Biology, chemistry, and pharmacological activity of (Bignoniaceae) and (Clusiaceae) - a review.

and are two West African medicinal plants traditionally used to treat or alleviate various medical conditions such as skin ailments, respiratory disorders, and digestive problems. Phytochemical analyses indicated the presence of bioactive constituents, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, suggesting that the extracts of these two plants can interfere with reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and microbial growth. This paper reviews the biochemical properties and the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities of these two relevant West African medicinal plants.

Elotuzumab plus Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone for Multiple Myeloma.

Background: The immunostimulatory monoclonal antibody elotuzumab plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone has been shown to be effective in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The immunomodulatory agent pomalidomide plus dexamethasone has been shown to be effective in patients with multiple myeloma that is refractory to lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor.

Methods: Patients with multiple myeloma that was refractory or relapsed and refractory to lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor were randomly assigned to receive elotuzumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (elotuzumab group) or pomalidomide and dexamethasone alone (control group).

Myeloid Zinc Finger 1 (MZF-1) Regulates Expression of the CCN2/CTGF and CCN3/NOV Genes in the Hematopoietic Compartment.

Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CCN2/CTGF) and Nephroblastoma Overexpressed (CCN3/NOV) execute key functions within the hematopoietic compartment. Both are abundant in the bone marrow stroma, which is a niche for hematopoiesis and supports marrow function. Roles for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) and all-trans retinoic acid in the bone marrow have also been elucidated.

The glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH) is regulated by myeloid zinc finger 1 (MZF-1) and is induced by calcitriol.

Recently, new tissue-specific functions for glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) have been discovered, aside from its archetypal function in glycolysis. This casts doubt on the legitimacy of using GAPDH as a normalization control for gene expression analysis. We report the binding of the myeloid zinc finger-1 (MZF-1) transcription factor to the human GAPDH promoter.

Factors associated with response, survival, and limb salvage in patients undergoing isolated limb infusion.

Background: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) is a percutaneous method of delivering regional chemotherapy to patients with recurrent tumors of the extremity. This study determines predictors of response, survival, and limb salvage.

Methods: Single institution data from a prospective clinical trial and subsequent ILI experience were reviewed.

A novel role for the Rho-associated kinase, ROCK, in IL-1-stimulated intestinal epithelial cell responses.

Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) play a role in mucosal inflammation by producing pro-inflammatory chemokines that may initiate or amplify local responses. IL-1 is a potent activator of IEC and its receptor localizes to focal adhesions. Since the Rho-associated kinase, ROCK, also localizes to focal adhesions, we examined the role of ROCK in IL-1-induced chemokine responses in IEC cell lines.

Illness-related distress in women with clinically localized cutaneous melanoma.

Background: Women may experience distress or changes in their quality of life following treatment for early-stage melanoma. In order to plan future interventions and identify areas of primary concern, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to describe the experiences of women treated for clinically localized melanoma.

Methods: We examined quality of life, levels of distress, appearance perceptions, body image, fear of recurrence, and reproductive concerns in 100 patients (age 21-90 years, M = 54.

Residual thermal stress simulation in three-dimensional molar crown systems: a finite element analysis.

Purpose: To simulate coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)-generated stress fields in monolithic metal and ceramic crowns, and CTE mismatch stresses between metal, alumina, or zirconia cores and veneer layered crowns when cooled from high temperature processing.

Materials And Methods: A 3D computer-aided design model of a mandibular first molar crown was generated. Tooth preparation comprised reduction of proximal walls by 1.

Conventional and modified veneered zirconia vs. metalloceramic: fatigue and finite element analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that all-ceramic crown core-veneer system reliability is improved by modifying the core design and as a result is comparable in reliability to metal-ceramic retainers (MCR). Finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to verify maximum principal stress distribution in the systems.

Materials And Methods: A first lower molar full crown preparation was modeled by reducing the height of proximal walls by 1.

Klebsiella pneumoniae induces an inflammatory response in human retinal-pigmented epithelial cells.

Purpose: The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a barrier to Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in endogenous endophthalmitis. Nevertheless, the inflammatory response of RPE cells upon interaction with this pathogen has not been studied. Here we tested the hypothesis that K.

Genomic comparison of invasive and rare non-invasive strains reveals Porphyromonas gingivalis genetic polymorphisms.

Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis strains are shown to invade human cells in vitro with different invasion efficiencies, varying by up to three orders of magnitude.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that invasion-associated interstrain genomic polymorphisms are present in P. gingivalis and that putative invasion-associated genes can contribute to P.

Cultivation of Enterobacter hormaechei from human atherosclerotic tissue.

Aim: To determine whether culturable bacterial strains are present in human atheromatous tissue and to investigate their properties using culture, quantitative PCR, metagenomic screening, genomic and biochemical methods.

Methods: We analyzed femoral atherosclerotic plaque and five pairs of diseased and healthy arterial tissue for the presence of culturable bacteria using cell cultures and genomic analysis.

Results: Gram negative aerobic bacilli were cultivated from the plaque tissue.

Thermal/mechanical simulation and laboratory fatigue testing of an alternative yttria tetragonal zirconia polycrystal core-veneer all-ceramic layered crown design.

This study evaluated the stress levels at the core layer and the veneer layer of zirconia crowns (comprising an alternative core design vs. a standard core design) under mechanical/thermal simulation, and subjected simulated models to laboratory mouth-motion fatigue. The dimensions of a mandibular first molar were imported into computer-aided design (CAD) software and a tooth preparation was modeled.

Biomechanical evaluation of an anatomically correct all-ceramic tooth-crown system configuration: core layer multivariate analysis incorporating clinically relevant variables.

In a crown system, core fracture requires replacement of the restoration. Understanding maximum principal stress concentration in the veneered core of a tooth-crown system as a function of variations in clinically relevant parameters is crucial in the rational design of crown systems. This study evaluated the main and interacting effects of a set of clinical variables on the maximum principal stress (MPS) in the core of an anatomically correct veneer-core-cement-tooth model.

Activation of the alpha3 integrin affects TRAF6 function in the IL-1 signaling pathway of CACO-2 epithelial cells.

Intestinal epithelial cells express the alpha3beta1 integrin which binds to laminin-5. We have previously shown that activation of the alpha3 integrin through laminin-5 binding or a cross-linking antibody results in a suppression of IL-1 induced cytokine secretion and intracellular signaling through IKK to NF-kappaB and JNK to AP-1 in Caco-2 cells. In the present study, the effects of alpha3 integrin activation on the proximal events of IL-1 induced signaling were examined.

Design features of a three-dimensional molar crown and related maximum principal stress. A finite element model study.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of clinically relevant variables on the maximum principal stress (MPS) in the veneer layer of an anatomically correct veneer-core-cement-tooth model.

Methods: The average dimensions of a mandibular first molar crown were imported into CAD software; a tooth preparation was modeled by reducing the proximal walls by 1.5 mm and the occlusal surface by 2.

The World Health Organization reference reagent for vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF165.

Preparations of human sequence recombinant vascular endothelial growth factor-165 (VEGF165) synthesized in Escherichia coli were formulated and lyophilized at NIBSC. Following evaluation at NIBSC, the first preparation, 01/424, has been distributed since 2002 as a NIBSC research reagent, but shows variation between ampoules in the volume and crystalline appearance of the lyophilized plug. A second preparation, 02/286, was subsequently lyophilized in a different formulation.