Rapid identification and differentiation of the vaccine strain Rac H from EHV 1 field isolates using a non-radioactive DNA probe

A method for rapid differentiation between the EHV 1 live vaccine strain Rac H and field isolates is described. Total DNA was isolated from virus-infected small scale cell cultures. DNA fragments digested with restriction endonuclease BamHI were separated, transfered and immobilized on filter membranes. A Digoxigenin-labeled probe derived from EHV 1 was used for hybridization. This probe hybridized specifically to sequences of the inverted terminal repeat region which in case of Rac H include a deletion of 0.8 kb. By comparing the different migration patterns after blot hybridization it could be shown that in 65 isolates from cases of abortion the live vaccine strain Rac H was not involve

Early Detection of Idiopathic Scoliosis in Adolescents

The early detection of idiopathic scoliosis has been advocated since the 1950s and ’60s, concurrent with the development in the modern era of ambulatory spinal orthoses to treat scoliosis in adolescents. This led to the development of screening programs for specific populations, as evidenced by school screening programs in the United States and public health systems in Europe and Asia. Over time, the value of population screening in terms of optimal health care and economics has been debated in the popular press, by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and by professional societies. Recent studies on the effectiveness of bracing to prevent the progression of scoliosis, improved delineation of “at-risk populations,” and refined orthotic management programs with emphasis on the use of compliance monitors have influenced the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to update their position on screening for scoliosis and has led to a joint position statement on the topic

The trans depathologization perspective: a contribution to public healthapproaches and clinical practices in mental health? SESPAS Report 2020

nA lo largo de la última década, la perspectiva teórico-activista de despatologización trans ha contribuido aun cambio en la conceptualización de los procesos de tránsito por los géneros. Partiendo de la observaciónde una interrelación entre psiquiatrización y violencia transfóbica, grupos activistas por la despatologi-zación trans y personas aliadas demandan la retirada de la clasificación diagnóstica de la transexualidadcomo trastorno mental. Además, han desarrollado modelos de atención en salud a personas trans y pro-cesos legales de reconocimiento de género basados en perspectivas de despatologización y derechoshumanos. Proponen cambiar el papel de les profesionales de salud mental en la atención a personastrans, sustituyendo el rol de evaluación psiquiátrica por tareas de acompa˜namiento y apoyo psicológico.La perspectiva de despatologización trans se puede relacionar con diferentes enfoques y temas relevantespara la salud pública y la salud mental, entre ellos la sociología del diagnóstico, los enfoques de saludbasados en los derechos humanos, la protección de los derechos humanos en salud mental, la cober-tura sanitaria universal, la revisión de clasificaciones diagnósticas, perspectivas de interseccionalidad,reflexiones sobre principios bioéticos, modelos de salud integrados y centrados en las personas y enfoquesde ética de la investigación. En los últimos a˜nos se han desarrollado modelos de decisión informada parala atención en salud a personas trans en algunos países y regiones. Profesionales de la salud, incluyendoa profesionales de salud mental, así como profesionales del ámbito educativo y jurídico-administrativo,pueden tener un papel importante en el abordaje de situaciones de discriminación y violencia trans-fóbica, contribuyendo a la construcción de una sociedad que respete, reconozca y celebre la diversidadde género.Over the last decade, the academic-activist trans depathologization perspective has contributed to achange in the conceptualization of gender transition processes. Observing an interrelation between psy-chiatrization and transphobic violence, trans depathologization activist groups and allies demand theremoval of the diagnostic classification of transexuality as a mental disorder. Furthermore, they havedeveloped trans health care models and legal gender recognition processes based on depathologiza-tion and human rights perspectives. They propose changing the role of mental health professionalsin trans health care, substituting the psychiatric assessment role by accompaniment and psychologi-cal support tasks. The trans depathologization perspective can be related to various approaches andtopics relevant in public health and mental health, among them sociology of diagnosis, human rightsbased approaches to health, human rights protection in mental health, universal health coverage, reviewof diagnostic classifications, intersectionality perspectives, reflections on bioethical principles, models ofintegrated people-centered health services and approaches to research ethics. Over the last few years,informed decision-making models have been developed for trans health care in several countries andworld regions. Health professionals, including mental health professionals, as well as professionals fromthe educational and judicial-administrative sector, can have an important role in addressing situationsof discrimination and transphobic violence, contributing to the construction of a society that respects,recognizes and celebrates gender diversity

Crystal structure of the ZP-N domain of ZP3 reveals the core fold of animal egg coats

Species-specific recognition between the egg extracellular matrix (zona pellucida) and sperm is the first, crucial step of mammalian fertilization. Zona pellucida filament components ZP3 and ZP2 act as sperm receptors, and mice lacking either of the corresponding genes produce oocytes without a zona pellucida and are completely infertile. Like their counterparts in the vitelline envelope of non-mammalian eggs and many other secreted eukaryotic proteins, zona pellucida subunits polymerize using a 'zona pellucida (ZP) domain' module, whose conserved amino-terminal part (ZP-N) was suggested to constitute a domain of its own. No atomic structure has been reported for ZP domain proteins, and there is no structural information on any conserved vertebrate protein that is essential for fertilization and directly involved in egg-sperm binding. Here we describe the 2.3 ångström (A) resolution structure of the ZP-N fragment of mouse primary sperm receptor ZP3. The ZP-N fold defines a new immunoglobulin superfamily subtype with a beta-sheet extension characterized by an E' strand and an invariant tyrosine residue implicated in polymerization. The structure strongly supports the presence of ZP-N repeats within the N-terminal region of ZP2 and other vertebrate zona pellucida/vitelline envelope proteins, with implications for overall egg coat architecture, the post-fertilization block to polyspermy and speciation. Moreover, it provides an important framework for understanding human diseases caused by mutations in ZP domain proteins and developing new methods of non-hormonal contraception

Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis are Not Osteoporotic

In the past, prior studies have associated adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) to abnormalities in bone mineral density (BMD) such as osteoporosis\u27 or \u27osteopenia\u27 based on their adult definitions, but in reality very few AIS patients have clinically abnormal BMD. Fracture risk has not been correlated to Z-scores in pediatric populations, so the terms \u27osteoporosis\u27 and \u27osteopenia\u27 can not be applied to AIS. Our study examined adolescents with and without scoliosis of varying weights to better understand the relationship of BMD to body mass index (BMI). This cross-sectional retrospective study compared the dual photon X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans of hips and distal femora of 49 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis and 40 normal control adolescents. Z-scores were compared using student\u27s t-test or simple linear regression procedures to discover correlations between Z-scores and clinical and demographic variables. In both populations, there was a strong correlation with z-scores and BMI (p\u3c.001). Scoliosis had the effect of lowering the Z-score as if the individual had \u27lost\u27 3.4 BMI units. Essentially, thin subjects had lower BMD and heavy subjects had higher BMD. The impact of scoliosis reducing BMI scores by 3.4 units puts thin subjects in the \u27low for age\u27 level while the effect is negligible in heavier subjects. There were no subjects in either group that met the International Society of Clinical Densitometry (ICSD) definition for \u27osteoporosis.\u27\u2

Resistance of corneal RFUVA-cross-linked collagens and small leucine-rich proteoglycans to degradation by matrix metalloproteinases

Purpose. Extracellular matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are thought to play a crucial role in corneal degradation associated with the pathological progression of keratoconus. Currently, corneal cross-linking by riboflavin and ultraviolet A (RFUVA) has received significant attention for treatment of keratoconus. However, the extent to which MMPs digest cross-linked collagen and small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs) remains unknown. In this study, the resistance of RFUVA–cross-linked collagens and SLRPs to MMPs has been investigated. Methods. To investigate the ability of MMPs to digest cross-linked collagen and SLRPs, a model reaction system using purified collagen type I, type IV, and nonglycosylated, commercially available recombinant SLRPs, keratocan, lumican, mimecan, decorin, and biglycan in solution in vitro has been compared using reactions inside an intact bovine cornea, ex vivo. Results. Our data demonstrate that corneal cross-linked collagen type I and type IV are resistant to cleavage by MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-13, whereas non–cross–linked collagen I, IV, and natively glycosylated SLRPs are susceptible to degradation by MMPs. In addition, both cross-linked SLRPs themselves and cross-linked polymers of SLRPs and collagen appear able to resist degradation. These results suggest that the interactions between SLRPs and collagen caused by RFUVA protect both SLRPs and collagen fibrils from cleavage by MMPs. Conclusions. A novel approach for understanding the biochemical mechanism whereby RFUVA cross-linking stops keratoconus progression has been achieved