Phenotypic and genotypic analyses to guide selection of reverse transcriptase inhibitors in second-line HIV therapy following extended virological failure in Uganda.

Objectives: We investigated phenotypic and genotypic resistance after 2 years of first-line therapy with two HIV treatment regimens in the absence of virological monitoring.

Methods: NORA [Nevirapine OR Abacavir study, a sub-study of the Development of AntiRetroviral Therapy in Africa (DART) trial] randomized 600 symptomatic HIV-infected Ugandan adults (CD4 cell count <200 cells/mm(3)) to receive zidovudine/lamivudine plus abacavir (cABC arm) or nevirapine (cNVP arm). All virological tests were performed retrospectively, including resistance tests on week 96 plasma samples with HIV RNA levels ≥1000 copies/mL.

Characterization of new Alternaria alternata--specific rat monoclonal antibodies.

In this study, three different rat hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing the spores from Alternaria alternata, a plant pathogenic fungus, contaminant of food products and important cause of both allergic rhinitis and asthma, have been characterized. These three mAbs are all of IgM isotype. Two antibodies, A1 and F10, were cross-reactive antibodies recognizing spores from Alternaria, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Stachybotrys genera, but not the yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Candida albicans.

Fourier transform infrared immunosensors for model hapten molecules.

We report experimental results concerning the detection of 2,4-dinitrophenol, under its free form or coupled to human serum albumin using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-based sensors. Competitive immunoreactions were carried out using several anti-dinitrophenol monoclonal antibodies. Comparison with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in competition is given for standard operating conditions.

Estrogenicity profile and estrogenic compounds determined in river sediments by chemical analysis, ELISA and yeast assays.

An effects-directed strategy was applied to bed sediments of a polluted tributary in order to isolate and identify the major estrogenic chemicals it discharges into the River Po, the principal Italian watercourse. Sediment extract was concentrated by solid phase extraction and then fractioned into 10 fractions by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Estrogenic activity of whole extract and fractions were determined using a recombinant yeast assay containing the human estrogen receptor (YES).