The Methamphetamine Treatment Project is a multisite trial that compares the effectiveness of eight models of outpatient treatment for methamphetamine dependence to that of the Matrix model. These eight "treatment-as-usual" models represent diverse approaches developed in a variety of settings to serve markedly different populations. The theoretical foundations of these treatments are described as well as the settings in which they are delivered. To facilitate comparisons, details are presented with respect to frequency of group and individual sessions, duration of treatment, therapist qualifications, and access to ancillary services. The populations served by these programs vary with respect to race and ethnicity. Most programs serve primarily non-Hispanic Caucasians, but some programs serve significant proportions of Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans. Usual route of administration of methamphetamine also varies by site, with snorting, smoking, and injecting each reported as the most common route of administration at one or more sites. The Minnesota model and cognitive-behavioral approaches are most commonly used in these programs, although contingency management and psychodynamic approaches are also represented. The intensive phase of treatment ranges between four and 24 weeks; the number of hours per week of client contact varies between one and 13. This trial will provide the opportunity to test the effectiveness of a wide range of treatments currently in use in community settings.

Central Nervous System Stimulants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clumsy children--a review of recent research.

Clumsy children have severe problems in developing adequate skills of movement in the absence of general sensory and intellectual impairments and without showing signs of overt neurological damage. Descriptive studies indicate a variety of characteristics which are typical of these children including difficulties with feeding and dressing, poor drawing and writing skills, and lower performance than verbal IQ. Studies which explore the underlying functional impairments in these children are reviewed, with an emphasis on the methodological problems inherent in demonstrating causal influences. It is concluded that attempts to relate clumsiness to impairments of visual and kinaesthetic perception, although as yet inconclusive, are worthy of further study.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

High-titer antisera production using three adjuvants and peptide conjugates derived from malarial surface antigen MSA-2.

We have identified a 51-kDa glycosylated myristoylated merozoite surface antigen as the target of a number of monoclonal antibodies that inhibit P. falciparum invasion. This antigen has been shown to exist in a limited number of strain-specific forms, but despite wide variation in the sequences of the internal repeat regions both N- and C-terminal elements of the protein are almost totally conserved. Accordingly, we prepared a large number of overlapping peptide constructs and demonstrated that one peptide, SNTFINNA (E-71), from the N-terminus and two peptides, QHG HMHGS (G-5) and NTSDSQKE (G-12), from the C-terminus were capable, when suitably conjoined to carrier protein diphtheria toxoid, of eliciting antibodies reactive with MSA-2 from diverse strains of P. falciparum. Here we compared the immunogenicity of the peptide constructs when formulated with a Freund's adjuvant, alum and algammulin. Both peptide constructs E-71 and G-5 elicit high-titer antibodies with all three adjuvants when tested by ELISA against the immunogens themselves and by Western blotting of whole parasite extracts from two distinct parasite strains.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

High titer response against a malarial antigen depends on the flanking sequence of the immunizing peptide conjugate.

The immunogenicity of peptides conjugates containing the epitope STNS, recognized by inhibitory monoclonal antibodies directed against the Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface antigen MSA2, was investigated. The sequence of the flanking regions was critical in determining the response against the central epitope. In the best immunogen tested, this flanking sequence was not related to the sequence of the surface antigen itself but nevertheless gave rise to a strong anti-MSA2 protein response as judged by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. This finding illustrates the importance of defining such flanking sequences in optimizing peptide based vaccines.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The influence of water-miscible alcohols on the conformation of antibodies directed against a defined epitope.

Antiserum was raised against peptide P513 (CSQRSTNSAST) conjugated to diphtheria toxoid. P513 is a sequence derived from the Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface antigen (MSA-2) containing the STNS epitope recognized by antibodies that inhibit parasite growth. Although antibodies directed against other STNS-containing peptides can bind to the native MSA-2 antigen, polyclonal anti-P513 serum failed to react in immunofluorescence assays with parasites or with MSA-2 by Western blotting. However, addition of methanol, ethanol or 1-propanol modified the specificity of the anti-P513 interaction, resulting in recognition of MSA-2. The effect was concentration dependent: at high alcohol concentrations, the specificity was further modified, and a previously undescribed rhoptry antigen was recognized. These results indicate that addition of alcohols to immunoassays may provide a way of modifying the specificity of antibodies in general, and the reactivity of anti-peptide serum with the parent protein in particular.

1-Propanol↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Two immunogenic peptide conjugates derived from P. falciparum MSA2 give rise to antibodies that crossreact with a nonhomologous 195-kDa malarial protein.

Merzoite Surface Antigen 2 (MSA2) is a 51-kDa antigen from P. falciparum that has marked sequence variation between malarial strains but contains highly conserved N- and C-terminal sequences. Previously described peptide sequences from these conserved domains are capable, when coupled to the carrier protein diphtheria toxoid (DT), of raising antibodies that recognize MSA2 in a number of malarial isolates. In this study we report the existence of two peptide conjugates from the conserved C-terminus of MSA2 which, when used as immunogens, produce antibodies that react with a 195-kDa protein and give a merzoite surface pattern on immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The antisera against these peptide conjugates do not recognize MSA2; however, the 195-kDa protein, and identical surface pattern on IFA, is recognized by a monoclonal antibody (mAB) against Merzoite Surface Antigen 1 (MSA1). These two peptides, when unconjugated to DT, are nonimmunogenic, and DT alone is not capable of inducing antibodies that react with malarial proteins. The combination of the carrier and either peptide is capable, however, of raising antibodies against MSA1, despite sharing no sequence homology with this antigen. This data thus highlights the importance of protein conformation when generating antibody against carrier-peptide conjugates.

Amino Acid Sequence↗