Protective duration of immunity of an inactivated bluetongue (BTV) serotype 2 vaccine against a virulent BTV serotype 2 challenge in sheep

The protective properties of an inactivated bluetongue virus serotype 2 (BTV-2) vaccine were evaluated in sheep. Sheep (two groups of seven), vaccinated with either one or two doses of the vaccine, were monitored for antibody response over one year. All sheep developed high titres of neutralizing antibodies by 35 days after first vaccination and titres were maintained over one year. Control sheep (n = 7) remained seronegative until challenge. One year after vaccination, all sheep were inoculated with a virulent BTV-2. All controls developed pyrexia, clinical signs and viraemia. In contrast, the sheep vaccinated with one or two doses of inactivated BTV-2 vaccine were protected from clinical disease and viraemia was completely prevented. These data show that a single dose of the BTV-2 vaccine given to sheep induces a strong immunity which confers protection for at least one year.     

Characterization of a spontaneous mutation in beta-thalassemia associated with advanced paternal age

We characterized the molecular defect in a Swiss patient with a spontaneous beta-thalassemia mutation. Cloning and DNA sequencing of her beta-globin gene revealed a new frameshift mutation due to a single nucleotide deletion at codon 64 of the beta-globin gene. Restriction site polymorphism showed that the mutation arose on her paternal chromosome. Direct sequencing of a polymerase chain reaction amplified DNA segment showed absence of the lesion in both alleles of her father's beta-globin gene and confirmed the spontaneous nature of this mutation.     

Decreased growth hormone response to dexamethasone stimulation test in obese children

Pineda J, Dieguez C, Casanueva FF, Martul P. Decreased growth hormone response to dexamethasone stimulation test in obese children. Acta Pædiatr 1994;83:103–5. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5253
Acute administration of glucocorticoids is a recently described stimulus for growth hormone secretion. The aim of the present study was the assessment of dexamethasone-induced growth hormone secretion in obese children. Dexamethasone iv tests were carried out in 14 normal control and 8 obese children. Growth hormone was measured by radioimmunoassay up to 5 h after dexamethasone administration. Dexamethasone elicited clear growth hormone secretion in normal children (mean peak 12.3 ± 1.6; area under the curve 682.3 ± 74.3). In the obese children, dexamethasone induced a slight but significant ( p <0.01) increase in growth hormone over basal values. However, the growth hormone response in this group was significantly lower than in the normal controls, when comparing both mean peak (5.5 ± 2.3, mean±SEM) ( p <0.01) and area under the curve (306.8±44.5) ( p <0.001).     

The molecular basis of beta-thalassemia in Lebanon: application to prenatal diagnosis

A study of the molecular lesions of beta-thalassemia in Lebanon revealed the presence of eight different mutations in 25 patients with Cooley's anemia. The IVS1 position 110 mutation predominated with a frequency of 62% and was almost invariably associated with Mediterranean chromosome haplotype I. Five other mutations commonly found in the Mediterranean area occurred with frequencies of 2% to 8%. In addition a G----C substitution in IVS1 position 5 (a lesion previously found in Chinese and Asian Indians) was demonstrated in a patient with Mediterranean haplotype IX. A new mutation at codon 29 was found in two other patients with haplotype II. The characterization of these beta-thalassemia mutations should allow the implementation of a prenatal diagnosis program in that country.     

Loss of splice consensus signal is responsible for the removal of the entire C(H)1 domain of the functional camel IGG2A heavy-chain antibodies.

The molecular basis for the absence of the C(H)1 domain in naturally occurring heavy-chain antibodies of the camelids was assessed by determining the entire Camelus dromedarius gamma2a heavy-chain constant gene. The organization of the camel gamma2a constant heavy-chain gene obtained from a liver genomic library appears to be typical of all other mammalian gamma genes sequenced to date. It contains the switch, CH1, hinge, CH2, CH3, M1 and M2 exons. In contrast to the case in mouse and human heavy chain diseases, the camel gamma2a gene shows no major structural defect, and its equivalent CHI exon is intact. However, sequence analysis has revealed that the splicing site, immediately after the CH1 exon, is defective due to point mutations, especially the G(+1) to A(+1) transversion seems to be detrimental. It is concluded that the loss of the splice consensus signal is responsible for the removal of the entire CH1 domain in camel gamma2a heavy-chain immunoglobulins. Additionally, a closer analysis of the hinge exon suggests the possible involvement of transposons in the genetic variation of mammalian Cgamma hinges.     

Subfertile men with constitutive chromosome abnormalities do not necessarily refrain from intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment: a follow-up study on 75 Dutch patients

A follow-up study was performed to investigate the impact of the detection of a chromosome abnormality in infertile men who are candidates for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment. In this collaborative study between clinical genetics centres and fertility clinics in the Netherlands, 75 ICSI couples of which the male partners had a chromosome abnormality were included. All couples were extensively counselled on the risk of having a chromosomally unbalanced child. Forty-two out of 75 couples chose to proceed with the ICSI treatment. So far, treatment has resulted in a pregnancy in 11 cases. Four of them opted to have invasive prenatal diagnosis. Despite the genetic risks related to a chromosome abnormality in infertile men, a small majority (56%) of the couples did not refrain from the ICSI treatment.     

Evaluation of antibacterial,antifungal and modulatory activity of methanol and ethanol extracts of Padina sanctae-crucis

Background

Multi-resistantmicroorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida tropicalis e Candida krusei are the main causes of microbial infections. Padina sanctae-crucis is a seaweed often used to check the contamination of ecosystems by materials such as heavy metals, but studies of the antimicrobial activity of the same seaweed were not found.

Methods

The tests for the minimum inhibitory concentration and modulation of microbial resistance, with the use of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Padina Sanctae-cruces combined with drugs of the class of aminoglycosides and antifungal were used to evaluate the activity against the cited microorganisms.

Results

Was observed a modulation of antibiotic activity between the natural products and the E. coli and S. aureus strains, indicating a synergism and antagonism respectively.

Conclusions

The results showed a moderate modulatory effect against some microorganisms studied.