Antibodies to human herpesvirus 8 latent and lytic antigens in blood donors and potential high-risk groups in Sweden: variable frequencies found in a multicenter serological study

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) is a herpesvirus associated with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). An immunofluorescence assay was used for detection of IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies against lytic and latent HHV-8 antigens to analyse samples from KS patients (n = 8), healthy blood donors (n = 162), individuals with a high risk sexual behaviour (n = 114), and bone marrow transplant patients (with high risk for bloodborne infections) (n = 34) in Sweden. Of the KS patients, 88% had IgG antibodies to both lytic and latent antigens by immunofluorescence. In all other groups, antilatent antibodies were rare (0-2.6%). IgG antibodies to the lytic antigens were found, by immunofluorescence, in 20% of the blood donors, 31% of the high risk patients, and in 24 and 29% of the bone marrow transplant patients (pre- and post-transplant samples, respectively). For verification of the specificity of the anti-lytic antibodies, 170 of the samples were also tested blindly at different laboratories world-wide with five other assays shown previously to detect HHV-8 antibodies in most KS patients. By using two recombinant HHV-8 proteins (ORF65/vp17 and K8.1/gp 35-37) in ELISA, a whole-virion ELISA and two immunofluorescence assays confirmation of the reactivity against lytic viral antigens was sought. The comparison of the different methods suggested the K8.1 ELISA to be highly specific and also showed a good agreement between two of the immunofluorescence assays. However, generally there was a poor correlation for positive results, indicating the need of further methodological development.     

Hemadsorption and hemadsorption inhibition tests for rubella virus

Summary A hemadsorption (HAd) reaction was demonstrated in rubella-infected cell cultures using erythrocytes of 1-day-old chickens, adult chickens, pigeons, geese, sheep or bovines. HAd occurred at 4°C, room temperature or 37°C, and at a pH of 6.2 or 7.4. BHK-21 cells were the most satisfactory for demonstrating HAd; the reaction could be demonstrated only in heavily-infected cultures of other cell types. Infected BHK-21 cell cultures generally had to attain infectivity titers of 10^–3.5 to 10^–4.0 InD₅₀ per 0.1 ml in order for HAd to be demonstrable. The HAd reaction could be used to detect unneutralized virus in neutralizing antibody assays, and the inhibition of HAd in infected cell cultures was a very sensitive method for assay of rubella antibodies. A procedure was developed for identification of rubella virus isolates by HAd inhibition.The work on which this report is based was supported by Grant AI-01475 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, United States Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.     

Chronic progressive panencephalitis due to rubella virus simulating subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Late-onset chronic progressive panencephalitis developed in a 12-year-old boy with congenital rubella syndrome from whose brain rubella virus was isolated. Progressive dementia began at eight, and ataxia, choreiform movements, myoclonic seizures, and fine perimacular pigmentation appeared at 11 years of age. The cerebrospinal fluid was minimally pleocytotic and had a total protein of 156 mg per deciliter, of which 52 per cent was gamma globulin. Electroencephalography demonstrated generalized medium and occasional high-voltage slowing without burst suppression. The antibody titer to rubella virus (hemagglutination inhibition) was 1:8192 in serum and 1:256 in cerebrospinal fluid. Antibody titer to measles virus (complement fixation) was less than 1:8 in serum. Microscopical study of biopsied brain tissue at the age of 11 disclosed panencephalitis similar to subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, but with perivascular deposits and without inclusion bodies. Rubella virus was isolated from the brain by cocultivation with CV-1 cells.     

Sperm nitric oxide and motility: the effects of nitric oxide synthase stimulation and inhibition

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from L-arginine by a family of enzymes known as the nitric oxide synthases (NOS). We have recently shown a NOS similar to constitutive brain NOS (bNOS) and endothelial NOS (ecNOS) to be present in spermatozoa. The aim of this study is to investigate NO production by human spermatozoa and the effects of stimulation and inhibition of NOS. This was carried out using the Iso-NO, an isolated NO meter and sensor, which provides rapid, accurate and direct measurements of NO. Semen samples with normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic profiles were prepared using a direct swim-up technique. Basal concentrations of NO and stimulated NO production were measured after exposure to the calcium ionophore (A23187; 0.01-10 microM) a potent activator of constitutive NOS. NO production in human spermatozoa was significantly increased by the addition of A23187 30 seconds after stimulation. Furthermore, this response was greatly diminished by pre-incubating the samples with competitive inhibitors of L-arginine, the substrate for NOS, before treatment with calcium ionophore. In the presence of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L- NAME), N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) or N(G)-methyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; all at 10 microM), NO production was inhibited with a rank order of potency L-NAME > L-NMMA > L-NA which is in accordance with the inhibition of an endothelial type of constitutive NOS.      

Yoga lifestyle intervention reduces blood pressure in HIV‐infected adults with cardiovascular disease risk factors*

Objective

People living with HIV infection are at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Safe and effective interventions for lowering CVD risk in HIV infection are high priorities. We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled study to evaluate whether a yoga lifestyle intervention improves CVD risk factors, virological or immunological status, or quality of life (QOL) in HIV‐infected adults relative to standard of care treatment in a matched control group.

Methods

Sixty HIV‐infected adults with mild–moderate CVD risk were assigned to 20 weeks of supervised yoga practice or standard of care treatment. Baseline and week 20 measures were: 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test with insulin monitoring, body composition, fasting serum lipid/lipoprotein profile, resting blood pressures, CD4 T‐cell count and plasma HIV RNA, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF)‐36 health‐related QOL inventory.

Results

Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures improved more (P=0.04) in the yoga group (−5 ± 2 and −3 ± 1 mmHg, respectively) than in the standard of care group (+1 ± 2 and+2 ± 2 mmHg, respectively). However, there was no greater reduction in body weight, fat mass or proatherogenic lipids, or improvements in glucose tolerance or overall QOL after yoga. Immune and virological status was not adversely affected.

Conclusion

Among traditional lifestyle modifications, yoga is a low‐cost, simple to administer, nonpharmacological, popular behavioural intervention that can lower blood pressure in pre‐hypertensive HIV‐infected adults with mild–moderate CVD risk factors.

     

Secretory phospholipase A2 levels in patients with sickle cell disease and acute chest syndrome

In a multicenter study (eight centers), we determined secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)) levels in patients with sickle cell disease and acute chest syndrome (ACS). The diagnosis of ACS was made according to established criteria. The sPLA2 levels were determined in blood samples collected at baseline (time of diagnosis) and serially thereafter up to day 22-35 follow-up visits. Thirty-four of 43 (80%) patients with ACS had enzyme levels > or =1.00 AU at baseline. The enzyme levels decreased significantly on Days 2 through Days 25-35 after baseline. Nine of 43 (20%) patients had baseline sPLA2 values of <1.00 AU with six of them never exceeding 1.00 AU at any point in time during follow-up. The data indicate that the reliability of sPLA(2( for predicting the development of ACS is not perfect (100%) as was previously reported but occurs in about 80% of the patients.     

Compressive properties of commercially available polyurethane foams as mechanical models for osteoporotic human cancellous bone

Background  

Polyurethane (PU) foam is widely used as a model for cancellous bone. The higher density foams are used as standard biomechanical test materials, but none of the low density PU foams are universally accepted as models for osteoporotic (OP) bone. The aim of this study was to determine whether low density PU foam might be suitable for mimicking human OP cancellous bone.