Being a parent with a physical disability: A systematic review.

Purpose/objective: There is a significant gap in the literature with regards to the synthesis of qualitative research that explores the parenting experiences of parents with physical disabilities. This systematic review aims to synthesize the evidence regarding the experiences of parents with acquired and congenital physical disabilities.

Research Method/design: This article presents a thematic synthesis of qualitative research carried out in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Patient and family perspectives of paediatric psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: A systematic review.

Exploring the perspectives of those affected by psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) may be essential in learning more about the nature of this condition. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise the evidence regarding the perspectives of children and adolescents with PNES, and the perspectives of their parents, caregivers and families. Studies were included if they (1) explored PNES in a paediatric population, (2) explored the perspectives of the child or adolescent with PNES, or the perspectives of their parents, caregivers or families, (3) were original research, and (4) were written in the English language.

Evaluation of a low cost reverse transcriptase assay for plasma HIV-1 viral load monitoring.

We evaluated a low cost manual reverse transcriptase assay (ExaVir Load V.1 and V.2; Cavidi Tech AB) against commercially available HIV RNA assays that quantify viral load to assess its suitability for use in resource-constrained settings.

Radiosensitization of colon cancer cell lines by docetaxel: mechanisms of action.

The radiation-modifying action of docetaxel in experimental systems is well established. Docetaxel is also an increasingly important drug for the treatment of cancer in concurrent radiotherapy protocols. However, the mechanisms of docetaxel radiosensitization are not fully understood.

Monitoring of human immunodeficiency virus infection in resource-constrained countries.

The reference standards used to monitor human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are flow cytometric analysis of T lymphocyte subsets to provide the CD4+ T cell count and molecular assays to quantify plasma HIV load. Few laboratories in resource-constrained countries can afford to perform these tests. A number of lower-cost assays requiring less expensive equipment may be well-suited to such countries.

Immunological and virological failure after antiretroviral therapy is associated with enhanced peripheral and thymic pathogenicity.

T cell dynamics and viral genotype were studied in human immunodeficiency virus 1-infected individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy who were viremic and had either increasing (discordant immunological responders) or decreasing (nonresponders) CD4(+) T cell counts. A comparison was made with treated individuals who were not viremic and had increasing CD4(+) T cell counts (complete responders). Nonresponders had higher CD4(+) T cell proliferation (as assessed by Ki67 expression) and immune activation (as assessed by CD38 and human leukocyte antigen-DR expression), together with a reduction in T cell receptor excision circles, compared with discordant immunological responders and complete responders, which suggests that there is enhanced viral pathogenicity in both peripheral T cells and the thymus.

Analysis of HIV-1 viral load in seminal plasma samples.

Background: With HIV-1-infected individuals now facing the prospect of relatively long and healthy lives, many discordant couples (where the male is HIV-1 seropositive) are seeking to have children. To assist reducing the risks of heterosexual and subsequent vertical transmission in this situation, quantification of HIV-1 viral load in seminal plasma may be effective as one of several measures to reduce the risk of infecting the mother during insemination, potentially providing a better indication of infectivity than blood plasma analysis.

Objective(s): To modify existing molecular methods for the purpose of analysing HIV-1 viral load in seminal plasma.

Identification of novel inhibitors of fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) binding to heparin and endothelial cell survival from a structurally diverse carbohybrid library.

Inhibitors of FGF-2 binding to a heparin-albumin conjugate were identified by ELISA from a library of glucuronic acid derivatives. These compounds were also inhibitors of endothelial cell survival that is dependant on FGF-2 and heparin or heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The results indicate that these bioactive compounds may prove useful as lead structures for the further development of pharmaceutical agents capable of modulating biological activity of FGF-2.