Plasma HIV-1 RNA decline within the first two weeks of treatment is comparable for nevirapine, efavirenz, or both drugs combined and is not predictive of long-term virologic efficacy: A 2NN substudy

BACKGROUND: The initial rate of plasma HIV-1 RNA (pVL) decline has been proposed as a marker of early efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and a possible predictor of late efficacy. We compared the rate of pVL decline in patients starting ART with nevirapine (NVP), efavirenz (EFV), or both drugs combined in addition to lamivudine (3TC) and stavudine (d4T). METHODS: Analysis of the viral decay constant (VDc) during the first 2 weeks of treatment in patients enrolled in the 2NN study who remained on allocated treatment. RESULTS: The median VDc (log10 copies per day, [interquartile range]) was similar for NVP (0.30 [0.25-0.36], EFV (0.31 [0.27-0.37]), and NVP + EFV (0.30 [0.27-0.36]). Patients with a baseline pVL >100,000 copies/mL were 8.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.2-12.3) times more likely to have a VDc >75th percentile. A high VDc was not associated with plasma drug concentration or with a decreased risk of virologic failure at week 48 after the start of therapy (hazard ratio = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6-1.2). CONCLUSION: NVP, EFV, or NVP + EFV in combination with 3TC and d4T show similar rates of pVL decline during the first 2 weeks of treatment. The VDc with these regimens is not predictive of late virologic efficacy.     

Changes in somatotrophic and lactotrophic functions of the adenohypophysis in rats with acute alloxan diabetes

By electrophoresis followed by colorimetric study of the stained gels an increased content of growth hormone and prolactin was found in the pituitary of rats during the development of alloxan diabetes. The STH and prolactin levels 4–5 days after injection of alloxan were higher by 45–58 and 38–43% respectively than in intact animals. Experiments on primary cell cultures using [¹⁴C]-L-leucine as labeled precursor revealed increased secretory activity of the somatotrophs and lactotrophs of rats with alloxan diabetes.Laboratory of Biological Standardization of Hormones, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Hormone Chemistry, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR N. A. Yudaev.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 88, No. 11, pp. 536–538, November, 1979.     

Detection of hormonally dependent albumin secretion by primary cultures of rat hepatocytes using an homologous system of radioimmunological analysis

A homologous radioimmunoassay to determine rat serum albumin is described in detail. Using this technique one was able to estimate albumin basal secretion by initial rat hepatocyte cultures in a serum-free medium and to detect protein secretion changes caused by various hormones. The stimulating dose-dependent affects of insulin and growth hormone as well as the inhibitory effect of estradiol with regard to albumin production by cultivated hepatocytes were demonstrated. The time of incubation with hepatic cells which was necessary to reach a maximum expression of the effect, was different for various hormones. The preliminary results provide an opportunity to create models for in vitro studies on various dyshormonal states of the body on the basis of a quantitative estimation of hormone-dependent albumin secretion by initial hepatocyte cultures.     

Properties of (Ala5, Orn9)-somatostatin. The inhibition of pancreatic and hypophyseal hormone secretion in cell culture

Ability of Ala5, Orn9-somatostatin to inhibit the secretion of insulin, glucagon, somatotropic hormone (STH) and prolactin was tested on the model of primary monolayer culture of isolated insular pancreatic and adenohypophyseal cells. Chemical substitution performed between positions 5 and 9 in somatostatin molecule failed to change essentially hormone's biologic activity in suppression of insulin and glucagon in the culture of pancreatic insular cells isolated from newborn rats. Somatostatin analog revealed its natural hormonal ability to inhibit STH secretion but failed to affect that of prolactin. The results are suggestive of the principal possibility to produce somatostatin biologically active analog through lyzine residue substitution in position 9 with obligatory simultaneous substitution amino acid residue in position 5.     

干细胞移植治疗时间窗与临床疗效的荟萃分析

目的:探讨寻找干细胞移植治疗急性心肌梗死的最佳移植治疗时间,指导临床应用,提高临床疗效。方法:应用计算机检索medline2000-01/2006-05文章,检索词为:"stem cell transplantation and/or acute myocardialinfarction(AMI)and/or chronic heart failure or ischemic cardiomyopathy",限定文章语言种类为English;同时计算机检索中国期刊全文数据库,相同时间的文章,检索词:"干细胞移植治疗,干细胞移植与急性心肌梗死,干细胞移植治疗与心力衰竭或慢性缺血性心肌病",限定文章语言种类为中文。共检索到300余篇与主题有关的文献,其中12篇有价值的文章见参考文献。移植时间取平均值,并按射血分数值和P值进行列表、作图。对干细胞移植时间与射血分数值之间的关系进行分析。结果:在急性心肌梗死后2～5d和9d以后进行干细胞移植治疗疗效较24h内及6～8d为好。结论:干细胞移植治疗急性心肌梗死的移植时间与临床疗效之间可能存在一定的相关性。经冠脉注入干细胞比经静脉或经心内膜下注入可以更好地改善左室功能,但还需要进一步的临床资料证实。     

A comparative histological analysis of human pulp following direct pulp capping with Propolis, mineral trioxide aggregate and Dycal

Background:  Permanent teeth pulp exposures have traditionally been treated with calcium hydroxide pulp capping. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of human pulp tissue which were mechanically exposed to a new material, Propolis and compare it with two existing and commonly used pulp capping agents (mineral trioxide aggregate and Dycal).
Methods:  Thirty-six intact human premolars were mechanically exposed. Teeth were divided into six groups of 6 teeth each and were capped with Propolis, mineral trioxide aggregate and Dycal. Final restoration was done with posterior composite resin using light cured glass ionomer cement as a liner. The teeth were then extracted on the 15th or the 45th day and processed for histological evaluation.
Results:  Differences in inflammatory response and dentine bridge formation of the exposed pulp to the three different materials were statistically calculated using chi-square test and were found to be non-significant. There was more pulp inflammation in teeth treated with Dycal than with Propolis and MTA on the 15th as well as on the 45th day. Propolis and MTA showed bridge formation in more teeth, and the bridges were in closer proximity to pulp capping material than teeth treated with Dycal on the 45th day.
Conclusions:  The response of pulps to Propolis as a pulp capping agent was comparable to MTA and Dycal.