South Dakota Farm and Home Research

In This Issue: Silbestrol for Dairy Calves [p] 3 Rotation or Continuous Grazing for Dairy Cattle [p] 5 Animal Husbandry Research Day [p] 7 You Can Eliminate Leafy Spurge [p] 8 Grass Performance Trials [p] 14 Recommended Crop Varieties [p] 17 Dugout Water Quality [p] 20 Wintertime Research Activities [p] 24 Protein Supplements for Growing Pigs [p] 25https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/agexperimentsta_sd-fhr/1029/thumbnail.jp

Studies on processing, particle formation, and immunogenicity of the HIV-1 gag gene product: a possible component of a HIV vaccine

Antigens in a particulate conformation were shown to be highly immunogenic in mammals. For this reason, the particle forming capacity of derivatives of the HIV-1 group specific core antigen p55 gag was assayed and compared dependent on various expression systems: recombinant bacteria, vaccinia- and baculoviruses were established encoding the entire core protein p55 either in its authentic sequence or lacking the myristylation consensus signal. Moreover, p55 gag was expressed in combination with the protease (p55-PR) or with the entire polymerase (p55-pol), respectively. Budding of 100-160 nm p55 core particles, resembling immature HIV-virions, was observed in the eucaryotic expression systems only. In comparison to the vaccinia virus driven expression of p55 in mammalian cells, considerably higher yields of particulate core antigen were obtained by infection of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells with the recombinant Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis (AcMNPV) baculovirus. Mutation of the NH2-terminal myristylation signal sequence prevented budding of the immature core particles. Expression of the HIV p55-PR gene construct by recombinant baculovirus resulted in complete processing of the p55 gag precursor molecule in this system. The introduction of an artificial frameshift near the natural frameshift site resulted in constitutive expression of the viral protease and complete processing of p55, both in Escherichia coli and in vaccinia virus infected cells. Interestingly, significant processing of p55 resembling that of HIV infected H9 cells could also be achieved in the vaccinia system by fusing the entire pol gene to the gag gene. Moreover, processing was not found to be dependent on amino-terminal myristylation of the gag procursor molecule, which is in contrast to observations with type C and type D retrovirus. However, complete processing of p55 into p24, p17, p9 and p6 abolished particle formation. Purified immature HIV-virus like particles were highly immunogenic in rabbits, leading to a strong humoral immune response after immunization. Empty immature p55 gag particles represent a noninfectious and attractive candidate for a basic vaccine component

Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in physiotherapy education and practice

PhD thesis, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2008This thesis centres around the issues concerning HIV/AIDS and physiotherapy education, curriculum and practice. In particular, this thesis examines which HIV specific content should be included in a physiotherapy curriculum and ultimately presents a conceptual framework for HIV input into the curriculum. There is a vast body of literature available on HIV. For physiotherapists, however, apart from a brief review given by Nixon and Cott (2000) using the ICIDH, no comprehensive literature is available that places information on HIV into a framework that speaks to physiotherapists as part of the rehabilitation fraternity. The literature on impairments is descriptive and buried in the medical model as symptoms. Section one of the literature review placed the literature in such a framework and provided a comprehensive description using the ICF and related aspects that concern physiotherapists. The ICF captures all the elements of current rehabilitation theory and practice and the literature is presented in an ICF framework. In addition, important background information on prevalence, its determinants, treatment approaches and subsequent impacts were reviewed. As most of the literature available still remains in the medical model, the conditions that manifest and from which patients develop impairments, were reviewed. The effects of HIV on body systems are extensive and pervasive. In each body system HIV has direct effects on mature and maturing cells e.g. progenitor cells and mature muscle cells. In the musculoskeletal system HIV impacts on functional systems and organs resulting in pathophysiological changes that manifest as impairments such as muscle wasting. Conditions manifesting in all body systems were reviewed and outlined. Impairments such as pain, breathlessness and proximal muscle weakness were reported in the literature. In addition to impairments, analysis of the literature revealed studies that had found high levels of functional and activity limitations as well as impacts on Health-related Quality of Life in HIV. The literature also presents the current status of physiotherapy interventions. Many studies have reported that exercises are a safe and effective mode of intervention not-withstanding the limitations encountered. The second part of the literature review focussed on aspects concerned with curriculum. Previous studies have focused on establishing baseline knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) to HIV and the impact of training programmes on KAP. What the actual content was for health workers, in particular physiotherapists and the approach to incorporating HIV into curricula is a gap in the literature. To inform the overall aim, with context-appropriate HIV content, this study undertook a number of studies in order to obtain the necessary information on HIV, specific to physiotherapy. Therefore the overall approach was a mixed methods one employing both a quantitative and qualitative study mix. The first and second studies informed the clinical picture and were both cross-sectional and descriptive. In both studies descriptive statistics were used to analyse data, especially in determining the absence or presence of conditions. Study 1 sought to establish the level of referral to physiotherapy by retrospectively examining the patient records of patients admitted with HIVrelated conditions over a period of one year. Of the 732 patient records reviewed, 139 (19%) had diagnoses considered suitable for physiotherapy and 3% were referred to physiotherapy. Study 2 aimed to establish a relevant overview of the functional and participation limitations of people living with HIV. Two groups of patients were studied i.e. an in-patient group and an outpatient group. The out-patient group was from a well resourced mining out-patient setting. The ICF checklist was utilised to collect the data and statistical analysis was performed to indicate the presence or absence of impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. A logistic regression was done to determine the odds of activity, limitation or participation restriction given certain levels of domains. Both groups showed high levels of impairment. For the in-patient group loss of muscle power 75%(n=60) energy and drive 75%(n=60), disturbed sleep 71%(n=56), emotional problems 62%(49), mild-severe pain 80%(66), weight maintenance difficulties and diarrhoea were apparent. In the out-patient mining group memory problems, energy and drive functions 36%(n=18), sleep 24% (n=12) and emotional functions 28% (n=14), seeing 32% (n=17), hearing, vestibularproblems 28%(n=14) and pain 55%(n=28), blood pressure and respiratory problems 24%(n=12), weight maintenance 63%(n=32), sexual functions 22%(n=11) and reduced proximal muscular power 24%(n=12) were encountered. The in-patient group had high levels of activity limitations and participation restrictions, while the out-patient mining group did not. There was association between the different domains and in the in-patient group gender (p=0.02) and marital status (p=0.01) were likely to influence the activity and participation levels and the experience of the environment. The remaining three studies involved aspects related to informing the curriculum component of this thesis. Study 3 audited the universities’ curricular documents to establish what the current curriculum included. Seven of the eight universities that offer physiotherapy training were reviewed and their curricula were generally scanty on information regarding HIV/AIDS. When compared to the areas outlined as a result of the literature review, the study of the patients and focus groups with clinicians and academic staff, revealed some gaps, in particular; the types of conditionsand the influence of HIV on other body systems which are pertinent to the clinical reasoning process for the physiotherapist: The philosophy of care and approach to management and the physiotherapists’ role in HIV prevention, treatment and care were evident gaps. Study 4 sought to develop a framework of HIV content for a physiotherapy curriculum. This was done by integrating the results found so far and verifying and enriching this data by gaining clinicians’ and academics’ insights and perceptions around HIV, based on their clinical and educational experience. Focus group discussions were conducted and a qualitative approach was undertaken for data analysis. A framework for curricula content emerged from this exercise. In study 5 the framework of HIV content was used to develop a questionnaire that was sent out in the Delphi survey to academic staff with the aim to test the level of consensus. Eighty three components of the curriculum under four outcome areas (Appendix 7.2) were sent to 68 academic staff who were identified. Of the 68 academic staff, 58 were available and 47 responded and consented to participate. All but two topics obtained consensus set at 80% and the remaining two obtained consensus in the second round. The final chapter discusses the results of these studies and illustrates how these results on HIV affect and can be applied to the physiotherapy curriculum, when applied to the UNAIDS mainstreaming criteria. Applying the mainstreaming principles to the process of including HIV content into the curriculum, ensures that the process is not done in a piece meal fashion but encompasses all important facets which were identified. The programme, if systematically implemented, could result in a coordinated outcome accounting for all the important facets. A conceptual framework is drawn from the results of this thesis illustrating the three levels of curriculum taxonomy: At the micro level, through the body systems, the meso level through the role of physiotherapy, dealing with internal and external domains and teaching approaches. The macro level is accounted for by the facilitatory activities such as advocacy among clinicians and academics and forming strategic partnerships at all levels

Supplement 1. Non-transformed data used in statistical analysis of the effects of temperature and resource utilization on bacterial production in two rivers.

<h2>File List</h2><blockquote> <p><a href="EEA_data.txt">EEA_data.txt</a></p> </blockquote><h2>Description</h2><blockquote> <p>The EEA data.txt file is a tab-separated ASCII file. The file contains the non-transformed data used in statistical analyses of the effects of temperature and resource utilization on bacterial production in two rivers.</p> <p>Rates measured in the lab at 20˚C were converted to rates at ambient temperature using the following equations: BP(T) = BP(T₀)e^-Ea/k^(1/T0-1/T) and ^AppVmax(T) = ^AppVmax(T₀)e^-Ea/k^(1/T0-1/T), where BP represents bacterial production, ^AppVmax is the observed maximum extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) rate, T denotes ambient stream temperature (in K), and T₀ equals 293 K (or 20 ˚C); E_a is the activation energy (eV) of the process, and k is Boltzmann's constant (8.62 x 10^-5 eV K^-1). The activation energy (E_a) was assumed to be 0.5 eV for bacterial production and maximum EEA rates.</p> <p>Column definitions:</p> <p>1 = Study name; more detailed information can be found at Sinsaubaugh et al. 1997. Limnology and Oceanography 42:29–38.</p> <p>2 = Ambient temperature (˚C)</p> <p>3 = Inverse absolute temperature (1/kT) where k is Boltzmann's constant (8.62 x 10^-5 eV K^-1) and T is ambient temperature in K</p> <p>4 = Bacterial production (BP, nmol h^-1 L^-1)</p> <p>5 = Acetyl-esterase (AE) maximum activity rate (^AppVmax) (nmol h^-1 L^-1)</p> <p>6 = The half saturation constant (the substrate concentration at which the rate of substrate conversion is equal to Vmax/2) (^AppKm, nmol) for AE activity</p> <p>7 = The turnover rate (S_t, h^-1) of AE defined as ^AppVmax/2^AppKm </p> <p>8 = Endoprotease (EP) maximum activity rate (^AppVmax) (nmol h^-1 L^-1)</p> <p>9 = The half saturation constant (the substrate concentration at which the rate of substrate conversion is equal to Vmax/2) (^AppKm, nmol) for EP activity</p> <p>10 = The turnover rate (S_t, h^-1) of EP defined as ^AppVmax/2^AppKm</p> <p>11 = Leucyl-aminopeptidase (LAP) maximum activity rate (^AppVmax) (nmol h^-1 L^-1)</p> <p>12 = The half saturation constant (the substrate concentration at which the rate of substrate conversion is equal to Vmax/2) (^AppKm, nmol) for LAP activity</p> <p>13 = The turnover rate (S_t, h^-1) of LAP defined as ^AppVmax/2^AppKm</p> <p>14 = alpha-1,4-glucosidase (AG) maximum activity rate (^AppVmax) (nmol h^-1 L^-1)</p> <p>15 = The half saturation constant (the substrate concentration at which the rate of substrate conversion is equal to Vmax/2) (^AppKm, nmol) for AG activity</p> <p>16 = The turnover rate (S_t, h^-1) of AG defined as ^AppVmax/2^AppKm</p> <p>17 = beta-1,4-glucosidase (BG) maximum activity rate (^AppVmax) (nmol h^-1 L^-1)</p> <p>18 = The half saturation constant (the substrate concentration at which the rate of substrate conversion is equal to Vmax/2) (^AppKm, nmol) for BG activity</p> <p>19 = The turnover rate (S_t, h^-1) of BG defined as ^AppVmax/2^AppKm</p> <p>20 = Alkaline phosphatase (AP) maximum activity rate (^AppVmax) (nmol h^-1 L^-1)</p> <p>21 = The half saturation constant (the substrate concentration at which the rate of substrate conversion is equal to Vmax/2) (^AppKm, nmol) for AP activity</p> <p>22 = The turnover rate (S_t, h^-1) of AP defined as ^AppVmax/2^AppKm</p> <p>23 = Carbohydrate turnover rate (S_t, h^-1); the sum of BG and AG turnover rates</p> <p>24 = Protein turnover rate (S_t, h^-1); the sum of LAP and EP turnover rates</p> <p>25 = Ratio of carbohydrate:protein turnover (dimensionless)</p> <p>26 = Resource pools contributing to bacterial production defined as the sum of ^AppVmax/2 for all extracellular enzyme activities (EEA)</p> <p>Missing values are represented as “.”.</p> <p>Check sum values:</p> <p>Column 2: check sum = 962, 0 missing values<br> Column 3: check sum = 2197, 0 missing values<br> Column 4: check sum = 194769, 4 missing values<br> Column 5: check sum = 183177, 1 missing value<br> Column 6: check sum = 1359360, 0 missing values<br> Column 7: check sum = 4.615, 0 missing values<br> Column 8: check sum = 246091, 14 missing values<br> Column 9: check sum = 3954300, 14 missing values<br> Column 10: check sum = 1.59, 14 missing values<br> Column 11: check sum = 50756, 0 missing values<br> Column 12: check sum = 2945410, 0 missing values<br> Column 13: check sum = 0.54, 0 missing values<br> Column 14: check sum = 73194, 4 missing values<br> Column 15: check sum = 3.91, 4 missing values<br> Column 16: check sum = 4733, 1 missing value<br> Column 17: check sum = 124638, 1 missing value<br> Column 18: check sum = 5.96, 1 missing value<br> Column 19: check sum = 24782, 1 missing value<br> Column 20: check sum = 291090, 0 missing values<br> Column 21: check sum = 3.04, 0 missing values<br> Column 22: check sum = 9.87, 0 missing values<br> Column 23: check sum = 2.13, 0 missing values<br> Column 24: check sum = 408, 0 missing values<br> Column 25: check sum = 225418, 14 missing values </p></blockquote