Vasoactive intestinal peptide loss leads to impaired CNS parenchymal T-cell infiltration and resistance to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been shown to inhibit macrophage proinflammatory actions, promote a positive Th2/Th1 balance, and stimulate regulatory T-cell production. The fact that this peptide is highly efficacious in animal models of inflammatory diseases such as collagen-induced arthritis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) suggests that the endogenous peptide might normally provide protection against such pathologies. We thus studied the response of VIP-deficient (i.

Bond-based 2D quadratic fingerprints in QSAR studies: virtual and in vitro tyrosinase inhibitory activity elucidation.

In this report, we show the results of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studies of tyrosinase inhibitory activity, by using the bond-based quadratic indices as molecular descriptors (MDs) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), to generate discriminant functions to predict the anti-tyrosinase activity. The best two models [Eqs (6) and (12)] out of the total 12 QSAR models developed here show accuracies of 93.51% and 91.

Postoperative mediastinitis in open heart surgery patients. Treatment with unilateral or bilateral pectoralis major muscle flap?

Aim: the treatment of mediastinitis, after median sternotomy, in open heart surgery operated patients, remains an important and challenging problem in cardiac surgery. The management of this severe complication by means of surgical debridement of the sternum followed by mediastinal closure with pectoralis major muscle flaps, represents one of the best effective and most common modalities of treatment. The aim of the present publication is to demonstrate the good and comparable result in the mediastinal closure by using a single pectoralis muscle flap instead of two pectoralis muscle flaps.

Novel coumarin-based tyrosinase inhibitors discovered by OECD principles-validated QSAR approach from an enlarged, balanced database.

The present work is devoted to the development and application of a multi-agent Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) classification system for tyrosinase inhibitor identification, in which the individual QSAR outputs are the inputs of a fusion approach based on the voting mechanism. The individual models are based on TOMOCOMD-CARDD (TOpological Molecular COMputational Design-Computer Aided Rational Drug Design) atom-based bilinear descriptors and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) on a novel enlarged, balanced database of 1,429 compounds within 701 greatly dissimilar molecules presenting anti-tyrosinase activity. A total of 21 adequate models are obtained taking into account the requirements of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) principles for QSAR validation and present global accuracies (Q) above 84.

Protamine 1 to protamine 2 ratio correlates with dynamic aspects of DNA fragmentation in human sperm.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the protamine 1 to protamine 2 (P1/P2) ratio and the rate of sperm DNA fragmentation in sperm samples from human males with proven fertility and three different cohorts of male patients.

Design: P1/P2 ratio was analyzed using acid-urea polyacrylamide acid-urea gels electrophoresis (PAGE). Sperm DNA fragmentation using sperm chromatin dispersion methodology was analyzed after 0, 4, 8, and 24 hours of incubation at 37°C.

Ligand-based computer-aided discovery of tyrosinase inhibitors. Applications of the TOMOCOMD-CARDD method to the elucidation of new compounds.

In this review an overview of the application of computational approaches is given. Specifically, the uses of Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) methods for in silico identification of new families of compounds as novel tyrosinase inhibitors are revised. Assembling, validation of models through prediction series, and virtual screening of external data sets are also shown, to prove the accuracy of the QSAR models obtained with the TOMOCOMD-CARDD (TOpological MOlecular COMputational Design-Computer-Aided Rational Drug Design) software and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) as statistical technique.

Adverse effects of isolation in hospitalised patients: a systematic review.

The use of transmission precautions such as contact isolation in patients known to be colonised or infected with multidrug-resistant organisms is recommended in healthcare institutions. Although essential for infection control, contact isolation has recently been associated with adverse effects in patients. We undertook a systematic review to determine whether contact isolation leads to psychological or physical problems for patients.

Prevention of endemic healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection: reviewing the evidence.

Objectives: Clostridium difficile is the most common infectious cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea. Because of the increasing incidence and severity of endemic C. difficile infection (CDI), interventions to prevent healthcare-associated CDI are essential.

Identification of HAVCR1 gene haplotypes associated with mRNA expression levels and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.

Human HAVCR1 gene maps on 5q33.2, a region linked with susceptibility to allergic and autoimmune diseases. The aims of the present study were to define the haplotypes of HAVCR1 gene taking into account both HapMap Project SNP haplotypes and exon 4 variants, to investigate a possible relationship between these haplotypes and mRNA expression levels, and to assess whether HAVCR1 gene is involved in susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Effect of ultraviolet C irradiation on human sperm motility and lipid peroxidation.

Purpose: Ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation of aqueous solutions is known to be a good source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of this study is to examine the effect of increasing doses of UVC irradiation, in the presence and absence of the antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), on human sperm motility and lipid peroxidation of its membranes.

Materials And Methods: Human sperm samples were irradiated with UVC light (254 nm) for different periods of time.

Trypanosoma evansi: Effect of experimental infection on the osmotic fragility, lipid peroxidation and calcium-ATPase activity of rat red blood cells.

Trypanosoma evansi is the causative agent of equine trypanosomoses. The disease is characterized by fever, anemia, and cachexia. Peroxidative damage of the red blood cells caused by the parasite, may contribute to the pathogenesis of the anemia seen in trypanosomoses.

Ca-ATPase activity of human red cell ghosts: preeclampsia, lipid peroxidation and MgSO4.

The increased level of lipid peroxidation of red blood cells during preeclampsia is considered to be responsible for the diminished Ca-ATPase activity in these cells. The level of lipid peroxidation and the Ca-ATPase activity of red blood cells from preeclamptic women, return to their normal values after in vivo and in vitro treatment with MgSO4 for 24 h. In order to evaluate whether or not cell intactness is essential for these changes, we used either intact red blood cells or red cell ghosts from normotensive pregnant women.

Membrane topology of gp41 and amyloid precursor protein: interfering transmembrane interactions as potential targets for HIV and Alzheimer treatment.

The amyloid precursor protein (APP), that plays a critical role in the development of senile plaques in Alzheimer disease (AD), and the gp41 envelope protein of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agent of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), are single-spanning type-1 transmembrane (TM) glycoproteins with the ability to form homo-oligomers. In this review we describe similarities, both in structural terms and sequence determinants of their TM and juxtamembrane regions. The TM domains are essential not only for anchoring the proteins in membranes but also have functional roles.

The role of lactobacillus probiotics in the treatment or prevention of urogenital infections--a systematic review.

Probiotics are increasingly being used to treat and prevent urogenital infections. However, a critical assessment of their efficacy in major urogenital infections is lacking. We report the results of a systematic review to determine the efficacy of probiotics for prevention or treatment of three major urogenital infections: bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis, and urinary tract infection.

Effect of magnesium sulfate on the osmotic fragility and lipid peroxidation of intact red blood cells from pregnant women with severe preeclampsia.

Objective: To evaluate the osmotic fragility and level of lipid peroxidation of red blood cells from pregnant women with severe preeclampsia, treated or not with MgSO(4).

Methods: Osmotic fragility and lipid peroxidation of red blood cells was evaluated in 11 normotensive pregnant women and eleven pregnant women with severe preeclampsia.

Results: MgSO(4) therapy, either in vivo or in vitro, leads to a reduction of the osmotic fragility and the level of lipid peroxidation of red blood cells from pregnant women with severe preeclampsia.

Pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide is an intrinsic regulator of Treg abundance and protects against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a widely expressed neuropeptide originally discovered in the hypothalamus. It closely resembles vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a neuropeptide well known to inhibit macrophage activity, promote Th2-type responses, and enhance regulatory T cell (Treg) production. Recent studies have shown that administration of PACAP, like VIP, can attenuate dramatically the clinical and pathological features of murine models of autoimmune diseases such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and collagen-induced arthritis.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide as a healing mediator in Crohn's disease.

The vasoactive intestinal peptide/pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (VIP/PACAP) system is considered as a paradigm for the use of a neuroendocrine-immune mediator in therapy. We review the role of VIP in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis as a murine model of Crohn's disease. VIP treatment led to the recovery of clinical factors, the amelioration of parameters related to the recruitment and traffic of cell populations, and the balance of inflammatory mediators derived from granulocytes, antigen-presenting cells and T lymphocytes including Th1, Th2 and Th17.

Functional and structural demonstration of the presence of Ca-ATPase (PMCA) in both microvillous and basal plasma membranes from syncytiotrophoblast of human term placenta.

It is known that human syncytiotrophoblast (hSCT) actively transports more than 80% of the Ca2+ that goes from maternal to fetal circulation. Transepithelial transport of Ca2+ is carried out through channels, transporters and exchangers located in both microvillous (MVM) and basal (BM) plasma membranes. The plasma membrane Ca-ATPase (PMCA) is the most important mechanism of Ca2+ homeostasis control in the human placenta.

Diagnostic accuracy of the physical examination and imaging tests for osteomyelitis underlying diabetic foot ulcers: meta-analysis.

Accurate diagnosis of osteomyelitis underlying diabetic foot ulcers is essential to optimize outcomes. We undertook a meta-analysis of the accuracy of diagnostic tests for osteomyelitis in diabetic patients with foot ulcers. Pooled sensitivity and specificity, the summary measure of accuracy (Q*), and diagnostic odds ratio were calculated.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide is critical for circadian regulation of glucocorticoids.

Background/aims: Circadian control of behavior and physiology is a central characteristic of all living organisms. The master clock in mammals resides in the hypothalamus, where the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) synchronizes daily rhythms. A variety of recent evidence indicates that the neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is critical for normal functioning of the SCN.

Mice deficient in both pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide survive, but display growth retardation and sex-dependent early death.

Pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are two closely related neuropeptides exhibiting overlapping activities which have actions on almost every organ system of the body. To determine if these peptides exert essential but redundant functions, we interbred VIP- and PACAP-deficient mice to obtain VIP/PACAP double knockout (DKO) mice. DKO mice had normal birth weights and survived to weaning, but exhibited a dramatic postnatal growth rate reduction.

Educational interventions for prevention of healthcare-associated infection: a systematic review.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Education of healthcare providers is a fundamental measure to prevent HCAI.

Objective: To perform a systematic review to determine the effect of educational strategies of healthcare providers for reducing HCAI.