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

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

Pesticidi organofosforati in latte crudo bovino

A study was conducted in cow raw milk to measure residues of 15 organophosphorus pesticides, used as dairy cattle ectoparasiticides or in crops used for animal feed. The determination was carried out improving a previous method by dual column capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection (NPD). The samples, collected in 9 Italian dairy plants directly from the tank trucks during the delivering, were representative of 3,974 tonnes of raw milk. Approximately 4.4 % of the 298 samples analyzed contained residues, always in traces. The main pollutant was chlorpyriphos. These data were compared with a previous similar investigatio

Same same but different: the role of subjective domain similarity in the longitudinal interplay among achievement and self-concept in multiple academic domains

The present study examined the associations between grades and self-concept within and between four academic domains from an intraindividual perspective. Further, we explored whether students' subjective domain similarity moderated intraindividual between-domain effects of achievement on self-concept and vice versa. A sample of 756 Swiss high-school students reported on their academic self-concept in mathematics, German (native), English, and French on three measurement occasions across high school. Students reported on the subjective domain similarity. School administrators reported students' grades. Achievement in one domain had a positive effect on self-concept within the same domain and a negative effect on cuncurrent and later self-concept in other domains. Conversely, self-concept in one domain had a positive effect on achievement in the same domain and a negative effect on cuncurrent and later achievement in other domains. Further, subjective domain similarity attenuated the negative effect of achievement in one domain on self-concepts in another domain on the same measurement occasions. However, subjective domain similarity was not found to moderate the effect of achievement in one domain on change in self-concepts in another domain or vice versa

NUOVI CONTAMINANTI EMERGENTI: I COMPOSTI PERFLUORURATI

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are fully fluorinated man-made chemicals with properties that make them useful in different industrial and household applications. They have been manufactured for over 50 years and used as surfactants and surface protectors in carpets, textiles, leather, paper product, fire-fighting, foams, cosmetics, insecticides and food containers. Given their chemical-physical properties, it is expected that PFCs will be resistant to hydrolysis, photolysis, biodegradation and metabolism. Recent studies have shown the global presence of PFCs. Human exposure to PFCs is not well known. Potential routes of exposure may be through air, water, household dust and food. In recent years growing interest arose in the study of PFCs; there are currently some information about their distribution in the environment as pollutant but there is a lack of knowledge about their presence in food. Also analytical methods\u2019 literature for the PFCs determination in food of animal origin is very poor. Clearly this substantial lack of information on the hazardous potential, environmental distribution and the fate from farm to fork of PFCs is of concern to policy-makers, producers and consumers