title: Cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy in the care of patients during cardiological procedures: a summary of the clinical evidence.

text: Patients undergoing cardiological procedures generally have significant cardiovascular morbidity, and therefore these patients might be at risk for major periprocedural complications. The ability to closely monitor the hemodynamic status would present a major advantage to optimize patient care in this setting. The aim of this review is to assess the available evidence for the use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the care of patients during cardiological procedures. A systematic literature search was conducted using electronic bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE) from their first available date using the following search strategy: (spectroscopy, near-infrared OR infrared spectroscopy OR NIRS OR cerebral oxygen*) AND (interventional OR electrophysiological OR catheterization OR ablation OR ICD OR defibrillator). Inclusion criteria were limited to human studies, English language and cardiac patients. All manuscripts concerning the use of NIRS in every area of catheterization and electrophysiology were included. The literature search yielded eleven observational studies and five case reports concerning the research question. No randomized trials could be retrieved. Six studies evaluated NIRS during supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, one during transcatheter aortic valve implantations, and four studies assessed the use of NIRS in pediatric catheterization procedures. Overall, the studies demonstrated that NIRS provides a very quick representation of cerebral oxygen saturation and that it might identify changes that could not be predicted from standard hemodynamic monitoring. However, the evidence is currently too low to conclude that NIRS can optimize patient care during cardiological procedures.


title: Summary of notifiable diseases--United States, 2004.

text: The Summary of Notifiable Diseases--United States, 2004 contains the official statistics, in tabular and graphic form, for the reported occurrence of nationally notifiable infectious diseases in the United States for 2004. Unless otherwise noted, the data are final totals for 2004 reported as of December 2, 2005. These statistics are collected and compiled from reports sent by state health departments to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), which is operated by CDC in collaboration with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). The Summary is available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/summary.html. This site also includes publications from previous years.


title: Plant diversity patterns in neotropical dry forests and their conservation implications.

text: Seasonally dry tropical forests are distributed across Latin America and the Caribbean and are highly threatened, with less than 10% of their original extent remaining in many countries. Using 835 inventories covering 4660 species of woody plants, we show marked floristic turnover among inventories and regions, which may be higher than in other neotropical biomes, such as savanna. Such high floristic turnover indicates that numerous conservation areas across many countries will be needed to protect the full diversity of tropical dry forests. Our results provide a scientific framework within which national decision-makers can contextualize the floristic significance of their dry forest at a regional and continental scale.


title: Epidemiological characteristics of an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Dongcheng District of Beijing from March to May 2003.

text: OBJECTIVE To describe epidemiologic features of an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Dongcheng District, Beijing occurred in a period between March and May 2003. METHODS Data of SARS cases notified from Dongcheng District Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)and supplemented by other channels were collected. Clinicians and officials of local hospitals were interviewed in groups and medical records of fatal cases of SARS were reviewed to verify the diagnosis. Stored serum specimens of the patients were detected for IgG antibody against SARS Co-V by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All the data were input into dataset files by Microsoft Excel-2000 software and analyzed with SPSS version 10.0 software. RESULTS Outbreak of SARS in Dongcheng District started on March 14, 2003 with a peak in mid- and late April, and dropped in early May. A total of 572 reported cases were collected during this period in Dongcheng District, Beijing, and 99 of them were excluded from SARS, because of diagnosis of common cold, regular pneumonia, measles and rubella, etc. Actually, 473 SARS cases, which included 390 (82.5%) probable cases and 83 (17.5%) suspect cases, were analyzed. About 90% of the probable cases were positive for IgG antibody. Attack rate of SARS in permanent residents of Dongcheng District was 28.3 per 100 000. Forty-one of them died, with a case-fatality rate of 8.7%. Persons were all susceptible to infection of SARS Co-V, with the highest proportion at ages of 20-50 years, which accounted for 68.7% of the total cases. Average age of the patients at their onset was 40.7 years. No gender difference in SARS cases was found. Number of SARS cases in health-care workers (HCWs) accounted for 18.0% and that in retired workers accounted for 15.4% of the total cases. Cases occurred in all 10 sub-districts of Dongcheng, with the highest in Beixinqiao and Andingmen Sub-districts. Totally, 230 of the 572 notified cases (40.2%) were hospitalized at local hospitals under the jurisdiction of Dongcheng District. Eighteen of 85 cases of SARS occurred in HCWs of local hospitals, accounting for 4.5% of the total number of HCWs working at wards caring for SARS patients or fever clinics. There were 34.7% of SARS cases without any histories of contact before the onset of the disease. Familial aggregation phenomena were observed in 41.8% of the cases and 18.1% of households. And 7.4% (attack rate) of those exposed to SARS cases suffered from the illness during the periods of quarantine. CONCLUSIONS SARS appeared to be infectious in origin and caused outbreak in Dongcheng District, Beijing introduced by an imported case traveling from Hong Kong in a period between March and May 2003. People are all susceptible to infection of SARS Co-V, which mainly threatens the young adults and the middle-aged, as well as HCWs and the retired workers. The main mode of transmission is direct exposure to SARS patients in a near distance at hospitals or families via droplets spread. Prevention and control of SARS should be focused on early isolation of patients and quarantine for close contacts. Current available measures to prevent and control SARS are proved to be effective.


title: Analysis of the receptor-binding site of murine coronavirus spike protein.

text: It has been found that a domain composed of 330 amino acids of the N terminus of murine coronavirus spike protein [S1N(330)] is involved in receptor-binding activity (H. Kubo, Y.K. Yamada, and F. Taguchi, J. Virol. 68:5403-5410, 1994). To delineate the amino acid sequences involved in receptor-binding activity, we have compared the S1N(330) proteins of seven different mouse hepatitis virus MHV strains that are able to utilize the MHV receptor protein. Three conserved regions (sites I, II, and III) were found to consist of more than 10 identical amino acids, and they were analyzed for receptor-binding activity by site-directed mutagenesis. S1N(330) with a substitution at position 62 from the N terminus of S1 in region I and that with substitutions at positions 212, 214, and 216 in region II showed no receptor-binding activity. The S1N(330) mutants without receptor-binding activity were not able to prevent virus binding to the receptor. These results suggest that the receptor-binding site on S1N(330) is composed of regions located apart from each other in the protein's primary structure, in which Thr at position 62 as well as amino acids located at positions 212, 214, and 216 are particularly important.


title: The polypeptide structure of transmissible gastroenteritis virus.

text: The polypeptides of purified preparations of the coronavirus responsible for transmissible gastroenteritis of pigs have beem examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Four major polypeptides, VPI (mol. wt. 200000), VP2 (50 000), VP3 (30000) and VP4 (28500) and two minor polypeptides, VPIa (105000) and VPIb (80500) have been reproducibly demonstrated in the virion, of which VPI, VP3 and VP4 contain carbohydrate. Treatment of the virion with the proteolytic enzyme bromelain removes the surface projections and VPI, thus identifying this glycopolypeptide as the major structural component of the projection.


title: Evaluation of body composition in COPD patients using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis.

text: BACKGROUND Multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MF-BIA) is a technique that measures body impedance (Z) at different frequencies (5, 10, 50, 100, and 250 kHz). Body composition may be estimated using empirical equations, which include BIA variables or, alternatively, raw BIA data may provide direct information on water distribution and muscle quality. OBJECTIVES To compare raw MF-BIA data between COPD patients and controls and to study their relationship with respiratory and functional parameters in COPD patients. METHODS MF-BIA was performed (Human Im-Touch analyzer) in 212 COPD patients and 115 age- and BMI-matched controls. Fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass were estimated from BIA data, and low- to high-frequency (5 kHz/250 kHz) impedance ratio was calculated. Physical fitness, lung function and respiratory muscle strength were also assessed in COPD patients. RESULTS After adjusting for age, weight, and body mass index, FFM and the 5/250 impedance ratio were lower in COPD patients (P<0.001) and were negatively affected by disease severity. In both male and female patients, the 5/250 impedance ratio was significantly correlated mainly with age (r=-0.316 and r=-0.346, respectively). Patients with a 5/250 impedance ratio below median value had lower handgrip strength (P<0.001), 6-minute walk distance (P<0.005), respiratory muscle strength (P<0.005), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (P<0.05) and vital capacity (P<0.005). Finally, the 5/250 impedance ratio was reduced (P<0.05) in patients with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) III and IV (compared to those with GOLD I and II) or a BODE index between 6 and 10 points (compared to those with BODE index between 1 and 5 points). CONCLUSION MF-BIA may be a useful tool for assessing body composition and nutritional status in COPD patients. In particular, the impedance ratio could give valuable information on cellular integrity and muscle quality.


title: Fast, ultrasensitive virus detection using a Young interferometer sensor.

text: We report the application of an integrated optical Young interferometer sensor for ultrasensitive, real-time, direct detection of viruses. We have validated the sensor by detecting herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), but the principle is generally applicable. Detection of HSV-1 virus particles was performed by applying the virus sample onto a sensor surface coated with a specific antibody against HSV-1. The performance of the sensor was tested by monitoring virus samples at clinically relevant concentrations. We show that the Young interferometer sensor can specifically and sensitively detect HSV-1 at very low concentrations (850 particles/mL). We have further demonstrated that the sensor can specifically detect HSV-1 suspended in serum. Extrapolation of the results indicates that the sensitivity of the sensor approaches the detection of a single virus particle binding, yielding a sensor of unprecedented sensitivity with wide applications for viral diagnostics.


title: An unusual cause of ventricular tachycardia: Port-A-Cath fracture and embolization into the pulmonary artery.

text: We describe the case of a patient with a previously placed Port-A-Cath who was admitted to hospital for new onset of non-flushing catheter and palpitations with ventricular tachycardia. A chest X-ray and a linogram showed a Port-A-Cath fracture and distal embolization into the right ventricle resulting in ventricular tachycardia. The catheter was removed percutaneously using a Goose Neck snare with no complications and resolution of the ventricular tachycardia. The removed segment demonstrated thrombus. Prompt removal of the embolized catheter fragments should be undertaken given the subtle nature of the embolization and the potential complications.


title: SARS infection control in Taiwan: investigation of nurses' professional obligation.

text: This exploratory, cross-sectional, quantitative study investigated the relationship among hospital nurses' willingness to provide care for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients, their attitudes toward SARS infection control measures, and nurses' health status and demographic characteristics. This project was conducted from May 6 to 12, 2003. A total of 126 nurses working in hospitals participated in this study. A conceptual model was developed, and the author designed a questionnaire to test this model. The developed model explained 32% of the variance in nurses' willingness to provide care for SARS patients. Nurses' levels of agreement with general SARS infection control measures, self-treatment of relief of fever and cough, necessity to close Hoping and Jenchi hospitals, nurses' physical health status, and holding a bachelor's degree were statistically significant predictors of nurses' willingness to care for SARS patients. Based on these findings, suggestions and study limitations are discussed.


title: Partial characterization of the principal soluble antigens associated with the coronavirus of transmissible gastroenteritis by complement fixation and immunodiffusion.

text: A microtiter complement fixation (CF) test to detect transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) viral antigen was developed, using TGE hyperimmune pig serum as an antibody source. Sera from TGE covalescent pigs did not fix complement by this test. Maximal virus and soluble antigen (SA) titers were obtained 36 to 48 h after inoculation of swine testes cells. Cell-associated virus and SA titers were higher than those in the culture fluid, which had to be concentrated 20X before use as antigen in agar immunodiffusion tests (ID). By sucrose density-gradient centrifugation, the SA had a buoyant density of 1.10 g/ml and could be separated from the virus that banded in the 1.19-g/ml region. Virus and SA from three different isolates of TGE had the same buoyant densities. Heating and proteolytic enzyme digestion established the protein nature of the SA. As assayed by CF and ID, there were stability differences between crude and purified preparations of SA. Antibody prepared in rabbits against the SA neutralized the TGE virus.


title: Variations in disparate regions of the murine coronavirus spike protein impact the initiation of membrane fusion.

text: The prototype JHM strain of murine hepatitis virus (MHV) is an enveloped, RNA-containing coronavirus that has been selected in vivo for extreme neurovirulence. This virus encodes spike (S) glycoproteins that are extraordinarily effective mediators of intercellular membrane fusion, unique in their ability to initiate fusion even without prior interaction with the primary MHV receptor, a murine carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM). In considering the possible role of this hyperactive membrane fusion activity in neurovirulence, we discovered that the growth of JHM in tissue culture selected for variants that had lost murine CEACAM-independent fusion activity. Among the collection of variants, mutations were identified in regions encoding both the receptor-binding (S1) and fusion-inducing (S2) subunits of the spike protein. Each mutation was separately introduced into cDNA encoding the prototype JHM spike, and the set of cDNAs was expressed using vaccinia virus vectors. The variant spikes were similar to that of JHM in their assembly into oligomers, their proteolysis into S1 and S2 cleavage products, their transport to cell surfaces, and their affinity for a soluble form of murine CEACAM. However, these tissue culture-adapted spikes were significantly stabilized as S1-S2 heteromers, and their entirely CEACAM-dependent fusion activity was delayed or reduced relative to prototype JHM spikes. The mutations that we have identified therefore point to regions of the S protein that specifically regulate the membrane fusion reaction. We suggest that cultured cells, unlike certain in vivo environments, select for S proteins with delayed, CEACAM-dependent fusion activities that may increase the likelihood of virus internalization prior to the irreversible uncoating process.


title: Thiopurine analogue inhibitors of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus papain-like protease, a deubiquitinating and deISGylating enzyme.

text: In the search for effective therapeutics against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) and 6-thioguanine (6TG) were found to be specific inhibitors for the SARS-coronavirus (CoV) papain-like protease (PLpro), a cysteine protease with deubiquitinating and deISGylating activity. 6MP and 6TG have long been used in cancer chemotherapy for treatment of acute lymphoblastic or myeloblastic leukaemia. Development and optimization of 6MP and 6TG will not only be important for antiviral studies, but also for further elucidating the biological functions of cellular deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) and deISGylating enzymes. So far, several crystal structures of cellular DUBs have been solved. Structure comparison has been carried out to search for DUBs with a similar structure to that of PLpro, and we have tried to dock 6MP and 6TG into these DUBs to investigate the potential use of 6MP and 6TG as cellular DUB inhibitors. The best docking score and binding energy for 6MP and 6TG is against ubiquitin-specific protease (USP)14, suggesting that 6MP and 6TG are potential inhibitors of USP14. Finding new usages for old drugs will speed up the process of drug discovery and substantially reduce the cost of drug development.


title: Hemagglutinin pseudotyped lentiviral particles: characterization of a new method for avian H5N1 influenza sero-diagnosis.

text: BACKGROUND Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has spread globally in birds and infected over 270 humans with an apparently high mortality rate. Serologic studies to determine the extent of asymptomatic H5N1 infection in humans and other mammals and to investigate the immunogenicity of current H5N1 vaccine candidates have been hampered by the biosafety requirements needed for H5N1 micro-neutralization tests. OBJECTIVE Development of a serodiagnostic tool for highly pathogenic influenza that reproduces H5N1 biology but can be used with less biohazard. STUDY DESIGN We have generated and evaluated H5 hemagglutinin pseudotyped lentiviral particles encoding the luciferase reporter (H5pp). RESULTS H5pp entry into target cells depends on alpha2-3 cell surface sialic acids and requires low pH for membrane fusion. H5pp infectivity is specifically neutralized by sera from patients and animals infected with H5N1 and correlates well with conventional microneutralization test. CONCLUSIONS H5pp reproduce H5N1 influenza virus entry into target cells and potentially provides a high-throughput and safe method for sero-epidemiology.


title: Role of viruses and atypical bacteria in asthma exacerbations among children in Oporto (Portugal).

text: BACKGROUND Upper respiratory tract infections are known to be a significant precipitant of acute asthma exacerbations. The aim of this study was to evaluate seasonal trends and the role of these pathogens in asthma exacerbations in school-aged children from Oporto (Portugal). METHODS Nasal aspirates were collected from children aged 6 to 12 years old with asthma exacerbations attended in the Pediatric Emergency Department one day per week from January 1 to December 31, 2003. Demographic data, severity of asthma and asthma exacerbations, and current treatment were recorded. Samples were obtained through nasal wash with 1 ml saline and were processed by immunofluorescence assays (respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, parainfluenza and influenza virus), retrotranscription polymerase chain reaction (rhinovirus) and polymerase chain reaction (enterovirus, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae). RESULTS In 54 eligible children, 37 nasal samples were obtained. Infectious agents were detected in 78 % of the patients. Rhinovirus was detected in 70.3 %, Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 16.2 %, enterovirus in 10.8 %, and Chlamydia pneumoniae in 2.7 %. Coinfection was identified in 21.6 % of the samples. There was no significant correlation between current treatment status, severity of asthma or exacerbations and the isolated agents. Two distinct peaks of asthma exacerbation were found, 40.5 % in spring and 32.4 % in autumn [corrected] The highest number of cases was recorded in March and the lowest in August and January. Rhinoviruses was detected in 27 % of the cases in autumn and in 24.3 % in spring [corrected] CONCLUSIONS These results confirm the previously reported high frequency of rhinovirus detection in asthma exacerbations in children and provide evidence that asthma exacerbations and rhinovirus infections follow a seasonal pattern, occurring mostly in spring and autumn. The findings also underscore the frequency of Mycoplasma pneumoniae detection, and emphasize the importance of this agent as a possible trigger of asthma exacerbations.


title: Specific epitopes of the structural and hypothetical proteins elicit variable humoral responses in SARS patients.

text: BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease which was caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV). SARS has caused an outbreak in the world during 2003 and 2004, with 8098 individuals being infected and a death toll of 774 in 28 regions around the world. Specific humoral responses to viral infection remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To analyse the antigenicity of the SARS-CoV genome and identify potential antigenic epitopes in the structural proteins. METHODS Potential antigenic epitopes were identified in the structural proteins (nucleocapsid, membrane, spike, and small envelope proteins) and hypothetical proteins (SARS3a, 3b, 6, 7a, and 9b) that are specific for SARS-CoV. A peptide chip platform was created and the profiles of antibodies to these epitopes were investigated in 59 different SARS patients' sera obtained 6-103 days after the onset of the illness. Serial sera from five additional patients were also studied. RESULTS Epitopes at the N-terminus of the membrane protein and the C-terminus of nucleocapsid protein elicited strong antibody responses. Epitopes on the spike protein were only moderately immunogenic but the effects were persistent. Antibodies were also detected for some putative proteins, noticeably the C-termini of SARS3a and SARS6. CONCLUSIONS Important epitopes of the SARS-CoV genome that may serve as potential markers for the viral infection are identified. These specific antigenic sites may also be important for vaccine development against this new fatal infectious disease.


title: Effect of candesartan on microalbuminuria and albumin excretion rate in diabetes: three randomized trials.

text: BACKGROUND Microalbuminuria in diabetes is strongly predictive of nephropathy, end-stage renal disease, and premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Effective preventive therapies are therefore a clinical priority. OBJECTIVE To determine whether the angiotensin-receptor blocker candesartan compared with placebo affects microalbuminuria incidence or rate of change in albuminuria in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. DESIGN 3 randomized trials of the DIRECT (Diabetic Retinopathy Candesartan Trials) Program. SETTING 309 secondary care centers. PATIENTS 3326 and 1905 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Most were normotensive, and all had normoalbuminuria (median urinary albumin excretion rate, 5.0 microg/min). INTERVENTION Candesartan, 16 mg/d increasing to 32 mg/d, versus placebo. Assignment was done centrally using an interactive voice-response system. Patients, caregivers, and researchers were blinded to treatment assignment. During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, 793 patients discontinued therapy and 63 were lost to follow-up. MEASUREMENTS Urinary albumin excretion rate, assessed annually by 2 overnight collections; if it was 20 microg/min or greater, then 2 further collections were done. The primary end point was new microalbuminuria (3 or 4 collections of urinary albumin excretion rate >or=20 microg/min). The secondary end point was rate of change in albuminuria. RESULTS Individual and pooled results of the 3 trials showed that candesartan had little effect on risk for microalbuminuria (pooled hazard ratio, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.78 to 1.16]; P = 0.60). Pooled results showed that the annual rate of change in albuminuria was 5.53% lower (CI, 0.73% to 10.14%; P = 0.024) with candesartan than with placebo. LIMITATIONS Investigators recruited mainly normotensive patients or patients with well-controlled hypertension who were at low overall vascular risk, which resulted in a low rate of microalbuminuria. Studies were powered for retinal and not renal end points. CONCLUSION Candesartan, 32 mg/d, for 4.7 years did not prevent microalbuminuria in mainly normotensive patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.


title: Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Using Retrorectus Self-adhering Mesh: A Novel Approach.

text: BACKGROUND In abdominal wall reconstruction, the retrorectus plane offers an ideal location for mesh placement. Mesh fixation in this plane is often achieved using transfascial sutures, which risks entrapping intercostal nerves and causing significant pain, and takes time to place. A novel alternative is the use of sutureless self-adhering mesh. Although the use of this mesh in inguinal hernias has been well described, studies on its use in abdominal wall reconstruction are lacking. METHODS Consecutive patients who underwent ventral hernia repair with retrorectus mesh were reviewed. This included patients who received transfascially sutured mesh and those who received sutureless self-adhering mesh. All patients were followed up for at least 12 months. The amount of narcotics required by each patient postoperatively was calculated. Surgical-site occurrences (SSOs) and hernia recurrence and bulge were measured. RESULTS Twenty-six patients underwent abdominal wall reconstruction with retrorectus mesh. This included 12 patients with transfascially sutured mesh and 14 patients with self-adhering mesh. Mean follow-up was 600 days. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. Patients receiving self-adhering mesh required significantly less narcotics than patients with transfascially sutured mesh. There were no significant differences in the rate of SSOs between the 2 groups. No hernia recurrences, bulges, or chronic pain occurred in either group. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to compare the outcomes of retrorectus self-adhering mesh and transfascially sutured mesh in abdominal wall reconstruction. Our results show low rates of SSO, recurrence, and bulge with both options, with significantly less acute pain with self-adhering mesh.


title: Daily Situation Report on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Iran; March 25, 2020.

text: After detection of the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Iran, the National Committee on COVID-19 Epidemiology in Ministry of Health and Medical Education was established. This Committee is official source of gathering, analyzing, and reporting the COVID-19 data in Iran. The data of all sources in the country including, medical care monitoring center (MCMC), Hospitals' Information Systems (HIS), Laboratory portal, the data of the center for communicable disease control (MOH), as well as the data from community health centers are integrated and used in this regards. This factsheet contain daily situation report on coronavirus disease (covid-19) in Iran; March 25, 2020.


title: Avian astroviruses.

text: As poultry becomes more important in the world economy, it is increasingly important to fully understand the mechanisms of disease and poor production that affect the industry. To more accurately and reasonably treat these diseases, a more sophisticated understanding of interrelatedness is required. This review focuses on avian astroviruses (AAstVs), in particular the recent advances in our understanding of AAstV molecular biology, and also history, diagnosis, treatment and control. The known AastVs comprise duck astrovirus 1, turkey astrovirus 1 and 2, and avian nephritis virus of chickens. Nucleotide and amino acid identities between the avian and mammalian (human, ovine, bovine) astroviruses is very low (e.g. 20 to 25% and 12 to 15%, respectively) in open reading frame (ORF) 1a. There is also variation among the avian astroviruses, including between the two known types of turkey astrovirus. The ORF 1b sequence contains a number of conserved amino acid motifs; these could be the basis of degnerate oligonucleotide primers. A nomenclature for astroviruses is also proposed, based on: host species-astrovirus-type number/country(state)/reference number/year of isolation. For example, turkey astrovirus 2/North Carolina/034/1999.


title: Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus vectors expressing herpes simplex virus type 2 gD elicit robust CD4+ Th1 immune responses and are protective in mouse and guinea pig models of vaginal challenge.

text: Recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) vectors offer an attractive approach for the induction of robust cellular and humoral immune responses directed against human pathogen target antigens. We evaluated rVSV vectors expressing full-length glycoprotein D (gD) from herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in mice and guinea pigs for immunogenicity and protective efficacy against genital challenge with wild-type HSV-2. Robust Th1-polarized anti-gD immune responses were demonstrated in the murine model as measured by induction of gD-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and increased gamma interferon expression. The isotype makeup of the serum anti-gD immunoglobulin G (IgG) response was consistent with the presence of a Th1-CD4+ anti-gD response, characterized by a high IgG2a/IgG1 IgG subclass ratio. Functional anti-HSV-2 neutralizing serum antibody responses were readily demonstrated in both guinea pigs and mice that had been immunized with rVSV-gD vaccines. Furthermore, guinea pigs and mice were prophylactically protected from genital challenge with high doses of wild-type HSV-2. In addition, guinea pigs were highly protected against the establishment of latent infection as evidenced by low or absent HSV-2 genome copies in dorsal root ganglia after virus challenge. In summary, rVSV-gD vectors were successfully used to elicit potent anti-gD Th1-like cellular and humoral immune responses that were protective against HSV-2 disease in guinea pigs and mice.


title: Border screening for SARS in Australia: what has been learnt?

text: OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of the Australian border entry screening program to detect arriving travellers with symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). DESIGN AND SETTING Descriptive study of outcomes of screening at Australian airports and seaports between 5 April 2003 and 16 June 2003. To determine the number of international travellers who were symptomatic on arrival in Australia but missed by screening, data were obtained on the number of arrivals screened and the number with symptoms (from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service [AQIS]), as well as the number of people investigated for SARS (from the Australian SARS Case Register). RESULTS There were 1.84 million arrivals into Australia during the study period, and 794 were referred for screening to AQIS staff. Of these, the findings in four travellers were consistent with the World Health Organization case definition for SARS, and they were referred by the Chief Quarantine Officers to designated hospitals for further investigation. None of these people was confirmed to have SARS. One person reported as a probable SARS case acknowledged being symptomatic on arrival, but had been missed by border screening. CONCLUSIONS The low identification rate was attributed to the low prevalence of SARS, the use of exit screening by affected countries, and the subjective measures used in the screening process. With current knowledge about SARS, border screening should focus on educating incoming travellers, especially groups at high risk of transmitting the disease (the elderly and those with underlying chronic illnesses). Objective screening measures should be used during SARS outbreaks to prevent importation of the disease.


title: [Morphologic changes in the intestine of swine after infection with verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli].

text: Spontaneous morphologic lesions are described in 12 of 66 pigs submitted for necropsy. All 12 pigs were culture positive for Verotoxin-producing E. coli (VTEC). 10 of them were weaned pigs, one a suckling piglet and one a fattening hog. In 6 cases E. coli serovar 0139:H1 and in one case each the serovars 0139:H40; 0138:H-; 0125ac:H27 and 0154:H- were isolated. From the fecal samples of 2 animals E. coli ONT (O-group non typable):H- were cultured. Macroscopically there were cyanosis, edema of the eye lids, catarrhal enteritis and/or colitis as well as edema of the mesentery, swelling of the mesenteric lymph nodes and congestion of the lung to varying degrees. Histopathologic examination of 5 animals was carried out. In 3 animals atrophy and edema of the villi in the jejunum and ileum were discovered. In one animal an additional infection with corona virus was confirmed electron microscopically. Furthermore there was disseminated necrosis of lymphocytes in Peyer's patches of the small intestine and in secondary follicles of the mesenteric lymph nodes. In one of the animals a hemorrhagic-necrotising ileitis, occurred characterized by necrosis of villi and thrombosis of blood vessels in the mucosa. The highest number of VTEC with seven out of twelve animals was found in weaned pigs in association with the E. coli serovar 0139.


Re-emerging diseases and epidemic threats: Ten 'areas of actions' (AA-10) and a case for global solidarity.


title: High coverage of influenza vaccination among healthcare workers can be achieved during heightened awareness of impending threat.

text: INTRODUCTION As preparation against a possible avian flu pandemic, international and local health authorities have recommended seasonal influenza vaccination for all healthcare workers at geographical risk. This strategy not only reduces "background noise", but also chance of genetic shifts in avian influenza viruses when co-infection occurs. We evaluate the response of healthcare workers, stratified by professional groups, to a non-compulsory annual vaccination call, and make international comparisons with countries not at geographical risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed over the window period for vaccination for the 2004 to 2005 influenza season (northern hemisphere winter). The study population included all adult healthcare workers (aged < or =21 years) employed by a large acute care tertiary hospital. RESULTS The uptake rates among frontline caregivers--doctors >50%, nurses >65% and ancillary staff >70%--markedly exceeded many of our international counterparts results. CONCLUSION Given its close proximity in time and space to the avian flu pandemic threat, Singapore healthcare workers responded seriously and positively to calls for preventive measures. Other factors, such as the removal of financial, physical and mental barriers, may have played important facilitative roles as well.


title: Translation and processing of mouse hepatitis virus virion RNA in a cell-free system.

text: The first event after infection with mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 (MHV-A59) is presumed to be the synthesis of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from the input genomic RNA. The synthesis and processing of this putative polymerase protein was studied in a cell-free translation system utilizing 60S RNA from MHV-A59 virions. The polypeptide products of this reaction included two major species of 220 and 28 kilodaltons. Kinetics experiments indicated that both p220 and p28 appeared after 60 min of incubation and that protein p28 was synthesized initially as the N-terminal portion of a larger precursor protein. When the cell-free translation products were labeled with N-formyl[35S]methionyl-tRNAi, p28 was the predominant radioactive product, confirming its N-terminal location within a precursor protein. Translation in the presence of the protease inhibitors leupeptin and ZnCl2 resulted in the disappearance of p28 and p220 and the appearance of a new protein, p250. This product, which approached the maximal size predicted for a protein synthesized from genomic RNA, was not routinely detected in the absence of inhibitors even under conditions which optimized the translation reaction for elongation of proteins. Subsequent chelation of ZnCl2 resulted in the partial cleavage of the precursor protein and the reappearance of p28. One-dimensional peptide mapping with Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease confirmed the precursor-product relationship of p250 and p28. The results show that MHV virion RNA, like many other viral RNAs, is translated into a large polyprotein, which is cleaved soon after synthesis into smaller, presumably functional proteins. This is in marked contrast to the synthesis of other MHV proteins, in which minimal proteolytic processing occurs.


title: Molecular evolution of the SARS coronavirus during the course of the SARS epidemic in China.

text: Sixty-one SARS coronavirus genomic sequences derived from the early, middle, and late phases of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic were analyzed together with two viral sequences from palm civets. Genotypes characteristic of each phase were discovered, and the earliest genotypes were similar to the animal SARS-like coronaviruses. Major deletions were observed in the Orf8 region of the genome, both at the start and the end of the epidemic. The neutral mutation rate of the viral genome was constant but the amino acid substitution rate of the coding sequences slowed during the course of the epidemic. The spike protein showed the strongest initial responses to positive selection pressures, followed by subsequent purifying selection and eventual stabilization.


title: Detection of animal viruses using nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA).

text: As seen in recent avian influenza outbreaks in Asia, prevention is the key to fighting infectious disease successfully. Efficient disease surveillance systems on the basis of molecular diagnostics will help monitor the emergence of viruses in the early stage and thus prompt containment measures can be in place to minimize disease spread. Here we describe and review molecular diagnostics focusing on nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) technology in detecting viruses causing animal diseases, such as avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and Newcastle disease. NASBA offers high sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and speed of availability of results, and NASBA would be the most applicable molecular diagnostics for disease surveillance and control.


title: Ethical issues in resource triage.

text: Mass-care events, such as pandemic influenza, could reach such devastating proportions that there will be the need to make difficult triage decisions that will ultimately result in the deaths or severe disability of patients in large numbers. The method by which we determine how triage of scarce health care resources will be performed must be clearly defined prior to a disaster event. This paper will discuss several of the ethical principles that must be weighed in developing a mass-care triage plan, as well as steps to facilitate its implementation. Development of triage policies in such an event should be developed in an open and transparent manner, be reasonable in design, include the views of the critical stakeholders, and be responsive to and provide a mechanism for accountability, with a clearly defined goal of the just triage of limited health care resources. Planning failure will result in increased deaths from poor triage processes and substantial mistrust of the health care system and its practitioners.


Public health law and ethics: lessons from SARS and quarantine.


title: [New coronavirus infection: new challenges, new legacies].

text: BACKGROUND A new highly pathogenic human coronavirus has emerged. Its natural history and its determinants are still under investigation. It lacks a publication to examine all the cases identified worldwide. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to describe the cases and deaths caused by the new coronavirus. METHODS World Health Organization's, European Centre for Disease Control's and Eurosurveillance's publications online were reviewed. We performed a descriptive analysis of the cases; the limits of proportions were calculated with a 0.05 alpha using Wilson test, and Student's t test for mean difference. RESULTS There are 17 confirmed cases and 11 deaths in several countries in Asia and Europe; men predominated. The case fatality rate was 64.70 %. People who died took five days to hospitalize after the first symptoms. There is a lack of publications to describe the natural history of the disease, but the descriptions of the European publications are consistent with the results of this study. CONCLUSION It is necessary to keep the surveillance and further studies in order to assess the impact on international public health.


title: Assessment of Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae) as a vector of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus.

text: Porcine Reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a globally significant swine disease caused by an arterivirus. The virus replicates in alveolar macrophages of infected pigs, resulting in pneumonia in growing pigs and late-term abortions in sows. Outbreaks occur on disparate farms within an area despite biosecurity measures, suggesting mechanical transport by arthropods. We investigated the vector potential of stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), in the transmission of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (family Arteriviridae, genus Arterivirus, PRRSV) under laboratory conditions. Stable flies were collected around PRRS-negative boar stud barns in North Carolina and tested for presence of the virus. Stable flies were collected on alsynite traps placed near the exhaust fan of the close-sided tunnel-ventilated buildings, suggesting blood seeking flies are attracted by olfactory cues. No flies were positive for PRRSV. We assessed transmission of the virus through an infective bite by feeding laboratory reared stable flies on blood containing virus and transferring them to naive pigs for subsequent bloodmeals. Transmission of the virus to naive pigs by infective bites failed in all attempts. The volume of blood contained within the closed mouthparts of the stable fly seems to be insufficient to deliver an infective dose of the virus. Stable flies are unlikely to transmit PRRSV from one pig to another while blood feeding. The fate of the virus after a bloodmeal remains to be determined.


title: Risk perception and compliance with quarantine during the SARS outbreak.

text: PURPOSE To explore the experience of being on quarantine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) with a focus on the relationship between perceived risk of contracting SARS and reported compliance with the quarantine order and protocols. DESIGN Descriptive, qualitative. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people who had been quarantined during the SARS outbreak in Toronto in 2003. Data analysis was completed using an iterative and collaborative approach of reading and re-reading the transcribed interviews, identifying common themes, and comparing and contrasting the data. FINDINGS To varying extents, participants wavered between fear and denial about their risk of contracting or spreading SARS. Reported compliance with the actual quarantine order was high. However, within households quarantine protocols were followed unevenly. CONCLUSIONS This research indicates the need for greater credibility in public health communications to increase compliance with quarantine protocols and to contain outbreaks of new and deadly infectious diseases.


Evaluating and optimizing outcomes of surgery for endocarditis.


title: Complete genome structure and phylogenetic analysis of little cherry virus, a mealybug-transmissible closterovirus.

text: The 5'-terminal genomic region (8597 nt) of little cherry virus (LChV), a mealybug-borne closterovirus, was cloned from double-stranded RNA, and its sequence determined to complete the 16934 nt sequence of the monopartite LChV RNA genome. In the 5' to 3' direction, the sequence encompasses ORF 1a, encoding the conserved replicative domains of methyltransferase and helicase, and ORF 1b, encoding RNA polymerase. ORFs 1a and 1b partially overlap (in O/+1 configuration), and the LChV replicase is probably expressed by ribosomal frameshifting as a fusion product with a molecular mass of 318 kDa. The N-terminal part of the ORF 1a product contains a papain-like cysteine proteinase (PCP) domain with a predicted cleavage site between Gly-619 and Ser-620. The PCP and the upstream protein domains can be aligned with the equivalent parts of the leader proteins encoded by the whitefly-transmitted lettuce infectious yellows and sweet potato sunken vein closteroviruses. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on the aligned RNA polymerase sequences clearly suggests that the aphid-transmissible and whitefly-transmissible closteroviruses represent two distinct evolutionary lineages, with the mealybug-transmissible LChV being the most remote member of the 'whitefly' lineage.


title: Role of cyclinD1 and CDK4 in the carcinogenesis induced by silica.

text: OBJECTIVE To study the role of cyclinD1 and CDK4 in malignant transformation of human fetal lung diploid fibroblast cell line (2BS) induced by silica. METHODS Recombination vectors with sense and antisense pXJ41-cyclinD1 and pXJ41-CDK4 were constructed, and then transfected into the malignant transformed cells induced by silica, respectively. At the same time, pXJ41-neo was used as the control. RESULTS During the progress of the malignant transformation of 2BS cells induced by silica, cyclinD1 and CDK4 were overexpressed. Antisense RNA suppressed cyclinD1 and CDK4 gene expression in the antisense pXJ41-cyclinD1 and pXJ41-CDK4 transfected cells. Antisense RNA led to cell cycle arrest, resulting in lengthened G1 phase (the percentages of cells in the G1 phase changed from 45.1% to 52.7% and 58.0% for cyclinD1 and CDK4 transfected cells, respectively), and eventually attenuated the increase of the proliferation of malignant transformed cells induced by silica. Compared with malignant transformed cells induced by silica, cells transfected with antisense pXJ41-cyclinD1 and pXJ41-CDK4 showed obviously reduced growth rates. On the 8th day, the suppression rates were 58.69 and 77.43% (the growth rate of malignant transformed cells induced by silica was 100%), doubling time changed from 21.0 h to 31.4 h and 21.0 h to 42.7 h, respectively, the growth capacities on soft agar of cells transfected by antisense pXJ41-cyclinD1 and pXJ41-CDK4 decreased obviously. CONCLUSION CyclinD1 and CDK4 play an important role in maintaining transformed phenotype of the cancer cells.


title: Assembly of the coronavirus envelope: homotypic interactions between the M proteins.

text: The viral membrane proteins M and E are the minimal requirements for the budding of coronavirus particles. Since the E protein occurs in particles only in trace amounts, the lateral interactions between the M proteins apparently generate the major driving force for envelope formation. By using coimmunoprecipitation and envelope incorporation assays, we provide extensive evidence for the existence of such M-M interactions. In addition, we determined which domains of the M protein are involved in this homotypic association, using a mutagenetic approach. Mutant M proteins which were not able to assemble into viruslike particles (VLPs) by themselves (C. A. M. de Haan, L. Kuo, P. S. Masters, H. Vennema, and P. J. M. Rottier, J. Virol. 72:6838-6850, 1998) were tested for the ability to associate with other M proteins and to be rescued into VLPs formed by assembly-competent M proteins. We found that M proteins lacking parts of the transmembrane cluster, of the amphipathic domain, or of the hydrophilic carboxy-terminal tail, or M proteins that had their luminal domain replaced by heterologous ectodomains, were still able to associate with assembly-competent M proteins, resulting in their coincorporation into VLPs. Only a mutant M protein in which all three transmembrane domains had been replaced lost this ability. The results indicate that M protein molecules interact with each other through multiple contact sites, particularly at the transmembrane level. Finally, we tested the stringency with which membrane proteins are selected for incorporation into the coronavirus envelope by probing the coassembly of some foreign proteins. The observed efficient exclusion from budding of the vesicular stomatitis virus G protein and the equine arteritis virus M protein indicates that envelope assembly is indeed a highly selective sorting process. The low but detectable incorporation of CD8 molecules, however, demonstrated that this process is not perfect.


title: Detection of respiratory viruses and subtype identification of influenza A viruses by GreeneChipResp oligonucleotide microarray.

text: Acute respiratory infections are significant causes of morbidity, mortality, and economic burden worldwide. An accurate, early differential diagnosis may alter individual clinical management as well as facilitate the recognition of outbreaks that have implications for public health. Here we report on the establishment and validation of a comprehensive and sensitive microarray system for detection of respiratory viruses and subtyping of influenza viruses in clinical materials. Implementation of a set of influenza virus enrichment primers facilitated subtyping of influenza A viruses through the differential recognition of hemagglutinins 1 through 16 and neuraminidases 1 through 9. Twenty-one different respiratory virus species were accurately characterized, including a recently identified novel genetic clade of rhinovirus.


title: Case fatality rate of severe acute respiratory syndromes in Beijing.

text: OBJECTIVE To describe the case fatality rate of SARS in Beijing. METHODS Data of SARS cases notified from Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention (BCDC) and supplemented by other channels were collected. The data were analyzed by rate calculation. RESULTS The case fatality rate of SARS in Beijing was 7.66%, and had an ascending trend while the age of cases was getting older, and a descending trend while the epidemic development. The case fatality rate in Beijing was lower than that in other main epidemic countries or regions. CONCLUSIONS The risk of death increases with the increment of age of SARS patients. Beijing is successful in controlling and treating SARS.


title: The impact of chronic conditions on the economic burden of cancer survivorship: a systematic review.

text: INTRODUCTION This systematic review examines the excess cost of chronic conditions on the economic burden of cancer survivorship among adults in the US. Areas covered: Twelve published studies were identified. Although studies varied substantially in populations, comorbidities examined, methods, and types of cost reported, costs for cancer survivors with comorbidities generally increased with greater numbers of comorbidities or an increase in comorbidity index score. Survivors with comorbidities incurred significantly more in total medical costs, out-of-pocket costs, and costs by service type compared to cancer survivors without additional comorbidities. Expert commentary: Cancer survivors with comorbidities bear significant excess out-of-pocket costs and their care is also more expensive to the healthcare system. On-going evaluation of different payment models, care coordination, and disease management programs for cancer survivors with comorbidities will be important in monitoring impact on healthcare costs.


What's new in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis? A review.


title: Association of cytokine and chemokine gene polymorphisms with severe acute respiratory syndrome.

text: 1. The IFN-gamma +874A allele and RANTES -28 G allele are risk factors for SARS susceptibility. 2. The RANTES -28 G allele plays a role in the pathogenesis of SARS. 3. The polymorphisms of IL-10, TNF-alpha, IL-12, IP-10, Mig and MCP-1 are not associated with SARS susceptibility.


title: Clinical interventions for severe and critical COVID-19: what are the options.

text: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been ongoing outbreak and declared as a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Severe and critical COVID-19 has high fatality rate due to complications like acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute respiratory failure or multiple organ failure. So far, there have been mounting research on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19. However, the information regarding treatment of severe and critical COVID-19 is limited. The current study reviewed published evidence of clinical interventions of severe and critical COVID-19, aiming to provide an up-to-date reference for further clinical treatment.


title: [Use of glucocorticoid in treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome cases].

text: OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of glucocorticoid in the treatment for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). METHODS Clinical data of 70 patients with SARS admitted to Youan Hospital in Beijing during March to May, 2003 were analyzed. RESULTS (1) Sixty-three of 70 cases of SARS recovered and seven cases died, with a case-fatality ratio of 10%. (2) Average length of hospital stay was 16.9 days for the all 70 cases, and 16.8 days for the 11 cases without glucocorticoid treatment, without statistical significance (F = 1.018, P = 0.39). (3) The other 59 cases were administered with 40 mg to 640 mg of methylprednisolone daily. (4) Average hospital stay was 15 days for the 23 cases with lower dose of 40 mg to 80 mg methylprednisolone daily, 18.5 days for the 27 cases with medium dose of 120 mg to 240 mg daily, and 17.9 days for the nine cases with higher dose of 320 mg to 640 mg daily (F = 1.018, P = 0.39). CONCLUSIONS Earlier use of glucocorticoid therapy with suitable doses could alleviate their clinical symptoms, improve their clinical courses, and promote the absorbance of infiltration in their lungs on chest-X-ray films for the cases with SARS. However, current clinical data showed that glucocorticoid therapy could not shorten the length of hospitalization for the cases with SARS.


Hope in a global pandemic.


title: Systematic assembly of a full-length infectious cDNA of mouse hepatitis virus strain A59.

text: A novel method was developed to assemble a full-length infectious cDNA of the group II coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 (MHV-A59). Seven contiguous cDNA clones that spanned the 31.5-kb MHV genome were isolated. The ends of the cDNAs were engineered with unique junctions and assembled with only the adjacent cDNA subclones, resulting in an intact MHV-A59 cDNA construct of approximately 31.5 kb in length. The interconnecting restriction site junctions that are located at the ends of each cDNA are systematically removed during the assembly of the complete full-length cDNA product, allowing reassembly without the introduction of nucleotide changes. RNA transcripts derived from the full-length MHV-A59 construct were infectious, although transfection frequencies were enhanced 10- to 15-fold in the presence of transcripts encoding the nucleocapsid protein N. Plaque-purified virus derived from the infectious construct replicated efficiently and displayed similar growth kinetics, plaque morphology, and cytopathology in murine cells as did wild-type MHV-A59. Molecularly cloned viruses recognized the MHV receptor (MHVR) for docking and entry, and pretreatment of cells with monoclonal antibodies against MHVR blocked virus entry and replication. Cells infected with molecularly cloned MHV-A59 virus expressed replicase (gene 1) proteins identical to those of laboratory MHV-A59. Importantly, the molecularly cloned viruses contained three marker mutations that had been derived from the engineered component clones. Full-length infectious constructs of MHV-A59 will permit genetic modifications of the entire coronavirus genome, particularly in the replicase gene. The method has the potential to be used to construct viral, microbial, or eukaryotic genomes approaching several million base pairs in length and used to insert restriction sites at any given nucleotide in a microbial genome.


title: Photonic Shell-Crosslinked Nanoparticle Probes for Optical Imaging and Monitoring.

text: A pH-insensitive fluorophore is made to give pH-driven responses through its covalent incorporation within a nanostructure derived from pH-responsive polymers. Fluorophore-shell-crosslinked nanoparticles (SCKs) demonstrate notable enhancement of photophysical properties, in the physiological pH region. Fluorophore-SCKs are designed to swell at higher pH and shrink as the pH is lowered, producing high fluorescence vs. low fluorescence outputs, respectively.


A walk on the wild side--emerging wildlife diseases.


title: An outbreak of canine coronavirus in puppies in a Greek kennel.

text: Canine coronavirus (CCoV) is usually the cause of mild gastroenteritis in dogs and is known to have spread worldwide. However, to date, no CCoV cases have been confirmed in Greece. In the present work, the authors investigated an outbreak of enteritis in puppies from a Greek kennel for the presence of CCoV. Dogs were presented with clinical signs of diarrhea, anorexia, weakness, depression, dehydration, and 1 death. Canine coronavirus type II was detected by reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reaction in all 11 puppies, whereas 1 puppy presented dual infection with CCoV type II and canine parvovirus 2. Surprisingly, sequence analysis of the samples revealed higher similarity to the pantropic CCoV II strain CB/05 than to other reference strains, in the most variable region of the S gene.


title: Proteolytic cleavage of the E2 glycoprotein of murine coronavirus: activation of cell-fusing activity of virions by trypsin and separation of two different 90K cleavage fragments.

text: In the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus, a single glycoprotein, E2, is required both for attachment to cells and for cell fusion. Cell fusion induced by infection with mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 was inhibited by the addition of monospecific anti-E2 antibody after virus adsorption and penetration. Adsorption of concentrated coronavirions to uninfected cells did not cause cell fusion in the presence of cycloheximide. Thus, cell fusion was induced by E2 on the plasma membrane of infected 17 Cl 1 cells but not by E2 on virions grown in these cells. Trypsin treatment of virions purified from 17 Cl 1 cells quantitatively cleaved 180K E2 to 90K E2 and activated cell-fusing activity of the virions. This proteolytic cleavage yielded two different 90K species which were separable by sodium dodecyl sulfate-hydroxyapatite chromatography. One of the trypsin cleavage products, 90A, was acylated and may be associated with the lipid bilayer. The other, 90B, was not acylated and yielded different peptides than did 90A upon limited digestion with thermolysin or staphylococcal V8 protease. Thus, the cell-fusing activity of a coronavirus required proteolytic cleavage of the E2 glycoprotein, either by the addition of a protease to virions or by cellular proteases acting on E2, which was transported to the plasma membrane during virus maturation. There is a striking functional similarity between the E2 glycoprotein of coronavirus, which is a positive-strand RNA virus, and the hemagglutinin glycoprotein of negative-strand orthomyxoviruses, in that a single glycoprotein has both attachment and protease-activated cell-fusing activities.


title: In situ delivery of passive immunity by lactobacilli producing single-chain antibodies.

text: Lactobacilli have previously been used to deliver vaccine components for active immunization in vivo. Vectors encoding a single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody fragment, which recognizes the streptococcal antigen I/II (SAI/II) adhesion molecule of Streptococcus mutans, were constructed and expressed in Lactobacillus zeae (American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 393). The scFv antibody fragments secreted into the supernatant or expressed on the surface of the bacteria showed binding activity against SAI/II in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and surface scFv-expressing lactobacilli agglutinated SAI/II-expressing S. mutans in vitro without affecting the corresponding SAI/II knockout strain. Lactobacilli expressing the scFv fragment fused to an E-tag were visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using beads coated with a monoclonal anti-E-tag antibody, and they bound directly to beads coated with SAI/II. After administration of scFv-expressing bacteria to a rat model of dental caries development, S. mutans bacteria counts and caries scores were markedly reduced. As lactobacilli are generally regarded as safe (GRAS) microorganisms, this approach may be of considerable commercial interest for in vivo immunotherapy.


Making dollars and sense of antisense.


title: Establishment of a fluorescent polymerase chain reaction method for the detection of the SARS-associated coronavirus and its clinical application.

text: OBJECTIVE To establish a fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (F-PCR) method for detecting the coronavirus related to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to evaluate its value for clinical application. METHODS The primers and the fluorescence-labeled probe were designed and synthesized according to the published sequence of the SARS-associated coronavirus genes. A F-PCR diagnosis kit for detecting the coronavirus was developed, and 115 clinical nasopharyngeal gargling liquid samples were tested. RESULTS The sequence of PCR amplified products completely matched the related sequence of the SARS-associated coronavirus genome. Forty-nine out of 67 samples from identified SARS patients and 8 of 18 samples from persons having close contact with SARS patients showed positive results. All 30 samples from healthy controls were negative. CONCLUSION The F-PCR method established may be a rapid, accurate and efficient way for screening and for the early diagnosis of SARS patients.


title: Adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors associated with intimate partner violence--United States, 2005.

text: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as threatened, attempted, or completed physical or sexual violence or emotional abuse by a current or former intimate partner. IPV can be committed by a spouse, an ex-spouse, a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend, or a dating partner. Each year, IPV results in an estimated 1,200 deaths and 2 million injuries among women and nearly 600,000 injuries among men. In addition to the risk for death and injury, IPV has been associated with certain adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors. To gather additional information regarding the prevalence of IPV and to assess the association between IPV and selected adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors, CDC included IPV-related questions in an optional module of the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey. This report describes the results of that survey, which indicated that persons who report having experienced IPV during their lifetimes also are more likely to report current adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors. Although a causal link between IPV and adverse health conditions cannot be inferred from these results, they underscore the need for IPV assessment in health-care settings. In addition, the results indicate a need for secondary intervention strategies to address the health-related needs of IPV victims and reduce their risk for subsequent adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors.


title: Type I IFN-mediated protection of macrophages and dendritic cells secures control of murine coronavirus infection.

text: The swift production of type I IFNs is one of the fundamental aspects of innate immune responses against viruses. Plasmacytoid dendritic cell-derived type I IFNs are of prime importance for the initial control of highly cytopathic viruses such as the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). The aim of this study was to determine the major target cell populations of this first wave of type I IFNs. Generation of bone marrow-chimeric mice expressing the type I IFN receptor (IFNAR) on either hemopoietic or non-bone marrow-derived cells revealed that the early control of MHV depended mainly on IFNAR expression on hemopoietic cells. To establish which cell population responds most efficiently to type I IFNs, mice conditionally deficient for the IFNAR on different leukocyte subsets were infected with MHV. This genetic analysis revealed that IFNAR expression on LysM+ macrophages and CD11c+ dendritic cells was most important for the early containment of MHV within secondary lymphoid organs and to prevent lethal liver disease. This study identifies type I IFN-mediated cross-talk between plasmacytoid dendritic cells on one side and macrophages and conventional dendritic cells on the other, as an essential cellular pathway for the control of fatal cytopathic virus infection.


title: Human respiratory syncytial virus matrix protein is an RNA-binding protein: binding properties, location and identity of the RNA contact residues.

text: The human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) matrix (M) protein is a structural internal membrane protein. Here we have shown that, like its orthomyxovirus and rhabdovirus counterparts, it has RNA-binding capacity, as determined by retardation of (32)P-labelled riboprobes in gel electrophoresis, cross-linking with UV light and Northern-Western assays. Its binding to RNA was neither sequence-specific nor showed a length requirement, although it had cooperative kinetics with a K(d) of 25 nM and probably two different types of RNA-binding sites. After preparative cross-linking of (32)P-labelled riboprobes with purified, renatured HRSV Long strain M protein (256 residues), the residues in contact with RNA were located between amino acids 120 and 170, in the central part of the molecule. Lysine (positions 121, 130, 156 and 157) and arginine (position 170) residues located within this region and conserved among pneumovirus M proteins of different origins were found to be essential for RNA contact. M protein expression did not affect the replication and transcription of HRSV RNA analogues in vivo (except when expressed in large amounts), in contrast to the in vitro transcription inhibition described previously. In addition, M protein was found to aggregate into high-molecular-mass oligomers, both in the presence and absence of its RNA-binding activity. The formation of these structures has been related in other viruses to either viral or host-cell RNA metabolism.


title: Managing complications associated with laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity.

text: Obesity has become a major health concern in Canada. This has resulted in a steady rise in the number of bariatric surgical procedures being performed nationwide. The laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is not only the most common bariatric procedure, but also the gold standard to which all others are compared. With this in mind, it is imperative that all gastrointestinal surgeons understand the LRYGB and have a working knowledge of the common postoperative complications and their management. Early postoperative complications following LRYGB that demand immediate recognition include anastomotic or staple line leak, postoperative hemorrhage, bowel obstruction and incorrect Roux limb reconstructions. Later complications may be challenging to differentiate from other gastrointestinal disorders and include anastomotic stricture, marginal ulceration, fistula formation, weight gain and nutritional deficiencies. We discuss the principles involved in the management of each complication and the timing of referral to specialist bariatric centres.


title: Sero-epidemiological survey of porcine respiratory coronavirus (PRCV) infection in breeding herds in southeastern Spain.

text: In 1987 we conducted a sero-epidemiological survey in the Murcia Region (South-East Spain) to discover the prevalence and spread of PRCV-infection among breeding pigs and farms and determine the association between herd size and geographical zone with PRCV-infection. The Murcia Region was divided into four geographical zones and the farms classified by size in four categories. The random sample was statistically representative of both the breeding stock and farms in each geographical zone. We analysed 6,000 breeding pigs from 480 farms. The immunological techniques employed were indirect ELISA and blocking ELISA. The prevalence (P +/- IC) of PRCV-seropositive breeding pigs and infected breeding farms was 14.53 +/- 0.89% and 21.87 +/- 7.83% respectively. On 55% of the infected farms, the prevalence of seropositive breeding pigs was 60-100%. PRCV-infection appears spread throughout the four geographical zones of the Murcia Region. However, a significant association (p less than 0.01) was observed between geographical zone and the prevalence of PRCV-infection. A herd size of greater than 50 breeding pigs had a greater risk (p less than 0.01) of PRCV-infection.


title: Effects of Adaptation of Infectious Bronchitis Virus Arkansas Attenuated Vaccine to Embryonic Kidney Cells.

text: The population structure of an embryo-attenuated infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) Arkansas (Ark) Delmarva Poultry Industry (DPI)-derived vaccine was characterized during serial passages in chicken embryo kidney (CEK) cells and after back-passage in embryonated chicken eggs (ECE) and in chickens. Both conventional and deep-sequencing results consistently showed population changes occurred during adaptation to CEK cells. Specifically, 13 amino acid (aa) positions seemed to be targets of selection when comparing the vaccine genome prior to and after seven passages in CEK (CEKp7). Amino acid changes occurred at four positions in the spike (S) gene and, at two positions in the S gene, large shifts in frequencies of aa encoding were observed. CEK adaptation shifted the virus population towards homogeneity in S. The changes achieved in the S1 gene in CEKp7 were maintained after a back-passage in ECE. Outside the S gene, aa changes at three positions and large shifts in frequencies at four positions were observed. Synonymous nucleotide changes and changes in noncoding regions of the genome were observed at eight genome positions. Inoculation of early CEK passages into chickens induced higher antibody levels and CEKp4 induced increased respiratory signs compared to CEKp7. From an applied perspective, the fact that CEK adaptation of embryo-attenuated Ark vaccines reduces population heterogeneity, and that changes do not revert after one replication cycle in ECE or in chickens, provides an opportunity to improve commercial ArkDPI-derived vaccines.


title: [Hydroxychloroquine. Cardiology's viewpoint in times of coronavirus pandemic].

text: Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a wide number of compounds are under scrutiny regarding their antiviral activity, one of them being hydroxychloroquine. Cardiac aspects of the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are reviewed in this manuscript. A non-systematic review of the medical literature was performed. Information about their safety and efficacy as antimalarials, antivirals, as well as in the long-term treatment of rheumatic diseases was collected. We found an anti-inflammatory effect with reduction of longterm cardiovascular events, a very infrequent heart disease due to a lysosomal effect of the drug, and at the hemodynamic level hypotension, tachycardia, and QT interval prolongation, exacerbated when combined with azithromycin. However, the rate of adverse cardiac events of hydroxychloroquine (and chloroquine) was low.


The immune response to mouse hepatitis virus: genetic variation in antibody response and disease.


"Will the SARS epidemic recur?" A retrospective analysis of the experts' opinions.


title: Emerging infectious diseases: prediction and detection.

text: Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), including West Nile virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Lyme disease, have had a direct effect within Canada, while many more EIDs such as Zika, chikungunya and Ebola are a threat to Canadians while travelling. Over 75% of EIDs affecting humans are, or were originally, zoonoses (infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans). There are two main ways by which infectious diseases can emerge: by changes in their geographical ranges and by adaptive emergence, a genetic change in a microorganism that results in it becoming capable of invading a new niche, often by jumping to a new host species such as humans. Diseases can appear to emerge simply because we become capable of detecting and diagnosing them. Management of EID events is a key role of public health globally and a considerable challenge for clinical care. Increasingly, emphasis is being placed on predicting EID occurrence to "get ahead of the curve" - that is, allowing health systems to be poised to respond to them, and public health to be ready to prevent them. Predictive models estimate where and when EIDs may occur and the levels of risk they pose. Evaluation of the internal and external drivers that trigger emergence events is increasingly considered in predicting EID events. Currently, global changes are driving increasing occurrence of EIDs, but our capacity to prevent and deal with them is also increasing. Web-based scanning and analysis methods are increasingly allowing us to detect EID outbreaks, modern genomics and bioinformatics are increasing our ability to identify their genetic and geographical origins, while developments in geomatics and earth observation will enable more real-time tracking of outbreaks. EIDs will, however, remain a key, global public health challenge in a globalized world where demographic, climatic, and other environmental changes are altering the interactions between hosts and pathogen in ways that increase spillover from animals to humans and global spread.


title: Rotavirus-induced fusion from without in tissue culture cells.

text: We present the first evidence of fusion from without induced in tissue culture cells by a nonenveloped virus. Electron micrographs of two strains of rotavirus, bovine rotavirus C486 and rhesus rotavirus, show that virally mediated cell-cell fusion occurs within 1 h postinfection. Trypsin activation is necessary for rotavirus to mediate cell-cell fusion. The extent of fusion is relative to the amount of virus used, and maximum fusion occurs between pHs 6.5 and 7.5. Fusion does not require virus-induced protein synthesis, as virus from both an empty capsid preparation and from an EDTA-treated preparation, which is noninfectious, can induce fusion. Incubation of rotavirus with neutralizing and nonneutralizing monoclonal antibodies before addition to cells indicates that viral protein 4 (VP4; in the form of VP5* and VP8*) and VP7 are involved in fusion. Light and electron micrographs document this fusion, including the formation of pores or channels between adjacent fused cells. These data support direct membrane penetration as a possible route of infection. Moreover, the assay should be useful in determining the mechanisms of cell entry by rotavirus.


title: [Development and application of triple antibodies-based sandwich ELISA for detecting nucleocapsid protein of SARS-associated coronavirus].

text: OBJECTIVE To prepare and characterize monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and polyclonal antibodies against nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and to establish antibodies-based sandwich ELISA for detecting N protein of SARS-CoV, which might apply to early diagnosis of patients with SARS-CoV infection. METHODS BALB/c mice were immunized with purified recombinant N protein of SARS-CoV for producing mAbs, and New Zealand white rabbits were immunized for producing polyclonal antibodies. The identification of antibodies was performed using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect fluorescent-antibody assay (IFA), and Western immunoblotting. Capturing and detecting antibodies were selected by pairing the mAbs and polyclonal antibodies one by one and an antibodies-based sandwich antigen capture ELISA was used for detecting N antigen of SARS-CoV. RESULTS Nine mAbs and hyperimmune rabbit polyclonal antibodies, specifically against SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein were obtained. Using paired ELISA assay, three mAbs N1E8, N8E1 and N10E4 were selected as capturing antibody and rabbit polyclonal antibodies as detecting antibody then triple antibodies-based sandwich ELISA was established following horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G. The recombinant N protein was used as a standard to establish a detection sensitivity of approximated 50 pg/ml with this assay. When tested with 420 serum specimens from serologically confirmed SARS patients, the positive rates of serum N protein were 90.1%, 23% and 0%, in which sera collected from 1 to 10 days, 11 to 20 days and beyond 21 days respectively after the onset of symptoms. The specificity of the assay was 99.86% in 715 control serum specimens. There was no cross-reaction with other respiratory viruses and coronaviruses. CONCLUSION Specific and high affinity mAbs and rabbit polyclonal antibodies were obtained. By paired and optimized sandwich ELISA, a sensitive and specific antigen capture ELISA was established for detecting N antigen of SARS-CoV, which might apply to early diagnosis, source tracing and epidemiological studies of SARS.


COUNCIL OF BRITISH OPHTHALMOLOGISTS.


title: The effect of bariatric surgery on gastroesophageal reflux disease.

text: Obesity is an epidemic that is known to play a role in the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Studies have shown that increasing body mass index plays a role in the incompetence of the gastroesophageal junction and that weight loss and lifestyle modifications reduce the symptoms of GERD. As a method of producing effective and sustainable weight loss, bariatric surgery plays a major role in the treatment of obesity. We reviewed the literature on the effects of different types of bariatric surgery on the symptomatic relief of GERD and its complications. Roux-en- Y gastric bypass was considered an effective method to alleviate symptoms of GERD, whereas laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy appeared to increase the incidence of the disease. Adjustable gastric banding was seen to initially improve the symptoms of GERD; however, a subset of patients experienced a new onset of GERD symptoms during long-term follow-up. The literature suggests that different surgeries have different impacts on the symptomatology of GERD and that careful assessment may be needed before performing bariatric surgery in patients with GERD.


title: How Mannheimia haemolytica defeats host defence through a kiss of death mechanism.

text: Mannheimia haemolytica induced pneumonias are only observed in goats, sheep and cattle. The bacterium produces several virulence factors,whose principal ones are lipopolysaccharide and leukotoxin. The latter is cytotoxic only for ruminant leukocytes, a phenomenon that is correlated with its ability to bind and interact with the ruminant beta2-integrin Lymphocyte Function-associated Antigen 1. This paper globally reviews all the information available on host-pathogen interactions underlying respiratory mannheimiosis (formerly pasteurellosis), from the stable and the Petri dish to the biochemical cascade of events triggered by the leukotoxin inside ruminant leukocytes. One conclusion can be made: the most widespread cattle respiratory disease with the most important impact on beef production worldwide, is probably due to a tiny ruminant-specific focal variation in the CD18- and/or CD11a-expressing genes.


title: CEACAM1: contact-dependent control of immunity.

text: The carcinoembryonic-antigen-related cell-adhesion molecule (CEACAM) family of proteins has been implicated in various intercellular-adhesion and intracellular-signalling-mediated effects that govern the growth and differentiation of normal and cancerous cells. Recent studies show that there is an important role for members of the CEACAM family in modulating the immune responses associated with infection, inflammation and cancer. In this Review, we consider the evidence for CEACAM involvement in immunity, with a particular emphasis on CEACAM1, which functions as a regulatory co-receptor for both lymphoid and myeloid cell types.


title: [Implementation of a stop-smoking support program for patients and employees in a psychiatric hospital: First results].

text: BACKGROUND In contrast to several other countries, smoking is not an integral part of treatment during admission to a psychiatric hospital in The Netherlands. AIM: Implementation of a smoking cessation program for patients and employees of a psychiatric ward of an academic medical center in The Netherlands. METHOD: Prospective, mixed-method study of implementation of a smoking cessation program for patients and employees of a psychiatric academic hospital in Amsterdam. The program consisted of 7 weekly group meetings by certified smoking cessation coaches. Nicotine replacement therapy was provided for free, if necessary. RESULTS: During 14 months, 65 individuals were seeking help to stop smoking: 39 patients and 26 employees. Of these, 29 patients and 16 employees participated in group meetings with an average of 2.6 times per person. There were 20 individuals who visited the group meetings or received individual coaching at least 3 times (6 patients and 14 employees). Fifty-five percent of these individuals reported to be smoke-free at 3 months after joining the first meeting. Employees were much more likely to quit than patients. From interviews with 20 participants, it was noticed that combining patients and employees in one group was perceived as a barrier due to a gap in processing speed. CONCLUSION: On the psychiatric ward of an academic hospital in The Netherlands, there was a positive experience with providing smoking cessation treatment. A small number of employees and patients participated in a smoking cessation program and quitting smoking was reached by only a few patients. Supporting smoking cessation in a psychiatric hospital asks for intensive screening, diagnosing, treatment and smoke-free policies.


title: Visible-light-induced bactericidal activity of a nitrogen-doped titanium photocatalyst against human pathogens.

text: The antibacterial activity of photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) substrates is induced primarily by UV light irradiation. Recently, nitrogen- and carbon-doped TiO(2) substrates were shown to exhibit photocatalytic activities under visible-light illumination. Their antibacterial activity, however, remains to be quantified. In this study, we demonstrated that nitrogen-doped TiO(2) substrates have superior visible-light-induced bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli compared to pure TiO(2) and carbon-doped TiO(2) substrates. We also found that protein- and light-absorbing contaminants partially reduce the bactericidal activity of nitrogen-doped TiO(2) substrates due to their light-shielding effects. In the pathogen-killing experiment, a significantly higher proportion of all tested pathogens, including Shigella flexneri, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Acinetobacter baumannii, were killed by visible-light-illuminated nitrogen-doped TiO(2) substrates than by pure TiO(2) substrates. These findings suggest that nitrogen-doped TiO(2) has potential application in the development of alternative disinfectants for environmental and medical usages.


title: Analysis of murine hepatitis virus strain A59 temperature-sensitive mutant TS-LA6 suggests that nsp10 plays a critical role in polyprotein processing.

text: Coronaviruses are the largest RNA viruses, and their genomes encode replication machinery capable of efficient replication of both positive- and negative-strand viral RNAs as well as enzymes capable of processing large viral polyproteins into putative replication intermediates and mature proteins. A model described recently by Sawicki et al. (S. G. Sawicki, D. L. Sawicki, D. Younker, Y. Meyer, V. Thiel, H. Stokes, and S. G. Siddell, PLoS Pathog. 1:e39, 2005), based upon complementation studies of known temperature-sensitive (TS) mutants of murine hepatitis virus (MHV) strain A59, proposes that an intermediate comprised of nsp4 to nsp10/11 ( approximately 150 kDa) is involved in negative-strand synthesis. Furthermore, the mature forms of nsp4 to nsp10 are thought to serve as cofactors with other replicase proteins to assemble a larger replication complex specifically formed to transcribe positive-strand RNAs. In this study, we introduced a single-amino-acid change (nsp10:Q65E) associated with the TS-LA6 phenotype into nsp10 of the infectious clone of MHV. Growth kinetic studies demonstrated that this mutation was sufficient to generate the TS phenotype at permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. Our results demonstrate that the TS mutant variant of nsp10 inhibits the main protease, 3CLpro, blocking its function completely at the nonpermissive temperature. These results implicate nsp10 as being a critical factor in the activation of 3CLpro function. We discuss how these findings challenge the current hypothesis that nsp4 to nsp10/11 functions as a single cistron in negative-strand RNA synthesis and analyze recent complementation data in light of these new findings.


title: Phylogenetic concordance analysis shows an emerging pathogen is novel and endemic.

text: Distinguishing whether pathogens are novel or endemic is critical for controlling emerging infectious diseases, an increasing threat to wildlife and human health. To test the endemic vs. novel pathogen hypothesis, we present a unique analysis of intraspecific host-pathogen phylogenetic concordance of tiger salamanders and an emerging Ranavirus throughout Western North America. There is significant non-concordance of host and virus gene trees, suggesting pathogen novelty. However, non-concordance has likely resulted from virus introductions by human movement of infected salamanders. When human-associated viral introductions are excluded, host and virus gene trees are identical, strongly supporting coevolution and endemism. A laboratory experiment showed an introduced virus strain is significantly more virulent than endemic strains, likely due to artificial selection for high virulence. Thus, our analysis of intraspecific phylogenetic concordance revealed that human introduction of viruses is the mechanism underlying tree non-concordance and possibly disease emergence via artificial selection.


title: Transvenous embolization of a ruptured deep cerebral arteriovenous malformation. A technical note.

text: Ruptured cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) usually require treatment to avoid re-bleeding. Depending on the angioarchitecture and center strategy, the treatment can be surgical, endovascular, radiosurgical or combined methods. The classic endovascular approach is transarterial, but sometimes it is not always applicable. The transvenous approach has been described as an alternative for the endovascular treatment of small AVMs when arterial access or another therapeutic method is not possible. This approach can be considered when the nidus is small and if there is a single draining vein. We present a technical note on a transvenous approach for the treatment of a ruptured AVM in a young patient.


title: [Chloroquine as a possible treatment for COVID-19].

text: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, chloroquine has been mentioned as a possible treatment. In vitro studies have shown anti-viral activity of chloroquine against SARS-CoV-2. Recently, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment published treatment options for antiviral treatment for COVID-19 where chloroquine was suggested as first choice for off-label treatment, beside remdesivir en lopinavir/ritonavir. In this commentary, we provide a background and history of chloroquine, the evidence for antiviral efficacy of chloroquine and the arguments for off-label use of chloroquine in COVID-19.


Poliomyelitis serosurveillance in adolescent population.


Managing passengers with respiratory disease planning air travel: British Thoracic Society recommendations.


title: Comparative study of different immunoserological techniques for the detection of antibodies against transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) coronavirus.

text: In order to carry out a sero-epidemiological survey of transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) infection in a high-density pig-breeding area the Murcia region, Spain), the sensitivity and the specificity of 5 different techniques were compared. Twenty-four sera from non-infected and infected pigs were analyzed by the following tests: in vitro neutralization, indirect ELISA with concentrated virus, indirect ELISA with purified virus, immunocapture ELISA and VELCIA (virus-enzyme linked cell immunoassay). All sera from infected pigs were detected as positive only by seroneutralization, ELISA with purified virus and VELCIA (sensitivity 100%). False-positive sera were detected with several tests (ELISA with purified virus and concentrated virus, ELISA immunocapture with a specificity of 88, 88 and 76% respectively). Only VELCIA provided a specificity as high as that obtained with seroneutralization (100%).


title: The ethics of infection control: philosophical frameworks.

text: Recent developments that are relevant to the ethics of infection control include the patient safety movement, the appearance of new diseases (notably, severe acute respiratory syndrome) that pose threats to healthcare workers, data confirming the suspicion that infection control measures such as isolation may compromise patient care, and, in philosophy, renewed interest in virtue ethics and communitarianism. We review general ethical frameworks and relevant vocabulary for infection control practitioners and hospital epidemiologists. Frameworks for the ethics of infection control resemble those of public health more than those of clinical medicine but embrace elements of both. The optimum framework, we suggest, takes into account a virtue-based communitarianism. The virtue ethics movement stresses the need to consider not only rules and outcomes but also the character of the individual(s) involved. Communitarianism emphasizes the well-being and values of local communities, best determined by shared, democratic decision making among stakeholders. Brief discussions of 15 consecutive cases illustrate the extent to which the daily practice of infection control poses problems heavily freighted with ethical overtones.


title: Microwave assisted synthesis of some novel 2-pyrazoline derivatives as possible antimicrobial agents.

text: Some new [3-(4-phenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl](pyridine-4-yl)methanones and 3-substituted phenyl-5-substituted phenyl-4,5-dihydro-pyrazole-1-carbothioamides have been synthesized employing microwave techniques and evaluated for antimicrobial activity. Substituted acetophenones (1) were reacted with appropriately substituted benzaldehydes (2) in the presence of ethanol to furnish substituted chalcones (3a-f). These chalcones were further treated with isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) to afford substituted [3-(4-phenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydropyrazol-1-yl](pyridine-4-yl)methanones (4a-f). Reaction of these chalcones with thiosemicarbazide yielded substituted 3,5-diphenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-1-carbothioamides (5a-f). The structures of newly synthesized compounds (4a-f) and (5a-f) have been confirmed by suitable spectroscopic techniques such as IR and 1H NMR. All the compounds were screened for their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and for antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger The compounds exhibited moderate antibacterial and good antifungal activities. Compound 4b and 4d showed significant antifungal activity against A. niger and C. albicans, respectively.


title: Self-reported asthma prevalence and control among adults--United States, 2001.

text: Asthma is a chronic illness that has been increasing in prevalence in the United States since 1980. In 2000, asthma accounted for 4,487 deaths, approximately 465,000 hospitalizations, an estimated 1.8 million emergency department (ED) visits, and approximately 10.4 million physician office visits among persons of all ages. To provide prevalence data for state and local health department asthma programs, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collects data each year from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S. territories. This report summarizes asthma prevalence data for adults collected from the 2001 BRFSS survey and from the eight states that used the adult asthma history module. Findings from BRFSS indicate that approximately 7.2% of U.S. adults have current asthma. ED visits for asthma varied more than any other characteristic among the eight states that used the adult asthma history module. In Mississippi, 67.3% of respondents with current asthma reported no ED visits during the preceding 12 months, compared with 87.6% in Washington state. Continued use of the BRFSS asthma prevalence questions and the asthma history module will allow state health departments to monitor trends in asthma prevalence and control and to direct public health asthma interventions.


title: An essential secondary structure in the 3' untranslated region of the mouse hepatitis virus genome.

text: The 3' untranslated regions (3' UTRs) of coronaviruses contain the signals necessary for negative strand RNA synthesis and may also harbor elements essential for positive strand replication and subgenomic RNA transcription. The 3' UTRs of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and bovine coronavirus (BCV) are more than 30% divergent. In an effort to learn what parts of these regions might be functionally interchangeable, we attempted to replace the 3' UTR of MHV with its BCV counterpart by targeted RNA recombination. Initially, we tried to substitute the 3' 267 nucleotides (nt) of the 301 nt MHV 3' UTR with the corresponding region of the BCV 3' UTR. This exchange did not yield viable recombinant viruses, and the donor DI RNA was shown to be unable to replicate with MHV as a helper virus. Subsequent analysis revealed that the entire BCV 3' UTR could be inserted into the MHV genome in place of the entire MHV 3' UTR. It resulted that the failure of the initial attempted substitution was due to the inadvertent disruption of an essential conserved bulged stem-loop secondary structure in the MHV and BCV 3' URTs immediately downstream of the N gene stop codon.


Use of disposable face masks for public health protection against SARS.


title: Use of canine small intestinal submucosa allograft for treating perineal hernias in two dogs.

text: Here, we describe two dogs in which canine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) was implanted as a biomaterial scaffold during perineal herniorrhaphy. Both dogs had developed severe muscle weakness, unilaterally herniated rectal protrusions, and heart problems with potential anesthetic risks. Areas affected by the perineal hernia (PH) located between the internal obturator and external anal sphincter muscles were reconstructed with naïve canine SIS sheets. In 12 months, post-operative complications such as wound infections, sciatic paralysis, rectal prolapse, or recurrence of the hernia were not observed. Symptoms of defecatory tenesmus also improved. Neither case showed any signs of rejection or specific immune responses as determined by complete and differential cell counts. Our findings demonstrate that canine SIS can be used as a biomaterial scaffold for PH repair in dogs.


Disasters: introduction and state of the art.