Rapid increase in pertactin-deficient Bordetella pertussis isolates, Australia

Acellular vaccines against Bordetella pertussis were introduced in Australia in 1997. By 2000, these vaccines had replaced whole-cell vaccines. During 2008–2012, a large outbreak of pertussis occurred. During this period, 30% (96/320) of B. pertussis isolates did not express the vaccine antigen pertactin (prn). Multiple mechanisms of prn inactivation were documented, including IS481 and IS1002 disruptions, a variation within a homopolymeric tract, and deletion of the prn gene. The mechanism of lack of expression of prn in 16 (17%) isolates could not be determined at the sequence level. These findings suggest that B. pertussis not expressing prn arose independently multiple times since 2008, rather than by expansion of a single prn-negative clone. All but 1 isolate had ptxA1, prn2, and ptxP3, the alleles representative of currently circulating strains in Australia. This pattern is consistent with continuing evolution of B. pertussis in response to vaccine selection pressure.Connie Lam, Sophie Octavia, Lawrence Ricafort, Vitali Sintchenko, Gwendolyn L. Gilbert, Nicholas Wood, Peter McIntyre, Helen Marshall, Nicole Guiso, Anthony D. Keil, Andrew Lawrence, Jenny Robson, Geoff Hogg, and Ruiting La

Development of a glycoconjugate vaccine to prevent invasive Salmonella Typhimurium infections in sub-Saharan Africa

Invasive infections associated with non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovars Enteritidis (SE), Typhimurium (STm) and monophasic variant 1,4,[5],12:i:- are a major health problem in infants and young children in sub-Saharan Africa, and currently, there are no approved human NTS vaccines. NTS O-polysaccharides and flagellin proteins are protective antigens in animal models of invasive NTS infection. Conjugates of SE core and O-polysaccharide (COPS) chemically linked to SE flagellin have enhanced the anti-COPS immune response and protected mice against fatal challenge with a Malian SE blood isolate. We report herein the development of a STm glycoconjugate vaccine comprised of STm COPS conjugated to the homologous serovar phase 1 flagellin protein (FliC) with assessment of the role of COPS O-acetyls for functional immunity. Sun-type COPS conjugates linked through the polysaccharide reducing end to FliC were more immunogenic and protective in mice challenged with a Malian STm blood isolate than multipoint lattice conjugates (>95% vaccine efficacy [VE] versus 30-43% VE). Immunization with de-O-acetylated STm-COPS conjugated to CRM197 provided significant but reduced protection against STm challenge compared to mice immunized with native STm-COPS:CRM197 (63-74% VE versus 100% VE). Although OPS O-acetyls were highly immunogenic, post-vaccination sera that contained various O-acetyl epitope-specific antibody profiles displayed similar in vitro bactericidal activity when equivalent titers of anti-COPS IgG were assayed. In-silico molecular modeling further indicated that STm OPS forms a single dominant conformation, irrespective of O-acetylation, in which O-acetyls extend outward and are highly solvent exposed. These preclinical results establish important quality attributes for an STm vaccine that could be co-formulated with an SE-COPS:FliC glycoconjugate as a bivalent NTS vaccine for use in sub-Saharan Africa

An Analysis of Noise Exposures and Hearing Conservation Program Practices at Company XYZ’s Upper Midwest Hot-Mix Asphalt Plant

Plan BAn investigative study was conducted to research and quantify occupational noise exposure levels at Company XYZ’s upper Midwest hot-mix asphalt plant. Company XYZ’s hearing conservation program and practices were also assessed to determine the adequacy of current procedures to protect employee hearing. An Extech sound meter was utilized to measure sound levels produced at specific locations throughout the plant and 3M Edge dosimeters were used to measure the cumulative sound levels that each worker was exposed to during the study. Area sound levels which were collected throughout the plant ranged from 68.8 to a peak of 105.3 decibels on the A scale (dBA). Eight-hour time-weighted average exposure sound level for the monitored workers ranged from 61.6 to 89.9 dBA. This data demonstrates that the plant generates hazardous noises levels that with repeated exposure, may contribute to noise-induced hearing loss. An examination Company XYZ’s written hearing conservation program confirmed that it was compliant with the requirements set by OSHA’s hearing protection regulations, however, the implementation of the program at the upper Midwest hot-mix asphalt plant was deficient. Recommendations to Company XYZ included performing routine employee hearing conservation training, involving elevated noise exposure employees in initial and annual audiometric exams, to assess the effectiveness of hearing conservation devices to attenuate hazardous noise levels and to require all employees to wear hearing protection while they are working outside of control rooms and loader cabs

Cytosine as an indicator of microbial nitrogen in the rumen

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Bibliography: leaves 69-78.Not availabl

The crime of rape in Cracow

Przedmiotem rozważań niniejszej pracy jest przestępstwo z artykułu 197 obowiązującego kodeksu karnego. W ostatnich latach zwiększyło się zainteresowanie opinii publicznej tematem zgwałcenia, które jest najcięższym przestępstwem uderzającym w sferę seksualną człowieka, dlatego też należy uwrażliwić ludzi na ten rodzaj przestępczości. Celem rozprawy jest przedstawienie kompleksowej analizy zarówno prawnej, jak i psychologicznej związanej bezpośrednio z przytaczanym przestępstwem. W pierwszym rozdziale zostały przedstawione najważniejsze informacje dotyczące Krakowa. Drugi rozdział dotyczy genezy omawianego przestępstwa, definicji pojęcia zgwałcenia oraz uregulowań dotyczących tego przestępstwa w ujęciu historycznym. Przedmiotem trzeciego rozdziału jest analiza podstawy prawnej omawianego przestępstwa. Zostały przedstawione znamiona ustawowe, a także orzecznictwo dotyczące zgwałceń. Czwarty rozdział odnosi się do kompilacji prawa i psychologii w zakresie przestępstwa zgwałcenia. Przedstawione są przyczyny zgwałceń oraz okoliczności sprzyjające ich popełnieniu. Scharakteryzowana została osoba sprawcy zgwałcenia i metody jego działania. Znajduje się tu również odniesienie się do wiktymologii oraz problematyki związanej ze zgłaszaniem przestępstwa do właściwych organów. W piątym rozdziale przedstawione zostało postępowanie Policji w sprawach dotyczących przestępstwa zgwałcenia. Zostały tu omówione wstępne czynności Policji po zawiadomieniu o zdarzeniu, a także czynności kryminalistyczne mające na celu wykrycie sprawcy zgwałcenia. Tematem ostatniego rozdziału jest obraz statystyczny wyroków przestępstwa zgwałcenia w ujęciu ogólnopolskim, a także badania przeprowadzone na podstawie wyroków krakowskich sądów.The subject of the following thesis is dedicated to a crime stipulated by Article 197 of the existing Criminal Code. In recent years there has been a growing interest of the public in rape, which is the most serious offence against human sexuality, hence the need to sensitize people to this kind of crime. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis, both legal and psychological, connected directly with the criminal offence in question. In the first chapter the most significant information regarding Cracow is presented. The second chapter is concerned with the genesis of the discussed crime, the definition of rape and the regulations of the offence in a historical perspective. The subject of the third chapter is the analysis of the legal basis of the crime. The statutory features of the crime are included, along with the case law related to rape. The fourth chapter refers to the compilation of law and psychology falling within the scope of rape. It contains also the causes of rape and its conducive circumstances. The profile of a perpetrator and their methods of action are described. There are references to victimology and the problem of not reporting the crimes to the relevant authorities. The fifth chapter outlines the police proceedings in cases related to the crime of rape. The preliminary procedures of the police after the notification of the event are introduced, together with criminological procedures aiming at tracking the sex offenders. The topic of the last chapter pertains to the conviction and sentencing statistics on rapes in Poland and the research conducted on the basis of the judgments of the Cracow Court