Mounting evidence suggests a connection between human parvovirus B19 (B19) and autoimmune diseases, and especially an association between the B19-VP1 unique region (VP1u) and anti-phospholipid ...syndrome (APS). However, little is known about the antigenicity of B19-VP1u in the induction of APS-like syndrome. To elucidate the antigenicity of B19-VP1u in the induction of APS, N-terminal truncated B19-VP1u (tVP1u) proteins were prepared to immunize Balb/c mice to generate antibodies against B19-tVP1u proteins. The secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) activities and binding specificity of mice anti-B19-tVP1u antibodies with cardiolipin (CL) and beta-2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) were evaluated by performing immunoblot, ELISA and absorption experiments. A mice model of passively induced APS was adopted. Although sPLA2 activities were identified in all B19-tVP1u proteins, only amino acid residues 61-227 B19-tVP1u exhibited a higher sPLA2 activity. Autoantibodies against CL and β2GPI exhibited binding activities with all B19-tVP1u proteins. IgG that was purified from mice that had been immunized with amino acid residues 21-227 to 121-227 B19-tVP1u proteins exhibited significantly higher binding activity with CL. IgG that was purified from mice that had been immunized with amino acid residues 21-227, 31-227, 82-227 and 91-227 B19-tVP1u proteins exhibited significantly higher binding activity with β2GPI. Accordingly, significantly higher binding inhibition of CL was detected in the presence of amino acid residues 61-227 and 101-227 B19-tVP1u. Significantly higher binding inhibition of β2GPI was detected in the presence of amino acid residues 21-227, 31-227, 82-227 and 91-227 B19-tVP1u. The mice that received amino acid residues 31-227 or 61-227 anti-tB19-VP1u IgG revealed significant thrombocytopenia and those that received amino acid residues 21-227, 31-227, 61-227, 71-227, 82-227, 91-227, 101-227 or 114-227 anti-tB19-VP1u IgG exhibited significantly prolonged aPTT. These findings provide further information concerning the role of B19-VP1u antigenicity in APS-like autoimmunity.
Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion may lead to impairment in neurocognitive performance in patients with chronic internal carotid artery occlusion, and the effects of carotid artery stenting on ...neurocognitive function have been unclear.
We prospectively enrolled 20 chronic internal carotid artery occlusion patients with objective ipsilateral hemisphere ischemia, in whom carotid artery stenting was attempted. Functional assessments, including the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Barthel Index, and a battery of neuropsychological tests, including the Mini-Mental State Examination, Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subtest, verbal fluency, and Color Trail Making A and B, were administered before and 3 months after intervention.
Successful recanalization was achieved in 12 of 20 patients (60%). There was no procedural or new cerebral ischemic event, except for 1 intracranial hemorrhage, which occurred during the procedure and had neurologic sequelae; this case was excluded from analysis. The demographics and baseline cognitive performance were similar between the group with a successful outcome (group 1, n=12) and patients who did not (group 2, n=7). Ten of 12 patients in group 1 had improvement in ipsilateral brain perfusion after the procedure, but none in group 2 had improvement. Significant improvement in the scores on the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subtest (before, 7.7±8.9 versus after, 5.7±7.1; P=0.024), Mini-Mental State Examination (before, 25.8±3.8 versus after, 27.7±2.7; P=0.015), and Color Trail Making A (before, 123.2±68.6 versus after, 99.3±51.5; P=0.017) were found in group 1 but not in group 2.
Successful carotid artery stenting improves global cognitive function as well as attention and psychomotor processing speed in patients with chronic internal carotid artery occlusion.
Tumor vasculatures and hypoxia are critical tumor micro-environmental factors associated with tumor response to the therapy and heterogeneous in both time- and location-dependent manner. Using a ...murine orthotopic anaplastic astrocytoma model, ALTS1C1, this study showed that brain tumor edge had a very unique microenvironment, having higher microvascular density (MVD) and better vessel function than the tumor core, but on the other hand was also positive for hypoxia markers, such as pimonidazole (PIMO), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and carbonic anhydrase IV (CAIX). The hypoxia at tumor edge was transient, named as peripheral hypoxia, and caused by different mechanisms from the chronic hypoxia in tumor core. The correlation of CAIX staining with astrocyte activation marker, glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), at the tumor edge indicated the involvement of astrocyte activation on the development of peripheral hypoxia. Peripheral hypoxia was a specific trait of orthotopic brain tumors at tumor edge, regardless of tumor origin. The hypoxic cells were resistant to the therapy, regardless of their location. Surviving cells, particularly those at the hypoxic region of tumor edge, are likely the cause of tumor recurrence after the therapy. New therapeutic platform that targets cells in tumor edge is likely to achieve better treatment outcomes.
To test the feasibility of objective assessments using the TekScan MatScan pressure mat plantar pressure measurement as a time-effective screening service for Parkinson disease (PD) with and without ...freezing of gait (FOG) history.
Prospective cross-sectional study.
Largest medical center in southern Taiwan.
Not applicable.
Plantar pressure measurements including average peak pressure (PP), contact area (CA), and pressure-time integral (PTI) in static and dynamic conditions as well as clinical scores during off-medication states.
A total of 103 patients with PD and 22 age- and sex-matched volunteers without PD (N=125).
Plantar pressure assessment including PP, CA, and PTI on the total foot areas between participants with PD and controls without PD in the static conditions are similar. Patients with PD presented higher PTI on total foot areas as well as hallux, midfoot area, and medial and lateral heels during dynamic conditions than controls without PD. The PP, CA, and PTI during the static condition and CA during the dynamic condition on the hallux showed statistical significance between PD with and without FOG history. Stepwise logistic regression after controlling with age and body mass index showed only PTI on hallux (static conditions) was significantly associated with the presence of FOG. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in diagnostic accuracy for FOG in PTI was statistically significant (P=.002; area under the curve, 0.71).
FOG screening using the TekScan MatScan pressure mat plantar pressure measurement could serve as a time-effective screening service at the outpatient clinic. Based on our study, PTI may be valuable in auxiliary diagnosis.
Obesity and its comorbidities constitute a serious health burden worldwide. Leptin plays an important role in diet control; however, it has a stimulatory potential on cancer cell proliferation. The ...OB3 peptide, a synthetic peptide, was shown to be more active than leptin in regulating metabolism but with no mitogenic effects in cancer cells.
In this study, we investigated the proliferative effects, gene expressions and signaling pathways modulated by leptin and OB3 in human ovarian cancer cells. In addition, an animal study was performed.
Leptin, but not OB3, induced the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. Interestingly, OB3 blocked the leptin-induced proliferative effect when it was co-applied with leptin. Both leptin and OB3 activated the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) signal transduction pathway. In addition, leptin stimulated the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) Tyr-705 as well as estrogen receptor (ER)α, and the expression of ERα-responsive genes. Interestingly, all leptin-induced signal activation and gene expressions were blocked by the co-incubation with OB3 and the inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2. Coincidently, leptin, but not OB3, increased circulating levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which is known to play important roles in the initiation and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells.
In summary, our findings suggest that the OB3 peptide may prevent leptin-induced ovarian cancer initiation and progression by disrupting leptin-induced proliferative signals via STAT3 phosphorylation and ERα activation. Therefore, the OB3 peptide is a potential anticancer agent that might be employed to prevent leptin-induced cancers in obese people.
To quit or not to quit Joe, Sheng-Wuu; Hung, Wei-Ting; Chiu, Chou-Kang ...
Personnel review,
08/2018, Letnik:
47, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose
To deepen our understanding about the development of turnover intention, the purpose of this paper is to develop a model that explains how ethical climate influences turnover intention based ...on the ethical climate theory and social identity theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses of this study were statistically tested using a survey of working professionals from Taiwan’s high-tech industry. Of the 400 questionnaires distributed to the working professionals from five large high-tech firms in a well-known science park in Northern Taiwan, 352 usable questionnaires were returned for a questionnaire response rate of 88 percent.
Findings
The test results of this study first show that all three dimensions of ethical climate (i.e. instrumental, benevolent, and principled) are indirectly related to turnover intention via the mediation of firm attractiveness. Moreover, instrumental and benevolent climate directly relate to turnover intention, whereas benevolent climate negatively moderates the relationship between principled climate and firm attractiveness.
Originality/value
This study finds that benevolent climate plays a dual role as an antecedent and a moderator in the formation of turnover intention, complementing prior studies that merely concentrate on the single role of benevolent climate as either an antecedent or a moderator. The effect of principled climate on organizational identification complements the theoretical discussion by Victor and Cullen (1987) about deontology in which an ethical workplace climate (such as legitimacy) drives employees to invest in identity attachments to the organization and influences their future career decision (e.g. turnover).
Abstract
Liver is an immunologically tolerogenic organ, while, autoreactive immune cells mediated autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is observed. Suppression of the hyper-reactive immune responses may ...restore the tolerance of liver. IL-37, an emerging IL-1 family cytokine with anti-inflammatory effects on innate and adaptive immunity, shows benefit on many autoimmune diseases. We proposed IL-37 could inhibit immune responses and improve AIH. IL-37 expressing adeno-associated virus (AAV-IL-37) successfully dampened the activation of macrophages in vitro. We next analyzed the effect of IL-37 in Con A-induced autoimmune hepatitis mouse model. Surprisingly, the liver histopathology showed more necrotic hepatocytes and infiltrating immune cells in AAV-IL-37 treated Con A mice than in control mice. Higher levels of serum IFN-γ in IL-37-expressing Con A mice were observed. Moreover, expression of inflammation-related mRNA in the liver were also highly induced with AAV-IL-37 treatment. Among hepatic lymphoid cells, NK and NKT cells were particularly increased in IL-37 treated Con A mice. The frequency of IFN-γ-secreting NK cells was also significantly increased. Further, CCL5, a chemoattractant for NK cells, was significantly elevated in the serum of AAV-IL-37 injected Con A mice. These results suggest that IL-37 worsen liver inflammation instead of relieving the disease. Of note, there was no obvious inflammation in AAV-IL-37 treated naïve mice, suggesting the proinflammatory effect of IL-37 in Con A treated mice resulted from the inflamed liver microenvironment. In conclusion, IL-37 aggravated liver inflammation in Con A induced hepatitis through recruiting NK cells and elevating the IFN-γ secretion of NK cells.
The incidence and mortality of site-specific cancers in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance dialysis have been rarely studied for Asian populations. We tapped Taiwan`s ...National Health Insurance Research Database to identify and recruit patients starting maintenance dialysis between 1999 and 2004. They were followed from initiation of dialysis until death, discontinuation of dialysis, or the end of 2008. We calculated the survival rate and mortality risk of dialysis patients with cancer. Of 40,833 dialysis patients, 2352 (5.8%) had been newly diagnosed with cancer. Being older, being male, and having chronic liver disease were factors associated with a higher risk for new cancer in ESRD dialysis patients. In men, liver cancer (20.63%) was the most frequent, followed by cancers of the bladder (16.88%) and kidney (11.61%). In women, bladder cancer (25.57%) was the most frequent, followed by cancers of the kidney (16.31%) and breast (11.20%). The 5-year survival rates for kidney and bladder cancer were higher than for other cancers; the survival rates for lung, stomach, and liver cancer were lower. In conclusion, the distribution of site-specific cancer was different between men and women in patients with ESRD on dialysis. More attention should be paid to teaching dialysis patients how to avoid the well-known cancer risks and carcinogens and individualized regular cancer screenings.
•No known biomarkers for progression from latent to active tuberculosis.•Blood monocyte M2a polarization in active tuberculosis disease.•Formyl peptide receptor 1 upregulation on M1 in active ...tuberculosis disease.•M2a polarization of THP-1 cells to Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigens.
This study aims to explore the role of M2a polarization and formyl peptide receptor (FPR) regulation in the reactivation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection.
M1/M2a monocyte percentage and FPR1/2/3 protein expression of blood immune cells were measured in 38 patients with sputum culture (+) active pulmonary TB disease, 18 subjects with latent TB infection (LTBI), and 28 noninfected healthy subjects (NIHS) using flow cytometry method.
M1 percentage was decreased in active TB versus either NIHS or LTBI group, while M2a percentage and M2a/M1 percentage ratio were increased. FPR1 expression on M1/M2a, FPR2 expression on M1, and FPR3 expression of M1 were all decreased in active TB versus LTBI group, while FPR1 over FPR2 expression ratio on NK T cell was increased in active TB versus either NIHS or LTBI group. In 11 patients with active TB disease, M1 percentage became normal again after anti-TB treatment. In vitro Mtb-specific antigen stimulation of monocytic THP-1 cells resulted in M2a polarization in association with increased FPR2 expression on M2a.
Increased M2a and decreased M1 phenotypes of blood monocyte may serve as a marker for active TB disease, while decreased FPR1 on blood monocyte may indicate LTBI status.
•Positive aging process improves QD-LED to achieve a 7× efficiency enhancement.•Active reagent treatment and static storage separately enhance device performance.•Active reagent allows Al atoms to ...diffuse from Al layer into ZnO layer.•Electroplex suppression is resulted from ETL material transformation.•Depth profile XPS confirms ETL material transformation from ZnO to AZO.
The enhanced device performance of blue quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) was demonstrated; a positive aging process was used to improve electron transport and suppress electroplex emission, which results from the interface between the QD-emitting layer and the ZnO electron-transporting layer (ETL). This electroplex interface functions as a low-energy recombination center, leading to energy loss and further decreasing the device performance. Without the positive aging process, the QD-LED exhibited poor electrical and electroluminescent (EL) characteristics, as well as an EL spectrum containing a strong electroplex emission with a peak at 635 nm. A positive aging process was applied by dripping a surface active reagent on the cathode before device encapsulation. The active reagent treatment led to suppression of the electroplex emission and enhanced device performance by promoting Al atoms into ZnO ETL to facilitate electron transport at the QD/ZnO interface. Furthermore, static positive aging was investigated by assessing the QD-LEDs at different storage times to observe the maturing process. After 409-hrs of maturing, the QD-LEDs exhibited an optimal device performance with favorable CEmax and EQEmax values of 6.2 cd/A and 8.7%, respectively. At a current density of 1 mA/cm2, the QD-LED exhibited a maximum overall efficiency enhancement factor of 7.1 after the positive aging process. In particular, electroplex suppression was correlated with the enhancement of device performance, caused by an upgraded QD/ZnO interface, formed during the positive aging process, benefits the electron transport.
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