Lowered antioxidant status of red blood cells in post-parturient haemoglobinuria of buffaloes

Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis with FSME-Immun vaccine was started in the Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical School of Bia?ystok, Poland, in 1992. No serious adverse reactions after vaccine administration were observed. Post-vaccine side effects were reported in 242 (11.3%) persons after the first dose (n = 2,135) and only in 14 patients (1.2%) after the second one (n = 1,183). These effects were mild and transitory. No relationship was observed between the frequency of adverse reactions, general or local, and the initial anti-TBE virus antibody titres or the age of the immunized individuals. Post-vaccine side effects were reported significantly more frequently among people not bitten by ticks.     

Particle-bombardment-mediated DNA vaccination with rotavirus VP4 or VP7 induces high levels of serum rotavirus IgG but fails to protect mice against challenge

We recently reported that epidermal immunization using the PowderJet particle delivery device with plasmid vector pcDNA1/EDIM6 encoding rotavirus VP6 of murine strain EDIM induced high levels of serum rotavirus IgG but failed to protect mice against EDIM infection (Choi, A. H., Knowlton, D. R., McNeal, M. M., and Ward, R. L. (1997) Virology 232, 129-138.). This was extended to determine whether pcDNA1/EDIM4 or pcDNA1/EDIM7, which encode either rotavirus VP4 or VP7, the rotavirus neutralization proteins, could also induce rotavirus-specific antibody responses and if these responses resulted in protection. Titers of rotavirus serum IgG increased with the first dose in mice immunized with pcDNA1/EDIM7, but little or no serum rotavirus IgG was detected in mice immunized with pcDNA1/EDIM4. In vitro assays with these plasmids in rabbit reticulocyte lysates showed that VP4 was expressed but the amount was considerably lower than VP6 or VP7. To improve expression of VP4 and induction of rotavirus-specific humoral responses, the coding region of VP4 was cloned into the high-expression plasmid WRG7054 as a fusion protein containing the 22-amino-acid secretory signal peptide of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) at its N terminus. In vitro expression of tPA::VP4 was significantly higher than unmodified VP4, and mice inoculated with WRG7054/EDIM4 generated high titers of rotavirus IgG. The coding sequence of VP7 without the first 162 nucleotides was also cloned into WRG7054, but no difference was observed between titers of serum rotavirus IgG in mice immunized with this plasmid (WRG7054/EDIM7Delta1-162) and pcDNA1/EDIM7. The rotavirus-specific IgG titers in all immune sera were predominantly IgG1 indicating induction of Th 2-type responses. None of the mice immunized with any of the VP4 or VP7 plasmids developed serum or fecal rotavirus IgA or neutralizing antibody to EDIM. When immunized mice were challenged with EDIM virus, there was no significant reduction in viral shedding relative to unimmunized controls. Therefore epidermal immunization with VP4 or VP7 alone elicited rotavirus IgG responses but did not protect against homologous rotavirus challenge.     

Effect of exercise and dietary restraint on energy intake of reduced-obese women

Self-selected food intake of 15 reduced-obese women living in a metabolic ward was studied for 14 consecutive days to determine the effect of exercise and other metabolic and behavioral variables on energy intake. A choice of prepared food items were offered at breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a variety of additional food items were available continuously 24 h/day. Subjects performed either moderate intensity aerobic exercise (A-EX) (n = 8) expending 354 +/- 76 kcal/session or low intensity resistance weight training (R-EX)(n =7) expending 96 +/- kcal/session, 5 days/week. Mean energy intakes (kcal/day, +/- SEM) of the exercise groups were similar: 1867 +/- 275 for A-EX, 1889 +/- 294 for R-EX. Mean energy intakes of individuals ranged from 49 to 157% of the predetermined level required for weight maintenance. Resting metabolic rate per kg 0.75 and the Eating Inventory hunger score contributed significantly to the between subject variance in energy intake, whereas exercise energy expenditure did not. Regardless of exercise, eight women consistently restricted their energy intake (undereaters), and seven other consumed excess energy (overeaters). Overeaters were distinguished by higher Eating Inventory disinhibition (P = 0.023) and hunger (p = 0.004) scores. The overeaters' diet had a higher fat content 34 +/- 1% (p = 0.007). Also, overeaters took a larger percentage of their daily energy, than that of undereaters, 27 +/- 1 energy intake in the evening, 13 +/- 2%, compared to undereaters, 7 +/- 1% (p = 0.005). We conclude that the Eating Inventory is useful for identifying reduced-obese women at risk of overeating, and these individuals may benefit from dietary counseling aimed at reducing fat intake and evening snacking.     

Determinants of genital human papillomavirus infection among cytologically normal women attending the University of New Mexico student health center

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the risk factors for genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. GOAL OF THIS STUDY: To investigate risk factors for HPV detection apart from the correlated risk factors for cervical neoplasia. STUDY DESIGN: Cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA was assessed in 357 cytologically normal women attending the University of New Mexico student health center. Cervical swab samples were obtained for HPV DNA detection and typing using a PCR-based DNA amplification system. Possible determinants of cervical HPV were examined including age, ethnicity, history of sexually transmitted disease, oral contraceptive use, smoking, age at first intercourse, lifetime number of sex partners, marital status, and history of pregnancy. RESULTS: A 44.3% overall prevalence of cervical HPV was observed. On univariate analysis, factors associated with increasing HPV prevalence included higher lifetime number of sex partners and single marital status. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, we found that HPV prevalence increased with higher lifetime number of sexual partners. CONCLUSION: These findings, along with those from the companion reports in this issue of the journal, support the sexual route of transmission of the virus.