Proposal for the Development and Addition of a Cybersecurity Assessment Section into Technology Involving Global Public Health

This paper discusses and proposes the inclusion of a cyber or security risk assessment section during the course of public health initiatives involving the use of information and communication computer technology. Over the last decade, many public health research efforts have included information technologies such as Mobile Health (mHealth), Electronic Health (eHealth), Telehealth, and Digital Health to assist with unmet global development health needs. This paper provides a background on the lack of documentation on cybersecurity risks or vulnerability assessments in global public health areas. This study suggests existing frameworks and policies be adopted for public health. We also propose to incorporate a simple assessment toolbox and a research paper section intended to help minimize cybersecurity and information security risks for public, non-profit, and healthcare organizations

Parent-Reported Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children with Intermittent Exotropia before and after Strabismus Surgery

∙ The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2012 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licens

Two Cases of Mirror-Image Eye Anomalies in Monozygotic Twins

We report two cases of mirror image anomalies in two different pairs of monozygotic twins. In case 1, the twins exhibited mirroring of strabismus and refractive errors. Twin 1 had 35 prism diopters (PD) right intermittent exotropia at distant fixation and myopic anisometropia that was spherical 2.00 diopters more myopic in the right eye. Twin 2 had 35 PD left intermittent exotropia at distant fixation and her left eye was more myopic by - spherical 1.00 diopters. In case 2, the twins were diagnosed with infantile nystagmus with upbeat jerk. Twin 1 exhibited a habitual head turn of 30° to the left with dampening of her nystagmus in dextroversion. Twin 2 also exhibited abnormal head position, but in his case the habitual turn was 30° to the right. We believe that this is the first report describing mirror imaged intermittent exotropia with anisometropia and infantile nystagmus with opposite abnormal head positions in pairs of monozygotic twins

Transient Increase of Higher-Order Aberrations after Lateral Rectus Recession in Children

The changes of higher-order aberrations (HOAs) after bilateral lateral rectus muscle recession were evaluated. Forty eyes of 20 children were enrolled and their wavefront information was assessed until postoperative 3 months. Even though the root mean square (RMS) of total aberration was not changed, the RMS of HOA was transiently increased at postoperative 1 week and returned to baseline level after 1 month. Among individual Zernike coefficient, secondary astigmatism, quadrafoil, secondary coma, secondary trefoil, and pentafoil showed similar tendency with the RMS of HOA. However, coma, trefoil, and spherical aberration were not changed. Regarding recession amount, it did not correlate with any Zernike coefficient. In summary, our data imply that the HOAs are transiently increased after lateral rectus recession surgery. These results are in collusion with previous reports that strabismus surgery induced transient corneal astigmatism

The determination of dark adaptation time using electroretinography in conscious Miniature Schnauzer dogs

The optimal dark adaptation time of electroretinograms (ERG's) performed on conscious dogs were determined using a commercially available ERG unit with a contact lens electrode and a built-in light source (LED-electrode). The ERG recordings were performed on nine healthy Miniature Schnauzer dogs. The bilateral ERG's at seven different dark adaptation times at an intensity of 2.5 cd·s/m2 was performed. Signal averaging (4 flashes of light stimuli) was adopted to reduce electrophysiologic noise. As the dark adaptation time increased, a significant increase in the mean a-wave amplitudes was observed in comparison to base-line levels up to 10 min (p < 0.05). Thereafter, no significant differences in amplitude occured over the dark adaptation time. Moreover, at this time the mean amplitude was 60.30 ± 18.47 µV. However, no significant changes were observed for the implicit times of the a-wave. The implicit times and amplitude of the b-wave increased significantly up to 20 min of dark adaptation (p < 0.05). Beyond this time, the mean b-wave amplitudes was 132.92 ± 17.79 µV. The results of the present study demonstrate that, the optimal dark adaptation time when performing ERG's, should be at least 20 min in conscious Miniature Schnauzer dogs

Allelic and Haplotypic Diversity of HLA-A, -B, -C, and-DRB1 Genes in Koreans Defined by High-resolution DNA Typing

배경 : HLA 형별은 혈청학적 수준(generic level)에서도 다형성이 심하지만 대립유전자 수준에서는 더욱 심한 다형성을 보이고 인종 간에 큰 차이를 나타내는 것으로 알려졌다. 본 연구에서는 고해상도 DNA 검사법을 이용하여 한국인에서 HLA대립유전자 형별과 일배체형의 종류 및 빈도를 알아보고자 하였다. 방법 : 건강한 한국인 474명을 대상으로 HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1 유전자에 대해 두 단계의 검사로 대립유전자(4자리수) 형별 분석을 실시하였다. 1단계로 혈청학적 수준의 형별검사를 혈청학적 검사법이나 sequence-specific oligonucleotide(PCR-SSO) 방법으로 시행하였고, 그 다음 단계로 대립유전자 형별검사를 class I은 exon 2와 exon3, DRB1은 exon 2에 대해 single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) 또는 직접염기서열분석법을 이용하여 실시하였다. HLA 대립 유전자의 유전자 빈도, 일배체형 빈도, 연쇄불평형 값은 maximum likelihood 원리에 근거한 제11차 국제조직적합성워크숍 컴퓨터 프로그램을 이용하여 산출하였다. 결과 : 한국인에서 검출된 HLA-A, -B, -C, DRB1 대립유전자 형별은 각각 21, 40, 22, 29종이었다. 이 중에 유전자 빈도 10% 이상을 보인 대립유전자 형별(빈도순 나열)은 A*02:01, A*24:02, A*33:03; B*51:01; C*01:02, C*03:03; RB1*09:01등이었다. HLA 일배체형의 분석 결과 0.5% 이상의 빈도를 나타내는 2-유전자좌 일배체형은 A-C 44종, B-C 42종, A-B 51종, B-DRB1 52종이었고, 3-유전자좌 일배체형은 A-C-B 42종, A-B-DRB1 34종이었다. 한국인에서 빈도 1% 이상의 A-B-DR 일배체형은 13종으로, 전체 일배체형의 26.0%를 차지하였고, 2% 이상으로 가장 흔한 A-B-DR 일배체형은 A*33:03-B*44:03-DRB1*13:02 (3.7%), A*33:03-B*44:03-DRB1*07:01 (3.0%), A*33:03-B*58:01-DRB1*13:02 (3.0%), A*24:02-B*07:02-DRB1*01:01 (2.8%), A*30:01-B*13:02-DRB1* 07:01 (2.3%), A*11:01-B*15:01-DRB1*04:06 (2.2%) 등 6종이었다. 결론 : 본 연구를 통해 한국인의 대립유전자 수준의 HLA 형별과 HLA 일배체형 빈도에 대한 자료를 제시하였으며, 본 연구의 결과는 한국인에서 장기이식, 질환연관성 연구, 인류유전학적 연구 등에서 중요한 기초자료로 이용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. Background : In this study, we used high-resolution DNA typing to investigate the distribution of HLA alleles and haplotypes in Koreans. Methods : HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DRB1 alleles were genotyped at the allelic (4-digit) level in 474 healthy Koreans. HLA genotyping was performed in two steps. Initially, serologic typing or generic-level DNA typing was performed using the FOR-sequence-specific oligonucleotide method, and then allelic DNA typing (exons 2 and 3 for class I, and exon 2 for DRB1) was carried out using the FOR-single-strand conformation polymorphism method or sequence-based typing. HLA allele and haplotype frequencies and linkage disequilibrium values were calculated by the maximum likelihood method using a computer program developed for the 11th International Histocompatibility Workshop. Results : A total of 21 HLA-A, 40 HLA-B, 22 HLA-C, and 29 HLA-DRB1 alleles were found in Koreans. The most frequent alleles in each locus with frequencies of >= 10% were, in decreasing order of frequency, as follows: A star 24:02, A star 02:01, A(star)33:03; B(star)51:01; C(star)01:02, C(star)03:03; and DRB1(star)09:01. The numbers of two- and three-locus haplotypes with frequencies of >0.5% were as follows: 44 A-C, 42 B-C, 51 A-B, 52 B-DRB1, 42 A-C-B, and 34 A-B-DRB1. Thirteen A-B-DRB1 haplotypes with frequencies of >= 1.0% comprised 26.0% of the total haplotypes. The six most common haplotypes were as follows: A(star)33:03-B(star)44:03-DRB1(star)3:02 (3.7%), A(star)33:03-B(star)44:03-DRB1(star)07:01 (3.0%), A(star)33:03-B(star)58: 01-DRB1(star)13:02 (3.0%), A(star)24:02-B(star)07:02-DRB1(star)01:01 (2.8%), A(star)30:01-B(star)13:02-DRB1(star)07:01 (2.3%), and A(star)11:01-B(star)15:01-DR81(star)04:06 (2.2%). Conclusions : The information obtained in this study can be used as basic data for Koreans in the fields of organ transplantation, disease association, and anthropologic studies. (Korean J Lab Med 2010;30:685-96)Yoon JH, 2010, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V75, P170, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2009.01418.xLee KW, 2009, HUM IMMUNOL, V70, P464, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2009.03.010Yang KL, 2009, HUM IMMUNOL, V70, P269, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2009.01.015YI DY, 2009, KOREAN J LAB MED, V29, pS425Whang DH, 2008, KOREAN J LAB MED, V28, P465, DOI 10.3343/kjlm.2008.28.6.465Trachtenberg E, 2007, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V70, P455, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2007.00932.xCano P, 2007, HUM IMMUNOL, V68, P392, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2007.01.014Yang G, 2006, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V67, P146, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00529.xMACK SJ, 2006, IMMUNOBIOLOGY HUMAN, V1, P291Itoh Y, 2005, IMMUNOGENETICS, V57, P717, DOI 10.1007/s00251-005-0048-3Lee KW, 2005, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V65, P437, DOI 10.1111/j.1399-0039.2005.00386.xOttinger HD, 2004, TRANSPLANTATION, V78, P1077, DOI 10.1097/01.TP.0000137791.28140.93Flomenberg N, 2004, BLOOD, V104, P1923, DOI 10.1182/blood-2004-03-0803Song EY, 2004, HUM IMMUNOL, V65, P270, DOI 10.1016/j.humimm.2003.12.005HWANG SH, 2004, KOREAN J LAB MED, V24, P396ROH EY, 2003, KOREAN J LAB MED, V23, P420WHANG DH, 2003, KOREAN J LAB MED, V23, P52Lee KW, 2010, KOREAN J LAB MED, V30, P203, DOI 10.3343/kjlm.2010.30.3.203Morishima Y, 2002, BLOOD, V99, P4200Song EY, 2002, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V59, P475Song EY, 2001, HUM IMMUNOL, V62, P1142NAKAJIMA F, 2001, MHC, V8, P1Saito S, 2000, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V56, P522Park MH, 2000, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V55, P250DUNN P, 2000, IHWG TECHNICAL MANUA, P1Park MH, 1999, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V53, P386Marsh SGE, 2010, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V75, P291Petersdorf EW, 1998, BLOOD, V92, P3515Park MH, 1998, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V51, P347Wang H, 1997, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V50, P620Cereb N, 1997, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V50, P74Bannai M, 1997, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V49, P376Bannai M, 1996, HUM IMMUNOL, V46, P107CEREB N, 1995, TISSUE ANTIGENS, V45, P1BANNAI M, 1994, EUR J IMMUNOGENET, V21, P1IMANISHI T, 1992, HLA 1991, V1, P76TOKUNAGA K, 1992, EVOLUTION DISPERSAL, P599

Protective humoral immune response induced by an inactivated porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus expressing the hypo-glycosylated glycoprotein 5

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Although inactivated and live vaccines are commercially available for the control of PRRS, both types of vaccine have not always proven successful in terms of generating a protective immune response, particularly in the case of inactivated vaccines. In this study, we tested whether an inactivated vaccine could induce a humoral immune response to PRRS during a homologous challenge. Amino acid substitutions were introduced into glycoprotein (GP) 5 of the FL12 strain of the PRRS virus (PRRSV) using site-directed mutagenesis with a pFL12 infectious clone. The substitutions led to double deglycosylation in the putative glycosylation moieties on GP5. The mutant virus was subsequently inactivated with binary ethylenimine. The efficacy of the inactivated mutant virus was compared with that of the inactivated wild-type PRRSV. Only the inactivated mutant PRRSV induced serum neutralizing antibodies at six weeks post-vaccination. The group that was administered the inactivated mutant virus twice exhibited a significantly increased neutralizing antibody titer after a challenge with the virulent homologous strain and exhibited more rapid clearing of viremia compared to other groups, including the groups that were administered either the inactivated mutant or wild-type virus only once and the group that was administered the inactivated wild-type virus twice. Histopathological examination of lung tissue sections revealed that the group that was administered the inactivated mutant virus twice exhibited significantly thinner alveolar septa, whereas the thickness of the alveolar septa of the other groups were markedly increased due to lymphocyte infiltration. These results indicated that the deglycosylation of GP5 enhanced the immunogenicity of the inactivated mutant PRRSV and that twice administrations of the inactivated mutant virus conferred better protection against the homologous challenge. These findings suggest that the inactivated PRRSV that expresses a hypo-glycosylated GP5 is a potential inactivated vaccine candidate and a valuable tool for controlling PRRS for the swine industry

Protective humoral immune response induced by an inactivated porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus expressing the hypo-glycosylated glycoprotein 5

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Although inactivated and live vaccines are commercially available for the control of PRRS, both types of vaccine have not always proven successful in terms of generating a protective immune response, particularly in the case of inactivated vaccines. In this study, we tested whether an inactivated vaccine could induce a humoral immune response to PRRS during a homologous challenge. Amino acid substitutions were introduced into glycoprotein (GP) 5 of the FL12 strain of the PRRS virus (PRRSV) using site-directed mutagenesis with a pFL12 infectious clone. The substitutions led to double deglycosylation in the putative glycosylation moieties on GP5. The mutant virus was subsequently inactivated with binary ethylenimine. The efficacy of the inactivated mutant virus was compared with that of the inactivated wild-type PRRSV. Only the inactivated mutant PRRSV induced serum neutralizing antibodies at six weeks post-vaccination. The group that was administered the inactivated mutant virus twice exhibited a significantly increased neutralizing antibody titer after a challenge with the virulent homologous strain and exhibited more rapid clearing of viremia compared to other groups, including the groups that were administered either the inactivated mutant or wild-type virus only once and the group that was administered the inactivated wild-type virus twice. Histopathological examination of lung tissue sections revealed that the group that was administered the inactivated mutant virus twice exhibited significantly thinner alveolar septa, whereas the thickness of the alveolar septa of the other groups were markedly increased due to lymphocyte infiltration. These results indicated that the deglycosylation of GP5 enhanced the immunogenicity of the inactivated mutant PRRSV and that twice administrations of the inactivated mutant virus conferred better protection against the homologous challenge. These findings suggest that the inactivated PRRSV that expresses a hypo-glycosylated GP5 is a potential inactivated vaccine candidate and a valuable tool for controlling PRRS for the swine industry

Oral intake of Lactobacillus rhamnosus M21 enhances the survival rate of mice lethally infected with influenza virus

BackgroundInfluenza viruses cause acute respiratory disease. Because of the high genetic variability of viruses, effective vaccines and antiviral agents are limited. Considering the fact that the site of influenza virus entry is the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, probiotics that can enhance mucosal immunity as well as systemic immunity could be an important source of treatment against influenza infection.MethodsMice were fed with Lactobacillus rhamnosus M21 or skim milk and were challenged with influenza virus. The resulting survival rate, lung inflammation, and changes in the cytokine and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels were examined.ResultsBecause of infection (influenza virus), all the mice in the control group and 60% of the mice in the L. rhamnosus M21 group died; however, the remaining 40% of the mice fed with L. rhamnosus M21 survived the infection. Pneumonia was severe in the control group but moderate in the group treated with L. rhamnosus M21. Although there were no significant changes in the proinflammatory cytokines in the lung lysates of mice collected from both groups, levels of interferon-γ and interleukin-2, which are representative cytokines of type I helper T cells, were significantly increased in the L. rhamnosus M21-treated group. An increase in sIgA as well as the diminution of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was also observed in the L. rhamnosus M21-treated group.ConclusionThese results demonstrate that orally administered L. rhamnosus M21 activates humoral as well as cellular immune responses, conferring increased resistance to the host against influenza virus infection

The Prismatic Effect on Stereoacuity in Intermittent Exotropia

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of acrylic refractive prism and Fresnel membrane prism on stereoacuity in intermittent exotropia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stereoacuities of fifty-two patients (mean age, 12.4 years; range 6 to 45 years) with intermittent exotropia were measured using the Titmus and TNO stereotests, while they wore prisms of varying power on nonfixating eye or evenly on each eye. RESULTS: Stereoacuities were significantly reduced with increasing prism power for both prisms, ranging from 8 to 25 prism dipotres. The effects on stereoacuity in single acrylic prism and single Fresnel prism were similar, whereas spilt Fresnel prisms reduced stereoacuity more than spilt acrylic prisms. Spilt prisms were found to have much less effect on stereoacuity than single prisms for both acrylic and Fresnel prisms. CONCLUSION: The use of acrylic refractive prism shared evenly on each eye would be optimal method to minimize the reduction of stereoacuity during the prismatic therapy for intermittent exotropia.ope