Inactivated influenza vaccine formulated with single-stranded RNA-based adjuvant confers mucosal immunity and cross-protection against influenza virus infection

Influenza vaccination is considered the most valuable means to prevent and control seasonal influenza infections, which causes various clinical symptoms, ranging from mild cough and fever to even death. Among various influenza vaccine types, the inactivated subunit type is known to provide improved safety with reduced reactogenicity. However, there are some drawbacks associated with inactivated subunit type vaccines, with the main ones being its low immunogenicity and the induction of Th2-biased immune responses. In this study, we investigated the role of a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) derived from the intergenic region in the internal ribosome entry site of the Cricket paralysis virus as an adjuvant rather than the universal vaccine for a seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine. The ssRNA adjuvant stimulated not only well-balanced cellular (indicated by IgG2a, IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) and humoral (indicated by IgG1 and IL-4) immune responses but also a mucosal immune response (indicated by IgA), a key protector against respiratory virus infections. It also increases the HI titer, the surrogate marker of influenza vaccine efficacy. Furthermore, ssRNA adjuvant confers cross-protective immune responses against heterologous influenza virus infection while promoting enhanced viral clearance. Moreover, ssRNA adjuvant increases the number of memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, which can be expected to induce long-term immune responses. Therefore, this ssRNA-adjuvanted seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine might be the best influenza vaccine generating robust humoral and cellular immune responses and conferring cross-protective and long-term immunity.     

High-Frequency Irreversible Electroporation Using 5,000-V Waveforms to Create Reproducible 2- and 4-cm Ablation Zones—A Laboratory Investigation Using Mechanically Perfused Liver

PurposeTo investigate if high-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) treatments can be delivered at higher voltages and with greater energy delivery rates than currently implemented in clinical irreversible electroporation protocols.Materials and MethodsTreatments using 3,000 V and 5,000 V were administered to mechanically perfused ex vivo porcine liver via a single applicator and grounding pad (A+GP) as well as a 4-applicator array (4AA). Integrated energized times (IET) 0.01–0.08 seconds and energy delivery rates 25–300 μs/s were investigated. Organs were preserved at 4°C for 10–15 hours before sectioning and gross analysis using a metabolic stain to identify the size and shape of ablation zones.ResultsA+GP ablations measured between 1.6 cm and 2.2 cm, which did not increase when IET was increased from 0.02 seconds to 0.08 seconds (P > .055; range, 1.9–2.1 cm). Changes in tissue color and texture consistent with thermal damage were observed for treatments with energy delivery rates 50–300 μs/s, but not for treatments delivered at 25 μs/s. Use of the 4AA with a 3-cm applicator spacing resulted in ablations measuring 4.4–4.9 cm with energy delivery times of 7–80 minutes.ConclusionsH-FIRE treatments can rapidly and reproducibly create 2-cm ablations using an A+GP configuration. Treatments without thermal injury were produced at the expense of extended treatment times. More rapid treatments resulted in ablations with varying degrees of thermal injury within the H-FIRE ablation zone. Production of 4-cm ablations is possible using a 4AA.     

谷氨酸对腺苷A2A受体调节一氧化氮合酶活力的影响

目的探讨谷氨酸是否能够影响腺苷A2A受体对一氧化氮合酶（NOS）活力的调节。方法用1000ng／ml脂多糖（LPS）刺激小胶质细胞，分别加入100nmol／L A2A受体激动剂CGS21680以及不同浓度的谷氨酸（0，1，0，25，0，5mmol／L）干预，观察NOS活力变化。结果LPS诱导NOS活力增高，激活A2A受体可以产生抑制作用；0，25及0．5mmoL／L谷氨酸和A2A受体激动剂同时存在时，NOS活力进一步增高。结论高浓度谷氨酸可逆转腺苷A2A受体激动剂抑制升高NOS活力的作用。     

对血清蛋白白球比值参考范围的修改及其临床应用

目的探讨血清蛋白白球比值(A／G)的参考范围和A／G在计算过程中产生的误差对临床应用的影响。方法①选取健康查体人员统计其A／G参考范围；②从理论上分析A／G计算误差的存在。结果①以统计结果的2s置信区间作为A／G的参考范围是1.1～2.2；②A／G计算值的误差会远大于相应总蛋白和白蛋白的测定误差。结论A／G较合适的参考范围为1.1～2.2,并且在临床应用中仍可根据实际情况降低其范围的下限。     

Safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin type A following long-term use

Botulinum toxin serotype A (BoNT-A) has long heritage of use leading to confidence in its safety and efficacy. The application of BoNT-A does not lead to persistent histological changes in the nerve terminal or the target muscle. Clinical trials defined the safety and tolerability profile of BoNT-A across common therapeutic indications and showed an incidence of adverse events of approximately 25% in the BoNT-A-treated group compared with 15% in the control group. Focal weakness was the only adverse event to occur more often following BoNT-A treatment. Long-term BoNT-A administration has been assessed in various treatment settings, with the level and duration of BoNT-A efficacy response being maintained over repeated rounds of injection with no major safety concerns. The treatment of children with cerebral palsy often require long-term, repeated, multimuscle BoNT-A injections that lead to the administration of comparably higher toxin doses. Despite the high total body doses used, their distribution over multiple muscles and injection sites means that systemic side effects are rare. Recent formulation changes have reduced the incidence of antibody development following treatment with BOTOX^®. These findings show long-term BoNT-A treatment to be both safe and efficacious for a wide variety of indications.     

Matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 in cervical cancer: different roles in tumor progression

The incidence of uterine cervical cancer has increased slightly in Western countries, with an increase in relatively young women. Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-2 and -9 has turned out as a prognostic factor in many cancers. We compared the expression of the proteins MMP-2 and MMP-9 in cervical primary tumors with clinical outcome and risk factors of cervical cancer. One hundred sixty-one patients with cervical cancer treated in Ume? University Hospital or Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden, between 1991 and 1995 were included in the study. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples obtained prior to treatment were examined immunohistochemically by specific antibodies for MMP-2 and MMP-9. Forty-two percent of the tumors were intensively positive for MMP-2 and 31% for MMP-9. Nineteen percent of the samples were intensively positive for both proteinases and 47% negative or weak for both. Overexpression of MMP-2 seemed to predict unfavorable survival under Kaplan-Meier analysis and in the multivariate analysis. Early sexual activity and low parity seemed to correlate to overexpression of MMP-2. MMP-9 was not associated with survival or sexual behavior. Intensive MMP-9 was noted in grade 1 tumors. We conclude that MMP-2 and MMP-9 have different roles in uterine cervical cancer. MMP-2 could be associated with aggressive behavior, but MMP-9 expression diminishes in high-grade tumors.     

Digestive properties of the venom of the Australian Coastal Taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus (Peters, 1867).

The digestive properties of Australian elapid snake venoms have not been studied to any great extent. To address this, the in vitro digestive properties of Oxyuranus scutellatus (Australian Coastal Taipan) venom were investigated in a simulation of the in vivo conditions using the parameters reported for the stomach of snakes and representative prey for this species. The amount of soluble protein released was measured over time using a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. Dismembered mouse hindlegs were injected intramuscularly with 0.1 ml O. scutellatus venom (concentration 10 mg/ml) and maintained in a micro-anaerobic, acidic environment (pH approximately 1.2-1.7) at 25 degrees C. The bathing liquid was sampled every 24 h for 7 days, and assayed for soluble protein. Statistical analysis revealed that O. scutellatus venom increased the rate at which proteins were released when compared to a negative control suggesting the potential importance of envenomation in the digestion of whole prey.     

鸡抗内毒素卵黄抗体IgY的制备

目的：研究分别应用内毒素（LPS）、类脂A(LipidA)和大肠杆菌突变株15免疫鸡后其蛋黄中抗内毒素抗体IgY的产量、纯度、效价并筛选最佳免疫抗原。方法：分别应用内毒素（LPS）、类脂A(LipidA)和大肠杆菌J5突变株作为抗原免疫25周龄Leghom鸡，水溶法（WD）提取蛋黄中抗体IgY，双紫外光测定抗体含量，SDS-PSGE电泳检测抗体纯度，细胞酶联染色和ELISA检测抗体特异性、效价及筛选最佳免疫抗原。结果：3种抗内毒素IgY含量和效价分别为14.4mg/ml和1：12 800（J5）、10.61mg/ml和1：12 800（LPS）、9.26mg/ml和1：3200（LipidA），抗体纯度均为95％左右。结论：大肠杆菌突变株J5和内毒素（LPS）为最佳免疫抗原，免疫鸡后其蛋黄中抗内毒素抗体IgY的产量和效价最高。