Biomedical subjects

J Cane

Publications and source records attributed to J Cane.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Management systems response to improving immunization coverage in developing countries: a case study from Cambodia.

INTRODUCTION: In contrast to the initial success following the establishment of the National Immunization Program (NIP) in Cambodia in 1986, infant vaccination coverage rates against the six expanded program immunization diseases have not improved since 1995. In response, the NIP of the Ministry of Health has undertaken a series of institutional initiatives to address the problem of static or declining rates of coverage. The aim of this paper is to describe and assess management strategies undertaken by the NIP in Cambodia in support of improved immunization coverage. METHODS: Sources of information used in preparing this report include international literature, national coverage and surveillance data, government policy documentation, information generated by national strategic planning and health centre microplanning processes, a functional analysis of human resources, and data quality audits. RESULTS: The NIP has implemented planning, organizational development and human resource development responses to the problem of low coverage. These have included: integration of the nip strategic and operational plans into the health sector plan; strengthening of needs-based microplanning; establishment of a national monitoring and management support strategy; and the introduction of performance-based agreements between levels of government for improved immunization coverage. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis of these findings, in particular of the international literature, suggests that NIP's responses have been appropriate, and that the development of NIP management systems and capacity will increase the likelihood for sustained immunization coverage gains within a reform environment of health system decentralization. In 2003, there are early signs that the reform processes undertaken by the NIP have resulted in improved immunization coverage in targeted areas, and this should place the national program in a stronger position to lift immunization coverage in 2004.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1985

The C. elegans vitellogenin genes: short sequence repeats in the promoter regions and homology to the vertebrate genes.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains a small family of vitellogenin genes which is expressed abundantly, but only in the intestine of the adult hermaphrodite worm. In order to identify possible regulatory elements, we have sequenced the DNA surrounding the 5' ends of five of the six genes. Contained within regions which have largely diverged from one another, two different heptameric sequences are found repeated within the first 200 bp upstream of each of the genes. The first sequence, TGTCAAT, is present as a perfect heptamer at least once upstream of each gene. It is repeated in both orientations four to six times in each 5' flanking region, allowing a one-base mismatch. The second sequence, CTGATAA, is also present as a perfect heptamer in a restricted region upstream of each gene. These two sequence elements may be involved in regulation of the vitellogenin genes. Remarkably, the CTGATAA sequence is present in a similar location in the promoter regions of vertebrate vitellogenin genes. In fact, our data reveal a surprising degree of similarity between the nematode and vertebrate vitellogenins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1984

Cloning of a yolk protein gene family from Caenorhabditis elegans.

We have cloned a family of five genes which encode the 170,000 Mr yolk proteins in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The genes and their messenger RNAs are about 5 X 10(3) base-pairs in length. Thus most of the length of each gene is exon, although a few small introns have been discovered. Based on hybridization and restriction mapping experiments, the genes can be subdivided into two subfamilies: YP1-YP2 and YP3-YP4-YP5. Within a subfamily the genes are nearly identical. While most of the genes are not clustered, YP3 and YP4 are tandemly linked. Hybrid-arrest translation experiments demonstrate that the YP3-YP4-YP5 subfamily encodes the yp170A yolk protein, while the YP1-YP2 subfamily encodes the yp170B yolk protein. RNAs homologous to these genes are abundant in the adult hermaphrodite, but missing from larvae and males. Furthermore, RNA isolated from dissected intestines is highly enriched for sequences that hybridize to the genes, whereas RNA from gonad or body wall is nearly devoid of these sequences. Thus, this gene family is apparently expressed only in the intestine of the adult hermaphrodite.

Animals↗