Publications

[age determination using peptide mapping of non-collagenous proteins in human dentin].	the submitted paper deals with possibilities of assessment of human age based on findings of stereospecific breakdown of proteins containing d-forms of aspartic acid. the stereospecificity of enzymatic breakdown assumes that after enzymatic hydrolysis peptide breakdown products with different molecular weights--the so-called peptide map--will be formed, depending how many d-aspartyl residues the protein contains. the authors proved in the submitted preliminary study in subjects of different age ...	2001	11269023
neonatal fungemia caused by hansenula anomala: a case report.	hansenula anomala, an ascosporogenous yeast of the class ascomycetes, is a free-living organism isolated from the environment. it is also a part of the normal or transient flora of the human throat and alimentary tract. it has been recognized as an opportunistic pathogen and its infection is very rare. a premature infant, a victim of right femoral osteomyelitis and right hip arthritis caused by oxacillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, was found to have developed h. anomala fungemia just before ...	2000	11269374
heat-killed microorganisms induce pai-1 expression in human peritoneal mesothelial cells: role of interleukin-1alpha.	human peritoneal mesothelial cells (hmcs) have a critical role in maintaining the intraperitoneal balance between fibrinolysis and coagulation by expressing the fibrinolytic enzyme, tissue-type plasminogen activator (tpa), as well as a specific plasminogen activator inhibitor (type 1; pai-1). during bacterial peritonitis, the balance between intraperitoneal generation and degradation of fibrin is disturbed. as a consequence, severe peritoneal damage occurs, which is one of the leading causes of ...	2001	11273882
cystic fibrosis pathogens activate ca2+-dependent mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways in airway epithelial cells.	much of the pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis is associated with polymorphonuclear leukocyte-dominated airway inflammation caused by bacterial infection. respiratory epithelial cells express the polymorphonuclear chemokine interleukin-8 (il-8) in response to ligation of asialylated glycolipid receptors, which are increased on damaged or regenerating cells and those with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator mutations. because both pseudomonas aeruginosa and staphylococcus aureus ...	2001	11278360
the mechanism of a bacterial plasminogen activator intermediate between streptokinase and staphylokinase.	the therapeutic properties of plasminogen activators are dictated by their mechanism of action. unlike staphylokinase, a single domain protein, streptokinase, a 3-domain (alpha, beta, and gamma) molecule, nonproteolytically activates human (h)-plasminogen and protects plasmin from inactivation by alpha(2)-antiplasmin. because a streptokinase-like mechanism was hypothesized to require the streptokinase gamma-domain, we examined the mechanism of action of a novel two-domain (alpha,beta) streptococ ...	2001	11278483
[evaluation of methicillin-resistance in staphylococcus aureus by the agar disk diffusion method and pcr].	staphylococcus aureus is a widespread human pathogen. one the most striking characteritics of this bacterium is resistance to methicillin and all beta-lactam antibiotics. the agar disk diffusion method is the most widely used in vitro susceptibility test, but recently molecular methods, e.g. polymerase chain reaction, have been also introduced. we compared the detection of methicillin resistant coagulase positive staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical materials in silesian microbiological ...	2000	11286174
fibronectin binding protein a of staphylococcus aureus can mediate human t lymphocyte adhesion and coactivation.	the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (fn) mediates the adhesion of bacteria as well as t lymphocytes. mammalian cells express integrins alpha(4)beta(1) and alpha(5)beta(1) as the major fn-binding cell surface receptors. bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus, also express fn-binding receptors that are important for adherence to host tissue and initiation of infection. the s. aureus fn-binding protein, fnbpa, has been previously identified, and recombinant proteins that correspond to dist ...	2001	11290795
monocytes augment bacterial species- and strain-dependent induction of tissue factor activity in bacterium-infected human vascular endothelial cells.	in bacterial endocarditis (be), intravascular infection with staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus sanguis, or staphylococcus epidermidis can lead to formation of a fibrin clot on the inner surface of the heart and cause heart dysfunction. the events that start the coagulation in the early stage of the disease are largely unknown. we have recently shown that human endothelial cells (ec) upon binding and internalization of s. aureus, but not s. sanguis or s. epidermidis, express tissue factor (tf) ...	2001	11292691
clumping factor a mediates binding of staphylococcus aureus to human platelets.	the direct binding of bacteria to platelets may be an important virulence mechanism in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. we have previously described staphylococcus aureus strain ps12, a tn551-derived mutant of strain isp479, with reduced ability to bind human platelets in vitro. when tested in an animal model of endocarditis, the ps12 strain was less virulent than its parental strain, as measured by bacterial densities in endocardial vegetations and incidence of systemic embolization. ...	2001	11292731
synergistic interactions between mammalian antimicrobial defense peptides.	a single animal can express several cationic antimicrobial peptides with different sequences and structures. we demonstrate that mammalian peptides from different structural classes frequently show synergy with each other and selectively show synergy with human lysozyme.	2001	11302828
trem-1 amplifies inflammation and is a crucial mediator of septic shock.	host innate responses to bacterial infections are primarily mediated by neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages. these cells express pattern recognition receptors (prrs) that bind conserved molecular structures shared by groups of microorganisms. stimulation of prr signalling pathways initiates secretion of proinflammatory mediators, which promote the elimination of infectious agents and the induction of tissue repair. excessive inflammation owing to bacterial infections can lead to tissue damage ...	2001	11323674
polylysine-porphycene conjugates as efficient photosensitizers for the inactivation of microbial pathogens.	porphycenes are electronic isomers of porphyrins which, when neutral, display no appreciable photosensitizing action towards gram-negative bacteria. the covalent binding of oligomeric polylysine moieties, which are cationic at physiological ph values, endows porphycenes with a significant phototoxic activity against gram-negative bacteria while retaining their photoefficiency against a variety of microbial pathogens, including gram-positive bacteria, fungi and mycoplasmas. the effect of the poly ...	2000	11332884
acute gastric dilatation accompanied by diabetes mellitus.	a 72-year-old man with diabetic triopathy was hospitalized with methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus pneumonia. six hours after the admission, his abdomen was fully expanded. an abdominal x-ray showed gastric dilatation. after insertion of a gastric tube to extract gastric air, his abdomen was flat and gastric dilatation improved. a positive schellong test and decreased coefficient of rr interval in electrocardiogram variation indicated autonomic neuropathy, which may explain the reason f ...	2001	11334392
cutaneous leucocytoclastic vasculitis associated with oxacillin.	a 67-year-old man who was treated with oxacillin for one week because of staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, developed renal failure and diffuse, symmetric, palpable purpuric lesions on his feet. necrotic blisters were noted on his fingers. skin biopsies showed findings diagnostic of leucocytoclastic vasculitis. oxacillin was discontinued and patient was treated with corticosteroids. the rash disappeared after three weeks and renal function returned to normal. leucocytoclastic vasculitis presents ...	2001	11337188
99mtc-labeled antimicrobial peptides for detection of bacterial and candida albicans infections.	this study compared the possibilities and limitations of 99mtc-labeled synthetic peptides derived from two human antimicrobial peptides, namely, ubiquicidin (ubi) and lactoferrin (hlf), for the scintigraphic detection of bacterial and fungal infections in mice and rabbits. the rationale of our approach was that selected peptides accumulate in infected areas but not in sterile inflammatory lesions, because they bind preferentially to microorganisms. 99mtc-labeled human neutrophil peptides (defens ...	2001	11337578
effect of pinealectomy on immune parameters in rats with staphylococcus aureus infection.	it is generally accepted that the pineal gland is a neuroendocrine organ. several recent experiments have shown that the pineal gland has functional and anatomical connections, particularly with the immune system, and therefore the gland is now recognized as an important immunoneuroendocrine organ in both man and animals. the present study investigates the effect of pinealectomy on some immune parameters, including hematological alterations, and the response of the brain tissue against infection ...	2001	11339464
staphylococcus aureus resistance to human defensins and evasion of neutrophil killing via the novel virulence factor mprf is based on modification of membrane lipids with l-lysine.	defensins, antimicrobial peptides of the innate immune system, protect human mucosal epithelia and skin against microbial infections and are produced in large amounts by neutrophils. the bacterial pathogen staphylococcus aureus is insensitive to defensins by virtue of an unknown resistance mechanism. we describe a novel staphylococcal gene, mprf, which determines resistance to several host defense peptides such as defensins and protegrins. an mprf mutant strain was killed considerably faster by ...	2001	11342591
csf oligoclonal bands in ms include antibodies against chlamydophila antigens.	considerable evidence suggests the role of an infectious agent in ms. the presence of chlamydophila pneumoniae in csf from patients with ms was shown earlier; to further examine this association the reactivity of the oligoclonal antibody response in the csf of patients with ms to c pneumoniae antigens was determined and compared with other antigens.	2001	11342681
bone marrow-derived macrophages grown in gm-csf or m-csf differ in their ability to produce il-12 and to induce ifn-gamma production after stimulation with trypanosoma cruzi antigens.	trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of chagas' disease in man. control of parasitism at the beginning of experimental infection depends on cytokine-activated macrophages that synthesize nitric oxide (no). we investigated macrophage populations derived in the presence of m-csf (m-mø) or gm-csf (gm-mø) regarding their ability to control intracellular parasitism by t. cruzi and to synthesize il-12 and no. both macrophage populations supported intracellular multiplication of the parasite; whe ...	2001	11348667
characterization of a novel proapoptotic caspase-2- and caspase-9-binding protein.	caspases play important roles in regulating apoptotic signaling pathways. here we report the cloning, by the yeast two hybrid system with dominant negative caspase-2 as "bait," of a proapoptotic molecule named proapoptotic caspase adaptor protein (pacap), encoded by a 372-base pair open reading frame. binding of this novel protein to caspase-2 (casp-2) was confirmed in yeast two hybrid, in vitro, and in vivo assays. the deduced amino acid sequence revealed homology to functional motifs, includin ...	2001	11350957
venous access port--related bacteremia in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or cancer: the reservoir as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool.	to describe the rate of response to an antibiotic-lock technique (alt) in the treatment of venous access port (vap)--related bacteremia and to analyze the role of the reservoir in the persistence of infection, we reported the data from 12 human immunodeficiency virus--infected and 8 oncologic patients with vap-related bacteremia. the alt consisted of intracatheter delivery of antibiotics and was associated with a systemic antibiotic infusion. we monitored clinical manifestations and performed qu ...	2001	11360220
effects of helichrysum italicum extract on growth and enzymatic activity of staphylococcus aureus.	helichrysum italicum g. don (compositae) is a shrub commonly found in dry, sandy and stony areas of mediterranean regions. this plant is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and antimicrobial activity. the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the diethyl ether extract on growth of staphylococcus aureus (atcc 6538p, mrsa and mssa isolates) and the influence of subminimum inhibitory concentrations (submics) on some enzymes which are considered virulence factors. the results in ...	2001	11397624
influenza pneumonia: a descriptive study.	to describe the clinical features and complications of patients hospitalized with influenza during the 1999-2000 influenza season.	2001	11399696
adherence properties of staphylococcus aureus under static and flow conditions: roles of agr and sar loci, platelets, and plasma ligands.	global regulatory genes in staphylococcus aureus, including agr and sar, are known to regulate the expression of multiple virulence factors, including cell wall adhesins. in the present study, the adherence of s. aureus rn6390 (wild type), rn6911 (agr), alc136 (sar), and alc135 (agr sar) to immobilized fibrinogen, fibronectin, von willebrand factor (vwf), extracellular matrix (ecm), and human endothelial cells (ec) eahy.926 was studied. bacteria grown to postexponential phase were subjected to l ...	2001	11401988
gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria do not trigger monocytic cytokine production through similar intracellular pathways.	toll-like receptors (tlrs) are involved in human monocyte activation by lipopolysaccharide (lps) and staphylococcus aureus cowan (sac), suggesting that gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria may trigger similar intracellular events. treatment with specific kinase inhibitors prior to cell stimulation dramatically decreased lps-induced cytokine production. blocking of the p38 pathway prior to lps stimulation decreased interleukin-1alpha (il-1alpha), il-1ra, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (tnf-a ...	2001	11402003
superantigen antagonist blocks th1 cytokine gene induction and lethal shock.	bacterial superantigens trigger an excessive, th1-cytokine response leading to toxic shock. we designed a peptide antagonist that inhibits seb-induced expression of human genes for il-2, ifn-gamma, and tnf-beta, cytokines that mediate shock. the peptide antagonist shows homology to a beta-strand-hinge-alpha-helix domain that is conserved structurally in superantigens produced by staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pyogenes yet remote from known binding sites for the major histocompatibility ...	2001	11404377
adjunctive rifampin therapy for central nervous system staphylococcal infections.	to review the published clinical data assessing the role of adjunctive rifampin therapy for the treatment of staphylococcal central nervous system (cns) infections.	2001	11408996
potential impact of the vitek 2 system and the advanced expert system on the clinical laboratory of a university-based hospital.	a study was designed to assess the impact of the vitek 2 automated system and the advanced expert system (aes) on the clinical laboratory of a typical university-based hospital. a total of 259 consecutive, nonduplicate isolates of enterobacteriaceae members, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and staphylococcus aureus were collected and tested by the vitek 2 system for identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and the results were analyzed by the aes. the results were also analyzed by a huma ...	2001	11427542
crystal structure of a superantigen bound to mhc class ii displays zinc and peptide dependence.	the three-dimensional structure of a bacterial superantigen, staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin h (seh), bound to human major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class ii (hla-dr1) has been determined by x-ray crystallography to 2.6 a resolution (1hxy). the superantigen binds on top of hla-dr1 in a completely different way from earlier co-crystallized superantigens from s.aureus. seh interacts with high affinity through a zinc ion with the beta1 chain of hla-dr1 and also with the peptide presented b ...	2001	11432818
model systems: modeling human staphylococcal arthritis and sepsis in the mouse.	the staphylococci have been recognized as serious pathogens for over a century and are the etiological agent of a variety of diseases ranging from mild cutaneous infections to often fatal forms of septic arthritis, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome and sepsis. despite intensive efforts to halt their spread, they remain the most common cause of community- and nosocomially acquired bacteremia. murine models of staphylocococus aureus-mediated arthritis and sepsis exist and are being used to gain a ...	2001	11435106
recent developments in staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.	staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome describes a spectrum of superficial blistering skin disorders caused by the exfoliative toxins of staphylococcus aureus. in its severe form, the exfoliation can spread to cover the entire body surface area. two s. aureus exfoliative toxin serotypes affecting humans have been identified, but their purpose and mechanism of action have remained elusive. based on their interaction with human and mouse epidermis, their three-dimensional structure and site-directed ...	2001	11442563
evolutionary genomics of staphylococcus aureus: insights into the origin of methicillin-resistant strains and the toxic shock syndrome epidemic.	an emerging theme in medical microbiology is that extensive variation exists in gene content among strains of many pathogenic bacterial species. however, this topic has not been investigated on a genome scale with strains recovered from patients with well-defined clinical conditions. staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen and also causes economically important infections in cows and sheep. a dna microarray representing >90% of the s. aureus genome was used to characterize genomic divers ...	2001	11447287
the two-component system arls-arlr is a regulator of virulence gene expression in staphylococcus aureus.	staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that produces many virulence factors in a temporally regulated manner controlled by at least two global virulence regulatory loci (agr and sara). we identified previously a two-component system, arls-arlr, that modifies the activity of extracellular serine protease and may be involved in virulence regulation. here, we show that mutations in either arlr or arls increase the production of secreted proteins [alpha-toxin (hla), beta-haemolysin, lipase, ...	2001	11454217
survey of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes, exfoliative toxin genes, and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 gene in non-staphylococcus aureus species.	the aim of this study was to analyze the presence of staphylococcal exotoxin genes in staphylococci other than staphylococcus aureus. whereas for staphylococcus aureus a large spectrum of different exotoxins responsible for toxin-mediated diseases has been described, only few and conflicting data are available regarding toxin production in all other staphylococcal species. a collection of clinical non-staphylococcus aureus staphylococcal isolates were systematically screened for the presence of ...	2001	11476441
enterotoxin production and dna fingerprinting in staphylococcus aureus isolated from human and food samples. relations between genetic types and enterotoxins.	a total of 224 staphylococcus aureus strains from human carriers (110 strains) and manually handled foods (114 strains) collected in the principality of asturias, spain over 1995-1999 were analysed for the production of enterotoxins (ses) a, b, c, and d by a reversed passive latex agglutination test and by amplification of ent genes (a, b, c, d, e, and j) using pcr. sixty-two strains were enterotoxigenic and a good relation between detection of ses and their ent genes was found. no strain carrie ...	2001	11482562
expression of human beta-defensin-1 promotes differentiation of keratinocytes.	epithelial cells have been shown to express the antibiotic peptides human beta-defensins-1 and 2. while beta-defensin-2 is known to be up-regulated by bacterial factors and proinflammatory mediators, the expression of beta-defensin-1 does not appear to be affected by these mediators. to determine the regulation and function of beta-defensin-1 we analyzed its expression upon stimulation of inflammatory mediators in vitro and ex vivo. in immortalized human cell lines (hacat) and nasal polyps beta- ...	2001	11485020
oral clearance and pathogenic oropharyngeal colonization in the elderly.	the elderly have an increased incidence of oropharyngeal colonization with respiratory pathogens, a well-known risk factor for the development of pneumonia. changes in the oral milieu may occur secondary to decreased salivary production and abnormalities in swallowing. these abnormalities, common in the elderly, may result in impaired clearance of organisms, allowing pathogenic colonization. to test this hypothesis, we performed a prospective cross-sectional analysis of 75 elderly institutionali ...	2001	11500351
filarial antigens impair the function of human dendritic cells during differentiation.	the antigen-specific t-cell unresponsiveness seen in lymphatic filariasis is mediated, in part, by diminished antigen-presenting cell function and is most specific for microfilariae (mf), the parasite stage found in large numbers in the peripheral circulation. we investigated the effect of mf antigen (mfag) on dendritic cells (dc) in both their differentiation process from monocyte precursors and also after they have developed into dc. when mfag was added to cultures of monocytes during their di ...	2001	11500459
human milk anti-inflammatory component contents during acute mastitis.	mastitis is a common complication of human lactation. we examined milk specimens from eight women with clinical mastitis to determine their content of anti-inflammatory components. antioxidant activity (spontaneous cytochrome c reducing activity), selected pro-inflammatory cytokines (il-6, il-1beta), selected endogenous cytokine control molecules (sil-6r, sil-1rii, and stnfri), lactoferrin, na(+):k(+) ratios, and milk bioactivities that cause shedding of sil-1rii from human polymorphonuclear leu ...	2001	11520075
structural requirements of muramylpeptides for induction of toll-like receptor 2-mediated nf-kappab activation in cho cells.	we previously demonstrated that gram-positive bacteria activated immune cells via cd14 and toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2). although peptidoglycan, a major constituent of the bacterial cell wall, substituted for whole organisms, the essential structure of muramylpeptides required to stimulate the cells is not clear. we further investigated the critical determinant for recognition by cd14 and tlr2. chinese hamster ovary (cho) fibroblasts, which do not express a functional tlr2 transcript, were transf ...	2000	11521064
antiviral and antimicrobial activities of colombian medicinal plants.	strong antiviral and antimicrobial activities were detected in methanolic extracts of 24 plants used medicinally in the treatment of skin infections in four different regions of colombia. thirteen extracts displayed activity against herpes simplex virus (hsv) whereas none was active against poliovirus. the antiviral activity was indicated by a total inhibition of viral cytopathic effects (cpe) at a non-cytotoxic concentration of the extract. the most potent extract was obtained from byrsonima ve ...	2001	11535363
a simple model host for identifying gram-positive virulence factors.	we demonstrate the use of the nematode caenorhabditis elegans as a facile and inexpensive model host for several gram-positive human bacterial pathogens. enterococcus faecalis, streptococcus pneumoniae, and staphylococcus aureus, but not bacillus subtilis, enterococcus faecium, or streptococcus pyogenes, kill adult c. elegans. focusing our studies on the enterococcal species, we found that both e. faecalis and e. faecium kill c. elegans eggs and hatchlings, although only e. faecalis kills the ad ...	2001	11535834
survival of potentially pathogenic human-associated bacteria in the rhizosphere of hydroponically grown wheat.	plants may serve as reservoirs for human-associated bacteria (h-ab) in long-term space missions containing bioregenerative life support systems. the current study examined the abilities of five human-associated potential pathogens, pseudomonas aeruginosa, pseudomonas cepacia, staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pyogenes and escherichia coli, to colonize and grow in the rhizosphere of hydroponically grown wheat, a candidate crop for life support. all of these bacteria have been recovered from pa ...	1996	11539850
subsets of human dendritic cell precursors express different toll-like receptors and respond to different microbial antigens.	toll-like receptors (tlrs) are ancient microbial pattern recognition receptors highly conserved from drosophila to humans. to investigate if subsets of human dendritic cell precursors (pre-dc), including monocytes (pre-dc1), plasmacytoid dc precursors (pre-dc2), and cd11c(+) immature dcs (imdcs) are developed to recognize different microbes or microbial antigens, we studied their tlr expression and responses to microbial antigens. we demonstrate that whereas monocytes preferentially express tlr ...	2001	11561001
synthesis and antibacterial study of unsaturated mannich ketones.	several mannich ketones of 2-arylmethylenecycloalkanones were synthesised using the classical acid-catalysed mannich reaction. antibacterial activity of these new water-soluble compounds was reported against pseudomonas aeruginosa, escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus saprophyticus, micrococcus luteus and bacillus subtilis standard strains. human cell line cytotoxicity of our new compounds was evaluated against hela cell lines. some compounds showed low cytotoxicity (41.52 nm ...	2001	11672880
dissecting folliculitis of the scalp with marginal keratitis.	we describe a young man with dissecting folliculitis of the scalp, who subsequently developed marginal keratitis. we are unaware of any previous reports of this association. the aetiology of dissecting folliculitis is thought to relate to abnormal follicular occlusion with subsequent suppuration, although an infective process has never been established. marginal keratitis is postulated, but not proven, to be caused by an enhanced immune response to staphylococcus aureus antigens. we suggest that ...	2001	11678871
synthesis and biological evaluation of azole derivatives, analogues of bifonazole, with a phenylisoxazolyl or phenylpyrimidinyl moiety.	a series of azole derivatives, isoxazole or pyrimidine analogues of the antifungal drug bifonazole, were synthesized and tested in vitro against representative human pathogenic fungi (candida albicans, cryptococcus neoformans and aspergillus fumigatus). they were also evaluated as antibacterial agents against staphylococcus aureus and salmonella spp. only 5-(imidazol-1-yl-phenylmethyl)-2,4-diphenyl-pyrimidine 7c showed weak antimicrobial activity (mic = 66 microm) against c. albicans, c. neoform ...	2001	11680806
multiplex pcr for simultaneous identification of staphylococcus aureus and detection of methicillin and mupirocin resistance.	in this work, we describe a multiplex pcr assay for the detection of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes harbored by some staphylococcus aureus isolates and for the simultaneous identification of such isolates at the species level. conditions were optimized for the simultaneous detection of the 310-, 456-, and 651-bp regions of the meca (encoding high-level methicillin resistance), iles-2 (encoding high-level mupirocin resistance), and femb (encoding a factor essential for methicilli ...	2001	11682527
antibacterial effect of human v gamma 2v delta 2 t cells in vivo.	v gamma 2v delta 2 cells, a class of t cells found only in primates, are reactive to nonpeptide organophosphate and alkylamine antigens secreted by bacteria and parasites. these cells make up 2-5% percent of human peripheral blood t cells but expand to make up 8-60% of peripheral blood t cells during bacterial and parasitic infections. we show here, using a chimeric severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) mouse (hu-scid) model, that human v gamma 2v delta 2 t cells mediate resistance to extracel ...	2001	11696580
environmental and body contamination through aerosols produced by high-speed cutters in lumbar spine surgery.	a cadaver study to evaluate contamination in the operating room through the use of a high-speed bone cutter.	2001	11698896
hematogenous cervical spondylodiscitis after severe burn injury.	a 47-year-old man sustained a 31% tbsa burn injury. in spite of early escharectomy and mesh-graft-transplantation the patient suffered a septicaemic phase in the first week, which was treated by a specific antibiotic. five weeks after the burn injury a cervical spondylodiscitis was diagnosed. immediate wound debridement, ventral and dorsal spondylodesis with a tricortical bone-graft from the left iliac crest and titanium plates and specific antibiotic therapy led to the stabilization and healing ...	2001	11718988
treatment of acrodermatitis continua of hallopeau with oral propylthiouracil and methotrexate.	a 71-year-old man with acrodermatitis continua of hallopeau was treated successfully with a combination of oral propylthiouracil and methotrexate. after 14 weeks, he developed acute pancytopenia, an uncommon idiosyncratic side-effect of propylthiouracil, and presented with a life-threatening methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus pneumonia. this illustrates the potential value and associated risks of propylthiouracil in the management of this difficult condition.	2001	11722449
enterotoxigenic potential of staphylococcus intermedius.	staphylococcal food poisoning (sfp) caused by enterotoxigenic staphylococci is one of the main food-borne diseases. in contrast to staphylococcus aureus, a systematic screening for the enterotoxins has not yet been performed on the genomic level for the coagulase-positive species s. intermedius. therefore, the enterotoxigenic potential of 281 different veterinary (canine, n = 247; equine, n = 23; feline, n = 9; other, n = 2) and 11 human isolates of s. intermedius was tested by using a multiplex ...	2001	11722906
methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus sepsis associated with the transfusion of contaminated platelets: a case report.	platelet transfusion-associated sepsis is usually due to donor skin flora introduced into the unit during phlebotomy. an unusual case of a platelet component contaminated with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) is reported.	2001	11724990
[drug-induced pneumonitis caused by sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim].	a 33-year-old man was treated with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (smt-tmp) for an infection in the cervical vertebrae by methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa). two weeks later a fever of 39 degrees c appeared, and a productive cough, hemosputum, and dyspnea developed a further three weeks later. chest radiographs showed bilateral ground-glass opacity. cell differentiation of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (balf) revealed increases of lymphocytes and eosinophils, and the cd4/cd8 ratio ...	2001	11729685
attachment of staphylococcus aureus to eukaryotic cells and experimental pitfalls in staphylococcal adherence assays: a critical appraisal.	staphylococcus aureus is a bacterial species with pathogenic potential to both humans and animals. the primary natural niche is said to be the human vestibulum nasi from where bacterial cells may spread to the environment or additional anatomical sites such as the perineum or the hands, where residence is usually transient. apparently, s. aureus is capable of a precise and balanced interaction with specific types of eukaryotic nasal cells. although a wide variety of important bacterial ligands a ...	2002	11733080
sequence of the 50-kb conjugative multiresistance plasmid pre25 from enterococcus faecalis re25.	the complete 50,237-bp dna sequence of the conjugative and mobilizing multiresistance plasmid pre25 from enterococcus faecalis re25 was determined. the plasmid had 58 putative open reading frames, 5 of which encode resistance to 12 antimicrobials. chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and the 23s rna methylase are identical to gene products of the broad-host-range plasmid pip501 from streptococcus agalactiae. in addition, a 30.5-kb segment is almost identical to pip501. genes encoding an aminoglycos ...	2001	11735367
lactoferrin, amylase and mucin muc5b and their relation to the oral microflora in hyposalivation of different origins.	there are several reasons for hyposalivation, each affecting the salivary composition in different ways. the aim of this study was to analyze and compare lactoferrin, amylase and mucin muc5b in stimulated whole saliva collected from subjects with hyposalivation of different origins and to relate the results to the presence of some microbial species associated with oral disorders. albumin was determined as a marker of serum leakage. the characteristic feature for subjects with radiation-induced h ...	2001	11737657
molecular cloning and biochemical characterisation of proteases from staphylococcus epidermidis.	we report the complete coding sequence and the partial amino acid sequence (determined by chemical sequencing) of staphylococcus epidermidis extracellular cysteine (ecp) and serine (esp) proteases. the first enzyme shows an extended sequence similarity to staphylococcus aureus cysteine protease (staphopain) and the second one resembles the serine protease produced by that species. the region directly upstream of the sequence coding for the mature protein in both enzymes displays significant homo ...	2001	11767947
impaired gp-91phox gene expression and dysfunction of peripheral blood neutrophils in patients maintaining hemodialysis.	to investigate expressions of gp-91phox and il-8 gene and the function of neutrophils in hemodialysis (hd) patients, and to understand the relationship between uremia and immune.	2000	11775533
tissue expression of human toll-like receptors and differential regulation of toll-like receptor mrnas in leukocytes in response to microbes, their products, and cytokines.	members of the toll-like receptor (tlr) family mediate dorsoventral patterning and cellular adhesion in insects as well as immune responses to microbial products in both insects and mammals. tlrs are characterized by extracellular leucine-rich repeat domains and an intracellular signaling domain that shares homology with cytoplasmic sequences of the mammalian il-1 receptor and plant disease resistance genes. ten human tlrs have been cloned as well as rp105, a protein similar to tlr4 but lacking ...	2002	11777946
the different process of class switching and somatic hypermutation; a novel analysis by cd27(-) naive b cells.	the relationship between class switch recombination (csr) and somatic hypermutation has been unclear. by using human cd27(-) naive b cells, we investigated the somatic hypermutation and producibility of immunoglobulins (igs) that occur after csr. although neither adult cd27(-) nor cord blood b cells, which showed the unmutated ig v-region genes, produced igg, igm, or iga in response to conventional stimuli, they produced igg and igm but not iga in the presence of staphylococcus aureus cowan stra ...	2002	11781240
staphylococcus aureus alpha toxin mediates polymorphonuclear leukocyte-induced vasocontraction and endothelial dysfunction.	the effect of staphylococcus aureus alpha toxin (alpha-toxin) on selectin-mediated neutrophil adhesion was investigated in polymorphonuclear leukocyte- (pmn) induced vasocontraction and endothelial dysfunction. adherence of human pmns to rat aortic endothelium increased significantly following stimulation of the endothelium with alpha-toxin (0.1, 0.5, and 1 microg/ml). this effect could be significantly attenuated by monoclonal antibodies directed against p-selectin or fucoidin, a carbohydrate k ...	2002	11795666
discrepancy between uptake and intracellular activity of moxifloxacin in a staphylococcus aureus-human thp-1 monocytic cell model.	the correlation between uptake of moxifloxacin by thp-1, a continuous line of monocytic cells devoid of intrinsic bactericidal properties, and its activity against staphylococcus aureus atcc 25923, a susceptible reference strain (mic and minimal bactericidal concentration of moxifloxacin, 0.1 mg/liter), was studied in a 5-h assay. the uptake of the drug, added to the culture medium at 0.2 to 32 mg/liter, was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography. the ratio of the cellular to extrac ...	2002	11796332
fibronectin-binding proteins of staphylococcus aureus are involved in adherence to human airway epithelium.	this study was designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of staphylococcus aureus adherence to human airway epithelium. using a humanized bronchial xenograft model in the nude mouse and primary cultures of human airway epithelial cells (haec), we showed that s. aureus adhered mainly to undifferentiated haec whereas weak adherence (11- to 20-fold lower) to differentiated haec was observed (p < 0.01). a fibronectin (fn)-binding protein (fnbp)-deficient strain of s. aureus had a fivefold-low ...	2002	11796591
relationships between staphylococcus aureus genetic background, virulence factors, agr groups (alleles), and human disease.	the expression of most staphylococcus aureus virulence factors is controlled by the agr locus, which encodes a two-component signaling pathway whose activating ligand is an agr-encoded autoinducing peptide (aip). a polymorphism in the amino acid sequence of the aip and of its corresponding receptor divides s. aureus strains into four major groups. within a given group, each strain produces a peptide that can activate the agr response in the other member strains, whereas the aips belonging to dif ...	2002	11796592
[the effect of lactate-buffered peritoneal dialysis fluid in human peritoneal mesothelial cells function].	to investigate the effect of lactate-buffered peritoneal dialysis fluid (l-pdf) on human peritoneal mesothelial cells (hpmc) function.	2001	11798616
the effects of charge and lipophilicity on the antibacterial activity of undecapeptides derived from bovine lactoferricin.	we have investigated the effects of charge and lipophilicity on the antibacterial activity of an undecapeptide (fkcrrwqwrmk) derived from the sequence of bovine lactoferricin. we prepared ten analogues that were modified by the incorporation of ala, tyr, trp, met and arg residues, which are amino acids known to be important for the antibacterial activity of longer derivatives of lactoferricins. all undecapeptides contained the native trp residues in positions 6 and 8, and the arg residues in pos ...	2002	11831560
staphylococcal alpha-toxin provokes neutrophil-dependent cardiac dysfunction: role of icam-1 and cys-leukotrienes.	the role of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (pmn) in septic myocardial dysfunction is presently unknown. staphylococcus aureus infections are frequently associated with septic sequelae. therefore, we perfused isolated rat hearts with low doses of alpha-toxin, the major staphylococcal exotoxin, followed by application of human pmn, n-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, and arachidonic acid. in contrast to sham-perfused hearts (no alpha-toxin), a rise in coronary perfusion pressure (cpp) and a re ...	2002	11834515
human beta-defensin-2 production in keratinocytes is regulated by interleukin-1, bacteria, and the state of differentiation.	intact human epidermis resists invasion by pathogenic microbes but the biochemical basis of its resistance is not well understood. recently, an antimicrobial peptide, human beta-defensin-2, was discovered in inflamed epidermis. we used a recombinant baculovirus/insect cell system to produce human beta-defensin-2 and confirmed that at micromolar concentrations it has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, with the striking exception of staphylococcus aureus. immunostaining with a polyclonal ...	2002	11841544
definition of a type of abnormal vaginal flora that is distinct from bacterial vaginosis: aerobic vaginitis.	to define an entity of abnormal vaginal flora: aerobic vaginitis.	2002	11845812
antibacterial properties of dermaseptin s4 derivatives with in vivo activity.	derivatives of the cytotoxic peptide dermaseptin s4 have recently emerged as potential antimicrobial agents. here, we report on the antibacterial properties of three derivatives with improved toxicity profiles: a 28-residues k4k20-s4 and two shorter versions, k4-s4(1-16) and k4-s4(1-13). the range of mics of k4k20-s4 against clinical isolates of staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, and escherichia coli were, respectively, 1 to 4, 1 to 4, and 1 to 16 microg/ml. mics of the short derivat ...	2002	11850249
retrieving biological activity from lukf-pv mutants combined with different s components implies compatibility between the stem domains of these staphylococcal bicomponent leucotoxins.	bicomponent leucotoxins, such as panton-valentine leucocidin, are composed of two classes of proteins, a class s protein such as luks-pv, which bears the cell membrane binding function, and a class f protein such as lukf-pv, which interacts to form a bipartite hexameric pore. these leucotoxins induce cell activation, linked to a ca(2+) influx, and pore formation as two consecutive and independently inhibitable events. knowledge of the lukf-pv monomer structure has indicated that the stem domain ...	2002	11854215
cq-397 and cq-414: antimicrobial activity and spectrum of two fluoroquinolone---cephalosporin, dual-action compounds with carboxamido bonds.	objective: to evaluate the potential spectrum of activity of two novel dual-action compounds with carboxamido bonds (cq-397 and cq-414; laboratorios aranda, san rafael, mexico) against human pathogens. methods: approximately 800 gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic clinical bacteria were tested in vitro using the mueller-hinton broth microdilution method of the national committee of clinical laboratory standards. results: cq-397 (cefamandole+enrofloxacin) and cq-414 (cefamandole+norfloxacin) ...	1997	11864130
a study on staphylococcus aureus strains submitted to a reference laboratory.	staphylococcus aureus is regarded as one of the most devastating human pathogens. recently there have been reports of increasing incidence of s. aureus strains resistant to methicillin (mrsa). a surveillance study was undertaken to record the occurrence of mrsa and to study the prevalence of various phage groups in india.	2001	11873403
rab5a gtpase regulates fusion between pathogen-containing phagosomes and cytoplasmic organelles in human neutrophils.	biogenesis of phagolysosomes proceeds through a sequential series of interactions with endocytic organelles, a process known to be regulated by rab and snare proteins. the molecular mechanisms underlying phagosome maturation in neutrophils are, however, not clearly understood. we investigated fusion between phagosomes containing the intracellular pathogen mycobacterium tuberculosis versus the extracellular pathogen staphylococcus aureus (designated mcp for mycobacteria-containing phagosome and s ...	2002	11884531
pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.	cystic fibrosis (cf) is an autosomal-recessive disorder and affects about 60,000 people worldwide. the cf gene, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (cftr), was found in 1989 and over 800 mutations have been sequenced. although our understanding of the pathophysiology of cf has increased, pulmonary infections remain the major cause of morbidity and mortality. during the first decade of life, staphylococcus aureus and nontypable haemophilus influenza are most common, but pseudo ...	2002	11891518
staphylococcus aureus and escherichia coli adhesion to human cells is reduced by sub-mics of gemifloxacin.	this study was designed to investigate the capacity of subinhibitory concentrations of the newly developed fluoroquinolone antibiotic gemifloxacin to interfere with the mechanism of bacterial adhesion. human buccal epithelial cells were incubated with staphylococcus aureus and escherichia coli, and grown in the presence of serial dilutions of gemifloxacin from 1/2 mic to 1/128 mic. a significant decrease in the adhesion of both s. aureus and e. coli was observed from 1/2 mic to 1/32 mic. morphol ...	2002	11892898
identification of a transcytosis epitope on staphylococcal enterotoxins.	staphylococcal enterotoxins (se) are exoproteins produced by staphylococcus aureus that act as superantigens and have been implicated as a leading cause of food-borne disease and toxic shock. little is known about how these molecules penetrate the gut lining and gain access to both local and systemic immune tissues. to model movement in vitro of staphylococcal enterotoxins, we have employed a monolayer system composed of crypt-like human colonic t-84 cells. seb and sea showed comparable dose-dep ...	2002	11895985
bacterial pneumonia. managing a deadly complication of influenza in older adults with comorbid disease.	in patients with influenza, the risk of death from pneumonia is closely associated with age and chronic conditions. mortality from influenza and pneumonia in americans age > or = 65 has been increasing since 1980. pneumonia following influenza is usually caused by a secondary bacterial infection. pathogens most commonly implicated are streptococcus pneumoniae, staphylococcus aureus, and haemophilus influenzae. prompt empiric therapy effective against the suspected pathogen is indicated, whether ...	2002	11899549
characterization of staphylococcus aureus isolated from poultry meat in spain.	ninety-six staphylococcus aureus isolates from retail chicken carcasses in spain were characterized using cultural and biochemical tests. the strains were phage typed with the international bacteriophage set for typing s. aureus of human origin. eighty-eight (91.7%) strains were of the poultry ecovar. strains of human ecovar were not found. these facts are congruent with findings of other authors. ninety (93.7%) strains were phage typeable. lysis by phages of group iii was the most frequent with ...	2002	11902420
distribution of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes among staphylococcus aureus isolates from poultry and humans with invasive staphylococcal disease.	food poisoning by staphylococcus aureus affects hundreds of thousands of people each year. staphylococcus aureus also causes invasive diseases such as arthritis (in poultry) and septicemia (in poultry and humans). foodborne disease is caused by the ingestion of a staphylococcal enterotoxin (se). enterotoxin has also been associated with other s. aureus illnesses in humans and domestic animals. in this study, polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the staphylococcal enterotoxin genes, sea, ...	2002	11922324
function of the 90-loop (thr90-glu100) region of staphylokinase in plasminogen activation probed through site-directed mutagenesis and loop deletion.	staphylokinsae (sak) forms a bimolecular complex with human plasmin(ogen) and changes its substrate specificity by exposing new exosites that enhances accession of substrate plasminogen (pg) to the plasmin (pm) active site. protein modelling studies indicated the crucial role of a loop in sak (sak 90-loop; thr(90)-glu(100)) for the docking of the substrate pg to the sak-pm complex. function of sak 90-loop was studied by site-directed mutagenesis and loop deletion. deletion of nine amino acid res ...	2002	11936951
in vitro interactions of biomedical polyurethanes with macrophages and bacterial cells.	three commercial medical-grade polyurethanes (pus), a poly-ether-urethane (pellethane), and two poly-carbonate-urethanes, the one aromatic (bionate) and the other aliphatic (chronoflex), were tested for macrophages and bacterial cells adhesion, in the presence or absence of adhesive plasma proteins. all the experiments were carried out on pus films obtained by solvent casting. the wettability of these films was analysed by measuring static contact angles against water. the ability of the selecte ...	2002	11939455
tailoring an antibacterial peptide of human lysosomal cathepsin g to enhance its broad-spectrum action against antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens.	neutrophils contain several cationic antimicrobial proteins or peptides (caps) that exert antibiotic-like action against bacteria. these host-derived antibiotics kill susceptible bacteria by oxygen-independent mechanisms. considerable interest in their activity has been generated in recent years due not only to their likely important role in innate host defense against infection, but also their possible use as therapeutic agents in treating infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. we ...	2002	11945165
transferrin binding in staphylococcus aureus: involvement of a cell wall-anchored protein.	the ability to gain access to iron is pivotal for bacterial pathogens during infection. although much is known about iron acquisition systems in gram-negative bacteria, comparatively little is known about how gram-positive pathogens access iron from host iron sources. a previous study showed that, in the gram-positive human pathogen staphylococcus aureus, a cell surface-associated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh) enzyme (gap, or tpn) is capable of binding human transferrin, repre ...	2002	11952908
different aminoglycoside-resistant phenotypes in a rabbit staphylococcus aureus endocarditis infection model.	the impact of different types of enzymatic resistance on the in vivo antibacterial activity of aminoglycosides (amikacin, gentamicin, and netilmicin) was studied in the rabbit endocarditis model with four strains of staphylococcus aureus. animals were treated in a manner simulating the administration of a single daily human dose. amikacin had no effect on the three kanamycin-resistant strains despite apparent susceptibility in the disk diffusion test. gentamicin appears to be the preferable amin ...	2002	11959609
profound differences in leukocyte-endothelial cell responses to lipopolysaccharide versus lipoteichoic acid.	we have investigated the effects of lps from escherichia coli, lipoteichoic acid (lta), and peptidoglycan (pepg) from staphylococcus aureus, and live s. aureus on leukocyte-endothelial interactions in vivo using intravital microscopy to visualize muscle microvasculature. systemic vs local administration of lps induced very different responses. local administration of lps into muscle induced significant leukocyte rolling, adhesion, and emigration in postcapillary venules at the site of injection. ...	2002	11971014
staphylococcal enterotoxin h contrasts closely related enterotoxins in species reactivity.	staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin h (seh) belongs to the staphylococcal enterotoxin (se) family of superantigens (sags). seh has structural similarities to other se; however, its biological properties are less well characterized. seh binds with high affinity to human major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class ii and exhibits strong mitogenic activity in human t cells, although it was found to be less potent than the related sea. surprisingly and in sharp contrast to related ses, seh did not po ...	2002	11972634
corneal expression of the inflammatory mediator cap37.	cap37 is a polymorphonuclear neutrophil (pmn)-derived inflammatory protein with potent antibiotic and chemotactic activity. to further investigate the biological significance of cap37 in infection and inflammation, a well-characterized in vivo rabbit model of bacterial keratitis was selected to study its contribution to host defenses.	2002	11980855
staphylococcal exfoliative toxin b specifically cleaves desmoglein 1.	staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome and its localized form, bullous impetigo, show superficial epidermal blister formation caused by exfoliative toxin a or b produced by staphylococcus aureus. recently we have demonstrated that exfoliative toxin a specifically cleaves desmoglein 1, a desmosomal adhesion molecule, that when inactivated results in blisters. in this study we determine the target molecule for exfoliative toxin b. exfoliative toxin b injected in neonatal mice caused superficial epid ...	2002	11982763
antibody reactivity of a standardized human serum protein solution against a spectrum of microbial pathogens and toxins: comparison with fresh frozen plasma.	in this study, we compared a standardized solution of human serum protein (hsp) and fresh frozen plasma (ffp) with regard to the antibody specificity against a number of microbial pathogens and some important pathogenicity factors of bacterial pathogens. due to the clinical use of hsp and ffp for therapeutical plasma exchange, we have chosen a spectrum of microbial pathogens for serological analysis that is critical in clinical settings. with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique, we c ...	2002	11982956
antibacterial activities and conformations of synthetic alpha-defensin hnp-1 and analogs with one, two and three disulfide bridges.	structure and biological activities of synthetic peptides corresponding to human alpha-defensin hnp-1, ac1yc2ripac3iagerrygtc4iyqgrlwafc5c6 with the s-s connectivities: c1-c6, c2-c4, c3-c5, and its variants with one, two and three disulfide bridges were investigated. oxidation of synthetic, reduced hnp-1 yielded a peptide with s-s connectivities c1-c3, c2-c4 and c5-c6, and not with the s-s linkages as in naturally occurring hnp-1. selective protection of cysteine sulfhydryls was necessary for th ...	2002	11985703
the extracellular toll-like receptor 2 domain directly binds peptidoglycan derived from staphylococcus aureus.	toll-like receptor 2 (tlr2) has been recognized to mediate cell signaling in response to peptidoglycan (pgn), a major cell wall component of gram-positive bacteria. the mechanism by which tlr2 recognizes pgn is unknown. it is not even clear whether tlr2 directly binds to pgn. in this study, we generated a soluble form of recombinant tlr2 (stlr2) possessing only its putative extracellular domain by using the baculovirus expression system to examine the direct interaction between stlr2 and pgn. st ...	2002	11986301
identification of in vivo expressed vaccine candidate antigens from staphylococcus aureus.	for the design of potent subunit vaccines, it is of paramount importance to identify all antigens immunologically recognized by a patient population infected with a pathogen. we have developed a rapid and efficient procedure to identify such commonly recognized antigens, and here we provide a comprehensive in vivo antigenic profile of staphylococcus aureus, an important human pathogen. s. aureus peptides were displayed on the surface of escherichia coli via fusion to one of two outer membrane pr ...	2002	11997460
mitral valve endocarditis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: case report and literature review.	mitral endocarditis complicating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs predominantly on the left ventricular aspect of the anterior mitral valve leaflet in the presence of outflow tract obstruction. it is a rare condition and the estimated cumulative 10 year probability of developing endocarditis in patients with obstruction is < 5%. combined mitral valve replacement and septal myectomy has been reported in this setting. a case of community acquired staphylococcus aureus mitral valve endocarditis i ...	2002	12010956
new aspects of the tolerance of the antiseptic povidone-iodine in different ex vivo models.	investigating new possibilities for the application of 1% (v/v) iodophors, povidone-iodine (pvp-i) was better tolerated in the het-cam or explant test than 1% (w/v) silver nitrate or tetracycline. after application to the eye, at least 2.6% of used iodine were adsorbed. therefore pvp-i is more effective than silver nitrate or erythromycin, meaning a possible alternative for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum. pvp-i is more active against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) in ...	2002	12011528
induction of cytokine production in human t cells and monocytes by highly purified lipoteichoic acid: involvement of toll-like receptors and cd14.	the pro-inflammatory potential of lipoteichoic acid (lta) from staphylococcus aureus is controversial. the present study was undertaken to examine the ability of highly purified and characterized s. aureus lta to stimulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human leukocytes at both mrna and protein level, and to study the involvement of toll-like receptors (tlrs) and cd14 in this response.	2002	12011760
regulation of human b cell function by sulfasalazine and its metabolites.	although sulfasalazine is a well-known disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (dmard), the mechanisms of its action remain unclear. indeed, it remains uncertain whether sulfasalazine itself or one of its metabolites is responsible for the antirheumatic effects of sulfasalazine. since one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (ra) is chronic stimulation of b cells, we compared the effects of sulfasalazine and its metabolites on the in vitro function of human b cells. ig production ...	2002	12013503
brachyspira (serpulina) pilosicoli of human origin interfere with the haemolytic activity and the growth of staphylococcus aureus beta-toxin producer.	brachyspira (serpulina) pilosicoli related to intestinal spirochaetosis were found to interfere in vitro with the haemolytic activity and the growth of staphylococcus aureus beta-toxin producer. this interference was clearly appreciated because a reduction of the zone of the staphylococcal beta-toxin activity, the reduction and/or absence of cooperative haemolysis between bacteria, and the growth reduction of s. aureus were observed when b. (s.) pilosicoli were grown 72-96 hours sooner than s. a ...	2002	12019720