Orofacial manifestations and seroprevalence of HIV infection in Namibian dental patients

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In an anonymous study of HIV-1 sero-reactivity in dental patients in a Government clinic in Namibia, 29 (7%) out of 405 patients (10 female and 19 male) were confirmed as HIV-infected. HIV-anti-body testing was done cheaply and conveniently by collecting and storing finger-prick blood on absorbent paper, and eluting the samples 7 weeks later. Testing was done by GACPAT, a simple, inexpensive temperature independent assay which requires no specialised equipment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Six patients had orofacial lesions, including Kaposi's sarcoma, leukoplakia (bilateral on buccal mucosa), cervical lymphadenopathy, hairy leukoplakia, circum-oral herpes simplex, HIV-gingivitis and necrotising ulcerative gingivitis. This sampling and testing system is well suited for use in epidemiological surveys in developing countries.     

阻断局部肾素-血管紧张素-醛固酮系统不同环节对大鼠肺间质纤维化肿瘤坏死因子α表达的影响

目的:观察阻断肾素-血管紧张素-醛固酮系统不同环节对实验性肺纤维化大鼠肺组织肿瘤坏死因子α的影响。方法:实验于2005-08/2006-08在南华大学附属第一医院临床研究所及南华大学医学院组胚、生理实验室完成。取6周龄SD大鼠50只,随机分为正常对照组、模型组、卡托普利组、螺内酯组和氯沙坦组,每组10只。正常对照组气管内注入生理盐水,其他40只SD大鼠气管内注入博莱霉素5mg/kg复制肺纤维化模型。次日胃管内灌注血管紧张素转换酶抑制剂卡托普利60mg/kg(卡托普利组)、血管紧张素Ⅱ的Ⅰ型受体阻断剂氯沙坦10mg/kg(氯沙坦组)、醛固酮受体拮抗剂螺内酯100mg/kg(螺内酯组)、等量生理盐水(模型组和正常对照组),1次/d。各组动物均于给药后第28天处死,通过苏木精-伊红染色和Mallory染色观察肺组织病理变化,用免疫组织化学法和图像分析系统定量检测肺组织肿瘤坏死因子α的表达。结果:41只大鼠进入结果分析。①肿瘤坏死因子α蛋白表达:模型组高于正常对照组(166.82±4.14,61.44±1.94,P<0.01),卡托普利组、氯沙坦组、螺内酯组低于模型组(107.50±4.60,113.64±8.47,118.00±7.14,P<0.01),各用药组间无差异。②模型组肺泡炎程度、肺纤维化程度显著高于正常对照组(P<0.01,0.05),卡托普利组、氯沙坦组、螺内酯组较模型组好转(P<0.01),各用药组间无差异。结论:肺局部肾素-血管紧张素-醛固酮不同环节可能通过刺激肺部肿瘤坏死因子α表达而发挥致纤维化作用,阻断其不同环节可阻止肿瘤坏死因子α水平升高,抑制肺纤维化形成。     

Immune responses in adults to revaccination with a tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine 10 years after a previous dose

Background

Although decennial adult boosters of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids are recommended in Canada and the United States, a second dose of pertussis vaccine during adulthood is not currently recommended.

Methods

This open-label, multicenter study compared the safety and immunogenicity of a first dose of an adult formulation of tetanus, diphtheria, and acelluar pertussis vaccine (Tdap) with a repeat dose of Tdap in adults who had received Tdap 10 years previously.

Results

A total of 769 participants ranging in age from 20 to 72 years took part in this study; 92.3% of naïve and 92.7% of repeat-dose participants had at least one solicited adverse event. Injection-site pain (84.4% and 87.8%), erythema (29.7% and 23.1%), and swelling (23.3% and 20.5%), and myalgia (53.5% and 60.1%), headache (37.6% and 40.6%), malaise (29.0% and 29.4%), and fever (4.9% and 4.2%) were the most common solicited adverse events reported in the naïve and repeat-dose groups, respectively. Postvaccination antibody levels ≥0.1 IU/mL were achieved by 99.7% of the naïve-group participants and all of the repeat-dose participants for tetanus and 96.1% of the naïve group and 98.5% of the repeat-dose group for diphtheria, both meeting the predefined noninferiority criteria. For pertussis antibodies, anti-PT (89.2 EU/mL vs. 116 EU/mL) was higher in the repeat-dose group, anti-FHA (249 vs. 214) and anti-PRN (216 vs. 266) were similar, and anti-FIM (1015 vs. 779) was higher in the naïve group. Noninferiority criteria were met for all antigens except for anti-FIM.

Conclusion

A repeat dose of Tdap vaccine 10 years after the first dose was well tolerated and immunogenic in adults (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00712959).     

Sme4 coiled-coil protein mediates synaptonemal complex assembly, recombinosome relocalization, and spindle pole body morphogenesis

We identify a large coiled-coil protein, Sme4/PaMe4, that is highly conserved among the large group of Sordariales and plays central roles in two temporally and functionally distinct aspects of the fungal sexual cycle: first as a component of the meiotic synaptonemal complex (SC) and then, after disappearing and reappearing, as a component of the spindle pole body (SPB). In both cases, the protein mediates spatial juxtaposition of two major structures: linkage of homolog axes through the SC and a change in the SPB from a planar to a bent conformation. Corresponding mutants exhibit defects, respectively, in SC and SPB morphogenesis, with downstream consequences for recombination and astral-microtubule nucleation plus postmeiotic nuclear migration. Sme4 is also required for reorganization of recombination complexes in which Rad51, Mer3, and Msh4 foci relocalize from an on-axis position to a between-axis (on-SC) position concomitant with SC installation. Because involved recombinosome foci represent total recombinational interactions, these dynamics are irrespective of their designation for maturation into cross-overs or noncross-overs. The defined dual roles for Sme4 in two different structures that function at distinct phases of the sexual cycle also provide more functional links and evolutionary dynamics among the nuclear envelope, SPB, and SC.     

Structural findings in the basal ganglia in genetically determined and idiopathic Parkinson's disease

A bilateral compensatory increase of basal ganglia (BG) gray matter value (GMV) was recently demonstrated in asymptomatic Parkin mutation carriers, who likely have an increased risk to develop Parkinson's disease (PD). We hypothesized BG morphological changes in symptomatic Parkin mutation carriers (sPARKIN-MC) and idiopathic PD patients (iPD) after the occurrence of PD symptoms, reflecting the breakdown of compensatory mechanisms. Nine sPARKIN-MC, 14 iPD, and 24 controls were studied clinically and with voxel-based morphometry. Analysis of variance revealed mainly BG decrease of GMV in sPARKIN-MC and to a lesser extent in iPD. However, a slight increase in GMV was also found in the right globus pallidus externus in sPARKIN-MC and in the right putamen in iPD. This may reflect a structural correlate of functional compensation that can only partially be maintained when nigrostriatal neurodegeneration becomes manifest. Simple regression analyses with the UPDRS-III and disease duration score revealed a distinct more bilateral linear decrease of BG GMV in sPARKIN-MC than in iPD that may correspond to previous findings showing a symmetric reduction in putaminal (18)F-DOPA-uptake and bilateral manifestation of symptoms in sPARKIN-MC. In symptomatic PD, BG are subject to a progressive atrophy, which gradually increases with disease severity and duration.