Interferon activity produced by interferon messenger RNA in Tilapiamosaiabica peters oocytes

The activities of interferon mRNA from various types of mouse cells have been studied using Tilapiamosaiabica peters oocytes (TPO) as the translation system. The translation activity of interferon mRNA in TPO was also compared with that in Xenopus laevis oocytes (XLO). The results obtained showed similar translation efficiency in both systems. The highest translation efficiency was observed when T. peters oocytes, microinjected with mRNA, were cultivated in Eagle's medium containing 0.01% HEPES and 0.5% NaHCO3 (pH 7.5) at 25 degrees C. pppA2' P5' A2' P5' A in concentration of 500 nM did not affect the translation of interferon mRNA in oocytes, but inhibition was demonstrated at 1 microM. A linear relationship was found between the amount of interferon mRNA injected and the antiviral activity of the translation products, suggesting that the amount of interferon mRNA can be determined by assaying the interferon activity of its translation product.

Peak homogeneity determination for the validation of high-performance liquid chromatographic assay methods

To validate high-performance liquid chromatographic assay procedures with regard to specificity, methods were developed to determine the homogeneity of the chromatographic peaks. These methods employed a rapid-scanning UV-visible spectrophotometer to monitor the chromatographic effluent. The absorption data were processed to nullify the signal due to the drug substances specifically, while allowing the detection of coincident impurities. Results from three model systems indicated the ability of these methods to detect as little as 0.1% of a coincident impurity.

[Epidemiological study of onchocercosis in 5 villages of the valley of the Sanaga (Cameroon)]

The study carried out in five villages in the Sanaga Valley of Cameroon was concerned with the prevalence of the disease, the level of infection and an evaluation of the effect of the parasites on the health of the people. Entomological data were also collected. The study was concerned with the onchocerciasis found in the forest area where the disease is hyperendemic. The males are infected moreoften than the females. Among the adults the skin and lymphatic lesions are extremly important. It was found that as the visual acuity diminishes with age, from age forty many for the people are blind. The villages most affected are those situated near the Sanaga rapids where there is a concentration of the breeding sites of the vectors.