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In this paper, an ordinary differential equation model of HIV infection of CD4+ T-cells with saturated reverse function is studied. We prove that if the basic reproduction number R0 < 1, the virus-free equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable. And there will exhibit backward bifurcation when R0 < 1. If R0 > 1, some feasibly sufficient conditions are obtained for the global asymptotic stability of a positive equilibrium of the model by using the theory of competitive systems, compound matrices and stability of periodic orbits. Furthermore, we also obtain the conditions for which the model exists an orbitally asymptotically stable periodic solution. Numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disorder of childhood. Underlying factors that contribute to AD are impaired epithelial barrier, alterations in the lipid composition of the skin, immunological imbalance including increased Th2/Th1 ratio, proinflammatory cytokines, decreased T regulatory cells, genetic mutations, and epigenetic alterations. Atopic dermatitis is a multifactorial disease with a particularly complicated pathophysiology. Discoveries to date may be considered the tip of the iceberg, and the increasing number of studies in this field indicate that there are many points to be elucidated in AD pathophysiology. In this review, we aimed to illustrate the current understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms in AD, to evaluate available treatment options with a focus on recently discovered therapeutic agents, and to determine the personal, familial, and economic burdens of the disease, which are frequently neglected issues in AD. Currently available therapies only provide transient solutions and cannot fully cure the disease. However, advances in the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease have led to the production of new treatment options, while ongoing drug trials also have had promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apoptosis can be used to manipulate host cells by bacterial products such as bacterial heat shock proteins (Hsp). One of the virulence factors of periodontal pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is heat shock protein GroEL (AaGroEL), which has been shown to interact with host cells. AaGroEL (Hsp64) also has the potential to modulate immune system cells. In this study we used endogenous AaGroEL protein as an antigen to study bacterial Hsp-induced apoptosis in different immune system cells. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cell lines were cultured with different doses (50-1000 ng/mL) of endogenous AaGroEL at various time points. Apoptosis of the cells was measured by Annexin V and 7AAD labeling. Apoptotic cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Our data suggested that AaGroEL-responding primary CD8+ T cells were more susceptible to apoptosis than CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, the magnitude of apoptosis in the Jurkat T cell line was higher than that in primary CD8+ T cells. There was no statistically significant level of apoptosis in the chronic myeloid leukemia (K562) cell line, which belongs to myeloid lineages. Thus, A. actinomycetemcomitans GroEL protein has more potent apoptotic effect on cells that are derived from a lymphoid progenitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]