The cloning and sequencing of cervine interleukin 10

We report the cloning and sequencing of the cervine interleukin-10 gene. Specific cDNA was amplified by PCR using primers based on the bovine sequence. This was cloned into pGEM 5Zf and several clones were sequenced. The 762 nucleotide product coded for a 179 amino acid protein which was 86% homologous with its bovine and 77% homologous with its human counterparts. There is a strongly hydrophobic signal sequence consisting of the first 20 amino acids and a potential glycosylation site at amino acids 134-136. There are three regions, comprising 34% of the protein, which show complete homology between the cervine, bovine and human sequences. The transcription of the gene was shown by Northern Blotting where a single, 1.8Kb, mRNA transcript was detected 4-8 hours after activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with mitogen. © 1995 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Environmental Strains of Mycobacterium avium Interfere with Immune Responses Associated with Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vaccination▿

Prior exposure of a vaccinee to certain species of environmental mycobacteria can prime the immune system against common mycobacterial antigens, which can in turn reduce the subsequent efficacy of live attenuated mycobacterial vaccines (such as Mycobacterium bovis BCG), in both human and livestock vaccination programs. In this study, two strains of Mycobacterium avium, both isolated from New Zealand livestock, were investigated to determine their growth characteristics and effects on the immune system in murine models. Markedly different effects on the immune system were observed; an IS901-negative strain (WAg 207) induced significant up-regulation of cell surface activation markers (major histocompatibility complex II, CD80, and CD86) on in vitro-derived dendritic cells and induced the release of proinflammatory monokines (interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) in dendritic cell-macrophage cocultures following direct in vitro contact of cells with bacteria. In contrast, an IS901-positive strain (WAg 206) had none of these effects. When mice were exposed to M. avium via oral infection prior to BCG parenteral immunization, both strains were shown to be capable of decreasing subsequent antigen-stimulated gamma interferon secretion by splenic lymphocytes, although this effect was more significant for strain WAg 206. Both strains also induced a mycobacterial antigen-specific serological response in M. avium-sensitized and BCG-immunized mice; this response was greater in WAg 206-sensitized mice, and there was a predominance of immunoglobulin G1 antibody. The down-regulation of IFN-γ responses and the up-regulation of antibody responses are characteristic of a switch to a type 2 immune response. The different results may be linked to the inherent growth characteristics of the two strains, since WAg 206 was shown to grow slowly in murine macrophages in vitro and to cause a persistent systemic infection following infection in vivo, while WAg 207 grew fast and did not persist in mice. The implications of these findings for BCG vaccination protocols are discussed

Immunisation handbook 2006

Immunisation is a highly effective strategy for the prevention of infectious disease throughout life. The results of the 2005 National Coverage Survey (as summarised in the Introduction) have shown we have made progress in improving immunisation coverage in New Zealand since the previous survey in 1991. The implementation of the National Immunisation Register and the Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme have focused health professionals and the public on the benefits of immunisation. We will be able to build on these successes to use the National Immunisation Register to improve immunisation coverage so that children whose parents wish to immunise their children receive their age appropriate immunisations. The Immunisation Handbook 2006 provides information for health professionals on vaccine preventable diseases, the vaccines available, and the updated National Immunisation Schedule, as well as practical advice and strategies for health professionals immunising children and adults in New Zealand. A new chapter identifies new vaccines likely to be available in New Zealand during the time this edition of the handbook is current. The 2006 National Immunisation Schedule introduces a pertussis containing vaccine to be offered at the age of 11 years to protect adolescents and young adults against pertussis. This new vaccine provides an opportunity to decrease the impact of pertussis in young people and reduce the size of pertussis epidemics. The meningococcal B vaccine will continue to be offered to infants and children under the age of five years until it is no longer necessary to control the disease. I would like to thank the members of the Immunisation Technical Working Group who have contributed to rewriting the Immunisation Handbook 2006, and to thank all those who acted as peer reviewers. I trust this edition, like its predecessors, will prove a valuable resource for health professionals

Improving accountability through alignment: the role of academic health science centres and networks in England.

BACKGROUND: As in many countries around the world, there are high expectations on academic health science centres and networks in England to provide high-quality care, innovative research, and world-class education, while also supporting wealth creation and economic growth. Meeting these expectations increasingly depends on partnership working between university medical schools and teaching hospitals, as well as other healthcare providers. However, academic-clinical relationships in England are still characterised by the "unlinked partners" model, whereby universities and their partner teaching hospitals are neither fiscally nor structurally linked, creating bifurcating accountabilities to various government and public agencies. DISCUSSION: This article focuses on accountability relationships in universities and teaching hospitals, as well as other healthcare providers that form core constituent parts of academic health science centres and networks. The authors analyse accountability for the tripartite mission of patient care, research, and education, using a four-fold typology of accountability relationships, which distinguishes between hierarchical (bureaucratic) accountability, legal accountability, professional accountability, and political accountability. Examples from North West London suggest that a number of mechanisms can be used to improve accountability for the tripartite mission through alignment, but that the simple creation of academic health science centres and networks is probably not sufficient. SUMMARY: At the heart of the challenge for academic health science centres and networks is the separation of accountabilities for patient care, research, and education in different government departments. Given that a fundamental top-down system redesign is now extremely unlikely, local academic and clinical leaders face the challenge of aligning their institutions as a matter of priority in order to improve accountability for the tripartite mission from the bottom up. It remains to be seen which alignment mechanisms are most effective, and whether they are strong enough to counter the separation of accountabilities for the tripartite mission at the national level, the on-going structural fragmentation of the health system in England, and the unprecedented financial challenges that it faces. Future research should focus on determining the comparative effectiveness of different alignment mechanisms, developing standardised metrics and key performance indicators, evaluating and assessing academic health science centres and networks, and empirically addressing leadership issues