The first case of Usutu virus neuroinvasive disease in Austria, 2021

Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus closely related to West Nile virus (WNV) that is endemic in many European countries. We report the first case of USUV neuroinvasive disease in Austria and discuss challenges in differentiating USUV from WNV infections in areas where both viruses are endemic.

T-cell activation follows Th1 rather than Th2 pattern in haemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND

Patients on chronic intermittent haemodialysis (HD) show an impaired cellular and humoral immune response that clinically appears with frequent infectious complications and low vaccination responses. This immune defect strongly correlates with reduced in vitro proliferative responses of T cells. The defect is localized in antigen presenting cells, which show a decreased co-stimulatory activity. Furthermore, the impaired immune response correlates with an increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In response to primary activation, CD4 positive T helper (Th) cells mainly differentiate into either Th1 or Th2 cells. Th1 cells support cell mediated immunity whereas Th2 cells enhance humoral immune responses. Since both types of responses mutually inhibit each other, the impaired humoral immune response seen in HD patients could either be due to a reduced number of Th2 cells or to a predominant Th1 response.

METHODS

We analysed the Th cell profile in HD patients using flow cytometry. Monocytic cytokine expression was analysed using both flow cytometry and enzyme linked immunoadsorbant assays.

RESULTS

Our data demonstrate that the cytokine differentiation profile in circulating T cells from HD patients is dysregulated and characterized by an increase in Th1 cells, but a normal amount of Th2 cells. Moreover, the skewed helper cell responses correlate with a higher percentage of monocytes capable of secreting the Th1 promoting cytokine interleukin 12 (IL-12).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of impaired cellular immune functions in dialysis patients and, in particular, the decreased antibody production after vaccination. They provide a link between overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-12) and imbalanced T-cell activation.

Imaging serotonin and dopamine transporters with 123I-beta-CIT SPECT: binding kinetics and effects of normal aging

[123I]beta-carbomethoxy-3-beta-(4-iodophenyl)-tropane (CIT) is a useful ligand for dopamine transporters (DATs) and serotonin transporters (5-HTTs). Previous SPECT studies have shown a state of sustained equilibrium in the striatum on day 2 after injection that allows quantification of striatal DATs using a simple ratio of specific-to-nondisplaceable binding. The aim of this study was to investigate the kinetics of [123I]beta-CIT uptake in the thalamus, hypothalamus, and midbrain, areas known to contain 5-HTTs in high densities.

METHODS

SPECT with a triple-head camera was performed on 16 healthy volunteers (13 women, 3 men; mean age [+/-SD], 32 +/- 11 y) after intravenous bolus injection of 130 +/- 20 MBq (3.5 +/- 0.5 mCi) [123I]beta-CIT. Two individuals were scanned 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 24 h after injection, and the remaining 14 were scanned 4, 7, 10, 20, and 24 h after injection. Values from 19 previously examined healthy volunteers (8 women, 11 men; mean age, 52 +/- 20 y) were included in the analysis to study the age dependency of beta-CIT binding in striatal and 5-HTT-rich brain areas in a larger control sample.

RESULTS

Peak uptake 4 h after injection, followed by stable uptake until 10 h and a slow decrease until 24 h, was observed in the thalamus-hypothalamus region. Activity in the midbrain-pons region peaked 2 h after injection. Because of a concomitant slow but steady decline of uptake in reference regions starting 4 h after injection, a higher stability of binding ratios for 5-HTT-rich brain areas was observed on day 2, suggesting that a state of transient equilibrium is reached between 20 and 24 h but that conditions are only close to transient equilibrium between 4 and 10 h after injection for 5-HTT-rich brain areas. In addition to an age-related decline of striatal [123I]beta-CIT binding of 6.6% per decade, a significant age-associated decrease of beta-CIT binding of 3-4% per decade was found in 5-HTT-rich brain areas. The decline of beta-CIT binding in these regions may be explained, at least in part, by a loss of monoamine transporters with age but may also be related to age-associated morphologic changes.

CONCLUSION

[123I]beta-CIT appears to be a suitable ligand for imaging serotonin transporters with SPECT. However, careful age matching is warranted for [123I]beta-CIT SPECT studies of 5-HTT changes in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders.

In vivo effects of dialysate flow rate on Kt/V in maintenance hemodialysis patients

It is generally assumed that hemodialysis adequacy is only minimally affected by increasing the dialysate flow rate (Qd). Recent in vitro studies showed that dialyzer urea clearance (Kd(urea)) may increase substantially more than expected in response to an increase in Qd. Because these studies implied that dialysis efficacy may benefit from greater Qds, we studied in vivo the effects of various Qds on the delivered dose of dialysis in 23 maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Hemodialysis was performed at Qds of 300, 500, and 800 mL/min for at least 3 weeks each, whereas specific dialysis prescriptions (treatment time, blood flow rate [Qb], ultrafiltration volume, and type and size of dialyzer) were kept constant. Delivered dose of dialysis, assessed by single-pool Kt/V (Kt/V(sp)) and double-pool Kt/V (Kt/ V(dp)), was measured at least three times for each Qd (218 measurements). Mean +/- SEM Kt/V(sp) was 1.19 +/- 0.03 at Qd of 300 mL/min, 1.32 +/- 0.04 at 500 mL/min, and 1.45 +/- 0.04 at 800 mL/min. The relative gains in Kt/V(sp) for increasing Qd from 300 to 500 mL/min and 500 to 800 mL/min were 11.7% +/- 8.7% and 9.9% +/- 5.1%, respectively. Kt/V(dp) increased at a similar percentage (11.2% +/- 8.9% and 10.3% +/- 5.1%, respectively). The observed gain in urea clearance by increasing Qd from 500 to 800 mL/min was significantly greater than the increase in Kd(urea) predicted from mathematical modeling (5.7% +/- 0.4%; P = 0.0008). Removal ratios for creatinine and the high-molecular-weight marker, beta(2)-microglobulin, were not affected by increasing Qd from 500 to 800 mL/min. The proportion of patients not achieving adequacy (Kt/V(sp) >/= 1.2) was reduced from 56% at Qd of 300 mL/min to 30% at 500 mL/min and further to 13% at 800 mL/min. It is concluded that increasing Qd from 500 to 800 mL/min is associated with a significant increase in Kt/V. Hemodialysis with Qd of 800 mL/min should be considered in selected patients not achieving adequacy despite extended treatment times and optimized Qbs.

Behavior management techniques in pediatric dentistry

There are many techniques a dentist can use to aid in delivering care to young patients. Proper selection and use can affect the immediate visit as well as future visits.