Application of xenogeneic anti-canine distemper virus antibodies in treatment of canine distemper puppies.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical feasibility of passive immunotherapy has not been demonstrated in dogs naturally infected with canine distemper. In this study, porcine anti-canine distemper virus IgG and F(ab')2 antibody fragments were used to treat infected puppies. METHODS: A total of 41 naturally infected puppies (age Äsix months) exhibiting severe respiratory signs, but lacking neurological signs, were enrolled in the study. Twenty-five puppies were treated with a combination of IgG or F(ab')2 antibody fragments (Group 1) and supportive therapy and 16 puppies received routine supportive care only (Group 2). RESULTS: The survival rate of dogs in Group 1 (19/25; 76%) was significantly higher than that in Group 2 (5/16; 31·3%) (P<0·05). During the therapy, 8 of the 25 dogs (32%) in Group 1 developed neurological signs versus 12 of the 16 dogs (75%) in Group 2 (P<0·05). Adverse reactions were limited to elevated body temperature in dogs that received IgG antibodies. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Porcine anti-canine distemper virus antibodies improved survival in puppies affected with canine distemper with minimal adverse effects. Therefore, this therapy could be considered for treatment of endangered animal species infected with canine distemper virus.

Light harvesting in photonic crystals revisited: why do slow photons at the blue edge enhance absorption?

Light harvesting enhancement by slow photons in photonic crystal catalysts or dye-sensitized solar cells is a promising approach for increasing the efficiency of photoreactions. This structural effect is exploited in inverse opal TiO2 photocatalysts by tuning the red edge of the photonic band gap to the TiO2 electronic excitation band edge. In spite of many experimental demonstrations, the slow photon effect is not fully understood yet. In particular, observed enhancement by tuning the blue edge has remained unexplained. Based on rigorous couple wave analysis simulations, we quantify light harvesting enhancement in terms of absorption increase at a specific wavelength (monochromatic UV illumination) or photocurrent increase (solar light illumination), with respect to homogeneous flat slab of equivalent material thickness. We show that the commonly accepted explanation relying on light intensity confinement in high (low) dielectric constant regions at the red (blue) edge is challenged in the case of TiO2 inverse opals because of the sub-wavelength size of the material skeleton. The reason why slow photons at the blue edge are also able to enhance light harvesting is the loose confinement of the field, which leads to significant resonantly enhanced field intensity overlap with the skeleton in both red and blue edge tuning cases, yet with different intensity patterns.

A bio-process inspired synthesis of vaterite (CaCO3), directed by a rationally designed multifunctional protein, ChiCaSifi.

Living organisms can produce elegant structures with unique functions and properties through biological processes. Various proteins are involved in these processes. Inspired by the structure formation of mollusc shells, a single multifunctional recombinant protein ChiCaSifi was designed on the basis of mineralization proteins for regulating CaCO3 mineralization in a simple and direct manner. ChiCaSifi contains functional domains of the chitin binding protein (Chi), the calcium binding protein (Ca), and the silk fibroin (Sifi). Therefore, ChiCaSifi can have multiple roles in directing CaCO3 mineralization. Overexpression and purification of ChiCaSifi were achieved. Activities of ChiCaSifi were examined for its binding to calcium and chitin. Influences of ChiCaSifi in regulating the phase formation of CaCO3 crystals on the chitin surface were proved. Structural changes of ChiCaSifi were evidenced and related to its functions on mineralization. These observations indicate that rationally designed proteins with functional domains of mineralization proteins can be effective tools in materials synthesis. The present study may not only provide an insight into the formation of natural biomaterials, but also open a new avenue in the design and synthesis of novel organic-inorganic composite materials.

Association of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta polymorphisms with sugar metabolism indices and tumor necrosis factor alpha level.

This study aims to investigate the association of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) delta -87T/C polymorphism with several sugar metabolism indices and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α) level. The body mass index (BMI), waist size, and levels of fasting plasma glucose, serum lipid, fasting insulin, TNFα, and PPAR delta -87T/C of 286 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 158 subjects with normal fasting glucose (NFG) were measured in a Dalian population. The distribution of genotypic frequencies between T2DM and NFG were not significantly different (χ(2) = 0.012, P = 0.994). BMI, fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride, and TNFα levels were significantly different among different T2DM genotypes. HOMA-IR and FBG were significantly different among different NFG genotypes. The PPAR delta -87T/C polymorphism is known to be closely related with glucose levels and lipid metabolism. A close relationship was also found between HOMA-IR and TNFα levels and HOMA-IR and FBG in T2DM and NFG, respectively.

Study of urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine as a biomarker of oxidative DNA damage in diabetic nephropathy patients.

Increased oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. Urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been reported to serve as a sensitive biomarker of oxidative DNA damage and also of oxidative stress. This article studied oxidative DNA damage in patients with diabetic nephropathy and in healthy control subjects by urinary 8-OHdG evaluations. Contents of 8-OHdG in urine were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis with end-column amperometric detection (CE-AD) after a single-step solid-phase extraction (SPE). Levels of urinary 8-OHdG in diabetic nephropathy patients with macroalbuminuria was significant higher than in control subjects (5.72 +/- 6.89 micromol/mol creatinine versus 2.33 +/- 2.83 micromol/mol creatinine, P = 0.018). A significant difference of 24 h urinary 8-OHdG excretions exists between the patients with macroalbuminuria and the patients with normoalbuminuria (19.2 +/- 16.8 microg/24 h versus 8.1 +/- 1.7 microg/24 h, P = 0.015). There was a positive correlation between urinary excretion of 8-OHdG and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = 0.287, P = 0.022). A weak correlation exists between the levels of 8-OHdG and triglyceride (r = 0.230, P = 0.074). However, the urinary 8-OHdG contents are not correlated with blood pressure and total cholesterol. The increased excretion of urinary 8-OHdG is seen as indicating an increased systemic level of oxidative DNA damage in diabetic nephropathy patients.

[Long-term results of Grice subtalar arthrodesis in children].

Talipes valgus, mostly resulted from poliomyelitis, of 44 feet in 43 children, aged 4 to 12 years, were treated by Grice extra-articular arthrodesis of the subtalar joint, and on 36 of them tendon transfer was done as well at the same time. The result in all of them, after a period of 15.3 years (ranging 5 to 23 yrs.), was found satisfactory in 32 feet (72.7%), and unsatisfactory in 12 (27.3%). Eight of the latter were found to be due to secondary varus deformity, a consequence of imbalance of muscle power following medial transfer of peroneal tendon (s). It is emphasized that in correcting foot deformity, slight valgus is receptible while over correction (varus) must be avoided. It is also found that after subtalar stabilization, traumatic osteoarthritis of midtarsal and ankle joints developed more frequently in patients who had better limb function than in those whose limbs had functioned much less.