HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) remains a challenging disease. Treatment options are scarce, and their safety and efficacy are currently a matter of concern. We present a case report describing our experience using cyclosporine in a patient with early HAM/TSP who started with a gait disturbance at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona) from August 2012...

The human CXC chemokines IP-10 (10-kDa interferon-inducible protein), MIG (monokine induced by human interferon-g), and I-TAC (interferon-inducible T cell a chemoattractant) attract lymphocytes through activation of CXCR3. In the studies presented here, we examined interaction of these chemokines with human CXCR3 expressed in recombinant cells and human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). IP-10...

Propylene oxide (PO), a simple alkylating agent used in the chemical industry, is weakly genotoxic and induces nasal cavity tumors in rodents on inhalation at high air concentrations. DNA adducts, hemoglobin adducts, and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) were analyzed as biomarkers of exposure in a group of eight PO-exposed workers and eight nonexposed subjects. 1-2Hydroxypropyladenine (1-HP-ade...

This article reviews and discusses the state-of-the-art tests and assays used in the diagnosis and management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Screening tests for the presence of HCV and confirmatory tests are discussed and put into clinical perspective. More recent generations of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and the recombinant immunoblot assays (RIBA) are compared with ...

Free [Ca] within organelles of permeabilized BHK-2 1 cells was measured using ratio imaging of compartmentalized mag-fura-2. In BHK-21 cells, this dye monitors free [Ca] in principally one type of ATP-dependent Ca-sequestering organelle in which intrastore Ca was released uniformly and entirely by 100 nM thapsigargin or removal of ATP or Ca from the bath, and was reduced by 85% upon treatment w...

The major operational characteristics of five commercially available assays for the detection of antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV1 & 2) were evaluated. Four Enzyme Linked Immuno-sorbent assays (ELISAs) and one simple immuno-dot assay with visual reading, were assessed using a panel of 265 sera (18.8% hospital suspected patients, 18.8% commercial sex-workers (CSW), 31.5% blood don...