Temporal dynamics of event‐related potentials related to goal conduciveness and power appraisals

The Component Process Model hypothesizes that appraisal—the mechanism that elicits and differentiates emotion—is processed sequentially. It predicts that the goal conduciveness check (motivational valence evaluation) is evaluated before the power check (evaluation of the degree of power to act on events). To test this prediction, we recorded event‐related potentials (ERPs) during a gambling task in response to feedback that simultaneously presented the goal conduciveness (outcome: win, loss, or break‐even) and the power check (options to act on the outcome) information. In line with the sequence hypothesis, mean amplitudes of subsequent ERPs were differentially modulated by the appraisal information. The feedback‐related negativity was sensitive to the goal conduciveness check, and the P300 yielded main effects of both appraisal checks. Results suggest that neural evaluative processes associated with appraisal processing are sequential.     

Putative canine origin of rotavirus strain detected in a child with diarrhea, Taiwan

Rotavirus G3P[3] strains have been reported from a variety of species including humans, cats, dogs, monkeys, goats, and cows. Here, we report the characterization of the first human G3P[3] rotavirus from East Asia identified in a 2-year-old child who was treated in a hospital's emergency ward in Taiwan in February 2005. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a close genetic relationship between the VP4, VP6, VP7, and NSP4 genes of Taiwanese G3P[3] strain 04-94s51 and an Italian canine strain isolated a decade ago, suggesting a canine origin for the Taiwanese strain. In contrast, the Taiwanese strain was only moderately related to well-characterized canine-origin human G3P[3] strains Ro1845 and HCR3, suggesting a distinct origin for the rotavirus strain from Taiwan.     

Distribution of serotypes of human rotavirus in different populations.

Serotyping is a useful tool to study the epidemiologic characteristics of rotaviruses in large populations and to assess the need for a vaccine to protect against all strains. By using an enzyme immunoassay with serotype-specific monoclonal antibodies to the four most common rotavirus serotypes, we analyzed 1,183 rotavirus-positive specimens from 16 stool collections in eight countries on four continents that were obtained from 1978 to 1989. Of the 926 strains (78%) that could be serotyped, 48% were serotype 1, 8% were serotype 2, 15% were serotype 3, and 7% were serotype 4. Twenty-two percent had insufficient numbers of double-shelled virus particles to react with the monoclonal antibody of the VP4 rotavirus protein and therefore could not be serotyped. Our results indicate that vaccines being developed must provide the greatest coverage against serotype 1 and that the serotype distribution cannot be predicted currently by the geographic area or prevalence in the preceding year.     

Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery Grafts in Patients with Left Main Coronary Artery Disease

The use of the internal mammary artery (IMA) in myocardial revascularization has been expanded with bilateral and sequential grafting. However, its application in the presence of left main coronary artery stenosis (LMCAS) has not been well established. From September 1983 through December 1990, 280 patients with LMCAS greater than 50% were revascularized (3.4 mean grafts per patient) with bilateral IMA and saphenous vein grafts. Eighty-one were sequential IMA grafts. There were 234 males (83.6%) and 46 females (16.4%) with a mean age of 64.4 years (range 39 to 84 years). Preoperatively, there were six patients (2.1%) in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class I, 30 patients (10.7%) in Class II, 130 patients (46.4%) in Class III, and 114 patients (40.7%) in Class IV. Fifty-six patients (20.0%) had an ejection fraction less than 50%. In-traaortic balloon counterpulsation was used preoperatively in 26 patients (9.3%) and intraoperatively in 11 patients (3.9%). There were four hospital deaths (1.4%). Hospital complications included: reoperation for bleeding, 7 patients (2.5%); pulmonary insufficiency, 21 patients (7.5%); perioperative infarction, 14 patients (5.0%); and stroke, 4 patients (1.4%). Follow-up was obtained in 276 hospital survivors (100.0%) with a mean of 33.4 months. There were 20 late deaths (7.1%): seven cardiac related and 12 noncardiac related. Postoperative assessment reveals substantial functional improvement. These results furnish evidence that bilateral IMA grafts can be accomplished with a low operative risk and can provide excellent functional results in patients with LMCAS.     

Steroid receptors and response to endocrine treatment and chemotherapy of advanced breast cancer

Summary The remission rates after endocrine and cytostatic treatment were determined in 192 female patients with advanced breast cancer depending on the estrogen, progesterone, and androgen receptor content and on the diseasedominant site.Of 60 women with tumors containing estradiol receptors 39 responded to endocrine treatment. This was only true in two of 31 women without estradiol receptors.Tumors which contained binding sites for both estradiol and progesterone had a higher remission rate after endocrine therapy than those with estradiol receptors only.Remission rates after polychemotherapy were also higher in tumors with binding sites for estradiol as well as for progesterone.The localisation of metastases seems to be of lesser importance for the remission rate than the receptor content. Liver metastases are an exception. Here, no remissions could be observed with endocrine treatment even if ER and PR were present.The median remission rate was 9 months for hormonally treated patients and 10 months for those undergoing chemotherapy.The median survival time after chemotherapy is 18 months higher for responders than for non-responders. This difference is 15 months with endocrine treatment.Two years after the start of endocrine treatment 60% of the responders but only 20% of the non-responders were still alive.Based on our results together with histomorphological studies and the evaluation of recurrence and survival it can be assumed that carcinomas, which by nature follow a more benign course, do contain estradiol receptors.Supported by a grant of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, SFB 118, Grundlagen der Früherkennung und der Verlaufsbeobachtung des Krebses     

The late dividing population of gamma-retroviral vector transduced human mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells contributes most to gene-marked cell engraftment in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice

We used the nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mouse model to assess the repopulation potential of subpopulations of mobilized human CD34+ peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC). First, PBPC were transduced with gamma-retrovirus vector RD114-MFGS-CFP, which requires cell division for successful transduction, at 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours to achieve 96% cyan fluorescent protein (CFP)-positive cells. Cells were sorted 12 hours after the last transduction into CFP-positive (divided cells) and CFP-negative populations. CFP-positive cells were transplanted postsort, whereas the CFP-negative cells were retransduced and injected at 120 hours. The CFP-negative sorted and retransduced cells contained markedly fewer vector copies and resulted in a 32-fold higher overall engraftment and in a 13-fold higher number of engrafted transgene positive cells. To assess cell proliferation as an underlying cause for the different engraftment levels, carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester-labeling of untransduced PBPC was performed to track the number of cell divisions. At 72 hours after initiation of culture, when 95% of all cells have divided, PBPC were sorted into nondivided and divided fractions and transplanted into NOD/SCID mice. Nondivided cells demonstrated 45-fold higher engraftment than divided cells. Late dividing PBPC in ex vivo culture retain high expression of the stem cell marker CD133, whereas rapidly proliferating cells lose CD133 in correlation to the number of cell divisions. Our studies demonstrate that late dividing progenitors transduced with gamma-retroviral vectors contribute most to NOD/SCID engraftment and transgene marking. Confining the gamma-retroviral transduction to CD133-positive cells on days 3 and 4 could greatly reduce the number of transplanted vector copies, limiting the risk of leukemia from insertional mutagenesis. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.     

Dose sparing and enhanced immunogenicity of inactivated rotavirus vaccine administered by skin vaccination using a microneedle patch

Skin immunization is effective against a number of infectious diseases, including smallpox and tuberculosis, but is difficult to administer. Here, we assessed the use of an easy-to-administer microneedle (MN) patch for skin vaccination using an inactivated rotavirus vaccine (IRV) in mice. Female inbred BALB/c mice in groups of six were immunized once in the skin using MN coated with 5 μg or 0.5 μg of inactivated rotavirus antigen or by intramuscular (IM) injection with 5 μg or 0.5 μg of the same antigen, bled at 0 and 10 days, and exsanguinated at 28 days. Rotavirus-specific IgG titers increased over time in sera of mice immunized with IRV using MN or IM injection. However, titers of IgG and neutralizing activity were generally higher in MN immunized mice than in IM immunized mice; the titers in mice that received 0.5 μg of antigen with MN were comparable or higher than those that received 5 μg of antigen IM, indicating dose sparing. None of the mice receiving negative-control, antigen-free MN had any IgG titers. In addition, MN immunization was at least as effective as IM administration in inducing a memory response of dendritic cells in the spleen. Our findings demonstrate that MN delivery can reduce the IRV dose needed to mount a robust immune response compared to IM injection and holds promise as a strategy for developing a safer and more effective rotavirus vaccine for use among children throughout the world.