TLR9-mediated activation of dendritic cells by CD32 targeting for the generation of highly immunostimulatory vaccines.

The rational for designing dendritic cell (DC)-targeted immunotherapies is their central role in orchestrating immunity. Most studies addressing antigen-targeting to DCs for eliciting T cell responses have employed ex-vivo matured DCs derived from monocytes or myeloid DCs isolated from peripheral blood. More recently, also plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) emerged as attractive targets that can be readily isolated and activated ex vivo.

Association of human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene polymorphisms, serum levels, and telomere length with renal cell carcinoma risk and pathology.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic subunit of the human telomerase and plays a key role in telomere restitution and gene regulation. Evidence suggests that hTERT is linked with the risk and progression of several malignancies, but there are no comprehensive data in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In this case-control study, we assessed seven polymorphic hTERT gene variants (MNS16A, rs2736100, rs2736098, rs7726159, rs2853677, rs13172201, and rs10069690), hTERT serum levels, and the telomere length of 663 individuals, including 243 with clear cell RCC and 420 age- and gender-matched healthy controls.

The T309G murine double minute 2 gene polymorphism is an independent prognostic factor for patients with renal cell carcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of the T309G MDM2 gene polymorphism with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) risk, pathology, and cancer-specific survival (CSS). T309G MDM2 was genotyped in 449 Caucasians, including 240 with RCC and 209 cancer-free controls. The T309G MDM2 genotype was TT in 174 (38.

UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyl-transferase from the snail Biomphalaria glabrata - substrate specificity and preference of glycosylation sites.

O-glycosylation is a widely occurring posttranslational modification of proteins. The glycosylation status of a specific site may influence the location, activity and function of a protein. The initiating enzyme of mucin-type O-glycosylation is UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide GalNAc transferase (ppGalNAcT; EC 2.

Aurora A Kinase as a diagnostic urinary marker for urothelial bladder cancer.

Objective: To evaluate urinary Aurora A Kinase (AURKA) mRNA expression as a diagnostic biomarker for urothelial bladder cancer (UBC).

Methods: One hundred and eighty-eight urine samples from patients with UBC (n = 122) and controls with hematuria (n = 66) were investigated. AURKA expression was quantified using real-time PCR and compared with voided urinary cytology.

Expression and characterization of the first snail-derived UDP-N-acetyl-α-D-galactosamine:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase.

UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide GalNAc transferase (ppGalNAcT; EC 2.4.1.

Amantadine for fatigue in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The effective management of fatigue has an important impact on the patient's functioning, abilities, and quality of life. Although a number of strategies have been devised for reducing fatigue, treatment recommendations are based on a limited amount of scientific evidence.

Why physicians need to look more closely at the use of complementary and alternative medicine by multiple sclerosis patients.

With the aim of contributing to the knowledge of attitudes, patterns and motivations for the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for multiple sclerosis (MS), 109 MS outpatients, or their close relative in cases of mental status impairment, were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The main results are: (i). 35.

Amantadine for fatigue in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The effective management of fatigue has an important impact on the patient's functioning, abilities, and quality of life. Although a number of strategies have been devised for reducing fatigue, treatment recommendations are based on a limited amount of scientific evidence.

Aminopyridines for symptomatic treatment in multiple sclerosis.

Background: The potassium channel blockers 4-aminopyridine (AP) and 3,4-diaminopyridine (DAP) increase nerve conduction in demyelinated nerve fibers, and have been proposed as a symptomatic therapy for people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objectives: To determine the efficacy and safety of aminopyridines for neurological deficits in MS people.

Search Strategy: We searched CENTRAL (Issue 2, 2002), MEDLINE (January 1966-July 2002), EMBASE (1974-July 2002), and the Cochrane MS Group's Specialised Register.

The use of standardized incidence and prevalence rates in epidemiological studies on multiple sclerosis. A meta-analysis study.

Objective: To demonstrate whether or not the age and sex adjustment of incidence and prevalence rates in multiple sclerosis (MS) could allow more reliable comparison between epidemiological studies performed in different areas of the world and to establish if the latitude gradient theory could be confirmed after the standardization for age and sex distribution.

Methods: A meta-analysis of population-based incidence and prevalence studies on MS from 1980 through 1998 using the terms 'multiple sclerosis', 'prevalence' and 'incidence' in the bibliographic databases MEDLINE and EMBASE was performed. We included studies that reported the diagnostic criteria, number of cases and the population studied, the date of the study, the latitude, and the age- and sex-specific crude incidence and prevalence rates.

Aminopyridines for symptomatic treatment in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Because of their ability to increase nerve conduction in demyelinated nerve fibers, potassium channel blockers 4-aminopyridine (AP) and 3,4-diaminopyridine (DAP) have been proposed as a symptomatic therapy for people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objectives: To determine the efficacy and safety of aminopyridines in improving neurological deficits in people with MS.

Search Strategy: Computerised general (MEDLINE, EMBASE) and specialised databases (Cochrane MS Group's trials register, CCTR).

Absence of HHV-6 and HHV-7 in cerebrospinal fluid in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To contribute to clarifying the controversy on the association between Human Herpesviruses 6 and 7 (HHV-6, HHV-7) and multiple sclerosis (MS) studying patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) with or without evidence of disease activity (clinically or radiologically evaluated).

Material And Methods: In 25 RRMS patients, 7 suspected MS patients and 9 patients with other neurological diseases, the following parameters were analysed: i) antibody titers (IgM and IgG) against HHV-6 by indirect immunofluorescence both in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples; ii) PCR-detection of HHV-6 DNA and HHV-7 DNA in CSF and HHV-6 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). MS patients in remission underwent a gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in proximity of sample collections.