of 1.20 IU/ml (20.4 mg/liter) and 1.65 IU/ml (28.1 mg/liter) related to the schedule of routine childhood immunization in the first year and at 8 years of age. Eighty percent of the antibodies are of the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) isotype. For pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP), the specific antibody levels represent the acquisition of natural immunity. The initial concentration of 9.2 mg/liter was low in infancy (0.5 to 1 years of age) and remained low until 3 to 4 years of age (14.6 mg/liter). During this period PCP antibodies were almost 100% of the IgG2 subclass. Thereafter, IgG anti-PCP antibody titers increased steadily to adult levels (59.5 mg/liter). The data are intended to provide reference ranges to aid in the interpretation of specific antibody determinations in the clinical setting.
Clearance of Virulent but Not AvirulentRhodococcus equifrom the Lungs of Adult Horses Is Associated with Intracytoplasmic Gamma Interferon Production by CD4+and CD8+T Lymphocytes
Authors: Hines Stephen A. , Stone Diana M. , Hines Melissa T. , Alperin Debby C. , Knowles Donald P. , Norton Linda K. , Hamilton Mary J. , Davis William C. , McGuire Travis C. 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTRhodococcus equiis a gram-positive bacterium that infects alveolar macrophages and causes rhodococcal pneumonia in horses and humans. The virulence plasmid ofR. equiappears to be required for both pathogenicity in the horse and the induction of protective immunity. An understanding of the mechanisms by which virulentR. equicircumvents protective host responses and by which bacteria are ultimately cleared is important for development of an effective vaccine. Six adult horses were challenged with either virulentR. equior an avirulent, plasmid-cured derivative. By using a flow cytometric method for intracytoplasmic detection of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells, clearance of the virulent strain was shown to be associated with increased numbers of pulmonary CD4+and CD8+T lymphocytes producing IFN-γ. There was no change in IFN-γ-positive cells in peripheral blood, suggesting that a type 1 recall response at the site of challenge was protective. The plasmid-cured strain ofR. equiwas cleared in horses without a significant increase in IFN-γ-producing T lymphocytes in BALF. In contrast to these data, a previous report in foals suggested an immunomodulating role forR. equivirulence plasmid-encoded products in downregulating IFN-γ expression by equine CD4+T lymphocytes. Intracytoplasmic detection of IFN-γ provides a method to better determine whether modulation of macrophage-activating cytokines by virulent strains occurs uniquely in neonates and contributes to their susceptibility to rhodococcal pneumonia.
Simple Method To Distinguish between Primary and Secondary C3 Deficiencies
Authors: Pereira de Carvalho Florido Marlene , Ferreira de Paula Patrícia , Isaac Lourdes 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTDue to the increasing numbers of reported clinical cases of complement deficiency in medical centers, clinicians are now more aware of the role of the complement system in the protection against infections caused by microorganisms. Therefore, clinical laboratories are now prepared to perform a number of diagnostic tests of the complement system other than the standard 50% hemolytic component assay. Deficiencies of alternative complement pathway proteins are related to severe and recurrent infections; and the application of easy, reliable, and low-cost methods for their detection and distinction are always welcome, notably in developing countries. When activation of the alternative complement pathway is evaluated in hemolytic agarose plates, some but not all human sera cross-react to form a late linear lysis. Since the formation of this linear lysis is dependent on C3 and factor B, it is possible to use late linear lysis to routinely screen for the presence of deficiencies of alternative human complement pathway proteins such as factor B. Furthermore, since linear lysis is observed between normal human serum and primary C3-deficient serum but not between normal human serum and secondary C3-deficient serum caused by the lack of factor H or factor I, this assay may also be used to discriminate between primary and secondary C3 deficiencies.
Detection of Cross-Reactivity for Atopic Immunoglobulin E against Multiple Allergens
Authors: Chiou Yee-Hsuan , Yuo Chung-Yee , Wang Lin-Yu , Huang Shiao-ping 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT
The existence of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) allows us to determine the allergens that cause the allergic disease. For the purposes of allergen avoidance and immunotherapy, the measurement of specific IgE is widely applied in clinical laboratories. However, if IgE from the serum of an allergic patient exhibits reactivity to multiple allergens, it would cause a problem. The present study analyzes whether the serum IgE with multiple reactivity is due to the presence of unique IgE against the common epitope shared by different allergens or the presence of multiple IgEs against different epitopes on different allergens. The quantitative-competitive inhibition tests and the immunoblotting were applied to analyze the immunosimilarity among examined allergens. The result shows that the competitive inhibition of IgE binding between shrimp and crab allergens is higher than those between either shrimp and cockroach or between crab and cockroach. Furthermore, the results of immunoblotting are consistent with those of quantitative-competitive inhibition tests. These results allow us to detect the cross-reactivity for atopic IgE against multiple allergens.
Rapid Detection of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia by a
Mycoplasma mycoides
subsp.
mycoides
SC Capsular Polysaccharide-Specific Antigen Detection Latex Agglutination Test
Authors: March John B. , Kerr Karen , Lema Benedict 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT

A latex agglutination test (LAT) has been developed for the diagnosis of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). The latex microspheres were coated with MmmSC polyclonal immunoglobulin G antiserum and detected MmmSC antigen in the serum of cattle infected with CBPP and in growth medium containing MmmSC. The specific antigen recognizsed by this test appeared to be the capsular polysaccharide (CPS). The LAT recognized all 23 strains of MmmSC examined in this study, with a sensitivity level of 2 ng of CPS, or the equivalent of 5 × 10
3
CFU, in a reaction volume of 0.03 ml. Therefore, rapid identification of MmmSC cultures should be possible. Agglutination was also observed with the related goat pathogens and “
Mycoplasma mycoides
” cluster members
Mycoplasma mycoides
subsp.
mycoides
large colony biotype (four of six strains positive) and
Mycoplasma mycoides
subsp.
capri
(three of six strains positive), in agreement with the suggestion that these latter two mycoplasmas may in fact represent a single species (although collectively exhibiting two capsular serotypes). Comparisons in diagnosis with the complement fixation test (CFT) were made by using African field sera from CBPP-infected cattle. After 2 (or 3) min of incubation, the test detected 55% (or 61%) of CFT-positive sera and 29% (or 40%) of CFT-negative sera, with an overall correlation in diagnosis of 62% (or 61%). The rates for false-positive diagnoses made by using “known” CBPP-negative sera from the United Kingdom were 3 or 13% after 2 or 3 min of incubation, respectively. The data agree with previous findings that some CBPP CFT-negative misdiagnoses may occur due to “antibody eclipsing” by excess circulating antigen. The LAT combines low cost and high specificity with ease of application in the field, without the need for any specialist training or equipment.
Performance of Five Serological Assays for Diagnosis ofRhodococcus equiPneumonia in Foals
Authors: Giguère Steeve , Hernandez Jorge , Gaskin Jack , Prescott John F. , Takai Shinji , Miller Corey 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTThe performance of four enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) (ELISA-6939, ELISA-33701, ELISA-VapA, and ELISA-California) and an agar gel immunodiffusion test for diagnosis ofRhodococcus equipneumonia in foals was evaluated. Antibody concentrations of foals with culture-confirmedR. equipneumonia (n= 41) were compared to those of age-matched pasturemates that remained clinically healthy during the entire breeding season (n= 24). For each serological assay evaluated, selection of a low cutoff resulted in high sensitivity but low specificity. Increasing the cutoff value resulted in better specificity but to the detriment of sensitivity. The best diagnostic performance was achieved with ELISA-California at a cutoff of 40%, resulting in a sensitivity of 59% and a specificity of 88%. We conclude that current serological assays do not differentiate between diseased and clinically healthy foals.
Inhibition of Pneumococcal Adherence to Human Nasopharyngeal Epithelial Cells by Anti-PsaA Antibodies
Authors: Romero-Steiner Sandra , Pilishvili Tamar , Sampson Jacquelyn S. , Johnson Scott E. , Stinson Annie , Carlone George M. , Ades Edwin W. 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT

The role of pneumococcal (Pnc) surface adhesin A (PsaA) in the adherence of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
(pneumococcus) to host cells is not well defined. We examined the effect of anti-PsaA antibodies in an inhibition of adherence assay using Detroit 562 nasopharyngeal human epithelial cells. Rabbit polyclonal (Pab) anti-recombinant PsaA (rPsaA) sera, a purified mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb) (MAb 6F62G8E12), and 22 healthy adult sera with known anti-PsaA IgG levels (obtained by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were evaluated for their abilities to inhibit Pnc adherence to confluent monolayers (measured as percent reduction in CFU counts compared to those of uninhibited controls). Pnc adherence was dependent on capsular phenotype (no or low adherence for opaque strains). With an inoculum of 10
4
to 10
5
bacteria/well, the mean ± standard deviation count in controls was 163 ± 32 CFU/well for transparent strains. Low adherence was observed for a PsaA-minus mutant even at higher inoculum doses. Mean percent inhibitions of adherence with Pab and MAb were 54 and 50%, respectively. Adult sera showed inhibition in a dose-response fashion with a range of 98 to 8%, depending on the serum anti-PsaA antibody concentration. Absorption of Pab with rPsaA restored Pnc adherence to control levels. Absorption of sera with a PsaA-minus mutant did not result in a significant decrease (
P
>0.05) of inhibition of adherence activity. Additionally, nearly 100% of Pnc adherence was inhibited by lipidated rPsaA at 2.5 μg/ml. Our data support the argument that PsaA is an adhesin that mediates Pnc adherence to human nasopharyngeal cells. This functional assay may be useful in evaluating antibodies elicited in response to PsaA vaccination.
Lipoteichoic Acids fromLactobacillusStrains Elicit Strong Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Inducing Activities in Macrophages through Toll-Like Receptor 2
Authors: Matsuguchi Tetsuya , Takagi Akimitsu , Matsuzaki Takeshi , Nagaoka Masato , Ishikawa Kimika , Yokokura Teruo , Yoshikai Yasunobu 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACTLactobacilli are nonpathogenic gram-positive inhabitants of microflora. At least someLactobacillusstrains have been postulated to have health beneficial effects, such as the stimulation of the immune system. Here we examined the stimulatory effects of lactobacilli on mouse immune cells. All six heat-killedLactobacillusstrains examined induced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) from mouse splenic mononuclear cells, albeit to various degrees. When fractionated subcellular fractions ofLactobacillus caseiwere tested for NF-κB activation and TNF-α production in RAW264.7, a mouse macrophage cell line, the activity was found to be as follows: protoplast > cell wall ≫ polysaccharide-peptidoglycan complex. Both crude extracts and purified lipoteichoic acids (LTAs) from twoLactobacillusstrains,L. caseiandL. fermentum, significantly induced TNF-α secretion from RAW264.7 cells and splenocytes of C57BL/6, C3H/HeN, and C3H/HeJ mice but not from splenocytes of C57BL/6TLR2−/−mice.LactobacillusLTA induced activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, in HEK293T cells transected with a combination of CD14 and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), NF-κB was activated in response toLactobacillusLTA. Taken together, these data suggest that LTAs from lactobacilli elicit proinflammatory activities through TLR2.
Performance Characteristics of a Rapid New Immunochromatographic Test for Detection of Antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Ribeiro-Rodrigues Rodrigo , Ferreira da Silva Pinto Neto Lauro , Cunha Carla B. , Cabral Valéria P. , Dietze Reynaldo 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT
A new immunochromatographic rapid test (Rapid Check HIV 1&2; Núcleo de Doenças Infecciosas) for the detection of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2 in human samples (whole blood, serum, and plasma) was evaluated and compared to the commercially available Determine (Abbott Laboratories). When whole-blood samples were evaluated, the specificity and sensitivity of both tests were 100%. However, when plasma samples were used, sensitivity for the Rapid Check HIV 1&2 and the Determine tests were 100 and 98.58%, respectively. The observed specificity for plasma samples was 98.94% for the Rapid Check HIV 1&2 and 96.97% for the Determine test. The results presented here are encouraging and support the adoption of both tests as an alternative to enzyme-lined immunosorbent assay and/or Western blots in regions where laboratorial infrastructure is not available or for use in the management of occupational accidents for healthcare workers.
RNase L Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells: 37-Kilodalton/83-Kilodalton Isoform Ratio Is a Potential Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: Tiev Kiet Phong , Demettre Edith , Ercolano Philippe , Bastide Lionel , Lebleu Bernard , Cabane Jean 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a disorder characterized by debilitating fatigue associated with immunological abnormalities. The etiology remains unclear. A low-molecular-mass (37 kDa) isoform of RNase L has been described in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) extracts, and the ratio of two isoforms of RNase L (37 kDa/83 kDa) has been proposed as a potential biochemical marker of CFS. In a prospective case-control study, we tested whether the RNase L 37-kDa/83-kDa ratio could discriminate a SFC population. We compared the ratio of RNase L isoforms in PBMCs from 11 patients with CFS (6 women and 5 men; mean age ± standard deviation, 43.2 ± 13.8 years) and PBMCs from 14 healthy well-matched volunteers (10 women and 4 men; age, 39.1 ± 11.6 years). A ratio of RNase L of 0.4 used as a threshold allowed diagnosis of CFS with high sensitivity (91%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 57 to 99%) and specificity (71%; 95% CI, 41 to 90%). The positive and negative prognostic values were 71% (95% CI, 41 to 90%) and 91% (95% CI, 57 to 99%), respectively. In the absence of acute infection or chronic inflammation, a high RNase L ratio could distinguish CFS patients from healthy volunteers. Additional large studies and follow-up studies are required to confirm the stability of this high ratio of RNase L isoforms in a CFS group.
Nucleoporin p62 Antibodies in a Case of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
Authors: Kraemer Doris M. , Kraus Michael R. , Kneitz Christian , Tony Hans-Peter 
Published: March 2003

ABSTRACT
Mixed connective tissue disease is an overlap syndrome characterized by features of different systemic autoimmune diseases and a high titer of U1-snRNP antibodies. We examine here the autoantibodies to nucleoporin p62 in a severe case of mixed connective tissue disease in a young male patient. Thus far, p62 antibodies have mainly been described in cases of primary biliary cirrhosis. We speculate that the presence of p62 antibodies is an indication of a poor prognosis in connective tissue disorders.
Agrobacterium
-Mediated Plant Transformation: the Biology behind the “Gene-Jockeying” Tool
Authors: Gelvin Stanton B. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARY
Agrobacterium tumefaciens and related Agrobacterium species have been known as plant pathogens since the beginning of the 20th century. However, only in the past two decades has the ability of Agrobacterium to transfer DNA to plant cells been harnessed for the purposes of plant genetic engineering. Since the initial reports in the early 1980s using Agrobacterium to generate transgenic plants, scientists have attempted to improve this “natural genetic engineer” for biotechnology purposes. Some of these modifications have resulted in extending the host range of the bacterium to economically important crop species. However, in most instances, major improvements involved alterations in plant tissue culture transformation and regeneration conditions rather than manipulation of bacterial or host genes. Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation is a highly complex and evolved process involving genetic determinants of both the bacterium and the host plant cell. In this article, I review some of the basic biology concerned with Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Knowledge of fundamental biological principles embracing both the host and the pathogen have been and will continue to be key to extending the utility of Agrobacterium for genetic engineering purposes.
Cytokinesis in Bacteria
Authors: Errington Jeffery , Daniel Richard A. , Scheffers Dirk-Jan 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARYWork on two diverse rod-shaped bacteria, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, has defined a set of about 10 conserved proteins that are important for cell division in a wide range of eubacteria. These proteins are directed to the division site by the combination of two negative regulatory systems. Nucleoid occlusion is a poorly understood mechanism whereby the nucleoid prevents division in the cylindrical part of the cell, until chromosome segregation has occurred near midcell. The Min proteins prevent division in the nucleoid-free spaces near the cell poles in a manner that is beginning to be understood in cytological and biochemical terms. The hierarchy whereby the essential division proteins assemble at the midcell division site has been worked out for both E. coli and B. subtilis. They can be divided into essentially three classes depending on their position in the hierarchy and, to a certain extent, their subcellular localization. FtsZ is a cytosolic tubulin-like protein that polymerizes into an oligomeric structure that forms the initial ring at midcell. FtsA is another cytosolic protein that is related to actin, but its precise function is unclear. The cytoplasmic proteins are linked to the membrane by putative membrane anchor proteins, such as ZipA of E. coli and possibly EzrA of B. subtilis, which have a single membrane span but a cytoplasmic C-terminal domain. The remaining proteins are either integral membrane proteins or transmembrane proteins with their major domains outside the cell. The functions of most of these proteins are unclear with the exception of at least one penicillin-binding protein, which catalyzes a key step in cell wall synthesis in the division septum.
Bacteriophage T4 Genome
Authors: Miller Eric S. , Kutter Elizabeth , Mosig Gisela , Arisaka Fumio , Kunisawa Takashi , Rüger Wolfgang 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARYPhage T4 has provided countless contributions to the paradigms of genetics and biochemistry. Its complete genome sequence of 168,903 bp encodes about 300 gene products. T4 biology and its genomic sequence provide the best-understood model for modern functional genomics and proteomics. Variations on gene expression, including overlapping genes, internal translation initiation, spliced genes, translational bypassing, and RNA processing, alert us to the caveats of purely computational methods. The T4 transcriptional pattern reflects its dependence on the host RNA polymerase and the use of phage-encoded proteins that sequentially modify RNA polymerase; transcriptional activator proteins, a phage sigma factor, anti-sigma, and sigma decoy proteins also act to specify early, middle, and late promoter recognition. Posttranscriptional controls by T4 provide excellent systems for the study of RNA-dependent processes, particularly at the structural level. The redundancy of DNA replication and recombination systems of T4 reveals how phage and other genomes are stably replicated and repaired in different environments, providing insight into genome evolution and adaptations to new hosts and growth environments. Moreover, genomic sequence analysis has provided new insights into tail fiber variation, lysis, gene duplications, and membrane localization of proteins, while high-resolution structural determination of the “cell-puncturing device,” combined with the three-dimensional image reconstruction of the baseplate, has revealed the mechanism of penetration during infection. Despite these advances, nearly 130 potential T4 genes remain uncharacterized. Current phage-sequencing initiatives are now revealing the similarities and differences among members of the T4 family, including those that infect bacteria other than Escherichia coli. T4 functional genomics will aid in the interpretation of these newly sequenced T4-related genomes and in broadening our understanding of the complex evolution and ecology of phages—the most abundant and among the most ancient biological entities on Earth.
SCREENING FOR NEONATAL HIP INSTABILITY IN AN ASIAN POPULATION: AN EVALUATION OF THE FIRST 5 YEARS
Authors: Ang K. C. , Lee E. H. 
Published: March 2003

Developmental dysplasia of the hip can result in significant morbidity both in childhood and later in adult life. Early diagnosis enables better results to be obtained with fewer complications, while delayed diagnosis can lead to prolonged treatment with less satisfactory outcome.A Neonatal Hip Screening program for DDH has been in place in the National University Hospital, Singapore since December 1989. Our program is run by consultant neonatologists and consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeons. All neonates seen with DDH are followed up for a minimum of 1 year with ultrasonography and X-rays.Our results show an incidence of dislocated hips of 4.7 per 1000 live births. The incidence of neonates with acetabular dysplasia as defined by an Acetabular Index of > 30° is 16.8 per 1000 live births.The early diagnosis and treatment of hip dislocation is important for the development of a normal acetabulum. Neonatal Hip Screening programs have been shown to be effective in the early diagnosis, resulting in successful outcome of treatment and reduction of economic costs in the management of DDH.The finding of a significant incidence of DDH in our population and the successful management after early diagnosis in our study have vindicated the establishment of our hip screening program.