We evaluated the antimicrobial activities of a cationic Gemini surfactant, trans-1,4-bis[2-(alkanoyloxy)ethyldimethylammonio]-2-butene dichloride [II-m-2(t-butene)] and its derivatives against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. The II-m-2(t-butene) compound was previously shown to have good surface activity and biodegradability. A dodecanoyloxy derivative (m = 12) of II-m-2(t-buten...

Expression of the leucocyte integrins (CD11a, b, c/CD18) and of CD35 (CR1) on leucocytes from the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n = 14) and control subjects (n = 12) was measured by flow cytometry using a rapid fixation and leucocyte preparation procedure. The mean (SE) percentages of lymphocytes expressing CD11a (RA 93.4 (1.7)%; controls 97.2 (1.8)%) and CD18 (RA...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by articular and extra-articular manifestations involving cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which account for 30% to 50% of all deaths. In patients with RA, atherosclerosis lesions occur earlier and have a more rapid evolution than in the general population. Beyond mortality, the impact of CVD on quality of life, c...

OBJECTIVES The human stress protein BiP (immunoglobulin binding protein) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since BiP was found to stimulate synovial T-cell proliferation and anti-BiP antibodies are present in the serum of RA patients. The aim of this study was the development of a rapid and reproducible enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine th...

Although the long-term effects of all-trans retinoic acid (RA) on neuronal growth and differentiation have been intensively studied, nothing is known about its effect on synaptic transmission. Here we show that RA rapidly and specifically enhances the spontaneous acetylcholine release at developing neuromuscular synapses in Xenopus cell culture using whole-cell patch-clamp recording. Acute addi...

Thyroid hormone (TH) is essential for adult brain function and its actions include several key roles in the hypothalamus. Although TH controls gene expression via specific TH receptors of the nuclear receptor class, surprisingly few genes have been demonstrated to be directly regulated by TH in the hypothalamus, or the adult brain as a whole. This study explored the rapid induction by TH of ret...

OBJECTIVES We report the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) across certolizumab pegol (CZP) clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), before and after the introduction of stricter TB screening. METHODS TB incidence rates (IRs) were assessed and stratified according to screening guidelines used at the time of CZP trials....