Roles of CD4+ T Cells and Gamma Interferon in Protective Immunity against Babesia microti Infection in Mice

Babesia microti produces a self-limiting infection in mice, and recovered mice are resistant to reinfection. In the present study, the role of T cells in protective immunity against challenge infection was examined. BALB/c mice which recovered from primary infection showed strong protective immunity against challenge infection. In contrast, nude mice which failed to control the primary infection and were cured with an antibabesial drug did not show protection against challenge infection. Treatment of immune mice with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody (MAb) diminished the protective immunity against challenge infection, but treatment with anti-CD8 MAb had no effect on the protection. Transfer of CD4(+) T-cell-depleted spleen cells resulted in higher parasitemia than transfer of CD8(+) T-cell-depleted spleen cells. A high level of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), which was produced by CD4(+) T cells, was observed for the culture supernatant of spleen cells from immune mice, and treatment of immune mice with anti-IFN-gamma MAb partially reduced the protection. Moreover, no protection against challenge infection was found in IFN-gamma-deficient mice. On the other hand, treatment of immune mice with MAbs against interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, or tumor necrosis factor alpha did not affect protective immunity. These results suggest essential requirements for CD4(+) T cells and IFN-gamma in protective immunity against challenge infection with B. microti.     

Human Infection with Avian Influenza A(H9N2) Virus,Cambodia, February 2021

In February 2021, routine sentinel surveillance for influenza-like illness in Cambodia detected a human avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection. Investigations identified no recent H9N2 virus infections in 43 close contacts. One chicken sample from the infected child’s house was positive for H9N2 virus and genetically similar to the human virus.     

When a girl's decision involves the community: the realities of adolescent Maya girls' lives in rural indigenous Guatemala

Adolescent Maya girls are among the most vulnerable, marginalized sub-populations in Guatemala, a country that is largely young, indigenous and poor. Adolescent Maya girls have limited access to secondary schooling, opportunities to work or earn an income, and sexual and reproductive health information and services. This article explores the extent to which adolescent Maya girls are able to adopt what they have learned in a community-based skills-building and sex education programme in isolated rural, indigenous Guatemalan communities. This is presented through an interview between the authors, who met and worked together in the Population Council's programme Abriendo Oportunidades (Opening Opportunities) for girls aged 8–19 years. The interview discusses what can be done so that indigenous adolescents not only obtain the sexual health information they need, but develop the skills to make decisions, communicate with their peers and parents, and exercise their rights. Much culturally and linguistically sensitive work must be done, using a community-based participatory approach, so that young people who do want to use condoms for protection or contraceptive methods not only have access to the methods, but the support of their families and communities, and government-sponsored sex education programmes, to use them.     

Computer simulation in the design of local exhaust hoods for shielded metal arc welding

Computer simulations were used to examine competing exhaust hood configurations for shielded metal arc welding. The welder's breathing zone concentration appears to be an inverse linear function of the computer-predicted hood capture efficiency. Hood aspect ratio, hood flow, and the welder's position relative to the hood all have a significant effect on the breathing zone concentration. The height of the hood above the welding surface showed no significant effect in reducing breathing zone concentration. Further examination of breathing zone concentration as a function of capture efficiency is needed before reliable design methods can be developed using this parameter.     

康莱特注射液配合胃肠外营养治疗癌症恶病质的临床观察

目的：观察康莱特注射液配合胃肠外营养治疗癌症恶病质的疗效。方法：用康莱特注射液配合胃肠外营养治疗癌症恶病质３１ 例,并与胃肠外营养支持疗法治疗癌症恶病质３４ 例进行对照。结果：治疗组治疗后生活质量提高,用Ｋａｒｕａｆｓｋｙ 计分制统计＞ ５０ 分病例增多,与对照组比较有显著性差异（Ｐ＜ ０．０５）。治疗组体重增加,血清白蛋白增高,与对照组比较有显著性差异（ Ｐ＜ ０．０５）;厌食、疼痛、癌热等症状缓解率＞ ５４．８％ 。结论：康莱特注射液配合胃肠外营养治疗癌症恶病质疗效满意,不失为治疗癌症恶病质的好方法。     

Are antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from hospitalised patients recovered in the hospital effluents?

Previous reports have studied the presence of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in hospital wastewater without determination of their clonal relationship with the clinical strains of this species. The objectives of this study were to quantify the presence of P. aeruginosa in wastewater of our hospital, to determine their antibiotic-resistance profile and to potentially trace clinical antibiotic-resistant strains from patients to wastewater. Specimens were taken at the end of the wastewater network of our hospital just before the reject in the collective network of the town. Two specimens were taken each Monday during 12 weeks. All P. aeruginosa isolates recovered from hospitalised patients during the study period were collected. Genotyping of both clinical and wastewater isolates was determined by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The antibiotic-resistance profile of wastewater isolates was different from that of clinical isolates. The mechanisms involved in antibiotic resistance were different according to the origin of the isolates (wastewater versus human isolates). There was no common PFGE pattern in antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa from humans and wastewater. This study suggests that the risk of spread of antibiotic resistance in hospital wastewater is limited.