Malayan Filariasis Studies in Kendari Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia II: Surveillance of Mosquitoes with Reference to Two Anopheles Vector Species

Studi nyamuk penular filariasis malayi pada empat desa endemis filariasis (Wawolemo, Pondi-daha, Lalohao dan Teteona) di Kabupaten Kendari, Sulawesi Tenggara, telah dilakukan dari bulan November 1980 sampai Oktober 1982. Nyamuk penular Brugia malayi di alam adalah Anopheles barbirostris dan An. Nigerrimus sebagai penular yang potensial, serta tiga jenis dari marga Mansonia. Kepadatan bulanan An. barbirostris dan An. Nigerrimus mempunyai keeratan hubungan yang positif dengan curah hujan, dengan puncak kepadatan pada bulan Juni. Nisbah nyamuk parous untuk kedua jenis nyamuk ini relatif rendah dan tidak mempunyai keeratan hubungan positif dengan kepadatannya. Kepadatan jentik dari kedua jenis nyamuk ini juga relatif rendah. Daur gonotrofik An. barbirostris di laboratorium berkisar antara 65 sampai 87 jam. An. barbirostris lebih cenderung antropofilik dari An. Nigerrimus. Puncak kepadatan waktu menggigit orang dari An. barbirostris dimulai menjelang tengah malam hingga menjelang pagi hari, sedangkan An. Nigerrimus aktif menggigit orang antara jam 19.00 sampai 22.00. Nisbah infeksi alamiah dari larva Brugia pada An. barbirostris lebih tinggi daripada An. Nigerrimus. Indeks infeksi buatan rata-rata 0,22 pada An. barbirostris dan 0,83 pada An. Nigerrimus. Uji kerentanan DDT terhadap An. barbirostris memperlihatkan bahwa nyamuk ini rentan terhadap DDT

Multiscale investigations in a mesoscale catchment ? hydrological modelling in the Gera catchment

International audienceThe application of the hydrological process-oriented model J2000 (J2K) is part of a cooperation project between the Thuringian Environmental Agency (Thüringer Landesanstalt für Umwelt und Geologie ? TLUG) and the Department of Geoinformatics of the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena focussing on the implementation of the EU water framework directive (WFD). In the first project phase J2K was parametrised and calibrated for a mesoscale catchment to quantify if it can be used as hydrological part of a multi-objective tool-box needed for the implementation of the WFD. The main objectives for that pilot study were: The development and application of a suitable distribution concept which provide the spatial data basis for various tasks and which reflects the specific physiogeographical variability and heterogeneity of river basins adequately. This distribution concept should consider the following constraints: The absolute number of spatial entities, which forms the basis for any distributive modelling should be as small as possible, but the spatial distributed factors, which controls quantitative and qualitative hydrological processes should not be generalised to much. The distribution concept of hydrological response units HRUs (Flügel, 1995) was selected and enhanced by a topological routing scheme (Staudenrausch, 2001) for the simulation of lateral flow processes. J2K should be calibrated for one subbasin of the pilot watershed only. Then the parameter set should be used on the other subbasins (referred as transfer basins) to investigate and quantify the transferability of a calibrated model and potential spatial dependencies of its parameter set. In addition, potential structural problems in the process description should be identified by the transfer to basins which show a different process dominance as the one which was used for calibration does. Model calibration and selection of efficiency criteria for the quantification of the model quality should be based on a comprehensive sensitivity and uncertainty analysis (Bäse, 2005) and multi-response validations with independent data sets (Krause and Flügel, 2005) carried out in advance in the headwater part of the calibration basin. To obtain good results in the transfer basins the calibrated parameter set could be adjusted slightly. This step was considered as necessary because of specific constraints which were not of significant importance in the calibration basin. This readjustment should be carried out on parameters which show a sensitive reaction on the identified differences in the environmental setup. Potential scaling problems of the process description, distribution concept or model structure should be identified by the comparison of the modelling results obtained in a small headwater region of the calibration basin with observed streamflow to find out if the selected efficiency measures show a significant change

"Taste Strips” - A rapid, lateralized, gustatory bedside identification test based on impregnated filter papers

Objective : To elaborate normative values for a clinical psychophysical taste test ("Taste Strips”). Background : The "Taste Strips” are a psychophysical chemical taste test. So far, no definitive normative data had been published and only a fairly small sample size has been investigated. In light of this shortcoming for this easy, reliable and quick taste testing device, we attempted to provide normative values suitable for the clinical use. Setting : Normative value acquisition study, multicenter study. Methods : The investigation involved 537 participants reporting a normal sense of smell and taste (318 female, 219 male, mean age 44 years, age range 18-87 years). The taste test was based on spoonshaped filter paper strips ("Taste Strips”) impregnated with the four (sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) taste qualities in four different concentrations. The strips were placed on the left or right side of the anterior third of the extended tongue, resulting in a total of 32 trials. With their tongue still extended, patients had to identify the taste from a list of four descriptors, i. e., sweet, sour, salty, and bitter (multiple forcedchoice). To obtain an impression of overall gustatory function, the number of correctly identified tastes was summed up for a "taste score”. Results : Taste function decreased significantly with age. Women exhibited significantly higher taste scores than men which was true for all age groups. The taste score at the 10th percentile was selected as a cut-off value to distinguish normogeusia from hypogeusia. Results from a small series of patients with ageusia confirmed the clinical usefulness of the proposed normative values. Conclusion : The present data provide normative values for the "Taste Strips” based on over 500 subjects teste

Malayan Filariasis Studies in Kendari Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia : III Surveillance of Mansonia Mosquitoes with Reference to Seasonal and Ecological Aspect of Ma. Uniformis and Ma. Indiana

Studi nyamuk penular filariasis malayi pada empat desa endemis (Wawolemo. Pondidaha. Lalohao dan Teteona) di Kabupaten Kendari, Sulawesi Tenggara, telah dilakukan dari bulan November 1980 sampai Oktober 1982. Nyamuk penular Brugia malayi di alam selain Anopheles barbirostris dan An. Nigerrimus adalah Mansonia uniformis, Ma. Indiana dan Ma. bonneae/dives. Ma. uniformis dan Ma. Indiana merupakan jenis yang terbanyak ditemukan di antara 5 jenis nyamuk Mansonia spp. Tidak ditemui perbedaan yang ber­makna untuk kepadatan kedua jenis nyamuk ini di antara empat desa yang diteliti. Daur gonotrofik Ma. uniformis dan Ma. Indiana di laboratorium masing-masing berkisar antara 80-98 jam dan 81-92 jam. Puncak kepadatan waktu menggigit orang dari kedua jenis nyamuk ini adalah antara jam 19.00 -22.00. Kedua jenis nyamuk ini lebih cenderung bersifat zoofilik. Kepadatan bulanan Ma. uniformis dan Ma. Indiana tidak mempunyai keeratan hubungan yang positif dengan curah hujan, dengan puncak kepadatan antara bulan Agustus dan Oktober. Nisbah nya­muk parous untuk kedua jenis nyamuk ini relatif rendah dan tidak mempunyai keeratan hubungan de­ngan kepadatannya dan juga dengan curah hujan. Nisbah infeksi alamiah dari Brugia sp. pada Ma. Indiana (0,6%) lebih tinggi dari Ma. uniformis (0,4%). Indeks infeksi buatan rata-rata 1,88 pada Ma. uniformis dan 0,55 pada Ma. Indiana. Uji kerentanan DDT terhadap Ma. uniformis dan Ma. Indiana memperlihatkan kedua jenis nyamuk ini rentan terhadap DDT

Public Trust in the Effectiveness of the Covid-19 Vaccine in Liliba Village, Oebobo District, Kupang City

The Covid-19 pandemic has continued to develop in Indonesia since the beginning of 2020. The incidence and death rates continue to increase from day to day. Various efforts were made to stop the spread of the deadly Covid-19. One way to prevent and suppress the spread of infection with the virus is to vaccinate. The role of the vaccine is to provide immunity. Many people in the city of Kupang do not believe in the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine, so they do not want to be vaccinated. The objective of this study is to describe the level of public confidence in the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine in Liliba Village, Oebobo District, Kupang City. The research method is quantitative with a descriptive study research design. The population is people who live in the Liliba sub-district, Oebobo district, Kupang City. The sample was 106 people who were taken using the Cluster Simple Random Sampling technique. The results showed that the level of public confidence in the susceptibility of the Covid-19 vaccine was (89.6%), the seriousness of the vaccine's effectiveness (90.6%), the benefits of the vaccine (54.7%), and the perceived barriers (88.7%). This study revealed that the level of public confidence in the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine in Liliba Village, Oebobo District, Kupang City is high.The Covid-19 pandemic has continued to develop in Indonesia since the beginning of 2020. The incidence and death rates continue to increase from day to day. Various efforts were made to stop the spread of the deadly Covid-19. One way to prevent and suppress the spread of infection with the virus is to vaccinate. The role of the vaccine is to provide immunity. Many people in the city of Kupang do not believe in the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine, so they do not want to be vaccinated. The objective of this study is to describe the level of public confidence in the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine in Liliba Village, Oebobo District, Kupang City. The research method is quantitative with a descriptive study research design. The population is people who live in the Liliba sub-district, Oebobo district, Kupang City. The sample was 106 people who were taken using the Cluster Simple Random Sampling technique. The results showed that the level of public confidence in the susceptibility of the Covid-19 vaccine was (89.6%), the seriousness of the vaccine's effectiveness (90.6%), the benefits of the vaccine (54.7%), and the perceived barriers (88.7%). This study revealed that the level of public confidence in the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine in Liliba Village, Oebobo District, Kupang City is high

Biomanufacturing and testbed development for the continuous production of monoclonal antibodies

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IgM memory B cells: a mouse/human paradox

Humoral memory is maintained by two types of persistent cells, memory B cells and plasma cells, which have different phenotypes and functions. Long-lived plasma cells can survive for a lifespan within a complex niche in the bone marrow and provide continuous protective serum antibody levels. Memory B cells reside in secondary lymphoid organs, where they can be rapidly mobilized upon a new antigenic encounter. Surface IgG has long been taken as a surrogate marker for memory in the mouse. Recently, however, we have brought evidence for a long-lived IgM memory B cell population in the mouse, while we have also argued that, in humans, these same cells are not classical memory B cells but marginal zone (MZ) B cells which, as opposed to their mouse MZ counterpart, recirculate and carry a mutated B cell receptor. In this review, we will discuss these apparently paradoxical results

Mutations in the SLC2A9 Gene Cause Hyperuricosuria and Hyperuricemia in the Dog

Allantoin is the end product of purine catabolism in all mammals except humans, great apes, and one breed of dog, the Dalmatian. Humans and Dalmatian dogs produce uric acid during purine degradation, which leads to elevated levels of uric acid in blood and urine and can result in significant diseases in both species. The defect in Dalmatians results from inefficient transport of uric acid in both the liver and renal proximal tubules. Hyperuricosuria and hyperuricemia (huu) is a simple autosomal recessive trait for which all Dalmatian dogs are homozygous. Therefore, in order to map the locus, an interbreed backcross was used. Linkage mapping localized the huu trait to CFA03, which excluded the obvious urate transporter 1 gene, SLC22A12. Positional cloning placed the locus in a minimal interval of 2.5 Mb with a LOD score of 17.45. A critical interval of 333 kb containing only four genes was homozygous in all Dalmatians. Sequence and expression analyses of the SLC2A9 gene indicated three possible mutations, a missense mutation (G616T;C188F) and two promoter mutations that together appear to reduce the expression levels of one of the isoforms. The missense mutation is associated with hyperuricosuria in the Dalmatian, while the promoter SNPs occur in other unaffected breeds of dog. Verification of the causative nature of these changes was obtained when hyperuricosuric dogs from several other breeds were found to possess the same combination of mutations as found in the Dalmatian. The Dalmatian dog model of hyperuricosuria and hyperuricemia underscores the importance of SLC2A9 for uric acid transport in mammals

Epithelial-immune cell interplay in primary Sjogren syndrome salivary gland pathogenesis

In primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS), the function of the salivary glands is often considerably reduced. Multiple innate immune pathways are likely dysregulated in the salivary gland epithelium in pSS, including the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway, the inflammasome and interferon signalling. The ductal cells of the salivary gland in pSS are characteristically surrounded by a CD4(+) T cell-rich and B cell-rich infiltrate, implying a degree of communication between epithelial cells and immune cells. B cell infiltrates within the ducts can initiate the development of lymphoepithelial lesions, including basal ductal cell hyperplasia. Vice versa, the epithelium provides chronic activation signals to the glandular B cell fraction. This continuous stimulation might ultimately drive the development of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. This Review discusses changes in the cells of the salivary gland epithelium in pSS (including acinar, ductal and progenitor cells), and the proposed interplay of these cells with environmental stimuli and the immune system. Current therapeutic options are insufficient to address both lymphocytic infiltration and salivary gland dysfunction. Successful rescue of salivary gland function in pSS will probably demand a multimodal therapeutic approach and an appreciation of the complicity of the salivary gland epithelium in the development of pSS. Salivary gland dysfunction is an important characteristic of primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS). In this Review, the authors discuss various epithelial abnormalities in pSS and the mechanisms by which epithelial cell-immune cell interactions contribute to disease development and progression

Rhinitis in the geriatric population

The current geriatric population in the United States accounts for approximately 12% of the total population and is projected to reach nearly 20% (71.5 million people) by 2030[1]. With this expansion of the number of older adults, physicians will face the common complaint of rhinitis with increasing frequency. Nasal symptoms pose a significant burden on the health of older people and require attention to improve quality of life. Several mechanisms likely underlie the pathogenesis of rhinitis in these patients, including inflammatory conditions and the influence of aging on nasal physiology, with the potential for interaction between the two. Various treatments have been proposed to manage this condition; however, more work is needed to enhance our understanding of the pathophysiology of the various forms of geriatric rhinitis and to develop more effective therapies for this important patient population