HIV-1 RNA detection in the amniotic fluid of HIV-infected pregnant women

This study is aimed at evaluating the potential to detect human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in amniotic fluid (AF) collected at delivery from 40 HIV-positive pregnant women. Thirty patients had a plasma viral load (VL) below 1,000 copies/mL at delivery. VL was positive in three AF samples. No significant association was found between the HIV-1 RNA in AF and the maternal plasma samples. There was no HIV vertical transmission detected.

Evaluation of Lionex TB kits and mycobacterial antigens for IgG and IgA detection in cerebrospinal fluid from tuberculosis meningitis patients

To evaluate commercial Lionex TB together with four antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MPT-64, MT10.3, 16 kDa and 38 kDa) for IgG and IgA cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) detection in the diagnosis of tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) with CSF negative acid-fast bacilli staining, 19 cases of TBM, 64 cases of other infectious meningoencephalitis and 73 cases of other neurological disorders were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. IgA-MPT-64 and IgG Lionex showed the highest sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive value and negative predictive value (63.2%, 47.4%; 95%, 93.7%; 40%, 98% and 28.4%, 97.1%, respectively). However, while grey zone was 12.7% and 6%, respectively, lowering sensitivity but maintains high specificity (> 95%). High protein concentration in CSF was associated with antibody positivity CSF/HIV+ which did not influence the sensitivity of both tests. To our knowledge, this is the first description of IgA-MPT-64 and IgG Lionex antibodies in CSF-TBM and, although there is good specificity, adjustments are needed based on antigen composition to enhance sensitivity.

Influences of body weight, body composition, and substrate oxidation rate on resting postabsorptive glucose production and gluconeogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of body weight, fat mass, and fat distribution on resting endogenous glucose production in healthy lean and overweight individuals. DESIGN: measurements were performed in the resting postabsorptive state in individuals receiving an unrestricted diet. SETTING: Institute of Physiology of Lausanne University. MEASUREMENTS: resting post absorptive glucose production, glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis; resting energy expenditure and net substrate oxidation. RESULTS: Endogenous glucose production was positively correlated with body weight, lean body mass, energy expenditure and carbohydrate oxidation. Gluconeogenesis was positively correlated with net lipid oxidation and energy expenditure, and negatively correlated with net carbohydrate oxidation. No correlation with body fat or fat distribution was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Gluconeogenesis shows a large interindividual variability. Net lipid oxidation and not body fat appears to be a major determinant of gluconeogenesis.