Type-IV-pilus-mediated adhesion of Neisseria meningitidis (also known as meningococcus) to human endothelial cells induces the formation of membrane protrusions leading to bacterial uptake. We have previously shown that these protrusions result from a Rho- and Cdc42-dependent cortical actin polymerization, and from the activation of the ErbB2 tyrosine-kinase receptor and the Src kinase, leading...

This comment letter points out that the essence of the “extreme learning machine (ELM)” recently appeared has been proposed earlier by Broomhead and Lowe and Pao et al., and discussed by other authors. Hence, it is not necessary to introduce a new name “ELM.”

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and the rhizobia-legume (RL) root endosymbioses are established as a result of signal exchange in which there is mutual recognition of diffusible signals produced by plant and microbial partners. It was discovered 20 years ago that the key symbiotic signals produced by rhizobial bacteria are lipo-chitooligosaccharides (LCO), called Nod factors. These LCO are perc...

Introduction: Vocal fold lipoinjection (VFLI) has been used in glottal insufficiency rehabilitation, although with inconsistent results due to unpredictable fat resorption. Recent studies demonstrate that platelet-rich plasma (PRP), obtained from autologous venous blood, increases graft stability, stimulating the proliferation of adipose stem cells (ASC). Objective: The objective of this work i...

Human lipodystrophies are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by generalized or partial fat loss. If localized, they are often associated with fat hypertrophy in other depots, varying according to the type of lipodystrophy. Lipodystrophies can be genetic, which is usually uncommon, or acquired. Genetic lipodystrophy is generally related to severe meta‐ bolic alterations including in...

Complement forms a key arm of innate immune defenses against gonococcal infection. Sialylation of gonococcal lipo-oligosaccharide, or expression of porin 1A (Por1A) protein, enables Neisseria gonorrhoeae to bind the alternative pathway complement inhibitor, factor H (fH), and evade killing by human complement. Using recombinant fH fragment-murine Fc fusion proteins, we localized two N. gonorrho...

Invading bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus induce mobilization of professional phagocytes (e.g., neutrophils) and extracellular antibacterial proteins (e.g., group IIA phospholipase A2 (gIIA PLA2)). Accumulation of gIIA PLA2 in inflammatory fluids confers potent extracellular antistaphylococcal activity and at lower concentrations promotes bacterial phospholipid degradation during phagocyt...

Atherosclerosis being considered as an inflammatory disorder, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, aspirin, and celecoxib) in hypercholesterolemia. Ibuprofen is a cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) inhibitor known to reduce the production of prostaglandins that play prominent role in inflammation. Beside the anti-inflammatory eff...