Viral load,CD4 percentage,and delayed-type hypersensitivity in subjects receiving the HIY-1 Immunogen and antiviral drug therapy

Two trials of subjects inoculated with the inactivated, gp120-depleted HIV-1 Immunogen are reported. In one study, in which 19 subjects received ZDV and 8 subjects received ddI, treatment with the HIV-1 Immunogen did not affect the pharmacokinetic parameters of the antiviral drugs. In another study, 65 subjects who were previously immunized with the HIV-1 Immunogen over a mean period of 4.0 years (range, 1.2–5.4 years) received inoculations at 0 and 6 months. At some point during this 48-week study, 72% of the subjects (47/65) were receiving antiviral drug therapy. The HIV-1 DNA load in CD4 cells and CD4 percentage were found to be stable over the 48-week period. Delayed-type hypersensitivity to HIV-1 antigens increased after two inoculations with the HIV-1 Immunogen. In these two trials, no serious treatment-related adverse events were documented in the subjects. The two studies presented herein are the first to suggest that an immune-based therapy such as the HIV-1 Immunogen can be combined safely with antiviral drugs, supporting further study to evaluate the clinical utility of this approach.     

The response of hepatic angiotensinogen secretion to experimental inflammatory stimuli

Angiotensinogen is thought to be an acute-phase protein, since its plasma concentrations increase in response to some inflammatory conditions, e.g. partial hepatectomy, nephrectomy or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. However, this response of angiotensinogen has never been related to that of established acute-phase proteins. We have, therefore, examined plasma concentrations and hepatic secretion of angiotensinogen in two widely used inflammation models, i.e. turpentine or LPS injection in the rat, as well as in nephrectomized and sham-nephrectomized rats, in comparison to the response of two established acute-phase proteins, ₁-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and ₁-macroglobulin (AMG). Plasma concentrations and secretion rates of AGP and AMG increased significantly in all the conditions examined. The magnitude of the response decreased in the order turpentine > nephrectomy = LPS > sham nephrectomy. Angiotensinogen secretion was stimulated in LPS-injected (2.5-fold) and nephrectomized rats (2.6-fold), whereas no changes were seen in sham-nephrectomized rats. Surprisingly, a significant decrease both in secretion rates and plasma concentrations of angiotensinogen occurred in turpentine-injected rats.Intraperitoneal injection of interleukin 6, a major inductor of hepatic acute-phase proteins, increased plasma concentrations and hepatic secretion rates of AGP, AMG and angiotensinogen. Changes in liver angiotensinogen mRNA correlated well with angiotensinogen secretion rates in all groups, indicating that alterations in angiotensinogen synthesis are responsible for the observed changes in secretion rates and plasma concentrations. The response of angiotensinogen to turpentine is difficult to reconcile with the conventional definition of an acute-phase protein.     

Regulation of organic cation transport

Transport of organic cations (OC) is important for the recycling of endogenous OC and also a necessary step for detoxification of exogenous OC in the body. Even though the identification and characterisation of numerous OC transporters in recent years has allowed the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying OC transport, elucidation of the regulation of this transport is just beginning. This review summarises the general properties of OC transport and then analyses the literature on the regulation of these processes. Studies on short- and long-term regulation of OC transport are considered separately. Important aspects of short-term regulation have been clarified and the regulatory pathways of several OC transporters have been characterised. Short-term regulation appears to be transporter subtype-, tissue- and species-dependent and to involve transporter phosphorylation. Transporter phosphorylation may alter the affinity for substrates or/and expression on the plasma membrane. Even though several studies have shown long-term regulation of OC transport, the pathophysiological meaning of these changes are not well understood. In this case, regulation seems to be subtype-, tissue- and gender-specific. Further research is necessary to clarify this important issue of regulation of OC transport.     

Bloom''s Syndrome. VII. Progress report for 1978

The Bloom's Syndrome Registry was published in this journal in 1977. Now, in the first in a series of progress reports, recent accessions to the Registry are recorded, new instances of neoplasia are listed, and recent clinical observations and experimental results of general interest are cited.     

Effect of various diuretics on membrane voltage of macula densa cells. Whole-cell patch-clamp experiments

The tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism is inhibited by diuretics such as furosemide. For the macula densa (MD) cells similar transport systems, as present in thick ascending limb (TAL) cells, have been suggested. To examine this further, membrane voltages (V _m) of MD cells were recorded with the fast or slow wholecell patch-clamp method. The effects of diuretics on voltages and the conductance properties of these cells were examined. V _m of MD cells measured with the whole-cell patch-clamp method were as high as those in TAL cells: –72±1 mV (n=21). An increase in the extracellular K⁺ concentration by 15 mmol/l depolarized V _m of MD cells by 11±1 mV (n=18). Ba²⁺ (1 mmol/ l) reversibly depolarized MD cells by 10±2 mV (n= 10). Thus, MD cells possess a K⁺ conductance that could allow for the recycling of K⁺ taken up by the Na⁺-2 Cl^–-K⁺ cotransporter. MD cells hyperpolarized reversibly upon addition of the loop diuretics furosemide, piretanide and torasemide, whereas muzolimine and hydrochlorothiazide, neither one acting on this cotransport system in other preparations including the TAL, had no effect on V _m. MD cells most likely possess the same cotransport system as the TAL cells, which drives NaCl reabsorption in the TAL and serves as sensor for the tubular NaCl concentration in MD cells.     

Characterization of Group B Streptococcal Invasion of Human Chorion and Amnion Epithelial Cells In Vitro

Group B streptococci (GBS) have been cultured from the chorioamnionic membrane of pregnant women, usually in association with chorioamnionitis and premature labor (K. A. Boggess, D. H. Watts, S. L. Hillier, M. A. Krohn, T. J. Benedetti, and D. A. Eschenbach, Obstet. Gynecol. 87:779–784, 1996). Colonization and infection of placental membranes can be a prelude to neonatal GBS infections even in the presence of intact membranes (R. L. Naeye and E. C. Peters, Pediatrics 61:171–177, 1978), suggesting that GBS cause chorioamnionitis or establish amniotic fluid infections by partial or complete penetration of the placental membranes. We have isolated and grown cultures of primary chorion and amnion cells from human cesarean-section placentas. This has provided a biologically relevant model for investigating GBS adherence to and invasion of the two epithelial barriers of the placental membrane. GBS adhered to chorion cell monolayers to a high degree. Pretreatment of GBS with trypsin reduced adherence up to 10-fold, which suggested that the bacterial ligand(s) was a protein. GBS invaded chorion cells at a high rate in vitro, and invasion was dependent on cellular actin polymerization. GBS could be seen within intracellular vacuoles of chorion cells by transmission electron microscopy. We also demonstrated that GBS were capable of transcytosing through intact chorion cell monolayers without disruption of intracellular junctions. GBS also adhered to amnion cells; in contrast, however, these bacteria failed to invade amnion cells under a variety of assay conditions. GBS interactions with the chorion epithelial cell layer shown here correlate well with epidemiological and pathological studies of GBS chorioamnionitis. Our data also suggest that the amnion cell layer may provide an effective barrier against infection of the amniotic fluid.     

Current Biotechnological Approaches to the Prevention of Restenosis

No systemic pharmacological treatment has been convincingly shown to reduce the incidence of restenosis after angioplasty in patients. The lack of success of many pharmaceutical agents in reducing restenosis rates post-angioplasty and following stent implantation, as documented in dozens of clinical trials, has encouraged the development of new biotechnological approaches to the treatment of restenosis. Gene therapy and other agents, including antibodies, fusion toxins and ribozymes, have the potential to prevent some of the sequelae after arterial injury, particularly cell proliferation. Mechanical methods of preventing restenosis, for example sophisticated local drug delivery strategies and biodegradable stents using new materials, in combination with novel therapeutic agents or radiation, may also be of use.     

Comparison of the three-level and the five-level versions of the EQ-5D

The European Journal of Health Economics - EQ-5D is a generic instrument to measure health-related quality of life. In 2009, a new version, EQ-5D-5L, was introduced as an attempt to reduce ceiling...     

The impact of nurse staffing levels on nursing-sensitive patient outcomes: a multilevel regression approach

The European Journal of Health Economics - The goal of this study is to provide empirical evidence of the impact of nurse staffing levels on seven nursing-sensitive patient outcomes (NSPOs) at the...