In order to evaluate tolerance, toxicity, and in vivo antigenicity, 29 HIV-1-infected patients (eight with ARC and 21 with AIDS) were vaccinated with a synthetic peptide derived from the gp41 transmembrane protein of the HIV-1. This peptide had been coupled with 2.4 dinitrophenyl-Ficoll (F46), a T-cell independent adjuvant. The patients received a single intradeltoid injection of either 0.1 or 0.3 mg of F46. Five of the individuals with AIDS were boostered, four of them twice. Anti-F46 antibody titers were measured before vaccination, and on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 90, 180 and 270 after vaccination. Anti-F46 titers rose at least twofold over prestudy values in 10/21 individuals with AIDS and in 1/8 individuals with ARC at least once during the observation period. The overall response, however, consisted of only weak antibody production that was independent of the dose or patient characteristics. No signs of toxicity or of clinical progression related to the vaccination were observed in this phase I/II trial of a T-cell independent therapeutic vaccine.

AIDS Vaccines↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Legionella moravica sp. nov. and Legionella brunensis sp. nov. isolated from cooling-tower water.

Two Legionella-like organisms were isolated from cooling-tower water samples in Czechoslovakia. They were presumptively identified as legionellae by their growth on buffered charcoal-yeast extract agar (BCYE) containing L-cysteine and their absence of growth on BCYE without L-cysteine. Both strains contained predominately branch-chained cellular fatty acids and were therefore definitively placed in the genus Legionella. They were serologically distinct from other described Legionella species and were shown by DNA studies to constitute two new Legionella species, Legionella moravica (type strain 316-36; ATCC 43877) and Legionella brunensis (type strain 441-1; ATCC 43878).

Czechoslovakia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A WWW-based information system on resistance of bacteria to antibiotics.

The information system on resistance of bacteria to antibiotics (WARN--World Antibiotic Resistance Network) is implemented as a WWW server at Charles University in Prague (http:/(/)www.warn.cas.cz). Its main goal is to give information about problems of antibiotic resistance of bacteria and to process data on isolated strains. The WARN web-site contains six main topics. Four of them form the core of the system: Topics of Interest bring information on selected timely topics in antibiotic resistance--pneumococci, staphylococci, beta-lactamases, glycopeptide--and aminoglycoside resistance. Global Monitor brings references and reports on resistance in the world as well as recommended method of surveillance. The topic Data contains raw data on strains in particular countries and hospitals. Data can be viewed in their original form as a list of records (strains) or processed to provide statistics about the resistance rates in the selected country or hospital respectively. The topic Search allows one to search for one or several terms in the whole document. Counts of accessed pages show, that there is a standing demand for information about the serious problems of antibiotic therapy of infectious diseases.

Bacteria↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Abnormalities in serum osteocalcin values in children receiving chemotherapy including ifosfamide.

In patients undergoing high-dose ifosfamide treatment tubular nephrotoxicity with hypophosphatemia has been described. Long-lasting hypophosphatemia may be associated with bone disease including rickets. Serum osteocalcin is considered a sensitive marker for reduced osteoblast activity and bone formation. In our study we determined osteocalcin serum levels in 11 children with cancer and chemotherapy, comparing them with fractional reabsorption of phosphate, aminoaciduria and a1-microglobulin excretion. A decrease of serum levels of osteocalcin and serum phosphate during chemotherapy was found. Progressive hyperaminoaciduria, a1-microglobulin loss and a low fractional reabsorption of phosphate were also detected during chemotherapy. All parameters tended to become normal after treatment. We conclude that serum osteocalcin levels may decrease soon after the initiation of chemotherapy, indicating low osteoblast activity, probably as a result of phosphate loss. Patients with decreased osteocalcin levels may therefore be at risk for osteoporosis.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of T cell subsets with monoclonal antibodies in synovial fluid in rheumatoid arthritis.

Monoclonal antibodies that react with all T cells (OKT3), the inducer-helper T cell subset (OKT4), and the suppressor-cytotoxic T cell subset (OKT8) have been used to evaluate T cell and T cell subpopulations in synovial fluid (SF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We found that the immunoregulatory ratio of SF lymphocytes ranged from normal values to extremely low values indicating normal to excess numbers of OKT8+ cells. The rheumatoid synovium in patients with RA is characterized by the presence of lymphoid aggregates in which HLA-DR+ interdigitating cells form close contacts with a large number of OKT4+ T cells, while the OKT8+ T cells are sparse. It may be that the localizing mechanisms for OKT8+ suppressor cells in lymphoid aggregates are deficient in RA and the cells are thus permitted to pass into synovial exudates, resulting in an increase of OKT8+ cells in the SF.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of T cell subsets with monoclonal antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

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Adult↗