Browse publications by year: 1998

  1. Coccidial infections of goats in Selangor, peninsular Malaysia
    Jalila A, Dorny P, Sani R, Salim NB, Vercruysse J
    Vet Parasitol, 1998 Jan 31;74(2-4):165-72.
    PMID: 9561704
    Coccidial infections were studied in goats in the state of Selangor (peninsular Malaysia) during a 12-month period. The study included 10 smallholder farms on which kids were monitored for faecal oocyst counts from birth until 1-year old. Eimeria oocysts were found in 725 (89%) of 815 faecal samples examined. Nine species of Eimeria were identified. The most prevalent were E. arloingi, found in 71% of the samples, E. ninakohlyakimovae (67%), E. christenseni (63%) and E. alijevi (61%). The other species found were, E. hirci, E. jolchijevi, E. caprovina, E. caprina and E. pallida, present in 34, 22, 12, 9 and 4% of the samples, respectively. Oocyst counts were significantly higher in animals of less than 4-months old (P < 0.05). High oocyst counts were mainly caused by non-pathogenic species. Poor hygienic conditions were found to be associated with a higher intensity of coccidial infections. Mortality rates in kids could not be related to the intensity of coccidial infections.
    MeSH terms: Age Factors; Animals; Animal Feed; Animal Husbandry/standards; Animal Husbandry/statistics & numerical data; Cell Count/veterinary; Coccidiosis/epidemiology; Coccidiosis/veterinary*; Eimeria/classification; Eimeria/growth & development*; Feces/parasitology; Goats; Malaysia/epidemiology; Regression Analysis; Goat Diseases/epidemiology*; Prevalence
  2. The travelling athlete: issues relating to the Commonwealth Games, Malaysia, 1998
    Young M, Fricker P, Maughan R, MacAuley D
    Br J Sports Med, 1998 Mar;32(1):77-81.
    PMID: 9562173
    MeSH terms: Acclimatization; Circadian Rhythm; Dehydration/prevention & control; Humans; Immunization; Life Style; Malaysia; Sports*; Travel*
  3. Malaysian antenatal risk coding and the outcome of pregnancy
    Geefhuysen CJ, Isa AR, Hashim M, Barnes A
    J Obstet Gynaecol Res, 1998 Feb;24(1):13-20.
    PMID: 9564100
    Measure the effectiveness of the colour coding system in Malaysia for the prediction of risk in pregnancy.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Birth Weight; Educational Status; Female; Home Childbirth/statistics & numerical data; Humans; Infant Mortality*; Infant, Newborn; Obstetric Labor Complications/epidemiology*; Obstetric Labor Complications/prevention & control; Malaysia/epidemiology; Medical Records/statistics & numerical data; Patient Identification Systems/methods; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications/epidemiology*; Pregnancy Complications/prevention & control; Pregnancy Outcome*; Risk Factors; Cohort Studies; Risk Assessment
  4. Immunohistochemical analysis of p53 expression in primary breast carcinomas
    Naidu R, Yadav M, Nair S, Kutty KK
    Anticancer Res, 1998 Jan-Feb;18(1A):65-70.
    PMID: 9568057
    Expression of p53 protein was investigated by immunohistochemical techniques in archival cases of 134 primary breast carcinomas comprising 13 comedo ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), 105 invasive ductal carcinomas, 7 contained the comedo DCIS component adjacent to the invasive ductal component, 5 invasive lobular carcinomas, three colloid carcinomas and one medullary carcinoma. Overexpression of p53 gene product was studied to determine the association with clinico-pathological parameters and also its relationship to c-erbB2. Overexpression of p53 protein was observed in 31% (4/13) of comedo DCIS, 37% (39/105) of invasive ductal carcinomas, 57% (4/7) of carcinomas containing both the in situ and invasive lesions and all medullary carcinomas. A significant relationship (p < 0.05) was observed between strong immunoreactivity of p53 protein and absence of estrogen receptor, histological grade and c-erbB2 but not with lymph node metastases or age of patient. These observations suggest that overexpression of p53 protein may play an important role in tumor progression from noninvasive to invasive in some breast carcinomas and may have potential as an indicator for poorer prognosis.
    MeSH terms: Adult; Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms/immunology; Breast Neoplasms/metabolism*; Carcinoma/diagnosis; Carcinoma/immunology; Carcinoma/metabolism*; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Lymphatic Metastasis; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/immunology; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism*; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/diagnosis; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/immunology; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/metabolism; Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism
  5. Glycerol with fetal calf serum--a better cryoprotectant for Blastocystis hominis
    Suresh K, Init I, Reuel PA, Rajah S, Lokman H, Khairul Anuar A
    Parasitol Res, 1998;84(4):321-2.
    PMID: 9569099
    MeSH terms: Animals; Blood; Cattle; Culture Media; Glycerol; Cryopreservation/methods*; Blastocystis hominis/physiology*
  6. Accuracy of visual correction in photorefractive keratectomy
    Deva JP
    J Refract Surg, 1998 Apr;14(2 Suppl):S215-7.
    PMID: 9571558
    PURPOSE: To investigate the accuracy of preoperative optical assessment and other factors that influenced the final visual outcome after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).

    METHODS: The records of 126 eyes from 54 male and 72 female eyes were studied retrospectively, ranging from 6 months to 3 years post-PRK. Refractive errors ranged from low to high myopia and astigmatism, and proper and careful preoperative selection of patients was made. A single standard ablation zone (AZ) of 6.00 mm and transition zone (TZ) of 7.00 mm was made in all cases.

    RESULTS: The study population showed a high degree of accuracy in visual outcome. In simple myopia, 92.3% of female eyes and 84.1% of male eyes had a visual acuity of more than 6/9 or better. In myopia with astigmatism, 83.05% of female and 65.9% of male eyes had a visual acuity of 6/9 (20/40) or better. However, despite the residual myopia, whether with or induced astigmatism, post PRK visual acuity seemed to be less influenced by it, than as in the pre-PRK status.

    CONCLUSION: This study showed an accuracy in visual outcome of > 90% for females and > 80% for males. The Nidek EC-500 was satisfactory for its purpose.

    MeSH terms: Adult; Astigmatism/physiopathology; Astigmatism/surgery*; Cornea/physiopathology; Cornea/surgery*; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Myopia/physiopathology; Myopia/surgery*; Retrospective Studies; Visual Acuity*; Reproducibility of Results; Photorefractive Keratectomy/standards*; Lasers, Excimer
  7. Distribution of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae DNA modification systems in Asia
    Choi SH, Vera Cruz CM, Leach JE
    Appl Environ Microbiol, 1998 May;64(5):1663-8.
    PMID: 9572933
    The presence or absence of two DNA modification systems, XorI and XorII, in 195 strains of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae collected from different major rice-growing countries of Asia was assessed. All four possible phenotypes (XorI+ XorII+, XorI+ XorII-, XorI- XorII+ and XorI- XorII-) were detected in the population at a ratio of approximately 1:2:2:2. The XorI+ XorII+ and XorI- XorII+ phenotypes were observed predominantly in strains from southeast Asia (Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia), whereas strains with the phenotypes XorI- XorII- and XorI+ XorII- were distributed in south Asia (India and Nepal) and northeast Asia (China, Korea, and Japan), respectively. Based on the prevalence and geographic distribution of the XorI and XorII systems, we suggest that the XorI modification system originated in northeast Asia and was later introduced to southeast Asia, while the XorII system originated in southeast Asia and moved to northeast Asia and south Asia. Genomic DNA from all tested strains of X. oryzae pv. oryzae that were resistant to digestion by endonuclease XorII or its isoschizomer PvuI also hybridized with a 7.0-kb clone that contained the XorII modification system, whereas strains that were digested by XorII or PvuI lacked DNA that hybridized with the clone. Size polymorphisms were observed in fragments that hybridized with the 7.0-kb clone. However, a single hybridization pattern generally was found in XorII+ strains within a country, indicating clonal maintenance of the XorII methyl-transferase gene locus. The locus was monomorphic for X. oryzae pv. oryzae strains from the Philippines and all strains from Indonesia and Korea.
    MeSH terms: DNA Restriction Enzymes/metabolism*; Genetic Variation; Xanthomonas/enzymology*; Xanthomonas/genetics
  8. Brief report. Social self-concept of educated employed and educated unemployed women
    Bala M
    Int J Soc Psychiatry, 1998;44(1):71-4.
    PMID: 9574853
    MeSH terms: Adult; Body Image; Educational Status*; Employment/psychology*; Female; Humans; India; Models, Psychological; Self Concept*; Sex Factors; Unemployment/psychology*
  9. Molecular basis of beta-thalassemia in the Maldives
    Furuumi H, Firdous N, Inoue T, Ohta H, Winichagoon P, Fucharoen S, et al.
    Hemoglobin, 1998 Mar;22(2):141-51.
    PMID: 9576331
    We have systematically analyzed beta-thalassemia genes using polymerase chain reaction-related techniques, dot-blot hybridization with oligonucleotide probes, allele specific-polymerase chain reaction, and sequencing of amplified DNA fragments from 41 unrelated patients, including 37 beta-thalassemia homozygotes, three with beta-thalassemia/Hb E, and one with beta-thalassemia/Hb S. Four different beta-thalassemia mutations were detected in 78 alleles. These are the IVS-I-5 (G-->C), codon 30 (AGG-->ACG) [also indicated as IVS-I (-1)], IVS-I-1 (G-->A), and codons 41/42 (-TTCT) mutations. The distribution of the beta-thalassemia mutations in the Maldives is 58 alleles (74.3%) with the IVS-I-5 (G-->C) mutation, 12 (15.4%) with the codon 30 (AGG-->ACG) mutation, seven (9%) with the IVS-I-1 (G-->A) mutation, and one with the codons 41/42 (-TTCT) mutation. The first three mutations account for 98.7% of the total number of beta-thalassemia chromosomes studied. These mutations are clustered in the region spanning 6 bp around the junction of exon 1 and the first intervening sequence of the beta-globin gene. These observations have significant implications for setting up a thalassemia prevention and control program in the Maldives. Analysis of haplotypes and frameworks of chromosomes bearing each beta-thalassemia mutation suggested that the origin and spread of these mutations were reflected by the historical record.
    MeSH terms: Algeria/ethnology; Codon/genetics; DNA Mutational Analysis; Ethnic Groups/genetics; Genotype; Globins/genetics*; Haplotypes/genetics; Hemoglobin E/genetics; Hemoglobin, Sickle/genetics; Hemoglobinuria/complications; Hemoglobinuria/genetics; Humans; India/ethnology; Indian Ocean Islands/epidemiology; Indonesia/ethnology; Malaria/epidemiology; Malaysia/ethnology; Portugal/ethnology; Sickle Cell Trait/complications; Sickle Cell Trait/genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; beta-Thalassemia/complications; beta-Thalassemia/ethnology; beta-Thalassemia/genetics*; beta-Thalassemia/epidemiology
  10. Plasmodium inui is not closely related to other quartan Plasmodium species
    Kissinger JC, Collins WE, Li J, McCutchan TF
    J Parasitol, 1998 Apr;84(2):278-82.
    PMID: 9576499
    Plasmodium inui (Halberstaedter and von Prowazek, 1907), a malarial parasite of Old World monkeys that occurs in isolated pockets throughout the Celebes, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, has traditionally been considered to be related more closely to Plasmodium malariae of humans (and its primate counterpart Plasmodium brasilianum), than to other primate Plasmodium species. This inference was made in part because of the similarities in the periodicities or duration of the asexual cycle in the blood, the extended sporogonic cycle, and the longer period of time for development of the pre-erythrocytic stages in the liver. Both P. inui and P. malariae have quartan (72 hr) periodicities associated with their asexual cycle, whereas other primate malarias, such as Plasmodium fragile and Plasmodium cynomolgi, are associated with tertian periodicities (48 hr), and Plasmodiumn knowlesi, with a quotidian (24 hr) periodicity. Phylogenetic analyses of portions of orthologous small subunit ribosomal genes reveal that P. inui is actually more closely related to the Plasmodium species of the "vivax-type" lineage than to P. malariae. Ribosomal sequence analysis of many different, geographically isolated, antigenically distinct P. inui isolates reveals that the isolates are nearly identical in sequence and thus members of the same species.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Base Sequence; Cercopithecidae; Molecular Sequence Data; Periodicity; Phylogeny; Plasmodium/classification*; Plasmodium/genetics; RNA, Ribosomal/genetics; RNA, Protozoan/genetics; DNA, Protozoan/chemistry; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sequence Alignment
  11. Left ventricular hypertrophy and its relation to the cardiac kinin-forming system in hypertensive and diabetic rats
    Sharma JN, Uma K, Yusof AP
    Int J Cardiol, 1998 Feb 28;63(3):229-35.
    PMID: 9578349 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-5273(97)00329-x
    We investigated the cardiac tissue kallikrein and kininogen levels, left ventricular wall thickness and mean arterial blood pressure of Wistar Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats with and without streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The mean arterial blood pressure was highly elevated (P<0.001) in Wistar Kyoto diabetic and spontaneously hypertensive diabetic rats as compared with their respective controls. The cardiac tissue kallikrein and kininogen levels were reduced significantly (P<0.001) in diabetic Wistar Kyoto, spontaneously hypertensive and diabetic spontaneously hypertensive compared with Wistar Kyoto control rats. In addition, the left ventricular thickness was found to be increased (P<0.001) in diabetic Wistar Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats in the presence and in the absence of diabetes. Our results indicate that reduced activity of the kinin-forming system may be responsible for inducing left ventricular hypertrophy in the presence of raised mean arterial blood pressure in diabetic and hypertensive rats. Thus, the kinin-forming components might have a protective role against the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. The possible significance of these findings is discussed.
    MeSH terms: Animals; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/physiopathology*; Disease Models, Animal; Kallikreins/analysis; Kinins/analysis; Male; Myocardium/chemistry; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Inbred WKY; Streptozocin; Kallikrein-Kinin System/physiology*; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/complications; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/physiopathology*; Rats
  12. Natural cryptic autoantibodies
    Cheng HM
    Autoimmunity, 1998;27(2):99-108.
    PMID: 9583741
    MeSH terms: Antibody Specificity; Antigens/immunology; Autoantibodies/immunology*; Autoantigens/immunology; Blood Proteins/immunology; Humans; Molecular Mimicry
  13. Current status of recommended dietary allowances in Southeast Asia: a regional overview
    Tee ES
    Nutr Rev, 1998 Apr;56(4 Pt 2):S10-8.
    PMID: 9584501
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Asia, Southeastern; Calcium, Dietary/standards; Energy Intake; Child; Child, Preschool; Dietary Proteins/standards; Female; Humans; Infant; Iodine/standards; Male; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Vitamins/standards; Nutrition Policy*; Iron, Dietary/standards
  14. Typhoid fever--important issues still remain
    Pang T, Levine MM, Ivanoff B, Wain J, Finlay BB
    Trends Microbiol, 1998 Apr;6(4):131-3.
    PMID: 9587187
    MeSH terms: Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Forecasting; Humans; Polysaccharides, Bacterial/immunology; Salmonella typhi/drug effects; Salmonella typhi/genetics; Typhoid Fever/diagnosis; Typhoid Fever/microbiology; Typhoid Fever/epidemiology*; Typhoid Fever/prevention & control; Typhoid-Paratyphoid Vaccines/immunology; Global Health
  15. Ankylosing spondylitis in Singapore: a study of 150 patients and a local update
    Koh WH, Boey ML
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1998 Jan;27(1):3-6.
    PMID: 9588266
    This paper presents the results of a clinical study of 150 patients in Singapore with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and reviews recent developments locally with regards to the disease. The patients were predominantly males (ratio 7:1) and Chinese (n = 147). The onset of disease is usually in the early twenties and there was a mean delay of 6.3 years before diagnosis was made. Peripheral joint involvement is common but apart from uveitis (17%), extra-articular manifestations are rare. AS patients have abnormal lipid profiles and lower bone mineral density compared to healthy controls. HLA*B2704 is the predominant subtype in our Chinese patients whilst HLA*B2706 was found only in healthy controls. Intensive group physiotherapy is beneficial for patients with spondyloarthropathy.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use*; China/ethnology; Female; Humans; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Risk Factors; Sampling Studies; Singapore/epidemiology; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/diagnosis; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/drug therapy; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/epidemiology*; Incidence; Age of Onset; Age Distribution; Sex Distribution
  16. Clinical presentation and disease associations of gout: a hospital-based study of 100 patients in Singapore
    Koh WH, Seah A, Chai P
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1998 Jan;27(1):7-10.
    PMID: 9588267
    The aim of this retrospective study was to characterise the clinical presentation and disease associations of Oriental patients with gout seen in our hospital over a six-month period. One hundred patients comprising of 77 males and 23 females [89% Chinese, 7% Malays, 2% Indians and 2% others; mean age was 50.9 years (range 18 to 82 years), mean age at onset of disease was 43.7 years (range 16 to 78 years)] were studied. The disease was familial in 18% and 44% of patients had a history of alcohol ingestion. Co-morbid conditions included hypertension (36%), hyperlipidaemia (25%), renal failure (17%), ischaemic heart disease (13%), diabetes mellitus (4%), systemic lupus erythematosus (3%), psoriasis (2%) and ankylosing spondylitis (1%). The majority of patients (68%) had at least one associated disease. At the onset of disease, the joints commonly involved were the ankles (39%) and knees (27%) whilst the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint was affected in only 26% of cases. Polyarticular onset was uncommon (n = 6). The precipitating factors reported by the patients included food (n = 23), alcohol (n = 12), drugs (n = 4), trauma (n = 3) and surgery (n = 2). Eleven patients had a history of renal calculi and 15% had tophaceous gout. Majority of patients (71%) had been treated with urate-lowering drugs (allopurinol). We concluded that gout in Singapore predominantly affects middle-aged men who often have an accompanying illness.
    MeSH terms: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; China/ethnology; Female; Gout/diagnosis; Gout/drug therapy; Gout/epidemiology*; Gout Suppressants/therapeutic use; Hospitals; Humans; Malaysia/ethnology; Male; Middle Aged; Random Allocation; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sampling Studies; Singapore/epidemiology; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity*; Incidence; Age of Onset; Age Distribution; Sex Distribution
  17. Immunophenotyping pediatric leukemias in Kelantan, Malaysia
    Menon BS, Dasgupta A, Jackson N
    Pediatr Hematol Oncol, 1998 Mar-Apr;15(2):175-8.
    PMID: 9592844
    This study reviewed the immunophenotyping results of children with acute leukemia in Kelantan, Malaysia. In the 3.5-year period (January 1994 to June 1997), 45 cases were identified. All children were under the age of 12 years and the predominant ethnic group was Malay. Thirty-six cases (80%) were acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 9 cases (20%) were acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). Of the ALL cases, 3% were of B-cell and 22% of T-cell origin, and 96% of the B-lineage ALL were CD10 positive. All the AML cases expressed CD33 and 78% were positive for CD13. The incidence of mixed-lineage leukemias was 13.8% for My+ ALL and 11.1% for Ly+ AML.
    MeSH terms: Bone Marrow Cells/immunology; Burkitt Lymphoma/immunology; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Malaysia; Male; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell/immunology; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/ethnology; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology*; Immunophenotyping*; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/ethnology; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/immunology*
  18. Use of antifilarial IgG4-ELISA to detect Brugia malayi infection in an endemic area of Malaysia
    Rahmah N, Anuar AK, Ariff RH, Zurainee MN, A'shikin AN, Fadzillah A, et al.
    Trop Med Int Health, 1998 Mar;3(3):184-8.
    PMID: 9593356
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of antifilarial IgG4 antibody assay in detecting B. malayi infection in a filaria endemic area in Malaysia.

    METHODS: A sandwich ELISA using B. malayi soluble antigen was employed to detect antifilarial IgG4 antibodies in serum samples of 330 individuals who comprised 88 healthy individuals from nonendemic areas, 15 B. malayi microfilaraemic cases, 22 individuals with soil-transmitted helminthiases, 9 elephantiasis cases and 196 residents from a B. malayi-endemic area. An O.D. value of > 0.420 at serum dilution of 1:400 was used as the cut-off point. This cut-off point was obtained by taking the mean optical density (0.252 + 4 S.E.) of 36 negative sera which had O.D. values greater than 0.1 at serum dilution of 1:400.

    RESULTS: All 15 microfilaraemic persons were positive for antifilarial IgG4 antibody. Non-endemic normals, soil-transmitted helminth infected persons and chronic elephantiasis cases were negative for antifilarial IgG4 antibody. Of the 196 individuals from the filaria endemic area, 37 (18.8%) demonstrated presence of antifilarial IgG4 antibodies; and only eight individuals (4.1%) were positive for microfilariae. All eight microfilaraemic individuals were also positive for antifilarial IgG4 antibodies.

    CONCLUSION: Antifilarial IgG4-ELISA could detect 4.6 times more positive cases than the microfilaria detection method. With appropriate cut-off values that eliminate cross-reactivities, this serological tool is very useful for Brugia malayi prevalence surveys and diagnosis.

    MeSH terms: Animals; Antibodies, Helminth/isolation & purification*; Antigens, Helminth*; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods; Filariasis/diagnosis*; Humans; Immunoglobulin G/blood*; Malaysia; Brugia malayi/immunology*; Brugia malayi/isolation & purification*
  19. Efficacy of intranasal administration of formalin-killed Pasteurella haemolytica A2 against intratracheal challenge in goats
    Effendy AW, Zamri-Saad M, Puspa R, Rosiah S
    Vet Rec, 1998 Apr 18;142(16):428-31.
    PMID: 9595632
    A trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of intranasal vaccination in protecting goats against pneumonic pasteurellosis with intramuscular vaccination using an oil adjuvant vaccine, and a combination of the two methods. Forty goats were divided into four equal groups. Group 1 was vaccinated twice intranasally with formalin-killed Pasteurella haemolytica A2, group 2 was vaccinated twice intramuscularly with an oil adjuvant vaccine containing P haemolytica A7, and group 3 was initially vaccinated intranasally with the formalin-killed P haemolytica A2 followed by intramuscular vaccination with the oil adjuvant vaccine. In each group the two vaccinations were carried out four weeks apart. Group 4 was the unvaccinated control group. All goats were challenged intratracheally with 4 ml of an inoculum containing live P haemolytica A2 at a concentration of 1.3 x 10(7) colony forming units/ml two weeks after the last vaccination and were killed 14 days after the challenge. Although group 2 showed the highest clinical score following the challenge, deaths were observed only in group 3. Three goats in group 1 had pneumonic lung lesions, compared with six goats in group 2 and all the goats in groups 3 and 4. The lung lesions in group 1 were significantly (P < 0.05) less severe than in groups 3 and 4. Similarly, the lesions in group 2 were markedly less severe than in groups 3 and 4, although the differences were not significant. The difference between the extent of the lung lesions in the goats in groups 1 and 2 was not significant. Antibody against P haemolytica A2 in group 1 reached peak levels and was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than in the control group one week after the second vaccination, before declining.
    MeSH terms: Administration, Intranasal; Animals; Antibody Formation; Goats; Pasteurella Infections/prevention & control*; Vaccination/veterinary; Vaccines, Inactivated; Goat Diseases/prevention & control*; Mannheimia haemolytica/pathogenicity*
  20. Six isoforms of cardiotoxin in malayan spitting cobra (Naja naja sputatrix) venom: cloning and characterization of cDNAs
    Jeyaseelan K, Armugam A, Lachumanan R, Tan CH, Tan NH
    Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1998 Apr 10;1380(2):209-22.
    PMID: 9565688
    Cardiotoxins are the most abundant toxin components of cobra venom. Although many cardiotoxins have been purified and characterized by amino acid sequencing and other pharmacological and biochemical studies, to date only five cardiotoxin cDNAs from Taiwan cobra (Naja naja atra), three cDNAs from Chinese cobra (Naja atra) and two more of uncertain origin (either Chinese or Taiwan cobra) have been reported. In this paper we show the existence of four isoforms of cardiotoxin by protein analysis and nine cDNA sequences encoding six isoforms of cardiotoxins (CTX 1-3, 4a, 4b and 5) from N. n. sputatrix by cDNA cloning. This forms the first report on the cloning and characterization of several cardiotoxin genes from a single species of a spitting cobra. The cDNAs encoding these isoforms, obtained by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), were subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli. The native and recombinant cardiotoxins were first characterized by Western blotting and N-terminal protein sequencing. These proteins were also found to have different levels of cytolytic activity on cultured baby hamster kidney cells. Four of the isoforms (CTX 1, 2, 4 and 5) are unique to N. n. sputatrix, with CTX 2 being the most abundant species constituting about 50% of the total cardiotoxins. The isoform CTX 3 (20% constitution) is highly homologous to the cardiotoxins of N. n. atra and N. n. naja, indicating that it may be universally present in all Naja naja subspecies. Our studies suggest that the most hydrophilic isoform (CTX 5) could have evolved first followed by the hydrophobic isoforms (CTX 1, 2, 3 and 4). We also speculate that Asiatic cobras could be the modern descendants of the African and Egyptian counterparts.
    MeSH terms: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cloning, Molecular; Cobra Venoms/genetics*; Cobra Venoms/chemistry; Cobra Cardiotoxin Proteins/analysis; Cobra Cardiotoxin Proteins/genetics*; Cobra Cardiotoxin Proteins/chemistry*; Genes/genetics; Malaysia; Molecular Sequence Data; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/genetics; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Gene Expression/genetics; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Sequence Analysis; DNA, Complementary/analysis; DNA, Complementary/genetics; DNA, Complementary/chemistry
External Links