Evaluation of the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of two pen-side tests for detecting African swine fever virus in experimentally infected pigs.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) has spread through many countries and regions worldwide, causing significant losses. Timely detection of ASFV-infected pigs is crucial for disease control. In this study, we assessed the performance of two pen-side tests: a portable real-time PCR (qPCR) test for detecting viral genomic DNA and a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for detecting viral antigens.

Comparative Analysis of Swine Antibody Responses following Vaccination with Live-Attenuated and Killed African Swine Fever Virus Vaccines.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is circulating in many swine-producing countries, causing significant economic losses. It is observed that pigs experimentally vaccinated with a live-attenuated virus (LAV) but not a killed virus (KV) vaccine develop solid homologous protective immunity. The objective of this study was to comparatively analyze antibody profiles between pigs vaccinated with an LAV vaccine and those vaccinated with a KV vaccine to identify potential markers of vaccine-induced protection.

TEAD Proteins Associate With DNA Repair Proteins to Facilitate Cellular Recovery From DNA Damage.

Transcriptional enhanced associate domain family members 1 to 4 (TEADs) are a family of four transcription factors and the major transcriptional effectors of the Hippo pathway. In order to activate transcription, TEADs rely on interactions with other proteins, such as the transcriptional effectors Yes-associated protein and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif. Nuclear protein interactions involving TEADs influence the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in cell growth, tissue homeostasis, and tumorigenesis.

Molecular phylogenetics of a recently isolated goat pox virus from Vietnam.

Background: After a decade of silence, an outbreak of the contagious and Asian endemic disease, goat pox re-emerged in North Vietnam affecting more than 1800 heads with a mortality rate of 6.5%. The inevitable impact of goat pox on hide quality, breeding, chevon and milk production has resulted in a significant economic losses to the developing goat industry of Vietnam.

Machine-Learning and Chemicogenomics Approach Defines and Predicts Cross-Talk of Hippo and MAPK Pathways.

Hippo pathway dysregulation occurs in multiple cancers through genetic and nongenetic alterations, resulting in translocation of YAP to the nucleus and activation of the TEAD family of transcription factors. Unlike other oncogenic pathways such as RAS, defining tumors that are Hippo pathway-dependent is far more complex due to the lack of hotspot genetic alterations. Here, we developed a machine-learning framework to identify a robust, cancer type-agnostic gene expression signature to quantitate Hippo pathway activity and cross-talk as well as predict YAP/TEAD dependency across cancers.

Epidemiology and clinico-pathological characteristics of current goat pox outbreak in North Vietnam.

Background: In view of the current swine fever outbreak and the government aspiration to increase the goat population, a need arises to control and prevent outbreaks of goat pox. Despite North Vietnam facing sporadic cases of goat pox, this most recent outbreak had the highest recorded morbidity, mortality and case fatality rate. Thus, owing to the likelihood of a widespread recurrence of goat pox infection, an analysis of that outbreak was done based on selected signalment, management and disease pattern (signs and pathology) parameters.

Establishment and Maintenance of Chromatin Architecture Are Promoted Independently of Transcription by the Histone Chaperone FACT and H3-K56 Acetylation in .

FACT (FAcilitates Chromatin Transcription/Transactions) is a histone chaperone that can destabilize or assemble nucleosomes. Acetylation of histone H3-K56 weakens a histone-DNA contact that is central to FACT activity, suggesting that this modification could affect FACT functions. We tested this by asking how mutations of H3-K56 and FACT affect nucleosome reorganization activity , and chromatin integrity and transcript output Mimics of unacetylated or permanently acetylated H3-K56 had different effects on FACT activity as expected, but the same mutations had surprisingly similar effects on global transcript levels.

The tumor suppressor BAP1 cooperates with BRAFV600E to promote tumor formation in cutaneous melanoma.

The deubiquitinating enzyme BAP1 is mutated in a hereditary cancer syndrome with a high risk of mesothelioma and melanocytic tumors. Here, we show that Bap1 deletion in melanocytes cooperates with the constitutively active, oncogenic form of BRAF (BRAF ) and UV to cause melanoma in mice, albeit at very low frequency. In addition, Bap1-null melanoma cells derived from mouse tumors are more aggressive and colonize and grow at distant sites more than their wild-type counterparts.

Measles Epidemics Among Children in Vietnam: Genomic Characterization of Virus Responsible for Measles Outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City, 2014.

Background: Measles remains poorly controlled in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize genes of virus responsible for a measles outbreak among children in Vietnam in 2014.

Study Design: Throat swab samples were collected from 122 pediatric patients with suspected measles.

Administration of oral chemotherapy: results from three rounds of the quality oncology practice initiative.

Purpose: Although use of oral chemotherapy is becoming more prevalent, little is known about the quality of care that patients receive when these agents are prescribed. Moreover, few practice-level systems are in place to ensure safe management of oral chemotherapy in the vulnerable population of patients with cancer.

Methods: We analyzed results from 155 practices that were voluntarily participating in the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) program on 17 test measures of oral chemotherapy administration and management in at least one of three collection periods: spring or fall of 2012, or spring of 2013.

Quality of cancer family history and referral for genetic counseling and testing among oncology practices: a pilot test of quality measures as part of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Oncology Practice Initiative.

Purpose: Family history of cancer (CFH) is important for identifying individuals to receive genetic counseling/testing (GC/GT). Prior studies have demonstrated low rates of family history documentation and referral for GC/GT.

Methods: CFH quality and GC/GT practices for patients with breast (BC) or colon cancer (CRC) were assessed in 271 practices participating in the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Oncology Practice Initiative in fall 2011.

The association between acanthosis nigricans and dysglycemia in an ethnically diverse group of eighth grade students.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) and to quantify its association with dysglycemia in an ethnically diverse group of eighth-grade students.

Design And Methods: Data were collected in 2003 from a cross-sectional study of students from 12 middle schools in three US states. Sex, race/ethnicity, and pubertal status were self-reported.

HEALTHY intervention: fitness, physical activity, and metabolic syndrome results.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effect of the HEALTHY intervention on the metabolic syndrome (Met-S), fitness, and physical activity levels of US middle-school students.

Methods: Cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in 42 (21 intervention) US middle schools. Participants were recruited at the start of sixth grade (2006) when baseline assessments were made, with post-assessments made 2.

Ecstasy use among US adolescents from 1999 to 2008.

Aims: To investigate trends in rates of ecstasy use among US adolescents from 1999 to 2008, and to examine the associations between the major sociodemographic factors, especially gender, and ecstasy use, during this period.

Methods: The adolescent subsamples (age 12-17) from 1999 to 2008 NHSDA/NSDUH surveys were used for the current study. Data from adolescents' self-reports on use of ecstasy and of other drugs, as well as sociodemographic characteristics, were used in the analyses.

Fatness, fitness, and cardiometabolic risk factors among sixth-grade youth.

Purpose: Examine whether cardiometabolic risk factors are predicted by fitness or fatness among adolescents.

Methods: Participants are 4955 (2614 female) sixth-grade students with complete data from 42 US middle schools. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, and insulin concentrations.

Measurement of static and vibration-induced phase noise in UHF thin-film resonator (TFR) filters.

Measurements of the static phase noise and vibration sensitivity of thin-film resonator (TFR) filters operating at 640 and 2110 MHz have been made. They show that the short-term frequency instability of the filters is small compared with that induced in the oscillator signal by the sustaining stage amplifier PM (phase modulation) noise. In-oscillator measurement of filter performance under vibration indicates that fractional frequency vibration sensitivities (deltafo/fo) are on the order of several parts in 10(-9)/g.