Beta-glucan affects leukocyte navigation in a complex chemotactic gradient.

Background: Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) must traverse endogenous chemotactic gradients (interleukin 8 [IL-8]) before reaching target chemoattractants (fMLP [N-formylmethionine-leucine-phenylalanine], C5a) produced at a site of bacterial infection. Complement receptor 3 (CR3; CD11b/CD18) contains 2 distinct binding sites, one that mediates adhesion and a lectin-like domain (LLD) that binds polysaccharides of microbial origin. This laboratory previously reported an increase in the chemotactic capacity of PMNs toward fMLP upon ligation of the CR3 LLD with beta-glucan, a CR3 agonist.

Keeping up with the Jones's: open donor nephrectomy in the laparoscopic era.

Several new approaches have been developed to perform donor nephrectomy. These include laparoscopic donor nephrectomy and open donor nephrectomy performed through small incisions, herein referred to as "mini-open donor nephrectomy". In the past, we performed open donor nephrectomy via a standard flank incision.

Alzheimer-associated neuronal thread protein mediated cell death is linked to impaired insulin signaling.

Alzheimer-associated neuronal thread protein, AD7c-NTP, accumulates in cortical neurons and co-localizes with phospho-tau-containing cytoskeletal lesions in brains with AD. Over-expression of AD7c-NTP results in increased neuronal death mediated by apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction. Empirical studies demonstrating differential growth factor responses to AD7c-NTP led to us to further investigate the effects of insulin, insulin-like growth factor, type 1 (IGF-1), nerve growth factor (NGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulation on neuronal survival mechanisms in relation to AD7c-NTP expression.

Principles of diagnosing and managing postmenopausal osteoporosis for the podiatric physician.

Osteoporosis is an asymptomatic disease until a fracture occurs. The prevalence of osteoporosis will rise with the aging of the population. Recent advances have led to more efficacious treatment options.

Geriatric pharmacology: safer prescribing for the elderly patient.

Adverse drug effects are common in elderly patients but can often be avoided. Judicious prescribing practices require the clinician to be aware of age-related changes in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination. Clinicians may need to adjust drug dose, frequency, or the choice of drug altogether as they consider the physiologic changes of aging.

Uncoupling protein-2 deficiency promotes oxidant stress and delays liver regeneration in mice.

The control of liver regeneration remains elusive. Because reactive oxygen species (ROS) are able to mediate cell growth arrest and activate proteins that inhibit the cell cycle, ROS production may have a negative impact on liver regeneration. We examined how liver regeneration is affected by uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2), an inner mitochondrial membrane carrier that senses and negatively regulates superoxide production.

Reduced expression of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene in the hypothalamus of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Background: The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene encodes an approximately 150-165 kD glycoprotein that is mutated in individuals with cystic fibrosis. Previous studies demonstrated expression of the CFTR gene in the hypothalamus, suggesting a potential role for this molecule in the regulation of systemic metabolic functions. Individuals with cystic fibrosis often exhibit wasting and marked reductions in body fat content.

Glycine decarboxylase mediates a postbinding step in duck hepatitis B virus infection.

Envelope protein precursors of many viruses are processed by a basic endopeptidase to generate two molecules, one for receptor binding and the other for membrane fusion. Such a cleavage event has not been demonstrated for the hepatitis B virus family. Two binding partners for duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) pre-S envelope protein have been identified.

Neuronal thread protein regulation and interaction with microtubule-associated proteins in SH-Sy5y neuronal cells.

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), neuronal thread protein (NTP) accumulates in cortical neurons and colocalizes with phospho- tau-immunoreactive cytoskeletal lesions that correlate with dementia. To generate additional information about the potential role of NTP in AD, we characterized its expression and regulation in human SH-Sy5y neuronal cells. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactin and Western blot analysis demonstrated prominent insulin, moderate insulin-like growth factor, type 1 (IGF-1) and minimal nerve growth factor stimulation of NTP expression.

Sequence variation upstream of precore translation initiation codon reduces hepatitis B virus e antigen production.

Background & Aims: Most South African hepatitis B virus strains harbor point mutations immediately upstream of the precore AUG codon. The aim of this study was to determine their effect on hepatitis B e antigen expression.

Methods: The hepatitis B virus DNA sequence around the precore region was determined from sera of 45 black South Africans.

Insulin signaling through insulin receptor substrate 1 and 2 in normal liver development.

Background & Aims: The insulin growth factor signal transduction pathway is an important regulator of adult hepatocyte proliferation. The purpose of this study was to determine the roles of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS-1 and IRS-2)-mediated growth cascades in rapidly growing fetal rat liver.

Methods: We determined the expression and tyrosyl phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta subunit (IRbeta), IRS-1 and IRS-2, the binding of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in the presence or absence of insulin stimulation in vivo during development and in the adult liver.

Mammographic findings in pseudoxanthoma elasticum.

Background: There have been isolated case reports of arterial and skin calcification in mammograms of patients with pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), and unpublished anecdotes of many women with PXE undergoing breast biopsy for evaluation of microcalcifications.

Objective: Our aim was to systematically evaluate mammography and breast pathology in PXE.

Methods: The mammograms of 51 women with confirmed PXE were compared with those of a control sample of 109 women without PXE, noting each of the following characteristics on each mammogram: breast density, skin thickening, skin microcalcifications, vascular calcification, breast microcalcifications and macrocalcifications, and masses.

Nitric oxide synthase-3 overexpression causes apoptosis and impairs neuronal mitochondrial function: relevance to Alzheimer's-type neurodegeneration.

Dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is correlated with cell loss that is mediated by apoptosis, mitochondrial (Mt) dysfunction, and possibly necrosis. Previous studies demonstrated increased expression of the nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) gene in degenerating neurons of AD brains. For investigating the role of NOS3 overexpression as a mediator of neuronal loss, human PNET2 central nervous system-derived neuronal cells were infected with recombinant adenovirus vectors that expressed either human NOS3 or green fluorescent protein cDNA under the control of a CMV promoter.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation using the cardio vent device in a resuscitation model.

To compare the "Bellows on Sternum Resuscitation" (BSR) device that permits simultaneous compression and ventilation by one rescuer with two person cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation in a single blind crossover study performed in the laboratory setting. Tidal volume and compression depth were recorded continuously during 12-min CPR sessions with the BSR device and two person CPR. Six CPR instructors performed a total of 1,894 ventilations and 10,532 compressions in 3 separate 12-min sessions.

HIF-1 expression in healing wounds: HIF-1alpha induction in primary inflammatory cells by TNF-alpha.

The expression of the hypoxia-responsive transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1 during acute inflammation was investigated in experimental wounds. HIF-1alpha mRNA was maximally expressed in wound cells 6 h after injury. HIF-1alpha protein was detectable in wound cells 1 and 5 days after injury.

A prospective case-control study of the role of astrovirus in acute diarrhea among hospitalized young children.

This study examines the importance of astroviruses as a cause of acute diarrhea in hospitalized children <10 years old during a 5-year period. Stools were screened by electron microscopy and were tested for astrovirus, rotavirus, and enteric adenovirus by EIA. During the study, 14.

A beta-blocker, not magnesium, is effective prophylaxis for atrial tachyarrhythmias after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Objective: To evaluate magnesium as a sole or adjuvant agent with currently used prophylactic drugs in suppressing postoperative atrial tachyarrhythmias (POAT) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Design: Single-center prospective, randomized clinical trial.

Setting: University hospital.

Ca2+-induced contraction of cat esophageal circular smooth muscle cells.

ACh-induced contraction of esophageal circular muscle (ESO) depends on Ca2+ influx and activation of protein kinase Cepsilon (PKCepsilon). PKCepsilon, however, is known to be Ca2+ independent. To determine where Ca2+ is needed in this PKCepsilon-mediated contractile pathway, we examined successive steps in Ca2+-induced contraction of ESO muscle cells permeabilized by saponin.

Different protein kinase C isozymes mediate lower esophageal sphincter tone and phasic contraction of esophageal circular smooth muscle.

Circular muscle of the esophagus (ESO) is normally relaxed and contracts phasically in response to neural stimuli. In contrast, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) circular muscle maintains spontaneous tone and relaxes in response to neural stimuli. We have previously shown that in vitro, spontaneous LES tone and contraction of ESO in response to acetylcholine (ACh) are antagonized by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, suggesting that PKC activation is responsible for these functions.

Agonist-independent, muscle-type-specific signal transduction pathways in cat esophageal and lower esophageal sphincter circular smooth muscle.

Smooth muscle cells isolated from the circular muscle layer of cat esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) exhibit distinct contractile intracellular signal transduction pathways in response to acetylcholine. To determine whether these contractile pathways are muscle type dependent, the authors examined the signal transduction pathways utilized by substance P and bombesin, which in other tissues, use different signal transduction pathways, and by the GTP analog, guanosine 5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate (GTP gamma S), which activates all available G proteins. Western blot analysis of esophageal and LES circular muscle revealed the presence of Gq-G11 (42 kD), Gi1-Gi2 (40 kD) and Go-Gi3 (40 kD) types of G proteins.