The inactivated herpes zoster vaccine HZ/su induces a varicella zoster virus specific cellular and humoral immune response in patients on dialysis.

Background: To evaluate the immunogenicity of the inactivated herpes-zoster vaccine HZ/su in patients at increased risk for VZV-reactivation, we analysed the quantity and quality of the vaccine-induced cellular and humoral immunity in patients on dialysis with uremic immunodeficiency.

Methods: In this observational study, 29 patients and 39 immunocompetent controls underwent standard dual-dose vaccination. Blood samples were analysed before and two weeks after each vaccination, and after one year.

Gold Nanoparticle-Based Plasmonic Detection of , , and from Bovine Fecal Samples.

Current diagnostic methods for detecting foodborne pathogens are time-consuming, require sophisticated equipment, and have a low specificity and sensitivity. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and plasmonic/colorimetric biosensors like gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are cost-effective, high-throughput, precise, and rapid. This study aimed to validate the use of MNPs and GNPs for the early detection of O157:H7, spp.

Erysense, a Lab-on-a-Chip-Based Point-of-Care Device to Evaluate Red Blood Cell Flow Properties With Multiple Clinical Applications.

In many medical disciplines, red blood cells are discovered to be biomarkers since they "experience" various conditions in basically all organs of the body. Classical examples are diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. However, recently the red blood cell distribution width (RDW), is often referred to, as an unspecific parameter/marker (e.

Molecular phylogeny of coronaviruses and host receptors among domestic and close-contact animals reveals subgenome-level conservation, crossover, and divergence.

Background: Coronaviruses have the potential to cross species barriers. To learn the molecular intersections among the most common coronaviruses of domestic and close-contact animals, we analyzed representative coronavirus genera infecting mouse, rat, rabbit, dog, cat, cattle, white-tailed deer, swine, ferret, mink, alpaca, Rhinolophus bat, dolphin, whale, chicken, duck and turkey hosts; reference or complete genome sequences were available for most of these coronavirus genera. Protein sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees were built for the spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins.

Serological evidence of infection in slaughtered sheep and goats at Kumasi Abattoir, Ghana.

Q fever, caused by , is an important zoonosis worldwide. Q fever is documented in many parts of the world; however, information on the disease in Ghana is scanty. This study was therefore conducted to provide evidence of exposure of sheep and goats slaughtered at the Kumasi Abattoir to .

Seroprevalence of antibodies in sheep and goats slaughtered at the Kumasi Abattoir, Ghana.

Toxoplasmosis, caused by , is an important zoonosis worldwide. In Ghana, information on the disease in humans abounds but scanty in animals. This study was therefore conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of infection sheep and goats sampled from the Kumasi Abattoir in Ashanti Region, Ghana.

Donor-specific alloreactive T cells can be quantified from whole blood, and may predict cellular rejection after renal transplantation.

Preformed cellular alloreactivity can exist prior to transplantation and may contribute to rejection. Here, we used a rapid flow-cytometric whole-blood assay to characterize the extent of alloreactive T cells among 1491 stimulatory reactions from 61 renal transplant candidates and 75 controls. The role of preformed donor-specific alloreactive T cells in cellular rejection was prospectively analyzed in 21 renal transplant recipients.

Calcium - Magnesium imbalance implicated in benign prostatic hyperplasia and restoration by a phytotherapeutic drug - Croton membranaceus Müll.Arg.

Background: Calcium (Ca)- magnesium (Mg) imbalance is implicated in prostate cancer. Ca/Mg ratio increases or decreases with proliferation or apoptosis, respectively. The study examined whether this Ca/Mg imbalance exists in BPH patients and the effect of a phytotherapeutic drug on the Ca/Mg ratio.

Calcineurin inhibitors differentially alter the circadian rhythm of T-cell functionality in transplant recipients.

Background: Graft survival in transplant recipients depends on pharmacokinetics and on individual susceptibility towards immunosuppressive drugs. Nevertheless, pharmacodynamic changes in T-cell functionality in response to drugs and in relation to pharmacokinetics are poorly characterized. We therefore investigated the immunosuppressive effect of calcineurin inhibitors and steroids on general T-cell functionality after polyclonal stimulation of whole blood samples.

T-cell numbers and antigen-specific T-cell function follow different circadian rhythms.

Purpose: Circadian rhythms play an important role in modulating cellular immune responses. The present study was performed to characterise circadian variations in lymphocyte numbers and antigen-specific T-cell functionality in healthy individuals under physiological conditions.

Methods: Blood leukocyte populations of six healthy volunteers were quantified over 24 h.

Cholesterol synthesis, cholesterol absorption, and mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Background And Objectives: Recent clinical trials on cholesterol-lowering in patients with CKD yielded conflicting results, which might have resulted from different treatment strategies. Serum cholesterol levels are determined by endogenous synthesis and intestinal absorption, which are differentially influenced by various classes of cholesterol-lowering agents. Assessing markers of cholesterol metabolism has thus been proposed for guidance of lipid-lowering therapy.

Impaired detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis immunity in patients using high levels of immunosuppressive drugs.

We have previously shown, in renal transplant recipients on maintenance immunosuppression, that a whole-blood assay was superior in detecting immunity towards purified protein derivative (PPD) compared with skin testing. As blood tests may have limitations during high-dose immunosuppression therapy, the present study was aimed at characterising the effect of high immunosuppressive drug levels on PPD-specific T-cell immunity. PPD-reactive CD4 T-cells from 13 renal transplant recipients were longitudinally quantified by the induction of cytokines using flow cytometry.

Diagnosis and treatment of reading disabilities based on the component model of reading: an alternative to the discrepancy model of LD.

Currently, learning disabilities (LD) are diagnosed on the basis of the discrepancy between students' IQ and reading achievement scores. Students diagnosed with LD often receive remedial instruction in resource rooms. The available evidence suggests that the educational policy based on this discrepancy model has not yielded satisfactory results.

Rapid identification of preformed alloreactive T cells for use in a clinical setting.

Background: In clinical practice, HLA matching is generally applied to minimize the incidence of graft rejection after transplantation. Recently, graft rejection has been directly associated with the presence of preformed alloreactive T cells before transplantation. Despite this knowledge, assays to rapidly quantify preformed alloreactivity are not available for use in a clinical setting.