35 research outputs found
Equine recurrent uveitis - A spontaneous horse model of uveitis
No full textEquine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is an autoimmune disease that occurs with a high prevalence (10%) in horses. ERU represents the only reliable spontaneous model for human autoimmune uveitis. We already identified and characterized novel autoantigens (malate dehydrogenase, recoverin, CRALBP) by analyzing the autoantibody-binding pattern of horses affected by spontaneous recurrent uveitis (ERU) to the retinal proteome. CRALBP also seems to be relevant to human autoimmune uveitis. Proteomic screening of vitreous and retinal samples from ERU diseased cases in comparison to healthy controls has led to the identification of a series of differentially regulated proteins, which are functionally linked to the immune system and the maintenance of the blood-retinal barrier. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
NK and T cells constitute two major, functionally distinct intestinal epithelial lymphocyte subsets in the chicken
No full textNon-mammalian NK cells have not been characterized in detail; however, their analysis is essential for the understanding of the NK cell receptor phylogeny. As a first step towards defining chicken NK cells, several tissues were screened for the presence of NK cells, phenotypically defined as CD8(+) cells lacking T- or B-lineage specific markers. By this criteria, approximately 30% of CD8(+) intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL), but <1% of splenocytes or peripheral blood lymphocytes were defined as NK cells. These CD8(+)CD3(-) IEL were used for the generation of the 28-4 mAb, immunoprecipitating a 35-kDa glycoprotein with a 28-kDa protein core. The CD3 and 28-4 mAb were used to separate IEL into CD3(+) IEL T cells and 28-4(+) cells, both co-expressing the CD8 antigen. During ontogeny, 28-4(+) cells were abundant in the IEL and in the embryonic spleen, where two subsets could be distinguished according to their CD8 and c-kit expression. Most importantly, 28-4(+) IEL lysed NK-sensitive targets, whereas intestinal T cells did not have any spontaneous cytolytic activity. These results define two major, phenotypically and functionally distinct IEL subpopulations, and imply an important role of NK cells in the mucosal immune system
Skeletal Effects of Low-Dose Cyclosporin A in Aged Male Rats: Lack of Relationship to Serum Testosterone Levels
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Effekte von Durchmelken während der Trockenstehzeit oder einmal täglichem Melken in den ersten vier Wochen der Laktation auf Stoffwechsel und Produktivität von Milchkühen
No full textThe aim of the study was to compare the effects of omitting the dry period or milking once daily for the first 4 weeks of lactation in high-yielding dairy cows on metabolic profile, reproduction, health parameters and milk production traits versus a traditional management system including a 56 d dry period and twice daily milking (control). Both milking regimes resulted in an improved metabolic status compared to control cows. This was indicated for both treatments by more moderate changes of transcript abundance of key enzymes related to glucose and lipid metabolism and functional parameters in blood serum. The improved metabolic status resulted in a markedly higher milk protein content especially for continuously milked cows. Continuous milking seems to keep the cow metabolically and physiologically adapted to lactation, once daily milking smoothes the transition from the non-lactating to the lactating state.Ziel der Studie war es, die Effekte von Weglassen der Trockenstehphase oder einmal täglichem Melken während der ersten 4 Wochen bei Milchkühen auf Stoffwechsel, Reproduktion, Gesundheit sowie Milchleistungsparameter mit einem tradtionellen System mit einer Trockenstehzeit von 56 Tagen und zweimal täglichem Melken (Kontrolltiere) zu vergleichen. Beide Melkregimes führten zu einem stabileren Stoffwechsel im Vergleich zu den Kontrolltieren. Das wurde für beide Verfahren angezeigt durch moderatere Veränderung der Expression von Schlüsselenzymen des Glukose- und Fettstoffwechsels sowie funktionalen Parametern im Blut. Der verbesserte metabolische Status führte zu einem deutlich höheren Milchproteingehalt vor allem bei den durchgemolkenen Kühen. Durchmelken scheint die Kuh metabolisch und physiologisch an die Laktation angepasst zu halten, einmal täglich Melken mildert den abrupten Übergang vom nicht laktierenden in den laktierenden Zustand ab
Ovariectomy augments B lymphopoiesis and generation of monocyte-macrophage precursors in rat bone marrow
No full textTo investigate the effects of estrogen depletion on hematopoiesis and bone turnover, female rats were either ovariectomized (OVX) or sham operated and killed at 1, 2, 3, and 4 wk postsurgery. Flow cytometric analysis of bone marrow cells (BMC) revealed that, in close temporal association with the rise in bone turnover as measured by bone histomorphometry, the number of Thy 1.1+and KiB1R+BMC increased two- to threefold in OVX rats relative to sham controls. The Thy 1.1+BMC were further characterized as Thy 1.1+/KiB1R+and Thy 1.1+/HIS24+double-positive cells of the B cell lineage. A transient rise in ED1+myeloid cells expressing a lysosomal antigen specific for the monocyte-macrophage and osteoclast lineage coincided with the upregulation of osteoclast numbers in OVX rats at 2 wk postsurgery, but the number of ED8+myelomonocytic BMC remained unchanged. Administration of estradiol prevented the rise in Thy 1.1+, KiB1R+, and ED1+BMC in OVX animals. Our study indicates that ovariectomy upregulates B lymphopoiesis in rat bone marrow and increases myeloid cell differentiation into the monocyte-macrophage and possibly also the osteoclast lineage.</jats:p
PHOTOIONIZATION SPECTROSCOPY OF Ga-RARE GAS COMPLEXES
No full textAuthor Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of GeorgiaNew electronic states, are investigated for the complexes GaAr, GaKr and GaXe with resonant two-photon photoionization spectroscopy. These excited states correlate to the atomic transition of gallium. Vibronic structure in these spectra are used to obtain vibrational constants, and extrapolated progressions are used to determine dissociation energies. The upper states are more than twice as strongly bound as the corresponding states. Excited state values of dissociation energies are used in energetic cycles to determine ground state dissociation energies for GaAr, GaKr and GaXe. In all three cases, the values obtained are significantly lower than previous estimates. The ground state of GaAr is extremely weakly bound, with , while the corresponding value for GaKr is only . Analysis suggests the presence of a barrier in the long range potential of the excited states of the Ga-RG complexes
Evaluation of decellularized human umbilical vein (HUV) for vascular tissue engineering - comparison with endothelium-denuded HUV
No full textHuman umbilical vessels have been recognized as a valuable and widely available resource for vascular tissue engineering. Whereas endothelium-denuded human umbilical veins (HUVs) have been successfully seeded with a patient-derived neoendothelium, decellularized vessels may have additional advantages, due to their lower antigenicity. The present study investigated the effects of three different decellularization procedures on the histological, mechanical and seeding properties of HUVs. Vessels were decellularized by detergent treatment (Triton X-100, sodium deoxycholate, IGEPAL-CA630), osmotic lysis (3m NaCl, distilled water) and peroxyacetic acid treatment. In all cases, nuclease treatments were required to remove residual nucleic acids. Decellularization resulted in a partial loss of fibronectin and laminin staining in the subendothelial layer and affected the appearance of elastic fibres. In addition to removing residual nucleic acids, nuclease treatment weakened all stainings and substantially altered surface properties, as seen in scanning electron micrographs, indicating additional non-specific effects. Detergent treatment and osmotic lysis caused failure stresses to decrease significantly. Although conditioned medium prepared from decellularized HUV did not severely affect endothelial cell growth, cells seeded on decellularized HUV did not remain viable. This may be attributed to the partial removal of essential extracellular matrix components as well as to changes of surface properties. Therefore, decellularized HUVs appear to require additional modifications in order to support successful cell seeding. Replacing the vessels' endothelium may thus be a superior alternative to decellularization when creating tissue-engineered blood vessels with non-immunogenic luminal interfaces. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
PHOTOIONIZATION SPECTROSCOPY OF Au-Ar
No full textAuthor Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of GeorgiaResonance enhanced photoionization is used to probe two electronic band systems of the new metal van der Walls complex Au-Ar. The two band systems are located near 270 nm and 245 nm. These systems correlate to the spin-orbit components ( and respectively) of the atomic transition. An extrapolation of the vibronic bands is used to obtain the ground state binding energy. , as well as lower limits for the excited state binding energies . The ionization potential is determined from the lowest observed line to be . The properties of Au-Ar are compared to those of Cu-RG and Ag-RG complexes studied previously in our laboratory
Evaluation of decellularized human umbilical vein (HUV) for vascular tissue engineering - comparison with endothelium-denuded HUV.
No full textHuman umbilical vessels have been recognized as a valuable and widely available resource for vascular tissue engineering. Whereas endothelium-denuded human umbilical veins (HUVs) have been successfully seeded with a patient-derived neoendothelium, decellularized vessels may have additional advantages, due to their lower antigenicity. The present study investigated the effects of three different decellularization procedures on the histological, mechanical and seeding properties of HUVs. Vessels were decellularized by detergent treatment (Triton X-100, sodium deoxycholate, IGEPAL-CA630), osmotic lysis (3 m NaCl, distilled water) and peroxyacetic acid treatment. In all cases, nuclease treatments were required to remove residual nucleic acids. Decellularization resulted in a partial loss of fibronectin and laminin staining in the subendothelial layer and affected the appearance of elastic fibres. In addition to removing residual nucleic acids, nuclease treatment weakened all stainings and substantially altered surface properties, as seen in scanning electron micrographs, indicating additional non-specific effects. Detergent treatment and osmotic lysis caused failure stresses to decrease significantly. Although conditioned medium prepared from decellularized HUV did not severely affect endothelial cell growth, cells seeded on decellularized HUV did not remain viable. This may be attributed to the partial removal of essential extracellular matrix components as well as to changes of surface properties. Therefore, decellularized HUVs appear to require additional modifications in order to support successful cell seeding. Replacing the vessels' endothelium may thus be a superior alternative to decellularization when creating tissue-engineered blood vessels with non-immunogenic luminal interfaces
