| advances in the biology and chemistry of sialic acids. | sialic acids are a subset of nonulosonic acids, which are nine-carbon alpha-keto aldonic acids. natural existing sialic acid-containing structures are presented in different sialic acid forms, various sialyl linkages, and on diverse underlying glycans. they play important roles in biological, pathological, and immunological processes. sialobiology has been a challenging and yet attractive research area. recent advances in chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis, as well as large-scale e. coli cell ... | 2010 | 20020717 |
| atypical guillain-barré in the emergency department. | guillain barré syndrome (gbs), although an uncommon diagnosis in the emergency department (ed), usually presents as one of the more common chief complaints-weakness. in this report we present an unusual case of weakness, initially seen in the ed and sent home only to return with worsening symptoms and ultimately found to be gbs. | 2010 | 20411083 |
| post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome, an inflammation-immunological model with relevance for other ibs and functional dyspepsia. | this review presents studies that support an inflammation-immunological model for the pathogenesis of post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (ibs), and highlights recent studies that support a similar disease model in non-post-infectious ibs, in particular, diarrhoea-predominant ibs, as well as in post-infectious functional dyspepsia. these recent studies are highlighted to demonstrate that one line of research in functional gastrointestinal disorders has moved away from the old psychosomatic ... | 2010 | 20535323 |
| severe outcome of pharyngeal-cervical-brachial pure motor axonal neuropathy. | we present two further cases of the pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (pcb) form of gbs, with unfavourable outcome, showing dramatic dissociation between upper and lower body symptoms. both patients showed rapidly progressive motor denervation with disappearance of compound muscle action potentials (cmaps) in upper limbs muscles. sensory nerve action potentials (snaps) were instead normal. normal reflexes, f waves and action potentials were elicited in lower limbs. despite i.v. immunoglobulin treatme ... | 2010 | 20309392 |
| genome comparison and context analysis reveals putative mobile forms of restriction-modification systems and related rearrangements. | the mobility of restriction-modification (rm) gene complexes and their association with genome rearrangements is a subject of active investigation. here we conducted systematic genome comparisons and genome context analysis on fully sequenced prokaryotic genomes to detect rm-linked genome rearrangements. rm genes were frequently found to be linked to mobility-related genes such as integrase and transposase homologs. they were flanked by direct and inverted repeats at a significantly high frequen ... | 2010 | 20071371 |
| bacterial antisense rnas: how many are there, and what are they doing? | antisense rnas encoded on the dna strand opposite another gene have the potential to form extensive base-pairing interactions with the corresponding sense rna. unlike other smaller regulatory rnas in bacteria, antisense rnas range in size from tens to thousands of nucleotides. the numbers of antisense rnas reported for different bacteria vary extensively, but hundreds have been suggested in some species. if all of these reported antisense rnas are expressed at levels sufficient to regulate the g ... | 2010 | 20707673 |
| multivalent ligands for siglecs. | siglecs have emerged as an important family of immunomodulatory glycan-binding proteins that can bind sialoside ligands both on the same cell surface, in cis, and on other cells, in trans. expression of siglecs varies among a variety of immune cells, and tools to probe siglecs on these cells are crucial to understanding their function. in designing synthetic ligands, competition by cis ligands requires the use of multivalency to achieve sufficient avidity to stably bind siglecs on native cells. ... | 2010 | 20816489 |
| structure and biological roles of mucin-type o-glycans at the ocular surface. | mucins are major components in mucus secretions and apical cell membranes on wet-surfaced epithelia. structurally, they are characterized by the presence of tandem repeat domains containing heavily o-glycosylated serine and threonine residues. o-glycans contribute to maintaining the highly extended and rigid structure of mucins, conferring to them specific physical and biological properties essential for their protective functions. at the ocular surface epithelia, mucin-type o-glycan chains are ... | 2010 | 20105403 |
| bacterial phosphoproteomic analysis reveals the correlation between protein phosphorylation and bacterial pathogenicity. | increasing evidence shows that protein phosphorylation on serine, threonine and tyrosine residues is a major regulatory post-translational modification in the bacteria. this review focuses on the implications of bacterial phosphoproteome in bacterial pathogenicity and highlights recent development of methods in phosphoproteomics and the connectivity of the phosphorylation networks. recent technical developments in the high accuracy mass spectrometry have dramatically transformed proteomics and m ... | 2011 | 22196355 |
| sequences prior to conserved catalytic motifs of polysialyltransferase st8sia iv are required for substrate recognition. | polysialic acid on the neural cell adhesion molecule (ncam) modulates cell-cell adhesion and signaling, is required for proper brain development, and plays roles in neuronal regeneration and the growth and invasiveness of tumor cells. evidence indicates that ncam polysialylation is highly protein-specific, requiring an initial polysialyltransferase-ncam protein-protein interaction. previous work suggested that a polybasic region located prior to the conserved polysialyltransferase catalytic moti ... | 2011 | 22184126 |
| sequences prior to conserved catalytic motifs of polysialyltransferase st8sia iv are required for substrate recognition. | polysialic acid on the neural cell adhesion molecule (ncam) modulates cell-cell adhesion and signaling, is required for proper brain development, and plays roles in neuronal regeneration and the growth and invasiveness of tumor cells. evidence indicates that ncam polysialylation is highly protein-specific, requiring an initial polysialyltransferase-ncam protein-protein interaction. previous work suggested that a polybasic region located prior to the conserved polysialyltransferase catalytic moti ... | 2011 | 22184126 |
| update on celiac disease - etiology, differential diagnosis, drug targets, and management advances. | celiac disease (cd) is an immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by exposure to wheat gluten and similar proteins found in rye and barley that affects genetically susceptible persons. this immune-mediated enteropathy is characterized by villous atrophy, intraepithelial lymphocytosis, and crypt hyperplasia. once thought a disease that largely presented with malnourished children, the wide spectrum of disease activity is now better recognized and this has resulted in a shift in the presenting sympt ... | 2011 | 22235174 |
| emerging technologies for making glycan-defined glycoproteins. | protein glycosylation is a common and complex posttranslational modification of proteins, which expands functional diversity while boosting structural heterogeneity. glycoproteins, the end products of such a modification, are typically produced as mixtures of glycoforms possessing the same polypeptide backbone but differing in the site of glycosylation and/or in the structures of pendant glycans, from which single glycoforms are difficult to isolate. the urgent need for glycan-defined glycoprote ... | 2011 | 22141574 |
| emerging technologies for making glycan-defined glycoproteins. | protein glycosylation is a common and complex posttranslational modification of proteins, which expands functional diversity while boosting structural heterogeneity. glycoproteins, the end products of such a modification, are typically produced as mixtures of glycoforms possessing the same polypeptide backbone but differing in the site of glycosylation and/or in the structures of pendant glycans, from which single glycoforms are difficult to isolate. the urgent need for glycan-defined glycoprote ... | 2011 | 22141574 |
| immune mediated diseases and immune modulation in the neurocritical care unit. | this chapter will review the spectrum of immune-mediated diseases that affect the nervous system and may result in an admission to the neurological intensive care unit. immunomodulatory strategies to treat acute exacerbations of neurological diseases caused by aberrant immune responses are discussed, but strategies for long-term immunosuppression are not presented. the recommendations for therapeutic intervention are based on a synthesis of the literature, and include recommendations by the coch ... | 2011 | 22161307 |
| immune mediated diseases and immune modulation in the neurocritical care unit. | this chapter will review the spectrum of immune-mediated diseases that affect the nervous system and may result in an admission to the neurological intensive care unit. immunomodulatory strategies to treat acute exacerbations of neurological diseases caused by aberrant immune responses are discussed, but strategies for long-term immunosuppression are not presented. the recommendations for therapeutic intervention are based on a synthesis of the literature, and include recommendations by the coch ... | 2011 | 22161307 |
| a "sliding scale rule" for selectivity among no, co, and o₂ by heme protein sensors. | selectivity among no, co, and o₂ is crucial for the physiological function of most heme proteins. although there is a million-fold variation in equilibrium dissociation constants (k(d)), the ratios for no:co:o₂ binding stay roughly the same, 1:~10(3):~10(6), when the proximal ligand is a histidine and the distal site is apolar. for these proteins, there is a "sliding scale rule" for plots of log(k(d)) versus ligand type that allows predictions of k(d) values if one or two are missing. the predic ... | 2011 | 22111978 |
| a "sliding scale rule" for selectivity among no, co, and o₂ by heme protein sensors. | selectivity among no, co, and o₂ is crucial for the physiological function of most heme proteins. although there is a million-fold variation in equilibrium dissociation constants (k(d)), the ratios for no:co:o₂ binding stay roughly the same, 1:~10(3):~10(6), when the proximal ligand is a histidine and the distal site is apolar. for these proteins, there is a "sliding scale rule" for plots of log(k(d)) versus ligand type that allows predictions of k(d) values if one or two are missing. the predic ... | 2011 | 22111978 |
| burkholderia cenocepacia differential gene expression during host-pathogen interactions and adaptation to the host environment. | members of the burkholderia cepacia complex (bcc) are important in medical, biotechnological, and agricultural disciplines. these bacteria naturally occur in soil and water environments and have adapted to survive in association with plants and animals including humans. all bcc species are opportunistic pathogens including burkholderia cenocepacia that causes infections in cystic fibrosis and chronic granulomatous disease patients. the adaptation of b. cenocepacia to the host environment was ass ... | 2011 | 22919581 |
| giant dna virus mimivirus encodes pathway for biosynthesis of unusual sugar 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-d-glucose (viosamine). | mimivirus is one the largest dna virus identified so far, infecting several acanthamoeba species. analysis of its genome revealed the presence of a nine-gene cluster containing genes potentially involved in glycan formation. all of these genes are co-expressed at late stages of infection, suggesting their role in the formation of the long fibers covering the viral surface. among them, we identified the l136 gene as a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent sugar aminotransferase. this enzyme was shown to ... | 2011 | 22157758 |
| giant dna virus mimivirus encodes pathway for biosynthesis of unusual sugar 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-d-glucose (viosamine). | mimivirus is one the largest dna virus identified so far, infecting several acanthamoeba species. analysis of its genome revealed the presence of a nine-gene cluster containing genes potentially involved in glycan formation. all of these genes are co-expressed at late stages of infection, suggesting their role in the formation of the long fibers covering the viral surface. among them, we identified the l136 gene as a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent sugar aminotransferase. this enzyme was shown to ... | 2011 | 22157758 |
| brain-gut-microbe communication in health and disease. | bidirectional signalling between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain is regulated at neural, hormonal, and immunological levels. this construct is known as the brain-gut axis and is vital for maintaining homeostasis. bacterial colonization of the intestine plays a major role in the post-natal development and maturation of the immune and endocrine systems. these processes are key factors underpinning central nervous system (cns) signaling. recent research advances have seen a tremendous impr ... | 2011 | 22162969 |
| use of essential oils and extracts from spices in meat protection. | the hydro distillation method was used in this study to get essential oils (eos) from cumin (cuminum cyminum l.), clove (eugenia caryohyllata) and elecampane (inula helenium l.) and the co-hydro distillation method (addition of fatty acid ethyl esters as extraction cosolvents) to get functional extracts (efs). the mic (minimum inhibitory concentration) and the mbc (minimum bactericidal concentration) were determined on five pathogenic strains (escherichia coli o157:h7, salmonella, listeria monoc ... | 2011 | 24803704 |
| use of essential oils and extracts from spices in meat protection. | the hydro distillation method was used in this study to get essential oils (eos) from cumin (cuminum cyminum l.), clove (eugenia caryohyllata) and elecampane (inula helenium l.) and the co-hydro distillation method (addition of fatty acid ethyl esters as extraction cosolvents) to get functional extracts (efs). the mic (minimum inhibitory concentration) and the mbc (minimum bactericidal concentration) were determined on five pathogenic strains (escherichia coli o157:h7, salmonella, listeria monoc ... | 2011 | 24803704 |
| insights into cross-kingdom plant pathogenic bacteria. | plant and human pathogens have evolved disease factors to successfully exploit their respective hosts. phytopathogens utilize specific determinants that help to breach reinforced cell walls and manipulate plant physiology to facilitate the disease process, while human pathogens use determinants for exploiting mammalian physiology and overcoming highly developed adaptive immune responses. emerging research, however, has highlighted the ability of seemingly dedicated human pathogens to cause plant ... | 2011 | 24710301 |
| two cases of scrub typhus presenting with guillain-barré syndrome with respiratory failure. | | 2011 | 22205852 |
| evolutionary pressures on simple sequence repeats in prokaryotic coding regions. | simple sequence repeats (ssrs) are indel mutational hotspots in genomes. in prokaryotes, ssr loci can cause phase variation, a microbial survival strategy that relies on stochastic, reversible on-off switching of gene activity. by analyzing multiple strains of 42 fully sequenced prokaryotic species, we measure the relative variability and density distribution of ssrs in coding regions. we demonstrate that repeat type strongly influences indel mutation rates, and that the most mutable types are m ... | 2011 | 22123746 |
| evolutionary pressures on simple sequence repeats in prokaryotic coding regions. | simple sequence repeats (ssrs) are indel mutational hotspots in genomes. in prokaryotes, ssr loci can cause phase variation, a microbial survival strategy that relies on stochastic, reversible on-off switching of gene activity. by analyzing multiple strains of 42 fully sequenced prokaryotic species, we measure the relative variability and density distribution of ssrs in coding regions. we demonstrate that repeat type strongly influences indel mutation rates, and that the most mutable types are m ... | 2011 | 22123746 |
| non-typeable haemophilus influenzae invasion and persistence in the human respiratory tract. | non-typeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen of the human respiratory tract and is a leading cause of respiratory infections in children and adults. nthi is considered to be an extracellular pathogen, but has consistently been observed within and between human respiratory epithelial cells and macrophages, in vitro and ex vivo. until recently, few studies have examined the internalization, trafficking, and fate of nthi in host cells. it is important to clarify ... | 2011 | 22919570 |
| at the membrane frontier: a prospectus on the remarkable evolutionary conservation of polyprenols and polyprenyl-phosphates. | long-chain polyprenols and polyprenyl-phosphates are ubiquitous and essential components of cellular membranes throughout all domains of life. polyprenyl-phosphates, which include undecaprenyl-phosphate in bacteria and the dolichyl-phosphates in archaea and eukaryotes, serve as specific membrane-bound carriers in glycan biosynthetic pathways responsible for the production of cellular structures such as n-linked protein glycans and bacterial peptidoglycan. polyprenyl-phosphates are the only form ... | 2011 | 22093697 |
| at the membrane frontier: a prospectus on the remarkable evolutionary conservation of polyprenols and polyprenyl-phosphates. | long-chain polyprenols and polyprenyl-phosphates are ubiquitous and essential components of cellular membranes throughout all domains of life. polyprenyl-phosphates, which include undecaprenyl-phosphate in bacteria and the dolichyl-phosphates in archaea and eukaryotes, serve as specific membrane-bound carriers in glycan biosynthetic pathways responsible for the production of cellular structures such as n-linked protein glycans and bacterial peptidoglycan. polyprenyl-phosphates are the only form ... | 2011 | 22093697 |
| an unsual case of persistent inguinal swelling - beware immunodeficiency. | | 2011 | 22140612 |
| colonic mucosa-associated microbiota is influenced by an interaction of crohn disease and fut2 (secretor) genotype. | the fut2 (secretor) gene is responsible for the presence of abo histo-blood group antigens on the gastrointestinal mucosa and in bodily secretions. individuals lacking a functional copy of fut2 are known as "nonsecretors" and display an array of differences in susceptibility to infection and disease, including crohn disease. to determine whether variation in resident microbial communities with respect to fut2 genotype is a potential factor contributing to susceptibility, we performed 454-based c ... | 2011 | 22068912 |
| incidence, risk factors and treatment of diarrhoea among dutch travellers: reasons not to routinely prescribe antibiotics. | travellers' diarrhoea (td) is the most common infectious disease among travellers. in the netherlands, stand-by or prophylactic antibiotics are not routinely prescribed to travellers. this study prospectively assessed the incidence rate, risk factors, and treatment of td among immunocompetent travellers. | 2011 | 22035314 |
| proglycprot: a repository of experimentally characterized prokaryotic glycoproteins. | proglycprot (http://www.proglycprot.org/) is an open access, manually curated, comprehensive repository of bacterial and archaeal glycoproteins with at least one experimentally validated glycosite (glycosylated residue). to facilitate maximum information at one point, the database is arranged under two sections: (i) procgp-the main data section consisting of 95 entries with experimentally characterized glycosites and (ii) prougp-a supplementary data section containing 245 entries with experiment ... | 2011 | 22039152 |
| proglycprot: a repository of experimentally characterized prokaryotic glycoproteins. | proglycprot (http://www.proglycprot.org/) is an open access, manually curated, comprehensive repository of bacterial and archaeal glycoproteins with at least one experimentally validated glycosite (glycosylated residue). to facilitate maximum information at one point, the database is arranged under two sections: (i) procgp-the main data section consisting of 95 entries with experimentally characterized glycosites and (ii) prougp-a supplementary data section containing 245 entries with experiment ... | 2011 | 22039152 |
| antimicrobial activity of copper alone and in combination with lactic acid against escherichia coli o157:h7 in laboratory medium and on the surface of lettuce and tomatoes. | the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of copper alone and in combination with lactic acid against e. coli o157:h7 in laboratory medium and on the surface of lettuce and tomatoes. four strains of e. coli o157:h7 were individually inoculated into bhi broth containing different concentrations of copper (5, 10, 20, and 40 ppm, w/v), lactic acid (0.1 and 0.2%, v/v), and their combinations. after incubation, aliquots of 1 ml from each sample were withdrawn and plated on bhi agar to de ... | 2011 | 22567336 |
| cytokine-induced alterations of gastrointestinal motility in gastrointestinal disorders. | inflammation and immune activation in the gut are usually accompanied by alteration of gastrointestinal (gi) motility. in infection, changes in motor function have been linked to host defense by enhancing the expulsion of the infectious agents. in this review, we describe the evidence for inflammation and immune activation in gi infection, inflammatory bowel disease, ileus, achalasia, eosinophilic esophagitis, microscopic colitis, celiac disease, pseudo-obstruction and functional gi disorders. w ... | 2011 | 22013552 |
| microbial diagnostic microarrays for the detection and typing of food- and water-borne (bacterial) pathogens. | reliable and sensitive pathogen detection in clinical and environmental (including food and water) samples is of greatest importance for public health. standard microbiological methods have several limitations and improved alternatives are needed. most important requirements for reliable analysis include: (i) specificity; (ii) sensitivity; (iii) multiplexing potential; (iv) robustness; (v) speed; (vi) automation potential; and (vii) low cost. microarray technology can, through its very nature, f ... | 2011 | 27605332 |
| microbial diagnostic microarrays for the detection and typing of food- and water-borne (bacterial) pathogens. | reliable and sensitive pathogen detection in clinical and environmental (including food and water) samples is of greatest importance for public health. standard microbiological methods have several limitations and improved alternatives are needed. most important requirements for reliable analysis include: (i) specificity; (ii) sensitivity; (iii) multiplexing potential; (iv) robustness; (v) speed; (vi) automation potential; and (vii) low cost. microarray technology can, through its very nature, f ... | 2011 | 27605332 |
| epithelial cell coculture models for studying infectious diseases: benefits and limitations. | countless in vitro cell culture models based on the use of epithelial cell types of single lineages have been characterized and have provided insight into the mechanisms of infection for various microbial pathogens. diverse culture models based on disease-relevant mucosal epithelial cell types derived from gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and pulmonary organ systems have delineated many key host-pathogen interactions that underlie viral, parasitic, and bacterial disease pathogenesis. an alternat ... | 2011 | 22007147 |
| the potter's wheel: the host's role in sculpting its microbiota. | animals, ranging from basal metazoans to primates, are host to complex microbial ecosystems; engaged in a symbiotic relationship that is essential for host physiology and homeostasis. epithelial surfaces vary in the composition of colonizing microbiota as one compares anatomic sites, developmental stages and species origin. alterations of microbial composition likely contribute to susceptibility to several distinct diseases. the forces that shape the colonizing microbial composition are the focu ... | 2011 | 21968920 |
| pathogens and polymers: microbe-host interactions illuminate the cytoskeleton. | intracellular pathogens subvert the host cell cytoskeleton to promote their own survival, replication, and dissemination. study of these microbes has led to many discoveries about host cell biology, including the identification of cytoskeletal proteins, regulatory pathways, and mechanisms of cytoskeletal function. actin is a common target of bacterial pathogens, but recent work also highlights the use of microtubules, cytoskeletal motors, intermediate filaments, and septins. the study of pathoge ... | 2011 | 21969466 |
| escort aptamers: new tools for the targeted delivery of therapeutics into cells. | escort aptamers are dna or rna sequences with high affinity to certain cell-surface proteins, which can be used for targeted delivery of various agents into cells of a definite type. the peculiarities of the selection of escort aptamers are discussed in this review. the methods used in selection of escort aptamers via the selex technique are considered, including selection against isolated cell-surface proteins, cell fragments, living eukaryotic cells, and bacteria. particular attention is given ... | 2011 | 22649701 |
| brucellosis, presenting with guillain-barré syndrome. | brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by gram-negative bacteria of the genus brucella. involvement of the gastrointestinal, hepatobilliary, and skeletal systems has been reported frequently in the literature. involvement of the nervous system is relatively uncommon and has been reported in only 3%-25% of cases of generalized brucellosis. guillain-barré syndrome is a prototypical postinfectious autoimmune disease. we report a case of guillain-barré syndrome in a 26-year-old woman as an unco ... | 2011 | 22224005 |
| new molecular insights into inflammatory bowel disease-induced diarrhea. | diarrhea is one of the common symptoms that significantly affects quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (ibd). the clinical manifestation of diarrhea is mainly dependant on the type of ibd and the location, extent and severity of intestinal inflammation. understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms of diarrhea in patients with ibd will be beneficial to developing effective treatments for ibd-associated diarrhea. in recent years, modern molecular techniques have been used i ... | 2011 | 21910579 |
| nmr detection and characterization of sialylated glycoproteins and cell surface polysaccharides. | few solution nmr pulse sequences exist that are explicitly designed to characterize carbohydrates (glycans). this is despite the essential role carbohydrate motifs play in cell-cell communication, microbial pathogenesis, autoimmune disease progression and cancer metastasis, and despite that fact that glycans, often shed to extra-cellular fluids, can be diagnostic of disease. here we present a suite of two dimensional coherence experiments to measure three different correlations (h3-c2, h3-c1, an ... | 2011 | 21947924 |
| synthetic rna silencing in bacteria - antimicrobial discovery and resistance breaking. | the increasing incidence and prevalence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria threatens the "antibiotic miracle." conventional antimicrobial drug development has failed to replace the armamentarium needed to combat this problem, and novel solutions are urgently required. here we review both natural and synthetic rna silencing and its potential to provide new antibacterials through improved target selection, evaluation, and screening. furthermore, we focus on synthetic rna silencers as a novel cla ... | 2011 | 21941522 |
| what you eat is what you get: novel campylobacter models in the quadrangle relationship between nutrition, obesity, microbiota and susceptibility to infection. | enterocolitis caused by campylobacter jejuni-infections represents an important socioeconomic burden worldwide. recent results from novel murine infection models reveal that the intestinal microbiota is essential for maintaining colonization resistance against c. jejuni. we extended these studies to investigate the role of nutrition and obesity in susceptibility to c. jejuni-infection. gnotobiotic (gb) mice generated by antibiotic treatment, which were fed with a human cafeteria diet (caf), as w ... | 2011 | 24516730 |
| perr controls peroxide- and iron-responsive expression of oxidative stress defense genes in helicobacter hepaticus. | chronic intestinal and hepatic colonization with the microaerophilic murine pathogen helicobacter hepaticus can lead to a range of inflammatory diseases of the lower digestive tract. colonization is associated with an active cellular immune response and production of oxygen radicals. during colonization, h. hepaticus needs to cope with and respond to oxidative stress, and here we report on the role of the h. hepaticus perr-regulator (hh0942) in the expression of the peroxidase-encoding kata (hh0 ... | 2011 | 24516727 |
| the evolutionary emergence of stochastic phenotype switching in bacteria. | stochastic phenotype switching - or bet hedging - is a pervasive feature of living systems and common in bacteria that experience fluctuating (unpredictable) environmental conditions. under such conditions, the capacity to generate variable offspring spreads the risk of being maladapted in the present environment, against offspring likely to have some chance of survival in the future. while a rich subject for theoretical studies, little is known about the selective causes responsible for the evo ... | 2011 | 21995592 |
| top-down mass spectrometry: recent developments, applications and perspectives. | top-down mass spectrometry is an emerging approach for the analysis of intact proteins. the term was coined as a contrast with the better-established, bottom-up strategy for analysis of peptide fragments derived from digestion, either enzymatically or chemically, of intact proteins. although the term top-down originates from proteomics, it can also be applied to mass spectrometric analysis of intact large biomolecules that are constituents of protein assemblies or complexes. traditionally, mass ... | 2011 | 21826297 |
| life, death, and in-between: meanings and methods in microbiology. | determination of microbial viability by the plate count method is routine in microbiology laboratories worldwide. however, limitations of the technique, particularly with respect to environmental microorganisms, are widely recognized. many alternatives based upon viability staining have been proposed, and these are often combined with techniques such as image analysis and flow cytometry. the plethora of choices, however, adds to confusion when selecting a method. commercial staining kits aim to ... | 2011 | 21705550 |
| towards the integration of genomics, epidemiological and clinical data. | a report on 'a wellcome trust scientific conference: applied bioinformatics and public health microbiology 2011', hinxton, cambridge, 1-3 june, 2011. | 2011 | 21867574 |
| irritable bowel syndrome, gut microbiota and probiotics. | irritable bowel syndrome (ibs) is a complex disorder characterized by abdominal symptoms including chronic abdominal pain or discomfort and altered bowel habits. the etiology of ibs is multifactorial, as abnormal gut motility, visceral hypersensitivity, disturbed neural function of the brain-gut axis and an abnormal autonomic nervous system are all implicated in disease progression. based on recent experimental and clinical studies, it has been suggested that additional etiological factors inclu ... | 2011 | 21860817 |
| comparison of intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange in treatment of mechanically ventilated children with guillain barré syndrome: a randomized study. | respiratory failure is a life threatening complication of guillain barré syndrome (gbs). there is no consensus on the specific treatment for this subset of children with gbs. | 2011 | 21745374 |
| environmental pathways to autoimmune diseases: the cases of primary biliary cirrhosis and multiple sclerosis. | the pathways leading to autoimmunity remain enigmatic despite numerous lines of experimental inquiry and epidemiological evidence. the mechanisms leading to the initiation and perpetuation of specific diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis (pbc) or multiple sclerosis (ms) remain largely enigmatic, although it is established that a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental stimulation is required. the growing number of genome-wide association studies and the largely incomplete c ... | 2011 | 22295019 |
| antibiotics for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. | irritable bowel syndrome (ibs) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder with an estimated worldwide prevalence of 10-20%. ibs can be associated with severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel function. although the causes of ibs remain undefined, recent research has increasingly suggested roles for gut flora in ibs. these roles involve postinfectious ibs, which can occur after a single episode of acute gastroenteritis, and small intestinal bac ... | 2011 | 22298980 |
| treatment guidelines for guillain-barré syndrome. | | 2011 | 21847334 |
| use of a web forum and an online questionnaire in the detection and investigation of an outbreak. | a campylobacteriosis outbreak investigation provides relevant examples of how two web-based technologies were used in an outbreak setting and potential reasons for their usefulness. a web forum aided in outbreak detection and provided contextual insights for hypothesis generation and questionnaire development. an online questionnaire achieved a high response rate and enabled rapid preliminary data analysis that allowed for a targeted environmental investigation. the usefulness of these tools may ... | 2011 | 23569598 |
| a selective chromogenic plate, yeca, for the detection of pathogenic yersinia enterocolitica: specificity, sensitivity, and capacity to detect pathogenic y. enterocolitica from pig tonsils. | a new selective chromogenic plate, yeca, was tested for its specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy to detect pathogenic y. enterocolitica from pig tonsils. we tested a panel of 26 bacterial strains on yeca and compared it to pca, cin, and yecm media. detection of pathogenic y. enterocolitica was carried out on 50 pig tonsils collected in one slaughter house. enrichment was done in psb and itc broths. streaking on yeca and cin was done in direct, after 24h incubation of itc, after 48h incubation ... | 2011 | 22567328 |
| ir and uv photodissociation as analytical tools for characterizing lipid a structures. | the utility of 193-nm ultraviolet photodissociation (uvpd) and 10.6-μm infrared multiphoton dissociation (irmpd) for the characterization of lipid a structures was assessed in an ion trap mass spectrometer. the fragmentation behavior of lipid a species was also evaluated by activated-electron photodetachment (a-epd), which uses 193-nm photons to create charge reduced radicals that are subsequently dissociated by collisional activation. in contrast to collision-induced dissociation (cid), irmpd o ... | 2011 | 21595441 |
| arcobacter butzleri: first isolation report from chicken carcasses in costa rica. | arcobacter butzleri isolation from chicken carcasses in costa rica is reported for the first time. the isolated strains (p and r) were presumptively identified by their phenotypic characteristics. definitive identification was made using a multiplex pcr assay for the simultaneous detection and identification of arcobacter butzleri, arcobacter cryaerophilus and arcobacter skirrowii. these first isolations indicate the necessity of further investigation about the prevalence, distribution, ecology ... | 2011 | 24031682 |
| l-isoleucine-supplemented oral rehydration solution in the treatment of acute diarrhoea in children: a randomized controlled trial. | antimicrobial peptides represent an important component of the innate immune defenses of living organisms, including humans. they are broad-spectrum surface-acting agents secreted by the epithelial cells of the body in response to infection. recently, l-isoleucine and its analogues have been found to induce antimicrobial peptides. the objectives of the study were to examine if addition of l-isoleucine to oral rehydration salts (ors) solution would reduce stool output and/or duration of acute dia ... | 2011 | 21766553 |
| evolutionary forces shaping the golgi glycosylation machinery: why cell surface glycans are universal to living cells. | despite more than 3 billion years since the origin of life on earth, the powerful forces of biological evolution seem to have failed to generate any living cell that is devoid of a dense and complex array of cell surface glycans. thus, cell surface glycans seem to be as essential for life as having a dna genetic code, diverse rnas, structural/functional proteins, lipid-based membranes, and metabolites that mediate energy flux and signaling. the likely reasons for this apparently universal law of ... | 2011 | 21525513 |
| role of lipid rafts in liver health and disease. | liver diseases are an increasingly common cause of morbidity and mortality; new approaches for investigation of mechanisms of liver diseases and identification of therapeutic targets are emergent. lipid rafts (lrs) are specialized domains of cellular membranes that are enriched in saturated lipids; they are small, mobile, and are key components of cellular architecture, protein partition to cellular membranes, and signaling events. lrs have been identified in the membranes of all liver cells, pa ... | 2011 | 21633657 |
| is the campylobacter jejuni secretory protein cj0069 a suitable antigen for serodiagnostics? | campylobacter spp. is the most common bacterial pathogen of gastroenteritis worldwide. poultry is the main reservoir and consequently the main origin of infections for humans. as a consequence of a primary campylobacter infection which typically manifests as diarrhea, there is an increased risk to suffer from post-infectious complications such as reactive arthritis, neuropathia, myositis or a guillain-barré syndrome. usually the verification of acute campylobacteriosis is made by stool culture. ... | 2011 | 24466437 |
| aptamer in bioanalytical applications. | | 2011 | 21524128 |
| comparative genomics and evolution of molybdenum utilization. | the trace element molybdenum (mo) is the catalytic component of important enzymes involved in global nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon metabolism in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. with the exception of nitrogenase, mo is complexed by a pterin compound thus forming the biologically active molybdenum cofactor (moco) at the catalytic sites of molybdoenzymes. the physiological roles and biochemical functions of many molybdoenzymes have been characterized. however, our understanding of the occurrence an ... | 2011 | 22451726 |
| kiss and run - phosphoglycerol modifications of n. meningitidis pili mediate detachment. | | 2011 | 21747798 |
| inpatient management of guillain-barré syndrome. | guillain-barré syndrome (gbs) is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis in the developed world. guillain-barré syndrome typically presents with ascending paralysis and is usually severe enough to warrant hospital admission for management. in the united states alone, gbs results in more than 6000 hospitalizations each year. although gbs patients were historically cared for at tertiary referral centers, changing treatment practices have broadened the number of neurologists who care for t ... | 2011 | 23983841 |
| recent trends in vaccine delivery systems: a review. | vaccines are the preparations given to patients to evoke immune responses leading to the production of antibodies (humoral) or cell-mediated responses that will combat infectious agents or noninfectious conditions such as malignancies. alarming safety profile of live vaccines, weak immunogenicity of sub-unit vaccines and immunization, failure due to poor patient compliance to booster doses which should potentiate prime doses are few strong reasons, which necessitated the development of new gener ... | 2011 | 23071924 |
| coxarthritis as the presenting symptom of gaucher disease type 1. | gaucher disease (gd) type 1 is the most common lysosomal storage disorder due to beta glucocerebrosidase deficiency leading to an abnormal accumulation of its substrate, glucocerebroside, in the mononuclear phagocyte system. the disease presentation is usually characterized by signs and symptoms related to hypersplenism, such as splenomegaly, anaemia, thrombocytopenia and leucopenia. skeletal disease may occur later for the infiltration of bone marrow by macrophages infiltration and bone resorpt ... | 2011 | 22046515 |
| may ingestion of leachate from decomposed corpses cause appendicitis? a case report. | the general consensus is that appendicitis is basically provoked by fecaliths or lymphoid hyperplasic obstruction. several studies based on histological diagnosis have not confirmed this hypothesis. on the contrary, obstruction has been proved in only a minority of cases. diverse infections by parasites, bacteria, fungus, and noninfective agents have been associated with appendicitis in the medical literature. we describe a firefighter, who ingested a small quantity of leachate from decomposing ... | 2011 | 21541232 |
| epidemiology of cancer of the small intestine. | cancer of the small intestine is very uncommon. there are 4 main histological subtypes: adenocarcinomas, carcinoid tumors, lymphoma and sarcoma. the incidence of small intestine cancer has increased over the past several decades with a four-fold increase for carcinoid tumors, less dramatic rises for adenocarcinoma and lymphoma and stable sarcoma rates. very little is known about its etiology. an increased risk has been noted for individuals with crohn's disease, celiac disease, adenoma, familial ... | 2011 | 21461167 |
| early recognition of poor prognosis in guillain-barre syndrome. | guillain-barré syndrome (gbs) has a highly diverse clinical course and outcome, yet patients are treated with a standard therapy. patients with poor prognosis may benefit from additional treatment, provided they can be identified early, when nerve degeneration is potentially reversible and treatment is most effective. we developed a clinical prognostic model for early prediction of outcome in gbs, applicable for clinical practice and future therapeutic trials. | 2011 | 21403108 |
| guanine radical chemistry reveals the effect of thermal fluctuations in gene promoter regions. | dna is not the static entity that structural pictures suggest. it has been longly known that it 'breathes' and fluctuates by local opening of the bases. here we show that the effect of structural fluctuations, exhibited by at-rich low stability regions present in some common transcription initiation regions, influences the properties of dna in a distant range of at least 10 bp. this observation is confirmed by experiments on genuine gene promoter regions of dna. the spatial correlations revealed ... | 2011 | 21398632 |
| adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment. | many arctic mammals are adapted to live year-round in extreme environments with low winter temperatures and great seasonal variations in key variables (e.g. sunlight, food, temperature, moisture). the interaction between hosts and pathogens in high northern latitudes is not very well understood with respect to intra-annual cycles (seasons). the annual cycles of interacting pathogen and host biology is regulated in part by highly synchronized temperature and photoperiod changes during seasonal tr ... | 2011 | 21392401 |
| the biology of the cytolethal distending toxins. | the cytolethal distending toxins (cdts), produced by a variety of gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, are the first bacterial genotoxins described, since they cause dna damage in the target cells. cdt is an a-b(2) toxin, where the cdta and cdtc subunits are required to mediate the binding on the surface of the target cells, allowing internalization of the active cdtb subunit, which is functionally homologous to the mammalian deoxyribonuclease i. the nature of the surface receptor is still poorly ... | 2011 | 22069704 |
| luminescence based enzyme-labeled phage (phazyme) assays for rapid detection of shiga toxin producing escherichia coli serogroups. | most diagnostic approaches for shiga toxin producing escherichia coli (stec) have been designed to detect only serogroup o157 that causes a majority, but not all stec related outbreaks in the united states. therefore, there is a need to develop methodology that would enable the detection of other stec serogroups that cause disease. three bacteriophages (phages) that infect stec serogroups o26, o103, o111, o145 and o157 were chemically labeled with horseradish peroxidase (hrp). the enzyme-labeled ... | 2011 | 22334866 |
| bacteriophage biocontrol of listeria monocytogenes on soft ripened white mold and red-smear cheeses. | soft-ripened cheeses belong to the type of food most often contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, and they have been implicated in several outbreaks of listeriosis. bacteriophages represent an attractive way to combat foodborne pathogens without affecting other properties of the food. we used the broad host range, virulent listeria phage a511 for control of l. monocytogenes during the production and ripening phases of both types of soft-ripened cheeses, white mold (camembert-type) cheese, as ... | 2011 | 22334865 |
| comparison of bruker biotyper matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometer to bd phoenix automated microbiology system for identification of gram-negative bacilli. | we compared the bd phoenix automated microbiology system to the bruker biotyper (version 2.0) matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (maldi-tof) mass spectrometry (ms) system for identification of gram-negative bacilli, using biochemical testing and/or genetic sequencing to resolve discordant results. the bd phoenix correctly identified 363 (83%) and 330 (75%) isolates to the genus and species level, respectively. the bruker biotyper correctly identified 408 (93%) and 360 (82 ... | 2011 | 21209160 |
| poles apart: prokaryotic polar organelles and their spatial regulation. | while polar organelles hold the key to understanding the fundamentals of cell polarity and cell biological principles in general, they have served in the past merely for taxonomical purposes. here, we highlight recent efforts in unraveling the molecular basis of polar organelle positioning in bacterial cells. specifically, we detail the role of members of the ras-like gtpase superfamily and coiled-coil-rich scaffolding proteins in modulating bacterial cell polarity and in recruiting effector pro ... | 2011 | 21084387 |
| a simple functional marker to predict the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients with guillain-barré syndrome. | patients suffering from guillain-barré syndrome (gbs) may frequently develop an acute respiratory failure and need ventilatory support. immune therapy using plasma exchange or immunoglobulins has modified the natural course of the disease and by decreasing the length of the plateau phase, may induce a rapid improvement in ventilatory function. however a substantial proportion of patients still require prolonged mechanical ventilation (mv) and tracheotomy. the present study was designed to search ... | 2011 | 21338488 |
| diarrhoea in adults (acute). | an estimated 4.6 billion cases of diarrhoea occurred worldwide in 2004, resulting in 2.2 million deaths. | 2011 | 21718555 |
| t(11;18)(q21;q21)-positive gastrointestinal malt lymphomas are heterogeneous with respect to the v(h) gene mutation status. | to investigate how t(11;18)(q21;q21)-positive gastrointestinal malt lymphomas relate to other marginal zone lymphomas with respect to the somatic mutation pattern of the v(h) genes and the expression of the marker cd27. | 2011 | 21364843 |
| primary gastrointestinal lymphoma. | gastrointestinal tract is the most common extranodal site involved by lymphoma with the majority being non-hodgkin type. although lymphoma can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract, the most frequent sites in order of its occurrence are the stomach followed by small intestine and ileocecal region. gastrointestinal tract lymphoma is usually secondary to the widespread nodal diseases and primary gastrointestinal tract lymphoma is relatively rare. gastrointestinal lymphomas are usually not ... | 2011 | 21390139 |
| infection in infancy and subsequent risk of developing lymphoma in children and young adults. | there is evidence that certain infections and autoimmunity predispose to the development of non-hodgkin lymphomas (nhls). a previous study reported that hospitalization for infections in infancy led to an increased risk of nhl. by using population-based registries in sweden, we compared the rate of hospitalization for infections in infancy between lymphoma cases and matched controls for patients born since 1964. a history of infection was associated with a significantly increased risk of aggress ... | 2011 | 21127175 |
| iqgap1 in microbial pathogenesis: targeting the actin cytoskeleton. | microbial pathogens cause widespread morbidity and mortality. central to the pathogens' virulence is manipulation of the host cell's cytoskeleton, which facilitates microbial invasion, multiplication, and avoidance of the innate immune response. iqgap1 is a ubiquitously expressed scaffold protein that integrates diverse signaling cascades. research has shown that iqgap1 binds to and modulates the activity of multiple proteins that participate in bacterial invasion. here, we review data that supp ... | 2011 | 21295032 |
| acute motor axonal neuropathy associated with anal carcinoma: paraneoplastic neurological syndrome or coincidence? | assessment of the association of an acute motor axonal neuropathy with a squamous cell anal carcinoma. | 2011 | 24376957 |
| a d-peptide analog of the second extracellular loop of claudin-3 and -4 leads to mislocalized claudin and cellular apoptosis in mammary epithelial cells. | claudins are cell adhesion proteins thought to mediate cell-cell contacts at the tight junction. although a major role of claudins is to control paracellular diffusion, increasing evidence suggests that they may also function in tumor progression. to examine the role of the second extracellular loop in cell adhesion, a small peptide was designed, which mimics a conserved sequence, dfynp, within specific 'classic' claudin subtypes. using fluorescent indicators with mammary epithelial cells, treat ... | 2011 | 21266016 |
| similarities and differences in the glycosylation mechanisms in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. | recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in the number and diversity of prokaryotic proteins shown to carry n- and/or o-glycans, with protein glycosylation now considered as fundamental to the biology of these organisms as it is in eukaryotic systems. this article overviews the major glycosylation pathways that are known to exist in eukarya, bacteria and archaea. these are (i) oligosaccharyltransferase (ost)-mediated n-glycosylation which is abundant in eukarya and archaea, but is restricted t ... | 2011 | 21490701 |
| similarities and differences in the glycosylation mechanisms in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. | recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in the number and diversity of prokaryotic proteins shown to carry n- and/or o-glycans, with protein glycosylation now considered as fundamental to the biology of these organisms as it is in eukaryotic systems. this article overviews the major glycosylation pathways that are known to exist in eukarya, bacteria and archaea. these are (i) oligosaccharyltransferase (ost)-mediated n-glycosylation which is abundant in eukarya and archaea, but is restricted t ... | 2011 | 21490701 |
| fucosyltransferase 2 non-secretor and low secretor status predicts severe outcomes in premature infants. | to investigate secretor gene fucosyltransferase 2 (fut2) polymorphism and secretor phenotype in relation to outcomes of prematurity. | 2011 | 21256510 |
| advances in electronic-nose technologies developed for biomedical applications. | the research and development of new electronic-nose applications in the biomedical field has accelerated at a phenomenal rate over the past 25 years. many innovative e-nose technologies have provided solutions and applications to a wide variety of complex biomedical and healthcare problems. the purposes of this review are to present a comprehensive analysis of past and recent biomedical research findings and developments of electronic-nose sensor technologies, and to identify current and future ... | 2011 | 22346620 |
| anti-gq1b-negative miller fisher syndrome with acute areflexic mydriasis and cholinergic supersensitivity. | miller fisher syndrome is a rare variant of guillain-barré syndrome and it is characterised by ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia. pupillomotor involvement occurs in approximately half of the patients with the disorder. the authors report a patient with acute areflexic mydriasis, external ophthalmoplegia, areflexia, and ataxia. although the pupils were unreactive to light and near stimuli, administration of 0.1% pilocarpine resulted in marked miosis, suggesting cholinergic supersensitivity. ... | 2011 | 27956933 |
| enteric pathogen exploitation of the microbiota-generated nutrient environment of the gut. | residing within the intestine is a large community of commensal organisms collectively termed the microbiota. this community generates a complex nutrient environment by breaking down indigestible food products into metabolites that are used by both the host and the microbiota. both the invading intestinal pathogen and the microbiota compete for these metabolites, which can shape both the composition of the flora, as well as susceptibility to infection. after infection is established, pathogen me ... | 2011 | 21215681 |
| xenobiotic efflux in bacteria and fungi: a genomics update. | | 2011 | 21692371 |
| the amazing transglycosylation activity of endo-β-n-acetylglucosaminidases. | major advances have been made in exploring the transglycosylation activity of endo-β-n-acetylglucosaminidases (engases) for synthetic purpose. the exploration of synthetic sugar oxazolines as donor substrates for the engase-catalyzed transglycosylation has expanded the substrate availability and significantly enhanced the overall transglycosylation efficiency. on the other hand, site-directed mutagenesis in combination with activity screening has led to the discovery of the first generation enga ... | 2011 | 25309039 |
| foodborne, food related illness and role of the healthcare professionals. | | 2011 | 24834147 |