51 research outputs found
Occult Hepatitis B Infection in Patients With Cryptogenic Liver Cirrhosis in Southwest of Iran
Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has a broad spectrum of manifestation, ranging from silent carrier state to
advanced cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The persistence of HBV DNA in serum and hepatocytes of the cirrhotic patient could be
detected by molecular techniques in spite of negative HBV serologic markers.
Objectives: This case-control study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of occult HBV infection (OBI) in patients with cryptogenic liver
cirrhosis in comparison with healthy subjects.
Patients and Methods: Of 165 patients with liver cirrhosis, 50 consecutive patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis and 80 healthy individual
without any risk factors as a control group were enrolled in this study. Their sera were tested for HBV DNA using nested PCR method.
Results: Of 50 patients with cryptogenic cirrhotic, 36 (72%) were male. The mean age of patients was 53.34 ± 14.73 years; 80 healthy subjects
were selected as control group with mean age of 32.65 ± 8.51 years; 7 (14%) of the patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis showed positive HBV
DNA by PCR, while HBV DNA was negative for the control group (P = 0.0001); 4 (57%) cases with positive HBV shown by PCR were negative for
anti-HBc and anti-HBs tests. The mean level of transaminases was significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis. There were no significant
differences in demographic parameters, transaminases level and degree of hepatic failure among cirrhotic patients with and without OBI.
Conclusions: The prevalence of OBI was relatively high in patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis. OBI was found among the patients above 40
years old. Prospective cohort studies are needed to evaluate the clinical significance of OBI
Molecular analysis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in an HIV co-infected patient with reactivation of occult HBV infection following discontinuation of lamivudine-including antiretroviral therapy
Abstract Background Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is characterized by HBV DNA persistence even though the pattern of serological markers indicates an otherwise resolved HBV infection. Although OBI is usually clinically silent, immunocompromised patients may experience reactivation of the liver disease. Case presentation We report the case of an individual with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and anti-HBV core antibody positivity, who experienced severe HBV reactivation after discontinuation of lamivudine-including antiretroviral therapy (ART). HBV sequencing analysis showed a hepatitis B surface antigen escape mutant whose presence in an earlier sample excluded reinfection. Molecular sequencing showed some differences between two isolates collected at a 9-year interval, indicating HBV evolution. Resumption of ART containing an emtricitabine/tenofovir combination allowed control of plasma HBV DNA, which fell to undetectable levels. Conclusion This case stresses the ability of HBV to evolve continuously, even during occult infection, and the effectiveness of ART in controlling OBI reactivation in HIV-infected individuals.</p
Development of a versatile laboratory experiment to teach the metabolic transformation of hydrolysis
In this paper we describe an easy, reliable, versatile and inexpensive laboratory experiment to teach the metabolic transformation of hydrolysis to Pharmacy students. The experiment does not require the sacrifice of any experimental animal, or any work with organs or tissues, and so can be implemented in a typical university chemistry laboratory. We used acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), hexyl salicylate (HS) and two enzymes, a lipase and an esterase. Since both ASS and HS liberate salicylic acid (SA) upon hydrolysis, students can evaluate the different enzymatic transformations by monitoring the amount of SA liberated. The learning outcomes are an enhanced student understanding of: (1) the process of hydrolysis; (2) the application of enzymatic transformations of molecules from food to xenobiotics; (3) the differences between the general specificity of substrate of both enzymes; (4) the concepts of the lipophilic pocket; (5) the catalytic triad and its regioselectivity in relation to the ester bond. A questionnaire was administered to participating students at three points in time: at the beginning of the module, after enzymatic hydrolysis was taught in class, and after the laboratory experiment. From an analysis of the questionnaire data we conclude that this practical helped Pharmacy students to understand these concepts
Binding of Human Milk to Pathogen Receptor DC-SIGN Varies with Bile Salt-Stimulated Lipase (BSSL) Gene Polymorphism
OBJECTIVE: Dendritic cells bind an array of antigens and DC-SIGN has been postulated to act as a receptor for mucosal pathogen transmission. Bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL) from human milk potently binds DC-SIGN and blocks DC-SIGN mediated trans-infection of CD4(+) T-lymphocytes with HIV-1. Objective was to study variation in DC-SIGN binding properties and the relation between DC-SIGN binding capacity of milk and BSSL gene polymorphisms. STUDY DESIGN: ELISA and PCR were used to study DC-SIGN binding properties and BSSL exon 11 size variation for human milk derived from 269 different mothers distributed over 4 geographical regions. RESULTS: DC-SIGN binding properties were highly variable for milks derived from different mothers and between samplings from different geographical regions. Differences in DC-SIGN binding were correlated with a genetic polymorphism in BSSL which is related to the number of 11 amino acid repeats at the C-terminus of the protein. CONCLUSION: The observed variation in DC-SIGN binding properties among milk samples may have implications for the risk of mucosal transmission of pathogens during breastfeeding
Clinical condition and comorbidity as determinants for blood culture positivity in patients with skin and soft-tissue infections
Recombinant Human-Milk Bile-Salt-Stimulated Lipase. Functional Properties are Retained in the Absence of Glycosylation and the Unique Proline-Rich Repeats
Human milk bile-salt stimulated lipase Sequence similarity with rat lysophospholipase and homology with the active site region of cholinesterases
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