Reactive Oxygen Species as Additional Determinants for Cytotoxicity of Clostridium difficile Toxins A and B.

Clostridium difficile infections can induce mild to severe diarrhoea and the often associated characteristic pseudomembranous colitis. Two protein toxins, the large glucosyltransferases TcdA and TcdB, are the main pathogenicity factors that can induce all clinical symptoms in animal models. The classical molecular mode of action of these homologous toxins is the inhibition of Rho GTPases by mono-glucosylation.

Analysis of the Secretome of Apoptotic Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells: Impact of Released Proteins and Exosomes for Tissue Regeneration.

We previously showed that, when peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stressed with ionizing radiation, they released paracrine factors that showed regenerative capacity in vitro and in vivo. This study aimed to characterize the secretome of PBMCs and to investigate its biologically active components in vitro and vivo. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that irradiated PBMCs differentially expressed genes that encoded secreted proteins.

Delivery of HIV Transmission Risk-Reduction Services by HIV Care Providers in the United States-2013.

Objectives: Evidence-based guidelines have long recommended that HIV care providers deliver HIV transmission risk-reduction (RR) services, but recent data are needed to assess their adoption.

Methods: The authors surveyed a probability sample of 1234 US HIV care providers on delivery of 9 sexual behavior- and 7 substance use-related HIV transmission RR services and created an indicator of "adequate" delivery of services in each area, defined as performing approximately 70% or more of applicable services.

Results: Providers were most likely to encourage patients to disclose HIV status to all partners since HIV diagnosis (81%) and least likely to ask about disclosure to new sex and drug injection partners at follow-up visits (both 41%).

Delayed entry into HIV medical care in a nationally representative sample of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the USA.

Before widespread antiretroviral therapy (ART), an estimated 17% of people delayed HIV care. We report national estimates of the prevalence and factors associated with delayed care entry in the contemporary ART era. We used Medical Monitoring Project data collected from June 2009 through May 2011 for 1425 persons diagnosed with HIV from May 2004 to April 2009 who initiated care within 12 months.

Service Delivery and Patient Outcomes in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program-Funded and -Nonfunded Health Care Facilities in the United States.

Importance: Outpatient human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) health care facilities receive funding from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) to provide medical care and essential support services that help patients remain in care and adhere to treatment. Increased access to Medicaid and private insurance for HIV-infected persons may provide coverage for medical care but not all needed support services and may not supplant the need for RWHAP funding.

Objective: To examine differences between RWHAP-funded and non-RWHAP-funded facilities and in patient outcomes between the 2 systems.

Development of Blood and Lymphatic Endothelial Cells in Embryonic and Fetal Human Skin.

Blood and lymphatic vessels provide nutrients for the skin and fulfill important homeostatic functions, such as the regulation of immunologic processes. In this study, we investigated the development of blood and lymphatic endothelial cells in prenatal human skin in situ using multicolor immunofluorescence and analyzed angiogenic molecules by protein arrays of lysates and cell culture supernatants. We found that at 8 to 10 weeks of estimated gestational age, CD144(+) vessels predominantly express the venous endothelial cell marker PAL-E, whereas CD144(+)PAL-E(-) vessels compatible with arteries only appear at the end of the first trimester.

Work overload, burnout, and psychological ill-health symptoms: a three-wave mediation model of the employee health impairment process.

Background And Objectives: The study reported here investigated the causal relationships in the health impairment process of employee well-being, and the mediating role of burnout in the relationship between work overload and psychological ill-health symptoms, over time. The research is deemed important due to the need for longitudinal evidence of the health impairment process of employee well-being over three waves of data.

Design: A quantitative survey design was followed.

Bioinformatics approach for choosing the correct reference genes when studying gene expression in human keratinocytes.

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) has become a mainstay in many areas of skin research. To enable quantitative analysis, it is necessary to analyse expression of reference genes (RGs) for normalization of target gene expression. The selection of reliable RGs therefore has an important impact on the experimental outcome.

Analysis of phenazepam and 3-hydroxyphenazepam in post-mortem fluids and tissues.

Phenazepam is a benzodiazepine that is predominantly used clinically in the former Soviet states but is being abused throughout the wider world. This study reports the tissue distribution and concentration of both phenazepam and 3-hydroxyphenazepam in 29 cases quantitated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in a variety of post-mortem fluids (subclavian blood, femoral blood, cardiac blood, urine, vitreous humour) and tissues (thalamus, liver and psoas muscle). In 27 cases, the cause of death was not directly related to phenazepam (preserved (fluoride/oxalate) femoral blood phenazepam concentrations 0.

Intraoperative ventilation strategy during cardiopulmonary bypass attenuates the release of matrix metalloproteinases and improves oxygenation.

Background: Patients undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) often develop a systemic immune reaction, characterized by an increase of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. We previously demonstrated that continued mechanical ventilation during CPB reduces this response. We hypothesized that this strategy may also impact on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) release.

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected adults in the United States.

National estimates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and adherence support services utilization are needed to inform efforts to improve the health of HIV-infected persons in the United States. In a nationally representative sample of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care, 86% self-reported taking all ART doses in the past 72 hours. Overall, 20% reported using adherence support services and 2% reported an unmet need for services.

Clinician Perspectives on Delaying Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy for Clinically Eligible HIV-Infected Patients.

Objectives: Guidelines for antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation have evolved, but consistently note that adherence problems should be considered and addressed. Little is known regarding the reasons providers delay ART initiation in clinically eligible patients.

Methods: In 2009, we surveyed a probability sample of HIV care providers in 582 outpatient facilities in the United States and Puerto Rico with an open-ended question about nonclinical reasons for delaying ART initiation in otherwise clinically eligible patients.

Secretomes of apoptotic mononuclear cells ameliorate neurological damage in rats with focal ischemia.

The pursuit of targeting multiple pathways in the ischemic cascade of cerebral stroke is a promising treatment option. We examined the regenerative potential of conditioned medium derived from rat and human apoptotic mononuclear cells (MNC), rMNC (apo sec) and hMNC (apo sec), in experimental stroke. We performed middle cerebral artery occlusion on Wistar rats and administered apoptotic MNC-secretomes intraperitoneally in two experimental settings.

Comparison of cortical and white matter traumatic brain injury models reveals differential effects in the subventricular zone and divergent Sonic hedgehog signaling pathways in neuroblasts and oligodendrocyte progenitors.

The regenerative capacity of the central nervous system must be optimized to promote repair following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may differ with the site and form of damage. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) maintains neural stem cells and promotes oligodendrogenesis. We examined whether Shh signaling contributes to neuroblast (doublecortin) or oligodendrocyte progenitor (neural/glial antigen 2 [NG2]) responses in two distinct TBI models.

Myocardial infarct size measurement using geometric angle calculation.

Background: In basic cardiovascular research focusing on animal models of myocardial infarction (MI), the measurement of infarct size is performed by planimetry of histological sections of the heart. However, in the setting of chronic MI with ongoing changes in ventricular geometry caused by wall thinning and hypertrophy, the scar area tends to become smaller.

Materials And Methods: Here, in this study we compared infarct measurements in tissue sections (of rat and porcine hearts) based on three different calculation approaches, that is, infarct area, infarct lengths and infarct angles utilizing the centroid of the left ventricle using a newly developed calculation approach.

High dose ionizing radiation regulates micro RNA and gene expression changes in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Background: High dose ionizing radiation (IR) induces potent toxic cell effects mediated by either direct DNA damage or the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). IR-induced modulations in multiple biological processes have been proposed to be partly regulated by radiosensitive microRNA (miRNA). In order to gain new insights into the role of miRNAs in the regulation of biological processes after IR, we have investigated changes in mRNA and miRNA expression after high dose IR.

Low tidal volume ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass reduces postoperative chemokine serum concentrations.

Background: Open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with a generalized immune response and postoperative lung dysfunction. Chemokines are involved in the pathogenesis of postoperative lung dysfunction. We investigated whether continued mechanical ventilation during CPB has an impact on chemokine serum concentrations.

Circulating heat shock protein 27 as a biomarker for the differentiation of patients with lung cancer and healthy controls--a clinical comparison of different enzyme linked immunosorbent assays.

Background: Increased heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) has been described in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to evaluate five commercially available assays for HSP27 measurement with respect to their capabilities to differentiate NSCLC patients from healthy controls.

Methods: We measured HSP27 serum concentrations in 40 NSCLC cases and 40 healthy controls by different assays (i.

Sexual risk behaviour and viral suppression among HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the United States.

Objective: To describe the prevalence and association of sexual risk behaviours and viral suppression among HIV-infected adults in the United States.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis of weighted data from a probability sample of HIV-infected adults receiving outpatient medical care. The facility and patient response rates were 76 and 51%, respectively.

Behavioral and clinical characteristics of persons receiving medical care for HIV infection - Medical Monitoring Project, United States, 2009.

Problem: As of December 31, 2009, an estimated 864,748 persons were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and six U.

Job Burnout, Work Engagement and Self-reported Treatment for Health Conditions in South Africa.

The purpose of the study being reported here was to investigate the relationship of job burnout and work engagement with self-reported received treatment for health conditions (cardiovascular condition, high cholesterol, depression, diabetes, hypertension and irritable bowel syndrome), while controlling for age, gender, smoking and alcohol use. The sample comprised 7895 employees from a broad range of economic sectors in the South African working population. A cross-sectional survey design was used for the study.

Excess burden of depression among HIV-infected persons receiving medical care in the united states: data from the medical monitoring project and the behavioral risk factor surveillance system.

Background: With increased life expectancy for HIV-infected persons, there is concern regarding comorbid depression because of its common occurrence and association with behaviors that may facilitate HIV transmission. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of current depression among HIV-infected persons receiving care and assess the burden of major depression, relative to that in the general population.

Methods And Findings: We used data from the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) and the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS).

Prevention counseling practices of HIV care providers with patients new to HIV medical care: medical monitoring project provider survey, 2009.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of prevention counseling discussions between HIV care providers and their patients who are newly linked to care and to assess factors that facilitate such discussions.

Methods: In 2009, a probability sample of HIV care providers in 582 outpatient settings in the United States and Puerto Rico was surveyed regarding provider's HIV prevention discussions with HIV-infected patients newly linked to HIV medical care.

Results: A majority of providers reported consistently discussing HIV transmission risk reduction (76%), sexually transmitted disease risk (66%), and adherence to antiretroviral regimens (87%).

Ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass: impact on heat shock protein release.

Aim: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), utilized in on-pump coronary artery bypass graft procedures (CABG) induces generalized immune suppression, release of heat shock proteins (HSP), inflammatory markers and apoptosis-specific proteins. We hypothesized that continued mechanical ventilation during cardiopulmonary bypass attenuates immune response and HSP liberation.

Methods: Thirty patients undergoing conventional coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation were randomized into a ventilated on CPB (VG; N.