Low-Cost Sensor Node for Air Quality Monitoring: Field Tests and Validation of Particulate Matter Measurements.

Air pollution is still a major public health issue, which makes monitoring air quality a necessity. Mobile, low-cost air quality measurement devices can potentially deliver more coherent data for a region or municipality than stationary measurement stations are capable of due to their improved spatial coverage. In this study, air quality measurements obtained during field tests of our low-cost air quality sensor node (sensor-box) are presented and compared to measurements from the regional air quality monitoring network.

Incidence and diagnosis of rotavirus infection in neonates: results of two studies.

The present study investigates the incidence of human rotavirus excretion in neonates of two hospitals. From April 1, 1983 to March 31, 1984, rotaviruses were detected with Rotazyme in the feces of 57 (15%) of 383 neonates at the Department of Pediatrics, University of Berne, in a total in 71 (5.2%) of the 1369 stool samples tested.

[Infectious diarrhea in children. Results of a prospective study concerning various epidemiological and clinical aspects of infectious diarrhea in children].

Over a 3-year period (from October 1981 to September 1984) 352 pediatric patients were treated for infectious diarrhea at the Division for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Berne, Switzerland. Routine diagnostic tests on stool samples included cultures for Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter and Yersinia, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Rotazyme) for rotaviruses. In selected cases special tests for parasitic pathogens were also performed.

Murine cytomegalovirus.

BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were infected with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). On day 4 or 12 of the infection, the animals were immunized with SRBC (T-dependent), TNP-Ficoll (T-independent) and standard poliovirus. The adverse effect of the virus infection on humoral immune responses was limited to animals immunized on day 4; while anti-SRBC antibody formation was severely depressed in both mouse strains, reduced plaque forming cells to TNP-Ficoll were registered only in BALB/c mice.

Anti-poliovirus IgG subclass antibodies in cytomegalovirus infected mice.

A considerable strain difference was noted in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice with regard to the impairment of antibody responses to poliovirus antigens in the course of infection with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV): a long lasting reduction in antibody formation in BALB/c mice contrasted with an only moderate depression observed in C57BL/6 animals. Analysis of antibody classes and IgG subclasses revealed that anti-poliovirus VP1 antibodies in BALB/c mice were predominantly of the IgG3 subclass, a subclass most drastically affected by MCMV infection, while C57BL/6 mice produced antibodies of the IgM class and of IgG1 and IgG2 subclasses which were reduced to a lesser extent by the infection with MCMV. It is concluded that the strain difference observed may be explained on the basis of differences in the handling of poliovirus antigenic determinants by BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.

[Diagnosis of hepatitis B: is the additional demonstration of viral genome of a prognostic value?].

HBV markers were tested in sera of patients with various clinical and serological states of HBV infection, including patients with delta-infection, and were compared to the detection of HBV-DNA in the sera by hybridization. The results show that high levels of HBV-DNA (much greater than 100 pg/0.1 ml) are mainly found in sera of patients with chronic hepatitis or in early sera of HBs antigen carriers, while 17 of 20 patients with undetectable or trace amounts of DNA in early sera exhibited a self-limiting hepatitis infection.

Cross-reactions of immunoglobulin M and G antibodies with enterovirus-specific viral structural proteins.

We analysed the reactivity of enterovirus-specific human IgM and IgG antibodies with the structural proteins of different enteroviruses by the immunoblot technique. In general, all immunoglobulin G antibodies of the tested sera reacted with capsid polypeptide VP 1 of the viruses tested (echoviruses 9 and 11, coxsackievirus B3 and poliovirus 2). In contrast, enterovirus specific immunoglobulin M antibodies of adults reacted with capsid polypeptides VP 1, VP 2, and/or VP 3 of the viruses mentioned above.

[Possibilities and limits in the detection of nosocomial rotavirus infections].

During an epidemiological survey on rotavirus gastroenteritis in the area of Berne (Switzerland) different virus types were analyzed according to their genome segment pattern. Nosocomial rotavirus infections among pediatric patients were carefully investigated. Possible limitations of such studies are discussed in details.

Duration of immunity after rubella vaccination: a long-term study in Switzerland.

In Switzerland 319 of 594 young women seronegative for rubella antibody vaccinated at 15-25 years of age against rubella with the Cendehill vaccine strain were retested 15 years later with three tests (hemagglutination inhibition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and a neutralization technique) for the presence of rubella antibodies. For 307 women rubella antibodies were still detectable by all three techniques. For nine women rubella antibodies were demonstrable by only one or two tests.

[Delta hepatitis in Switzerland. Determination of delta antigens and delta antibodies in 397 HBsAg-positive patients (1978-1984)].

In a retrospective study a total of 754 sera from 397 hepatitis patients were assayed for delta antigen and antibody by radioimmunoassay. The study included patients of all age groups (3 months up to 85 years) whose first serum sample, taken from 1978 until January 1984, was positive for HBsAg. Clinically the patients could be subdivided into three major groups: 311 sera were from 181 patients with acute hepatitis, 296 from 135 CPH/CAH patients, including a few cases of liver cirrhosis and 3 cases of HCC, and 147 sera were from 81 asymptomatic carriers.

Reaction pattern of immunoglobulin M and G antibodies to echovirus 11 structural proteins.

The immunoglobulin M and G specific immune response of humans to echovirus 11 proteins during an echovirus 11 outbreak was studied by the immunoblot technique. Whereas immunoglobulin G antibodies were directed most exclusively to the VP 1 protein, the immunoglobulin M antibodies were directed against VP 1, VP 2, and VP 3.

Characterization of the subclasses and light chain types of IgG antibodies to rubella.

IgG subclasses of antibodies to rubella were determined in indirect enzyme linked immunoassay (ELISA) with monoclonal antibodies specific for human IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4. Eleven sera from women with long past history of rubella, two hyperimmune and five non-hyperimmune immunoglobulin preparations were tested. Light chain types of the antibodies were tested in ELISA with polyclonal specific antibodies to kappa and lambda chains.

[Sensitive virologic evaluation in suspected meningitis: study of a radioimmunotest for the detection of IgM antibodies against ECHO 9 and ECHO 11 viruses].

The majority of viral meningitis cases is known to be due to ECHO virus infections on one hand, and mumps on the other. While the latter can be diagnosed by IgM antibody detection from one serum sample in the acute stage, diagnosis of enterovirus infections is by virus isolation and typing. An IgM-antibody test for ECHO 9 and 11 viruses is presented to evaluate the possibility of rapid serological diagnosis of ECHO virus meningitis cases.

[Virologic diagnosis of mumps infection: a solid phase radioimmunoassay for the detection of mumps specific IgM antibodies (MACRIA)].

A solid phase radioimmunoassay for the detection of mumpsspecific IgM antibodies (MACRIA) is described. In 22 cases of clinically suspected mumps infections confirmed by conventional serological methods, IgM antibodies to mumps virus were detectable. On the other hand, no mumpsspecific IgM antibodies were present in 9 cases of suspected mumps that could not be confirmed by classical serology (seroconversion or significant titer rise in CFT or NT).

Antibody capture radioimmunoassay for anti-rubella IgM.

An M-antibody capture radioimmunoassay (MACRIA) for anti-rubella IgM was developed. Under optimum conditions positive serum specimens bound up to 20 times as much radioactivity as negative specimens. Positive reactions were expressed in arbitrary units/ml by comparison with a calibration curve derived from results obtained with dilutions of a standard serum.

Immunohistochemical localization of galactosyltransferase in human fibroblasts and HeLa cells.

Anti-human galactosyltransferase (E.C. 2.

[Influenza vaccination with a trivalent whole virus vaccine].

During winter 1979/80 21 trainee nurses aged 18-22 years were vaccinated once with an intact influenza vaccine containing for the first time, two different virus-A subtypes as well as a B-strain. 22 trainee nurses from the same school served as controls. A greater than or equal to 4-fold seroconversion (2 dilution steps) was observed in 67% (A/Texas/77), 83% (A/USSR/77) and 57% (B/Hongkong/73) of the vaccinated, but only in 5% (A/Texas/77, one case) of the non-vaccinated.

[Virologic diagnosis of rubella. Findings in a rubella epidemic in a military training camp].

During a minor rubella epidemic in a Swiss army recruit training camp (Spring 1978), recent rubella infection was proved in 20 out of 22 investigated cases. In 18 cases virus replication could be shown by means of indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). Due to its higher sensitivity and easier performance in comparison with conventional echo interference, we believe IIF should be the method of choice for rubella virus isolation.

[Virological diagnosis of herpes simplex virus infections (author's transl)].

Culturing herpes simplex virus is rapid and economic for establishing an etiological diagnosis. Serological tests are only of limited value. Differentiation of type I and type II strains is necessary in the course of therapeutic studies.

[Virological diagnosis of enteroviral diseases].

68 human enteroviruses are responsible for many acute viral diseases. An economic diagnostic procedure is discussed and documented by the author's own findings. Virus isolation is regarded as the method of choice, for epidemiological reasons and in view of the fact that enteroviruses are often isolated within a few days.