Swedish experience of two dose vaccination programme aiming at eliminating measles,mumps, and rubella.

In 1982 a two dose regimen was introduced in Sweden for the combined vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella of children aged 18 months and 12 years. Since 1977 about half of the preschool children were vaccinated against measles annually, and since 1974 about 80% of 12 year old girls were vaccinated against rubella. During the period 1982 to 1985 90-93% of the eligible age cohorts of 18 month old children and 88-91% of the 12 year old children were immunised with the new combined vaccine. A study in 1982 of about 140 18 month old children who were nearly all seronegative before vaccination showed that 96%, 92%, and 99% seroconverted against measles, mumps, and rubella, respectively. A second study was carried out in 1983 of 247 12 year old children, of whom 11% lacked antibodies to measles, 27% to mumps, and 45% to rubella. This showed seroconversion in 82% and 80% against measles and mumps, respectively, and all children seroconverted against rubella. In the latest study in 1985 of 496 12 year olds 9% and 13% were seronegative against measles and mumps before vaccination, and 41% against rubella. Of these, 88% seroconverted to measles and 80% to mumps, and all converted to rubella when sera were tested by the haemolysis in gel method. After a neutralisation test against measles as well all children showed immunity to the disease. A low incidence of measles and declining figures for mumps and rubella were reported in 1984 to 1986. An outbreak of rubella during 1985 affected mainly boys in age cohorts in which only the girls had been vaccinated during the 1970s.     

Circadian Rhythmicity of Grooming Behavior During Pregnancy in a Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) Family Group in Captivity

One family group of common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus ) was observed in captivity under natural environmental conditions to describe the circadian pattern of grooming behavior during the pregnancy of the reproductive female. The animals were observed by focal sampling, from the beginning to the end of animal's active phase, during two non-consecutive days per week, from August to November 1996. The duration of self-grooming and social grooming behavior of each animal were totalled each hour. The time series obtained were analyzed by Cluster Analysis and by Sin gle Cosinor Analysis. The daily patterns of grooming behavior during pregnancy were divided by Cluster Analysis into two stages, one corresponding to the second half of the third month of pregnancy, and the other from the last half of the third month to the last week before parturition. The confidence intervals of acrophases overlapped in all stages. The acrophases values of the first stage occurred between 10:09 h and 11:00 h, and on the second stage between 8:51 h and 11:13 h. The daily pattern of grooming behavior of adult male and female showed a trend to increase in the first hours of the active phase. This trend to advance grooming behavior during the second stage of pregnancy may be due to an effect of the coming parturition itself or to seasonal influences.     

Postnatal development of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity in pituicytes and tanycytes of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)

The postnatal development (day of birth up to the end of the third month) of neurohypophyseal pituicytes and tanycytes of the median eminence (ME) and the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) was studied immunohistochemically in the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) with antibodies directed against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; the major protein subunit of glial filaments). Weak GFAP-immunoreactivity (IR) was scattered in the neural lobe (NL), the ME and the lining of the ventral 3rd ventricle at the first postnatal days. By the end of the second postnatal week, the intensity of the IR had reached a level comparable to that of adult animals. Generally, in the whole neurohypophysis a cytoarchitectonic pattern, which essentially corresponded to adult conditions, was reached around the beginning of the second month. During the first week postnatum, solely perinuclear stainings, mostly unipolar pituicytes with short processes and isolated fibers were discernible in the NL. In the course of the second and third postnatal week, a growing number of the densely arranged pituicytes appeared in form of bi- and multipolar cells. Thickness and length of pituicyte processes, as well as their degree of branching, increased progressively in the first month. The number of GFAP-positive tanycytes in the ventral 3rd ventricle and in the ME most markedly augmented in the first week postnatum. In the MBH, long tanycyte processes emerged from the ventricular lining to cross the arcuate nucleus in large bows, delimiting groups of neurons. Ependymal and subependymal tanycytes in the ME gave rise to radial processes extending to the external zone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evaluation of the incidence of congenital rubella in GDR]

Annual number of congenital rubellas in GDR was evaluated by means of a mathematic model. Dates of inmunity rate of rubella in L. and P. districts obtained by means of haemagglutination inhibition reaction were taken into account. From these dates of a number of possible primary cases of rubella infection in wifes in the first 3 months of pregnancy as well as literary dates on mean number of monsters determined after the infection, i.e. 10--15--25% cases, were evaluated. There were obtained in relation with different mean numbers of monsters 37--56--93 cases of congenital rubellas for live born children from mothers at the age of 14 to 45 years. It results in total that the incidence of disease for live born children from mothers up to 45 years, is 0,2--0,5%, i.e. 2--5 children with congenital rubella on 10 000 live born children. Compared with literary data, it results a good correlation between proper evaluations and numbers of congenital rubella incidence quoted by other authors. In view of these evaluations, a conclusion to introduce protective rubella vaccination, is fully justified.     

Circadian Rhythmicity of Grooming Behavior During Pregnancy in a Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) Family Group in Captivity

One family group of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) was observed in captivity under natural environmental conditions to describe the circadian pattern of grooming behavior during the pregnancy of the reproductive female. The animals were observed by focal sampling, from the beginning to the end of animal's active phase, during two non-consecutive days per week, from August to November 1996. The duration of self-grooming and social grooming behavior of each animal were totalled each hour. The time series obtained were analyzed by Cluster Analysis and by Sin gle Cosinor Analysis. The daily patterns of grooming behavior during pregnancy were divided by Cluster Analysis into two stages, one corresponding to the second half of the third month of pregnancy, and the other from the last half of the third month to the last week before parturition. The confidence intervals of acrophases overlapped in all stages. The acrophases values of the first stage occurred between 10:09 h and 11:00 h, and on the second stage between 8:51 h and 11:13 h. The daily pattern of grooming behavior of adult male and female showed a trend to increase in the first hours of the active phase. This trend to advance grooming behavior during the second stage of pregnancy may be due to an effect of the coming parturition itself or to seasonal influences.     

Postnatal development of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity in pituicytes and tanycytes of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)

Summary The postnatal development (day of birth up to the end of the third month) of neurohypophyseal pituicytes and tanycytes of the median eminence (ME) and the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) was studied immunohistochemically in the Mongolian gerbil (meriones unguiculatus) with antibodies directed against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; the major protein subunit of glial filaments). Weak GFAP-immunoreactivity (IR) was scattered in the neural lobe (NL), the ME and the lining of the ventral 3rd ventricle at the first postnatal days. By the end of the second postnatal week, the intensity of the IR had reached a level comparable to that of adult animals. Generally, in the whole neurohypophysis a cytoarchitectonic pattern, which essentially corresponded to adult conditions, was reached around the beginning of the second month. During the first week postnatum, solely perinuclear stainings, mostly unipolar pituicytes with short processes and isolated fibers were discernible in the NL. In the course of the second and third postnatal week, a growing number of the densely arranged pituicytes appeared in form of bi- and multipolar cells. Thickness and length of pituicyte processes, as well as their degree of branching, increased progressively in the first month. The number of GFAP-positive tanycytes in the ventral 3rd ventricle and in the ME most markedly augmented in the first week postnatum. In the MBH, long tanycyte processes emerged from the ventricular lining to cross the arcuate nucleus in large bows, delimiting groups of neurons. Ependymal and subependymal tanycytes in the ME gave rise to radial processes extending to the external zone. Moreover, in this zone several tanycyte-like cells, whose number increased considerably in the second postnatal week, contributed to the palisadal arrangement of glial processes. In the third month, the arcuate nucleus was still penetrated by many immunopositive tanycyte processes. It was characteristic of the adult staining pattern that the highly branched processes of tanycytes and tanycyte-like cells in the ME were thicker and more variable in size than the less densely arranged tanycyte processes of the MBH. The postnatal increase of GFAP-IR intensity was paralleled by a similar development of vasopressin-IR in the ME and NL, indicating that the maturation of neurohypophyseal glia is closely linked to the functional differentiation of the neurosecretory axons.     

Development and validation of ELISA for detection of antibodies to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, 3 and 6 in human sera

The aim of this study was to determine whether separate measurement of immunoglobulin (Ig) M and G antibodies to Legionella (L.) pneumophila serogroups (sg) 1, 3 and 6 as single antigens can facilitate an early diagnosis of Legionnaires' disease. The developed ELISA was evaluated and compared with an in-house indirect Legionella immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) measuring Total Ig. A total of 193 sera from 128 patients with confirmed L. pneumophila infections were used to assess the sensitivity of the developed ELISA. The sensitivity was assessed in different time-periods after onset of symptoms. It was found that the sensitivity of the test increased during the first month of infection, IgM being the most sensitive; ranging from 13% in the first week after onset of symptoms, 45% in the second week to 84% in the third week; in the fourth (and beyond) week a drop to 67% was observed. The IFAT detecting L. pneumophila sg 1-6 had a sensitivity of 11%, 27%, 80% and 59%, respectively, during these time-periods. The test with the lowest sensitivity was the IgG ELISA (0%, 21%, 36% and 52%), but by combining the IgG results with the IgM results, the overall sensitivity of the assay was improved (13%, 48%, 88% and 70%).This study confirms that detection of IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA is an important diagnostic tool especially during the initial phase of the disease, when supported by other tests like the urinary antigen test, PCR or culture.Furthermore, we showed that the ELISA is suitable for the detection of significant changes in antibody levels in paired serum samples. It was found that the sensitivity was higher for the ELISA assays than for the IFAT. Both the in-house IgM ELISA and the IFAT had a low false positive rate, while a 14% false positive rate was found for the IgG ELISA among serum samples from patients with other infections.     

Role of the temporal neocortex in the mechanisms of spatial hearing at different stages in the ontogenesis of cats

Significance of the temporal (AI, AII, Ep, IT) cortical areas for localization of acoustic stimuli sources of various parameters (tones 0.25-5 kHz, polytonal signals, clicks) was studied in acute and chronic experiments on kittens in the age of 15-90 days and on adult cats. The temporal areas were shown to take part in localization of tones beginning from third week, in that of polytonal signals from the second month, and in that of clicks from the third month of life. The degree of the corticalization of the mechanisms of stimuli localization is not the same in adult animals as well, the most corticalized being the mechanisms of tone localization, the least corticalized--that of clicks. Heterofunctionality of the right and the left temporal areas in the mechanisms of the spatial hearing has been revealed. In ontogeny the right temporal area functionally forestalls the left one. The role of the callosal body in the spatial orientation becomes apparent from the second month of life and consists mainly in ability to localize the sources of monotonal signals.     

The role of ethylene during the infection of Nicotiana tabacum by Colletotrichum destructivum

Two periods of increased ethylene production were observed after inoculation of Nicotiana tabacum by Colletotrichum destructivum. This pathogen exhibits an intracellular hemibiotrophic infection process, with a biotrophic phase followed by a necrotrophic phase. Ethylene production first increased during the biotrophic phase with a peak at 24 h before the necrotrophic phase. A second increase in ethylene occurred late in the necrotrophic phase when the lesions were expanding. Two different 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase genes showed increased expression after the first ethylene peak with a maximum at 24 h before the second ethylene increase. Expression of an 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) gene increased during the first ethylene peak and then declined at the beginning of the second ethylene increase. A second ACO gene showed relatively little change in expression during infection with slightly higher expression at 24 h before the second ethylene increase, and a third ACO gene showed a progressive decline in expression with a major decrease occurring before the second ethylene increase. Inoculation of ethylene-insensitive tobacco with C. destructivum revealed that it was more susceptible than the wild type. The changes in ethylene production and associated gene expression as well as the increased disease susceptibility of ethylene-insensitive tobacco indicate that ethylene plays a role in this interaction, perhaps as a signalling molecule to trigger defense mechanisms.     

Rubella-neutralizing and haemagglutinin-inhibiting antibodies in children of different ages

Rubella neutralization and haemagglutinin-inhibition tests were used to determine the incidence of rubella antibodies in the sera of 235 children and adolescents aged 1 month to 20 years. The tests showed good agreement in the detection of rubella antibodies resulting from acute infection. Maternal antibodies became undetectable within six months after birth. The proportion of children possessing rubella antibodies was found to be about 23% by the age of 5 years, rising sharply to 80% in the 6–12 years age group and 83% in the 13–20 years age group. Results indicate that the incidence of rubella infection may be higher in females than in males. The correlation between statements concerning a past history of rubella and immune status was poor, particularly in the older age groups. Any policy for vaccination against rubella must take into account the difficulties of identifying nonimmune persons in a large population.     

Short-term growth after withdrawal of exogenous glucocorticoids

BACKGROUND: The growth-suppressive effect of systemic glucocorticoids in children is well established, however, recovery of growth after withdrawal of short-term treatment in school-age children has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To assess short-term growth after withdrawal of systemic glucocorticoids. Methods: A post-hoc analysis of data from a double-blind lower leg growth trial which compared 5 mg prednisolone once daily in the evening with placebo was performed. The study consisted of run-in, treatment, wash-out and run-out periods of 1 week duration. In 10 children with asthma (mean age 11 years) lower leg growth measured with the knemometer could be studied up to 3 weeks after withdrawal of prednisolone. RESULTS: Mean (SEM) lower leg growth rates during run-in, prednisolone treatment and the first, second and third weeks after withdrawal of prednisolone were 0.48 (0.15), -0.27 (0.20), 0.53 (0.19), 0.72 (0.16) and 0.66 (0.14) mm/week, p < 0.001. Mean growth rates during run-in and the first, second and third weeks after withdrawal of prednisolone did not vary, p = 0.68. CONCLUSION: Recovery of suppressed lower leg growth rates occurs within a week after withdrawal of exogenous glucocorticoids.     

Early autoimmune complications after thymomectomy in a patient with interstitial lung disease. Case report

Thymoma has been associated with a variety of autoimmune disorders. We report a case of myasthenia gravis and pancytopenia in a 53-year-old man with lymphoepithelial thymoma and interstitial lung disease. Preoperative examination revealed neither hematologic abnormality nor myasthenia gravis. The patient had enteritis prior to thymomectomy, sternal infection in the first month of operation, and urinary infection at the third month. About three months after thymomectomy, he required mechanical ventilation support due to myasthenia gravis-related respiratory failure. One month later, a rapidly progressing pancytopenia developed. The patient died within two weeks of overwhelming septicemia unresponsive to treatment with antibiotics and steroids. The possible onset of myasthenia gravis or pancytopenia after thymomectomy should be kept in mind during follow-up. Recurrent infections in the early stages of thymomectomy may suggest a lethal onset of pancytopenia.     

Demonstration of a quiescent period for feeding controls in the developing rat

Feeding behaviour of rats during development was assessed by weighing pups before and after a 4 h feeding session. During the first postnatal week, fasted pups gained significantly more weight than fed pups. This difference disappeared during the second week, but reappeared during the third week and persisted through the fourth week. In another series, pups were weighed at 2 and 4 h after beginning feeding. This showed that fasted pups aged 6 days compensate by suckling longer than fed pups. At 10 and 14 days of age there were no differences between fed and fasted pups at either 2 or 4 h, but from 16 days onward, fasted pups had eaten significantly more than fed pups at both times. A control experiment showed that the lack of compensation by fasted pups aged 10-14 days did not reflect lack of availability of milk. Video-analysis of suckling behaviour at ages 6, 10 and 15 days provided further evidence for lack of feeding controls during the second postnatal week: at 6 and 15 days fasted pups spent more time actively sucking than did fed pups. Whereas at 10 days, there were no differences between fed and fasted pups. It is concluded that feeding controls are present during the first postnatal week, become quiescent during the second week and reappear during the third week.     

Puberty and growth rate in thoroughbred fillies

We measured progesterone and estradiol levels from birth to the beginning of adult life in 10 Thoroughbred fillies from the Equilia Stud Farm in Avaré SP, Brasil. The animals were measured and weighed monthly for the determination of body development and of a possible correlation between the rate of weight and height gain and the onset of detectable sex hormone levels. Jugular blood was collected twice a week and stored at -20 degrees C until assay of progesterone by a solid phase RIA with a sensitivity of 0.32 nmol L and of estradiol by liquid phase RIA adapted to low levels (3.67 pmol L ). The fillies were born with high serum levels of both hormones, which fell to undetectable levels by the first week of life. A variation in growth rate was observed, with the highest levels occurring from birth to the 3rd month of life, followed by a reduction until 15 mo of life, when fast growth was resumed. The monthly weight gain was 1.5% when the fillies reached puberty and 5.4% during the next month, (P < 0.05, Friedman test). During this second period of accelerated growth after the beginning of progesterone production at detectable levels (above 0.318 nmol L ), the parameters of skeletal growth did not differ (P > 0.05). The month of onset of puberty was the month of lowest weight gain in the life of the fillies, and it coincided with the highest insolation period. In conclusion, horses, like all other developed vertebrates, have a double pattern of development, with the acceleration observed at puberty depending on sex steroids, which in turn coincides with the highest insolation period. Gonadal activity characterized by serum progesterone levels was low from birth to the onset of puberty. After puberty the progesterone cycles were similar to those of adult animals with a mature hypothalamic-gonadal axis.     

Fetal infection after maternal reinfection with rubella: criteria for defining reinfection.

Five cases of asymptomatic maternal reinfection with rubella are described that occurred in England and Wales during 1985-8 and resulted in intrauterine infection. The criteria for diagnosing reinfection are described. In four cases the rubella contact was with the woman''s own children. Two women had therapeutic abortions, rubella virus being recovered from the products of conception, and three were delivered of infants with congenitally acquired disease. Though the risks associated with maternal reinfection with rubella are very small and being measured in a prospective study, it is hoped that the recently introduced augmented programme of rubella vaccination will reduce rubella in the community and therefore this small risk still further.     

Does starvation influence the antioxidant status of the digestive gland of Nacella concinna in experimental conditions?

In a previous study we analysed the effect of diesel seawater contamination in the digestive gland of the Antarctic limpet Nacella concinna. We observed that antioxidant enzyme activities decreased after one-week starvation prior to the experiment, and this was considered in the analysis of the obtained results. To know whether the digestive gland oxidant-antioxidant status may be altered by starvation and experimental conditions, we evaluated the food deprivation effect in limpets from the nearshore shallow waters of Potter Cove, Antarctica. Organisms were acclimated to laboratory conditions and were divided in fed and starved groups, and maintained in these conditions during one month. Every week 20 limpets were sampled from each group. Digestive glands were dissected and kept frozen until they were processed. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities, as well as lipid peroxidation (LPO) measured as thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), protein oxidation (PO) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were measured. For both groups of limpets, SOD increased its activity in the first week of the exposure period, with a maximum in the second week. CAT activity increased significantly in the second week, only for the starved group. Similarly, GST activity also increased for starved group in the second week; but maintained this tendency for both groups until the fourth week. In fed and starved limpets, TBARS values increased significantly, during the first week and then returned to normal values. The PO levels in the starved group increased only during the first week. The GSH content, for the fed group, increased significantly after the third week. The obtained results indicate that biochemical or physiological studies conducted with N. concinna should consider the effects of food deprivation and time spent under experimental conditions.     

Clinical and Serological Assessment of Children Exposed in Utero to Confirmed Maternal Rubella

As a result of the work of the Public Health Laboratory Service Working Party on Rubella (1970) it was possible to examine the children of 60 susceptible women who were in contact with rubella during their pregnancy and who subsequently showed serological evidence of the infection, despite immunoglobulin prophylaxis. When the children were assessed between 8 months and 4 years 8 months of age a blood sample was also taken and tested for rubella antibodies so that a retrospective diagnosis of congenital rubella infection could be made. Only 19% of children exposed to subclinical maternal rubella showed evidence of intrauterine infection compared with 53% of those born to mothers who had clinical rubella. One of the 26 children exposed to subclinical maternal infection had a rubella defect, compared with 9 of the 34 children exposed to clinical maternal rubella.     

Trypanosoma congolense. I. Clinical observations of experimentally infected cattle

The course of disease was studied in 8 cattle infected with Trypanosoma congolense. Although the onset of patency was dependent on the numbers of infecting organisms, the duration of the infection was not. High fevers were present on the day of or the day after initial patency. Succeeding peaks of parasitemia, and a progressive weight loss of over 30% occurred. A decrease in packed cell volume (PCV) beginning the first week after infection was observed. Early in the course of the developing anemia, many polychromatophilic erythrocytes and occasional normoblasts were found in the blood. A leucopenia persisted for the duration of the disease. Total serum protein concentrations fell sharply during the first 5 weeks of infection, then gradually increased to low normal levels. Serum albumin levels followed a similar pattern for the first 5 weeks, and remained at a relatively low level. Although gamma globulin levels also declined during the first 5 weeks, their levels gradually surpassed those of preinfection samples. No marked changes in serum glucose were noted. A mild elevation of serum urea nitrogen values occurred early during infection, but subsided. The animals dying early after infection developed elevated total bilirubin levels.     

Unusual Dermatoglyphic Findings Associated with Cytomegalic Inclusion Disease of Infancy—First Report and Practical Review

Infection with the human cytomegalovirus has a teratogenic effect on the fetus during the first trimester of gestation as does rubella. Since unusual dermatoglyphic findings have been observed in infants with congenital rubella infection, the present study was designed to determine whether or not unusual dermatoglyphics occur in patients with cytomegalic inclusion disease of infancy. Analysis of dermatoglyphics in 15 infants with cytomegalic inclusion disease revealed unusual features in all infants. These features are reported here for the first time and are compared with dermatoglyphic findings in a normal population as well as with those of available parents of the infants.