Effectiveness of early orthodontic treatment with the Twin-block appliance: a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial. Part 1: Dental and skeletal effects.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of early orthodontic treatment with the Twin-block appliance for the developing Class II Division 1 malocclusion. This multicenter trial was carried out in the United Kingdom. A total of 174 children, aged 8 to 10 years old, with Class II Division 1 malocclusion were randomly allocated to receive treatment with a Twin-block appliance or to an untreated, control group. Data were collected at the start of the study and 15 months later. Results showed that early treatment with Twin-block appliances resulted in reduction of overjet, correction of molar relationships, and reduction in severity of malocclusion. Most of this correction was due to dentoalveolar change, but some was due to favorable skeletal change. Early treatment with the Twin-block appliance is effective in reducing overjet and severity of malocclusion. The small change in the skeletal relationship might not be considered clinically significant.     

Analysis of a QX-like avian infectious bronchitis virus genome identified recombination in the region containing the ORF 5a, ORF 5b, and nucleocapsid protein gene sequences

The complete genome of a QX-like infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strain Sczy3 isolated recently in Sichuan was sequenced. The genome contains 27,695 nucleotides (nt), and possesses a genomic structure similar to other IBV strains. Sequence comparisons demonstrated that the Sczy3 genome had the highest nt sequence identity with QX-like IBVs and was most dissimilar to the Massachusetts type IBV. Differences in the sequences of genes present in the Sczy3 genome and other IBVs gene sequences were also identified. Phylogenic analysis showed that the entire genome and most of the Sczy3 genes were located in the same cluster as LX4. Recombination analysis showed that Sczy3 is a chimeric strain derived from LX4 (major parental sequence) and H120 (minor parental sequence) suggesting that recombination occurred in a region containing the 3′ terminal 5a sequence (83 nt), the 5′ terminal 5b sequence (222 nt), and the 5′ terminal nucleocapsid protein gene sequence (132 nt). Mutations and intergenic recombination may have played an important role in the evolution of IBVs.     

咳喘灵贴膏对慢性支气管炎免疫功能的影响

目的：探讨咳喘灵贴膏治疗慢性支气管炎的临床疗效及作用机制。方法：设立治疗、对照两组，治疗组（59例）在背部胸椎1－6两侧（定喘，大杼，风门，肺俞，心俞）用咳喘灵贴膏（由麻黄，杏仁，半夏，地龙，白芥子组成）贴敷，对照组（25例）用斯奇康注射液肌肉注射，两组均连续用药20次，用药前后记录患者临床症状，拍胸部X线片，测定免疫球蛋白（IgG,IgA及IgM)和T细胞亚群（CD3，CD4及CD8）水平，并随访．5、1年，结果：治疗组临床总有效率达93．2％，胸部X线片改善总有效率为40．7％；对照组分别为80．0％和20．0％，停药后0．5、1年的临床总有效率，治疗组分别为91．5％，89．8％，对照组分别为80．0％，76．0％，总有效率治疗组均明显优于对照组（P＜0．05）。IgG和CD8的变化治疗组均优于对照组（P＜0．05），结论：咳喘灵贴膏能调节免疫功能，是一种疗效高，远期疗效好的透皮吸收剂。     

Les populations migrantes à l'H?pital de l'Enfance de Lausanne (HEL): état des lieux, prise en charge et apport des traducteurs-médiateurs culturels

Les populations migrantes consultent en masse et de façon exponentielle à l'Hôpital de l'Enfance de Lausanne (HEL). Structure dédiée à l'enfant, à vocation de santé publique et de formation dans un cadre universitaire, l'HEL se doit de développer une prise en charge adéquate et pertinente de ces populations. Pour ce faire, un «état des lieux» a été effectué sous forme d'une enquête prospective incluant plus de mille patients de la policlinique. Comprenant des données administratives (origine, date de la migration, type de permis et situation légale), sociales (langue parlée à la maison, situation professionnelle, fratrie,...), médicales (diagnostic) et psychosomatiques (sommeil, énurésie,...), mais également des données testant le niveau de compréhension soignant-soigné, elle nous a permis de définir des priorités d'intervention: mise en place d'un service d'interprètes-médiateurs culturels formés par l'association Appartenances (ainsi que son suivi et son évaluation prospectifs), formation du personnel soignant à la médiation culturelle et aux différents aspects de la médecine des populations migrantes ainsi que la création d'un groupe de pilotage de la démarche au sein de l'Institution. Ayant permis d'améliorer rapidement et de façon spectaculaire la qualité des prestations de soins fournies par l'HEL, cette démarche s'inscrit également dans une volonté cantonale et nationale d'amélioration de la prise en charge des populations migrantes dans pos systèmes de soins, répondant par-là aux priorités dégagées par l'OMS dans ce domaine. Nous rapportons cette expérience dans ce travail.     

Evolution analysis of the matrix (M) protein genes of 17 H9N2 chicken influenza viruses isolated in northern China during 1998–2008

Matrix (M) protein genes of 17 H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) isolated from chickens in northern China during the last 10 years were completely sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. Homology of nucleotide sequences in the M gene of 17 isolates was 92.7–99.9%. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 11 of the tested M genes belong to the A/chicken/HongKong/Y280/97 (Y280)-like lineage, while the other six belong to the A/Quail/HongKong/G1/97 (G1)-like lineage. This is also the first time that a G1-like M gene of a H9N2 virus was detected in chicken flocks in northern China. These newly appearing changes in M genes may be due to reassortment events of AIVs, or they may have come from the H9N2 strains of southern China which surged in northern China after translocation. An analysis of the viral amino acid sequence of M2 protein has revealed substitution of S31N in two isolates, which is the molecular characterization of amantadine resistance in AIVs. Results of this study suggest that long-term monitoring should be continued to track the transmission and evolution of H9N2 AIVs in chickens in China.     

Genomic changes in an attenuated genotype I Japanese encephalitis virus and comparison with virulent parental strain

Genotype I Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) strain SCYA201201 was previously isolated from brain tissues of aborted piglets. In this study, we obtained an attenuated SCYA201201-0901 strain by serial passage of strain SCYA201201-1 in Syrian baby hamster kidney cells, combined with multiple plaque purifications and selection for virulence in mice. We investigated the genetic changes associated with attenuation by comparing the entire genomes of SCYA201201-0901 and SCYA201201-1. Sequence comparisons identified 14 common amino acid substitutions in the coding region, with two nucleotide point mutations in the 5′-untranslated region (UTR) and another three in the 3′-UTR, which differed between the attenuated and virulent strains. In addition, a total of 13 silent nucleotide mutations were found after attenuation. These substitutions, alone or in combination, may be responsible for the attenuated phenotype of the SCYA201201-0901 strain in mice. This information will contribute to our understanding of attenuation and of the molecular basis of virulence in genotype I strains such as SCYA201201-0901, as well as aiding the development of safer JEV vaccines.     

Intragastric administration of attenuated Salmonella typhimurium harbouring transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) DNA vaccine induced specific antibody production

Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium was selected as a transgenic vehicle for the development of live mucosal vaccines against transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). A 2.2 kb DNA fragment, encoding for N-terminal domain glycoprotein S of TGEV, was amplified by RT-PCR and cloned into eukaryotic expression vector pVAX1. The recombinant plasmid pVAX-S was transformed by electroporation into attenuated S. typhimurium SL7207, the expression and translation of the pVAX-S delivered by recombinant S. typhimurium SL7207 (pVAX-S) was detected in vitro and in vivo respectively. BALB/c mice were inoculated orally with SL7207 (pVAX-S) at different dosages, the bacterium was safe to mice at dosage of 2 × 10⁹ CFU and eventually eliminated from the spleen and liver at week 4 post-immunization. Mice immunized with different dosages of SL7207 (pVAX-S) elicited specific anti-TGEV local mucosal and humoral responses as measured by indirect ELISA assay. Moreover, the immunogenicity of the DNA vaccine was highly dependent on the dosage of the attenuated bacteria used for oral administration, 10⁹ CFU dosage group showed higher antibody response than 10⁸ CFU and 10⁷ CFU dosages groups during week 4–8 post-immunization. The results indicated that attenuated S. typhimurium could be used as a delivery vector for oral immunization of TGEV DNA vaccine.