The use of soluble African horse sickness viral protein 7 as an antigen delivery and presentation system

We have investigated the use of soluble chimeric trimers of the major capsid protein VP7 of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) as a vaccine delivery system by targeting some of the natural hydrophilic loops on the VP7 top domain for the insertion of foreign peptides. Key to this trimer display strategy is the solubility of AHSV VP7 and how the solubility of this hydrophobic protein can be manipulated by inserting peptides into the top domain. To investigate, we generated different cloning vectors by inserting multiple cloning sites at three different positions in the VP7 gene. These modifications inserted six amino acids at the cloning sites and in some cases this converted VP7 to a largely soluble protein without affecting the ability of the modified proteins to form trimers. The vectors were used to generate a number of soluble VP7 fusion proteins including a fusion with a 36 amino acid insert that overlaps important immunological domains on protein VP1 of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) as well as a 110 amino acid peptide derived from AHSV VP2. Soluble trimers of these fusion proteins were able to elicit a good insert-specific immune response in guinea pigs. l-Arginine was found to reverse protein aggregation and was employed as an effective strategy to isolate relatively pure soluble chimeric VP7 trimers. Another factor that increased VP7 solubility in both wild-type VP7 and one of the VP7 vector proteins was the substitution of the leucine residue in position 345 of the VP7 C-terminus with a hydrophilic arginine residue.     

Artificial compression of the superficial temporal artery by faulty eyeglasses (frame) position. A hemodynamically significant phenomenon

Temporal superficial artery is clinically important, angiological primarily as collateral vessel in stenosis or obstruction of internal carotid vessel. Author describes artificial compression of both temporal superficial arteries by deficient spectacale-bows. There was relevant hemodynamic irritation of perfusion in dopplersonographic examination cranial of compressed vessel, which normalized after restitution. Supposing in case internal carotid artery was obstructed there would be a dangerous situation.     

Vaccinia virus expression of the VP7 protein of South African bluetongue virus serotype 4 and its use as an antigen in a capture ELISA

Summary Recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing the VP7 core protein of South African bluetongue virus serotype 4 (SA-BTV4) were identified by polymerase chain reaction amplification. Expression of VP7 was verified by radio-immunoprecipitation and a F(ab)₂-based ELISA. Antibodies to VP7 were detected in sera from sheep that had been infected with 20 different virulent BTV serotypes by using the vaccinia virus (VV) expressed VP7 as antigen in a capture ELISA. F(ab)₂-immobilised VV-expressed SA-BTV4 VP7 cross-reacted with sera directed against all 9 African horsesickness virus serotypes and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2.     

Experiences in the therapy of acute glaucoma with Miopos-eye ointment "stark" (POS) in the surgery (author's transl)]

The author demonstrates 5 cases of acute glaucoma. In one of them (case 4). the i.o. pressure of 60 mm Hg appl. was normalized only by the above mentioned ointment combination of Pilocarpin/Physostigmin; the remaining patients received in addition intravenous injections of 500 mg Acetazol-Nitrium, but it seemed retrospectively that the latter was not necessary.     

The use of an antigen-cocktail in the lymphocyte transformation test

Lyophilizates from pus taken from human abscesses significantly accelerated the rejection of mouse skin allografts in four out of ten instances. Two tested lyophilizates increased the number of haemolysin-forming spleen cells.     

Sequence analysis of the RNA polymerase gene of African horse sickness virus

Summary.  The gene encoding the inner core protein VP1 of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) serotype 9 has been cloned, expressed in vitro and entirely sequenced, completing molecular characterization of the AHSV genome. An analysis of the sequence supporting the identity of AHSV VP1 as the putative viral RNA polymerase is presented. Accepted August 24, 1997 Received July 28, 1997     

Motility of leukemic cells in collagen gel related to immunological phenotype in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Motility of leukemic cells was measured in a three-dimensional collagen matrix assay. Leukemic cells from 16 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and normal peripheral blood lymphocytes (NPBL) from 6 healthy volunteers, were allowed to migrate into this collagen matrix for 48 h at 37 degrees C. NPBL migrated much further (300-600 micron) than leukemic cells (0-200 micron). Among the leukemic cases, only common ALL and one case of null ALL showed some migration (0-200 micron). T-All cells did not migrate at all under the circumstances of this experiment.