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High titers of anti-vimentin antibodies after transplantation are known to be associated with poor long-term graft survival. Vimentin is an intracellular protein which is present in different isoforms in the cell. In a previous study with sera from hemodialysis patients on the kidney transplantation waiting list we could show that only a 49 kDa and a 60 kDa isoform are recognized by patients' anti-vimentin antibodies while the other isoforms remain undetected. However, it is still unclear whether antibodies against this intracellular protein can bind to intact cells. Here we show that vimentin can be present on the cell surface under certain conditions. Lymphocytes from healthy volunteers were used as a model for allogeneic cells. We could show by immunofluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry and Western blot experiments that concanavalin A (Con A) activated lymphocytes express a 49 kDa vimentin isoform on their cell surface while the 60 kDa isoform remains inaccessible from the outside. This expression is associated with an increased binding of sera from hemodialysis patients which were positive for anti-vimentin antibodies. These results suggest that cell activation enhances binding of anti-vimentin antibodies to intact cells which might contribute to chronic allograft nephropathy., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cocaine dependence is a major public health problem for which there is no FDA-approved pharmacological treatment. Baclofen is a GABA(B) receptor agonist that in preclinical and early pilot clinical trials has shown promise for the treatment of cocaine dependence. The purpose of this multi-site, double-blind study, was to compare the safety and efficacy of baclofen (60 mg/day) vs placebo in an 8-week treatment of individuals with severe cocaine dependence. The primary outcome measure was subjects' self-reported cocaine use substantiated by urine benzoylecgonine (BE). Analysis of the data did not show a significant difference between the groups treated with baclofen and placebo. The current results do not support a role for 60 mg baclofen in treating cocaine dependence in the population studied. The contrast of this result to earlier, preclinical and human pilot data with baclofen may reflect the trial's focus on severe cocaine-dependent users, and/or the need for a higher baclofen dose. Baclofen's potential as a relapse prevention agent was not tested by the current design, but may be a useful target for future studies.

This clinical trial evaluated a contingency management intervention designed to improve medication adherence among HIV-positive methadone maintenance patients. After a 4-week baseline observation phase, eligible participants (N=66) were randomly assigned to: (a) medication coaching sessions every other week to assist with adherence strategies (comparison group) or (b) medication coaching plus voucher reinforcement for opening electronic medication caps on time (voucher group). Baseline adherence (percent doses taken/percent total possible doses) was 51% using electronic measurement, 75% using self-report and 75% using pill count. The intervention was provided for 12 weeks, with a 4-week follow-up. The primary outcome results of the clinical trial indicated effectiveness during the intervention, with significant mean adherence differences between voucher and comparison groups using electronic measurement (78% versus 56%), pill count (86% versus 75%), and self-report (87% versus 69%). Differences between groups faded after vouchers were discontinued. Contingency management shows promise as a strategy to promote antiretroviral medication adherence in this population.

Dimethylformamide dialkylacetals have been found to react readily with primary sulfonamides to form N-dimethylaminomethylene derivatives. These compounds possess excellent gas-liquid chromatographic properties and can be conveniently prepared at the submicrogram level. Their retention times are much greater than those of other sulfonamide derivatives (e.g., N,N-dimethyl) but their ease of preparation and lack of absorptive properties make them attractive for gas-liquid chromatographic studies. The practical applicability of this derivatization approach to biological studies is illustrated by the gas-liquid chromatographic determination of 3-bromo-5-cyanobenzenesulfonamide in ovine blood using 3,5-dibromobenzenesulfonamide as the internal standard. The method has a detection limit of 25 ppb with electron capture detection.

GLC with electron-capture detection was successfully applied to the analysis of hydrochlorothiazide in human blood and plasma with a sensitivity (0.05 mug/ml) suitable for use with persons on therapeutic dosage levels. On-column methylation with trimethylanilinium hydroxide in methanol was employed to convert hydrochlorothiazide and its bromo analog, which served as the internal standard, to their tetramethyl derivatives.