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Plastination is the most modern technique for the preservation of anatomical pieces and specimens. This technique consists of four stages: fixation, dehydration, forced impregnation, and cured. This research aims at improving the efficiency of production plastinated organs through the standard technique known as S10. Kidneys of criole mestizo equines from Frigorifico Aimar S.A placed in the rural area of Rio IV were used. After binding the organ with formalin, it was dehydrated. The dehydration was carried out in three substages working at the same temperature, and a solvent composed of solution of acetone of different concentrations was used. The measurements were analysed with acetometer, keeping register of the time consumption to reach dehydration. The resulting data was statistically analysed using Infostat program. Results showed that the time consumed to reach dehydration was influenced by the horses age but not by the kidney's weight, there were no significant differences between right and left kidneys neither. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In a trial of patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B, 24 week post-treatment biochemical and virological response rates with peginterferon α-2a with or without lamivudine were significantly higher than with lamivudine alone. The effect of pre-treatment factors on post-treatment responses was investigated. Methods: Multivariate analyses were performed using available data from 518 patients treated with peginterferon α-2a with or without lamivudine, or with lamivudine alone. A post-treatment response was defined as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalisation and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level of <20 000 copies/ml. Results: In logistic regression analyses across all treatment arms, peginterferon α-2a (with or without lamivudine) therapy, younger age, female gender, high baseline ALT, low baseline HBV DNA and HBV genotype were identified as significant predictors of combined response at 24 weeks post-treatment. In the peginterferon α-2a and lamivudine monotherapy arms, patients with genotypes B or C had a higher chance of response than genotype D infected patients (p<0.001), the latter responding better to the combination than to peginterferon α-2a monotherapy (p = 0.015). At 1 year post-treatment, response rates by intention-to-treat analysis were 19.2% for the peginterferon α-2a, 19.0% for the combination, and 10.0% for the lamivudine groups, with genotypes B or C associated with a sustained combined response to peginterferon α-2a with or without lamivudine therapy. Conclusions: Baseline ALT and HBV DNA levels, patient age, gender, and infecting HBV genotype significantly influenced combined response at 24 weeks post-treatment, in patients treated with peginterferon α-2a and/or lamivudine. At 1 year post-treatment HBV genotype was significantly predictive of efficacy for patients treated with peginterferon α-2a with or without lamivudine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetics of electrochemical lithium insertion inside RF sputtered Ni/V mixed oxides thin films have been investigated employing different electrochemical techniques. The AC electrochemical impedance spectra, recorded after 10 cycles, showed three steps clearly involved in the intercalation mechanism of lithium in the oxide films: (i) a charge transfer process to the electrolyte/electrode interface; (ii) a solid-state diffusion of Li; and (iii) a space limited diffusion due to the finite volume of the film. This latter portion of the impedance spectra was used to calculate the Li chemical diffusion coefficients (DLi). DLi values show an initial increase up to an injected charge of 30 mC cm−2 and then, upon further intercalation, a decay probably due to the limited Li motion through a decreased number of available sites. These results are in good agreement with the ones obtained by potentiostatic intermittent titration technique applied to the same electrodes. Both techniques agree in giving the same trend for DLi upon Li intercalation. The same sets of measurements were carried out after 100 and 1000 Li insertion/deinsertion cycles in order to analyze the effect of prolonged cycling on the mechanism of lithium diffusion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The preparation of photoactive fibres has been successfully developed by depositing and grafting TiO2 nanoparticles on cellulose fibres by using a sol–gel method at low temperature (∼100°C)—designed for practical applications. The original and treated fibres have been characterized by several techniques (SEM, HRTEM, FTIR, Raman, UV–vis spectroscopy, XRD, and TGA). The TiO2 nanoparticles, 3–5nm in size, have been found to form a homogeneous thin film on the fibre surface, which shows efficient photocatalytic properties when exposed to solar-like light. The photocatalytic activity, tested by measuring the degradation of adsorbed methylene blue (MB) and of a heptane-extracted bitumen fraction (BF) containing a mixture of heavy aromatic hydrocarbons, is fully maintained upon several numbers of impregnation–photodegradation cycles. The fibre structure is not altered upon light exposure. The TiO2 film is firmly anchored and the photocatalytic activity is retained even after 20 washing cycles. This preparation technique can be also applied to new fabrics to create self-cleaning and UV irradiation protection properties in them. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Available treatments for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B are associated with poor sustained responses. As a result, nucleoside and nucleotide analogues are typically continued indefinitely, a strategy associated with the risk of resistance and unknown long-term safety implications.Methods: We compared the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2a (180 microg once weekly) plus placebo, peginterferon alfa-2a plus lamivudine (100 mg daily), and lamivudine alone in 177, 179, and 181 patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B, respectively. Patients were treated for 48 weeks and followed for an additional 24 weeks.Results: After 24 weeks of follow-up, the percentage of patients with normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels or hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels below 20,000 copies per milliliter was significantly higher with peginterferon alfa-2a monotherapy (59 percent and 43 percent, respectively) and peginterferon alfa-2a plus lamivudine (60 percent and 44 percent) than with lamivudine monotherapy (44 percent, P=0.004 and P=0.003, respectively; and 29 percent, P=0.007 and P=0.003, respectively). Rates of sustained suppression of HBV DNA to below 400 copies per milliliter were 19 percent with peginterferon alfa-2a monotherapy, 20 percent with combination therapy, and 7 percent with lamivudine alone (P<0.001 for both comparisons with lamivudine alone). Loss of hepatitis B surface antigen occurred in 12 patients in the peginterferon groups, as compared with 0 patients in the group given lamivudine alone. Adverse events, including pyrexia, fatigue, myalgia, and headache, were less frequent with lamivudine monotherapy than with peginterferon alfa-2a monotherapy or combination therapy.Conclusions: Patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B had significantly higher rates of response, sustained for 24 weeks after the cessation of therapy, with peginterferon alfa-2a than with lamivudine. The addition of lamivudine to peginterferon alfa-2a did not improve post-therapy response rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The interplay between hepatitis B (HBV) and delta (HDV) viruses is complex and not always characterized during chronic HDV infection. We assessed the clinical usefulness of new quantitative assays for HBV and HDV serum markers in a retrospective cross‐sectional study. Sera obtained from 122 HDV genotype 1 and HBV genotype D coinfected, anti‐HIV‐negative patients (71 males; median age 49.8 [21.7‐66.9] years), recruited consecutively in two geographical areas (Italy 69 patients, Romania 53 patients) with different HBV and HDV epidemiology, were tested for HBsAg, HBV‐DNA, HBcrAg, total anti‐HBc, HDV‐RNA, IgM and total anti‐HDV using quantitative assays. Cirrhosis, which showed comparable prevalence in the two cohorts, was diagnosed in 97 of 122 (79.5%) patients. At multivariate analysis, cirrhosis was associated with lower total anti‐HBc/IgM anti‐HDV ratio (OR 0.990, 95% CI 0.981‐0.999, P = .038), whereas disease activity was associated with higher total anti‐HDV (OR 10.105, 95% CI 1.671‐61.107, P = .012) and HDV‐RNA levels (OR 2.366, 95% CI 1.456‐3.844, P = .001). HDV‐RNA serum levels showed a positive correlation with HBV‐DNA (ρ = 0.276, P = .005), HBsAg (ρ = 0.404, P < .001) and HBcrAg (ρ = 0.332, P < .001). The combined quantitative profiling of HBV and HDV serum markers identifies specific patterns associated with activity and stage of chronic hepatitis D (CHD). HDV pathogenicity depends on the underlying active HBV infection in spite of the inhibition of its replication. HDV‐RNA, IgM anti‐HDV, total anti‐HDV, total anti‐HBc, HBsAg and HBcrAg serum levels qualify for prospective studies to predict progressive CHD and identify candidates to antiviral therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high skeleton is important in working horses and associated high competition. Thoracic members hold 60% of body weight and are subjected to biomechanical efforts that predispose the animal to injury, being forced to rely on the support. The large metacarpal III supports load between bones of the body and the compact substance is large dorsal and medial thickness. It is composed of complex material and possesses plasticity and considerable force, with the ability to sustain deformation and subsequently recover its form. The objective of this study is to provide morphometric knowledge applied to animal clinic of the metacarpal III bone of equine criollo crossbreed. Thirty (30) metacarpal III bones of male and female horses, between 18 months and 5 years old, divided into two age groups, from the Frigorifico General Pico, Las Higueras groups were studied. We determined: weight, total length, diameter lateromedial and dorsal-palmar in the middle of the diaphysis. A transverse osteotomy was performed left to metacarpal III in the middle diaphysis to determine: cortical thickness, cortical area, medullary area and total area. The data was analyzed by correlation and simple linear regression techniques, analysis of variance and Tukey multiple comparisons using the statistical InfoStat (2009) package, with a significance level of 0.05. The results showed an association between weight vs. cortical area (r= 0.76, p= 0.0001) and bone length vs. cortical area (r= 0.74, p= 0.0001), the area depends linearly on the weight and length bone (R2= 0.97, p<0.0001 and R2= 0.96, p<0.0001 respectively). It was found that there are significant differences between the diameters of the area and thickness of the quadrants (p<0.0001), contrasting quadrants were observed in the dorsal and lateral exception quadrant. There are differences between areas of different age groups (p= 0.0034). The morphology influences the biomechanical properties of the bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus ( HCV) vaccines may be able to increase viral clearance in combination with antiviral therapy. We analysed viral dynamics and HCV-specific immune response during retreatment for experienced patients in a phase Ib study with E1E2 MF59 vaccine. Seventy-eight genotype 1a/1b patients [relapsers (30), partial responders (16) and nonresponders (32) to interferon-( IFN)/ribavirin-( RBV)] were randomly assigned to vaccine ( V:23), Peg- IFNα2a-180-ug/qw and ribavirin 1000-1200-mg/qd for 48 weeks ( P/R:25), or their combination ( P/R + V:30). Vaccine (100 μg/0.5 mL) was administered intramuscularly at week 0-4-8-12-24-28-32-36. Neutralizing of binding ( NOB) antibodies and lymphocyte proliferation assay ( LPA) for E1E2-specific- CD4 + T cells were performed at week 0-12-16-48. Viral kinetics were analysed up to week 16. The vaccine was safe, and a sustained virological response ( SVR) was achieved in 4 P/R + V and 2 P/R patients. Higher SVR rates were observed in prior relapsers (P/R + V = 27.3%; P/R = 12.5%). Higher NOB titres and LPA indexes were found at week 12 and 16 in P/R + V as compared to P/R patients ( P = 0.023 and 0.025, P = 0.019 and <0.001, respectively). Among the 22 patients with the strongest direct antiviral effects of IFN (ε ≥ 0.800), those treated with P/R + V (10) reached lower HCV- RNA levels ( P = 0.026) at week 16. HCV E1E2 MF59 vaccine in combination with Peg- IFNα2a + RBV was safe and elicited E1E2 neutralizing antibodies and specific CD4 + T cell proliferation. Upon early response to IFN, vaccinations were associated with an enhanced second phase viral load decline. These results prompt phase II trials in combination with new antiviral therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to provide information about biomechanical and morphological properties of the dog tibia bone subject to dynamic loads. The objectives were: evaluate the resistance of the tibia subject impact used Charpy test Method; linking it with total area, cortical area and bone marrow cavity; and compare it with weight, age and sex categories. The clinical, orthopedical and surgical relevance of the dog leg region is the basis for this research. Dog tibia were used in isolated conditions, removed postmortem from 30 adult animals defined raceless, from the zoonoses service of the city of Río Cuarto. Weight and total bone length, cranial-caudal and lateral-medial diameter in the middle of the diaphysis, were determined in the left and right tibia. The left tibia was osteotomized transversely in the middle of the diaphysis. On the surface section we measured: cortical thickness, diameter of the bone marrow cavity, and obtained the total section area, cortical area and medullary area. The right tibia was subjected to Charpy test method. Statistical analysis was performed accordingly. The bone strength showed a correlation of r=0.70 (p= 0.000019); r=0.67 (p=0.000059) and r=0.29 (p=0.12) with respect to the cortical area, total area and medullary area respectively. The morphology has influence on the biomechanical properties of bone, with increasing cortical area increases the impact energy absorbed. In contrast, a greater area of the medullary cavity of impact energy absorbed increases but to a lesser magnitude. There were statistically significant differences (p=0.0168) of size on the strength of the tibia. Age (p=0.7343) and sex (p=0.1898) had no significant influence on the biomechanical properties of the tibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work we review experimental XRPD, EXAFS, Raman, IR, microcalorimetric data on the adsorption of H2O, NO, CO, CO2, N2, C2H4 and H2 molecules on CPO-27-Ni material, a metal–organic framework (MOF) showing a coordination vacancy at the Ni2+ site in its desolvated form. Literature data are complemented by few new experimental results. A systematic theoretical study performed at the B3LYP-D*/TZVP level of theory (using a periodic boundary conditions) allowed us to reach a complete understanding of the structural, vibrational and energetic features of the material in interaction with the different molecules obtained from the different experimental techniques. From both experimental and theoretical set of data, interesting trends have been obtained for the framework distances (Ni–O and Ni–Ni) and frequency shifts of the framework vibration modes as a function of the adsorption energy (enthalpy) of the different probe molecules. This multitechnical approach, already applied for UiO-66 MOF is of general validity and can be straightforwardly extended to all MOF materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper is intended to provide information about biomechanical behavior femur at impact using the Charpy test method relating the resistance in the following areas: total, cortical and medullary bone cavity, comparing these between different ages and sexes. Dog femors were used in isolated conditions, removed postmortem from 30 adult animals, defined raceless, from the zoonoses service of the city of Rio Cuarto. Weight, total bone length, cranio-caudal diameter and lateral medial half of the diaphysis, were determined in the left and right femur. The left femur was osteotomized transversely in the middle of the diaphysis. In the sectional area thickness of the cortical and medullary diameters were measured. We obtained the total sectional area, cortical and medullary. The lemur of the right lower limb was subjected to the Charpy test method. Results were statistically analyzed and found that cortical area depends linearly on the length of the bone (r=0.62, p=0.00025), bone strength depends on the cortical areas (r=0.71, p=0.00012) and total (global) areas (r=0.63, p=0.00021) and not of the medullary area (r=0.29, p=0.12). Exploratory analysis showed that no difference existed regarding age and sex influence on the strength of the femur. Following these results we can infer that as cortical area increases, the impact energy absorbed also increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comprehensive understanding of the composition, behaviour and reactivity of a catalyst used inside industrial plants is an extremely hard task that is rarely achieved. It requires the use of different spectroscopic techniques, applied under in situor in operando conditions, and combined with the investigation of the catalyst activity. Often the operating experimental conditions are different from technique to technique and the different results must be compared with care. In the present contribution, we combined in situXANES/EXAFS, IR spectroscopy of adsorbed CO, CO chemisorption and catalytic tests performed using a pulse reactor in depletive mode. This multitechnical approach resulted in the understanding of the role that dopants (LiCl, KCl, CsCl, MgCl2LaCl3) have in the nature, relative fraction, reducibility and dispersion of Cu-phases on CuCl2/γ-Al2O3catalysts for oxychlorination reaction, a key step of the PVC chemistry. In the undoped catalyst two Cu phases coexist: Cu-aluminate and supported CuCl2, being the latter the only active one [J. Catal., 2000, 189, 91]. EXAFS and XANES highlighted that all dopants contribute more or less efficiently in increasing the fraction of the active copper species, that reaches a value of almost 100% in the case of MgCl2or LaCl3. EXAFS directly, and IR indirectly, proved that the addition of KCl or CsCl (and less efficiently of LiCl) results in the formation of mixed CuKxCl2+xor CuCsxCl2+xphases, so altering the chemical nature of the active phase. XANES spectroscopy indicates that addition of MgCl2or LaCl3does not affect the reducibility by ethylene (under static conditions) of the active CuCl2phase and that the reducibilility of the new copper-dopant mixed chloride are in the order CuCl2> CuLixCl2+x> CuKxCl2+x> CuCsxCl2+x. However, when reduction is done inside a pulse reactor, a more informative picture comes out. The last technique is able to differentiate all samples, and their ability to be reduced by ethylene resulted in the order: La- > Mg- > Li-doped > undoped > K- > Cs-doped catalyst. To understand this apparent discrepancy the dispersion of the active phase, measured by CO chemisorption, was needed: it has been found that addition of LiCl increases enormously the dispersion of the active phase, LaCl3significantly and MgCl2barely, while addition of both KCl and CsCl results in a decrease of the surface area of the active phase. The mechanism of the enhancing effect of La and Mg on catalytic activity is still not clear, but it could be associated to the modification that they induce to the support surface: the Cu is so highly dispersed that almost all is in direct contact with support surface. It is finally worth noticing that the previous EXAFS and XANES study allowed us to refer the chemisorption data to the active phase only, while the IR study allowed us to fix the Cu+/CO surface stoichiometry. Summarizing the use of a multidisciplinary approach has been the conditio sine qua non(mandatory condition) to understand the complex role that the different additives have on the active phase of the CuCl2/γ-Al2O3catalysts for ethylene oxychlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Au/TiO2 cotton nanocomposite textile was prepared at low temperature (∼100°C) by sol–gel and photodeposition process designed for practical applications. The Au/TiO2 nanoparticles have been found to form a homogeneous thin film on the fibre surface and to show efficient photocatalytic properties upon exposure to solar light. Stains cleaning measurements showed that the gold/TiO2-coated cotton fibres possess photocatalytic activity higher than that of TiO2-cotton fibres. For this reason the produced composite cotton fibres display high potential and commercial importance for visible light self cleaning properties. The original and treated fibres have been characterized by several techniques (SEM, HRTEM, FTIR, Raman, UV–vis spectroscopy and XRD). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: TiO2 thin films have been prepared on cotton fibres by using sol–gel method at low temperature (∼100°C) and metallic Ag nanoparticles were deposited on porous TiO2 film by photoreduction. The Ag–TiO2 covered cotton fibres show multichromic behaviour under visible and UV light exposure as well as photoactivity [M.J. Uddin, F. Cesano, F. Bonino, S. Bordiga, G. Spoto, D. Scarano, A. Zecchina, J. Photochem. Photobiol. A: Chem., 89 (2007) 286-294]. The developed multiactive cotton fibres show grey colour under visible light and change their colour reversibly to deep brown upon ultraviolet light exposure. The original and treated fibres have been characterized by several techniques (SEM, AFM, EDS microanalysis, Raman, UV–vis spectroscopy, XRD and TGA) and the Ag–TiO2 nanoparticles have been found to form an homogeneous thin film on the fibre surface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Liver stiffness was measured by transient elastography (FibroScan®) in 228 consecutive patients with chronic viral hepatitis, with (115) or without cirrhosis (113), to study its correlations with serum transaminases [alanine aminotransferase (ALT)], fibrosis stage and surrogate noninvasive markers of fibrosis (APRI, FORNS, FibroTest and hyaluronic acid). The dynamic profiles of serum transaminases and liver stiffness were compared by multiple testing in 31 patients during a 6-month follow-up. We identified 8.3 and 14 kPa as the fibrosis ≥F2 and cirrhosis cut-offs, respectively: their sensitivities were 85.2%/78.3%; specificities 90.7%/98.2%; positive predictive values 93.9%/97.8%; negative predictive values 78.8%/81.6%; diagnostic accuracies 87.3%/88.2%. FibroScan® performed better than the other surrogate markers of fibrosis ( P < 0.001). Other than fibrosis, other factors independently associated with liver stiffness were ALT for all patients and chronic hepatitis patients ( P < 0.001), and 12-month persistently normal ALT (biochemical remission, P < 0.001) in cirrhotics. In patients with biochemical remission either spontaneous or after antiviral therapy (48 of 228, 21%), liver stiffness was lower than in patients with identical fibrosis stage, but elevated ALT ( P < 0.001). The liver stiffness dynamic profiles paralleled those of ALT, increasing 1.3- to 3-fold during ALT flares in 10 patients with hepatitis exacerbations. Liver stiffness remained unchanged in 21 with stable biochemical activity ( P = 0.001). In conclusion, transient elastography is a new liver parameter that behaves as a reliable surrogate marker of fibrosis in chronic viral hepatitis patients, provided that its relationship with major changes of biochemical activity is taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hepatitis virus variants detection is useful in clinical practice; however, methods that are used for their identification may influence the results significantly. Three PCR-based assays for quantitation of G1896A precore HBV mutants: two allele specific PCRs, single tube (single-AS-PCR) with enzymatic restriction or separate tubes (twin-AS-PCR) and one oligohybridization assay (OA) with three probes were developed and standardized. Wild type and mutant plasmids and 10 sera were used as reference. All methods had sensitivity limits of 104 copies/ml and their specificity encompassed 3 logs (104–107 copies/ml) with dynamic ranges of logs for OA, twin-AS-PCR and single-AS-PCR, respectively. Single-AS-PCR and OA detected minor viral populations when their relative prevalence was at least 10% of the overall viral population whereas their detection by twin-AS-PCR ranged from 0.1 to 10% for samples with 107 and 105 copies/ml viral loads, respectively. Twin-AS-PCR was the most sensitive to detect the minor viral population, whereas single-AS-PCR and OA were more accurate to quantify the relative proportions of the two viral populations independently of the overall viral load. In conclusion, an accurate characterization of HBV precore heterogeneity should be warranted by a careful choice of the most appropriate assay according to the aim of the study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this in situ EXAFS and XANES study on the Phillips ethylene-polymerization Cr/SiO2 catalyst, two polymerization routes are investigated and compared. The first mimics that adopted in industrial plants, where ethylene is dosed directly on the oxidized catalyst, while in the second the oxidized catalyst is first reduced by CO at 623 K. On this reduced catalyst C2H4 polymerization has been investigated at room temperature and at 373 K. To allow experiments in transmission mode, a Cr loading of 4 wt% has been adopted. At this loading a fraction of clustered Cr2O3 particles has been observed and quantified. The use of a third-generation synchrotron radiation source has allowed us to improve the energy resolution and signal-to-noise ratio of the XANES data, allowing us to determine the fraction of Cr sites involved in the polymerization reaction. This number represents an upper limit of the active sites. Preliminary ReflEXAFS experiments have been performed on a model catalyst prepared by impregnation of Cr on a flat Si(100) substrate covered by a thin layer of amorphous silica. Experiments have been performed ex situ on the grafted catalyst (i.e., after impregnation and thermal activation) and at the end of the polymerization stage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary. Recurrent hepatitis and acute rejection share common features which make difficult for diagnosis in liver transplant hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive patients. We studied the usefulness of quantitative monitoring of HCV RNA and immunoglobulin (Ig)M anti-HCV in the differential diagnosis between recurrent hepatitis and acute rejection in 98 consecutive anti-HCV positive liver transplant patients. Aminotransferase levels, serum HCV RNA and IgM anti-HCV were measured at the time of transplantation and monthly thereafter. A liver biopsy (LB) was obtained when serum aminotransferase levels increased to twice or more than normal. During a mean follow-up of 16 months 86 aminotransferase flares were observed. Histology was compatible with recurrent hepatitis C in 44 cases and with acute rejection in 28, doubtful in 14. The fluctuations of HCV RNA serum levels were not significantly different in the three groups. Serum IgM anti-HCV levels increased (from negative to positive or with value variations ≥ 0.18) in 36 of 44 cases with recurrent hepatitis C at the time of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) flare. IgM anti-HCV remained unchanged in all rejection cases (P < 0.001), but increased in 10 of 11 histologically doubtful cases that were diagnosed as hepatitis at the second LB. Increasing serum levels of IgM anti-HCV at the time of ALT flares are significantly associated with recurrent hepatitis C in liver transplant patients. The quantitative monitoring of IgM anti-HCV appears to be an additional diagnostic tool for distinguishing recurrent hepatitis C from acute graft rejection with a 100% specificity; 100% positive predictive value and 88.9% diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between hepatitis B viraemia and intrahepatic HBV nucleocapsid proteins (HBcAg and HBeAg) was studied in 18 patients with chronic hepatitis B. Monoclonal antibodies (MoABs) were obtained in BALB/c mice primed with recombinant HBV nucleocapsid proteins. Four MoABs reacting with recombinant proteins gave positive results in competitive assays. Two reacted as anti-HBc and two as anti-HBe. One of them showed a strong affinity for the cytoplasmic, membrane bound antigen (P23e) of infected hepatocytes while the latter showed a higher specificity for serum HBeAg than for the intraheptic antigen. Anti-HBeMoA Bs had a staining capacity for liver cell nuclei comparable with that of polyclonal antibodies. Overall the anti-HBc MoABs stained the liver cell nuclei in 86% of cases, while anti-HBc MoABs stained in 58% of cases. The hepatoeytc cytoplasm was stained by anti-HBc MoABs and anti-HBe MoABs in 64% and 72% of cases respectively. Not one of 12 control liver biopsies was stained. Viraemia (HBV-DNA) was measured by dot blot hybridization and was correlated with the number of hepatocytes containing the nucleocapsid antigen. The highest levels of HBV-DNA (>108 genomes/ml) were detected in patients with prevalent nuclear staining while the lowest ones were observed in those with prevalent eytoplasmic expression of this antigen. The application of anti-HBV-nueleocapsid MoABs in diagnostics requires careful scrutiny since some are specific for the circulating antigen while others show a higher afffinity for the intrahepatic antigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates whether interferon-alpha treatment lowers the risk of progression to hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and cirrhosis, and any limitation of effect to certain subgroups. Methods; Findings; Interpretation.

We describe the case of a HBsAg +, HBeAg + carrier, treated with lamivudine, who experienced exacerbation of hepatitis after BMT from an anti-HBs +, anti-HBc +, anti-HBe + donor. The serological profile of the donor and the timing of exacerbation suggested that the adoptive immunity transfer played a major pathogenetic role. Antilymphocyte globulin administration resulted in resolution of hepatitis and seroconversion to anti-HBs +. Therapy aimed at blocking the effector arm of liver damage could represent a novel approach to avoid the risk of progression to fulminant hepatitis without hampering the chances of recovery from hepatitis B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]