We evaluated the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of diphtheria, tetanus, whole-cell pertussis and hepatitis B (DTPw-HB) combination vaccine manufactured by Shantha Biotechnics Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, India in healthy infants between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Overall 123 infants (male:female ratio, 1:1.3) were recruited, of which 112 received all three doses of the vaccine at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age...

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is essential for maintaining normal function of the adult heart and is known to play an important role in myocardial remodeling. In the present study, we observed that heart-specific HB-EGF transgenic (TG) mice had systolic dysfunction with decreased fractional shortening (FS%), increased end-systolic diameter (LVIDs) at 5 mont...

To link the presence of intrathecal virus-specific oligoclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG) in multiple sclerosis patients to a demyelinating activity, aggregating rat brain cell cultures were treated with antibodies directed against two viruses, namely, rubella (RV) and hepatitis B (HB). Anti-RV antibodies in the presence of complement decreased myelin basic protein concentrations in a dose-dependen...

(1) All HIV-positive patients should have serum markers for hepatitis B checked (HBsAg, anti-HBc and/or antiHBs) tests within a month of diagnosis [II]. (2) All those negative for hepatitis B markers should be immunized and anti-HBs checked at 12 weeks. Patients failing to respond to a conventional course of 20 mg vaccine should received booster doses and/or a repeat vaccination cycle with the ...

Amino acid sequence variations resulting from single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified using a novel mass spectrometric method. This method obtains 99+% protein sequence coverage for human hemoglobin in a single LC-microspray tandem mass spectrometry (microLC-MS/MS) experiment. Tandem mass spectrometry data was analyzed using a modified version of the computer program SEQUEST to i...

The histologic findings in the original liver obtained from 9 liver allograft patients with active B virus hepatitis were compared with 28 posttransplant pathology specimens. All specimens were studied with the use of light and immunohistochemical microscopy in conjunction with pertinent clinical data. Eight of the 9 patients had chronic active hepatitis B (HB) with cirrhosis, prior to transpla...

Red blood cells (RBCs) augment hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) in part by scavenging of nitric oxide (NO) by Hb (Deem S, Swenson ER, Alberts MK, Hedges RG, and Bishop MJ, Am J Respir Crit Care Med 157: 1181-1186, 1998). We studied the contribution of the RBC compartmentalization of Hb to augmentation of HPV and scavenging of NO in isolated perfused rabbit lungs. Lungs were initially pe...

Pediatric hepatoblastoma (HB) is commonly treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgical tumor resection according to international multicenter trial protocols. Complete tumor resection is essential and survival rates up to 95% have now been achieved in those tumors classified as standard-risk HB. Drug resistance and occurrence of metastases remain the major challenges in the treatment of HB,...

Oxidative stress plays a major role in triggering astroglial cell death in diverse neuropathological conditions such as ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases. Numerous studies indicate that hemoglobin (Hb) is expressed in both resting and reactive glia cells, but nothing is known regarding a possible role of Hb on astroglial cell survival. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investi...