Inter-ictal assay of peripheral circulating inflammatory mediators in migraine patients under adjunctive cervical non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS): A proof-of-concept study

Objective

To assay peripheral inter-ictal cytokine serum levels and possible relations with non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) responsiveness in migraineurs.

Inactivated influenza vaccine formulated with single-stranded RNA-based adjuvant confers mucosal immunity and cross-protection against influenza virus infection

Influenza vaccination is considered the most valuable means to prevent and control seasonal influenza infections, which causes various clinical symptoms, ranging from mild cough and fever to even death. Among various influenza vaccine types, the inactivated subunit type is known to provide improved safety with reduced reactogenicity. However, there are some drawbacks associated with inactivated subunit type vaccines, with the main ones being its low immunogenicity and the induction of Th2-biased immune responses. In this study, we investigated the role of a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) derived from the intergenic region in the internal ribosome entry site of the Cricket paralysis virus as an adjuvant rather than the universal vaccine for a seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine. The ssRNA adjuvant stimulated not only well-balanced cellular (indicated by IgG2a, IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) and humoral (indicated by IgG1 and IL-4) immune responses but also a mucosal immune response (indicated by IgA), a key protector against respiratory virus infections. It also increases the HI titer, the surrogate marker of influenza vaccine efficacy. Furthermore, ssRNA adjuvant confers cross-protective immune responses against heterologous influenza virus infection while promoting enhanced viral clearance. Moreover, ssRNA adjuvant increases the number of memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, which can be expected to induce long-term immune responses. Therefore, this ssRNA-adjuvanted seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine might be the best influenza vaccine generating robust humoral and cellular immune responses and conferring cross-protective and long-term immunity.     

Fumonisins as a possible contributory risk factor for primary liver cancer: A 3-year study of corn harvested in Haimen, China, by HPLC and ELISA

Employing HPLC fluorometry, gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) and a novel enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on a monoclonal antibody, 40 corn samples, each collected in 1993 from agricultural stocks for human consumption in Haimen (Jiangsu County) and Penlai (Shandong Province), high- and low-risk areas for primary liver cancer (PLC) in China, respectively, were analysed for fumonisins (FBs), aflatoxins (AFs) and trichothecenes. Levels and positive rates of FBs and deoxynivalenol (DON) were significantly higher in Haimen than in Penlai. ELISA of the 40 corn samples harvested in the two areas in 1994 revealed that FB contamination levels and rates in these areas were comparable to those observed in 1993 in Haimen. ELISA analysis of 1993 and 1994 products revealed a wide occurrence of AFB₁ but the positive rates as well as levels were not significantly different between these areas. ELISA of the same sample number of corn harvested in 1995 revealed that FB contamination in Haimen was significantly higher than in Penlai. These 3-yearly surveys of corn samples (240 in total) demonstrated that corn harvested in Haimen was highly contaminated with FBs and that the contamination level, as well as positive rate in 1993 and 1995, were 10–50-fold higher than those in Penlai, suggesting FBs as a risk factor for promotion of PLC in endemic areas, along with the trichothecene DON. Co-contamination with AFs, potent hepatocarcinogens, was assumed to play an important role in the initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis.     

肝病患者肝组织中丙型肝炎病毒感染的初步研究

采用直接酶标记法对174例慢性肝炎、重症肝炎和肝癌组织中的HCV抗原进行了检测,HCV 抗原的检出率分别为10.71％、8.10％和2.68％。表明在我国慢性和重症肝病中存在HCV的感染。通过对HCV与HBV 感染关系的研究,发现肝内HBV 标志阳性和阴性者HCV抗原的检出率无明显差异,说明HCV感染与HBV感染之间似无明显关系。     

血清结核抗体检测对儿童结核的诊断价值

为探讨用ELISA法(酶联免疫吸附试验)检测血清抗PPD(结核菌素纯蛋白衍生物)IgG抗体对儿童结核的诊断意义,对42例儿童结核、30例儿童肺炎及16例健康对照者进行了检测,阳性率分别为92.85％、6.66％、6.25％。结核病例经六个月正规化疗后,阳性率明显降低,说明此项检测可做为一项诊断儿童结核及评价疗效的指标。     

Humoral immunity to Malassezia furfur serovars A, B and C in patients with pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis and controls

Abstract This study examined the humoral immune responses to Malassezia furfur serovars A, B and C of 10 patients with pityriasis versicolor, 10 patients with seborrheic dermatitis and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. A transferable solid-phase ELISA was used to determine titres of total Igs, IgM, IgA and IgG specific to M. furfur serovars A, B and C. The results demonstrated that patients with seborrheic dermatitis had a significantly higher litre of total Igs to serovar A than patients with pityriasis versicolor; and that patients with seborrheic dermatitis had a significantly higher litre of IgA to serovar C than patients with pityriasis versicolor. The litres of total Igs for controls and patienls with seborrheic dermatitis were significantly lower to serovar B than to serovar C. A modified TSP ELISA was used to determine the titres of the IgG subclasses. Titres of IgG _1,3,4 to serovar B were significantly higher in seborrheic dermatitis patients than pityriasis versicolor patients and litres of IgG₃, to serovar A were significantly higher in seborrheic dermatitis patients than pityriasis versicolor patients. However, despite the differences between the patient groups, none of these results was significantly different to those of controls. Thus, this study did not demonstrate any differences in humoral immunity of patients suffering from Malassezia-associated dermatoses when compared to normal controls. These results may suggest that the humoral immune response to M. furfur is not related to the pathogenesis of Malassezia-associated dermatoses, but simply to the carriage of M. furfur on the skin.     

Clinical status and parasitic infection in a Wichi Aboriginal community in Salta,Argentina

In a study, carried out in 2000, of the clinical and parasitological status of a Wichi Aboriginal community living in the suburbs of Tartagal, northern Salta, Argentina, 154 individuals were screened for parasitic infections. Ninety-five faecal samples were also obtained from the same population. Ninety-three percent of the subjects were positive for 1 or more of the parasites investigated by direct test and 70.5% of them had parasitic superinfection. The most frequent helminths were Strongyloides stercoralis (50.5%) and hookworm (47.4%). We found low reinfection rates and a long reinfection period after treatment and provision of safe water and sanitation. Serum reactivity of these patients was analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescent assay and 22.1% of them had anti-Toxocara antibodies, 16.2% were positive for a complex antigen of Leishmania braziliensis, 29.9% were positive for a complex Trypanosoma cruzi antigen, and 17.5% were positive for a specific Trypanosoma cruzi antigen, Ag1 63136/cruzipain.     

三硝基甲苯血红蛋白加合物的竞争抑制性酶联免疫吸附试验测定

建立了竞争抑制性酶联免疲吸附试验方法(CI—ELISA)以定量测定三硝基甲苯(TNT)血红蛋白加合物,该法的线性范围0.5 ng·ml~(-1)～1μg·ml~(-1),每个样品最小可测值为0.05 ng;批内变异系数8.0％左右,批间变异系数约为15.0％;正常大鼠血浆和血红蛋白溶液中外加2-氨基-4,6-二硝基甲笨(2A)或4-氨基-2,6-二硝基甲苯(4A)的回收率为84～101％,用此法首次检测TNT染毒大鼠中血红蛋白加合物,证实TNT血红蛋白加舍物水平与染毒剂量之间有明显的依赖关系,并可存留较长时间;反复染毒时,血红蛋白中2A,4A量有明显蓄积现象。     

B细胞杂交瘤技术制备抗同种特异T细胞膜抗原单克隆抗体

目的：为进一步分析ＴＣＶ免疫诱导同种免疫反应低下的机制。方法：采用Ｂ细胞杂交瘤技术获得分泌单克隆抗体的杂交瘤细胞。结果：两次的细胞融合中共得到１２株稳定分泌单抗的杂交瘤细胞，为分析抗体在ＴＣＶ中的作用提供条件。结论：ＴＣＶ免疫可引起抗ＴＣＶ细胞抗体的产生，以同系免疫的方法得到的活化Ｂ细胞用于Ｂ细胞杂交生产单抗是可行的。