In vitro photochemical inactivation of cell-associated human T-cell leukemia virus Type I and II in human platelet concentrates and plasma by use of amotosalen

BACKGROUND: Human T-cell leukemia virus Types I and II (HTLV-I and HTLV-II), blood-borne retroviruses found worldwide, can cause leukemia, immunosuppression, and severe neurologic diseases. In most countries, HTLV-I and -II screening is not performed systematically for blood donations. A new photochemical treatment (PCT) with a synthetic psoralen was developed to inactivate most pathogens in platelet (PLT) concentrates or plasma and to improve the safety of blood donations. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Cell-associated HTLV-I or -II (10(6)/mL) was inoculated in full-size fresh PLT concentrates or fresh frozen plasma and treated with 150 micromol per L amotosalen (S-59) and different doses of long-wavelength ultraviolet A (UVA) light. The residual viral titer in the treated samples was assessed by a cocultivation assay on indicator cells. RESULTS: The inactivation obtained at a 3.0 J per cm2 UVA dose was greater than 5.2 log foci-forming units (FFUs) per mL for HTLV-I and 4.6 log FFUs per mL for HTLV-II in presence of human PLT concentrates and greater than 4.5 log FFUs per mL for HTLV-I and 5.7 log FFUs per mL for HTLV-II in the presence of human plasma. The residual infectivity was very low and shown as the limit of detection of the cocultivation assay. CONCLUSION: In human plasma or PLT concentrates, the retroviruses HTLV-I and -II were strongly sensitive to the PCT with 150 micromol per L amotosalen (S-59) and a 3.0 J per cm2 UVA dose. This high efficiency for photoinactivation of these retroviruses opens a possibility of improving the safety of PLTs or plasma transfusion in the future.     

apoB基因EcoRI、XbaI、MspI及apoAI基因-75bp、+83bp位点多态性与哈萨克族冠心病的相关性

目的:分析载脂蛋白B(apoB)基因EcoRI、XbaI、MspI位点和载脂蛋白AI(apoAI)基因-75bp、+83bp位点多态性与哈萨克族人冠心病的关系.方法:采用聚合酶链式反应-限制性片段长度多态性分析法检测185例哈萨克族冠心病患者和216例哈萨克族非冠心病对照者的这些位点多态性.结果:①TC、TG及apoA...     

彩色多普勒超声在移植肾急性排异反应中的应用

目的 应用彩色多普勒超声寻找移植肾急性排异反应较为特异的诊断指标.方法 经移植肾穿刺活检证实的急性排异反应患者42例,经长期随访(1年以上)和临床检查证实的功能稳定期患者115例.对两组移植肾长径、宽径、厚径、实质厚度以及主肾动脉和弓状动脉的阻力指数(RI)进行统计学比较;选取肾体积增大,锥体肿大回声减低、RI＜0.7、RI≥0.7及RI≥0.8作为诊断标准,按诊断试验评价原则分别计算灵敏度、特异度、误诊率、漏诊率和符合率;并绘制ROC曲线,确定诊断界值.结果 两组的移植肾长径、宽径、厚径及实质厚度差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);急性排异反应组肾内血流灌注减少,肾动脉舒张期血流速度明显下降,RI明显增高,与移植肾功能稳定期比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);各诊断标准对应的灵敏度分别为55.30%,55.20%,42.10%,57.90%和31.60%;特异度分别为71.30%、87.10%、25.70%、74.20%、98.20%.结论 肾体积增大、肾锥体肿大、回声减低、RI升高对诊断移植肾急性排异反应有特异性.     

Practical vaccination guidelines for children with cancer

The paediatrician or family physician usually provides primary care for children diagnosed with cancer. Immunizations are an important facet of this care, but guidelines for the immunization of these immunocom-promised children are difficult to locate and cumbersome to follow. The authors have developed immunization guidelines for children receiving chemotherapy for cancer that will hopefully facilitate the care of this group of children. Before initiating any immunizations in this group of children, communication with a cancer specialist is recommended. There is little evidence-based literature to support immunization guidelines in immunocompromised hosts; thus, the recommendations presented are derived from the available literature, existing guidelines and expert opinion.     

A clinical study assessing the tolerability and biological effects of infliximab, a TNF-alpha inhibitor, in patients with advanced cancer

BACKGROUND: Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is an important regulator of the chronic inflammation contributing to tumour progression. Infliximab, an anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody was investigated in this trial of patients with advanced cancer. The primary objectives were to determine the safety profile and biological response of infliximab in a cancer population. Clinical response was a secondary objective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients received infliximab at 5 mg/kg (n = 21) or 10 mg/kg (n = 20) i.v. at 0 and 2 weeks and then every 4 weeks. Post-treatment samples were measured for changes in plasma and serum TNF-alpha, CCL2, IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: Infliximab was well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxic effects. At both doses of infliximab, neutralisation of serum TNF-alpha was observed after 1 h while plasma CCL2, IL-6 and serum CRP were decreased 24 and 48 h following infliximab administration. Seven patients experienced disease stablisation (range 10-50+ weeks). There was no evidence of disease acceleration in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab treatment was safe and well tolerated in patients with advanced cancer. There was evidence of biological activity with baseline TNF-alpha and CCL2 being correlated with infliximab response.     

Feeding during acute diarrhea as a risk factor for persistent diarrhea

Dietary intake during diarrhea in children less than three years of age was estimated from information recorded on illustrated dietary forms used by children's caretakers during the first week of illness in a prospective community-based study of diarrheal diseases in Lima, Peru. The frequency of consumption and the amount consumed of food groups and selected commonly consumed foods were analyzed by the final duration of the diarrheal episode. Cereals were less frequently consumed during the acute phase of diarrheal episodes that ultimately became persistent (>14 days'duration), apparently shortening the duration of the episode by one day (median duration of four days in children not consuming vs three days in children consuming cereals during diarrhea, p <0.02 Kaplan-Meier logrank test). Only roots and tubers (mainly potatoes) were consumed in greater quantity during episodes that became persistent. There was no evidence that consumption of breast milk or non-maternal milk was associated with an alteration in diarrheal duration. This study provides further evidence of the beneficial effects of continuing feeding during diarrhea using foods available at the home level, especially cereals, which are commonly used in the diet of young children.     

Potentiation of cytotoxic therapies by TNP-470 and minocycline in mice bearing EMT-6 mammary carcinoma

Summary The ability of the antiangiogenic agents TNP-470 and minocycline, singly or in combination, to potentiate the antitumor effects of several cytotoxic therapies was assessed in the murine EMT-6 mammary carcinoma as well as in two drug resistant sublines of that tumor designated EMT-6/CTX and EMT-6/CDDP.The antiangiogenic agents alone or in combination did not alter the growth of the tumors. However, their administration along with cyclophosphamide, CDDP, or thiotepa substantially increased the tumor growth delay produced by these cytotoxic therapies in tumors responsive to the drugs — the increase was about 2-fold for TNP-470 and minocycline together. In drug resistant tumors, treatment with the antiangiogenic agents did not reverse drug resistance but did increase the effect of the cytotoxic drugs.Treatment with TNP-470/minocycline also increased the oxygenation of each of the three tumors. Thus, TNP-470/minocycline administration increased the efficacy of fractionated radiation therapy, especially when used along with a perflubron emulsion oxygen delivery agent/carbogen.These results indicate that treatment regimens including therapies directed toward the proliferating normal cells within a tumor mass as well as therapies directed toward the malignant cells can produce improved outcomes.