PURPOSE: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes endemic or epidemic outbreaks of CHIKV fever, which is a mosquitoe-transmitted viral disease in Africa, India, South-East Asia, and recently Southern Europe. Currently, serological diagnostic tests such as hemagglutination inhibition test (HI test), in-house IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and indirect immunofluorescence test were used for diagnosis of chikungunya fever, which are based on whole virus antigens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CHIKV E1, and E2 envelope proteins for the CHIKV-specific serodiagnostic reagents for chikungunya fever were expressed in baculovirus expression system. The seroreactivity of recombinant CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope proteins were evaluated using sera panels of patients from Laboratoire Marcel Merieux by indirect IgM capture ELISA. RESULTS: The recombinant CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope protein showed sensitivity of 77.5% and 90%, respectively. The specificities of both CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope proteins were 100%. CONCLUSION: The recombinant CHIKV E1 and E2 envelope proteins could be a useful diagnostic reagent for CHIKV infection.
Alphavirus Infections/*diagnosis ; Animals ; Baculoviridae/genetics/metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Chikungunya virus/genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods ; Recombinant Proteins/immunology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Serologic Tests/*methods ; Viral Envelope Proteins/*immunology

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of age on the ratio of pulp cavity/tooth width (P/T ratio) in healthy cats. The dental radiographs of 32 cats (16 males and 16 females) were generated with a digital dental X-ray unit with the animals under general anesthesia. Standardized measurement of the canine teeth was performed by drawing a line on the radiograph perpendicular to the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) of the tooth. There was an inversely proportional correlation between chronological age and the P/T ratio. Moreover, a strong Pearson squared correlation (gamma2 = 0.92) was identified by the curved regression model. No significant differences in the P/T ratio based on gender or breed were found. These results suggest that determination of age by P/T ratio could be clinically useful for estimating the chronological age of cats.
Age Determination by Teeth/*veterinary ; Animals ; Cats/*physiology ; Dental Pulp Cavity/anatomy & histology/*radiography ; Female ; Male ; Tooth/anatomy & histology/*radiography

PURPOSE: This case report presents ulnar nerve compression which associated with variant distribution of ulnar artery at the proximal site of the wrist. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on the patient's symptoms, we could assume a neuropathy resulting from the compression of the ulnar nerve. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate the anatomical abnormality of the ulnar artery at the site of compression, and the elecromyogram (EMG) and Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) were also performed to confirm the overall abnormality of the ulnar nerve. RESULTS: The tortuous ulnar artery of the lesion which was in the same course as that of ulnar nerve surrounded by sheath seemed to be compressed. Such finding was resolved 5 minutes after taking off tourniquet during adhesiolysis. Along with the improvement in the symptoms of paresthesia and the numbness of the patient a day after the surgery, the atrophy of the muscle and the weakness of the affected lesion were also slightly improved 6 months after the adhesiolysis. The decrease in abnormal spontaneous activity of the ulnar nerve was observed in both EMG and NCV, performed after the 6 month of the surgery. CONCLUSION: Among the patients manifesting significant symptoms of neuropathy arising from ulnar nerve compression, the tortuous ulnar artery as the source of entrapment of ulnar nerve was observed. Six months after the adhesiolysis of the sheath, the overall improvement of clinical symptoms was remarkable.
Atrophy ; Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscles ; Neural Conduction ; Paresthesia ; Tourniquets ; Ulna ; Ulnar Artery ; Ulnar Nerve ; Ulnar Nerve Compression Syndromes ; Wrist