Prime-boost vaccine strategy against viral infections: Mechanisms and benefits

The essential goal of vaccination is to generate potent and long-term protection against diseases. Among different vaccine modalities, prime-boost vaccine strategies could enhance cellular and also humoral immunity in several animal models. These strategies have been applied for the development of vaccines against important infectious diseases such as HIV, SIV, HCV, HSV, and HBV indicating promising results even in clinical trials. Several factors including selection of antigen, type of vector, delivery route, dose, adjuvant, boosting regimen, the order of vector injection, and the intervals between different vaccinations influence the outcome of prime-boost immunization approaches. The reported data suggest that the prime-boost strategy as a combination of vaccines (i.e., heterologous prime-boost) may be better than a single vaccine for protection against infectious diseases. Indeed, in many cases, heterologous prime-boost can be more immunogenic than homologous prime-boost strategy. This review discusses the recent advances in prime-boost immunization strategies as well as their benefits and mechanisms of action.     

Current treatment of hypertension in patients with coronary artery disease recommended by different guidelines

Introduction: It is important to know how to treat hypertension in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The reason for the review was to update this treatment and to discuss the 2015 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/American Society of Hypertension 2015 guidelines of treatment of hypertension in patients with CAD.

Areas covered: Studies between 1968 and 2015 were reviewed on treatment of hypertension in patients with CAD using a Medline search, and studies between 1977 and 2015 were reported. Hypertension should be treated with beta blockers and ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Long-acting nitrates are effective antianginal and anti-ischemic drugs. Calcium-channel blockers (CCBs) may be added if angina persists despite beta blockers and long-acting nitrates. The 2015 guidelines recommend that the blood pressure should be < 140/90 mm Hg in patients aged ≤ 80 years and the systolic blood pressure < 150 mm Hg if they are ≥ 80 years.

Expert opinion: Hypertension in patients with CAD should be treated with beta blockers and ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Long-acting nitrates are effective antianginal and anti-ischemic drugs. CCBs may be added if angina persists despite beta blockers and long-acting nitrates. The blood pressure should be < 140/90 mm Hg in patients aged < 80 years and the systolic blood pressure < 150 mm Hg if they are ≥ 80 years.     

Sex Disparities in Risk of Mortality Among Children With ESRD

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Predicting Renal Function Outcomes After Partial and Radical Nephrectomy

Background

Partial nephrectomy (PN) is generally favored for cT1 tumors over radical nephrectomy (RN) when technically feasible. However, it can be unclear whether the additional risks of PN are worth the magnitude of renal function benefit.