A paramyxovirus virus termed Nipah virus has been identified as the etiologic agent of an outbreak of severe encephalitis in people with close contact exposure to pigs in Malaysia and Singapore. The ...outbreak was first noted in late September 1998 and by mid-June 1999, more than 265 encephalitis cases, including 105 deaths, had been reported in Malaysia, and 11 cases of encephalitis or respiratory illness with one death had been reported in Singapore. Electron microscopic, serologic, and genetic studies indicate that this virus belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae and is most closely related to the recently discovered Hendra virus. We suggest that these two viruses are representative of a new genus within the family Paramyxoviridae. Like Hendra virus, Nipah virus is unusual among the paramyxoviruses in its ability to infect and cause potentially fatal disease in a number of host species, including humans.
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Effective prophylaxis and antiviral therapies are urgently needed in the event of reemergence of the highly contagious and often fatal severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) ...infection. We have identified eight recombinant human single-chain variable region fragments (scFvs) against the S1 domain of spike (S) protein of the SARS-CoV from two nonimmune human antibody libraries. One scFv 80R efficiently neutralized SARS-CoV and inhibited syncytia formation between cells expressing the S protein and those expressing the SARS-CoV receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Mapping of the 80R epitope showed it is located within the N-terminal 261-672 amino acids of S protein and is not glycosylation-dependent. 80R scFv competed with soluble ACE2 for association with the S1 domain and bound S1 with high affinity (equilibrium dissociation constant, Kd=32.3 nM). A human IgG1 form of 80R bound S1 with a 20-fold higher affinity of 1.59 nM comparable to that of ACE2 Kd=1.70 nM, and neutralized virus 20-fold more efficiently than the 80R scFv. These data suggest that the 80R human monoclonal antibody may be a useful viral entry inhibitor for the emergency prophylaxis and treatment of SARS, and that the ACE2-binding site of S1 could be an attractive target for subunit vaccine and drug development.
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This report summarizes the laboratory studies undertaken to identify the etiologic agent of the worldwide outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). In specimens from patients from ...seven countries, a coronavirus was identified by electron microscopy. The virus is only distantly related to previously sequenced coronaviruses. From serologic studies it appears that this virus has not previously circulated in humans.
One report summarizes laboratory studies on specimens from patients from six countries. Another report shows high concentrations of viral RNA in sputum. The full text of these articles is available free.
In late 2002, cases of life-threatening respiratory disease with no identifiable cause were reported from Guangdong Province, China; they were followed by reports from Vietnam, Canada, and Hong Kong of severe febrile respiratory illness that spread to household members and health care workers. The syndrome was designated “severe acute respiratory syndrome” (SARS) in March 2003,
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–
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and global efforts to understand the cause of this illness and prevent its spread were instituted in March 2003. Many cases can be linked through chains of transmission to a health care worker from Guangdong Province, China, who visited Hong Kong, where he was . . .
Background model of the CUPID-0 experiment Azzolini, O.; Beeman, J. W.; Bellini, F. ...
European physical journal. C, Particles and fields,
07/2019, Volume:
79, Issue:
7
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
CUPID-0 is the first large mass array of enriched Zn
82
Se scintillating low temperature calorimeters, operated at LNGS since 2017. During its first scientific runs, CUPID-0 collected an exposure of ...9.95 kg year. Thanks to the excellent rejection of
α
particles, we attained the lowest background ever measured with thermal detectors in the energy region where we search for the signature of
82
Se
neutrinoless double beta decay. In this work we develop a model to reconstruct the CUPID-0 background over the whole energy range of experimental data. We identify the background sources exploiting their distinctive signatures and we assess their extremely low contribution down to
∼
10
-
4
counts/(keV kg year) in the region of interest for
82
Se
neutrinoless double beta decay search. This result represents a crucial step towards the comprehension of the background in experiments based on scintillating calorimeters and in next generation projects such as CUPID.
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was first described during a 2002-2003 global outbreak of severe pneumonia associated with human deaths and person-to-person disease transmission. The ...etiologic agent was initially identified as a coronavirus by thin-section electron microscopic examination of a virus isolate. Virions were spherical, 78 nm in mean diameter, and composed of a helical nucleocapsid within an envelope with surface projections. We show that infection with the SARS-associated coronavirus resulted in distinct ultrastructural features: double-membrane vesicles, nucleocapsid inclusions, and large granular areas of cytoplasm. These three structures and the coronavirus particles were shown to be positive for viral proteins and RNA by using ultrastructural immunogold and in situ hybridization assays. In addition, ultrastructural examination of a bronchiolar lavage specimen from a SARS patient showed numerous coronavirus-infected cells with features similar to those in infected culture cells. Electron microscopic studies were critical in identifying the etiologic agent of the SARS outbreak and in guiding subsequent laboratory and epidemiologic investigations.
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•Measles outbreaks in elimination settings may involve vaccine breakthrough cases•Breakthrough cases are patients with confirmed measles and documented vaccination•Reanalysis of 19 breakthrough cases ...identified 32% false-positive IgM test results•Comprehensive algorithm enhanced the quality of measles breakthrough case analysis
In 2006, a measles outbreak occurred in Catalonia (Spain), six years after endemic measles was declared eliminated. This study aimed to classify 19 confirmed measles breakthrough cases (BC) using a high-performance avidity assay developed in 2010.
Serum specimens were tested by indirect IgG, indirect IgM, capture IgM enzyme immunoassay, an endpoint-titer IgG avidity assay, and a plaque reduction neutralization assay. Serology and RNA detection results were combined in an algorithm for measles confirmation and classification of breakthrough cases and analyzed with clinical and epidemiological data.
Of 19 samples, thirteen (68%) were conclusive with the classification of BCs, and six (32%) had false-positive IgM results on an indirect-format assay; they were classified as rash and fever illness of undetermined etiology. BCs were primary vaccine failures (seven or 54%), secondary vaccine failures (four or 31%), and two (15%) could not be classified.
In measles elimination settings, high-performing assays and a comprehensive algorithm of laboratory results (IgG, IgM, and RNA detection), including IgG avidity and PRN results when necessary, can assist in accurate laboratory confirmation and classification of suspected measles cases for surveillance. Highly specific IgM assays are required to minimize the number of false-positive results.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
BackgroundThe most severe sequela of measles virus infection is subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a fatal disease of the central nervous system that generally develops 7–10 years after ...infection. From 1989 through 1991, a resurgence of measles occurred in the United States, with 55,622 cases of measles reported. The purpose of the present study was to identify cases of SSPE that were associated with the resurgence of measles and to calculate the risk of developing SSPE MethodsBrain tissue samples obtained from 11 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of SSPE were tested for the presence of measles virus RNA. Measles virus genotypes were determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and by analysis of the sequences of the PCR products. A search of the literature was conducted to identify reports of cases of SSPE in persons residing in the United States who had measles during 1989–1991 ResultsThe measles virus sequences derived from brain tissue samples obtained from 11 patients with SSPE confirmed the diagnosis of SSPE. For 5 of the 11 patients with SSPE who had samples tested by RT-PCR and for 7 patients with SSPE who were identified in published case reports, it was determined that the development of SSPE was associated with the measles resurgence that occurred in the United States during 1989–1991. The estimated risk of developing SSPE was 10-fold higher than the previous estimate reported for the United States in 1982 ConclusionsVaccination against measles prevents more cases of SSPE than was originally estimated
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Short Range Correlations (SRCs) have been identiffed as being responsible for the high momentum tail of the nucleon momentum distribution, n(k). Hard, short-range interactions of nucleon pairs ...generate the high momentum tail and imprint a universal character on n(k) for all nuclei at large momentum. Triple coincidence experiments have shown a strong dominance of np pairs, but these measurements involve large final state interactions. This paper presents the results from Jefferson Lab experiment E08014 which measured inclusive electron scattering cross-section from Ca isotopes. Here, by comparing the inclusive cross section from 48Ca to 40Ca in a kinematic region dominated by SRCs we provide a new way to study the isospin structure of SRCs.
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CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UM
In March 2003, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was discovered in association with cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The sequence of the complete genome of SARS-CoV was determined, and ...the initial characterization of the viral genome is presented in this report. The genome of SARS-CoV is 29,727 nucleotides in length and has 11 open reading frames, and its genome organization is similar to that of other coronaviruses. Phylogenetic analyses and sequence comparisons showed that SARS-CoV is not closely related to any of the previously characterized coronaviruses.
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