Urban-rural disparities in acceptance of human papillomavirus vaccination among women in Can Tho, Vietnam.

Background: In Vietnam, cervical cancer is a significant public health concern for women. Unfortunately, despite the availability of the HPV vaccine, low vaccination rates persist. Objectives: This study investigates the discrepancy between urban and rural areas in the willingness to receive HPV vaccination with or without fees. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 648 women aged between 15 and 49, living in two urban and two rural Vietnamese districts of Can Tho, between May and December 2021. Results: The overall vaccination rate was 4%, with urban women having a higher rate of 4.9% compared to rural women at 3.1%. Among unvaccinated women, those from rural areas expressed a significantly higher desire to receive the free vaccine (91.4%) than urban women (84.4%). However, the intention to vaccinate declined when rural women and urban women were advised to pay the cost (63.4% and 57.1%, respectively). A strong correlation was found between a positive attitude and intention for vaccination, irrespective of its price or free availability. Education and access to information about the HPV vaccine were also identified as the most significant factors influencing the intention to vaccination among urban and rural women. Conclusion: The low HPV vaccination rates among women aged 15-49 living in both urban and rural regions of Vietnam are a notable public health concern. These outcomes emphasize the critical need for effective programs of vaccine laterization, as an introduction to the offer of affordable and accessible HPV vaccines for women in Can Tho, Vietnam.

Using the health beliefs model to explore children's attitudes and beliefs on air pollution.

OBJECTIVES: Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) negatively impacts children's health. Self-protective measures are available, but population uptake is variable. It is essential to understand human beliefs and behaviours related to air pollution in order to understand the lack of self-protection in communities. As a prelude to undertaking a comprehensive assessment of children's attitudes and beliefs on the health effects of TRAP exposure, we sought to develop and validate an appropriate instrument. STUDY DESIGN: This study used exploratory sequential mixed methods. METHODS: This instrument, based on the constructs of the health belief model (HBM), aimed to determine factors predicting wearing a mask to protect against TRAP exposure. An initial literature-based questionnaire was modified using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and a quantitative survey pilot. This study included 121 school students and nine professional experts in Vietnam. The questionnaire was tested for content validity, agreement, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency. RESULTS: The concordance of questionnaire items between two repeated assessments ranged from 47.2% to 78.3%, intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.16 to 0.87 and Cronbach's internal reliability coefficient for the instrument was 0.60. CONCLUSION: The self-administered instrument, based on the HBM, is suitable to understand health attitudes and beliefs related to self-protective behaviours to reduce TRAP exposure.

ADAM8 localizes to extravillous trophoblasts within the maternal-fetal interface and potentiates trophoblast cell line migration through a ß1 integrin-mediated mechanism.

STUDY QUESTION: Does A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase 8 (ADAM8) control extravillous trophoblast (EVT) differentiation and migration in early human placental development? SUMMARY ANSWER: ADAM8 mRNA preferentially localizes to invasive HLA-G-positive trophoblasts, associates with the acquirement of an EVT phenotype and promotes trophoblast migration through a mechanism requiring ß1-integrin. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Placental establishment in the first trimester of pregnancy requires the differentiation of progenitor trophoblasts into invasive EVTs that produce a diverse repertoire of proteases that facilitate matrix remodeling and activation of signaling pathways important in controlling cell migration. While multiple ADAM proteases, including ADAM8, are highly expressed by invasive trophoblasts, the role of ADAM8 in controlling EVT-related processes is unknown. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: First trimester placental villi and decidua (6-12 weeks' gestation), primary trophoblasts and trophoblastic cell lines (JEG3, JAR, Bewo, HTR8/SVNeo) were used to examine ADAM8 expression, localization and function. All experiments were performed on at least three independent occasions (n = 3). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Placental villi and primary trophoblasts derived from IRB approved first trimester placental (n = 24) and decidual (n = 4) were used to examine ADAM8 localization and expression by in situ RNAScope hybridization, flow cytometry, quantitative PCR and immunoblot analyses. Primary trophoblasts were differentiated into EVT-like cells by plating on fibronectin and were assessed by immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoblot analysis of keratin-7, vimentin, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), HLA-G and ADAM8. ADAM8 function was examined in primary EVTs and trophoblastic cell lines utilizing siRNA-directed silencing and over-expression strategies. Trophoblast migration was assessed using Transwell chambers, cell-matrix binding was tested using fibronectin-adhesion assays, and ADAM8-ß1-integrin interactions were determined by immunofluorescence microscopy, co-immunoprecipitation experiments and function-promoting/inhibiting antibodies. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Within first trimester placental tissues, ADAM8 preferentially localized to HLA-G+ trophoblasts residing within anchoring columns and decidua. Functional experiments in primary trophoblasts and trophoblastic cell lines show that ADAM8 promotes trophoblast migration through a mechanism independent of intrinsic protease activity. We show that ADAM8 localizes to peri-nuclear and cell-membrane actin-rich structures during cell-matrix attachment and promotes trophoblast binding to fibronectin matrix. Moreover, ADAM8 potentiates ß1-integrin activation and promotes cell migration through a mechanism dependent on ß1-integrin function. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The primary limitation of this study was the use of in vitro experiments in examining ADAM8 function, as well as the implementation of immortalized trophoblastic cell lines. Histological localization of ADAM8 within placental and decidual tissue sections was limited to mRNA level analysis. Further, patient information corresponding to tissues obtained by elective terminations was not available. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The novel non-proteolytic pro-migratory role for ADAM8 in controlling trophoblast migration revealed by this study sheds insight into the importance of ADAM8 in EVT biology and placental development. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC-Discovery Grant) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR-Open Operating Grant). There are no conflicts or competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NA.

Simplified clinical frailty scale design, validation, and adaptation in older patients.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical frailty scale (CFS) evaluates the level of frailty based on clinical examination, comorbidities, and functional and activity levels of older patients. However, there are many difficulties for internists in evaluating frailty with this scale. Therefore, simplifying the CFS with good design and application is required for better treatment outcomes. Our study was conducted to design and evaluate the correlation of a simplified clinical frailty scale (sCFS) with CFS in older patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We undertook a cross-sectional analysis involving 279 older patients, which comprised two steps. Step 1 involves the implementation of sCFS, a protocol that has been endorsed by the Geriatrics Professional Council (GPC). Step 2 entails the enrollment of older patients for frailty assessment using sCFS, comparing it with CFS. RESULTS: The study was conducted on 279 older patients; the average age was 75.7 ± 8.4 (years old), and men accounted for 34.8%. There was a high correlation between the sCFS and CFS (Pearson's r = 0.996; p < 0.001). The similarity of the sCFS to the CFS was very high, with Kappa coefficient = 0.984 (p < 0.001). Compared with the CFS, the sCFS had a Youden index of 98% with 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity assessed through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) with the CFS threshold of 5. CONCLUSIONS: The sCFS can be used to assess frailty with high sensitivity and specificity.

The effect of medication event reminder monitoring on treatment adherence of TB patients.

BACKGROUND: TB control remains a serious public health problem, compounded by poor treatment adherence, which increases the likelihood of onward transmission. We evaluated the effectiveness of medication event reminder monitoring (MERM) upon treatment adherence in a high TB burden setting.METHODS: We conducted an open-label parallel group randomised controlled trial among pulmonary TB adults. Participants were provided with a MERM device to store their medications. In the intervention arm, the devices were set to provide daily medication intake reminders. Primary outcome was the proportion of patient-months in which at least 6/30 doses were missed. Secondary outcomes included 1) the proportion of patient-months in which at least 14/30 doses were missed, and 2) the proportion of doses missed.RESULTS: Of 2,142 patients screened, 798 (37.3%) met the inclusion criteria and 250 participants were enrolled. The mean ratio (MR) for poor adherence between the intervention and control groups was 0.72 (95% CI 0.55-0.86). The intervention was also associated with a reduction in the proportion of patients missing at least 14/30 doses (MR 0.61, 95% CI 0.54-0.68) and the percentage of total doses missed (MR 0.75, 95% CI 0.68-0.80).CONCLUSION: MERM is effective in improving TB treatment adherence in a resource-limited environment.

Implications of tropical cyclones on damage and potential recovery and restoration of logged forests in Vietnam.

Many natural forests in Southeast Asia are degraded following decades of logging. Restoration of these forests is delayed by ongoing logging and tropical cyclones, but the implications for recovery are largely uncertain. We analysed meteorological, satellite and forest inventory plot data to assess the effect of Typhoon Doksuri, a major tropical cyclone, on the forest landscapes of central Vietnam consisting of natural forests and plantations. We estimated the return period for a cyclone of this intensity to be 40 years. Plantations were almost twice as likely to suffer cyclone damage compared to natural forests. Logged natural forests (9-12 years after cessation of government-licensed logging) were surveyed before and after the storm with 2 years between measurements and remained a small biomass carbon sink (0.1 ± 0.3 Mg C ha-1 yr-1) over this period. The cyclone reduced the carbon sink of recovering natural forests by an average of 0.85 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, less than the carbon loss due to ongoing unlicensed logging. Restoration of forest landscapes in Southeast Asia requires a reduction in unlicensed logging and prevention of further conversion of degraded natural forests to plantations, particularly in landscapes prone to tropical cyclones where natural forests provide a resilient carbon sink. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding forest landscape restoration: reinforcing scientific foundations for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration'.

Admission screening and cohort care decrease carbapenem resistant enterobacteriaceae in Vietnamese pediatric ICU's.

OBJECTIVES: To assess if admission screening for Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and cohort care can reduce CRE acquisition (CRE colonization during hospital stay), Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI), hospital-stay, mortality, and costs in three Intensive Care Units (ICU's) at the Vietnamese National Children's Hospital. METHOD: CRE screening using rectal swabs and ChromIDCarbas elective culture at admission and if CRE negative, once weekly. Patients were treated in cohorts based on CRE colonization status. RESULTS: CRE colonization at baseline point-prevalence screening was 76.9% (103/134). Of 941 CRE screened at admission, 337 (35.8%) were CREpos. 694 patients met inclusion criteria. The 244 patients CRE negative at admission and screened > 2 times were stratified in 8 similar size groups (periods), based on time of admission. CRE acquisition decreased significant (OR - 3.2, p < 0.005) from 90% in period 2 (highest) to 48% in period 8 (last period). Patients with CRE acquisition compared to no CRE acquisition had a significantly higher rate of culture confirmed HAI, n = 20 (14%) vs. n = 2 (2%), longer hospital stays, 3.26 vs. 2.37 weeks, and higher total treatment costs, 2852 vs. 2295 USD. CONCLUSION: Admission CRE screening and cohort care in pediatric ICU's significantly decreased CRE acquisition, cases of HAI and duration of hospital-stay.

ADAM28 localizes to HLA-G+ trophoblasts and promotes column cell outgrowth.

INTRODUCTION: Trophoblast progenitor cell differentiation towards the extravillous trophoblast (EVT) lineage initiates within proximal regions of anchoring columns of first trimester placental villi. While molecular processes controlling the initial stages of progenitor cell differentiation along the EVT pathway have been described, much remains unknown about factors important in distal column cell differentiation into invasive EVTs. ADAMs are proteases that regulate growth factor signaling, cell-matrix adhesion, and matrix proteolysis, and thus impact many processes relevant in placentation. Global gene expression studies identified the ADAM subtype, ADAM28, to be highly expressed in EVT-like trophoblasts, suggesting that it may play a role in EVT function. This study aims to test the functional importance of ADAM28 in column cell outgrowth and maintenance. METHODS: ADAM28 mRNA levels and protein localization were determined by qPCR and immunofluorescence microscopy analyses in purified placental villi cell populations and tissues. ADAM28 function in trophoblast column outgrowth was examined using ADAM28-targetting siRNAs in Matrigel-imbedded placental explant cultures. RESULTS: Within placental villi, ADAM28 mRNA levels were highest in HLA-G+ column trophoblasts, and consistent with this, ADAM28 was preferentially localized to HLA-G+ trophoblasts within distal anchoring columns and decidual tissue. siRNA-directed loss of ADAM28 impaired trophoblast column outgrowth and resulted in increased apoptosis in matrix-invading trophoblasts. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that ADAM28 promotes column outgrowth by providing survival cues within anchoring column cells. This study also provides insight into a possible role for ADAM28 in driving differentiation of column trophoblasts into invasive HLA-G+ EVT subsets.

Triazolium cyclodextrin click cluster-resin conjugate: an enrichment material for phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-triphosphate.

UltraLink was functionalized with a triazolium cyclodextrin click cluster (CCC) which provides a well-oriented, multivalent, positively charged binding site for PtdIns(3,4,5)P3. MALDI TOF MS and LC ESI MS/MS MRM analysis of spiked PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 in lipid extract suggest that triazolium CCC-UltraLink conjugate can be used as an enrichment material for PtdIns(3,4,5)P3.

Utilization of Waste Materials for Microbial Carrier in Wastewater Treatment.

This research focused on the ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N) removal from the domestic wastewater using the attached growth reactors. Two types of waste material of corncob (biodegradable material) and concrete (nonbiodegradable material) were used as the carrier for microorganisms' attachment. During operation, both reactors achieved absolutely high performance of ammonium removal (up to 99%) and total nitrogen removal (up to 95%). The significant advantage of corncob carrier was that the corncob was able to be a source of carbon for biological denitrification, leading to no external carbon requirement for operating the system. However, the corncob caused an increasing turbidity of the effluent. On the other hand, the concrete carrier required the minimal external carbon of 3.5 C/N ratio to reach the good performance. Moreover, a longer period for microorganisms' adaptation was found in the concrete carrier rather than the corncob carrier. Further, the same physiological and biochemical characteristics of active bacteria were found at the two carriers, which were negative gram, cocci shape, and smooth and white-turbid colony. Due to the effluent quality, the concrete was more appropriate carrier than the corncob for wastewater treatment.

Expedient synthesis of functional single-component glycoliposomes using thiol-yne chemistry.

The preparation of a set of eight unprecedented amphiphilic neoglycolipids forming liposome nanoparticles is reported. The small library was readily obtained from various peracetylated propargyl glycopyranosides via efficient radical-initiated thiol-yne (TYC) coupling reactions using alkanethiols of different chain lengths. In addition, using sequential thiol-yne, both the nature and positioning of the lipophilic alkanethiols could be varied at will, thus providing unparalleled variability within the glycolipid structures. Two different classes of self-assemblies were prepared from the new neoglycolipids. First, liposomes of 150-300 nm were obtained by solvent injection of their ethanol or tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution in water. The resulting structures were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The mannosylated lipid nanoparticle (compound 14) showed good stability in water. Alternatively, giant soft unilamellar vesicles were also obtained by film hydration and visualized by differential interference contrast microscopy (DIC). Incorporation of a hydrophobic dye to the solution prior to evaporation allowed visualization by confocal microscopy. Finally, the biological functions of the newly formed glycolipid vesicles were evaluated by multivalent carbohydrate-protein binding interactions using concanavalin A (ConA). Agglutination assays and the binding of glycolipid by dendritic cells (DCs) resulted in an increase in DCs immunostimulatory potential. Importantly, we did not see changes in cells viability at tested doses. This study provides a new, simple and highly efficient methodology to produce novel glyconanoparticle candidate as model in development of vaccine adjuvant and drug delivery system.

The Perceived Value of Passive Animal Health Surveillance: The Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Vietnam.

Economic evaluations are critical for the assessment of the efficiency and sustainability of animal health surveillance systems and the improvement of their efficiency. Methods identifying and quantifying costs and benefits incurred by public and private actors of passive surveillance systems (i.e. actors of veterinary authorities and private actors who may report clinical signs) are needed. This study presents the evaluation of perceived costs and benefits of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) passive surveillance in Vietnam. Surveys based on participatory epidemiology methods were conducted in three provinces in Vietnam to collect data on costs and benefits resulting from the reporting of HPAI suspicions to veterinary authorities. A quantitative tool based on stated preference methods and participatory techniques was developed and applied to assess the non-monetary costs and benefits. The study showed that poultry farmers are facing several options regarding the management of HPAI suspicions, besides reporting the following: treatment, sale or destruction of animals. The option of reporting was associated with uncertain outcome and transaction costs. Besides, actors anticipated the release of health information to cause a drop of markets prices. This cost was relevant at all levels, including farmers, veterinary authorities and private actors of the upstream sector (feed, chicks and medicine supply). One benefit associated with passive surveillance was the intervention of public services to clean farms and the environment to limit the disease spread. Private actors of the poultry sector valued information on HPAI suspicions (perceived as a non-monetary benefit) which was mainly obtained from other private actors and media.

Mineral water as a source of dietary calcium: acute effects on parathyroid function and bone resorption in young men.

BACKGROUND: Calcium is a major component of mineralized tissues and is required for normal growth and maintenance of bone. Epidemiologic studies showed that a large percentage of the population fails to meet the currently recommended guidelines for optimal calcium intake. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to determine whether high-calcium mineral water is an efficient additional source of dietary calcium. DESIGN: Twelve healthy young men (mean +/- SD age: 21.1 +/- 1.2 y) ingested in a randomized order either 0.5 L of a mineral water containing 344 mg Ca/L or 0.5 L of a mineral water with a very low concentration of calcium (<10 mg/L) as a control. Blood samples were drawn before and 1, 2, 3, and 4 h after intake of the water. Urine was collected for 2 h before and every 2 h for 4 h after ingestion of the water. Serum concentrations of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and serum concentrations and urinary excretion of a recently developed biochemical marker of bone resorption, type 1 collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTx), were measured. RESULTS: Serum iPTH was significantly (P < 0.002) lower after ingestion of high-calcium water than after ingestion of the control. There was a significant (P = 0.01) progressive decrease in urinary CTx after ingestion of the high-calcium water, whereas after ingestion of low-calcium water the changes were modest and not significant. The fall in serum CTx concentrations was 34.7% 3 h after ingestion of high-calcium water, compared with 17.6% with the control. The decreases in serum CTx concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) lower 1, 2, 3, and 4 h after ingestion of high-calcium water than after ingestion of the control. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that one oral intake of water containing a very moderate dose of calcium (172 mg) acutely inhibited iPTH secretion and bone resorption.

The D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH 23390 increases cocaine self-administration in the rat.

Rats trained to intravenously self-administer cocaine hydrochloride on a fixed ratio-5 schedule were subjected to a series of systemic injections of the D1 dopamine receptor selective antagonist SCH 23390 and the D2 dopamine receptor selective antagonist spiperone. SCH 23390 produced a dose-dependent increase in cocaine intake at doses of 5, 10 and 20 micrograms/kg, but the D2 antagonist failed to reliably increase responding except at a dose of 10 micrograms/kg. These results suggest that the D1 antagonist may be more effective at blocking mesolimbic dopamine activity, and that selective D1 receptor activation may be an important component of psychostimulant reward.

The lip-clip: a simple, low-impedance ground electrode for use in human electrophysiology.

A simple and effective ground electrode is described for use in human electrophysiological recordings. This electrode consists of a wire clip that holds a silver disc of 1 cm diameter which is clipped to the lower lip of the subject. It is found that this simple ground electrode reduced the background noise and/or stimulus artifact at least as effectively as other conventional grounding techniques.

Selective induction of phase II drug metabolizing enzyme activities by quinolines and isoquinolines.

Rats treated with quinoline, and to a lesser extent, isoquinoline (75 mg/kg, daily for 3 days) showed induction of phase II drug metabolizing enzyme activities without inducing either cytochrome P450 concentration or CYP1A-, CYP2B-, CYP2E-, and CYP3A-selective activities. Elevations of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activities towards 4-nitrophenol, 1-naphthol, and morphine elicited by quinoline (1.9- to 2.7-fold), were greater than those elicited by isoquinoline (1.4- to 1.8-fold). UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activities towards estrone and testosterone were not increased by either compound. Microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity was increased only by quinoline (2.7-fold). NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase activity was increased 2-fold by quinoline and isoquinoline. Cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was increased similarly (approximately 20%) by both agents. Similar treatment of rats with either quinine (75 mg/kg) or chloroquine (150 mg/kg) increased 1-naphthol glucuronidation and GST (quinine only) activities. At 75 mg/kg, chloroquine did not affect any phase II enzyme activities but caused a minor elevation of a phase I enzyme, CYP1A; ascertained from an elevation of 7-ethoxyresorufin deethylase activity and a small hypsochromic shift to the absorbance maximum of the cytochrome P450 CO-complex. With quinoline and isoquinoline treatments (n = 14), the correlation coefficients (R) between microsomal epoxide hydrolase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activities towards 4-nitrophenol and morphine were 0.96 and 0.92 respectively, suggesting a highly coordinated induction. The highest NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase correlations were with microsomal epoxide hydrolase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activities towards 4-nitrophenol and morphine (R approximately 0.78). Correlation coefficients between GST and microsomal epoxide hydrolase and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase activities were approximately 0.49. Quinoline and isoquinoline, nitrogen heterocyclic analogs of naphthalene, join the list of simple nitrogen-containing polycyclic aromatic agents capable of selective induction of phase II drug metabolizing enzymes. The position of the single heterocyclic nitrogen atom in the bicyclic ring influences the magnitude and breadth of the induction response. The addition of bulky ring substituents (quinine, chloroquine) reduced the induction response.

Vocal quality, articulation and audiological characteristics of children and young adults with diagnosed allergies.

This study details vocal quality, articulation errors, and hearing disorders in 80 children and young adults with diagnosed allergies. Results indicated that almost 50% had abnormalities in vocal quality and/or articulation and 13% had reduced auditory acuity. Vocal quality disorders showed a significant relationship to bronchial asthma in association with other allergic reactions. All subjects with diminished hearing had allergic rhinitis either singly or in combination with another disorder. Findings suggest that bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis are related to the development of vocal quality disorders and that allergic rhinitis is associated with misarticulations and diminished hearing. The presence of speech sound omissions in allergic rhinitis patients above age 8 may predict the presence or previous history of fluctuating hearing loss.

Evaluation of Trichoderma spp. for biocontrol of tomato sudden caused by Pythium aphanidermatum following flooding in tropical hot season.

Tomato sudden death is a major problem in tomato production in tropical lowland areas. The plant wilts and dies following artificial or natural flooding for 48-72 hrs in the summer season. Occurrence of this disease is related to aggressiveness of Pythium aphanidermatum on tomato at high soil temperature (>30 degrees C). Several methods such as using biological control agents, fungicides and other cultural practices were applied in attempts to control tomato sudden death. Three Trichoderma harzianum and two Trichoderma virens isolates were evaluated for biocontrol of the disease in the greenhouse and in the field T. harzianum and T. virens isolates were separately used to treat the seed, potting medium and also incorporated into the soil before transplanting. Field soil was naturally infested with P. aphanidermatum, while greenhouse soil was inoculated with the pathogen 10 days after transplanting. All treatments were flooded for 48 hrs at 32 degrees C soil temperature. Results from this study show that most tested T. harzianum and T. virens isolates have little promise for control of tomato sudden death following flooding. The percentage of tomato plants that wilted after growing in soil treated with either T. harzianum or T. virens and P. aphanidermatum was not significantly different when compared to the soil treated with P. aphanidermatum alone. No wilted plants were observed in the control (non treated soil).

PEGylated helper-dependent adenoviral vectors: highly efficient vectors with an enhanced safety profile.

Transgene expression from helper-dependent adenoviral (HD-Ad) vectors is effective and long lasting, but not permanent. Their use is also limited by the host response against capsid proteins that precludes successful gene expression upon readministration. In this report, we test the hypothesis that PEGylation of HD-Ad reduces its toxicity and promotes transgene expression upon readministration. PEGylation did not compromise transduction efficiency in vitro and in vivo and reduced peak serum IL-6 levels two-fold. IL-12 and TNF-alpha levels were reduced three- and seven-fold, respectively. Thrombocytopenia was not detected in mice treated with the PEGylated vector. Serum transaminases were not significantly elevated in mice treated with either vector. Mice immunized with 1 x 10(11) particles of unmodified HD-Ad expressing human alpha-1 antitrypsin (hA1AT) were rechallenged 28 days later with 8 x 10(10) particles of unmodified or PEG-conjugated vector expressing beta-galactosidase. Trace levels of beta-galactosidase (52.23+/-19.2 pg/mg protein) were detected in liver homogenates of mice that received two doses of unmodified HD-Ad. Mice rechallenged with PEGylated HD-Ad produced significant levels of beta-galactosidase (5.1+/-0.4 x 10(5) pg/mg protein, P=0.0001). This suggests that PEGylation of HD-Ad vectors may be appropriate for their safe and efficient use in the clinic.