Immunogenicity and efficacy of oral vaccines in developing countries: lessons from a live cholera vaccine

Oral vaccines, whether living or non-living, viral or bacterial, elicit diminished immune responses or have lower efficacy in developing countries than in developed countries. Here I describe studies with a live oral cholera vaccine that include older children no longer deriving immune support from breast milk or maternal antibodies and that identify some of the factors accounting for the lower immunogenicity, as well as suggesting counter-measures that may enhance the effectiveness of oral immunization in developing countries. The fundamental breakthrough is likely to require reversing effects of the 'environmental enteropathy' that is often present in children living in fecally contaminated, impoverished environments

Phylogenetic and functional marker genes to study ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) in the environment

The oxidation of ammonia plays a significant role in the transformation of fixed nitrogen in the global nitrogen cycle. Autotrophic ammonia oxidation is known in three groups of microorganisms. Aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea convert ammonia into nitrite during nitrification. Anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (anammox) oxidize ammonia using nitrite as electron acceptor and producing atmospheric dinitrogen. The isolation and cultivation of all three groups in the laboratory are quite problematic due to their slow growth rates, poor growth yields, unpredictable lag phases, and sensitivity to certain organic compounds. Culture-independent approaches have contributed importantly to our understanding of the diversity and distribution of these microorganisms in the environment. In this review, we present an overview of approaches that have been used for the molecular study of ammonia oxidizers and discuss their application in different environments

Detection of dengue virus serotype 3 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Culicidae) captured in Manaus, Amazonas

The detection of dengue virus serotypes from Aedes aegypti in Manaus, state of Amazonas was carried out using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique. Fourteen pools out 82 (17.1%) were positive for DENV3, providing a minimal infection rate of 2.1% of all analyzed infected female specimens of three different areas of the city

Associated features in females with an FMR1 premutation

Abstract Changes in the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1) have been associated with specific phenotypes, most specifically those of fragile X syndrome (FXS), fragile X tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), and fragile X primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI). Evidence of increased risk for additional medical, psychiatric, and cognitive features and conditions is now known to exist for individuals with a premutation, although some features have been more thoroughly studied than others. This review highlights the literature on medical, reproductive, cognitive, and psychiatric features, primarily in females, that have been suggested to be associated with changes in the FMR1 gene. Based on this review, each feature is evaluated with regard to the strength of evidence of association with the premutation. Areas of need for additional focused research and possible intervention strategies are suggested

Using Diphenylphosphoryl Azide (DPPA) for the Facile Synthesis of Biodegradable Antiseptic Random Copolypeptides

© 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim A facile method has been developed for the large-scale synthesis of random copolypeptides composed of multiple (i.e., cationic, hydrophobic, and hydrophilic) amino acids and their relative ratios have been optimized for broad-spectrum antibacterial effect. The copolypeptides obtained have measured compositions close to the design ratios in spite of the differing reactivities of the different amino acids. An optimized random copolypeptide of lysine, leucine, and serine (denoted as KLS-3) mimicking the composition of LL-37 host defense peptide gives broad spectrum antibacterial activity against clinically relevant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 32–64 μg mL−1, as well as good MICs against multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria of Escherichia coli EC 958 (64 μg mL−1) and Klebseilla pneumoniae PTR3 (128 μg mL−1). This method can be applied to the facile large-scale copolymerization of multiple amino acids, including unnatural amino acids, to make effective antibacterial copolypeptides. (Figure presented.)