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At least 1,171 records · Page 65Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

A recombinant fusion protein and DNA vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease virus type Asia 1 infection in guinea pigs.

On the basis of amino acid (aa) sequence of the tandem repeat 133-158-20-34-133-158 which consisted of aa 133-158 of VP1 and aa 20-34 of VP4 of Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) type Asia 1 a recombinant prokaryotic expression vector pAS1-P encoding a fusion protein and eukaryotic expression vectors pAS1-E and pAS1-EdeltaCpG-ODN representing DNA vaccines were constructed. Guinea pigs immunized with these vaccines showed both neutralizing antibody and T cell proliferation responses. FMDV challenge tests for the first time showed that the recombinant fusion protein and pAS1-E and pAS1-EdeltaCpG-ODN vaccines protected 86%, 60% and 43% of guinea pigs from FMDV type Asia1 challenge, respectively. The results also indicated that the immune response of animals treated with the vector pAS1-E containing an oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), which consisted of immunostimulatory cytosine-phosphate-guanosine (CpG) motifs, was augmented by CpG ODN.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

International collaborative study of cardiovascular disease in Asia: design, rationale, and preliminary results.

OBJECTIVES: The overall objective of the International Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Disease in Asia (InterASIA) was to estimate the prevalence and distribution of cardiovascular disease risk factors, including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, obesity, cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity, in the general population of both China and Thailand. METHODS AND RESULTS: A multistage cluster sampling method was used to select a nationally representative sample of 15,838 adults, aged 35-74 years, in China, and 5,350 similarly aged adults in Thailand. Data on medical history, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and awareness and control of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, were collected. Blood pressure, body weight and height, and hip and waist circumferences, were measured using standard methods. Fasting blood specimens were collected to measure levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and creatinine. All data were carefully collected by specially trained, experienced observers using standardized methods and a stringent level of quality control. The prevalence of self-reported cardiovascular disease in Chinese adults aged 35-74 years was 3.3% in men and 3.6% in women (representing 8,147,000 male and 8,270,000 female cases nationally). The prevalence of self-reported cardiovascular disease in Thai adults was 1.5% in men and 1.7% in women (representing 184,000 male and 226,000 female cases). CONCLUSIONS: The InterASIA study provides important information on the current prevalence and control of both cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in the region. These findings will be useful for developing national strategies to reduce the large, and increasing, burden of cardiovascular disease in China and Thailand.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Classification, epidemiology and implications of chronic prostatitis in North America, Europe and Asia.

The last decade has seen a resurgence of interest and exciting new research on chronic prostatitis and related syndromes. One important reason for this enthusiasm is the recognition that chronic prostatitis syndromes represent an important worldwide health care problem. New data suggesting that chronic prostatitis syndromes may have important long-term consequences are a second reason for the resurgence of research interest. This article reviews the new classification of chronic prostatitis syndromes. Emphasis is then given to summarizing new data on the epidemiology of chronic prostatitis. We concentrated on population-based studies employing reasonable case-definitions to survey various populations from North America, Europe and Asia. These studies suggest that prostatitis syndromes are common, with 2-10% of adult men suffering from symptoms compatible with chronic prostatitis at any time. Approximately 15% of men suffer from symptoms of prostatitis at some point in their lives. Preliminary epidemiological and biological studies also suggest that chronic prostatitis may be associated with an increased risk for development of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. These findings support the conclusions that chronic prostatitis is an important international health care problem that merits increased priority from clinicians as well as increased clinical and basic science research.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

A simplified screening strategy for thalassaemia and haemoglobin E in rural communities in south-east Asia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a simple screening strategy for thalassaemia and haemoglobin (Hb) E in a prevention and control programme for thalassaemia in rural communities with limited resources. METHODS: Blood samples from 301 Thai-Khmer participants were screened for thalassaemia and Hb E using a combined modified one-tube osmotic fragility (OF) test and a modified dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) precipitation test. Results were evaluated with standard haematological analyses including erythrocyte indices, Hb typing and quantification and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of alpha-globin and beta-globin genes. FINDINGS: Participants were divided into four groups according to the results of the combined tests. Altogether, 104 of 301 participants (34.6%) had negative results on both tests; 48 (15.9%) were positive on the OF test but not the DCIP test; 40 (13.3%) were negative on the OF test but positive on DCIP test; and 109 (36.2%) were positive on both tests. No carrier of clinically significant forms of thalassaemia (alpha(o)-thalassaemia, beta-thalassaemia) or Hb E was found among the group that had negative results for both tests. All participants with Hb E had positive DCIP tests. Carriers of alpha+-thalassaemia or Hb Constant Spring could generate either positive or negative OF test results but they all had negative DCIP tests. Using both tests as a preliminary screening for the three important groups of carriers gave a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 69.8%. The positive predictive value of the combined test was 77.2%. The negative predictive value was 100%. Further evaluation of the screening system by local staff at three community hospitals found a sensitivity of 98.1-100% and a specificity of 65.4-88.4% with positive predictive values of 75.0-86.9% and negative predictive values of 98.1-100%. CONCLUSION: A combined test using OF and DCIP could be used as an effective preliminary screening alternative to an electronic blood cell count for identifying carriers with alpha(o)-thalassaemia, beta-thalassaemia and Hb E. The strategy should prove useful for population screening in prevention and control programmes in rural communities in south-east Asia where laboratory facilities and economic resources are limited.

2,6-Dichloroindophenol↗
PubMed2003

Mekong malaria. II. Update of malaria, multi-drug resistance and economic development in the Mekong region of Southeast Asia.

In an expansion of the first Mekong Malaria monograph published in 1999, this second monograph updates the malaria database in the countries comprising the Mekong region of Southeast Asia. The update adds another 3 years' information to cover cumulative data from the 6 Mekong countries (Cambodia, China/Yunnan, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam) for the six-year period 1999-2001. The objective is to generate a more comprehensive regional perspective in what is a global epicenter of drug resistant falciparum malaria, in order to improve malaria control on a regional basis in the context of social and economic change. The further application of geographical information systems (GIS) to the analysis has underscored the overall asymmetry of disease patterns in the region, with increased emphasis on population mobility in disease spread. Of great importance is the continuing expansion of resistance of P. falciparum to antimalarial drugs in common use and the increasing employment of differing drug combinations as a result. The variation in drug policy among the 6 countries still represents a major obstacle to the institution of region-wide restrictions on drug misuse. An important step forward has been the establishment of 36 sentinel sites throughout the 6 countries, with the objective of standardizing the drug monitoring process; while not all sentinel sites are fully operational yet, the initial implementation has already given encouraging results in relation to disease monitoring. Some decreases in malaria mortality have been recorded. The disease patterns delineated by GIS are particularly instructive when focused on inter-country distribution, which is where more local collaborative effort can be made to rationalize resource utilization and policy development. Placing disease data in the context of socio-economic trends within and between countries serves to further identify the needs and the potential for placing emphasis on resource rationalization on a regional basis. Despite the difficulties, the 6-year time frame represented in this monograph gives confidence that the now well established collaboration is becoming a major factor in improving malaria control on a regional basis and hopefully redressing to a substantial degree the key problem of spread of drug resistance regionally and eventually globally.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

[Differentiation of Dolly Varden char Salvelinus malma from Asia and North America inferred from PCR-RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA].

Genetic differentiation of Dolly Varden char Salvelinus malma Walbaum from the Asian and North American Pacific coasts was studied. We examined restriction fragment length polymorphism of three mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragments amplified in polymerase chain reaction, which encoded four NADH dehydrogenase subunits, the cytochrome b gene, and a D-loop segment. The mtDNA haplotypes were shown to form three phylogenetic groups, whose geographic distribution corresponded to three Dolly Varden subspecies: S. malma malma, S. malma krascheninnikovi, and S. malma lordi. The nucleotide sequence divergence between S. malma malma and S. malma krascheninnikovi was 3.8%; between S. malma malma and S. malma lordi, 3.1%; and between S. malma krascheninnikovi and S. malma lordi, 2.5%. The northern Dolly Varden S. malma malma from Asia was shown to be genetically identical to that from North America.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Adenovirus hemorrhagic cystitis in a stem cell transplant patient: the first reported case in Southeast Asia.

Adenovirus (AdV) infections are prevalent in bone marrow transplant patients, usually associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a major complication mainly attributed to this virus. The authors report a case of AdV HC in a myelodysplastic patient undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The diagnosis was confirmed by positive urine AdV antigen using indirect immunofluorescence assay. The patient gradually improved after adequate hydration, supportive treatment and reduced dose of cyclosporine, and was discharged on the ninth day of hospitalization. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case of AdV HC in stem cell transplantation in Southeast Asia.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Collection of Hordeum spontaneum C. Koch emend. Bacht. from Southwest Asia studied in the neighborhood of Moscow.

Wild barley Hordeum spontaneum C. emend. is of interest from several aspects (Bakhteev, 1974). It is not only a very near relative of cultivated barley H. sativum Jessen, but also a potentially very promising donor for use in hybridization. With these facts in mind and, in particular, recalling N. I. Vavilov's remarks [on the occasion of publication of R. E. Regel's article "on the origin of cultivated barleys" (1917)], appropriate investigations were started. In the present case 77 specimens of H. spontaneum, collected by S. Sakamoto (Japan) in the countries of South West Asia, were studied with reference to several morphological and biological features including winter hardiness.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[RAPD analysis of the populations of the malaria mosquitoes Anopheles superpictus and A. pulcherrimus in the malaria foci of the central Asia].

RAPD-analysis was used to estimate intraspecies-specific variability in malaria mosquitoes, the major vectors of malaria in Central Asia. The high heterogeneity of RAPD-loci was found in 7 populations of An. superpictus and 2 populations of An. pulcherrimus. Genetic distances between the populations were determined on the basis of analysis of the frequencies of 15 RAPD-loci. There was a genetic similarity of An. superpictus populations in the malaria foci of Tadjikistan with those in the neighboring Surkhandariya Region of Uzbekistan.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Barriers to disaster coordination: health sector coordination in Banda Aceh following the South Asia Tsunami.

Ecological disasters impact large populations every year, and hundreds of nongovernmental organizations, thousands of aid workers, and billions of dollars are sent in response. Yet, there have been recurring problems with coordination, leading to wasted efforts and funds. The humanitarian response to the December 2004 Earthquake and Tsunami in Asia was one of the largest ever, and coordination problems were apparent. The coordination processes and attempts at coordination are discussed in this paper. Specific barriers to cooperation are discussed, such as weak leadership, the absence of accountability, the lack of credentialing, the diverse goals of the responding agencies, and the weaknesses in the coordination process itself.

Altruism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Central system of psychosocial support to the Czech victims affected by the tsunami in Southeast Asia.

The tsunami disaster affected several countries in Southeast Asia in December 2004 and killed or affected many tourists, most of them from Europe. Eight Czech citizens died, and about 500 Czechs were seriously mentally traumatized. The psychosocial needs of tourists included: (1) protection; (2) treatment; (3) safety; (4) relief; (5) psychological first aid; (6) connecting with family members; (7) transportation home; (8) information about possible mental reactions to trauma; (9) information about the normality of their reaction; (10) procedural and environmental orientation; (11) reinforcement of personal competencies; and (12) psycho-trauma therapy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic was in charge of general emergency management. General coordination of psychosocial support was coordinated under the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic, which is connected to the Central Crisis Staff of the Czech Government. The major cooperative partners were: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health, Czech Airlines, psychosocial intervention teams of the Czech Republic, and the Czech Association of Clinical Psychologists. The main goals of relief workers were: (1) to bring back home the maximum number of Czech citizens; (2) to provide relevant information to the maximum number of affected Czech citizens; (3) to provide relevant information to rescue workers and professionals; and (4) to prepare working psychosocial support regional network. Major activities of the Ministry of Interior (psychology section) included: (1) establishing a psychological helpline; (2) running a team of psychological assistance (assistance in the Czech airports, psychological monitoring of tourists, crisis intervention, psychological first aid, assistance in the collection of DNA material from relatives); (3) drafting and distributing specific information materials (brochures, leaflets, address lists, printed and electronic instructions); (4) communicating via the media and advertising, and (5) providing analysis and research studies. Central coordination of psychosocial support has been found as successful in the first phase after the disaster. The plans must be built for preferable cooperation in the psychosocial field in the Czech Republic. Better collaborates with journalists must exist in order to reduce secondary psycho-trauma. There is a need for intensive international cooperation in the psychosocial field and to build the network at the global level.

Crisis Intervention↗
PubMed2006

Culture and mental health of women in South-East Asia.

This article reviews the impact of cultural factors on mental health of South Asian women. Marked gender discrimination in South Asia has led to second class status of women in society. Their mobility, work, self-esteem and self-image, in fact their worth and identity, seem to depend upon the male members of a patriarchal society. Women's lack of empowerment and both financial and emotional dependence have restricted their self-expression and choices in life. This, along with family, social and work pressures, has a definite impact on women's mental health.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Common alpha-thalassemia deletions in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients in the Southeast Asia region of Myanmar.

Screening of 3 common alpha-thalassemia (thal) deletions (-alpha3.7, -alpha4.2 and --SEA) in Southeast Asia was done by polymerase chain reaction in 170 unrelated Myanmar thal patients receiving transfusions. Thal deletions were detected in 27 patients (15.9%) as: (1) alpha-thal-2 (-alpha3.7/alphaalpha) in 12 heterozygous or hemoglobin (Hb) E-beta-thal cases; (2) alpha-thal-1 in 7 patients (2-alpha3.7/-alpha3.7 and 5 --SEA/alphaalpha); and (3) Hb H (-alpha3.7/--SEA) in 8 patients. The latter 15 alpha-thal-1 and Hb H patients had no beta-thal mutations and represented 8.8% of the overall patients seeking transfusion for refractory anemia in Myanmar. This is the first description of alpha-thal in Myanmar from the molecular aspect, and its clinical and racial heterogeneity are described and discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Excellent endpoints from step-down bridge combination therapy of 5 immunosuppressants in NSAID-refractory ankylosing spondylitis: 6 year international study in Asia - WHO-ILAR COPCORD stage II treatment of the autoimmune diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To achieve induction and maintenance of remission in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) refractory to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs with "step-down bridge combination" of 5 immunosuppressants, as an alternative to costly biologic DMARD. Primary endpoints were the percentage of patients achieving ASAS 20 at the end of Year 6; secondary endpoints were patients achieving ASAS 50 and ASAS 70, induction and maintenance of clinical and radiological remission, and the side effects of this combination of immunosuppressive drugs. METHODS: In a 6-year uncontrolled international open-label prospective study, 54 men and 25 women with AS were enrolled after exclusion criteria were applied. Included patients were treated with individualized combinations of low-dose intravenous methylprednisolone + cyclophosphamide + methotrexate (for the first 6 mo). When erythrocyte sedimentation rate dropped to < or = 20 mm (men < or = 10 mm), low-dose oral mycophenolate mofetil and cyclosporine were prescribed for at least 2 years. Assessments were executed at baseline, Weeks 1 and 2; Months 1, 2, 4, and 6; and Years 1, 2, 4, and 6. RESULTS: After 15/79 dropouts were accounted for, 64/79 patients achieved ASAS 20, ASAS 50, and ASAS 70. Disease remission occurred in 60/79 at 6 months when IV drugs were tapered. Gastrointestinal side effects were observed in 20/79 patients; no liver, renal, cardiovascular, and hematologic adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSION: Step-down bridge combination of 5 immunosuppressants achieved ASAS 20, ASAS 50, and ASAS 70 in 64/79 patients, and remission in 60/79 patients with NSAID-refractory AS. Controlled studies are needed to confirm this method, and to study the role of these different drugs in developing countries in Asia, where the majority of patients with NSAID-refractory AS are unable to obtain treatment with tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Identification of a novel phenylketonuria (PKU) mutation in the Chinese: further evidence for multiple origins of PKU in Asia.

A novel mutation has been identified in the human phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene of a Chinese patient with classical phenylketonuria (PKU). It is a single base transition of G to A at the last base in intron 4 of the gene, which abolishes the 3'-acceptor site of the intron. Population screening indicates that this mutation constitutes about 8% of all PKU chromosomes in Chinese but is absent in Japanese and Caucasian PKU patients. It is prevalent in southern China but rare in northern China, providing additional evidence that there were multiple founding populations of PKU in east Asia.

Alleles↗
PubMed1990

[The clinico-epidemiological characteristics of the course and diagnosis of tick-borne rickettsiosis in northern Asia].

The study of tick-borne rickettsiosis in Northern Asia has made it possible to determine the clinico-epidemiological features of the modern course of this disease, which should be taken into consideration for the timely diagnosis of this infection. The laboratory verification of the diagnosis should be carried out, as recommended by the authors, in the agar precipitation and leukocytosis tests in their modification.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Ageing in the developing countries of Asia and the Pacific--implications for health care.

While ageing is still clearly not a high priority issue for health planners, policy makers and clinicians in developing countries of Asia and the Pacific, there will be a growing need in coming years to pay more and more attention to the important health issues associated with population ageing in countries which make up this region of the world. This paper reports some of the relevant findings of a WHO sponsored cross national study of the health and social aspects of ageing in four of the countries, namely Korea, the Philippines, Fiji and Malaysia. The key findings are compared and contrasted with those of a similar WHO eleven country study in Europe. The paper argues that there is an urgent need to develop health care strategies which will minimise the impact of population ageing and will maintain the growing numbers of old people in relatively good physical and mental health through preventive measures and through programmes directed to the maintenance of physical and mental health.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Structural changes of liposome phospholipid packing induced by cytotoxin of the Central Asia cobra venom.

Liposomes and proteoliposomes obtained from rat brain were used; structural changes induced by Vc5 cytotoxin (CT) from Central Asia cobra venom have been studied by the EPR method using spin probes (5-, 10-, or 12-doxylstearic acid). The addition of CT to liposome samples, containing spin probes resulted in the appearance of a new EPR signal in the initial spectrum (samples without CT), typical of probes with strongly retarded mobility. The presence of hydrophobic interaction between the CT molecules and spin labelled fat acids permits the assumption that CT molecules in liposomes trap both lipid probes and phospholipids localized in the reach of action of hydrophobic forces. CT may be supposed to induce formation in membranes of liposomes with domain structures. As a result of hydrophobic interaction with CT molecules both the phospholipid and lipid probe mobility in the domain is substantially less than that in liposome regions free of CT molecules. Due to this, a new signal appears in the initial EPR spectrum of the spin probes. An analysis of the dependence of the probe order parameter value on CT concentration in samples has suggested that CT act uniformly along the membrane lipid profile with a certain CT concentration range. At high concentrations CT molecules cannot penetrate the lipid region deep enough, due to mutual electrostatic repulsion and steric factors at membrane surface. As a result, structural changes involve regions adjacent to the membrane surface only.

Animals↗