Impact of obstructive sleep apnoea on clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome following percutaneous coronary intervention

This study tested whether obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) influenced clinical characteristics and outcomes after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 123 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Patients with an apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI) >or= 5 were considered as having OSAS. Carotid ultrasonography and echocardiography were performed, and C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen were measured. Co-existence of ACS and OSAS occurred in 76 patients (61.8%) and patients with OSAS had a greater interventricular septum thickness (IVST) and higher levels of CRP than non-OSAS patients. In an elderly subpopulation (>or= 75 years of age), two-vessel disease was significantly more common and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in OSAS than non-OSAS patients. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) correlated with the AHI in ACS patients. In elderly ACS patients, IMT, Gensini score and fibrinogen correlated with AHI. Patients were followed up for 1 year for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and no significant difference in major MACEs was found after this period between OASAS and non-OSAS patients. This study indicates that OSAS is associated with inflammation and increased IVST in ACS patients after successful PCI and, in elderly ACS patients, also with CAD severity and enhanced blood coagulability.

The SARS epidemic in mainland China: bringing together all epidemiological data

OBJECTIVE

To document and verify the number of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) during the 2002-2003 epidemic in mainland China.

METHOD

All existing Chinese SARS data sources were integrated in one final database. This involved removing non-probable and duplicate cases, adding cases at the final stage of the outbreak, and collecting missing information.

RESULTS

The resulting database contains a total of 5327 probable SARS cases, of whom 343 died, giving a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 6.4%. While the total number of cases happens to be equal to the original official reports, there are 5 cases overall which did not result in death. When compared with Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, China Taiwan, and Singapore, the SARS epidemic in mainland China resulted in a considerably lower CFR, involved relatively younger cases and included fewer health care workers.

CONCLUSIONS

To optimise future data collection during large-scale outbreaks of emerging or re-emerging infectious disease, China must further improve the infectious diseases reporting system, enhance collaboration between all levels of disease control, health departments, hospitals and institutes nationally and globally, and train specialized staff working at county centres of disease control.

Risk factors for SARS infection among hospital healthcare workers in Beijing: a case control study

Objective  To evaluate possible severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infection associated risk factors in a SARS affected hospital in Beijing by means of a case control study.

Methods  Fifty‐one infected and 426 uninfected staff members were asked about risk behaviours and protective measures when attending to SARS patients. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the major risk and protective factors.

Results  Multivariate analysis confirmed the strong role of performing chest compression (or intubation, which is highly correlated), contact with respiratory secretion, and emergency care experience as risk factors to acquire SARS infection. For the studied protective measures, wearing 16‐layer cotton surgical mask, wearing 12‐layer cotton surgical mask, wearing multiple layers of mask, taking prophylactic medicine, taking training and nose washing turned out to be protective against infection.

Conclusions  This study highlighted activities associated with increased and decreased risk for SARS infection during close contact with SARS patients. These findings may help to guide recommendations for the protection of high‐risk occupational groups.

Association between sexual precocity and alleles of KISS-1 and GPR54 genes in goats

KISS-1 and GPR54 were regarded as key regulators for the puberty onset and fundamental gatekeepers of sexual maturation in mammals. To explore the possible association between variations in KISS-1 and GPR54 with sexual precocity, mutation screening of exon 1 of KISS-1 and exon 1, exon 3, and partial exon 5 of GPR54 was performed in a sexual precocious breed (Jining Grey goats) and sexual late-maturing breeds (Inner Mongolia Cashmere, Angora, and Boer goats) by PCR-SSCP. The results showed that five novel mutations were identified in exon 1 and partial exon 5 of GPR54 including C96 T, T173C, G176A, G825A, and C981 T. The Jining Grey goats with genotype BB or AB had 1.07 (P < 0.05) or 0.40 (P < 0.05) kids more than those with AA. The Jining Grey goats with genotype DD or CD had 1.80 (P < 0.05) or 0.55 (P < 0.05) kids more than CC, respectively. The present study preliminarily showed an association between alleles B and D of GPR54 with high litter size and sexual precocity in Jining Grey goats.

Resistance mutations in HIV-1 infected pregnant women and their infants receiving antiretrovirals to prevent HIV-1 vertical transmission in China

The objective of this study was to assess the resistance baseline in HIV-1-infected pregnant women in China and the emergence of drug resistance (DR) among them and their infants after receiving single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) or zidovudine plus sdNVP (ZDV-sdNVP) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT). The prospective study followed 62 drug-naïve HIV-1-infected mothers and their infants who received sdNVP for PMTCT and 18 who received ZDV-sdNVP. Primary DR was detected in 8.8% (7/80) of pregnant women at baseline. Two (2.5%) women had mutations associated with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI). Six (7.5%) women harboured mutations associated with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI). No protease inhibitor (PI) DR was detected. The DR rates in infected mothers selected by sdNVP and ZDV-sdNVP regimen were 16.3% and 0%, respectively. Women with the emergence of DR after sdNVP had lower CD4 cell counts at delivery than women without DR after sdNVP (178 vs.364 cells/mm(3), P < 0.05). The vertical transmission rate in women with baseline resistance was similar to that in women without baseline resistance (1/7 vs. 3/73, P > 0.05). The study indicates that NVP resistance after sdNVP was associated with CD4 cell count at delivery. ZDV-sdNVP regimen was of more significance in the prevention of the emergence of NNRTI-related DR than sdNVP.

DNA polymorphism of 5' flanking region of prolactin gene and its association with litter size in sheep

A single nucleotide polymorphism of 5' flanking region of the prolactin gene was investigated in both high prolificacy breeds (Small Tail Han and Hu sheep) and low prolificacy breeds (Dorset and Suffolk sheep) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP). The results indicated that two genotypes (AA and AB) were detected in Small Tail Han sheep (n = 239), only one genotype (AA) was detected in Hu (n = 40), Dorset (n = 50) and Suffolk sheep (n = 39). The mutant homozygous genotype (BB) was not detected in four sheep breeds. In Small Tail Han sheep (n = 239), the frequency of genotypes AA and AB was 0.91 and 0.09, the frequency of the A and B alleles was 0.95 and 0.05, respectively. The fitness tests showed that the Small Tail Han sheep population was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Sequencing revealed a mutation (G-->T) at the position 63 bp of the 5' flanking region of prolactin gene in AB genotype compared with AA genotype in Small Tail Han sheep. The Small Tail Han ewes with AB genotype had 0.83 (p < 0.05) lambs more than those with AA genotype. These results preliminarily showed that the prolactin locus is either a major gene that influences the high prolificacy in Small Tail Han sheep or is in close linkage with such a gene.

Coexistence of competing orders with two energy gaps in real and momentum space in the high temperature superconductor Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6+delta}

Through a combined scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study, we report the observation of two distinct gaps (a small and a large gap) that coexist both in real space and in the antinodal region of momentum space, below the superconducting transition temperature (T_{c}) of Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6+delta}. We show that the small gap is associated with superconductivity. The large-gap persists above T_{c}, and seems linked to observed charge ordering. We find a strong correlation between the large and small gaps suggesting that they are affected by similar physical processes.

Desiccant wheels as gas-phase absorption (GPA) air cleaners: evaluation by PTR-MS and sensory assessment

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the use of the co-sorption effect of a desiccant wheel for improving indoor air quality. One experiment was conducted in a climate chamber to investigate the co-sorption effect of a desiccant wheel on the chemical removal of indoor air pollutants; another experiment was conducted in an office room to investigate the resulting effect on perceived air quality. A dehumidifier with a silica-gel desiccant wheel was installed in the ventilation system of the test chamber and office room to treat the recirculation airflow. Human subjects, flooring materials and four pure chemicals (formaldehyde, ethanol, toluene and 1,2-dichloroethane) were used as air pollution sources. Proton-Transfer-Reaction--Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS) and sensory subjects were used to characterize the effectiveness of chemical and sensory pollution removal of the desiccant wheel. The experiments revealed that all the measured VOCs were removed effectively by the desiccant wheel with an average efficiency of 94% or higher; more than 80% of the sensory pollution load was removed and the percentage dissatisfied with the air quality decreased from 70% to 20%. These results indicate that incorporating a regenerative desiccant wheel in a ventilation system is an efficient way of removing indoor VOCs.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

This study may lead to the development of new air cleaners and validates a new concept for the design of ventilation systems that can improve indoor air quality and reduce energy consumption.

Heavy deformed nuclei in the shell model Monte Carlo method

We extend the shell model Monte Carlo approach to heavy deformed nuclei using a new proton-neutron formalism. The low excitation energies of such nuclei necessitate low-temperature calculations, for which a stabilization method is implemented in the canonical ensemble. We apply the method to study a well-deformed rare-earth nucleus, 162Dy. The single-particle model space includes the 50-82 shell plus 1f_{7/2} orbital for protons and the 82-126 shell plus 0h_{11/2}, 1g_{9/2} orbitals for neutrons. We show that the spherical shell model reproduces well the rotational character of 162Dy within this model space. We also calculate the level density of 162Dy and find it to be in excellent agreement with the experimental level density, which we extract from several experiments.

New effective interaction for the trapped fermi gas

We apply the configuration-interaction method to calculate the spectra of two-component Fermi systems in a harmonic trap, studying the convergence of energies at the unitary interaction limit. We find that for a fixed regularization of the two-body interaction the convergence is exponential or better in the truncation parameter of the many-body space. However, the conventional regularization is found to have poor convergence in the regularization parameter, with an error that scales as a low negative power of this parameter. We propose a new regularization of the two-body interaction that produces exponential convergence for systems of three and four particles. We estimate the ground-state energy of the four-particle system to be (5.045 +/- 0.003) variant Planck's constant over 2 pi omega.

Advantages for passengers and cabin crew of operating a gas-phase adsorption air purifier in 11-h simulated flights

Experiments were carried out in a three-row, 21-seat section of a simulated aircraft cabin installed in a climate chamber to evaluate the extent to which passengers' perception of cabin air quality is affected by the operation of a gas-phase adsorption (GPA) purification unit. A total of 68 subjects, divided into four groups of 17 subjects took part in simulated 11-h flights. Each group experienced four conditions in balanced order, defined by two outside air supply rates (2.4 and 3.3 l/s per person), with and without the GPA purification unit installed in the recirculated air system, a total of 2992 subject-hours of exposure. During each flight the subjects completed questionnaires five times to provide subjective assessments of air quality, cabin environment, intensity of symptoms, and thermal comfort. Additionally, the subjects' visual acuity, finger temperature, skin dryness, and nasal peak flow were measured three times during each flight. Analysis of the subjective assessments showed that operating a GPA unit in the recirculated air provided consistent advantages with no apparent disadvantages.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Operating a gas-phase adsorption (GPA) air purifier unit in the recirculated air in a simulated airplane cabin provided a clear and consistent advantage for passengers and crew that became increasingly apparent at longer flight times. This finding indicates that the expense of undertaking duly blinded field trials on revenue flights would be justified.

Strong-field induced vibrational coherence in the ground electronic state of hot I2

We observe large amplitude coherent vibrations in vibrationally hot ground state neutral I2 molecules created through "Lochfrass," or "R-selective ionization." We directly measure the phase and amplitude of the vibrations. Our results support the notion of enhanced ionization at large internuclear separation over recent theoretical predictions for heavy molecules. Furthermore, simulations of the vibrational motion show that for Lochfrass the vibrational coherence, contrary to most coherent control schemes, is stronger for hot molecules than for cold molecules.

Theoretical study of simultaneous water and VOCs adsorption and desorption in a silica gel rotor

One-dimensional partial differential equations were used to model the simultaneous water and VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) adsorption and desorption in a silica gel rotor which was recommended for indoor air cleaning. The interaction among VOCs and moisture in the adsorption and desorption process was neglected in the model as the concentrations of VOC pollutants in typical indoor environment were much lower than that of moisture and the adsorbed VOCs occupied only a minor portion of adsorption capacity of the rotor. Consequently VOC transfer was coupled with heat and moisture transfer only by the temperatures of the rotor and the air stream. The VOC transfer equations were solved by discretizing them into explicit up-wind finite differential equations. The model was validated with experimental data. The calculated results suggested that the regeneration time designed for dehumidification may be prolonged to allow complete removal of the VOC pollutants from the rotor. The regeneration temperature designed for dehumidification provides considerable efficiency for indoor air cleaning. The application of the model in estimating the cleaning capacity of the rotor for VOC pollutants was demonstrated.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Silica gel rotors, usually used to dehumidify air, were found to be effective to remove VOCs by experiments recently. But the removal characteristics of VOCs are different from that of moisture. Therefore, the rotor structure and operating parameters for dehumidification needs to be optimized for the use of removing moisture and VOCs. This paper gives a way for the optimization.

Novel mechanism of a charge density wave in a transition metal dichalcogenide

The charge density wave (CDW) is usually associated with Fermi surfaces nesting. We here report a new CDW mechanism discovered in a 2H-structured transition metal dichalcogenide, where the two essential ingredients of the CDW are realized in very anomalous ways due to the strong-coupling nature of the electronic structure. Namely, the CDW gap is only partially open, and charge density wave vector match is fulfilled through participation of states of the large Fermi patch, while the straight Fermi surface sections have secondary or negligible contributions.

Passenger evaluation of the optimum balance between fresh air supply and humidity from 7-h exposures in a simulated aircraft cabin

A 21-seat section of an aircraft cabin with realistic pollution sources was built inside a climate chamber capable of providing fresh outside air at very low humidity. Maintaining a constant 200 l/s rate of total air supply, i.e. recirculated and make-up air, to the cabin, experiments simulating 7-h transatlantic flights were carried out at four rates of fresh outside air supply--1.4, 3.3, 4.7, and 9.4 l/s per person (3, 7, 10, and 20 cfm/person)--resulting in humidity levels, ranging from 7% to 28% relative humidity (RH). Four groups of 16-18 subjects acted as passengers and crew and were each exposed to the four simulated flight conditions. During each flight the subjects completed questionnaires three times to provide subjective ratings of air quality and of symptoms commonly experienced during flight. Physiological tests of eye, nose, and skin function were administered twice. Analysis of the subjective assessments showed that increasing RH in the aircraft cabin to 28% RH by reducing outside flow to 1.4 l/s per person did not reduce the intensity of the symptoms that are typical of the aircraft cabin environment. On the contrary, it intensified complaints of headache, dizziness, and claustrophobia, due to the increased level of contaminants.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The investigation shows that increasing aircraft cabin humidity by decreasing the ventilation flow rate of fresh outside air would not decrease reports of discomfort made by cabin occupants.

A conformational switch in the ligand-binding domain regulates the dependence of the glucocorticoid receptor on Hsp90

Steroid hormone receptors (SRs) are transcription factors that act as regulatory switches by altering gene expression in response to ligands. The highly conserved ligand-binding domain of SRs is a precise but versatile molecular switch that can adopt distinct conformations. Differential stabilization of these conformations by ligands, DNA response elements and transcriptional coregulators controls the activity of SRs in a gene-specific and cell-specific manner. In the case of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), high-affinity ligand binding requires the interaction of the LBD with the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). Here, we show that the dependence of the ligand binding ability of GR on Hsp90 can be modified by the replacement of single amino acids within an allosteric network that connects the buried ligand-binding pocket and a solvent-exposed coregulator interaction surface. Each of the identified mutations altered the equilibrium between alternative GR conformations distinctively, indicating that the Hsp90 dependence of SRs may correlate with differences in the conformational dynamics of these receptors. Our results suggest that Hsp90 stabilizes the GR ligand-binding pocket indirectly by utilizing the allosteric network, while allowing the receptor to remain structurally uncommitted. Thus, in addition to ensuring the accessibility of the GR ligand-binding pocket to ligands, Hsp90 seems to enable hormones and coregulators to act as allosteric effectors, which forms the basis for gene-specific and cell-specific responses of GR to ligands.

Prolactin Receptor as a Candidate Gene for Prolificacy of Small Tail Han Sheep

DNA polymorphism of the ovine prolactin receptor gene (PRLR) was investigated and used to study its effect on litter size in sheep. By means of PRLR gene sequence homology between sheep and human, three primer pairs were designed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification within intron 1 and exon 10 of the PRLR gene in sheep. In these parts of the gene the single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected by PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) in 314 Small Tail Han ewes. These poly-morphisms were used to study the associations with litter size. The results indicated that there were three genotypes (AA, AB and BB) detected by three primer pairs. For three primer pairs the frequency of allele A was 0.96, 0.79, 0.68; and the frequency of allele B was 0.04, 0.21, 0.32, respectively. The frequency of genotype AA was 0.93, 0.62, 0.51; the frequency of genotype AB was 0.06, 0.34, 0.34; the frequency of genotype BB was 0.01, 0.04, 0.15, respectively. The Small Tail Han ewes with genotype BB or AB had 0.64-0.76 or 0.44-0.54 more lambs than those with genotype AA, respectively. These results preliminarily showed that the prolactin receptor locus is either a major gene that influences the prolificacy in Small Tail Han sheep or is in close linkage with such a gene.

Unliganded and hormone-bound glucocorticoid receptors interact with distinct hydrophobic sites in the Hsp90 C-terminal domain

Unlike most chaperones, heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) interacts with a select group of "client proteins" that regulate essential biological processes. Little is known about how Hsp90 recognizes and binds these proteins. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a well characterized Hsp90 client protein, whose hormone binding, nuclear-cytoplasmic trafficking, and transcriptional activity are regulated by Hsp90. Here, we provide evidence that unliganded and hormone-bound GR interact with two distinct, solvent-exposed hydrophobic sites in the Hsp90 C-terminal domain that contain the sequences "MxxIM" (HM10) and "L/MxxIL" (HM9). Our results indicate that binding of Hsp90 HM10 to unliganded GR stabilizes the unliganded ligand-binding pocket of GR indirectly by promoting an intramolecular interaction between the C-terminal alpha-helix (H12) and a solvent-exposed hydrophobic groove in the GR ligand binding domain. In the presence of hormone, Hsp90 appears to bind the hydrophobic groove of GR directly by mimicking the interactions of GR with transcriptional coactivators. The identified interactions provide insights into the mechanisms that enable Hsp90 to regulate the activity of both unliganded and hormone-bound GR and to sharpen the cellular response to hormone.

Mutations in BMPR-IB and BMP-15 genes are associated with litter size in Small Tailed Han sheep (Ovis aries)

The Small Tailed Han is a prolific local sheep breed in China. The bone morphogenetic protein receptor IB (BMPR-IB) gene, which affects the fecundity of Booroola Merino sheep, and the bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15) gene, which affects the fecundity of Inverdale, Hanna, Belclare, Cambridge, and Lacaune sheep, were studied as candidate genes associated with the prolificacy of Small Tailed Han sheep. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of BMPR-IB and BMP-15 genes were detected in Small Tailed Han ewes (n = 188) by PCR-RFLP. The combined effect of the 2 genes on the prolificacy of Small Tailed Han sheep was studied. The results indicated that the same FecB mutation (Q249R) occurred in the BMPR-IB gene in Small Tailed Han ewes as found in Booroola Merino ewes. The Small Tailed Han ewes with genotypes FecB(B)/FecB(B) and FecB(B)/FecB(+) had 1.40 (P < 0.01) and 1.11 (P < 0.01) more lambs, respectively, than those with genotype FecB(+)/FecB(+). The same FecX(G) mutation (Q239Ter) of the BMP-15 gene was found in Small Tailed Han ewes as in Belclare and Cambridge ewes. The Small Tailed Han ewes with the heterozygous mutant FecX(G)/FecX(+) had 0.55 (P < 0.01) more lambs than those with the wild-type FecX(+)/FecX(+). The Small Tailed Han ewes carrying mutations in both BMPR-IB and BMP-15 genes had greater litter size than those with either mutation alone. In view of our results, marker-assisted selection using both BMPR-IB and BMP-15 genes is warranted to increase litter size in sheep and will be of considerable economic value to sheep producers.

Comparative study of barnidipine and felodipine in Chinese patients with essential hypertension

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of barnidipine for the treatment of mild-to-moderate essential hypertension in Chinese patients. A total of 131 patients were randomized to receive either barnidipine (10 -15 mg) or felodipine (5 - 10 mg) once daily for 4 weeks. Both drugs reduced blood pressure significantly, with > or = 87% of patients obtaining a marked or moderate effect. The mean +/- SD reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 19.2 +/- 13.6 and 14.4 +/- 7.0 mmHg, respectively, for barnidipine treatment, and 20.3 +/- 11.3 and 14.7 +/- 7.7 mmHg, respectively, for felodipine treatment. There were no significant differences between the two drugs in terms of anti-hypertensive effect, heart rate, laboratory test results or incidence of adverse events. More patients taking felodipine experienced palpitations, but this difference was not statistically significant. Barnidipine is as efficacious and safe as felodipine in the treatment of essential hypertension in Chinese patients.

Association between expression of reproductive seasonality and alleles of melatonin receptor 1A in goats

To determine whether a link exists between reproductive seasonality and the structure of the melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene, the latter was studied in year-round estrous breeds (Jining Grey and Boer goats) and seasonal estrous breeds (Liaoning Cashmere, Inner Mongolia Cashmere, Wendeng milk and Beijing native goats). A large fragment of exon 2 of MTNR1A gene was amplified by PCR using sheep sense and antisense primers in 260 does of six breeds. The uniform 824 bp PCR product was digested with restriction endonucleases MnII and RsaI, and checked for the presence of restriction sites. No polymorphism at the MnII cleavage sites was detected in all six goat breeds and no relationship could be established between the MnII cleavage sites of MTNR1A gene and reproductive seasonality in goats. For polymorphic RsaI cleavage site at base position 53, only genotype RR (267 bp/267 bp) was detected in Jining Grey goats, both genotype RR and genotype Rr (267 bp/320 bp) were found in all other goat breeds, no genotype rr (320 bp/320 bp) was detected in all six goat breeds. Frequency of genotype RR was obviously higher, and frequency of genotype Rr was obviously lower in year-round estrous goat breeds than in seasonal estrous goat breeds. Sequencing revealed one mutation (G52A) in genotype Rr compared with genotype RR. For polymorphic RsaI cleavage site, the differences of genotype distributions were significant (P<0.05) between year-round estrous goat breeds and seasonal estrous goat breeds. These results preliminarily showed an association between genotype RR and year-round estrus in goats, and an association between genotype Rr and seasonal estrus in goats.

The human papillomavirus type 11 E1/\E4 protein is not essential for viral genome amplification

An abundant human papillomavirus (HPV) protein E1/\E4 is expressed late in the virus life cycle in the terminally differentiated layers of epithelia. The expression of E1/\E4 usually coincides with the onset of viral DNA amplification. However, the function of E1/\E4 in viral life cycle is not completely understood. To examine the role of E1/\E4 in the virus life cycle, we introduced a single nucleotide change in the HPV-11 genome to result in a truncation of E1/\E4 protein without affecting the E2 amino acid sequence. This mutated HPV-11 genome was introduced into a human foreskin keratinocyte cell line immortalized by the catalytic subunit of human telomerase, deficient in p16(INK4a) expression, and previously shown to support the HPV-11 life cycle when grown in organotypic raft culture. We have demonstrated that E1/\E4 is dispensable for HPV-11 viral DNA amplification in the late stages of the viral life cycle.

A slide latex agglutination test for the rapid detection of antibodies in serum against porcine parvovirus

A slide latex agglutination test (LAT) was developed and evaluated to detect serum antibodies against porcine parvovirus. Porcine parvovirus antigen was obtained by 10% PEG-6000 and 0.5 mol/l sodium chloride precipitation, and inactivated by 0.1% methanal. Two per cent suspensions of latex particles (0.5-0.8 microm) were coated by adding an equal volume of porcine parvovirus antigen at 0.34 microg/ml. Repeatability of latex agglutination test was evaluated with a panel of 100 sera using the same and different antigen lots. A good agreement between LAT and haemagglutination inhibit assay was observed. Because of convenience and speed of performance, this method would be used widely in clinic examination.

Obesity among individuals with serious mental illness

OBJECTIVE

To study the distribution and correlates of body mass index (BMI) among individuals with serious mental illness.

METHOD

A total of 169 participants were recruited from randomly selected out-patients receiving community-based psychiatric care and were interviewed with items from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III. Their BMI was compared with that of 2404 matched individuals from the NHANES data set.

RESULTS

The distribution of BMI in the psychiatric sample significantly differed from that of the comparison group; 50% of women and 41% of men were obese compared with 27% and 20% in the comparison group. Within the psychiatric sample, higher BMI was associated with current hypertension and diabetes, a wish to weigh less, and reduced health-related functioning.

CONCLUSION

Obesity is more prevalent among individuals with serious mental illness than in demographically matched individuals from the US general population. Among persons with mental illness, obesity is associated with co-occurring health problems.

Induction of productive human papillomavirus type 11 life cycle in epithelial cells grown in organotypic raft cultures

The study of the human papillomavirus (HPV) life cycle was hampered for more than 50 years by the lack of a conventional cell culture system for propagating HPV. Considerable progress has been made in the production of several HPV types using either organotypic rafts or human epithelial xenografts in immunocompromised mice. In this study, we demonstrated episomal maintenance of HPV-11 DNA in N-Tert cells. HPV-11 episomal DNA containing cell populations grown in raft culture showed induction of the productive viral life cycle. HPV-11 DNA amplification and viral capsid antigen synthesis were detected in differentiated layers of epithelia. The viruses generated were able to infect keratinocytes in vitro, which indicate that viruses generated were infectious. The demonstration of the productive HPV-11 life cycle in raft culture from cloned HPV-11 DNA will facilitate genetic analyses of viral gene functions that was not possible using the human xenograft athymic mouse model.

Orally administered anti-Escherichia coli O157:H7 chicken egg yolk antibodies reduce fecal shedding of the pathogen by ruminants

Spray-dried whole egg prepared from eggs laid by non-immunized hens (EG) or hens immunized with the C-terminal domain of Escherichia coli O157:H7 intimin (EG-IgY) was fed to experimentally inoculated sheep, to investigate the efficacy of orally administered polyclonal anti-E. coli O157:H7 antibodies (IgY) for reducing the duration and level of fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 by ruminants. Thirty Canadian Arcott ram lambs were orally inoculated on day 0 with 1010 colony-forming units (CFU) of a three-strain mixture of nalidixic acid-resistant E. coli O157:H7. On each of days 2, 3 and 4, the rams (n = 6) were fed 100 g of EG and/or EG-IgY in proportions of 100:0 (CON), 0:100 (HIGH), 50:50 (MED), or 75:25 (LOW). A fifth treatment (denoted variable, VAR) comprised feeding HIGH, MED and LOW on days 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Fecal samples collected on 19 occasions over 85 d (4 × in the first wk; 2×/wk for 3 wk; and 1×/wk for 9 wk) were assessed for E. coli O157:H7 by direct plating or enrichment and immunomagnetic separation. Throughout the 85 d, numbers of E. coli O157:H7 shed by the rams were lower (P < 0.001) in HIGH and MED than in CON, and the duration of shedding was shorter (P < 0.005) in HIGH than in CON. Fewer (P < 0.005) samples were culture-positive in HIGH than in CON. Oral dosing of specific IgY has potential to decrease the duration and level of fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 by ruminants. Key words: E. coli O157:H7, egg-yolk IgY, fecal shedding, immunotherapy, ruminants, sheep

The Window of Risk for Emigration of Wheat streak mosaic virus Varies with Host Eradication Method

The wheat curl mite (WCM), Aceria tosichella, the vector of Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), often survives the summer on volunteer wheat (Triticum aestivum) and may disperse from this "green bridge" in fall to newly planted winter wheat. Because some methods for managing volunteer wheat do not directly kill WCM, there is a window of risk for WCM and WSMV emigration after management has been applied. WCM survival in response to treatment of wheat by glyphosate, paraquat, stem cutting, and withholding water was measured in greenhouse experiments to determine how this window of risk for emigration varies with management. WCM populations on plants treated with paraquat or stem cutting decreased from the beginning of the sampling period. WCM populations on plants treated with glyphosate or that received no water increased up to 3 days after application and then decreased by 10 days after application. If glyphosate is used to manage volunteer wheat infested with WCM, it should be applied well before wheat is planted in fall. WCM in declining populations tended to be in an upright posture that could facilitate emigration via wind. The total green leaf area was strongly correlated with the number of WCM for treated plants and could be used in the field to predict the posttreatment survival of mites that pose a risk of emigration.

Association between PCR-SSCP of growth differentiation factor 9 gene and high prolificacy in Small Tail Han sheep

Small Tail Han sheep that has significant characteristics of high prolificacy and nonseasonal ovulatory activity is an excellent local sheep breed in P.R. China. The lambing percentage averaged 260% in Small Tail Han sheep. Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) gene, which was essential for growth and differentiation of early ovarian follicles, was considered as a possible candidate gene for litter size in Small Tail Han sheep. The genetic polymorphism of a part of the GDF9 gene was detected in 130 ewes of Small Tail Han sheep by PCR-SSCP. The results indicated that there were two genotypes (AA and AB) detected by two primer pairs. In both exon 1 and exon 2 of the GDF9 gene in Small Tail Han sheep, frequencies of AA genotype were 0.846 and 0.908, frequencies of AB genotype were 0.154 and 0.092, frequencies of A allele were 0.923 and 0.954, and frequencies of B allele were 0.077 and 0.046, respectively. The results of chi2 fitness test indicated that both exon 1 and exon 2 of the GDF9 gene were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p > 0.05) in Small Tail Han sheep. Least squares means of litter size in the first and the second parity for genotype AA were 0.30 (p <0.05) and 0.77 (p <0.0001) more than those for genotype AB detected in exon 1 of the GDF9 gene in Small Tail Han sheep, respectively. Fragments detected in exon 2 of the GDF9 gene had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on litter size in both the first and the second parity in Small Tail Han sheep. Litter size in sheep is lowly heritable, expressed only in females, and manifested relatively late in life. Access to genetic markers would thus be advantageous in selection programs.