Abnormalities in the synthesis, processing and catabolism of lipoprotein particles can result in severe hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia or low HDL-C. Although a plethora of antidyslipidemic pharmacological agents are available, these drugs are relatively ineffective in many patients with Mendelian lipid disorders, indicating the need selleck chemical for new and more effective interventions. In vivo somatic gene therapy
is one such intervention. This article summarizes current strategies being pursued for the development of clinical gene therapy for dyslipidemias that cannot effectively be treated with existing drugs.”
“Objectives: To evaluate whether maternal HIV disease severity during pregnancy is associated OTX015 price with an increased likelihood of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in HIV-exposed, uninfected infants.
Methods:
HIV-exposed, uninfected, singleton, term infants enrolled in the NISDI Perinatal Study, with birth weight >2500 g were followed from birth until 6 months of age. LRTI diagnoses, hospitalizations, and associated factors were assessed.
Results: Of 547 infants, 103 (18.8%) experienced 116 episodes of LRTI (incidence = 0.84 LRTIs/100 child-weeks). Most (81%) episodes were bronchiolitis. Forty-nine (9.0%) infants were hospitalized at least once with an LRTI. There were 53 hospitalizations (45.7%) for 116 LRTI episodes. None of these infants were breastfed. The odds of LRTI in infants whose mothers had CD4% <14 at enrollment were 4.4 times those of infants whose mothers had CD4% >= 29 (p = 0.003). The odds of LRTI in infants with a CD4+ count (cells/ mm(3)) <750 at hospital discharge were 16.0 times those of infants with CD4+ >= 750 (p = 0.002). Maternal CD4+ decline and infant hemoglobin at the 6-12 week visit
were associated with infant LRTIs after 6-12 weeks and before 6 months of age.
Conclusions: Acute bronchiolitis is common and frequently severe among HIV-exposed, uninfected infants aged 6 months or less. Lower maternal and infant CD4+ values were associated with a higher selleck inhibitor risk of infant LRTIs. Further understanding of the immunological mechanisms of severe LRTIs is needed. (C) 2010 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“PURPOSE: To identify the cause of light scattering on the surface (ie, whitening) of extracted Acry-Sof intraocular lenses (IOLs).
SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
METHODS: Dislocated IOLs extracted from 3 patients were stored and the IOL surfaces examined under light microscopy. The effect of whitening on visual function was evaluated by measuring light transmission with a spectro photo meter. To determine the cause of opacification, the IOLs were examined for calcium phosphate deposits using an electron probe X-ray microanalyzer.