bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Indicators for Time to Ambulation After Surgical Decompression in Nonambulatory Dogs With Acute Thoracolumbar Disk Extrusions: 112 Cases
Authors: Davis Garrett J. , Brown Dorothy C. 
Published: November 2002

Objectives—To determine prognostic indicators for time to ambulation after surgical decompression in nonambulatory dogs with intact pain sensation and acute Hansen type‐1 disk extrusions.Study Design—Retrospective clinical study.Animals—One‐hundred twelve dogs with Hansen type‐I disk extrusions that had decompressive hemilaminectomy or dorsal laminectomy.Methods—All dogs had thoracolumbar disk extrusion and were nonambulatory with intact pain sensation at admission. Variables considered included age, weight, voluntary motor function at time of anesthetic induction, glucocorticoid use, times from onset of nonambulatory status to admission and surgical decompression, time in hospital to surgical decompression, anesthetic time, surgical time, number of contrast injections required to perform a diagnostic myelogram, postoperative pain sensation, and postoperative voluntary motor function. Time to ambulation was defined as the number of days from surgical decompression until the dog was able to stand and take a series of steps without assistance.Results—One‐hundred seven dogs (96%) were able to ambulate within 3 months. The mean time to ambulation was 12.9 days and was significantly shorter if dogs had postoperative voluntary motor function (7.9 daysv16.4 days,P< .0001). No other variable had a significant association with time to ambulation.Conclusions—Few perioperative variables have prognostic value for return to ambulation. Nonambulatory dogs with intact pain sensation and Hansen type‐1 disk extrusions in the thoracolumbar spine that are treated with surgical decompression have a favorable prognosis.Clinical Relevance—The presence of postoperative voluntary motor function is a favorable prognostic indicator for early return to ambulation.
Analytic continuation of overconvergent eigenforms
Authors: Buzzard Kevin 
Published: November 2002

Let

f
f

be an overconvergent

p
p

-adic eigenform of level

N

p
r

Np^r

,

r
≥
1

r\geq 1

, with non-zero

U
p

U_p

-eigenvalue. We show how

f
f

may be analytically continued to a subset of

X
1

(
N

p
r

)

a
n

X_1(Np^r)^{\mathrm {an}}

containing, for example, all the supersingular locus. Using these results we extend the main theorem of our earlier work with R. Taylor to many ramified cases.
Activator recruitment by the general transcription machinery: X-ray structural analysis of the Oct-1 POU domain/human U1 octamer/SNAP190 peptide ternary complex
Authors: Hovde Stacy , Hinkley Craig S. , Strong Katie , Brooks Aimee , Gu Liping , Henry R. William , Geiger James 
Published: November 2002

Transcriptional activation of the human U1 snRNA genes is dependent on a noncanonical octamer element contained within an upstream enhancer. The U1 octamer only weakly recruits the Oct-1 POU domain, although recruitment is stimulated by a peptide containing the Oct-1-binding domain of SNAP190. Structural analysis of the Oct-1 POU domain/U1 octamer/SNAP190 peptide complex revealed that SNAP190 makes extensive protein contacts with the Oct-1 POU-specific domain and with the DNA phosphate backbone within the enhancer. Although SNAP190 and OCA-B both interact with the Oct-1 POU domain through the same Oct-1 interface, a single nucleotide within the U1 octamer ablates OCA-B recruitment without compromising activator recruitment by SNAP190.Supplemental material is available athttp://www.genesdev.org.
Immune Responses to Bile-Tolerant
Helicobacter
Species in Patients with Chronic Liver Diseases, a Randomized Population Group, and Healthy Blood Donors
Authors: Ananieva Olga , Nilsson Ingrid , Vorobjova Tamara , Uibo Raivo , Wadström Torkel 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

Bile-tolerant
Helicobacter
species such as
Helicobacter pullorum
,
Helicobacter bilis
, and
Helicobacter hepaticus
are associated with hepatic disorders in animals and may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases (CLD) in humans. Antibody responses to cell surface proteins of
H. pullorum, H. bilis
, and
H. hepaticus
in serum samples from patients with CLD, a randomized population group, and healthy blood donors were evaluated by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were compared with the antibody responses to
Helicobacter pylori
. For analysis of a possible cross-reactivity between bile-tolerant
Helicobacter
species and
H. pylori
, sera from a subpopulation of each group were absorbed with a whole-cell extract of
H. pylori
and retested by ELISA. Results before absorption showed that the mean value of the ELISA units for
H. pullorum
was significantly higher in patients with CLD than in healthy blood donors (
P
= 0.01). Antibody reactivity to cell surface protein of
H. hepaticus
was also significantly higher in the CLD patients than in the healthy blood donors and the population group (
P
= 0.005 and
P
= 0.002, respectively). Following the absorption, antibody responses to
H. pullorum
decreased significantly in all three groups (
P
= 0.0001 for CLD patients,
P
= 0.0005 for the population group, and
P
< 0.0001 for the blood donors), indicating that cross-reactivity between
H. pylori
and other
Helicobacter
spp. occurs. The antibody responses to
H. hepaticus
and
H. bilis
in CLD patients remained high following absorption experiments compared to ELISA results before absorption. The significance of this finding requires further investigations.
Phagocytosis and Killing of Bacteria by Professional Phagocytes and Dendritic Cells
Authors: Nagl Markus , Kacani Laco , Müllauer Brigitte , Lemberger Eva-Maria , Stoiber Heribert , Sprinzl Georg M. , Schennach Harald , Dierich Manfred P. 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACTDendritic cells (DC) represent a class of professional antigen-presenting cells whose primary function is to alert the immune system, not to clear invading microorganisms. The objective of our study was to compare the abilities of polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMN), monocytes, monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), monocyte-derived immature DC (imDC), and mature DC (maDC) to ingest and destroyStaphylococcus aureusandEscherichia coli. Acridine orange staining and fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that MDM, followed by monocytes, imDC, and PMN, internalized bacteria well but that maDC exhibited less pronounced phagocytic activity. PMN, monocytes, and MDM exhibited a much higher capacity to kill ingested bacteria than both imDC and maDC. In summary, these data are in agreement with the generally accepted idea that different types of leukocytes fulfill specialized tasks in antigen presentation and killing of pathogens.
Change of Mouse CD5+B1 Cells to a Macrophage-Like Morphology Induced by Gamma Interferon and Inhibited by Interleukin-4
Authors: Koide Naoki , Sugiyama Tsuyoshi , Mori Isamu , Mu Mya Mya , Hamano Teruaki , Yoshida Tomoaki , Yokochi Takashi 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACTThe in vitro effects of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) on the mouse CD5+B1-cell line, TH2.52, a hybridoma between mouse B lymphoma and mouse splenic B cells that expresses a series of B1 markers, were investigated. A significant number of macrophage-like cells appeared in the cultures of TH2.52 cells exposed to IFN-γ, these adhering to plastic dishes and exhibiting phagocytic activity. Positive for esterase staining, the macrophage-like cells returned to the original TH2.52 morphology upon removal of IFN-γ. The change was prevented by treatment with SB202190, an inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and by transfection of a p38 MAP kinase dominant-negative mutant. Further, interleukin-4 (IL-4) inhibited IFN-γ-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase and the appearance of macrophage-like cells. IFN-γ and IL-4 exhibited contradictory actions on morphological change of CD5+B1 cells into macrophage-like cells. Differential regulation of CD5+B1 cells by IFN-γ, a Th1 cytokine, and IL-4, a Th2 cytokine, may have clear immunological significance.
Lipoarabinomannan-Induced Cell Signaling Involves Ceramide and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase
Authors: Sirkar Madhumita , Majumdar Subrata 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACTLipoarabinomannan (LAM) is a major cell wall-associated lipoglycan, produced in large amounts (15 mg/g of bacteria) in different species of mycobacteria. Our laboratory has previously reported that LAM fromMycobacterium smegmatisexerts its cytotoxic activity via inhibition of protein kinase C, a key signaling molecule inside the mononuclear cells (S. Ghosh, S. Pal, S. Das, S. K. Dasgupta, and S. Majumdar, FEMS Immunol. Med. Microbiol. 21:181-188, 1998). In this study we report that LAM fromMycobacterium tuberculosisinduces a signal transduction pathway in favor of survivability of the host cells via the generation of ceramide, a novel second messenger. The endogenous ceramide level in mononuclear cells was found to be enhanced during LAM treatment. The effects of LAM on protein tyrosine phosphorylation in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were examined. LAM enhanced the tyrosine phosphorylation of p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3 kinase) and dephosphorylation of stress-activated protein kinase. LAM-induced phosphorylation of p42 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2) was further enhanced by wortmannin, a PI3 kinase inhibitor. To examine whether these effects are due to elevation of endogenous ceramide, we exposed the cells to cell-permeative C2-ceramide exogenously and studied the activities of different protein kinases. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis and morphological studies showed that LAM induces cell survival. Therefore, these results suggest the ability of LAM to induce ceramide in the altered signaling pathway and help in cell survival.
In Vitro and In Vivo Detection of Mx Gene Products in Bovine Cells following Stimulation with Alpha/Beta Interferon and Viruses
Authors: Müller-Doblies Doris , Ackermann Mathias , Metzler Alfred 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACTThis study focused on products of the bovine Mx1 gene as specific markers for acute viral infections. The rationale for this is the fact that viral infections are commonly paralleled by the synthesis, release, and remote action of alpha/beta interferons (IFN-α/β). Released IFN-α/β act through specific receptors present on nucleated cells to transduce signals for the transcription of numerous IFN-regulated genes, such as the ones for double-stranded-RNA-dependent protein kinase, 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase, or the Mx proteins. In this study, cultured MDBK cells and bovine white blood cells (WBC) were treated with recombinant IFN-α or infected with either bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) or bovine rotavirus (BRV). Treatment of cultured cells with IFN-α was followed within 4 h by a time- and dose-dependent accumulation of intracytoplasmic Mx protein as revealed by immunostaining and Western blot immunoassay. This was preceded by a distinct rise of Mx mRNA in similarly treated cells, as revealed by a newly established quantitative TaqMan PCR technique. The two viruses displayed a cell-dependent in vitro ability to induce Mx proteins, which was limited to bovine WBC with BHV-1 and to MDBK cells with BRV. The established methods were successfully used to show that infection of calves with a noncytopathic strain of bovine viral diarrhea virus, a pestivirus, was followed within 2 days postinfection by strong expression of both Mx mRNA and Mx proteins in WBC.
Expression in Bacteria of the Gene Encoding the gp43 Antigen of
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
: Immunological Reactivity of the Recombinant Fusion Proteins
Authors: Diniz Susana N. , Carvalho Kátia C. , Cisalpino Patrícia S. , Silveira José F. , Travassos Luiz R. , Puccia Rosana 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

gp43 is the major diagnostic antigen of
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
, the agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) in humans. In the present study, cDNA of the gp43 gene (
PbGP43
) was obtained by reverse transcriptase PCR, inserted into a pGEX vector in frame with the glutathione
S
-transferase (GST) gene, and expressed in
Escherichia coli
as inclusion bodies. Immunoblotting showed that all sera from patients with chronic pulmonary and acute lymphatic forms of PCM reacted with the recombinant fusion protein of the mature gp43 (381 amino acids). Reactivity with fusion proteins containing subfragments of the N-terminal, internal, or C-terminal regions occurred eventually, and the C-terminal region was the most antigenic. Lack of reactivity with the subfragments may be due to the conformational nature of the gp43 epitopes. Sera from patients with aspergillosis, candidiasis, and histoplasmosis did not react with the gp43-GST fusion protein. Our results suggest that recombinant gp43 corresponding to the processed antigen can be a useful tool in the diagnosis of PCM.
Nef Protein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Lipopolysaccharide Induce Expression of CD14 on Human Monocytes through Differential Utilization of Interleukin-10
Authors: Creery David , Angel Jonathan B. , Aucoin Susan , Weiss William , Cameron William D. , Diaz-Mitoma Francisco , Kumar Ashok 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACTWe investigated the expression of membrane-bound CD14 (mCD14) on monocytes and soluble CD14 (sCD14) released into the culture supernatants of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBMC) from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. Monocytes from HIV-positive individuals exhibited both enhanced mCD14 expression and sCD14 production in the PBMC culture supernatants compared to the levels of mCD14 and sCD14 in HIV-negative individuals. This enhanced mCD14 expression and sCD14 production in HIV-infected individuals may be due to the effects of cytokines, the bacterial product lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and/or the HIV regulatory antigens Tat and Nef. Interleukin-10 (IL-10), an immunoregulatory cytokine, as well as LPS enhanced mCD14 expression and the release of sCD14 in the culture supernatants. HIV-Nef, unlike Tat, enhanced mCD14 expression on monocytes but did not induce the release of sCD14 into the culture supernatants. Studies conducted to investigate the mechanism underlying HIV-Nef-induced mCD14 expression revealed that HIV-Nef upregulated mCD14 expression via a mechanism that does not involve endogenously produced IL-10. In contrast, LPS upregulated the expression of mCD14 and increased the release of sCD14 via a mechanism that involves, at least in part, endogenously produced IL-10. Furthermore, dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agent, inhibited HIV-Nef-induced CD14 expression in an IL-10-independent manner. In contrast, dexamethasone inhibited IL-10-dependent LPS-induced CD14 expression by interfering with IL-10-induced signals but not by blocking IL-10 production. These results suggest that HIV-Nef and IL-10 constitute biologically important modulators of CD14 expression which may influence immunobiological responses to bacterial infections in HIV disease.
Detection of DNA of Lymphotropic Herpesviruses in Plasma of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients: Frequency and Clinical Significance
Authors: Broccolo Francesco , Bossolasco Simona , Careddu Anna M. , Tambussi Giuseppe , Lazzarin Adriano , Cinque Paola 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

The frequency and clinical significance of detection of DNA of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), HHV-7, and HHV-8 in plasma were investigated by PCR. The plasma was obtained from 120 selected human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, of whom 75 had AIDS-related manifestations, 32 had primary HIV infection (PHI), and 13 had asymptomatic infections. Nested PCR analysis revealed that none of the lymphotropic herpesviruses tested were found in patients with PHI, in asymptomatic HIV-positive individuals, or in HIV-negative controls. By contrast, DNA of one or more of the viruses was found in 42 (56%) of 75 patients with AIDS-related manifestations, including CMV disease (CMV-D) or AIDS-related tumors. The presence of CMV DNA in plasma was significantly associated with CMV-D (
P
< 0.001). By contrast, EBV detection was not significantly associated with AIDS-related lymphomas (
P
= 0.31). Interestingly, the presence of HHV-8 DNA in plasma was significantly associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) disease (
P
< 0.001) and with the clinical status of KS patients (
P
< 0.001). CMV (primarily), EBV, and HHV-8 were the viruses most commonly reactivated in the context of severe immunosuppression (
P
< 0.05). In contrast, HHV-6 and HHV-7 infections were infrequent at any stage of disease. In conclusion, plasma PCR was confirmed to be useful in the diagnosis of CMV-D but not in that of tumors or other conditions possibly associated with EBV, HHV-6, and HHV-7. Our findings support the hypothesis of a direct involvement of HHV-8 replication in KS pathogenesis, thus emphasizing the usefulness of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests to monitor HHV-8 infection.
Cytokine Profiles in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Lymph Node Cells from Piglets Infected In Utero with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus
Authors: Aasted B. , Bach P. , Nielsen J. , Lind P. 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to investigate at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after birth cytokine expression by peripheral blood mononuclear cells and bronchial lymph node cells from piglets infected in utero with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Technically, by flow cytometry we were able to measure gamma interferon (γ-IFN), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and IL-8 levels. In general, we found increases in the percentages of IL-4-, γ-IFN-, and TNF-α-producing lymphocytes in the infected piglets compared to the percentages in the uninfected control animals, while there was a decrease in the percentage of IL-8-producing monocytes. We believe that these findings reflect a general lymphocyte activation stage that is created due to the infection and that occurs in combination with impairment of the monocyte function, possibly due to the ongoing viral replication in these cells. Single-cell bronchial lymph node preparations exhibited very much the same cytokine profiles as peripheral blood mononuclear cells except for a lack of IL-8 production. When the levels of the individual cytokines in the three groups of PRRSV-infected piglets were compared, the levels of cytokine expression at 4 weeks diverged from those at 2 and 6 weeks, in that there was a significant decrease in the numbers of lymphocytes producing γ-IFN and TNF-α. This tendency was also observed among blood monocytes and lymph node macrophages. Possible reasons for this temporary immunosuppression in the piglets at 4 weeks are discussed.
Use of Coefficient of Variation in Assessing Variability of Quantitative Assays
Authors: Reed George F. , Lynn Freyja , Meade Bruce D. 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT
We have derived the mathematical relationship between the coefficient of variation associated with repeated measurements from quantitative assays and the expected fraction of pairs of those measurements that differ by at least some given factor, i.e., the expected frequency of disparate results that are due to assay variability rather than true differences. Knowledge of this frequency helps determine what magnitudes of differences can be expected by chance alone when the particular coefficient of variation is in effect. This frequency is an operational index of variability in the sense that it indicates the probability of observing a particular disparity between two measurements under the assumption that they measure the same quantity. Thus the frequency or probability becomes the basis for assessing if an assay is sufficiently precise. This assessment also provides a standard for determining if two assay results for the same subject, separated by an intervention such as vaccination or infection, differ by more than expected from the variation of the assay, thus indicating an intervention effect. Data from an international collaborative study are used to illustrate the application of this proposed interpretation of the coefficient of variation, and they also provide support for the assumptions used in the mathematical derivation.
Adjuvant Activity of Emulsan, a Secreted Lipopolysaccharide from
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
Authors: Panilaitis Bruce , Johri Atul , Blank Walter , Kaplan David , Fuhrman Juliet 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

Several promising adjuvant candidates have been studied over the past 75 years; however, only alum is currently approved for human use. The complex acylated polysaccharide emulsan, secreted from
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
, represents a new candidate. Unique features of this family of polymers are their amenability to structural tailoring and their emulsification behavior. We demonstrate that emulsan activates macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. This activation is dependent on the presence of the fatty acid side chains that decorate the polysaccharide backbone, and, furthermore, the level of activation can be affected by changes in the chemical characteristics of emulsan structural variants. One emulsan variant was examined in a classical hapten carrier immunization protocol and demonstrated significant adjuvant activity as determined by hapten-specific antibody titers. This immune response was characterized by a high immunoglobulin G2a titer, consistent with a Th1 response. The significant immunopotentiation demonstrated by this complex polymer establishes emulsan as an exciting new candidate adjuvant. Furthermore, by manipulating the chemical structure of this compound, we can explore the physical basis of pattern recognition receptors and macrophage activation.
Quantitative Fluorescence Measures for Determination of Intracellular Perforin Content
Authors: Maher Kevin J. , Klimas Nancy G. , Hurwitz Barry , Schiff Richard , Fletcher Mary Ann 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACTWe present methodologic details and operating characteristics of a procedure with whole blood for the quantitative assessment of intracellular perforin within distinct lymphocyte subsets. Using this method, we analyzed 20 healthy controls and 2 individuals with an inherited deficiency of perforin. The mean ± standard deviation perforin contents of natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T cells of healthy controls were 3,561 ± 1,157 and 500 ± 779 relative number of molecules (rMol) of antiperforin antibody bound per cell, respectively. The NK cell perforin contents of individuals with heterozygous and homozygous perforin deficiency (familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis) were 2,260 and 212 rMol of antiperforin antibodies per NK cell. While the homozygous deficiency was found to be associated with negligible antiperforin binding, the heterozygous condition was associated with a level of perforin binding that was below the 15th percentile for healthy individuals. Because 83% of this subject's NK cells were shown to bind to antiperforin antibodies by conventional flow cytometry (relative to the normal range of 81% ± 25%), quantitative cytometry may be more sensitive than conventional cytometric methods in identifying cytolytic defects.