Objective: To determine factors associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination status among HIV-uninfected men who have affective and sexual relations with men (MASM) in Montreal, Quebec, ...Canada. Methods: The Omega Cohort is a study of the incidence and psychosocial determinants of HIV infection among MASM in Montreal. Participants complete a questionnaire and are HIV-tested every 6 months. At baseline, we also performed testing for HBV markers and collected data on HBV vaccination history. Results: Forty-six percent of 653 participants had received at least one dose of HBV vaccination, whereas 28% were completely vaccinated. Lack of vaccination was associated with injection drug use, having ≥20 regular lifetime partners, living outside Montreal, not having sex in bathhouses, and not having consulted a physician aware of the participant's sexual orientation. Among vaccinated MASM, incomplete vaccination was associated with having <20 lifetime casual partners, trading sex for drugs, having given goods for sex, having had unprotected anal sex with regular partners, and having no history of a previous sexually transmitted disease. Conclusion: A significant proportion of Montreal's MASM, some of whom are at risk of contracting HBV through sexual and parenteral transmission, have not been vaccinated for HBV. Men who have affective and sexual relations with men should be educated about the risk of HBV transmission and the seriousness of the disease.
Dust mite allergens are considered as a major cause of allergic disease and as a risk factor for asthma. Der p I, a 222 amino-acid residue globular glycoprotein, is one of the major allergens from ...Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dpt) mites. In this study, we have used predictive conventional algorithms (i.e. hydrophilicity, mobility, accessibility) and a three-dimensional model of Der p I derived from comparison to actinidin and papain to select continuous amino acid sequences as potential B cell epitopes. Four peptides, 52-71, 117-133, 176-187, 188-199 were synthesized. Their antigenic reactivity was investigated, mainly by measuring their capacity to induce in vitro histamine release. Results indicated that only Dpt-sensitive patients react specifically to Der p I-derived peptides and more frequently to 52-71 and 117-133. For each peptide, the intensity of response was dependent on the patient tested and on the peptide concn. The capacity of peptides to induce histamine release was demonstrated to be correlated with the serum level of anti-Der p I IgE (r = 0.86; p less than 10(-2)). Taken together these data emphasize, in Dpt-sensitive patients, the heterogeneity of the specific response to synthetic Der p I-derived peptides and underline the possible variety of epitopes belonging to the allergen Der p I.
La crise de la représentation politique engendre une légitimité toujours plus chancelante de l’Union ainsi qu’une délégitimation forte des décisions des sommets du G8. Mais cela semble paradoxalement ...renforcer la détermination des divers gouvernants à imposer leurs vues sur la sécurité et l’ordre mondial. C’est sur ce paradoxe que l’accent a été mis dans ces deux numéros comportant des analyses juridiques, politistes ainsi que des points de vue d’acteurs. We are, from Tampere to Sevilla, witnessing a spiral crisis of political representation which development has been marked by the hopes of NGOs at Tampere and the disillusions of Laeken and Sevilla, not to mention the anger of the aftermath of Genoa. This crisis fragilises the legitimacy of the Union as well as it openly delegitimises the G-8 summits' decisions. Paradoxically this phenomenon seems to reinforce the governing authorities' determination to impose their views concerning security and world order. The focus here is on this paradox. This issue is composed of legal and political science perspectives, as well as of articles written by actors directly involved in these issues. All of the official texts analysed by the authors are here reproduced through a set of import extracts.
Circular dichroic and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies were used to evaluate the conformational properties in solution of a series of 20‐amino‐acid peptides derived from the primary ...structure of an antigen from Echinococcus granulosus. The linear peptide corresponding to the sequence 93–112 in the antigen was found to populate in a significant proportion the α‐helix conformational state. In the presence of 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol, a cosolvent known to stabilize peptide secondary structure, the helical population, estimated from circular dichroic spectra, increases up to 60–70%. Two‐dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance studies under these conditions showed that the segment K96–K108 meets all the criteria of an α‐helix at 281 K and 298 K. Three different variants were synthesized with the same or similar primary structure but containing a lactam‐bridged (>) side chain: D107>K110, D97>K100 and K94>E98. Generally, the observed helical content in these variants was lower than in the parent molecule and the stability of the helical conformation decreased in the order D107, K110, K94, E98, D97, K100. Analysis of chemical shift and nuclear Overhauser enhancement data suggested that the lactam rings induce significant distortions of the local features of helix secondary structure. The possible factors of helix destabilization induced by lactam bridges, observed in the studied peptides are discussed in relation to the stabilizing effect of ion pairs in model compounds.
The 45-69 peptide, an helper T-cell epitope derived from HIV nef protein, is strongly immunogenic. A T-cell proliferative response was observed following immunization of Lou/M rats with 45-69 peptide ...administered in low dose and without any adjuvant. It is already known that the T-cell response to the 115-131 peptide of Sm28GST antigen, a protein of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni, requires the presence of a carrier or the use of peptidic constructs. We demonstrate here that a T-cell response against the 115-131 peptide can be obtained in the absence of adjuvant using peptidic constructs (115-45 and 45-115 peptides) resulting from tandem synthesis of 115-131 and 45-69 peptides. A covalent association of both peptides is necessary, since the co-injection of 45-69 and 115-131 peptides is not sufficient to induce a detectable anti-115-131 T-cell response. The mutual orientation between the respective tandem peptides (45-115 and 115-45) is critical for the T-cell response. These peptidic constructs possess distinct properties of antigenicity and immunogenicity but both allowed to reveal the existence of a 115-131 specific T-cell response normally undetectable using 115-131 peptide alone. This immunopharmacological approach should be useful in the rational design and construction of vaccines.
Ces affrontements ne sont pas etrangers au fait que Francq romp, en 1921, avec le Parti ouvrier. Sa carriere prend alors une orientation differente puisqu'il s'engage <<au service de l'Etat quebecois ...(1923-1944)>>, comme l'annonce le titre du cinquieme chapitre. Au moment de la creation de la Commission des accidents du travail par le gouvernement Taschereau, en 1922, il est deja considere comme un expert en la matiere. L'annee suivante, il siege a cette commission. Puis, en 1925, il accede a la presidence de la Commission du salaire minimum. Il occupe ce poste jusqu'a ce qu'il soit aboli par le gouvernement de l'Union nationale en 1937. Deux annees plus tard, en 1939, les demarches de Francq sont couronnees de succes. Le Parti liberal, qu'il appuie depuis un certain temps, constitue le gouvernement qui lui offre la vice-presidence de l'Office des salaires raisonnables. Il quitte ce poste au mois d'aout 1944, ce qui marque son <<retour a l'action syndicale 1937-1952>> (titre du sixieme et dernier chapitre). Cette periode est marquee par la fondation de la Federation provinciale du travail du Quebec (FPTQ) en 1938. La presidence en est confiee a Raoul Trepanier, tandis que Francq assume le poste de secretaire-tresorier.
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