A key role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is played by inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which are also involved in inducing inflammatory anemia. We have followed 67 RA patients and 64 PsA patients for 1 year to evaluate the effects of TNF-α inhibitors on disease activity and on inflammatory anemia. Patients were d...

One of the more complex developmental processes occurring postnatally in the CNS is the formation of the myelin sheath by oligodendrocytes. To examine the molecular events that take place during myelination, we isolated oligodendrocyte-derived cDNA clones, one of which (p421.HB) represents a putative alternatively spliced isoform of rat brain-specific phosphodiesterase I (PD-Ialpha) and a speci...

Haemoglobin damaged by exposure of red blood cells to oxidants is rapidly degraded by a proteolytic pathway which does not require ATP [Fagan, Waxman & Goldberg (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 5705-5713]. By fractionating erythrocyte lysates, we have purified two proteases which hydrolyse oxidatively damaged haemoglobin (Ox-Hb). One protease hydrolysed small fluorogenic substrates in addition to Ox-...

background: different studies have demonstrated that a small proportion of healthy individuals receiving the hepatitis b (hb) vaccine do not produce protective levels of anti-hb antibody, a phenomenon which could be linked to certain human leukocyte an-tigen (hla) class-ii alleles or haplotypes. objectives: the present study was under-taken to determine the frequency of hla class-ii alleles in ...

Background: Malaria remains the world’s most devastating human parasitic infection. Our goal was to assess the capacity of increasing concentrations of five antimalarial drugs (Fansidar, Halfan, Quinine, Coartem and Chloroquine phosphate) to elicit the generation of methemoglobin in three human erythrocyte genotypes (Hb AA, Hb AS and Hb SS). Materials and Methods: Spectrophotometric method was ...

 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and its sequelae which include cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma is a major public health problem throught the world.The WHO strategy for effective control of HBV infection is vaccination with the surface antigen of virus(HBsAg).The results obtained from a large number of studies demonstrated that the vaccine induces a protective antibody resonse (anti-HB...

BACKGROUND Although hemoglobin (Hb) levels are affected by a change in the body fluid status, the relationship between Hb levels and mortality while taking interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) at blood sampling into account has not yet been examined in hemodialysis patients. STUDY DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS Data from the Miyazaki Dialysis cohort study, including 1375 prevalent h...

Angiotensin II (Ang II)-mediated signals are transmitted via heparin binding epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like growth factor (HB-EGF) release followed by transactivation of EGF receptor (EGFR). Although Ang II and HB-EGF induce angiogenesis, their link to the angiopoietin (Ang)-Tie2 system remains undefined. We tested the effects of Ang II on Ang1, Ang2, or Tie2 expression in cardiac microvasc...

conclusions although hdv had low prevalence in our area, it is vital to plan preventive strategies for hdv spread as well as hbv prevention. it is particularly important to suspect hdv infection in active hbv carriers to manage a particularly severe dual infection. hdv infection should be suspected even in negative hbsag patients having “isolated anti-hbc” profile. results prevalence of hdv was...

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B (HB) infection is common in Mali. However, there is little information on molecular and biochemical characteristics of HB carriers. METHODS A group of 1466 adult volunteers was recruited in the district of Bamako. Confirmed HB carriers were tested for HB viral load by quantitative PCR and HBV was genotyped by sequencing of HBS. Fibrosis and hepatitis activity were measu...