Fluconazole versus itraconazole for candida esophagitis in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Candida Esophagitis

BACKGROUNDS & AIMS: Contrasting opinions exist about the pharmacological treatment of esophageal candidiasis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The aim of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy of fluconazole and itraconazole treatment. METHODS: This study evaluated 2213 human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients at first episode of esophageal candidiasis diagnosed by endoscopy; 1105 received fluconazole and 1108 received itraconazole. The endoscopic and clinical response to treatment was assessed periodically until the end of the follow-up period (1 year). RESULTS: At week 2, endoscopic cure occurred in 81.2% of patients treated with fluconazole and in 65.6% of patients treated with itraconazole (P < 0.001). Clinical cure was observed in 81.5% of patients treated with fluconazole and in 75.2% of patients treated with itraconazole (P < 0.001). At the end of the follow-up period, endoscopic and clinical cure were observed in 96% of patients treated with fluconazole and in 95.6% of patients treated with itraconazole (P = 0.788), with similar differences by intention-to-treat analysis (93.6% vs. 93.3%; P = 0.853). Treatment failure was observed in 22.3% of fluconazole-treated patients and in 26.6% of itraconazole-treated patients (P = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Fluconazole and itraconazole are provided with good long-term therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of Candida esophagitis in patients with AIDS. Fluconazole is associated with a higher rate of cure than itraconazole in short-term treatment.     

基于可寻址分支分配器的CATV收费系统

给出了一种基于可寻址分支分配器的ＣＡＴＶ收费管理系统设计方案，并着重介绍了系统的工作原理及可寻址分支分配器的设计。     

A broadly cross-protective monoclonal antibody binding to Escherichia coli and Salmonella lipopolysaccharides

During the last decade, episodes of sepsis have increased and Escherichia coli has remained the most frequent clinical isolate. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS; endotoxin) are the major toxic and antigenic components of gram-negative bacteria and qualify as targets for therapeutic interventions. Molecules that neutralize the toxic effects of LPS are actively investigated. In this paper, we describe a murine monoclonal antibody (MAb; WN1 222-5), broadly cross-reactive and cross-protective for smooth (S)-form and rough (R)-form LPS. As shown in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the passive hemolysis assay, WN1 222-5 binds to the five known E. coli core chemotypes, to Salmonella core, and to S-form LPS having these core structures. In immunoblots, it is shown to react with both the nonsubstituted core LPS and with LPS carrying O-side chains, indicating the exposure of the epitope in both S-form and R-form LPS. This MAb of the immunoglobulin G2a class is not lipid A reactive but binds to E. coli J5, an RcP+ mutant which carries an inner core structure common to many members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Phosphate groups present in the inner core contribute to the epitope but are not essential for the binding of WN1 222-5 to complete core LPS. Cross-reactivity for clinical bacterial isolates is broad. WN1 222-5 binds to all E. coli clinical isolates tested so far (79 blood isolates, 80 urinary isolates, and 21 fecal isolates) and to some Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Klebsiella isolates. This pattern of reactivity indicates that its binding epitope is widespread among members of the Enterobacteriaceae. WN1 222-5 exhibits biologically relevant activities. In vitro, it inhibits the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay activity of S-form and R-form LPS in a dose-dependent manner and it neutralizes the LPS-induced release of clinically relevant monokines (interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor). In vivo, WN1 222-5 blocks endotoxin-induced pyrogenicity in rabbits and lethality in galactosamine-sensitized mice. The discovery of WN1 222-5 settles the long-lasting controversy over the existence of anti-core LPS MAbs with both cross-reactive and cross-protective activity, opening new possibilities for the immunotherapy of sepsis caused by gram-negative bacteria.     

Solution conformation of the Pseudomonas syringae MSU 16H phytotoxic lipodepsipeptide Pseudomycin A determined by computer simulations using distance geometry and molecular dynamics from NMR data

Pseudomycin A is a cyclic lipodepsinonapeptide phytotoxin produced by a strain of the plant pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae. Like other members of this family of bacterial metabolites, it is characterised by a fatty acylated cyclic peptide with mixed chirality and lactonic closure. Several biological activities of Pseudomycin A are lower than those found for some of its congeners, a difference which might depend on the diverse number and distribution of charged residues in the peptide moiety. Hence, it was of interest to investigate its conformation in solution. After the complete interpretation of the two-dimensional NMR spectra, NOE data were obtained and the structure was determined by computer simulations, applying distance geometry and molecular dynamics procedures. The conformation of the large ring of Pseudomycin A in solution includes three rigid structural regions interrupted by three short flexible regions that act as hinges. The overall three-dimensional structure of the cyclic moiety is similar to that of previously studied bioactive lipodepsinonapeptides produced by other pseudomonads.     

In vitro short-term response of human erythrocytes to implant materials used in maxillo-facial rigid internal fixation

A number of retinal proteins are phosphorylated by a variety of kinases, resulting in well-known regulatory effects. The identity and role of corresponding phosphatases is less clear. We simultaneously measured the activity of serine/ threonine protein phosphatases type 1, 2A and 2C in bovine retinae. The enzymes were classified according to substrate specificity, divalent cation requirement and the effect of phosphatase subtype-specific inhibitors. The total- and specific activity of phosphatase type 2A was prevalent. Type 2C was 10-fold less abundant. 80% of type 1 and 50% of type 2A and type 2C, respectively, were soluble. An economic purification scheme was developed. We demonstrated the presence of phosphatase isozymes 2Calpha and 2Cbeta in bovine rod outer segments by enzymatic analysis as well as immunological techniques. The results suggest a yet unknown role of phosphatase type 2C in phototransduction. On the other hand, the immense amount of protein phosphatases found to be soluble - therefore not associated with rod outer segment membranes - points towards participation of these enzymes in the process of visual transduction not considered thus far.     

新疆重质混合原油研制高等级道路沥青

对利用新疆重质混合原油生产的减压渣油作为基质沥青制备高等级道路沥青进行了研究。考察了低硫石蜡基原油（A）和含硫环烷-中间基原油（B）的掺炼比对基质沥青四组分组成的影响，减压渣油软化点与基质沥青四组分组成的关系，以及添加剂对改进沥青性质的作用。由此得出原油（B）的合适掺炼量，减压渣油软化点的控制范围和优化的生产工艺条件，调合出了符合GB／T18150—2000和JTGF40—2004要求的高等级道路沥青。     

包含热模型的大功率MOSFET新型电路模型

功率转换器的功率密度越来越高，发热问题越来越严重，这种功率转换器的设计对现代大功率半导体技术提出了新的挑战；因而，热问题的优化设计和核实变得比大功率器件的电模型更加重要，本文提出一种新的PSPICE模型，可以利用它计算MOSFET芯片在瞬变过程中的温度。其中的热阻可以从制造商提供的产品使用说明书得到。本文介绍的模型提供发热和电气参数之间的动态关系。它建立了与许可的热环境的关系，例如，栅极驱动电路、负载、以及散热器的分析与优化设计。利用这个模型可以改善散热器的设计。由于决定功率损耗的参数是分布在一定范围内，受生产制造的影响很大，因而散热器的设计往往由于无法预先知道功率损耗而无法进行。     

Location and calculation-free node-scheduling schemes in large wireless sensor networks

In wireless sensor networks that consist of a large number of low-power, short-lived, unreliable sensors, one of the main design challenges is to obtain long system lifetime without sacrificing system original performance (sensing coverage and sensing reliability). To solve this problem, one of the potential approaches is to identify redundant nodes at the sensing interface and then assign them an off-duty operation mode that has lower energy consumption than the normal on-duty mode. In our previous work [J. Wireless Commun. Mobile Comput. 3 (2003) 271; Processing of ACM Wireless Sensor Network and Application Workshop 2002, September 2002], we proposed a node-scheduling scheme, which can provide a 100% sensing coverage preservation capability. This, however, requires each node to be aware of its own and its neighbors’ location information. Also, in that scheme, each node has to do accurate geometrical calculation to determine whether to take an off-duty status. In this paper, we propose and study several alternative node-scheduling schemes, which cannot completely preserve the original system coverage, but are nonetheless light-weighted and flexible compared with the previous one. Our simulation results compare these schemes with the previous one and demonstrate their effectiveness.     

A QoS index for IP services to effectively support usage-based charging

The goal of this letter is to present a model to compute a quality-of-service (QoS) index to characterize IP services. Then, we show how such a score may be used in a clear and flexible way for defining advanced usage-based tariff criteria to charge QoS guaranteed network services to address the dynamics of the expected future telecommunications scenario.