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Low Production (low + production)
Selected AbstractsAutologous nucleus pulposus primes T cells to develop into interleukin-4-producing effector cells: An experimental study on the autoimmune properties of nucleus pulposusJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Andrea Geiss Abstract An autoimmune response to herniated nucleus pulposus has been proposed to constitute a pathophysiologic mechanism for inducing sciatica based on the fact that nucleus pulposus under normal conditions is excluded from the development of immunological tolerance. The manifestation of an autoimmune response comprises different steps starting with antigen capture, continuing with activation of T helper (TH) cells and ending with production of autoantibodies. Activated TH cells differentiate into either TH1 cells, predominately producing proinflammatory cytokines such as interferon , (IFN,) or a TH2 subset mainly producing anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4). The aim of the present study was to examine if exposure of autologous nucleus pulposus (NP) to the immune system for 3 weeks is potent enough to prime TH cells to differentiate into TH2 cells. The study was performed in a pig model allowing the exposure of NP to the immune system. To assess the polarization of TH cells the intracellular production of IFN, and IL-4 was measured in T cells by using flow cytometry. The revealed predominant production of IL-4 together with low production of IFN, in T cells after NP exposure to the immune system indicates that nucleus pulposus may prime TH cells to develop into IL-4-producing TH2 cells after being exposed to the immune system, for example, in association with disc herniation. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27:97,103, 2009 [source] Importance of assemblage-level thinning: A field experiment in an alpine meadow on the Tibet plateauJOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE, Issue 4 2006Yanjiang Luo Anon. (1998) Abstract Question: Which fraction of the decrease in species richness under fertilization can be explained by assemblage-level thinning? Location: An alpine meadow on the eastern Tibet plateau. Methods: 60-m2 plots were randomly assigned to a control or one of four levels of ammonium phosphate fertilizer. Treatments were repeated for three years. The effect of as semblage-level thinning was decided based on similarity in quadrats within and between fertilizing levels, bootstrap simulation based on random thinning of the high density (low production, low fertility) quadrats and correlation of species' biomass in low fertility and high fertility. Results: Fertilization increased production, reduced species richness and reduced density of individuals. Heavily fertilized quadrats are more similar in species composition in 2000 but less similar in 2001 and 2002. Rarefaction showed that a decrease in density can account for 32.3-42.9% decrease of species richness, but the simulated species richness is always significantly higher than the observed one. When production and species richness are similar at two levels of fertilization, species biomass in the higher fertility treatment is positively correlated with biomass at lower fertility. When the two fertilizer levels differed in production and species richness, there was no evidence of correlation in species biomass, suggesting that assemblage level thinning cannot explain all the loss of species. Conclusion: Although a decrease in density could explain much of the decrease (up to 42.9%) in species richness when this alpine meadow was fertilized, other important mechanisms such as interspecific competition cannot be ignored. Future studies should investigate the effect of assemblage level thinning on species diversity, and search for mechanisms responsible for a decrease in diversity. [source] Habitats and Characteristics of the Sea Urchins Lytechinus variegatus and Arbacia punctulata (Echinodermata) on the Florida Gulf-Coast ShelfMARINE ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Sophie K. Hill Abstract Lytechinus variegatus and Arbacia punctulata have been studied primarily in inshore, shallow-water areas. However, they are abundant in deeper waters on the Florida gulf-coast shelf and seem important components of the benthic communities there. Lytechinus variegatus occurs alone on sand bottoms and A. punctulata occurs alone on rubble bottoms in these deeper waters. The species also co-occur there on heterogeneous bottoms, each in a distinct microhabitat with A. punctulata on rubble and L. variegatus on surrounding sand. Characteristics of the sea urchins in these different deeper-water habitat types and at one nearshore site with a heterogeneous rubble-sand bottom were compared. Over the 2-year study, offshore individuals of both species had low gut and gonad indices and the maximum size of individuals did not change. This suggests food limitation and low production. Offshore, A. punctulata had a higher Aristotle's lantern index and lower gut and gonad indices in populations where it co-occurred with L. variegatus compared to populations where it occurred alone. The Aristotle's lantern index of L. variegatus did not differ among the offshore sites. Neither species seemed food limited at the nearshore site. Although productivity is lower at the offshore sites, both species extend their distribution and reproduction potential by existing there. [source] Boost of mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A response by clarithromycin in paediatric influenzaRESPIROLOGY, Issue 8 2009Takako SAWABUCHI ABSTRACT Background and objective: The antiviral neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir (OSV) is used to treat influenza. The macrolide clarithromycin (CAM) is used to treat bacterial infections and has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. This retrospective study investigated the immunomodulatory effects of CAM in children presenting with influenza A. Methods: The study recruited 40 children with acute influenza, and grouped them according to the treatment received: 5-day treatment with OSV (n = 14), CAM (n = 8), OSV + CAM (n = 12) and untreated (n = 6). The before and after treatment comparisons were made of the level of secretory IgA (sIgA) against influenza A virus (H3N2) and (H1N1), total sIgA, viral RNA copy numbers in nasopharyngeal aspirates and disease symptoms. Results: Infection induced anti-viral mucosal sIgA in the nasopharyngeal aspirates of most patients of all treatment groups. Particularly prominent increases in the levels were found in the CAM and OSV + CAM groups. Low induction of anti-viral sIgA was observed in the OSV group, but the addition of CAM to OSV augmented sIgA production and restored local mucosal sIgA levels. The frequency of residual cough in the OSV + CAM group was significantly lower than in the other groups including the group treated with OSV. Conclusions: CAM boosted the nasopharyngeal mucosal immune response in children presenting with influenza A, even in those treated with OSV who had low production of mucosal anti-viral sIgA, and alleviated the symptoms of influenza. [source] The Critical Role of IL-12p40 in Initiating, Enhancing, and Perpetuating Pathogenic Events in Murine Experimental Autoimmune NeuritisBRAIN PATHOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Lei Bao Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a proinflammatory cytokine with important immunoregulatory activities and is critical in determining the differentiation and generation of Th1 cells. For the present study, we investigated the role of endogenous IL-12 in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN), which is a CD4+ T-cell mediated autoimmune inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system. EAN is used as an animal model for Guillain-Barré syndrome of humans. Here, EAN was established in IL-12 p40 deficient mutant (IL-12 -/- ) C57BL/6 mice by immunization with P0 peptide 180,199, a purified component of peripheral nerve myelin, and Freund's complete adjuvant. In these IL-12 -/- mice the onset of clinical disease was delayed, and the incidence and severity of EAN were significantly reduced compared to that in wild-type mice. The former group's clinical manifestations were associated with less P0-peptide 180,199 induced secretion of interferon-, (IFN-,) by splenocytes in vitro and low production of anti-P0-peptide 180,199 IgG2b antibodies in serum. Fewer IFN-, and TNF-, producing cells, but more cells secreting IL-4, were found in sciatic nerve sections from IL-12 -/- mice, consistent with impaired Th1 functions and response. However, the IL-12 deficiency appeared not to affect P0 peptide 180,199-specific T-cell proliferation. These results indicate that IL-12 has a major role in the initiation, enhancement and perpetuation of pathogenic events in EAN by promoting a Th1 cell-mediated immune response and suppressing the Th2 response. This information augments consideration of IL-12 as a therapeutic target in Guillain-Barré syndrome and other T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. [source] | |||||||||||||