Distributed BOLD-response in association cortex vector state space predicts reaction time during selective attention.

Human cortical information processing is thought to be dominated by distributed activity in vector state space (Churchland, P.S., Sejnowski, T.

Increased expression of the chemokine fractalkine in Crohn's disease and association of the fractalkine receptor T280M polymorphism with a fibrostenosing disease Phenotype.

Background: The fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 has been shown to be involved in inflammation and immune response. Recently, two polymorphisms of CX3CR1 (V249I and T280M) were reported.

Aims: Our aim was to analyze fractalkine expression and the role of CX3CR1 polymorphisms in Crohn's disease (CD).

The role of Toll-like receptor 4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms and CARD15/NOD2 mutations in the susceptibility and phenotype of Crohn's disease.

Background: We investigated the influence of 2 common Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) polymorphisms on susceptibility and disease characteristics of Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: Genomic DNA from 204 patients with CD and 199 unrelated controls was analyzed for the presence of 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the TLR4 gene, resulting in the amino acid substitutions Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile. In addition, the carrier status for the 3 common CD-associated CARD15/NOD2 gene mutations, Arg702Trp, Gly908Arg, and 1007fs, was determined.

Generation of antigen-specific, Foxp3-expressing CD4+ regulatory T cells by inhibition of APC proteosome function.

We tested the hypothesis that immature APC, whose NF-kappaB-signaling pathway and thus maturation was blocked by the proteosome inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-isoleucyl-glutamyl(O-tert-butyl)-alanyl-leucinal (PSI), could be a source of Ag-specific regulatory T (Treg) cells. DO11.10 CD4(+) T cells that were incubated with Ag- and PSI-pulsed APC proliferated poorly, produced less IL-2, IFN-gamma, and IL-10 in secondary cultures, and inhibited the response of both naive and memory CD4(+) T cells stimulated by Ag-pulsed APC.

Genetic variants of the mannan-binding lectin are associated with immune reactivity to mannans in Crohn's disease.

Background & Aims: Some patients with Crohn's disease (CD) develop antibodies against mannan, a component of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall. Mannan-binding lectin (MBL), a component of the innate immune system, can bind to S. cerevisiae .

Ameliorative effect of IDS 30, a stinging nettle leaf extract, on chronic colitis.

Background And Aims: Anti-TNF-alpha antibodies are very effective in the treatment of acute Crohn's disease, but are limited by the decline of their effectiveness after repeated applications. The stinging nettle leaf extract, IDS 30, is an adjuvant remedy in rheumatic diseases dependent on a cytokine suppressive effect. We investigated the effect of IDS 30 on disease activity of murine colitis in different models.

Immune sensitization to yeast antigens in ASCA-positive patients with Crohn's disease.

Background: Alimentary antigens may play a role in the perpetuation of inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). Yeast antigens are widespread components of food. A proportion of CD patients develop antibodies against the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCA), but little is known about the cellular immune reactivity against food antigens in antibody-positive and -negative patients.

A novel method of estimation of DPOAE signals.

A new method of measurement of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) signal level based on a recently introduced nonlinear adaptive method of extraction of nonstationary sinusoids is presented. Essentially, three units of such an algorithm are employed to extract and measure the two stimuli and the DPOAE signal. Each unit has the capability of locking on a specified sinusoidal component of the input signal and tracking its variations over time.

Probiotics and immune regulation of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Intestinal microflora play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Certain probiotic bacteria provide beneficial effects for human health and intervention of IBD. Possible mechanisms underlying these effects are diverse and include many aspects of the interaction of the host with its commensal microflora, with immunological and non-immunological effects.

Response of cutaneous Crohn's disease to infliximab and methotrexate.

Cutaneous or metastatic Crohn's disease is a rare complication of Crohn's disease and is frequently refractory to medical treatment. A case of metastatic Crohn's disease affecting first the abdominal wall and subsequently both submammary folds is reported. These extraintestinal manifestations occurred many years after proctocolectomy.

Amelioration of murine colitis by feeding a solution of lysed Escherichia coli.

Background: Immune reactivity towards the bacterial intestinal flora plays an important part in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Disease activity can be positively influenced by the administration of living probiotic bacteria. We investigated the effect of soluble bacterial antigens extracted from Escherichia coli (strain Laves) on the disease activity of murine colitis.

A nonlinear adaptive method of elimination of power line interference in ECG signals.

A new method of elimination of power line noise in electrocardiogram signals is presented. The proposed method employs, as its main building block, a recently developed signal processing algorithm capable of extracting a specified component of a signal and tracking its variations over time. Design considerations and performance of the proposed method are presented with the aid of computer simulations.

Virus-specific adaptations for the production of a pseudorecombinant virus formed by two distinct bipartite geminiviruses from Central America.

Most whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses possess bipartite genomes comprising DNAs A and B. The production of viable pseudorecombinants by reassortment of infectious cloned components is generally limited to isolates/strains of a particular virus. Following exchange of cloned genomic components of Sida golden mosaic virus from Costa Rica (SiGMV/Co) and Sida golden mosaic virus from Honduras (SiGMV/Ho(yv)), the pseudorecombinant viruses were infectious in various plant species.

Sex differences and similarities in job attribute preferences: a meta-analysis.

Many researchers have studied sex differences in job attribute preferences. The authors meta-analyzed 242 samples collected from 321,672 men and boys and 316,842 women and girls in the United States between 1970 and 1998. Findings indicated significant (p < .

Safety and economic aspects of continuous mammalian cell culture.

Mammalian cell cultures are the most appropriate host cells for recombinant DNA derived products if complex protein structures have to be synthesized in their native form. Due to their physiological behaviour they grow either adherent or in suspension. For the attachment of adherent cells, microcarriers or wire springs can be applied to increase the internal surface of the bioreactor.

Impaired bactericidal activity of cord sera against Salmonella strains.

Weaker bactericidal activity of cord sera against Salmonella bacilli was shown in comparison with maternal venous sera. No correlation was found between the bactericidal activity and the levels of complement, immunoglobulins and lysozyme in cord sera. Worthy of notice is detected in these researches specificity of bactericidal action of cord sera.

Electrocardiographic changes in cardiomyopathic Syrian hamsters (strain BIO 8262).

Under ether anesthesia electrocardiograms were derived from Syrian hamsters (strain BIO 8262) suffering from cardiomyopathy and muscular dystrophy. In addition, ventricular weights and body weight were determined. Young hamsters -- not yet showing morphological signs of the cardiomyopathy with the exception of possible left ventricular hypertrophy -- demonstrated only a longer ventricular activation time than normal hamsters.