Background: Several proteolytically derived fragments from the proline-rich region (PRR) of human intertrypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) have been identified by surface-enhanced or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS or MALDI-TOF-MS) as potential disease markers. Methods: Previously, we developed a SELDI-based immunoassay that can sim...

In previous experiments, we showed that cells in the parietal reach region (PRR) in monkey posterior parietal cortex code intended reaching movements in an eye-centered frame of reference. These cells are more active when an arm compared with an eye movement is being planned. Despite this clear preference for arm movements, we now report that PRR neurons also fire around the time of a saccade. ...

Macrophage pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play key roles in innate immunity, but they also may contribute to disease processes under certain pathological conditions. We recently showed that engagement of the type A scavenger receptor (SRA), a PRR, triggers JNK-dependent apoptosis in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stressed macrophages. In advanced atherosclerotic lesions, the SRA, activated JN...

OBJECTIVE This study addresses the question of whether conservative methods of restoration may be applied efficaciously in permanent posterior teeth with proximal lesions and intact occlusal preventive resin restoration (PRR). The purpose of the present study was to assess the microleakage at amalgam-composite interface and composite-composite interface in permanent tooth with PRR. MATERIALS ...

Functional consequences for most inflammatory disease-associated loci are incompletely defined, including in the LACC1 (C13orf31) region. Here we show that human peripheral and intestinal myeloid-derived cells express laccase domain-containing 1 (LACC1); LACC1 is expressed in both the cytoplasm and mitochondria. Upon NOD2 stimulation of human macrophages, LACC1 associates with the NOD2-signalli...

The mouse MHC class I-b molecule H2-M3 has unique specificity for N-formyl peptides, derived from bacteria (and mitochondria), and is thus a pathogen-associated molecular pattern recognition receptor (PRR). To test whether M3 was selected for this PRR function, we studied M3 sequences from diverse murid species of murine genera Mus, Rattus, Apodemus, Diplothrix, Hybomys, Mastomys, and Tokudaia ...

Negative Selection Algorithm (NSA) is an important artificial immune data classifiers generation method in Artificial Immune System (AIS) research. However, with the increase of the data dimensions, the current data classification algorithms which based on NSA exist the problems of excessive number of generated classifiers and too low classifier generation efficiency. In this paper, the Dual Ne...

Background. The relationship between time of year and surgical site infection (SSI) has not been well studied. We examined seasonal variation of SSI in a large cohort of patients in non-teaching community hospitals. Methods. We performed a cohort study of patients undergoing the 10 procedures in 20 community hospitals affiliated with the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network from January 1, 2...

Recognition of microbial products by germ-line-encoded PRR initiates immune responses, but how PRR mediate specific host responses to infectious agents is poorly understood. We and others have proposed that specificity is achieved by collaborative responses mediated between different PRR. One such example comprises the fungal beta-glucan receptor Dectin-1, which collaborates with TLR to induce ...

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS), a key regulator of the blood pressure and fluid/electrolyte homeostasis, also plays a critical role in kidney development. All the components of the RAS are expressed in the developing metanephros. Moreover, mutations in the genes encoding components of the RAS in mice or humans are associated with a broad spectrum of congenital anomalies of the kidney and ur...