ADRIS: The new open-source accessible driving simulator for training and evaluation of driving abilities.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Independent living and transportation are crucial aspects for people living with a disability. After an injury, it is important to assess driving ability, in terms of physical and psychological conditions, and to test the effects of prescribed drugs. Within this framework, driving simulators are suitable tools for training driving skills; however, available tools are expensive or lack appropriate sets of behavioral measures to fully characterize the drivers' ability. METHODS: This work presents the first step toward the development of ADRIS, a new open-source, accessible, realistic virtual reality simulator for training and testing driving skills of people with sensory-motor disability. This includes a prototype based on an open-source simulator for autonomous driving research (CARLA), with the addition of customized features such as adaptable driving controllers, a virtual reality headset, and the possibility to collect behavioral and physiological data. Also, the new system allows to set different environmental conditions, to include and control the timing of potentially dangerous situations, and to set scenarios with various difficulty levels. RESULTS: Tests on 17 healthy participants demonstrated that the simulator is well tolerated in terms of discomfort, physical fatigue, and mental effort. Also, the system is easy to use and is capable of providing a realistic driving experience, allowing the extraction of reliable behavioral parameters. CONCLUSIONS: ADRIS combines a high-fidelity virtual world, with customizable features specifically designed for the training and testing of people living with a disability, thus making it usable in many contexts such as home training, rehabilitation, education, and research.

Zidovudine therapy of HIV-1 infection during pregnancy: assessment of the effect on the newborns.

Zidovudine (ZDV) administration during pregnancy has been suggested for the prevention of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission. Reliable levels of the drug have been observed in the fetus and in the newborn. Seven HIV-1-infected pregnant women who declined to have abortions and whose immunological status required antiretroviral treatment were administered oral ZDV 18 mg/kg in four daily doses, the initial dose being administered anytime from the 16th to the 30th week of gestation up until the time of delivery. Follow-up of the seven infants from birth with a mean duration of 22 months (range 16-32 months) revealed mild drug-related toxicity: anemia in two infants and macrocytosis in all seven, both conditions resolved by the second month of life. All infants remained HIV-1 seronegative, according to the 1987 CDC classification, and all stayed clinically well. Other virological parameters including virus culture, in vitro antibody production, and polymerase chain reaction, repeatedly performed in the infants, remained negative. Although none of the mothers transmitted HIV-1 infection to the offspring, the size of this study and the relatively low transmission rate (13%) in Europe do not permit us to draw a definite conclusion about treatment efficacy in preventing maternal-fetal transmission. However, the drug caused only limited toxicity among the infants, and its administration to large numbers of mothers in treatment trials should be considered relatively safe for both mother and child.

Individual NK cell clones lyse both tumor cell targets and herpes simplex virus-infected fibroblasts in the absence of interferon.

The target specificity of natural killer (NK) cells for either tumor cells or virus-infected cells has been investigated. Lymphocyte clones with the surface phenotype of NK cells (CD3-, CD16+) were obtained by limiting dilution of peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with PHA, Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), or Varicella-Zoster antigens. Clones were maintained in media with recombinant interleukin 2 (IL-2). Both NK-sensitive (K562 cells) and NK-resistant (Raji cells) targets were lysed by three cloned lines of NK cells. The ability to lyse NK-resistant target cells was largely lost when the cloned lymphocytes were cultured overnight in the absence of IL-2. Effector cells from all three clones were also capable of specifically lysing HSV-1 infected human fibroblasts in comparison with uninfected fibroblasts. We also showed that lysis of HSV-1 infected targets by NK cloned cells was independent of interferons in the culture system.

T cell blastogenic responses to Toxoplasma gondii trophozoites among HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cell-mediated immune response to Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) among HIV-infected patients. METHODS: Forty HIV-infected patients were studied. Of them, 35 had antibodies to T. gondii and 5 had not. Nine of 35 patients with detectable serum Toxoplasma antibodies were classified as group A1 (CDC 1993), 10 as group B2, 6 as group B3, and 10 as group C3. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained by Ficoll-Hypaque gradient centrifugation. Living Toxoplasma gondii trophozoites, herpes simplex virus (HSV), tetanus toxoid, and phytohemoagglutinin (PHA) were used in standard proliferation assays. Toxoplasma-responding blasts were expanded and assayed for antigen specificity and HLA restriction by proliferation assays. T cell subsets were analyzed using two-color flow cytometry. RESULTS: Among patients with detectable Toxoplasma serum antibodies, significant PBMC proliferation in response to T. gondii trophozoites was observed in those classified in group A1 or B2 but not in those in groups B3 and C3. Toxoplasma-induced blasts from five of six patients after 7 days of culture and from five patients after 15 days of culture proliferated in response to T. gondii in the presence of either autologous or allogeneic PBMCs as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and/or also proliferated in response to HSV. The surface markers of T. gondii-induced blasts showed a variable percentage of CD4 and CD8 activated cells. CONCLUSIONS: T cell proliferative response to living trophozoites of T. gondii is lost only in patients with severe depletion of CD4 cells. PBMC proliferation was observed only in patients with previous T. gondii infection, but the T cell blasts generated showed a strong alloreactivity (proliferating in response to allogeneic irradiated PBMCs) and were apparently not antigen specific (proliferating also in response to HSV).

Immunoreactive lactoferrin in resting, activated, and neoplastic lymphocytes.

Lactoferrin (Lf) in lymphocytes was assessed with immunofluorescence/flow cytometric technique. Surface Lf was detected primarily among B-cell-enriched preparations. Tonsillar B-cells of different densities expressed surface Lf similarly. Very small percentages of CALLA+ ALL, HCL, or EBV-transformed B-cells expressed surface Lf, whereas B-CLL lymphocytes had the highest percentages of surface Lf positivity. Few resting, cultured, or neoplastic T-lymphocytes expressed Lf. The pattern of immunofluorescence and analyses of surface and total cellular immunoreactive Lf indicated that Lf is associated primarily with the lymphocyte surface. The percentage and/or intensity of surface Lf-specific fluorescence were not significantly altered in B- or T-cells by incubation with physiologic concentrations of differric Lf, and the percentages of Lf-positive cells detected in respective subjects remained stable over time. Surface Lf positivity was unrelated to the expression of other surface antigens (except those marking B- or T-cell lineage) or cell cycle. Expression and/or binding of Lf in B-lymphocytes may become increased during certain stages of cell maturation.

In vitro activity of a Combretum micranthum extract against herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2.

The authors demonstrate in vitro antiviral activity of a methanolic extract of Combretum micranthum leaves against HSV-1 and HSV-2. This activity is present only in the extract dissolved 7 days before the assay, but not in the freshly prepared extract, thus indicating the presence of inactive precursors which undergo spontaneous transformations into active compounds. The alkaline autooxidation of the methanolic extract promotes this rapid transformation. The precursors have been identified as condensed catechinic tannins, which, under alkaline conditions, suffer rapid cleavage, intramolecular rearrangement to catechinic acid and autooxidation. The alkaline autooxidation products of the methanolic extract of C. micranthum and those of the synthetic catechinic acid show similar I.R. and U.V. absorption curves, as well as similar anti-HSV-1 and -HSV-2 activities. EC50s of catechinic acid autooxidation products against HSV-1 and HSV-2 replication were 2 micrograms/ml and 4 micrograms/ml, respectively, when cell cultures were treated with the compound during virus infection.

Sublingual immunotherapy in Parietaria pollen-induced rhinitis: a double-blind study.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of immunotherapy was conducted in 31 patients with allergic rhinitis due to Parietaria pollen to evaluate the efficacy and safety of high doses of allergen via the sublingual route. The patients were assessed before and after a 10-month period of treatment by clinical (symptom-medication scores and specific nasal reactivity) and immunological (total IgE, specific IgE, IgG and IgG4 antibodies) parameters. High doses of Parietaria extract corresponding to a cumulative dose of 105 BU for each patient were administered with negligible side effects. The actively treated patients had significantly lower medication scores than those on placebo (p < 0.05) when the maximum pollen count was recorded, and at the end of the trial they showed a significant decrease in nasal reactivity (p < 0.02) and a significant increase in serum specific IgG4 (p = 0.02). No differences were detected in any of these parameters in the placebo group. Possible explanations for the mechanisms of sublingual immunotherapy are proposed.

[Effects of clindamycin and josamycin in experimental Toxoplasma gondii infections]. / Attività della clindamicina e della josamicina nell'infezione sperimentale da Toxoplasma gondii.

The effects of clindamycin and josamycin on experimental toxoplasmosis of mice (RH strain) are studied. Oral administration of clindamycin 800 mg/kg daily for 14 days cured 80% of Toxoplasma-infected mice at 60 days after infection. Josamycin, administered subcutaneously at 100, 200, 500, 1000 mg/kg daily for 14 days did not prevent death due to acute infection, and no difference was demonstrated with untreated infected mice.

[Necrotizing vasculitis induced by cytomegalovirus in a woman with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome]. / Vasculite nécrosante produite par le cytomégalovirus chez une malade atteinte du syndrome d'immunodéficience acquise.

INTRODUCTION: Skin lesions induced by cytomegalovirus are rare and usually non-characteristic. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old women with AIDS developed about twenty unpainful ulceronecrotic lesions on the extension aspect of the members and the trunk. Histology examination and in situ hybridization favoured cytomegalovirus infection of the skin. DISCUSSION: Despite the exceptional nature of this case, this particular clinical presentation should be recognized as it could be useful for early diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection in immunodepressed subjects.

Enzyme immunoassay for evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii growth in tissue culture.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the evaluation of growth kinetics of Toxoplasma gondii in tissue cultures was developed. Tissue culture microplates (96 wells) were seeded with Vero cells, infected with a virulent strain of T. gondii, and incubated for different time periods. The ELISA was performed with anti-T. gondii antibodies on the infected cells. The method was simple, rapid, and accurate, and very good correlations between the ELISA results and the percentage of T. gondii rosettes in infected cells, the number of free T. gondii in the supernatant, and the amount of T. gondii antigen in the supernatant were observed.

[Combined fetal alcohol and hydantoin syndromes]. / Combinación de los síndromes de alcohol e hidantoína fetal.

Ethanol and hydantoin are both teratogenic drugs of common usage and are associated with specific syndromes. This is a report on two children born to different heavy drinking, mentally abnormal epileptic women, that were also under treatment with 300 mg/day of hydantoin (mother of case 1 on a regular basis and that of case 2 sporadically) during pregnancy. Both infants displayed the syndrome due to both of these drugs. Particularly relevant were failure to thrive, severe mental retardation, microcephaly, blepharophimosis, hypertelorism, and long philtrum. Additional findings in case 1 included nail hypoplasia and in case 2 palatine fissure. Case 1 died unexpectedly at age three months. Case 2 is still alive and he is severely mentally retarded at age four years.

The occurrence of toxoplasma gondii in saliva.

The role of saliva in transmission of experimental toxoplasmosis has been evaluated. Three groups of rabbits were infected with 6 X 10(6), 24 X 10(9) 96 X 10(9) toxoplasmic trophozoites. The saliva was drawn with a sterile aspirator on different days from infection and it was intraperitoneally injected in mice. Mice so injected with saliva were examined for intraperitoneal trophozoites or toxoplasmic cysts in brain. Toxoplasma gondii was demonstrated in saliva in 33% of toxoplasma infected rabbits. The possible role of saliva in natural transmission of acquired toxoplasmic infection is considered.

[Listeria monocytogenes agglutinating antibodies in children]. / Anticorpi agglutinanti Listeria monocytogenes in soggetti di eta' pediatrica.

The AA. relate the results of a serological study on the spreading of listeria infection over the pediatric population of Liguria. The research of agglutinating antibodies for types 1 and 4b of L. monocytogenes in 367 sera gave the following results: -- 195 sera (53,13%) resulted positive, although at low titer (1/40) as a general rule; -- on the whole, agglutinins toward type 1 had considerably higher incidence than toward type 4b ones (57,43% and 5,12% respectively); -- O - antibodies had higher incidence (44,95%) than H - antibodies (22,34%).

Evaluation of the dye test, IgM-IFAT, and ELISA for the diagnosis of toxoplasmic infection in pregnancy.

This study was undertaken to determine, first the relationship between the Sabin-Feldman dye test and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as far as the antitoxoplasmic IgG antibodies are concerned, and secondly the relationship between the indirect immunofluorescence test and the ELISA as regards the antitoxoplasmic IgM antibodies. The results achieved through this research show a good relationship between the dye test and IgG-ELISA, especially satisfactory with the low and medium values of the antibody titers. Furthermore, a very good agreement could be documented between IgM-ELISA and IgM-IFAT in the detection of IgM-specific antibodies in the early phases of toxoplasmic infection.

On the role of dopamine receptors in the central regulation of human TSH.

The effects of acute administration of haloperidol (4 mg im) and pimozide (4 mg orally) on TSH and Prl secretion were studied in normal and hypothyroid man. The TRH-induced TSH secretion before and after pre-medication with pimozide and domperidone, a peripheral dopamine (DA) blocker, was also evaluated in a group of normal subjects. Haloperidol and pimozide induced a marked increment in serum Prl; mean Prl levels were still significantly elevated 12 h following pimozide administration. A small but significant TSH increase was observed following haloperidol and pimozide in normal as well as hypothyroid subjects. Both domperidone and pimozide significantly enhanced TRH-induced TSH release. In another experiment 3 women with primary thyroid failure received an infusion of DA (4 micrograms/kg/min for 4 h) with and without domperidone administration. TSH and Prl levels were suppressed by DA, but the effect was completely abolished by domperidone. The results suggest that psychotrophic drugs, such as haloperidol and pimozide, can, like substituted benzamides, stimulate TSH release in man. Since domperidone and DA do not cross the blood-brain-barrier and domperidone significantly enhanced the TSH response to TRH, the data also support the hypothesis that human TSH is regulated by DA at the hypothalamus (median eminence) and/or pituitary level.