Publications

[treatment of a septic patient with acquired haemophilia].	acquired haemophilia is a rare bleeding diathesis caused by auto-immune depletion of factor viii. it is characterised by spontaneous haemorrhagic syndrome, which can be fatal sometimes.	2003	14550523
[28-year-old patient with elevated serum ige levels and multiple refractory epidural and paravertebral abscesses. clinical manifestation of a job's syndrome?].	the hyper-ige syndrome is a rare primary immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent staphylococcal infections and high levels of serum ige.	2003	14551710
molecular architecture of the regulatory locus sae of staphylococcus aureus and its impact on expression of virulence factors.	we characterized the sae operon, a global regulator for virulence gene expression in staphylococcus aureus. a tn917 sae mutant was obtained by screening a tn917 library of the agr mutant isp479mu for clones with altered hemolytic activity. sequence analysis of the sae operon revealed two additional open reading frames (orfs) (orf3 and orf4) upstream of the two-component regulatory genes saer and saes. four overlapping sae-specific transcripts (t1 to t4) were detected by northern blot analysis, a ...	2003	14563862
staphylococcal peptidoglycan suppresses production of interleukin-2 by t cells through a t cell-derived factor induced by direct contact between t cells and monocytes.	during the last 2 decades, the incidence of sepsis due to gram-positive bacteria has increased dramatically. nevertheless, effects of the cell-wall components that do not contain endotoxin, on immunity, are still largely unknown. here, we demonstrate, for the first time, that the gram-positive bacterial cell-wall component peptidoglycan (pgn) severely inhibits the production of interleukin (il)-2 by cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with anti-cd3 and anti-cd28 antibodi ...	2003	14593585
in vitro studies of the pharmacodynamics of teicoplanin against staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermidis and enterococcus faecium.	to investigate the basic pharmacodynamic properties of teicoplanin in vitro for staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermidis and enterococcus faecium.	2003	14616681
a novel class of cysteine protease inhibitors: solution structure of staphostatin a from staphylococcus aureus.	a series of secreted proteases are included among the virulence factors documented for staphylococcus aureus. in light of increasing antibiotic resistance of this dangerous human pathogen, these proteases are considered as suitable targets for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. the recent discovery of staphostatins, endogenous, highly specific, staphylococcal cysteine protease inhibitors, opened a possibility for structure-based design of low molecular weight analogues. moreover, t ...	2003	14621990
efficacy of daptomycin in experimental endocarditis due to methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.	methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is becoming increasingly prevalent as both a nosocomial and a community-acquired pathogen. daptomycin, a lipopeptide antibiotic now in phase iii clinical trials, is rapidly bactericidal in vitro against a range of gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant s. aureus (mrsa). in this study, we compared the efficacy of daptomycin with that of vancomycin, each with or without rifampin, in a model of experimental aortic valve endocarditis due ...	2003	12709345
release of antimicrobial peptide dhvar-5 from polymethylmethacrylate beads.	osteomyelitis is still a major cause of morbidity and remains a difficult complication to treat in orthopaedic surgery. the treatment of choice is a combination of systemic and local antibiotics. the insertion of gentamicin-loaded polymethylmethacrylate (pmma) beads into the bone results in high local concentrations of gentamicin and low systemic concentrations. however, the effectiveness of this treatment is being hampered by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. new antimicrobial agents a ...	2003	12716782
peripheral blood mononuclear cell expression of toll-like receptors and relation to cytokine levels in cirrhosis.	activation of macrophages by endotoxin is assumed responsible for increased circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha (tnf-alpha) and soluble tnf receptor (stnfr) levels in cirrhosis. relevant to this is expression of toll-like receptor (tlr) 4 and tlr2, which is critically involved in production of tnf-alpha in response to endotoxin and gram-positive microbial stimuli, respectively. the first studies on this in cirrhosis are reported here. in 36 cirrhotic patients and 32 controls, we measured (1) ...	2003	12717397
population-based study of the epidemiology of and the risk factors for invasive staphylococcus aureus infections.	a population-based active-surveillance study of the calgary health region (population, 929,656) was conducted from may 1999 to april 2000, to define the epidemiology of invasive staphylococcus aureus (isa) infections. the annual incidence was 28.4 cases/100,000 population; 46% were classified as nosocomial. infection was most common in people at the extremes of the age spectrum and in males. several conditions were associated with acquisition of isa infection, and the highest risk was observed i ...	2003	12717627
treatment with hypericum perforatum l. does not trigger decreased resistance in staphylococcus aureus against antibiotics and hyperforin.	most scientific investigations of hypericum perforatum l. (saint john's wort) concentrated on its antidepressant activity. only recently, its antibacterial activity against multiresistant staphylococcus aureus led to speculations regarding the use of hyperforin, an antibacterial principle of hypericum, as an antibiotic. in the present investigation, we show that staphylococcus aureus is able to acquire a resistance against hyperforin which did not lead to a cross resistance against clinically us ...	2003	12725578
optimization of dna-based vaccination in cows using green fluorescent protein and protein a as a prelude to immunization against staphylococcal mastitis.	staphylococcus aureus is a contagious pathogen that often results in chronic intramammary infections in dairy cows. current vaccine formulations are ineffective in preventing this infection. the objective of this study was to stimulate an immune response in dairy cows through injection of plasmid dna designed to express staphylococcal protein a in transfected cells. intramuscular and intradermal vaccination sites were evaluated using a plasmid containing the human cytomegalovirus (cmv) promoter/ ...	2003	12741542
high-level expression of human glycosyltransferases in insect cells as biochemically active form.	cdnas, encoding human beta1,4-galactosyltransferase (hgalt i, ec 2.4.1.22), human galbeta1,3(4)-glcnac alpha2,3-sialyltransferase (hst3galiii, ec 2.4.99), and human galbeta1,4-glcnac alpha2,6-sialyltransferase (hst6gal i, ec 2.4.99.1), were cloned from human cell lines. in order to express these glycosyltransferases as secreted form in insect cells, cdnas were inserted into a novel baculovirus transfer vector equipped with the mouse igm signal peptide and igg binding domain of the staphylococcus ...	2003	12763019
evaluation of the bactericidal effect of five products for surgical hand disinfection according to pren 12054 and pren 12791.	surgical hand disinfection (with an alcohol-based hand rub) and surgical handwash (with an antiseptic-based liquid soap) are accepted measures to reduce the risk for surgical site infections. the new european standards allow a comparison of their antimicrobial efficacy. the bactericidal activity of surgical hand rubs [sterillium and softaman, (active ingredient=alcohols)] and handwashes [derman plus (triclosan), hibiscrub (chlorhexidine) and betadine (pvp-iodine)] was tested according to the pre ...	2003	12767849
the causes of and cures for contact lens-induced peripheral ulcer.	contact lens-induced peripheral ulceration (clpu) is a relatively common adverse response associated with wearing hydrogel lenses, especially on an extended wear schedule. bacteriologic examination of lenses at the time of an event has demonstrated an association with staphylococci spp. we sought to investigate the causes of clpu in a rabbit model of contact lens wear.	2003	12772734
horizontal gene transfer-emerging multidrug resistance in hospital bacteria.	the frequency and spectrum of antibiotic resistant infections have increased worldwide during the past few decades. this increase has been attributed to a combination of microbial characteristics, the selective pressure of antimicrobial use, and social and technical changes that enhance the transmission of resistant organisms. the resistance is acquired by mutational change or by the acquisition of resistance-encoding genetic material which is transferred from another bacteria. the spread of ant ...	2003	12791177
antitumour activity and specificity as a function of substitutions in the lipophilic sector of helical lactoferrin-derived peptide.	a peptide l5 (pawrkafrwawrmlkkaa), derived from the n-terminal alpha-helical region of bovine lactoferrin (lfb 14-31), that is highly active against several tumour cell lines was reported earlier. in this study, a number of l5 analogues were designed in order to investigate how subsequent replacements of the aromatic amino acids in l5 with three amino acids representing different structural parameters influenced antitumour activity and tumour cell specificity relative to normal human cells. the ...	2003	12803496
survivability and long-term preservation of bacteria in water and in phosphate-buffered saline.	to evaluate the suitability of using sterile water and phosphate-buffered saline (pbs) for preservation of bacteria pathogenic to plants or humans.	2003	12803555
antibiotic resistance in animals.	there is currently no systematic surveillance or monitoring of antibiotic resistance in australian animals. registration of antibiotics for use in animals is tightly controlled and has been very conservative. fluoroquinolones have not been registered for use in food producing animals and other products have been removed from the market because of human health concerns. in the late 1970s, the animal health committee coordinated a survey of resistance in salmonella and escherichia coli isolates fr ...	2003	12807287
targetting of desmoglein 1 in inherited and acquired skin diseases.	desmoglein 1 is a member of the desmosomal cadherin family that comprise the desmogleins and desmocollins. the desmoglein 1 gene (dsg1) is centromeric to the desmoglein gene cluster and spans approximately 45 kb of 18q12, comprising 15 exons. the transcript encodes a precursor protein of 1049 amino acids that is cleaved to yield a mature protein of 1000 residues. this mature protein is expressed in certain specialized epithelia, and in the epidermis is expressed within the superficial layers. wi ...	2003	12823304
identification of a novel iron regulated staphylococcal surface protein with haptoglobin-haemoglobin binding activity.	staphylococcus aureus is an extremely adaptable pathogen causing a wide variety of infections. staphylococcal surface proteins that directly interact with host extracellular proteins greatly contribute to virulence and are involved in adhesion, immune escape and nutrient acquisition. in our extensive search for highly immunogenic, in vivo-expressed, staphylococcal proteins, previously, we identified a novel member of the family of gram-positive anchor motif proteins with a predicted 895 amino ac ...	2003	12823809
sortase from staphylococcus aureus does not contain a thiolate-imidazolium ion pair in its active site.	many surface proteins are anchored to the cell wall by the action of sortase enzymes, a recently discovered family of cysteine transpeptidases. as the surface proteins of human pathogens are frequently required for virulence, the sortase-mediated anchoring reaction represents a potential target for new anti-infective agents. it has been suggested that the sortase from staphylococcus aureus (srta), may use a similar catalytic strategy as the papain cysteine proteases, holding its cys184 side chai ...	2003	12824164
skin and subcutaneous infections.	cutaneous infections most commonly are caused by staphylococcus aureus and gabhs. life-threatening complications can occur and are preventable with early diagnosis and specific therapy. dermatophytoses frequently are seen in children and immune-compromised adults with poor hygiene. sporotrichosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous and can cause indolent granulomatous lesions. vesicular and fleshy lesions are manifestations of cutaneous viral infections due to hsv, varicella-zoster vi ...	2003	12825248
differential susceptibility to staphylococcal superantigen (ssag)-induced apoptosis of cd4+ t cells from atopic dermatitis patients and healthy subjects: the inhibitory effect of il-4 on ssag-induced apoptosis.	this study had two aims: 1) to determine whether there are differences between atopic dermatitis (ad) patients and healthy subjects in staphylococcal superantigen (ssag)-induced cd4(+) t cell activation, cytokine production, chemokine receptor expression, and apoptosis; and 2) to investigate the effect of il-4 on ssag-induced apoptosis. by using immunofluorescence and annexin v staining, we analyzed pbmc with or without staphylococcal enterotoxin b (seb) stimulation in the presence or absence of ...	2003	12847285
real-time pcr duplex assay for rickettsia prowazekii and borrelia recurrentis.	rickettsia prowazekii, the etiologic agent for epidemic typhus, and borrelia recurrentis, the etiologic agent of relapsing fever, both utilize the same vector, the human body louse (pediculus humanus), to transmit human disease. we have developed an assay to detect both bacterial pathogens in a single tube utilizing real-time pcr. assays for both agents are specific. the r. prowazekii and b. recurrentis assays do not detect nucleic acid from r. typhi, r. canada, or any of eight spotted fever ric ...	2003	12860643
antiviral activity of n-benzoylphenylisoserinates of lactarius sesquiterpenoid alcohols in vitro.	cytotoxic, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties of a new, originally synthesised group of compounds: the n-benzoylphenylisoserinates of sesquiterpenoid alcohols - derivatives of taxol and various sesquiterpenes of lactarius origin were evaluated in vitro. among 16 compounds tested, 6 decreased hsv-1 titres. selectivity indices ranged from 13.9 to 31.7. no activity against rna viruses (parainfluenza 3, coxsackie b3, vesicular stomatitis virus, and encephalomyocarditis virus), bacter ...	2003	12865976
functional selection of vaccine candidate peptides from staphylococcus aureus whole-genome expression libraries in vitro.	an in vitro protein selection method, ribosome display, has been applied to comprehensively identify and map the immunologically relevant proteins of the human pathogen staphylococcus aureus. a library built up from genomic fragments of the virulent s. aureus col strain (methicillin-resistant s. aureus) allowed us to screen all possible encoded peptides for immunoreactivity. as selective agents, human sera exhibiting a high antibody titer and opsonic activity against s. aureus were used, since t ...	2003	12874343
effect of linezolid on the phagocytic functions of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.	the effect of linezolid on the phagocytic and bactericidal functions of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (pmn) against gram-positive cocci was evaluated. preincubation (30 min; 37 degrees c) of pmn with different concentrations of linezolid (2, 10 and 20 mg/l) did not significantly affect the phagocytosis of either staphylococcus aureus (methicillin susceptible and resistant) or enterococcus faecalis (vancomycin susceptible and resistant). overnight exposure of vancomycin-resistant e. faecali ...	2003	12886050
some new aspects of the pathology, pathogenesis, and aetiology of disseminated lung lesions in slaughter pigs.	from 40 pigs rejected for human consumption at slaughter due to an apparent presence of pyemic lung lesions (defined as disseminated processes containing pus and/or necrotic material), the lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys were subjected to an extended macroscopic examination. several lung lesions were sampled from each animal for histological and bacteriological examination. samples from the kidneys and spleens were also subjected to bacteriological examination. at gross level, four groups of l ...	2003	12887504
the efficacy of trovafloxacin versus ceftriaxone in the treatment of experimental brain abscess/cerebritis in the rat.	current estimates of the mortality associated with brain abscesses range from 0-24%, with neurological sequellae in 30-55% of survivors. although the incidence of brain abscess appears to be increasing, likely due to an increase in the population of immunosuppressed patients, the condition is still sufficiently uncommon to make human clinical trials of therapy problematic. an animal model to study the efficacy of new treatment regimens, specifically, new antimicrobial agents is therefore necessa ...	2003	12888116
intracellular staphylococcus aureus. a mechanism for the indolence of osteomyelitis.	staphylococcus aureus is the bacterial pathogen which is responsible for approximately 80% of all cases of human osteomyelitis. it can invade and remain within osteoblasts. the fate of intracellular staph. aureus after the death of the osteoblast has not been documented. we exposed human osteoblasts to staph. aureus. after infection, the osteoblasts were either lysed with triton x-100 or trypsinised. the bacteria released from both the trypsinised and lysed osteoblasts were cultured and counted. ...	2003	12931819
lipid rafts determine efficiency of nadph oxidase activation in neutrophils.	we have investigated the contribution of lipid rafts to activation of the nadph oxidase enzyme system in neutrophils. membrane-bound nadph oxidase subunits are present in the lipid raft compartment of neutrophils. cytosolic nadph oxidase components are mainly absent from but are recruited to rafts upon fcgamma receptor activation. in parallel, protein kinase c isotypes are recruited to the rafts. kinetic analysis of nadph oxidase activation revealed that rafts determine the onset but not the max ...	2003	12935894
degradation of antimicrobial histatin-variant peptides in staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus mutans.	histidine-free variants of salivary histatin 5 have a broad antimicrobial activity against various bacteria. in relation to a possible therapeutic application, we were interested in the susceptibility of these small peptides (14 amino acids long) to microbial proteinases and whether this affects their antimicrobial activity. analyses by sds-page of supernatants of peptide-bacteria incubation showed a reduction in protein bands within 15 minutes' incubation, as a result of cellular internalizatio ...	2003	12939363
identification, structure and differential expression of novel pleurocidins clustered on the genome of the winter flounder, pseudopleuronectes americanus (walbaum).	antimicrobial peptides form one of the first lines of defense against invading pathogens by killing the microorganisms and/or mobilizing the host innate immune system. although over 800 antimicrobial peptides have been isolated from many different species, especially insects, few have been reported from marine fish. sequence analysis of two genomic clones (15.6 and 12.5 kb) from the winter flounder, pseudopleuronectes americanus (walbaum) resulted in the identification of multiple clustered gene ...	2003	12950255
bioactive alkyl phenols and embelin from oxalis erythrorhiza.	the benzoquinone embelin and four alkyl phenols were isolated from an argentinean collection of oxalis erythrorhiza. 3-heptadecyl-5-methoxy-phenol is reported for the first time. the structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. embelin presented inhibitory effect on methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, escherichia coli and the dermatophytic fungi epidermophyton floccosum, microsporum canis, microsporum gypseum, trichophyton mentagrophytes and trichophyton rubrum with mics ranging ...	2003	12963150
human beta-defensin-2 induction in helicobacter pylori-infected gastric mucosal tissues: antimicrobial effect of overexpression.	the objective of this study was to understand more of the innate immune response to helicobacter pylori by determining the expression of human beta-defensin-2 (hbd-2) in various gastric mucosal tissues and mkn45 gastric cancer cells with or without h. pylori. semi-quantitative taqman rt-pcr and immunohistochemistry were carried out. the antimicrobial effects of a transfected hbd-2 gene against h. pylori were also evaluated. the results showed that hbd-2 was expressed in inflamed gastric mucosal ...	2003	12488564
a man with backache and renal failure.	backache, a common symptom, is rarely caused by infection of the lumbar discs. the authors present the case of a 60-year-old man with a staphylococcus aureus septicemia and associated lumbar discitis in whom a pauci immune crescentic glomerulonephritis and renal failure developed. treatment with antibiotics and not immunosuppressive agents resulted in improved renal function with a discharge creatinine level of 1.87 mg/dl (165 micromol/l). this case highlights an association of pauci-immune cres ...	2003	12500252
bacterial competition for human nasal cavity colonization: role of staphylococcal agr alleles.	we examined the bacterial aerobic nasal flora of 216 healthy volunteers to identify potential competitive interactions among different species, with special emphasis on the influence of staphylococcal agr alleles. the staphylococcus aureus colonization rate correlated negatively with the rate of colonization by corynebacterium spp. and non-aureus staphylococci, especially s. epidermidis, suggesting that both corynebacterium spp. and s. epidermidis antagonize s. aureus colonization. most of the s ...	2003	12513972
human rnase 7: a new cationic ribonuclease of the rnase a superfamily.	here we report on the expression and function of rnase 7, one of the final rnase a superfamily ribonucleases identified in the human genome sequence. the human rnase 7 gene is expressed in various somatic tissues including the liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and heart. recombinant rnase 7 is ribonucleolytically active against yeast trna, as expected from the presence of eight conserved cysteines and the catalytic histidine-lysine- histidine triad which are signature motifs of this superfamily. th ...	2003	12527768
plicatamide, an antimicrobial octapeptide from styela plicata hemocytes.	plicatamide (phe-phe-his-leu-his-phe-his-dc delta dopa), where dc delta dopa represents decarboxy-(e)-alpha,beta-dehydro-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, is a potently antimicrobial octapeptide from the blood cells of the solitary tunicate, styela plicata. wild type and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) responded to plicatamide exposure with a massive potassium efflux that began within seconds. soon thereafter, treated bacteria largely ceased consuming oxygen, and most became nonviab ...	2003	12569105
mouse swam1 and swam2 are antibacterial proteins composed of a single whey acidic protein motif.	antibacterial proteins are important participants in the innate immunity system. elafin and slpi are the whey acidic protein (wap) motif proteins with both antibacterial activity and antiprotease activity, and their role in innate immunity is under intense investigation. we cloned two novel antibacterial wap motif proteins from mice, swam1 and swam2. swam1 and swam2 are composed of a signal sequence and a single wap motif that has high homologies with the wap motifs of elafin and slpi. swam1 is ...	2003	12574366
desmoglein as a target in autoimmunity and infection.	clinical phenotypes of most diseases are complex. however, once the mechanism behind the scene is clarified, the nature shows amazing beauty. there is a simple logic behind a complex disease. the exact molecular mechanism of the blister formation in staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (ssss) remained to be elucidated for 3 decades since exfoliative toxin was discovered by melish and glasgow in 1970. a knowledge accumulated to understand the pathogenesis of pemphigus and cell-cell adhesion of ke ...	2003	12582396
infecton: a 99mtc-ciprofloxacin radiopharmaceutical for the detection of bone infection.	to evaluate infecton scintigraphy, with technetium-99m-radiolabeled ciprofloxacin, as a means to detect bone infection, in comparison with other conventional scintigraphic and radiologic methods.	2003	12588329
design and synthesis of some substituted 1h-pyrazolyl-thiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidines as anti-inflammatory-antimicrobial agents.	the synthesis of two novel series of structurally related 1h-pyrazolyl derivatives of thiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidines is described. all the newly synthesised compounds were examined for their in vivo anti-inflammatory activity in two different bioassays namely; cotton pellet-induced granuloma and carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. the in vitro inhibitory activity of the most active compounds towards human cox-1 and cox-2 enzymes was also estimated. in addition, the ulcerogenic effects and acute t ...	2003	12593914
lipoteichoic acid (lta) of streptococcus pneumoniae and staphylococcus aureus activates immune cells via toll-like receptor (tlr)-2, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (lbp), and cd14, whereas tlr-4 and md-2 are not involved.	lipoteichoic acid (lta) derived from streptococcus pneumoniae, purified employing a chloroform/methanol protocol, and from staphylococcus aureus, prepared by the recently described butanol extraction procedure, was investigated regarding its interaction with lipopolysaccharide (lps)-binding protein (lbp), cd14, toll-like receptors (tlrs)-2 and -4, and md-2. lta from both organisms induced cytokine synthesis in human mononuclear phagocytes. activation was lbp- and cd14-dependent, and formation of ...	2003	12594207
functional cd40 expression induced following bacterial infection of mouse and human osteoblasts.	bacterially induced bone infections often result in significant local inflammatory responses which are coupled with loss of bone. however, the mechanisms necessary for the protective host response, or those responsible for pathogen-induced bone loss, are not clear. recent evidence demonstrates that bacterially infected osteoblasts secrete chemokines and cytokines, suggesting that these cells may have an unappreciated role in supporting localized inflammation. in this study, mouse and human osteo ...	2003	12595434
complement activation influences staphylococcus aureus adherence to endothelial cells.	the ability of staphylococcus aureus to adhere to endothelial cells (ec) is a critical step in the development of metastatic infection. the role of complement in s. aureus binding to ec remains uninvestigated. log-phase s. aureus, expressing minimal capsule, was incubated with serum under various conditions, washed, and then incubated at 37 degrees c for 30 min with cultured human umbilical vein ec (atcc crl-1730). adherence was scored visually after staining with acridine orange. incubation in ...	2003	12595448
[removal of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infected pacemaker leads under cardiopulmonary bypass: report of a case].	a 71-year-old man, who underwent an intravenous pacemaker implantation previously, suffered from fever and local infection of the generator pocket. a blood culture showed positive for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa). he underwent removal of total pacemaker system under cardiopulmonary bypass support successfully. two leads were tightly adhered to the right atrial free wall, tricuspid valve and right ventricular trabeculation. postoperative course was uneventful with administra ...	2003	12635325
staphylococcal and streptococcal superantigens: molecular, biological and clinical aspects.	superantigens (sags) include a class of certain bacterial and viral proteins exhibiting highly potent lymphocyte-transforming (mitogenic) activity towards human and or other mammalian t lymphocytes. unlike conventional antigens, sags bind to certain regions of major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class ii molecules of antigen-presenting cells (apcs) outside the classical antigen-binding groove and concomitantly bind in their native form to t cells at specific motifs of the variable region of t ...	2003	12635926
a fast-acting, modular-structured staphylokinase fusion with kringle-1 from human plasminogen as the fibrin-targeting domain offers improved clot lysis efficacy.	to develop a fast-acting clot dissolving agent, a clot-targeting domain derived from the kringle-1 domain in human plasminogen was fused to the c-terminal end of staphylokinase with a linker sequence in between. production of this fusion protein in bacillus subtilis and pichia pastoris was examined. the kringle domain in the fusion protein produced from b. subtilis was improperly folded because of its complicated disulfide-bond profile, whereas the staphylokinase domain produced from p. pastoris ...	2003	12646571
[infected false aneurysm due to methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus after proximal aortic grafting].	a 70-year-old man developed meticillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) mediastinitis after prosthetic graft replacement of the ascending aorta. the sternal wound was reexplored and a single-stage procedure of irrigation, debridement, and omental transposition was performed. ten months after the first operation, he suffered recurrence of pyrexia and the presence of false aneurysm originated from the distal suture line was diagnosed by the chest computed tomography (ct) scan. re-replacement ...	2003	12649912
local anesthetics impair human granulocyte phagocytosis activity, oxidative burst, and cd11b expression in response to staphylococcus aureus.	with invasion of bacteria, the host defense system is activated by a complex cascade of various mechanisms. local anesthetics previously were shown to interact with diverse components of the immune response, such as leukocyte adherence on endothelial monolayers, oxidative burst, or crosstalk within lymphocyte subset populations. however, effects of newer local anesthetics like bupivacaine and ropivacaine on antibacterial host defense-primarily phagocytosis activity, oxidative burst, or cd11b exp ...	2003	12657844
priapism caused by infection and an inflammatory process in the pelvic region.	priapism caused by an inflammatory process is rare. we report on a 25-year-old man with priapism due to an infiltration in the pelvic region, enclosing the right sacral plexus. blood cultures revealed staphylococcus aureus to be the causal organism. treatment consisted of parenteral antibiotics, aspiration of the corpora cavernosa and injection of epinephrine, resulting in a flaccid penis and full recovery of potency after 3 weeks. a literature review was conducted for infection and inflammatory ...	2003	12660466
detection of sporothrix schenckii in clinical samples by a nested pcr assay.	cutaneous sporotrichosis is a chronic granulomatous fungal infection caused by sporothrix schenckii with worldwide distribution. its traditional diagnosis is time-consuming and difficult to differentiate from that of a clinical sporotrichoid lesion caused by various pathogens. in this study, a nested pcr assay for the detection of s. schenckii was evaluated by using a sequence of 18s rrna gene as a target. for the examination of specificity and sensitivity, five clinical isolates with 1 atcc 102 ...	2003	12682123
definition of structural prerequisites for lipoteichoic acid-inducible cytokine induction by synthetic derivatives.	the controversy about the immune stimulatory properties of lipoteichoic acid (lta) from staphylococcus aureus was solved recently by showing decomposition and inactivation of lta obtained by conventional purification strategies, as well as pronounced lps contamination of commercial preparations. by introducing a novel preparation method, the structure of bioactive lta was elucidated. this structure was confirmed by chemical synthesis. in this work, synthetic lta derivatives were employed to stud ...	2003	12682244
pyogenic brain abscess following haematogenous seeding of a thalamic haemorrhage.	we report the rare occurrence of a pyogenic brain abscess at the site of a preceding intracerebral haemorrhage in a 58-year-old man. the diagnosis was based on clinical observations, isolation of staphylococcus aureus from blood cultures, and characteristic cerebrospinal fluid and cerebral computed tomography findings. the patient had a favourable response to antibiotic therapy.	2003	12684718
enhancement of antibacterial and lipopolysaccharide binding activities of a human lactoferrin peptide fragment by the addition of acyl chain.	cationic antibacterial peptides are potentially therapeutic in the treatment of sepsis, because of their amalgamated antibacterial and lipopolysaccharide-binding activities. we prepared acyl analogues of the peptide fragment of human lactoferrin, which originally had weak antibacterial activity. it was found that 12 carbon units constitute the optimal acyl chain length, enhancing the antibacterial activity and binding of lipopolysaccharide by up to two orders of magnitude. lactoferrin-based lipo ...	2003	12697647
persistent secretion of il-18 in the skin contributes to ige response in mice.	after exposure of the skin to microbes, the host develops skin-specific inflammation and an acquired immune response, in which keratinocytes (kc) and langerhans cells play critical roles respectively. we established two animal models. (i) we examined the importance of kc-derived il-18 for the systemic ige response by using a skin transplantation model. as previously reported, transgenic mice (kcasp1tg), that over-express caspase-1 in their kc, display high serum levels of ige, and spontaneously ...	2003	12697661
toxicity of the staphylococcal enterotoxin b mutants with histidine-to-tyrosine substitutions.	in this study we made a series of site-directed mutants of staphylococcal enterotoxin b (seb), in which histidine residues in the molecule were replaced by tyrosine. the mutant genes were cloned and expressed, and the corresponding proteins were purified. these mutant proteins were tested for binding to human hla-dr4 and for mitogenetic activity in mouse splenocyte culture. toxicity of the proteins in vivo was evaluated in the actinomycin d-primed c3h/hej mouse model. we found that seb mutant pr ...	2003	12699911
constrictive pericarditis following a pyopericardium due to staphylococcus aureus.	we report the case of a 58-year-old man who presented 3 weeks after a purulent pericarditis due to staphylococcus aureus with a constrictive pericarditis confirmed by computed tomography-scan and haemodynamic findings. pericardiectomy and epicardiectomy were performed with an excellent immediate and mid-term result. constrictive pericarditis due to s. aureus is rare and pericardiectomy is associated with a high mortality risk.	2003	17670141
[application of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge) to methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococcus aureus from humans and domestic animals].	the aim of the research was to isolate and to identify the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) strains from cattle and human and to determine their genetic relatedness comparing the dna restriction patterns.	2002	12700438
approaches to selectivity in the zn(ii)-phthalocyanine-photosensitized inactivation of wild-type and antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus aureus.	a number of zn(ii)- phthalocyanines bearing peripheral substituents of cationic nature due to the presence of quaternarized anilinium or ammonium groups were shown to be efficient photoantimicrobial agents: a 4-5 log decrease in the survival of both wild-type or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus was obtained upon short irradiation times in the presence of phthalocyanine concentrations as low as 0.1 microm. a careful selection of the experimental protocol, and in particular the use of s ...	2002	12656484
evaluation of the pathology, pathogenesis and aetiology of auricular elephantiasis in slaughter pigs.	ears from slaughter pigs with auricular elephantiasis (n = 24) and the corresponding lymph nodes (lnn.) (n = 26) were grossly, histopathologically and microbiologically examined. immunostaining for igm, igg, cd3epsilon and bacterial antigens of arcanobacterium pyogenes and staphylococcus aureus was performed by indirect enzyme-based techniques. ears were variably thickened depending on the sampled area (basis, centre and apex). however, at all locations the thickness, the length from basis to ap ...	2002	12549830
antimicrobial and antiviral activities of polyphenolics from cocos nucifera linn. (palmae) husk fiber extract.	the decoction of cocos nucifera l. husk fiber has been used in northeastern brazil traditional medicine for treatment of diarrhea and arthritis. water extract obtained from coconut husk fiber and fractions from adsorption chromatography revealed antimicrobial activity against staphylococcus aureus. the crude extract and one of the fractions rich in catechin also showed inhibitory activity against acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 (hsv-1-acvr). all fractions were inactive against th ...	2002	12558183
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
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
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 bactericidal and cytotoxic effects of antimicrobial wound cleansers.	objective: wound care is a part of daily activity for many athletic trainers. knowing which cleansers are effective against the bacteria that most commonly cause infection and whether they are toxic to healthy cells enables athletic trainers to make educated decisions on which cleanser to use. we compared the bactericidal effectiveness and cytotoxicity to human fibroblast cells of 4 cleansers at various dilutions. design and setting: a 4 x 4 factorial design was used for the cytotoxicity testing ...	2002	12937444
host-pathogen interactions: leukocyte phagocytosis and associated sequelae.	polymorphonuclear leukocytes (pmns) are a critical component of the human innate immune response and are the first line of defense against invading microorganisms. phagocytosis of invading microbes induces production of reactive oxygen species (ros) by pmns, which facilitates bactericidal activity. in addition to eliminating microorganisms, phagocytosis also accelerates pmn apoptosis, a process critical for resolution of inflammation. inasmuch as leukocyte phagocytosis and ros production are key ...	2002	12815296
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