Implicated = involved?

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hitherto attributed essentially to T cells = (autoimmune diseases) so far caused basically caused by T cells?

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Currently, B cells are being implicated in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases hitherto attributed essentially to T cells, with type 1 autoimmune diabetes being a notable example. All this has raised the possibility of ‘rebalancing’ the immune system by B cell depletion [23]. Such therapies that reduce B cell competence may reduce autoreactivity by resetting a postulated immunostat.

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Type: Question • Score: 1 • Views: 561 • Replies: 9

[+3] - Setanta - 11/07/2010Oristar is not spamming the site. Oristar is a student of English as a second language. Over the years, his progress has been amazing. He is the fastest and most subtle learner English as a...

To implicate is to allege involvement, not to assert involvement. This passage is saying that B cells may be involved in the process, not that it is known that they definitely are.

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@Setanta,

You are far too kind in responding to posters too lazy to look up dictionaries - and who have been spamming the forum for the longest time.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/implication

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Oristar is not spamming the site. Oristar is a student of English as a second language. Over the years, his progress has been amazing. He is the fastest and most subtle learner English as a second language i have ever encountered. I suggest to you that he looked up implicate (he is smart enough to know that implicated is the past participle, and to look up the verb to implicate), understood the aspect of involvement, but missed the nuance of alleged involvement, and so came here looking for a definite answer. Lately, he has been reading in genetics and immunology--these are difficult subjects even for the native speaker, so i admire him even more for the perspicacity with which he applies himself to this very difficult task.

Once again, Oristar is not spamming the site.

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@High Seas,

You are far too prejudiced and ignorant about the perfectly legitimate use of this site by people for whom English is not a first language.

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Thank you Setanta and Dlowan. Very Happy

0 Replies

@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

Oristar is not spamming the site. Oristar is a student of English as a second language. Over the years, his progress has been amazing. He is the fastest and most subtle learner English as a second language i have ever encountered.

I agree one hundred per cent with Setanta's remarks.

However, I have a problem with the idea that implication necessarily carries a notion of allegation. I would suggest that the piece quoted...

Quote:

Currently, B cells are being implicated in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases

...could equally be read as "Currently, it is being discovered that B cells are involved in the pathogenesis..."

Here is a dictionary definition that shows what I mean.

Quote:

im·pli·cate (mpl-kt)

1. To involve or connect intimately or incriminatingly: evidence that implicates others in the plot.

2. To have as a consequence or necessary circumstance; imply or entail: His evasiveness implicated complicity.

3. Linguistics To convey, imply, or suggest by implicature.

4. Archaic To interweave or entangle; entwine.

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@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

hitherto attributed essentially to T cells = (autoimmune diseases) so far caused basically caused by T cells?

primarily attributed to T cells until recently .

To the question of proof or hypothesis... I don't know of any proof to date but the hypothesis is gaining ground and B-cell targeted immunotherapies are effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis and are under investigation in many other autoimmune diseases.

Quote:

B-cell-targeted therapy for autoimmune disease emerged from theoretical proposition to practical reality between 1997 and 1998, with the availability of the B-cell-depleting monoclonal antibody rituximab. Since then, a score of autoantibody-associated disorders have been treated, with most convincing evidence of efficacy seen in subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. Several classes of B-cell-targeted agent are now under investigation. From the outset, a major goal of B-cell targeting has been the re-establishment of some form of immunological tolerance. In some subjects, the observed improvement of disease for years following therapy fuels hope that this goal might ultimately be achievable. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16622478

Implicated = involved?

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