Towards mutual trust, transparency and equity in virus sharing mechanism: the avian influenza case of Indonesia.

Introduction: As the country hardest hit by avian influenza, both in poultry and in human, Indonesia's decision to withhold samples of avian influenza virus A (H5N1) has fired up a global controversy. The objective of this paper is to describe the position taken by Indonesia in the events leading to the decision and in those conducted to resolve the situation.

Methods: The sources for this paper are the Indonesian human influenza A(H5N1) case reports and study results, summaries, minutes and reports of national and international meetings of virus sharing, and other related Indonesian and WHO documents.

Epidemiology of cases of H5N1 virus infection in Indonesia, July 2005-June 2006.

Background: Highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus was detected in domestic poultry in Indonesia beginning in 2003 and is now widespread among backyard poultry flocks in many provinces. The first human case of H5N1 virus infection in Indonesia was identified in July 2005.

Methods: Respiratory specimens were collected from persons with suspected H5N1 virus infection and were tested by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and viral culture.

The in vitro perifused rat ovary: IV. Modulation of ovarian steroid secretion by insulin.

Insulin has been implicated as a regulatory factor in ovarian steroidogenesis. To assess this issue, we examined the role of insulin on steroid secretion by whole ovaries from pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG)-pretreated rats, using an in vitro perifusion ovarian model. Three concentrations of insulin were perifused in the absence and presence of gonadotropin pulse-stimulation.

The in vitro perifused rat ovary: V. The significance of the follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone ratio on steroid release.

In these studies, an in vitro perifusion model was used to compare stimulation of ovarian tissue with either human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), which is an equal mixture of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), or with hMG plus added human FSH. Eight-hour perifusion studies were conducted on either whole, or dissected clusters of follicles from pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG)-treated rats. In the two groups, similar stimulatory protocols were used, consisting of a ramp stimulation over 60 min with either hMG (0-8 mIU/ml) or hMG plus FSH (0-8 mIU/ml hMG + 0-8 mIU/ml FSH), followed by hourly pulse stimulation with hMG (8-18 mIU/ml) or hMG plus FSH (8-18 mIU/ml hMG + 8-18 mIU/ml FSH), respectively.

The in vitro perifused rat ovary: III. Interrelationship of the follicular and stromal compartments on steroid release.

The preovulatory ovary is composed of two primary tissue components, stroma and follicles. To assess the role of these tissue compartments in ovarian steroidogenesis, stromal tissue, follicular tissue, and a mixture of both tissues from pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG)-treated, prepubertal rats were perifused simultaneously for 8 h. The basal level of estradiol secretion by stromal tissue was lower (24 +/- 3 pg/mg/30 min), than that secreted by follicles (64 +/- 5.