SUMMARYThe sequence of events in the infection of TN-368-IO and TN-368-I3 cells by Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV) was investigated by using the indirect immunoperoxidase technique. Antisera raised against enveloped nucleocapsids detected homologous antigens at 6 to 8 h post infection which was about 2 h before the appearance of both intracellular and extracellular infectious virus. Similar tests using polyhedrin antiserum showed that polyhedrin is first synthesized at I2 h post infection, 2 to 4 h after the appearance of infectious nonoccluded virus. The irnmunoperoxidase technique was also applied to four other invertebrate cell lines after inoculation with AcMNPV. The most significant result was that 90 % of AcMNPV-inoculated Bombyx mori 5 cells produced enveloped nucleocapsid antigens and infectious virus but only I °/o or less of the cells produced polyhedrin. This disparity emphasizes the need for assays for NPV infection that are independent of polyhedron production.

The Editors-in-Chief have retracted this article [1] because, after publication, concerns were raised regarding the study design and statistical analysis. Post-publication review has confirmed firstly that within-group changes were highlighted rather than betweengroup differences as appropriate for a randomized trial, and secondly that there are baseline differences between the groups that exist despite randomization for which analyses were not controlled.

Aim: Common treatment options for obesity include a reduced-calorie diet, increased physical activity, behavioral modification, pharmacotherapy, and surgery. Ear acupressure may also be an effective adjunct therapy. Methods: This study used a randomized controlled design to test the effectiveness of auricular acupressure for weight reduction in young, Taiwanese adults with a BMI ≥ 23 kg/m². Sixty-eight participants aged 18 to 20 years were recruited from Taiwanese universities at the beginning of the study. After four weeks of auricular therapy, the total sample included 57 young adults. All participants met one time per week for ten minutes. The treatment group received ear acupressure treatment with Semen Vaccariae sticks on auricular acupoints while the control group had adhesive tape placed on ear acupoints, change in BMI from baseline to trial completion. Results: BMI in controls increased significantly by +0.0133 kg/m² (P = 0.000) while the intervention group BMI decreased significantly by ?0.8022 kg/m² (P ≤ 0.0001). Conclusions: Just four weeks of auricular acupressure by Semen Vaccariae, sticks may significantly help to decrease BMI among young adults.

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Abstract. This study investigated the efficacy of auricular therapy using semen vaccariae (SV) via auricular point sticking on weight loss, changes to waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. The study used a randomized design with one control group and one experimental group consisting of young Asian women with waist circumferences 80 cm. The total sample size was 50 young women who ranged in age from 18 to 20 years-old. Each participant attended weekly ten-minute sessions during which auricular acupressure treatment was performed. During treatment, the control group had 0.5 cm 2 adhesive tape placed onto their auricular acupoints, while the experimental group had the SV stick applied to the auricular acupoints. Dependent variables were collected at baseline and follow-up for four weeks. The control group showed significantly increased body weight (+0.08 kg, p < 0.05) and waist circumference (+0.20 cm , p < 0.05); however, the SV group showed significantly decreased body weight (-1.9120 kg, p < 0.05), waist circumference (-4.9200 cm, p < 0.05) and waist-tohip ratio (-0.0297, p < 0.05) during four weeks of treatment. Auricular acupressure with SV may be an efficacious option to include in weight loss programs for young women.