Viral vaccines and antivirals: current use and future prospects.

The evolution of viral vaccines from the time of Jennerian prophylaxis to today's recombinant technology has been a continuing story of success. From the relatively crude or "first generation" vaccines for smallpox, rabies, and yellow fever followed a second and third generation of improved or new viral vaccines. The application of techniques for attenuating, inactivating, and partially purifying candidate viruses yielded safe, effective vaccines against influenza, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, and rubella.

Chemical qualities of water that contribute to human health in a positive way.

The emphasis on harmful substances that may occur in potable waters has almost obscured the fact that important beneficial constituents are commonly present. The chemical substances in water that make positive contributions to human health act mainly in two ways: (i) nutritionally, by supplying essential macro and micro elements that the diet (excluding water) may not provide in adequate amounts (for example, Mg, I and Zn); and (ii) by providing macro and micro elements that inhibit the absorbtion and/or effects of toxic elements such as Hg, Pb and Cd. Specific examples of these beneficial effects will be given, also examples of harmful effects on health that may result from excessive intake of these ordinarily beneficial elements.

Representative Sampling of Human Tissue.

In the chemical analyses of tissues for trace elements, quality control of the tissue sample for its composition is a critically important step that is frequently overlooked. This is because the analyst often assumes a degree of homogeneity that does not exist. The means of attaining a representative sample vary greatly depending on the organ or tissue involved, and also on the level of resolution chosen, i.

Cell culture models as ancillary tools in the isolation and characterization of mycoplasmas.

Since the late 1960s, there have been an increasing number of reports describing the isolation and identification of fastidious strains of Mycoplasma hyorhinis in cell cultures but not in conventional mycoplasma media, i.e., agar and broth.