Factors associated with BMI, weight perceptions and trying to lose weight in African-American smokers

This study examined sociodemographic, behavioral and psychosocial factors associated with BMI, weight perceptions and trying to lose weight among African-American smokers (N=600, M=44.2 years, 70% female). Sixty-eight percent of the sample were overweight or obese (sample BMI M=28.0, SD=6.7). Three separate, simultaneous multivariable regression models were used to determine which factors were associated with BMI, weight perceptions and trying to lose weight. Poorer health, female gender and high-school education or higher were significantly associated with higher BMIs (p<0.05). Being female (OR=5.8, 95% CI=3.6-9.3) and having a higher BMI (OR=0.6, 95% CI=0.5-0.6) was associated with perception of overweight and smoking more cigarettes per day (OR=1.0, 95% CI=1.0-1.1), and perceiving oneself as overweight (OR=14.1, 95% CI=8.2-24.2) was associated with trying to lose weight. Participants somewhat underestimated their BMI in their weight perceptions. Those who perceived themselves as overweight were more likely to be trying to lose weight; therefore, increasing participant awareness of actual BMI status may lead to improved weight-control efforts in African-American smokers. Several expected associations with outcomes were not found, suggesting that BMI and weight constructs are not well-understood in this population.     

Associations of serum TRAIL concentrations, anthropometric variables, and serum lipid parameters in healthy adults

To investigate the relationships of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), anthropometric variables, and lipid parameters, we measured serum TRAIL concentrations, body mass index (BMI), total body fat (TBF), and serum lipid profiles in 207 healthy adults. There were no significant differences in serum TRAIL concentrations between men and women, nor between elderly persons and middle-aged subjects. However, men with TBF 16.4 kg (75th per centile) exhibited significantly higher serum TRAIL concentrations than those with TBF 11.2 kg (25th per centile) (69.7 +/- 15.1 pg/ml vs 50.2 +/- 14.3 pg/ml, p < 0.05). Serum TRAIL concentration averaged 76.2 +/- 16.1 pg/ml in women with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) 165 mg/dl (75th per centile), which was significantly above the values (53.1 +/- 12.9 pg/ml, p < 0.05) in those with LDL-C 117 mg/dl (25th per centile), although no differences were observed on the basis of TBF (75th percentile vs 25th percentile). Serum TRAIL concentrations correlated significantlywithTBF (r = 0.31, p < 0.05) and lean body mass (r = -0.26, p <0.05) in men and LDL-C (r = 0.32, p < 0.05) and total cholesterol (r = 0.21, p < 0.05) in women. In conclusion, serum TRAIL concentrations are associated with serum lipid levels and body adiposity in healthy adults, but are unrelated to a subject's age or gender.     

The distribution of fetal nuchal translucency thickness in normal Korean fetuses

The aim of present study was to establish normative data for the distribution of nuchal translucency (NT) thickness in normal Korean fetuses. The data were collected from pregnant women with singleton pregnancies in whom fetal ultrasound was performed and the fetal NT thickness was measured between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation. Among them, a total of 2,577 fetuses with a known normal outcome were included in this study. The distribution of multiple of median (MoM) values of the NT thickness with crown-rump length (CRL) in 10-mm intervals and the 95th percentile of MoM were calculated with the linear regression method. The present study showed that NT measurements increase with increasing CRL and a false positive rate increases with increasing gestational age. Therefore, a fixed cut-off point through the first trimester was not appropriate and each NT measurement should be examined according to the gestational age. The present study offers normative data of the fetal NT thickness in a Korean population, which can be used as reference for screening chromosomal aberrations or other congenital abnormalities in the first trimester.     

Expression of interleukin-6 in polymorphic reticulosis--immunohistochemical study of 5 cases.

Peripheral T cell lymphoma encompasses lymphomas with a variety of histologic appearances and clinical patterns. Recently, it has been suggested that almost all of the histologic features described under the name of polymorphic reticulosis(PR), lethal midline granuloma, and midline malignant reticulosis can be included in those generally described for malignant lymphomas of peripheral T cell origin(PTCL). There have been few studies of pathogenesis or tissue damage mechanism in PR patients. The need for a precise mechanism for tissue damage has important therapeutic implications. Using immunohistochemical methods with polyclonal anti IL-6 antibody, the authors describe 5 cases of PR with clinically and pathologically typical PR demonstrating a high expression of IL-6. According to classification, 2 cases of grade 1 PR showed the highest expressions, and 2 cases of grade 2 PR with atypical lymphoid cells showed moderate activity, but one case progressed into frank lymphoma(grade 3) and lost IL-6 expression. This strongly implies that some cases of PR have a different mechanism of tissue damage from frank PTCL, despite the one disease spectrum. Further studies on more cases may help clarify the pathogenesis.     

Microtubule- and dynein-mediated movement of Orientia tsutsugamushi to the microtubule organizing center

The host cell microfilaments and microtubules (MTs) are known to play a critical role in the life cycles of several pathogenic intracellular microbes by providing for successful invasion and promoting movement of the pathogen once inside the host cell cytoplasm. Orientia tsutsugamushi, an obligate intracellular bacterium, enters host cells by induced phagocytosis, escapes to the cytosol, and then replicates in the cytosol. ECV304 cells infected with O. tsutsugamushi revealed the colocalization of the MT organizing center (MTOC) and cytosolic orientiae by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Using immunofluorescence microscopy in the presence and absence of MT-depolymerizing agents (colchicine and nocodazole), it was shown that the cytosolic oriential movement was mediated by MTs. By transfection study (overexpression of dynamitin [also called p50], which is known to associate with dynein-dependent movement), the movement of O. tsutsugamushi to the MTOC was also mediated by dynein, the minus-end-directed MT-related motor. Although the significance of this movement in the life cycle of O. tsutsugamushi was not proven, we propose that the cytosolic O. tsutsugamushi bacteria use MTs and dyneins to propel themselves from the cell periphery to the MTOC.     

Noninfectious Virus-Like Particle Antigen for Detection of Swine Vesicular Disease Virus Antibodies in Pigs by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

An inactivated SVDV antigen is used in current enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the detection of antibodies to swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV). To develop a noninfectious recombinant alternative, we produced SVDV-like particles (VLPs) morphologically and antigenically resembling authentic SVDV particles by using a dual baculovirus recombinant, which expresses simultaneously the P1 and 3CD protein genes of SVDV under different promoters. Antigenic differences between recombinant VLPs and SVDV particles were not statistically significant in results obtained with a 5B7-ELISA kit, indicating that the VLPs could be used in the place of SVDV antigen in ELISA kits. We developed a blocking ELISA using the VLPs and SVDV-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibody 3H10 (VLP-ELISA) for detection of SVDV serum antibodies in pigs. The VLP-ELISA showed a high specificity of 99.9% when tested with pig sera that are negative for SVDV neutralization (n = 1,041). When tested using sera (n = 186) collected periodically from pigs (n = 19) with experimental infection with each of three different strains of SVDV, the VLP-ELISA detected SVDV serum antibodies as early as 3 days postinfection and continued to detect the antibodies from all infected pigs until termination of the experiments (up to 121 days postinfection). This test performance was similar to that of the gold standard virus neutralization test and indicates that the VLP-ELISA is a highly specific and sensitive method for the detection of SVDV serum antibodies in pigs. This is the first report of the production and diagnostic application of recombinant VLPs of SVDV. Further potential uses of the VLPs are discussed.     

Implantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells using injectable fibrin matrix enhances neovascularization in infarcted myocardium

Neovascularization may improve cardiac function and prevent further scar tissue formation in infarcted myocardium. A number of studies have demonstrated that bone marrow-derived cells have the potential to induce neovascularization in ischemic tissues. In this study, we hypothesized that implantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) using injectable fibrin matrix further enhances neovascularization in infarcted myocardium compared to BMMNC implantation without matrix. To test this hypothesis, infarction was induced in rat myocardium by cryoinjury. Three weeks later, rat BMMNCs were mixed with fibrin matrix and injected into the infarcted myocardium. Injection of either BMMNCs or medium alone into infarcted myocardium served as controls. Eight weeks after the treatments, histological analyses indicated that implantation of BMMNCs using fibrin matrix resulted in more extensive tissue regeneration in the infarcted myocardium compared to BMMNC implantation without matrix. Examination with fluorescence microscopy revealed that cells labeled with a fluorescent dye prior to implantation survived in the infarcted myocardium at 8 weeks of implantation. Importantly, implantation of BMMNCs using fibrin matrix resulted in much more extensive neovascularization in infarcted myocardium than BMMNC implantation without matrix. The microvessel density in infarcted myocardium was significantly higher (p < 0.05) when BMMNCs were implanted using fibrin matrix (350 +/- 22 microvessels/mm2) compared to BMMNC implantation without matrix (262 +/- 13 microvessels/mm2) and medium injection (76 +/- 9 microvessels/mm2). In addition, average internal diameter of microvessels was significantly larger (p < 0.05) in BMMNC implantation with fibrin matrix group (14.6 +/- 1.2 microm) than BMMNC implantation without matrix group (10.2 +/- 0.7 microm) and medium injection group (7.3 +/- 0.5 microm). These results suggest that fibrin matrix could serve as a cell implantation matrix that enhances neovascularization efficacy for myocardial infarction treatment.     

BAFF supports human B cell differentiation in the lymphoid follicles through distinct receptors

B cell-activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF/BLys) plays a critical role in B cell survival and immune responses through its three receptors: BAFF receptor (BAFF-R/BR3), transmembrane activator and calcium modulator and cyclophilin ligand interactor (TACI) and B cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Using specific antibodies, we have investigated the expression of BAFF-R on human tonsillar B cells and their functional roles in naive and germinal center (GC) B cell differentiation. Our studies show that BAFF-R is the dominant receptor on naive B cells. However, three receptors are differentially modulated during in vitro GC-B cell differentiation. BAFF-R expression increased initially and then decreased with a corresponding induction of TACI and BCMA expression during differentiation to plasma cells (PCs). Consistently, blocking of BAFF-R alone with specific mAb inhibited GC-B cell proliferation and PC generation in the early period of their differentiation, whereas depletion of BAFF with TACI-Ig exhibited consistent inhibition throughout the differentiation. Finally, histological and molecular analyses of human tonsil tissue revealed that follicular dendritic cells produce BAFF. In conclusion, BAFF in the GC plays an important role through more than one receptor, and the three known receptors are differentially modulated as GC-B cells differentiate to PCs.     

Evaluation of PCR-based assay for diagnosis of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in human serum samples

A nested PCR assay was developed for the detection of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae in serum samples. The assay was based on specific primers derived from the rickettsial outer membrane protein B gene (rompB) of Rickettsia conorii. An SFG rickettsia-specific signal is obtained from R. akari, R. japonica, R. sibirica, and R. conorii. Other bacterial species tested did not generate any signal, attesting to the specificity of the assay. As few as seven copies of the rompB gene of R. conorii could be detected in 200 microl of serum sample. The assay was evaluated with a panel of sera obtained from patients with acute-phase febrile disease tested by immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA). The SFG rickettsia-specific DNA fragment was detected in 71 out of 100 sera, which were proven to have immunoglobulin M antibodies against SFG rickettsial antigen by IFA. The results were further confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing analysis of the DNA fragments. The results indicated that this PCR assay is suitable for the diagnosis of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in Korea.     

Differential expression of p53 gene family members p63 and p73 in head and neck squamous tumorigenesis

p73 and p63 are recently cloned genes that share considerable structural and functional homologies with the p53 tumor suppressor gene. These genes, unlike p53, express multiple mRNA isoforms with variable biologic functions, and their suppressor nature has yet to be confirmed. To determine the interrelationship between these genes in the tumorigenesis of head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSC), we performed immunohistochemical analyses of their protein products and compared the data with clinicopathologic parameters in 38 patients. In histologically normal epithelium, p53 and p73 showed similar basal and/or parabasal expression, but that of p53 was weaker and discontinuous. p63 staining was noted in more suprabasal cellular layers and was stronger. In dysplasias, all three markers manifested variable but gradual increase in extent and intensity of cellular expression with histologic progression. In carcinomas, p63 was the most frequently expressed (94.7%), followed by p73 (68.4%) and p53 (52.6%). Significant statistical correlation was noted only between p63 and p73 expressions (P =.04). Although no statistical correlation was found between p53 and p63 or p73, p53-negative tumors overexpressed either p63 or p73. p73 expression was associated with distant metastasis and perineural/vascular invasion. Our study indicates that (1) p63 and p73 expression may represent an early event in HNSC tumorigenesis, (2) the lack of correlation between p73 or p63 and p53 expression suggests an independent and/or compensatory functional role, (3) p73 expression may play a part in HNSC progression, and (4) p73 and p63 may function as oncogenes in the development of these tumors.