Summary
Sensitization of the humoral immune response to invading viruses and production of antiviral antibodies forms part of the host antiviral repertoire. Paradoxically, for a number of viral ...pathogens, under certain conditions, antibodies provide an attractive means of enhanced virus entry and replication in a number of cell types. Known as antibody‐dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection, the phenomenon occurs when virus‐antibody immunocomplexes interact with cells bearing complement or Fc receptors, promoting internalization of the virus and increasing infection. Frequently associated with exacerbation of viral disease, ADE of infection presents a major obstacle to the prevention of viral disease by vaccination and is thought to be partly responsible for the adverse effects of novel antiviral therapeutics such as intravenous immunoglobulins. There is a growing body of work examining the intracellular signaling pathways and epitopes responsible for mediating ADE, with a view to aiding rational design of antiviral strategies. With in vitro studies also confirming ADE as a feature of infection for a growing number of viruses, challenges remain in understanding the multilayered molecular mechanisms of ADE and its effect on viral pathogenesis.
To investigate the distribution of hantaviruses among animals in Southern and Central Highland area of Vietnam, a total of 1311 serum samples were obtained from rats and Asian house shrews (Suncus ...murinus) captured at 11 locations between 2006 and 2009. A total of 1066 serum samples from rats were examined for IgG antibodies against Hantaan virus, and there were 30 antibody-positive serum samples from rats that had been captured mainly in a port area and urban area in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) (2.8%). All of the antibody-positive rats were Rattus norvegicus, and they had Seoul virus (SEOV) genome in their lungs. SEOV sequences detected from rats captured in Southern Vietnam belonged to the same lineage as those from rats captured at Haiphong Port and a market area in Hanoi City. SEOV strain CSG5 was isolated from a rat captured at Saigon Harbor. Strain CSG5 showed a cross-neutralization pattern almost the same as that of a representative strain of SEOV. A total of 245 Asian house shrews were captured in the Central Highland area and near HCMC. Sera were examined for IgG antibodies against Thottapalayam virus (TPMV), and 32 (13.1%) of the antibody-positive shrews were mainly from the Central Highland area and showed a neutralizing antibody against TPMV. These results indicated that SEOV is distributed among R. norvegicus inhabiting harbor and urban areas of Southern Vietnam and that TPMV or an antigenically related virus is distributed among Asian house shrews in Central Highland area.
This article presents an analysis of the profitability and intensity of cobia culture by small-scale farmers in Vietnam, especially focusing on current feeding practices and perceptions regarding ...adoption of manufactured diets. Bioeconomic modelling is used so the interactions between biological and economic processes can be analyzed. Overall, it is found that cobia farming is moderately to highly profitable when compared to other aquaculture species in Vietnam. Culture practices and the level of intensity of cobia farming differ significantly across Vietnam. Initial stocking density, total number of fish stocked, number and size of cages, and quantity of feed used are all higher in southern Vietnam than the north. The higher level of intensification in the south leads to significantly higher total costs, productivity and profitability. The dominant cost source is feed, which is predominantly low-value fish. To capture the environmental and potential economic benefits of adopting pelleted diets, then negative farmer perceptions regarding relatively slow growth rates, and lack of availability compared with low-value fish need to be overcome.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the number one cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants. There are still no vaccines or specific antiviral therapies against RSV, mainly due to the ...inadequate understanding of RSV pathogenesis. Recent data suggest a role for gut microbiota community structure in determining RSV disease severity. Our objective was to determine the gut microbial profile associated with severe RSV patients, which could be used to help identify at-risk patients and develop therapeutically protective microbial assemblages that may stimulate immuno-protection. We enrolled 95 infants from Le Bonheur during the 2014 to 2016 RSV season. Of these, 37 were well-babies and 58 were hospitalized with RSV. Of the RSV infected babies, 53 remained in the pediatric ward (moderate) and 5 were moved to the pediatric intensive care unit at a later date (severe). Stool samples were collected within 72 h of admission; and the composition of gut microbiota was evaluated via 16S sequencing of fecal DNA. There was a significant enrichment in S24_7, Clostridiales, Odoribacteraceae, Lactobacillaceae, and Actinomyces in RSV (moderate and severe) vs. controls. Patients with severe RSV disease had slightly lower alpha diversity (richness and evenness of the bacterial community) of the gut microbiota compared to patients with moderate RSV and healthy controls. Beta diversity (overall microbial composition) was significantly different between all RSV patients (moderate and severe) compared to controls and had significant microbial composition separating all three groups (control, moderate RSV, and severe RSV). Collectively, these data demonstrate that a unique gut microbial profile is associated with RSV disease and with severe RSV disease with admission to the pediatric intensive care unit. More mechanistic experiments are needed to determine whether the differences observed in gut microbiota are the cause or consequences of severe RSV disease.
The serological analysis revealed the circulation of hantavirus including Seoul virus (SEOV) from Rattus.sp, and Thottopalayam virus from S. murinus in Southern and Highlands of Vietnam. ... the ...detection of specific IgM and the neutralizing antibody against SEOV in patient indicated the first evidence of the circulation and transmission of SEOV from rodent to human.
In this study, viral RNA of DENV-3 were extracted directly from dengue fever/dengue hemorrhagic fever patient sera, typing by RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) with Lanciotti ...specific primers, sequencing the entire envelope (E) gene and comparative analysis with DENV-3 strain isolated from the big outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever in whole country in 1998.
Concepts of non-volatile memory to replace conventional flash memory have suffered from low material reliability and high off-state current, and the use of a thick, rigid blocking oxide layer in ...flash memory further restricts vertical scale-up. Here, we report a two-terminal floating gate memory, tunnelling random access memory fabricated by a monolayer MoS2/h-BN/monolayer graphene vertical stack. Our device uses a two-terminal electrode for current flow in the MoS2 channel and simultaneously for charging and discharging the graphene floating gate through the h-BN tunnelling barrier. By effective charge tunnelling through crystalline h-BN layer and storing charges in graphene layer, our memory device demonstrates an ultimately low off-state current of 10(-14) A, leading to ultrahigh on/off ratio over 10(9), about ∼10(3) times higher than other two-terminal memories. Furthermore, the absence of thick, rigid blocking oxides enables high stretchability (>19%) which is useful for soft electronics.
Seamless stitching of graphene domains on polished copper (111) is proved clearly not only at atomic scale by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and transmission electron micoscopy (TEM), but also ...at the macroscale by optical microscopy after UV‐treatment. Using this concept of seamless stitching, synthesis of 6 cm × 3 cm monocrystalline graphene without grain boundaries on polished copper (111) foil is possible, which is only limited by the chamber size.