Impact of maternally derived immunity on piglets’ immune response and protection against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) after vaccination against PCV2 at different age

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed at evaluating the clinical protection, the level of Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) viremia and the immune response (antibodies and IFN-γ secreting cells (SC)) in piglets derived from PCV2 vaccinated sows and themselves vaccinated against PCV2 at different age, namely at 4, 6 and 8 weeks. The cohort study has been carried out over three subsequent production cycles (replicates). At the start/enrolment, 46 gilts were considered at first mating, bled and vaccinated. At the first, second and third farrowing, dams were bled and re-vaccinated at the subsequent mating after weaning piglets. Overall 400 piglets at each farrowing (first, second and third) were randomly allocated in three different groups (100 piglets/group) based on the timing of vaccination (4, 6 or 8 weeks of age). A fourth group was kept non-vaccinated (controls). Piglets were vaccinated intramuscularly with one dose (2 mL) of a commercial PCV2a-based subunit vaccine (Porcilis® PCV). Twenty animals per group were bled at weaning and from vaccination to slaughter every 4 weeks for the detection of PCV2 viremia, humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Clinical signs and individual treatments (morbidity), mortality, and body weight of all piglets were recorded. RESULTS: All vaccination schemes (4, 6 and 8 weeks of age) were able to induce an antibody response and IFN-γ SC. The highest clinical and virological protection sustained by immune reactivity was observed in pigs vaccinated at 6 weeks of age. Overall, repeated PCV2 vaccination in sows at mating and the subsequent higher levels of maternally derived antibodies did not significantly interfere with the induction of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity in their piglets after vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of vaccination in sows at mating and in piglets at 6 weeks of age was more effective for controlling PCV2 natural infection, than other vaccination schemas, thus sustaining that some interference of MDA with the induction of an efficient immune response could be considered. In conclusion, optimal vaccination strategy needs to balance the levels of passive immunity, the management practices and timing of infection.

High prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV)- type 2 co-infection among HIV-positive women in Ukraine, but no increased HIV mother-to-child transmission risk.

BACKGROUND Over 3500 HIV-positive women give birth annually in Ukraine, a setting with high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections. Herpes simplex virus Type 2 (HSV-2) co-infection may increase HIV mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) risk. We explored factors associated with HSV-2 seropositivity among HIV-positive women in Ukraine, and its impact on HIV MTCT. METHODS Data on 1513 HIV-positive women enrolled in the Ukraine European Collaborative Study from 2007 to 2012 were analysed. Poisson and logistic regression models respectively were fit to investigate factors associated with HSV-2 seropositivity and HIV MTCT. RESULTS Median maternal age was 27 years (IQR 24-31), 53% (796/1513) had been diagnosed with HIV during their most recent pregnancy and 20% had a history of injecting drugs. Median antenatal CD4 count was 430 cells/mm(3) (IQR 290-580). Ninety-six percent had received antiretroviral therapy antenatally. HSV-2 seroprevalence was 68% (1026/1513). In adjusted analyses, factors associated with HSV-2 antibodies were history of pregnancy termination (APR 1.30 (95% CI 1.18-1.43) for ≥ 2 vs. 0), having an HIV-positive partner (APR 1.15 (95% CI 1.05-1.26) vs partner's HIV status unknown) and HCV seropositivity (APR 1.23 (95 % CI 1.13-1.35)). The overall HIV MTCT rate was 2.80% (95% CI 1.98-3.84); no increased HIV MTCT risk was detected among HSV-2 seropositive women after adjusting for known risk factors (AOR 1.43 (95% CI 0.54-3.77). CONCLUSION No increased risk of HIV MTCT was detected among the 68% of HIV-positive women with antibodies to HSV-2, in this population with an overall HIV MTCT rate of 2.8%. Markers of ongoing sexual risk among HIV-positive HSV-2 seronegative women indicate the importance of interventions to prevent primary HSV-2 infection during pregnancy in this high-risk group.

Inductive inference in the variable valued predicate logic system VL 21 : methodology and computer implementation /

Vita.

INDUCE-1 : an interactive inductive inference program in VL logic system /

"UILU-ENG 77 1727."--Cover.

OSL/2: an operating system language /

Thesis--Illinois.

Some refrigeration tests of a motor truck-trailer equipped with one type of dry ice system of refrigeration. (An interim report)

Mode of access: Internet.

Operator, organizational, direct support, and general support maintenance manual : shop equipment guided missile system contact support set (CSS) AN/TSM-135A, 4935-01-114-3919 : TOW 2/Dragon Weapon System.

"May 1983."

Dairy Consumption and Incident Type 2 Diabetes Among American Indians: The Strong Heart Family Study

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Fuzzy logic in web data mining for website assessment

This paper proposes a novel application of fuzzy logic to web data mining for two basic problems of a website: popularity and satisfaction. Popularity means that people will visit the website while satisfaction refers to the usefulness of the site. We will illustrate that the popularity of a website is a fuzzy logic problem. It is an important characteristic of a website in order to survive in Internet commerce. The satisfaction of a website is also a fuzzy logic problem that represents the degree of success in the application of information technology to the business. We propose a framework of fuzzy logic for the representation of these two problems based on web data mining techniques to fuzzify the attributes of a website.

The relative benefits of endurance and strength training on the metabolic factors and muscle function of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective: To compare the effects of a 4-month strength training (ST) versus aerobic endurance training (ET) program on metabolic control, muscle strength, and cardiovascular endurance in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Large public tertiary hospital. Participants: Twenty-two T21) participants (I I men, I I women; mean age +/- standard error, 56.2 +/- 1.1 y; diabetes duration, 8.8 +/- 3.5y) were randomized into a 4-month ST program and 17 T2D participants (9 men, 8 women; mean age, 57.9 +/- 1.4y; diabetes duration, 9.2 +/- 1.7y) into a 4-month ET program. Interventions: ST (up to 6 sets per muscle group per week) and ET (with an intensity of maximal oxygen consumption of 60% and a volume beginning at 15min and advancing to a maximum of 30min 3X/wk) for 4 months. Main Outcome Measures: Laboratory tests included determinations of blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb A(1c)), insulin, and lipid assays. Results: A significant decline in Hb A, was only observed in the ST group (8.3% +/- 1.7% to 7.1% +/- 0.2%, P=.001). Blood glucose (204 +/- 16mg/dL to 147 +/- 8mg/dL, P <.001) and insulin resistance (9.11 +/- 1.51 to 7.15 +/- 1.15, P=.04) improved significantly in the ST group, whereas no significant changes were observed in the ET group. Baseline levels of total cholesterol (207 +/- 8mg/dL to 184 +/- 7mg/dL, P <.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (120 +/- 8mg/dL to 106 +/- 8mg/dL, P=.001), and triglyceride levels (229 +/- 25mg/dL to 150 +/- 15mg/dL, P=.001) were significantly reduced and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (43 +/- 3mg/dL to 48 +/- 2mg/dL, P=.004) was significantly increased in the ST group; in contrast, no such changes were seen in the ET group. Conclusions: ST was more effective than ET in improving glycemic control. With the added advantage of an improved lipid profile, we conclude that ST may play an important role in the treatment of T2D.

Urinary albumin levels in the normal range determine arterial wall thickness in adults with Type 2 diabetes: a FIELD substudy

Aim Cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates are substantially higher among patients with Type 2 diabetes than in the general population. The objective of this study was to identify the determinants of carotid intima media thickness (IMT) in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Methods We measured the thickness of the intima media layer of the carotid artery, a strong predictor of the risk of future vascular events, in 397 Type 2 diabetic patients drawn from the Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes study, prior to treatment allocation. Results The mean IMT was 0.78 mm [interquartile range (IQR) 0.23 mm], and the maximum IMT was 1.17 mm (IQR 0.36 mm). By multivariate analysis, age, sex, duration of diabetes, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were independently correlated with IMT, as was urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) (P < 0.001). The effect of ACR on IMT was further examined by tertile. Clinically significant differences in IMT were associated with ACR > 0.65 mg/mmol, approximately one-fifth the standard clinical threshold for microalbuminuria (P < 0.01). Long-term diabetes, independent of other parameters, was associated with a 50% increase in age-related thickening. Conclusions IMT in people with Type 2 diabetes is independently and continuously related to urine albumin levels and to the duration of diabetes. These results support previous data linking urine albumin measurements within the normal range with increased ischaemic cardiac mortality in the setting of Type 2 diabetes, and strongly suggest that urine albumin levels within this range should trigger a formal evaluation for CVD.

Control of ion transport in mammalian airways by protease activated receptors type 2 (PAR-2)

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are widely distributed in human airways. They couple to G-proteins and are activated after proteolytic cleavage of the N terminus of the receptor. Evidence is growing that PAR subtype 2 plays a pivotal role in inflammatory airway diseases, such as allergic asthma or bronchitis. However, nothing is known about the effects of PAR-2 on electrolyte transport in the native airways. PAR-2 is expressed in airway epithelial cells, where they are activated by mast cell tryptase, neutrophil proteinase 3, or trypsin. Recent studies produced conflicting results about the functional consequence of PAR-2 stimulation. Here we report that stimulation of PAR-2 receptors in mouse and human airways leads to a change in electrolyte transport and a shift from absorption to secretion. Although PAR-2 appears to be expressed on both sides of the epithelium, only basolateral stimulation results in inhibition of amiloride sensitive Na+ conductance and stimulation of both luminal Cl- channels and basolateral K+ channels. The present data indicate that these changes occur through activation of phospholipase C and increase in intracellular Ca2+, which activates basolateral SK4 K+ channels and luminal Ca2+-dependent Cl- channels. In addition, the present data suggest a PAR-2 mediated release of prostaglandin E2, which may contribute to the secretory response. In conclusion, these results provide further evidence for a role of PAR-2 in inflammatory airway disease: stimulation of these receptors may cause accumulation of airway surface liquid, which, however, may help to flush noxious stimuli away from the affected airways. ©2005 FASEB