Current and future uses of probiotics.

The relationship between host and gut microbiota has been the topic of research in recent decades, with particular emphasis on various species of bacteria and their distinct role in health promotion. Early promising research led to the new term probiotic, coined to describe these beneficial bacteria. This early research has laid the foundation for various proposed mechanisms of probiotic effects on health.

Physiological adjustments and transcriptome reprogramming are involved in the acclimation to salinity gradients in diatoms.

Salinity regimes in estuaries and coastal areas vary with river discharge patterns, seawater evaporation, the morphology of the coastal waterways and the dynamics of marine water mixing. Therefore, microalgae have to respond to salinity variations at time scales ranging from daily to annual cycles. Microalgae may also have to adapt to physical alterations that induce the loss of connectivity between habitats and the enclosure of bodies of water.

Cost and reimbursement for three fibroid treatments: abdominal hysterectomy, abdominal myomectomy, and uterine fibroid embolization.

Purpose: To compare costs and reimbursements for three different treatments for uterine fibroids.

Methods: Costs and reimbursements were collected and analyzed from the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital decision support database from 540 women who underwent abdominal hysterectomy (n = 299), abdominal myomectomy (n = 105), or uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) (n = 136) for uterine fibroids during 2000-2002. We used the chi-square test and ANOVA, followed by Fisher's Least Significant Difference test, for statistical analysis.

A scientific revolution? The prion anomaly may challenge the central dogma of molecular biology.

The prion anomaly may challenge the central dogma of molecular biology

Preneoplastic markers of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers are at high risk for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but there are no reliable markers that will identify such high-risk carriers. The objective of this work is to identify serologic markers that may indicate the early presence of HCC. Since HBV-encoded X antigen (HBxAg) likely contributes to HCC by up- or down-regulation of host gene expression, X positive and negative HepG2 cells were made and subjected to cDNA subtraction.

[Is the prion abnormality going to involve immunology?].

The behaviour of prion type proteins, be they in mammals (Pr P) or in yeast (URE 3) suggests a non Mendelian heredity based on conformational changes in these proteins. This seems to be an anomaly in regard to molecular Biology (M.B.

ELISA for detection of human antibodies to Chlamydiae.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of human antibodies to Chlamydiae is described which exploits the cross-react properties between the genus-specific antigen of Chlamydiae and the ReLPS constituent of the outer membrane of a Salmonella minnesota mutant. Of 100 random sera tested by ELISA-ReLPS and immunofluorescence 78% showed an absolute correlation, 15% were positive in immunofluorescence and negative in ELISA and 7% were positive in ELISA and negative in immunofluorescence. Furthermore results obtained by the ELISA-ReLPS on 55 sera from patients with clinical evidence of Chlamydiae infection correlated well with the values obtained by an ELISA using Chlamydia-coated microtitration plates and by two immunofluorescence tests using Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia psittaci as antigens.

Autoantibodies against bromelainized mouse erythrocyte: strain distribution of serum idiotype expression and relative peritoneal cell activity.

Previously, we demonstrated that the naturally occurring mouse autoantibodies directed against bromelainized mouse red blood cells (BrMRBC) comprised a family of structurally related molecules bearing a common idiotypic determinant (CP) based on structural and idiotypic analysis of a series of anti-BrMRBC monoclonal autoantibodies derived from a fusion of peritoneal cells (PerC) with plasmacytomas. In the present studies, we have evaluated the quantitative expression of circulating CP idiotype related to autoantibodies against BrMRBC in relation to specific PerC anti-BrMRBC plaque-forming activity in an individual mouse of different strains. The data presented here show no direct relationship between serum CP idiotype expression and PerC anti-BrMRBC plaque-forming activity in an individual mouse of all strains tested.

Monoclonal autoantibodies against mouse red blood cells: a family of structurally restricted molecules.

Cultured mouse peritoneal cells from unstimulated mice developed plaque-forming activity against isologous bromelain-treated erythrocytes. Several IgM monoclonal autoantibodies obtained by fusion of peritoneal cells from NZB or CBA origin with BALB/c myeloma cells were purified by affinity chromatography on trimethyl ammonium (TMA) column on the basis of their cross-reactivity with TMA, phosphorylcholine (PC) or choline haptens. Binding affinity for PC hapten was of the order of 10(3) M-1.

A convenient enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for testing whether monoclonal antibodies recognize the same antigenic site. Application to hybridomas specific for the beta 2-subunit of Escherichia coli tryptophan synthase.

Seven hybridoma clones, producing antibodies directed against the beta 2-subunit of Escherichia coli tryptophan synthase, have been obtained from mouse cells. To test whether the corresponding monoclonal antibodies recognize different epitopes on beta 2, an ELISA double antibody binding system has been developed and is reported here. The antigen is first coated onto a microtitration plate.

Relationship between choline derivatives and mouse erythrocyte membrane antigens revealed by mouse monoclonal antibodies. I. Anticholine activity of anti-mouse erythrocyte monoclonal antibodies.

Different clones of mouse hybridomas, derived from the fusion of unstimulated mouse peritoneal cells with mouse myeloma cells, producing IgM monoclonal antibodies directed against the membrane of bromelain-treated mouse erythrocytes (MRBC(Br)) have been previously established. We have recently shown that one of these hybridomas produce, in ascites, antibodies cross-reacting with phosphorylcholine derivatives (trimethylammonium (TMA) derivatives). In this work the cross-reactivity for TMA derivatives of the monoclonal antibodies produced by 4 anti-MRBC(Br) hybridomas have been studied at the cell level (plaque-forming cells).

The participation of trimethylammonium in the mouse erythrocyte epitope recognized by monoclonal autoantibodies.

Monoclonal IgM anti-erythrocyte autoantibody produced by a NZB-derived hybridoma has been found to react with trimethylammonium-containing compounds. Such compounds are able to prevent the lysis of bromelain-treated mouse erythrocytes (BrMRBC) by those autoantibodies. Using a column of insolubilized betaine hydrazine (BH) the monoclonal anti-erythrocyte antibody has been specifically retained.