Toxicity assay in repeated doses of Dermatophagoides siboney allergen extract in mice

Allergen extracts are used for hyposensitivity and immunotherapy treatments, reducing significantly clinical symptoms of allergic diseases. Because of its wide use in immunoallergen therapy, we evaluated the Dermatophagoides siboney allergen extract to establish the potential toxicity following repeated subcutaneous dosing in Cenp:NMRI mice. Animals were randomly distributed into two groups, control (vehicle) and treated (166.6 UB/animal), and they were observed daily for clinical signs of toxicity following treatment. Body weight was weekly measured. At the end of the study, blood samples were collected for hematology and serum chemistry analysis and animals were euthanized for gross necropsy and histological examination of tissues. There were not significant differences in body weight or hematology parameters between control and treated animals. Differences were noted in uric acid, blood urea nitrogen and glucose; however, these alterations were not considered to be of biologic relevance. Pathology evaluations demonstrated hemorrhagic and inflammatory lesions at the administration site in both experimental groups. We conclude that repeated dosing of 166.6 UB did not cause significant toxic effects in the mouse model.     

Health-related quality of life in adults reporting arthritis: analysis from the National Health Measurement Study

Background  

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. We assess the generic health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) among a nationally representative sample of US adults with and without self-reported arthritis.     

Nuclear localization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase expressed as a fusion protein with green fluorescent protein.

Lentiviruses in general and the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in particular have the ability to integrate their genome stably into the chromosome of nondividing cells. Integration of HIV cDNA is mediated by the viral integrase (IN). Apart from its catalytic activity, this enzyme seems to play an important role in the transport of the HIV preintegration complex into the nucleus of nondividing cells. We studied the karyophilic properties of IN by constructing an N-terminal fusion protein of HIV-1 integrase and green fluorescent protein (GFP-IN). Transient expression of GFP-IN in various mammalian cell lines was demonstrated by fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and Western blotting. Although wild-type GFP was localized throughout the cell, GFP-IN was localized predominantly in the nucleus. Nuclear localization of GFP-IN was also obtained after transient transfection of the cells arrested in the G1/S phase of the cell cycle. These results provide compelling evidence for the karyophilic properties of the HIV-1 integrase.     

Maternal core beliefs and children's feeding problems

BACKGROUND: Although maternal mental health problems have been implicated in the exacerbation of childhood feeding difficulties, little research has assessed the contribution of broader maternal cognitions to these problems. The current study examined gender differences in the relationships between mothers' core beliefs and children's feeding problems. METHODS: One hundred and three mothers of girls and 93 mothers of boys (age range, 7-64 months) completed the Young Schema Questionnaire and the Child Feeding Assessment Questionnaire. RESULTS: While controlling for child age, a clear link between maternal core beliefs and perceived feeding difficulties emerged for mothers of girls. In particular, abandonment, failure to achieve, dependence and incompetence, enmeshment and defectiveness, and shame beliefs were associated with increased reports of feeding problems in girls. In contrast, emotional deprivation and subjugation beliefs were associated with maternal reports of food fussiness and food refusal in boys. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be a clear role for maternal core beliefs in the reporting of feeding difficulties in children, and the specificity of these links differs depending on the gender of the child. Further research is required to establish the direction of causality and the specificity of these relationships.     

Mutations in both env and gag genes are required for HIV-1 resistance to the polysulfonic dendrimer SPL2923, as corroborated by chimeric virus technology

A drug-resistant NL4.3/SPL2923 strain has previously been generated by in vitro selection of HIV-1(NL4.3) in the presence of the polysulfonic dendrimer SPL2923 and mutations were reported in its gp120 gene (Witvrouw et al., 2000). Here, we further analysed the (cross) resistance profile of NL4.3/SPL2923. NL4.3/SPL2923 was found to contain additional mutations in gp41 and showed reduced susceptibility to SPL2923, dextran sulfate (DS) and enfuvirtide. To delineate to what extent the mutations in each env gene were accountable for the phenotypic (cross) resistance of NL4.3/SPL2923, the gp120-, gp41- and gp160-sequences derived from this strain were placed into a wild-type background using env chimeric virus technology (CVT). The cross resistance of NL4.3/SPL2923 towards DS was fully reproduced following gp160-recombination, while it was only partially reproduced following gp120- or gp41-recombination. The mutations in gp41 of NL4.3/SPL2923 were sufficient to reproduce the cross resistance to enfuvirtide. Unexpectedly, the reduced sensitivity towards SPL2923 was not fully reproduced after gp160-recombination. The search for mutations in NL4.3/SPL2923 in viral genes other than env revealed several mutations in the gene encoding the HIV p17 matrix protein (MA) and one mutation in the gene encoding the p24 capsid protein (CA). In order to analyse the impact of the gag mutations alone and in combination with the mutations in env on the phenotypic resistance towards SPL2923, we developed a novel p17- and p17/gp160-CVT. Phenotypic analysis of the NL4.3/SPL2923 p17- and p17/gp160-recombined strains indicated that the mutations in both env and gag have to be present to fully reproduce the resistance of NL4.3/SPL2923 towards SPL2923.     

Managing anorexia nervosa

Clinical confidence and coordinated multidisciplinary care can influence the course of anorexia nervosa in children and adolescents. Sicker and younger patients with anorexia nervosa often present first to a paediatrician, requiring early recognition and appropriate management. Paediatric knowledge and skills are also needed to manage the impact of eating disorders on growth and development. This review provides practical guidance on the management of anorexia nervosa for paediatricians, in the areas of assessment, acute management and re-feeding, and long-term monitoring. In the absence of a strong evidence base for some of these recommendations, local protocols based on best practice guidelines can reduce anxiety, increase cooperation and reduce risk.     

General approach to the development of artificial blood-circulating equipment

All-Russian Scientific-Research Institute for Medical Instrument Engineering, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow. Manufacturing Association Korpus, Saratov. Translated from Meditsinskaya Tekhnika, No. 3, pp. 10–12, May–June, 1994.