Effect of continuous vs sequential chelation on the mechanical properties of root dentin: An ex vivo study.

Objectives: To evaluate the mechanical properties of root canal dentin treated with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in combination with hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).

Methods: For testing fracture resistance, 45 single-rooted teeth were instrumented and irrigated with NaOCl/HEDP, NaOCl/EDTA, or distilled water. Fifteen untreated teeth served as control.

Protective interaction of human phagocytic APC subsets with induces genes associated with metabolism and antigen presentation.

Cryptococcal meningitis is the most common cause of meningitis among HIV/AIDS patients in sub-Saharan Africa, and worldwide causes over 223,000 cases leading to more than 181,000 annual deaths. Usually, the fungus gets inhaled into the lungs where the initial interactions occur with pulmonary phagocytes such as dendritic cells and macrophages. Following phagocytosis, the pathogen can be killed or can replicate intracellularly.

Anthrax Edema and Lethal Toxins Differentially Target Human Lung and Blood Phagocytes.

, the causative agent of inhalation anthrax, is a serious concern as a bioterrorism weapon. The vegetative form produces two exotoxins: Lethal toxin (LT) and edema toxin (ET). We recently characterized and compared six human airway and alveolar-resident phagocyte (AARP) subsets at the transcriptional and functional levels.

Real-Time PCR Assay for Differentiation of Typhoidal and Nontyphoidal .

Rapid and accurate differentiation of spp. causing enteric fever from nontyphoidal is essential for clinical management of cases, laboratory risk management, and implementation of public health measures. Current methods used for confirmation of identification, including biochemistry and serotyping as well as whole-genome sequencing analyses, take several days.

Airway Macrophage and Dendritic Cell Subsets in the Resting Human Lung.

Dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages (MΦs) are antigen-presenting phagocytic cells found in many peripheral tissues of the human body, including the blood, lymph nodes, skin, and lung. They are vital to maintaining steady-state respiration in the human lung based on their ability to clear airways while also directing tolerogenic or inflammatory responses based on specific stimuli. Over the past three decades, studies have determined that there are multiple subsets of these two general cell types that exist in the airways and interstitium.

Gene expression profiling of primary human type I alveolar epithelial cells exposed to Bacillus anthracis spores reveals induction of neutrophil and monocyte chemokines.

The lung is the entry site for Bacillus anthracis in inhalation anthrax, the most deadly form of the disease. Spores must escape through the alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) barrier and migrate to regional lymph nodes, germinate and enter the circulatory system to cause disease. Several mechanisms to explain alveolar escape have been postulated, and all these tacitly involve the AEC barrier.

Transcriptional Classification and Functional Characterization of Human Airway Macrophage and Dendritic Cell Subsets.

The respiratory system is a complex network of many cell types, including subsets of macrophages and dendritic cells that work together to maintain steady-state respiration. Owing to limitations in acquiring cells from healthy human lung, these subsets remain poorly characterized transcriptionally and phenotypically. We set out to systematically identify these subsets in human airways by developing a schema of isolating large numbers of cells by whole-lung bronchoalveolar lavage.

Bacillus anthracis spore movement does not require a carrier cell and is not affected by lethal toxin in human lung models.

The lung is the entry site for Bacillus anthracis in inhalation anthrax, the most deadly form of the disease. Spores escape from the alveolus to regional lymph nodes, germinate and enter the circulatory system to cause disease. The roles of carrier cells and the effects of B.

Identification and characterization of human dendritic cell subsets in the steady state: a review of our current knowledge.

Dendritic cells (DC) are generally categorized as a group of rare antigen presenting cells that are to the crucial development of immune responses to pathogens and also of tolerance to self-antigens. Therefore, having the ability to identify DC in specific tissues and to test their functional abilities in the steady state are scientific gaps needing attention. Research on primary human DC is lacking due to their rarity and the difficulty of obtaining tissue samples.

Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin reduces human alveolar epithelial barrier function.

The lung is the site of entry for Bacillus anthracis in inhalation anthrax, the deadliest form of the disease. Bacillus anthracis produces virulence toxins required for disease. Alveolar macrophages were considered the primary target of the Bacillus anthracis virulence factor lethal toxin because lethal toxin inhibits mouse macrophages through cleavage of MEK signaling pathway components, but we have reported that human alveolar macrophages are not a target of lethal toxin.