Optimization of foot-and-mouth disease vaccination protocols by surveillance of neutralization antibodies

An appropriate immunization program for pigs in a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) endemic area was proposed based on data analysis obtained from serological surveillance in Taiwan, after an intensive vaccination program. To provide an adequate passive immunity for piglets, gilts that have completed two basic vaccinations must be boosted once before breeding. To achieve an efficient response to the FMD vaccine for piglets born to well vaccinated sows, vaccination need to be delayed until 10-12 weeks of ages for the first immunization, followed by a boost 4 weeks later.

Junceol A, a new sesquiterpenoid from the sea pen Virgularia juncea

A new sesquiterpenoid, junceol A(1), as well as two known diterpenoids, sclerophytin A (2) and cladiellisin (3), have been isolated from the sea pen octocoral Virgularia juncea. The structure of metabolite 1 was determined by extensive spectral analysis. Compounds 1-3 have been shown to exhibit cytotoxicity toward P-388 cancer cells.

Synthetic peptide-based vaccine and diagnostic system for effective control of FMD

We have designed synthetic peptides corresponding to two different regions of the genome of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) that are effective as (a) a vaccine or (b) a diagnostic reagent which differentiates convalescent from vaccinated animals, respectively. The peptide vaccine is based on a sequence from the prominent G-H loop of VP1, one of the four capsid proteins. The sequence was optimized by the inclusion of a cyclic constraint and adjoining sequences, and broader immunogenicity was obtained by the incorporation of consensus residues at hypervariable positions. The peptide also included a promiscuous T-helper epitope for effective immunogenicity in outbred populations of large animals.The diagnostic reagent, a peptide based on non-structural (NS) protein 3B, is used in immuno-assays for the detection of antibodies. Antibodies to this NS protein are present in the sera of infected animals but not in the sera of vaccinated animals. The VP1 peptide can be used in complementary immuno-assays for confirmation of NS test results and to monitor for vaccination. This system for differential diagnosis is important to establish the disease-free status of a country.

New DR5 sequences: a novel DRB1*11122 allele identified in Paiwan tribe members of Taiwan and a corrected sequence for the DRB1*1201 allele

We report herein the identification of a new DRB1 allele using sequence-based typing (SBT). This novel allele, HLA-DRB1*11122, was found in an aboriginal individual (SWP71) from the Paiwan tribe in the southern part of Taiwan. This individual was typed by SBT method as having an HLA genotype of HLA-A*24021/24021, HLA-B*4001/4002, HLA-DRB1*11122/15011, HLA-DRB3*0202, and HLA-DRB5*01011. This new allele differs from DRB1*1112 in the polymorphic exon 2 only at codon 34 (CAA-->CAG; both specify glutamine) and from DRB1*1110 in the exon 2 sequence only at codon 32 (CAT-->TAT; H32T). The most likely candidate allele which is found in the aboriginal populations of Taiwan and which may mutate into this new allele is DRB1*11011. DRB1*11122 allele differs from DRB1*11011 allele in the polymorphic exon 2 at both codon 34 (CAA-->CAG) and codon 37 (TAC-->TTC; T37F). This novel HLA-DRB1*11122 allele was also found in another aboriginal individual (SWP90) from the same Paiwan tribe. This SWP90 individual was typed by SBT method as having an HLA genotype of HLA-A*24021/24021, HLA-B*4002/5502, HLA-DRB1*11122/1201, and HLA-DRB3*01011/0202. However, the original DRB1*1201 sequence from HERLUFF was found to be erroneously reported and the corrected sequence from SWP90 is now presented herein.

[Studies on the triterpene sapogenins from Albizziae Cortex]

A new sapogenin named Julibrogenin A was isolated from the stem bark of Albizzia julibrissin Durazz (Albizziae Cortex). Based on chemical and spectral studies, their structure has been identified as 21-O-(2-hydroxymethyl-6-methyl-6-methoxyl-2,7-octadienoyl)-acacic acid. In addition, machaerinic acid lactone, machaerinic acid methylester, acacigenin B and julibrotriterpenoidal lactone A were also isolated from this plant and characterised.

[Structure determination of three saponins from the stem bark of Albizzia julibrissin Durazz]

Three new saponins named Julibroside J1, J2 and J3 were isolated from the stem bark of Albizzia julibrissin Durazz (Albizziae Cortex). Based on chemical and spectral methods, e.g. 1H- and 13C-NMR, DEPT, COSY CH-COSY, TOCSY, HMQC-COSY, HMQC-TOCSY, NOESY, HMBC, their structures have been identified as; Julibroside J1 (one triterpene, nine sugars, two monoterpenes I); Julibroside J2(one triterpene, eight sugars two monoterpenes II); Julibroside J3(one triterpene, nine sugars two monoterpenes III).

Polymorphism of human HLA-DRB1 antigens generated by genetic exchange between DR2 (DRB1*15011) and DR6 (DRB1*1405) alleles: a novel DRB1 allele (DRB1*1437) identified in a Paiwan tribe member of Taiwan

We report herein the identification of a new DRB1 allele using sequence-based typing (SBT). This novel allele, HLA-DRB1*1437, was found in an aboriginal individual from the Paiwan tribe in the southern part of Taiwan. This individual was typed by SBT method as having an HLA genotype of HLA-A*02011/0203, HLA-B*15011/3901, HLA-DRB1*11011/1437, HLA-DRB3*0202/0202, and HLA-DPB1*0501/1301. This new allele differs from DRB1*1309 in the 5'-end nucleotide sequence of polymorphic exon 2 at codon 16 (CAT-->CAA; H16Q), codon 37 (AAC-->TTC; R37F), codon 47 (TTC-->TAC; F47Y), and codon 58 (GCC-->GCT; both specify alanine). By sequence comparison, it was found that this new allele has a 5'-end sequence (from amino acid residues 7 to 66) identical to that found in the DRB1*1405 allele and a 3'-end sequence (from amino acid residues 58 to 94) identical to that found in the DRB1*15011 allele. Both DRB1*1405 and DRB1*15011 alleles have been identified among the Paiwan members (Note).

[Expression of bcl-2, c-myc genes and their relationship in patients with acute leukemia]

OBJECTIVE

This paper was to explore the expressions of bcl-2, c-myc genes and the relationship between them in bone marrow from patients with acute leukemia (AL).

METHODS

In situ hybridization was used to detect bcl-2 and c-myc mRNA. Immune cytochemistry was used to detect bcl-2 and c-myc protein.

RESULTS

The expressions of bcl-2, c-myc mRNA and proteins were significantly increased in AL; There were not significant differences in bcl-2 mRNA and protein, c-myc mRNA and protein between the patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia; There were linear correlations between bcl-2 mRNA and bcl-2 protein, between c-myc mRNA and c-myc protein, between bcl-2 mRNA and c-myc mRNA, between bcl-2 protein and c-myc protein.

CONCLUSION

bcl-2 and c-myc genes play an important role in pathogenesis and the development of AL.

Intelligence and event-related potentials for young female human volunteer apolipoprotein E epsilon4 and non-epsilon4 carriers

The apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon4 allele is associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease and cognitive function in aging normal populations. To study the effect of the presence of the epsilon4 allele on cognitive function, we compared intelligence-test scores and component values for event-related potentials for epsilon4 and non-epsilon4 carriers in a group of 134 young females. The results demonstrate modest increases in performance intelligence quotient (IQ) and N100 amplitude for epsilon4 carriers (P=0.038 and 0.068, respectively). Our findings suggest that cognitive impairment, associated with the presence of the epsilon4 allele, is age-dependent and thus not probable for young women. The higher performance IQ scores demonstrated for epsilon4 carriers require further exploration.

Self-diffusion of small clusters on fcc metal (111) surfaces

We use ab initio density-functional theory supplemented with the embedded-atom method to study the self-diffusion of small clusters on the (111) surface of eight fcc metals. A zigzag motion is found to be important in the dimer and tetramer diffusions. The dimer diffuses by a zigzag and concerted motion. The trimer diffuses by a concerted three-atom motion. The tetramer diffuses through a zigzag motion where only two atoms move simultaneously in each step. Thus, instead of increasing, the migration energy is lowered (or stays constant) for the tetramer as compared to that for the trimer. This novel break of the upwards trend in migration energy is predicted to be a general phenomenon.

Competency in community-oriented health care. Instrument development

To competently deal with changes in the health care system, health professionals for the future must have expanded abilities and new attitudes. Education of health professionals for community-oriented health care (COHC) is being promoted as one approach to achieve this focus. This article reports on the development and testing of the Community-Oriented Health Care Competency Scale, which measures knowledge, attitudes, and intention to practice COHC. Results of testing demonstrate adequate reliability for a new instrument: an alpha coefficient of .95 for the Knowledge subscale, .68 for the Attitude subscale, and .93 for the Intention to Practice subscale. Content Validity of the instrument is based on the literature review, focus group sessions, and expert opinion. The instrument may be used to assess competency of health professions students in COHC, but continued testing is needed.

Application of modified CHIP-AE in a vocational high school

Adolescent health behaviors tend to cluster and vary by such factors as grade, age, and racial/ethnic background. A population-based instrument was needed to assess health behaviors of the students in a vocational high school in the City of Chicago. To reduce respondent burden, Child Health and Illness Profile--Adolescent Edition (CHIP-AE) was modified by omitting seven subdomains. Ninety-three boys and 245 girls voluntarily participated in the study. Pearson correlation coefficients, MANOVA, and ANOVA were used in data analysis. Modified CHIP-AE was found to have acceptable reliability and detect the expected differences of adolescent health behaviors by gender and age. Modified CHIP-AE can be used to assess adolescent health behaviors in an urban vocational high school. It can also be used to target the subgroups of students with specific needs for health services.

Perspectives of women whose sons become adolescent fathers

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to describe adolescent fatherhood from the perspectives of these young men's mothers.

DESIGN

A descriptive qualitative design was chosen because of the exploratory nature of this study.

METHODS

Data collection and analysis were guided by naturalistic inquiry that permits theory to emerge from the data. The data were collected during a 1-hour focus group interview performed at a public high school located proximal to a large public housing project in a large Midwestern city. Five mothers of adolescent fathers were recruited from a variety of sources using a modified snowball approach.

RESULTS

The seven major themes that emerged from the data were: barriers to fatherhood, value of fatherhood, transition to fatherhood, competencies of fatherhood, role-set relationships, social norms of fatherhood, and father-child contact. These women indicated that they felt their sons' youth influenced every aspect of the fatherhood experiences.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Nurses who work with adolescent parents are ideally situated to encourage the support of adolescent fathers and their families. Future research should identify methods useful for supporting or discouraging paternal involvement of adolescent fathers, and effective intervention strategies for adolescent fathers and their families.

Characterization and quantitation of extracellular collagen matrix in myocardium of pigs with spontaneously occurring hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The extracellular matrix between cardiocytes has been suggested to play an important role in maintaining the structure and function of the heart. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the morphological changes in the collagen of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the hearts of pigs with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Sixty pigs diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from 605 purebred Landrace pigs ages 6 to 9 months were used in this study. Morphologically, these pigs with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy had increased heart weight and heart-to-body weight ratio, thickening of the left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) free walls and septum, disorientation of cardiocytes, myocardial fibrosis, and intramural coronary arteriosclerosis. Similar observations have been described in our preliminary report (Cardiovasc Pathol 3:261, 1994). In the present study, we have modified the silver impregnation technique to stain paraffin-embedded sections to demonstrate three types of ECM. There were endomysial struts, perimysial weaves, and epimysial coils in the myocardium. The light microscopic findings of the struts, weaves, and coils were also confirmed by scanning electromicroscopic examination. The numbers of these fine structures were increased significantly in the pigs with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In addition, the amounts of collagen in the LVs, RVs, and septum (Sep) in pigs with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (LV = 19.37+/-0.79, RV = 23.72+/-0.72, Sep = 20.38+/-0.94 microg/mg, n = 60) were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than that in similar areas of normal pigs (LV = 14.56+/-1.11, RV = 18.90+/-1.02, Sep = 14.99+/-1.33 microg/mg, n = 30, respectively). Our findings of an overall increase of collagen content suggested that the accumulation of collagen matrix might be another factor responsible for the diastolic dysfunction of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. These results might also infer that the increased collagen matrix could contribute to the stiffness of the cardiac chambers, thereby markedly affecting systolic and diastolic function of the heart. These observations provide further support that the pig may be an animal model for human cardiovascular disease.

Experiences of African American adolescent fathers

Social and cultural factors influence the experience of fatherhood. This descriptive focus-group study describes the lived experience of fatherhood from the perspectives of 5 unmarried, low-income, African American adolescent fathers in a Midwestern urban area. Naturalistic inquiry approach guided the study. Seven themes of fatherhood emerged: barriers to fatherhood, value of fatherhood, introduction to fatherhood, competencies of fatherhood, role-set relationships, social norms of fatherhood, and father-child contact. This study suggests that nurses should support the involvement of adolescent fathers with their children. Future study may determine the influence of adult female family members on the decisions of adolescent fathers to remain involved with their children.

Noise induced hearing loss among male airport workers in Korea

The purposes of this study of airport workers were to a) determine the prevalence and symptoms of hearing loss, and b) identify compliance in using hearing protective devices (HPDs) and its relationship with hearing loss. This cross sectional epidemiological study was conducted with 255 noise exposed and 195 non-noise exposed, full time, male workers at a large metropolitan airport in Seoul, Korea. The three measures used were the self administered Occupational Hearing Questionnaire (OHQ), an audiological assessment, and a record review of baseline hearing and noise levels of locations in which the employee worked. The results showed a significant difference in prevalence of hearing loss (more than 25dB) between the noise and the non-noise exposed groups (p < .05). About 60.8% of noise exposed workers reported continuous use of the HPDs. The continuous HPD users had significantly lower rates of hearing loss than the occasional users or non-users. The major symptom for workers with low frequency hearing loss was trouble in communication, whereas tinnitus and fullness in the ear were the most common symptoms for the workers with high frequency hearing loss. The airport workers exposed to excessive noise had a great deal of high frequency hearing loss. The degree of hearing loss present reinforces the need for aggressive hearing conservation programs among airport workers exposed to noise.

XTT-colorimetric assay as a marker of viability in cryoprocessed cardiac valve

This study sought to evaluate the use of tetrazolium salt XTT reduction as an indicator of valvular viability in a cryoprocessed porcine cardiac homograft model. The XTT tetrazolium assays was based on the metabolic reduction of Sodium 3'-[1-(phenylamino-carbonyl)-3,4-Tetrazolium]-bis(4-methoxy-6-nitro) benzene sulfonic acid hydrate. The relationship between XTT reduction and: (1) leaflet tissue with various weight (n = 24); (2) morphometric evaluation (n = 30); (3) cadaveric ischemic intervals (n = 30); (4) freeze-thawing (n = 30) has been studied. The measurement of XTT reduction were significantly correlated with the weight of cardiac leaflets, in the range of 30 to 180mg (y=0.015x-0.063; r=0.99). Compared to morphometry of valvular damage, the reduction of mitochondrial enzymatic activity in cardiac leaflets was correlated with matrix cells without irreversible damage (r=0.89, P<0.005). The depletion of XTT reduction occurred dependent of ischemic time intervals. In general, freeze-thawing reduced more than 20% activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenase. We concluded that XTT tetrazolium assay is highly sensitive to determine valvular injury. The study demonstrated its potential for testing of cryopreserved cardiac valve.

Validity of three lumbar sagittal motion measurement methods: surface inclinometers compared with radiographs

Three surface methods for measuring lumbar sagittal motion (LSM) were tested for validity using radiographs as the "gold standard" reference. The three methods used were the Pleurimeter V double inclinometer, the carpenter double inclinometer, and the computerized sensor single inclinometer. In this study, 30 volunteers were examined independently by three occupational health professionals. Each volunteer rotated twice through three stations at which LSM was measured by each of the three methods. Radiographs were made during the first rotation. Predictability of the skin marks of T12 and S1 for the corresponding bone measures was acceptable for one examiner, mixed for another, and unacceptable for a third. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ranged from 0.81 to 0.99, with half above the acceptable level of 0.90. However, the skin marks and the bone measures showed a linear relationship for all examiners (r > or = 0.89). For flexion and extension, all ICCs between the radiograph and each surface method were far below 0.90, indicating poor validity for each surface method. We concluded that skin placement of T12 and S1 has a linear relationship to bony landmarks, and that each of the tested surface methods does not validly measure LSM.

Reliability of three lumbar sagittal motion measurement methods: surface inclinometers

Three surface methods for measuring lumbar sagittal motion (LSM) were tested for reliability. The three methods used were the Pleurimeter V double inclinometer, the carpenter double inclinometer, and the computerized single sensor inclinometer. In this study, 30 volunteers were examined independently by three occupational health professionals. Each volunteer rotated twice through three stations at which LSM was measured by each of the three methods. The intra- and interexaminer reliabilities in identifying the skin levels of T12 and S1 were acceptable, having intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) greater than or equal to 0.75. With a single exception, all ICC values for the intraexaminer reliability of LSM measurements fell below 0.90 (a clinically desirable level). The interexaminer reliability was poor, with all ICC values below 0.75. The largest source of measurement error was attributable to the examiner and its associated factors. We concluded that the intra- and interexaminer reliabilities varied greatly, limiting the clinical usefulness of the three surface methods.

Ultrastructural alterations in pigs with naturally occurring hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Naturally occurring hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in pigs in generally characterized by unexplained cardiac hypertrophy with abnormal histological features (Liu et al., 1994; Dai et al., 1995). The histological alterations in HCM-affected hearts are characteristic, and can be used to diagnose the disease (Dai et al., 1995). Briefly, these are marked disorientation of cardiac muscle cells, thickening of the intramural coronary arterial wall with a narrowing of the lumen, endocardial and myocardial fibrosis. A high incidence of HCM in a population of pigs strongly suggests a hereditary basis and the Pig Research Institute, Taiwan has, therefore, endeavoured to produce a specific strain of HCM pigs. The purpose of the present study was to determine the ultrastructural changes occurring in pigs with naturally occurring HCM.