Tierexperimentelle Untersuchungen zum Vergleich verschiedener chirurgischer Vorgehensweisen bei der Therapie von Unterkiefergelenkfortsatzfrakturen

Um die Auswirkung verschiedener chirurgischer Vorgehensweisen bei der Therapie der Kiefergelenksluxationsfrakturen im Wachstumsalter zu ermitteln, wurden die Unterkiefer von 10 juvenilen Minischweinen kraniometrisch untersucht. Es wurden Frakturen im Bereich des Kollums mit vollständiger Luxation des Kieferköpfchens, entweder nur mit einer chirurgischen Reposition, oder zusätzlich mit einer funktionsstabilen Osteosynthese therapiert und nachuntersucht. Es konnten keine Wachstumsstörungen festgestellt werden

Alterations in HIV-1 LTR promoter activity during AIDS progression

AbstractHIV-1 variants evolving in AIDS patients frequently show increased replicative capacity compared to those present during early asymptomatic infection. It is known that late stage HIV-1 variants often show an expanded coreceptor tropism and altered Nef function. In the present study we investigated whether enhanced HIV-1 LTR promoter activity might also evolve during disease progression. Our results demonstrate increased LTR promoter activity after AIDS progression in 3 of 12 HIV-1-infected individuals studied. Further analysis revealed that multiple alterations in the U3 core-enhancer and in the transactivation-response (TAR) region seem to be responsible for the enhanced functional activity. Our findings show that in a subset of HIV-1-infected individuals enhanced LTR transcription contributes to the increased replicative potential of late stage virus isolates and might accelerate disease progression

NF-κB-Repressing Factor Inhibits Elongation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Transcription by DRB Sensitivity-Inducing Factor

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is able to establish a latent infection during which the integrated provirus remains transcriptionally silent. In response to specific stimuli, the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) is highly activated, enhancing both transcriptional initiation and elongation. Here, we have identified a specific binding sequence of the nuclear NF-κB-repressing factor (NRF) within the HIV-1 LTR. The aim of this work was to define the role of NRF in regulating the LTR. Our data show that the endogenous NRF is required for transcriptional activation of the HIV-1 LTR in stimulated cells. In unstimulated cells, however, NRF inhibits HIV-1 LTR activity at the level of transcription elongation. Binding of NRF to the LTR in unstimulated cells prevents recruitment of elongation factor DRB sensitivity-inducing factor and formation of processive elongation complexes by hyperphosphorylated RNA polymerase II. Our data suggest that NRF interrupts the regulatory coupling of LTR binding factors and transcription elongation events. This inhibitory mechanism might contribute to transcriptional quiescence of integrated HIV-1 provirus

Identifying Bioaccumulative Halogenated Organic Compounds Using a Nontargeted Analytical Approach: Seabirds as Sentinels

<div><p>Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are typically monitored via targeted mass spectrometry, which potentially identifies only a fraction of the contaminants actually present in environmental samples. With new anthropogenic compounds continuously introduced to the environment, novel and proactive approaches that provide a comprehensive alternative to targeted methods are needed in order to more completely characterize the diversity of known and unknown compounds likely to cause adverse effects. Nontargeted mass spectrometry attempts to extensively screen for compounds, providing a feasible approach for identifying contaminants that warrant future monitoring. We employed a nontargeted analytical method using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC/TOF-MS) to characterize halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) in California Black skimmer (<i>Rynchops niger</i>) eggs. Our study identified 111 HOCs; 84 of these compounds were regularly detected via targeted approaches, while 27 were classified as typically unmonitored or unknown. Typically unmonitored compounds of note in bird eggs included tris(4-chlorophenyl)methane (TCPM), tris(4-chlorophenyl)methanol (TCPMOH), triclosan, permethrin, heptachloro-1'-methyl-1,2'-bipyrrole (MBP), as well as four halogenated unknown compounds that could not be identified through database searching or the literature. The presence of these compounds in Black skimmer eggs suggests they are persistent, bioaccumulative, potentially biomagnifying, and maternally transferring. Our results highlight the utility and importance of employing nontargeted analytical tools to assess true contaminant burdens in organisms, as well as to demonstrate the value in using environmental sentinels to proactively identify novel contaminants.</p></div

Relative Abundance of Individual Compounds, excluding PCBs.

<p>Each point represents one egg sample (n = 4), including non-detects. Non-detects are shown with a value of zero (multiple non-detects overlap). PCBs are included in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0127205#pone.0127205.s003" target="_blank">S1 Fig</a>.</p

Relative Abundance of Compound Classes.

<p>Each point represents detection in a single egg sample (n = 4). The abundance is the sum total of the normalized peak areas for all compounds in the class, in each sample. The line is the median abundance for the compound class. The source of each compound class is indicated in the legend. Non-detects are shown with a value of zero (multiple non-detects overlap).</p

DC-SIGN Interactions with Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Virus Binding and Transfer Are Dissociable Functions

The C-type lectins DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR capture and transfer human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to susceptible cells, although the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here we show that DC-SIGN/DC-SIGNR-mediated HIV transmission involves dissociable binding and transfer steps, indicating that efficient virus transmission is not simply due to tethering of virus to the cell surface