High specificity of line-immunoassay based algorithms for recent HIV-1 infection independent of viral subtype and stage of disease.

Background: Serologic testing algorithms for recent HIV seroconversion (STARHS) provide important information for HIV surveillance. We have shown that a patient's antibody reaction in a confirmatory line immunoassay (INNO-LIA HIV I/II Score, Innogenetics) provides information on the duration of infection. Here, we sought to further investigate the diagnostic specificity of various Inno-Lia algorithms and to identify factors affecting it.

Assessment of recent HIV-1 infection by a line immunoassay for HIV-1/2 confirmation.

Background: Knowledge of the number of recent HIV infections is important for epidemiologic surveillance. Over the past decade approaches have been developed to estimate this number by testing HIV-seropositive specimens with assays that discriminate the lower concentration and avidity of HIV antibodies in early infection. We have investigated whether this "recency" information can also be gained from an HIV confirmatory assay.

Reference values for peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotypes applicable to the healthy adult population in Switzerland.

Objectives: Use of domestic reference values is known to improve the accuracy of flow cytometric analysis by integrating local variation due to race, gender, and age. In the absence of previously published estimates, we now report establishment of reference values for a wide range of peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotypes applicable to the healthy adult population in Switzerland and other regions with similar demographic characteristics.

Methods: A representative sample population was recruited from among well characterized local blood donors (n = 70) and quantitative multiparametric flow cytometry used to estimate absolute and proportional values for a range of T-, B-, and NK-cell subsets, including those associated with activation and maturity.

Altered intracellular expression of the chemokines MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta and IL-8 by peripheral blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in mild allergic asthma.

Background: The ability of chemokines to regulate Th1 and Th2 responses suggests a role in the pathogenesis of atopic disorders such as allergic asthma where Th2 response dominance has been observed. Although the impact of allergic asthma on local chemokine production in the lung has been the subject of investigation, little is know about the influence of disease progression on peripheral chemokine production. We now report use of whole blood culture and flow cytometry to assess the influence of mild allergic asthma on peripheral T-cell chemokine expression.

Long-term evaluation of T-cell subset changes after effective combination antiretroviral therapy during asymptomatic HIV-infection.

Demonstration of long-lived HIV-reservoirs resistant to the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy raises concern over the ability of treatment to maintain long-term beneficial alterations in T-cell subset composition. To address this issue, we have examined the effect of antiretroviral therapy on T-cell subset change during early HIV-infection in a 2-year prospective open-label trial composed of treatment-naive asymptomatic HIV-infected patients with CD4+ T-cell counts > or =400 cells/microl. Therapy consisted of double (zidovudine and lamivudine) or triple (zidovudine, lamivudine, and ritonavir) combination antiretroviral therapy.

TGF-beta is elevated in the CSF of patients with severe traumatic brain injuries and parallels blood-brain barrier function.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces local and systemic immunologic changes, release of cytokines, and cell activation. Perpetuation of these cascades may contribute to secondary damage to the brain. Therefore, the ability of the antiinflammatory mediator transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) to downregulate intrathecal immunoactivation may be of fundamental value for diminishing the incidence and extent of secondary insults.

Change in circulating levels of the chemokines macrophage inflammatory proteins 1 alpha and 11 beta, RANTES, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and interleukin-16 following treatment of severely immunodeficient HIV-infected individuals with indinavir.

Objective: To evaluate the in vivo relationship between HIV replication and circulating levels of the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, RANTES (acronym for Regulated upon Activation, Normal T-cell Expressed and presumably Secreted), interleukin (IL)-16 and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, which have recently been characterized as factors capable of regulating in vitro HIV replication.

Design And Methods: We have compared changes in plasma HIV-RNA levels and circulating levels of MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, RANTES, IL-16 and MCP-1 in 20 severely immunodeficient HIV-infected individuals (CD4+ T cells = 14 +/- 3 cells x 10(6)/l; plasma HIV RNA = 4.45 +/- 0.

Interleukin-8 released into the cerebrospinal fluid after brain injury is associated with blood-brain barrier dysfunction and nerve growth factor production.

Interleukin (IL) 8 was measured in CSF of 14 patients with severe traumatic brain injury. IL-8 levels were significantly higher in CSF (up to 8,000 pg/ml) than serum (up to 2,400 pg/ml) (p < 0.05), suggesting intrathecal production.

[Cost-benefit relationship of serologic studies in autoimmune diseases].

Autoimmune disorders are mainly clinically defined disease entities. The diagnosis of many of the systemic autoimmunopathies is based on characteristic combinations of symptoms, some of them overlapping various kinds and being of unspecific nature. Therefore, laboratory parameters such as autoantibodies, components of the complement system, some cytokines and their receptors, etc.

[Antineutrophil cytoplasma antibodies (ANCA): clinical indications and experience with these new autoantibodies].

Antineutrophil cytoplasmatic autoantibodies (ANCA) have been tested in this laboratory for more than two years with a 3-fold increase in tests and positive results. The initial association with Wegener's granulomatosis has since been extended to microscopic polyarteritis and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. We review the published data.

Measurement of proteins with the Behring Nephelometer. A multicentre evaluation.

The selective multi-protein analyser Behring Nephelometer was examined according to the ECCLS guidelines in a multicentre evaluation involving five laboratories. IgG, IgA, IgM, C-reactive protein, C3c, C4, apolipoprotein A-I and B were measured in serum, and albumin and IgG were measured in cerebrospinal fluid. All values obtained were included in the evaluation without correcting for outliers.

[Liver diseases in children and their relatives with homozygous and heterozygous alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency].

Over a 6-year period 26 infants and children with homozygous (2 Z and 6 ZZ) or heterozygous alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (12 MZ, 6 MS) were observed prospectively and their families investigated. 7 of 8 homozygous patients had neonatal hepatitis, whereby 3 of these showed maximum transferase activities during the 5th to 9th months of life. At the age of 7 years 2 of these patients were clinically normal, but only one patient had normal transferases.

Production of prostaglandin E and an interleukin-1 like factor by cultured astrocytes and C6 glioma cells.

When treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), cultured murine astrocytes released significant amounts of prostaglandin E, which caused an inhibition of the in vitro proliferative response of C3H/HeJ thymocytes to mitogen. In addition, an interleukin 1 (IL 1)-like factor secreted by LPS-treated glia cell cultures and by C6 glioma cells was detected. The characterization of the factor as an IL 1-like mediator is based on the findings that the factor 1) enhances the mitogen-induced thymocyte proliferation, 2) exhibits no interleukin 2 (IL 2) activity, but 3) augments IL 2 production by mitogen-stimulated thymocytes, and 4) has a m.

Glia cell stimulating factor (GSF): a new lymphokine. Part 1. Cellular sources and partial purification of murine GSF, role of cytoskeleton and protein synthesis in its production.

The effect of activated-lymphocyte supernatant on glia cells was investigated. When treated in vitro with Concanavalin A (ConA), murine spleen cells released a soluble product, termed glia cell stimulating factor (GSF), which stimulated RNA and DNA synthesis in cultured murine glia cells. Furthermore, GSF appeared to promote the maturation of undifferentiated glia cells to astrocytes having a high content of glial fibrillary acidic protein.

[An indirect method to improve the anthelix fold for the correction of prominent ears. The technique of adduction (author's transl)].

The technique of adduction for the correction of prominent ears endeavours to improve the anthelix fold by an indirect method. This is achieved by fixing the eminentia triangularis by means of a traction suture to the lower edge of the temporal muscle. Thus the cymba conchae is reduced and the angle of the anthelix fold sharpened.

An immunological basis of schizophrenia and affective disorders?

In 48 patients with schizophrenia and 32 patients with affective disorders, different immune parameters were tested. Compared to blood-donors, IgG and IgM serum concentrations were increased in both the schizophrenic and affective disorders. However, these abnormalities did not differ from hospital control populations.

The brush border membrane in hereditary sucrase-isomaltase deficiency: abnormal protein pattern and presence of immunoreactive enzyme.

In a child with hereditary sucrase-isomaltase deficiency immunoreactive enzyme was present in the intact duodenal mucosa. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis carried out with membrane fragments of an intestinal biopsy showed an abnormal protein band without enzyme activity. The mucosa had a relatively high residual isomaltase activity which was recovered from the gel in a position suggesting higher than normal molecular weight.

[Meteorological observations concerning haemorrhages after tonsillectomy (author's transl)].

Based on the observation of 929 patients who had to be subjected to tonsillectomy within a period of twelve months, the authors concluded that the vast majority of post operative haemorrhages occurred during the beginning of a good weather period (clearing from the west), not quite so often during a "Föhn"-period (warm winds from the south). This contrasts somewhat with the observations of other authors who found a connection between haemorrhages and the beginning of a period of bad weather (close and stuffy, increasing humidity, high clouds). The dependence of postoperative haemorrhages on meteorological influences would perhaps give a reason for the hitherto medically unexplainable 40 per cent bleedings.

Catalytically inactive sucrase antigen of rabbit small intestine: the enzyme precursor.

By immunofluorescence microscopy using a specific antibody to the active rabbit sucrase-isomaltase complex, a catalytically inactive sucrase antigen was discovered on the small intestinal mucosa of young rabbits still lacking sucrase activity. In adult rabbits, the same antigen was demonstrated on enterocytes of mucosal crypts devoid of sucrase. Catalytically inactive antigen was isolated by means of immobilized antibody to active sucrase, and it was compared with the active sucrase-isomaltase complex.

Comparison of student achievement with performance ratings of graduates and state board examination scores.

For a study concerned with investigating relationships between the on-the-job performance of 1971 graduates of a diploma school of nursing, their achievements as students in the school, and their state board scores, the school's curriculum objectives were used in developing an instrument for measuring graduates' competence. Findings indicated how well the learning experiences provided by the school prepared the students for first-level positions in nursing. The three-year cumulative grade point averages and nursing theory and grades were best predictors of success on state board examinations, and nursing practice grades were best predicators of performance as registered nurses.