This study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tau-protein, amyloid-beta-peptide 1-42 (Abeta1-42), ApoE-genotype and the degree of cognitive decline as diagnostic markers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Data was obtained from 105 AD patients and 68 controls. Median CSF-tau levels were increased (512 pg/ml vs. 145 pg/ml, p<0.001) and Abeta1-42-level...

A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker for cerebral malaria (CM) has not been validated. We examined the detection, semiquantification, and clinical use of the Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein-2 (PfHRP-2) as a parasite antigen biomarker for CM. The PfHRP-2 was detected in archival CSF samples from CM patients from Tanzania both by a newly developed sensitive and specific immuno-polym...

INTRODUCTION There are conflicting reports in literature about correlation of CSF viral RNA levels with neurological manifestations in HIV positive patients. Many studies in animals and human subjects have shown that CSF HIV-1 RNA can be useful as a specific marker of HIV induced neuropathology. To the contrary there are studies which show that neurological disease states can occur in absence o...

A study of the urinary concentration of fentanyl (F) and its major metabolite norfentanyl (NF) in chronic pain patients treated with the Duragesic continuous release transdermal patches is presented. These patches are available in 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm(2) sizes releasing 25, 50, 75, and 100 microg/h F, respectively. F is rapidly and extensively metabolized, with NF as the major metabolite. Five...

Granulocyte-colony-stimulating-factor (G-CSF) induces mobilization of progenitor cells but may also exert pro-inflammatory and pro-thrombotic effects. Treatment with recombinant G-CSF after acute myocardial infarction is currently under examination and has been associated with in-stent restenosis. However, it is not known whether plasma levels of endogenous G-CSF are also associated with an inc...

BACKGROUND HIV can spread into the central nervous system (CNS) early in the course of infection and this turns into intrathecal inflammation and neuronal damage. We aimed to investigate clinical and immunological parameters associated with elevated CSF VL in HIV-infected ART-naïve patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS HIV+ ART-naïve patients underwent a comprehensive battery of neurocognitive (NC)...

Recombinant granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factors (rGM-CSF) of mouse and human origins activated macrophages of the homologous species to inhibit the replication of the protozoan parasite T. cruzi. Activation could be induced with 10-100 ng/ml of rMu-GM-CSF, whether it was added before or after uptake of the parasite, in either adherent or suspension cultures. However, the degree of...

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system for the quantitation of human monocytic colony-stimulating factor (hM-CSF) was established, which was based on the "dual antibody immunometric sandwich" principle using horse and rabbit polyvalent antibodies against human urinary colony-stimulating factor (CSF-HU). The minimal detectable level of hM-CSF was 10 U/mL, and the assays showed good ...

Development of cell-based delivery systems that can release therapeutic levels of hematopoietic growth factors into the systemic circulation would facilitate treatment of patients requiring cytokine therapy. In this study, we have investigated the potential of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-secreting, irradiated syngeneic murine cells to accelerate hematopoietic recov...