Immune reconstitution in HIV-1 infected patients treated for two years with highly active antiretroviral therapy

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the immune reconstitution of HIV-1 patients subjected to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for two years or more according to CD 45RA and CD 45RO cell count; determination of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and TNF-α serum levels; CD 4 + T and CD 8 + T lymphocyte count; and plasma viral load (VL) determination. For this purpose, a cross sectional study was carried out in the Tropical Diseases Area, Botucatu School of Medicine, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Between June 2001 and April 2002, 37 HIV-1 infected patients were evaluated, 13 with treatment indication but untreated (G1), 9 subjected to HAART for 5-7 months (G2), and 15 treated for two years or more (G3); both treated groups used medication regularly and without failure. Forty-nine normal individuals were studied as controls (GC-1 and GC-2). There was a tendency (p<0.10) for the predominance of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) associated with one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) regimen in G2; and two NRTI associated with a protease inhibitor (PI) in G3. Statistical differences between groups were seen for CD 45RA (G1<[G3=GC-2]; p<0.05) and CD 45RO (G1CD 4 + T lymphocyte count (G1[G2=G3]; p<0.001), TNF-α serum determination ([G1>G3; G2=intermediate]>GC-1; p<0.001), IL-2 (G1<[G2=G3=GC-1]; p<0.01), IFN-γ ([G1=GC-1]>[GC-2=G3]; p<0.001), IL-4 and IL-10 ([G1=G2=G3]>GC-1; p<0.001), serum cytokine profiles, with a higher proportion of subtype 2 in G1 and mature subtype 0 in G2 and G3 (p<0.005). There was no statistical difference for CD 8 + T lymphocyte counts (G1=G2=G3; p<0.50). Consistency was seen between positive correlations of profile 1 definer cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ), CD 45RA and CD 45RO cells, and CD 4 + T lymphocyte counts and between positive correlations of profile 2 definer cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) with TNF-α, and VL. The negative correlations were also consistent as they expressed the inverse of the positives. The variables with the highest number of correlations were IL-2, IFN-γ, and VL, followed by CD 45RA and CD 45RO cells, and IL-10. The variables with the lowest number of correlations were CD 4 + T and CD 8 + T lymphocytes. The results express the partial but important immune reconstitution in HIV-1 infected individuals with the interference of HAART and the importance of cytokines especially IL-2 and IFN-γ, and CD 45RA and CD 45RO cells as surrogate markers of this reconstitution.

Complexes Of Imidazoline-2-Thione And Its 1-Methyl Analogue With Cu(Ii), Zn(Ii), Cd(Ii) And Hg(Ii) Salts

The reaction of Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) chlorides and bromides with imidazoline-2-thione (IZT) and its N-methyl derivative (NMIZT) yields complexes of stoichiometry ML3X2 and ML2X (IZT) and its N-methyl derivative (NMIZT) yields complexes of stoichiometry ML3X2 and ML2X (where M=Cu(I)); copper(II) halides yield Cu(I) complexes. On the basis of infrared and 13C n.m.r.

13c And 1h Nmr Study Of Complexes Of 2-Pyridinethione And 4-Pyridinethione With Zn(Ii), Cd(Ii) And Hg(Ii) Halides

Proton and carbon-13 NMR has been used to study complexes of 2-pyridinethione (in its basic and deprotonated forms) and 4-pyridinethione with zinc(II), cadmium(II) and mercury(II) halides. The variations in the carbon-13 and proton chemical shifts are discussed.

The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC): Dimensionality and age-related measurement invariance with Australian cricketers

Objective This study explored the dimensionality and measurement invariance of the 25-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003) across samples of adult (n = 321; aged 20–36) and adolescent (n = 199; aged 12–18) Australian cricketers. Design Cross-sectional, self-report survey Methods An online, multi-section questionnaire. Results Confirmatory factor and item level analyses supported the psychometric superiority of a revised 10-item, unidimensional model of resilience over the original 25-item, five-factor measurement model. Positive and moderate correlations with hardiness as well as negative and moderate correlations with burnout components were evidenced thereby providing support for the convergent validity of the unidimensional model. Measurement invariance analyses of the unidimensional model across the two age-group samples supported configural (i.e., same factor structure across groups), metric (i.e., same pattern of factor loadings across the groups), and partial scalar invariance (i.e., mostly the same intercepts across the groups). Conclusion Evidence for a psychometrically sound measure of resilient qualities of the individual provides an important foundation upon which researchers can identify the antecedents to and outcomes of resilience in sport contexts.

Simultaneous adsorption of Cd(II) and phosphate on Al13 pillared montmorillonite

Al13 pillared montmorillonites (AlPMts) prepared with different Al/clay ratios were used to remove Cd(II) and phosphate from aqueous solution. The structure of AlPMts was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and N2 adsorption–desorption. The basal spacing, intercalated amount of Al13 cations, and specific surface area of AlPMts increased with the increase of the Al/clay ratio. In the single adsorption system, with the increase of the Al/clay ratio, the adsorption of phosphate on AlPMts increased but that of Cd(II) decreased. Significantly enhanced adsorptions of Cd(II) and phosphate on AlPMts were observed in a simultaneous system. For both contaminants, the adsorption of one contaminant would increase with the increase of the initial concentration of the other one and increase in the Al/clay ratio. The enhancement of the adsorption of Cd(II) was much higher than that of phosphate on AlPMt. This suggests that the intercalated Al13 cations are the primary co-adsorption sites for phosphate and Cd(II). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated comparable binding energy of P2p but a different binding energy of Cd3d in single and simultaneous systems. The adsorption and XPS results suggested that the formation of P-bridge ternary surface complexes was the possible adsorption mechanism for promoted uptake of Cd(II) and phosphate on AlPMt.

Investigations towards the synthesis of a CD-steroid intermediate

The development of a new synthesis of 2,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-lβ-hydroxy-4-formyl-7a-methylindene was undertaken involving the preparation of 2,6,7,7a-tetra-hydro-1β-hydroxy-4-methoxymethyl-7a-methylindene because of the erratic yield in the last oxidation step of the reported synthesis of the former compound. Although various attempts to prepare the latter were not successful, interesting rearrangement products, the dienone, 5,6,7,7a-tetrahydro-4,7a-dimethyl-5H-indene-1,5-dione and the tricyclic keto alcohol, 2,6-diketo-3-methyltricyclo(5,2,1,0)decan-8-ol, were obtained, the structures of which have been proved by spectral data. Mechanisms for the formation of these products have been proposed.

2-Thioacetamido thiazole as an ambidentate ligand. Complexes of Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II) and Cu(I)

Metal complexes of thiazoles have been studied in recent years[I-3] because of their biochemical importance[4,5]. However, data on metal complexes of thiazole derivatives containing another coordinating function are limited[2]. We have synthesized and examined the donor characteristics of a new ligand, 2-thioacetamide thiazole (TATZ)(I) towards chlorides and bromides of Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II) and Cu(I). The presence of four potential donor atoms and extensive charge delocalization should render TATZ a versatile ligand.

Structure and optical properties of Cd-substituted ZnO (Zn1-xCdxO) nanostructures synthesized by the high-pressure solution route

We report the synthesis of Cd-substituted ZnO nanostructures (Zn1-xCdxO with x up to approximate to 0.09) by the high-pressure solution growth method. The synthesized nanostructures comprise nanocrystals that are both particles (similar to 10-15 nm) and rods which grow along the [002] direction as established by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Rietveld analysis of the XRD data shows a monotonic increase of the unit cell volume with the increase of Cd concentration. The optical absorption, as well as the photoluminescence (PL), shows a red shift on Cd substitution. The line width of the PL spectrum is related to the strain inhomogeneity and it peaks in the region where the CdO phase separates from the Zn1-xCdxO nanostructures. The time-resolved photoemission showed a long-lived (similar to 10 ns) component. We propose that the PL behaviour of the Zn1-xCdxO is dominated by strain in the sample with the red shift of the PL linked to the expansion of the unit cell volume on Cd substitution.

Structure and optical properties of Cd-substituted ZnO (Zn1-xCdxO) nanostructures synthesized by the high-pressure solution route

We report the synthesis of Cd-substituted ZnO nanostructures (Zn1-xCdxO with x up to approximate to 0.09) by the high-pressure solution growth method. The synthesized nanostructures comprise nanocrystals that are both particles (similar to 10-15 nm) and rods which grow along the [002] direction as established by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Rietveld analysis of the XRD data shows a monotonic increase of the unit cell volume with the increase of Cd concentration. The optical absorption, as well as the photoluminescence (PL), shows a red shift on Cd substitution. The line width of the PL spectrum is related to the strain inhomogeneity and it peaks in the region where the CdO phase separates from the Zn1-xCdxO nanostructures. The time-resolved photoemission showed a long-lived (similar to 10 ns) component. We propose that the PL behaviour of the Zn1-xCdxO is dominated by strain in the sample with the red shift of the PL linked to the expansion of the unit cell volume on Cd substitution.

Computer estimation of the Cd---Hg---Te phase diagram

The compounds CdHgTe and its constituent binaries CdTe, HgTe, and CdHg are semiconductors which are used in thermal, infrared, nuclear, thermoelectric and other photo sensitive devices. The compound CdHgTe has a Sphaleritic structure of possible type A1IIB1IIC6VI. The TERCP program of Kaufman is used to estimate the stable regions of the ternary phase diagram using available thermodynamic data. It was found that there was little variation in stochiometry with temperature. The compositions were calculated for temperatures ranging from 325K to 100K and the compositional limits were Cd13−20Hg12−01Te75−79, Hg varying most. By comparison with a similar compound, Cd In2Te4 of forbidden band width. 88 to .90 e.V., similar properties are postulated for Cd1Hg1Te6 with applications in the infra red region of the spectrum at 300K where this composition is given by TERCP at the limit of stability.