Combined antiretroviral therapy reduces hyperimmunoglobulinemia in HIV-1 infected children

Objective: To evaluate the effect of combined antiretroviral therapy on serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels in HIV-1 perinatally infected children. Methods: Data from 1250 children recorded by the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children from 1985 to 2002 were analysed. Since Ig levels physiologically vary with age, differences at different age periods were evaluated as differences in z-scores calculated using means and standard deviations of normal population for each age period. Combined antiretroviral therapy has become widespread in Italy since 1996, thus differences in Ig z-scores between the periods 1985-1995 and 1996-2002 were analysed. Data according to type of therapeutic regimen were also analysed. Results: Between the two periods 1985-1995 and 1996-2002, significant (P < 0.0001) decreases in IgG (6.29 ± 4.72 versus 4.44 ± 4.33), IgM (9.25 ± 13.32 versus 5.61 ± 7.93), and IgA (10.25 ± 15.68 versus 6.48 ± 11.56) z-scores, together with a parallel significant (P < 0.0001) increase in CD4 T-lymphocyte percentages, were found. These decreases were confirmed regardless of whether the children were receiving intravenous Ig or not. Ig z-scores were significantly higher in children receiving mono-therapy than in those receiving double-combined therapy (IgC, P < 0.0001; IgM, P = 0.003; IgA, P = 0.031) and in the latter children than in those receiving three or more drugs (P < 0.0001 for all z-scores). Ig z-scores correlated inversely with CD4 T-lymphocyte percentages and, directly, with viral loads. Conclusions: Our data show that in HIV-1 infected children combined antiretroviral therapy leads to reduction of hyperimmunoglobulinemia which parallels restoration of CD4 T-lymphocyte percentage and viral load decrease, which it turn probably reflects improved B-lymphocyte functions. © 2004 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Could lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy provide oncological providence for local resectional techniques for colon cancer? A review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endoscopic resectional techniques for colon cancer are undermined by their inability to determine lymph node status. This limits their application to only those lesions at the most minimal risk of lymphatic dissemination whereas their technical capacity could allow intraluminal or even transluminal address of larger lesions. Sentinel node biopsy may theoretically address this breach although the variability of its reported results for this disease is worrisome.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were interrogated back to 1999 to identify all publications concerning lymphatic mapping for colon cancer with reference cross-checking for completeness. All reports were examined from the perspective of in vivo technique accuracy selectively in early stage disease (i.e. lesions potentially within the technical capacity of endoscopic resection).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty-two studies detailing the experiences of 3390 patients were identified. Considerable variation in patient characteristics as well as in surgical and histological quality assurances were however evident among the studies identified. In addition, considerable contamination of the studies by inclusion of rectal cancer without subgroup separation was frequent. Indeed such is the heterogeneity of the publications to date, formal meta-analysis to pool patient cohorts in order to definitively ascertain technique accuracy in those with T1 and/or T2 cancer is not possible. Although lymphatic mapping in early stage neoplasia alone has rarely been specifically studied, those studies that included examination of false negative rates identified high T3/4 patient proportions and larger tumor size as being important confounders. Under selected circumstances however the technique seems to perform sufficiently reliably to allow it prompt consideration of its use to tailor operative extent.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The specific question of whether sentinel node biopsy can augment the oncological propriety for endoscopic resective techniques (including Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery [NOTES]) cannot be definitively answered at present. Study heterogeneity may account for the variability evident in the results from different centers. Enhanced capacity (perhaps to the level necessary to consider selective avoidance of en bloc mesenteric resection) by its confinement to only early stage disease is plausible although not proven. Specific study of the technique in early stage tumors is clearly essential before proffering this approach.</p

Residue analysis of organophosphorus pesticides in animal matrices by dual column capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection

none4Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) were determined in matrices of animal origin by dual column capillary gas chromatography using Nitrogen-Phosphorus Detection (NPD). This method was tested on cow milk and on liver and muscle of wild boar. The isolation of these pesticides was performed by liquid partition followed by cleanup with solid phase cartridge (SPE C18), after extraction from the matrix. The analytes identification was obtained by comparing the retention times in two columns with different polarity. The quantification of each OPP was obtained using parathion-ethyl as internal standard. The method was developed in a UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 certified laboratory. The recovery, investigated by analyzing samples spiked at 5, 10 and 50 ppb, ranged from 59% to 117% in milk, from 60% to 81% in liver and from 68% to 76% in muscle. The limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) were respectively 5 ppb and 1 ppb for each compound and allowed quantifying the residues below the legal limits.nonePAGLIUCA G.; GAZZOTTI T.; ZIRONI E.; STICCA P.PAGLIUCA G.; GAZZOTTI T.; ZIRONI E.; STICCA P

Residue analysis of organophosphorus pesticides in animal matrices by dual column capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) were determined in matrices of animal origin by dual column capillary gas chromatography using Nitrogen-Phosphorus Detection (NPD). This method was tested on cow milk and on liver and muscle of wild boar. The isolation of these pesticides was performed by liquid partition followed by cleanup with solid phase cartridge (SPE C18), after extraction from the matrix. The analytes identification was obtained by comparing the retention times in two columns with different polarity. The quantification of each OPP was obtained using parathion-ethyl as internal standard. The method was developed in a UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 certified laboratory. The recovery, investigated by analyzing samples spiked at 5, 10 and 50 ppb, ranged from 59% to 117% in milk, from 60% to 81% in liver and from 68% to 76% in muscle. The limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) were respectively 5 ppb and 1 ppb for each compound and allowed quantifying the residues below the legal limits

Determination of 15 organophosphorus pesticides residues in milk by dual column capillary gas chromatography

A previous method was improved in order to determine 15 organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) in raw milk by dual column capillary gas chromatography using Nitrogen-Phosphorus Detection (NPD). With a single injection it was possible to measure the following OPPs: acephate, azinphos ethyl, chlorpyriphos ethyl, chlorpyriphos methyl, demeton-S-methyl sulfoxide, diazinon, disulfoton, methacrifos, methamidophos, methidation, parathion ethyl, phorate, pirimiphos methyl, pyrazophos, triazophos. All of these substances have a maximum residue levels (MRL) fixed by the European Commission. The isolation was performed by liquid partition followed by a single cleanup with a C18 monofunctional solid phase cartridge The GLC analysis was carried out with two capillary columns of different polarity, connected in parallel by a glass dual column adapter. The chromatographic temperature program was from 80\ub0C to 100 \ub0C at 2\ub0C/min., followed by a second rate of 5\ub0C/min. up to 300\ub0C. The quantification was obtained using parathion methyl as an internal standard. The analyte identification was confirmed by comparing the retention times in the two columns. The recovery and precision for each compound were determined using 18 aliquots of a blank milk. The aliquots were divided in 3 groups of six and fortified using 0.5, 1 and 1.5 times the permitted limit each, according to the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Although there was an increase in the number of analytes, the GLC conditions were further simplified without any changes in the analytic performances. The method was developed in a UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 certified laboratory

CONFRONTO TRA DUE SAGGI IMMUNOENZIMATICI PER LA DETERMINAZIONE DI AFLATOSSINA M1 IN CAMPIONI DI LATTE NATURALMENTE CONTAMINATO

Aflatoxin contamination of milk was an emerging problem in Italy in Autumn 2003 and has represented an important risk factor for consumers. The European Union (EU) has established regulatory limits of the presence of AfM1 in milk and has suggested the methods of control: immunoassay tests (ELISA) for screening and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for confirmation. Hence the importance to constantly control the performances of analytical methods. The aim of this research was to evaluate the performances of two ELISA kits, produced by different suppliers, on naturally contaminated raw milk in a range from 10 to 85 ng/L. The samples were previously analysed by HPLC to determine the level of AfM1. Results showed good responses in both kits in terms of precision. In addition to that some trials have been conduced to investigate the possible influence of time on the response of kits ELISA

Re: Ethnic Differences in Estrogen Metabolism in Healthy Women

Taioli et al. ( 1) reported that African-American women had significantly lower ratios of urinary estrogen metabolites (2-OHE1/16α-OHE1) than did Caucasian women. We would like to provide data to, in part, support these findings. We obtained urine samples with which to measure estrogen metabolites from 74 women with incident breast cancers and from 58 women receiving screening mammography who were found to be free of breast cancer. We found that African-American women had significantly lower 2-OHE1/creatinine levels than did Caucasian women ( Table 1 ), and this ethnic