Veal calf health on the day of arrival at growers in Ohio

Veal calves are at high risk for disease and mortality in early life. Calves face a number of stressors before arriving at the grower, including long transport times, which may contribute to poor health. Our objectives were to 1) estimate the prevalence of poor health outcomes in veal calves on arrival at growers in Ohio; 2) determine risk factors for health outcomes on arrival, including BW and auction site (spread across 5 states in the Northeastern United States); and 3) determine if health outcomes on arrival predict early mortality. A physical examination was conducted on approximately 30 calves (mean of 45.9 kg [SD 3.0]) from 12 cohorts ( = 383 calves). Exams included a blood sample to determine packed cell volume (an estimate of dehydration using a cutoff > 46%) and total protein (an estimate failure of passive transfer using a cutoff < 5.5 g/dL and 6.0 g/dL to account for dehydration). Diarrhea, respiratory disease, depression, navel inflammation, and a skin tent test (a second indicator of dehydration) were also recorded. Mortality within 4 wk of age was collected from farm records. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the prevalence of calves with poor health outcomes on arrival. Generalized linear mixed models were used to identify risk factors for poor health on arrival and assess if poor health increased the incidence risk of mortality. Upon arrival, 6% (95% confidence interval 4.4 to 7.6%) of calves had failure of passive transfer using a cut-off of 5.5 g/dL, and 22.5% (18.1 to 26.8%) had failure of passive transfer using a cut-off of 5.5 g/dL, and 22.5% (18.1 to 26.8%) had failure of passive transfer using a cut-off of 6.0%; 14% (9.1 to 18.8%) had diarrhea, 0.5% (0 to 1.3%) had respiratory disease, 14% (8.5 to 19.3%) were depressed, and 27% (22.7 to 30.7%) had inflamed navels. In addition, 35.1% (23.5 to 46.6%) of calves were dehydrated using a skin tent test, but only 1.3% (0.0 to 2.9%) were dehydrated based on the packed cell volume threshold. Auction site was associated with depression on arrival ( = 0.008) and tended to be associated with skin tent on arrival ( = 0.08). None of the health variables were predictors of early mortality; however, mortality was generally low for all cohorts (4.3%; range 1.7 to 6.8%). These results estimate the prevalence of dehydration, diarrhea, navel inflammation, and depression in veal calves on arrival at growers and demonstrate that some health outcomes are dependent on auction site. We conclude that there are many opportunities to intervene to improve their health and welfare before the calves arrive at the grower.

Validation of the wild-type influenza A human challenge model H1N1pdMIST: an A(H1N1)pdm09 dose-finding investigational new drug study

BACKGROUND

Healthy volunteer wild-type influenza challenge models offer a unique opportunity to evaluate multiple aspects of this important virus. Such studies have not been performed in the United States in more than a decade, limiting our capability to investigate this virus and develop countermeasures. We have completed the first ever wild-type influenza A challenge study under an Investigational New Drug application (IND). This dose-finding study will lead to further development of this model both for A(H1N1)pdm09 and other strains of influenza.

METHODS

Volunteers were admitted to an isolation unit at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center for a minimum of 9 days. A reverse genetics, cell-based, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-produced, wild-type A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was administered intranasally. Escalating doses were given until a dose was reached that produced disease in a minimum of 60% of volunteers.

RESULTS

An optimal dose of 10(7) tissue culture infectious dose 50 was reached that caused mild to moderate influenza disease in 69% of individuals with mean viral shedding for 4-5 days and significant rises in convalescent influenza antibody titers. Viral shedding preceded symptoms by 12-24 hours and terminated 2-3 days prior to symptom resolution, indicating that individuals may be infectious before symptom development. As expected, nasal congestion and rhinorrhea were most common, but interestingly, fever was observed in only 10% of individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents the first healthy volunteer influenza challenge model using a GMP-produced wild-type virus under an IND. This unique clinical research program will facilitate future studies of influenza pathogenesis, animal model validation, and the rapid, efficient, and cost-effective evaluation of efficacy of novel vaccines and therapeutics. Clinical Trials Registration.NCT01646138.

The natural history of influenza infection in the severely immunocompromised vs nonimmunocompromised hosts

Introduction. Medical advances have led to an increase in the world's population of immunosuppressed individuals. The most severely immunocompromised patients are those who have been diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy, solid organ tumor, or who have other conditions that require immunosuppressive therapies and/or solid organ or stem cell transplants.

Materials and methods. Medically attended patients with a positive clinical diagnosis of influenza were recruited prospectively and clinically evaluated. Nasal washes and serum were collected. Evaluation of viral shedding, nasal and serum cytokines, clinical illness, and clinical outcomes were performed to compare severely immunocompromised individuals to nonimmunocompromised individuals with influenza infection.

Results. Immunocompromised patients with influenza had more severe disease/complications, longer viral shedding, and more antiviral resistance while demonstrating less clinical symptoms and signs on clinical assessment.

Conclusions. Immunocompromised patients are at risk for more severe or complicated influenza induced disease, which may be difficult to prevent with existing vaccines and antiviral treatments. Specific issues to consider when managing a severely immunocompromised host include the development of asymptomatic shedding, multi-drug resistance during prolonged antiviral therapy, and the potential high risk of pulmonary involvement.

Clinical trials registration, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00533182.

Multidrug-resistant 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) viruses maintain fitness and transmissibility in ferrets

BACKGROUND

The 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic called attention to the limited influenza treatment options available, especially in individuals at high risk of severe disease. Neuraminidase inhibitor-resistant seasonal H1N1 viruses have demonstrated the ability to transmit well despite early data indicating that resistance reduces viral fitness. 2009 H1N1 pandemic viruses have sporadically appeared containing resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors and the adamantanes, but the ability of these viruses to replicate, transmit, and cause disease in mammalian hosts has not been fully characterized.

METHODS

Two pretreatment wild-type viruses and 2 posttreatment multidrug-resistant viruses containing the neuraminidase H275Y mutation collected from immunocompromised patients infected with pandemic influenza H1N1 were tested for viral fitness, pathogenicity, and transmissibility in ferrets.

RESULTS

The pretreatment wild-type viruses and posttreatment resistant viruses containing the H275Y mutation all demonstrated significant pathogenicity and equivalent viral fitness and transmissibility.

CONCLUSIONS

The admantane-resistant 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus can develop the H275Y change in the neuraminidase gene conferring resistance to both oseltamivir and peramivir without any loss in fitness, transmissibility, or pathogenicity. This suggests that the dissemination of widespread multidrug resistance similar to neuraminidase inhibitor resistance in seasonal H1N1 is a significant threat.

The early diversification of influenza A/H1N1pdm

Background Since its initial detection in April 2009, the A/H1N1pdm influenza virus has spread rapidly in humans, with over 5,700 human deaths. However, little is known about the evolutionary dynamics of H1N1pdm and its geographic and temporal diversification.

Methods Phylogenetic analysis was conducted upon the concatenated coding regions of whole-genome sequences from 290 H1N1pdm isolates sampled globally between April 1 – July 9, 2009, including relatively large samples from the US states of Wisconsin and New York.

Results At least 7 phylogenetically distinct viral clades have disseminated globally and co-circulated in localities that experienced multiple introductions of H1N1pdm. The epidemics in New York and Wisconsin were dominated by two different clades, both phylogenetically distinct from the viruses first identified in California and Mexico, suggesting an important role for founder effects in determining local viral population structures.

Conclusions Determining the global diversity of H1N1pdm is central to understanding the evolution and spatial spread of the current pandemic, and to predict its future impact on human populations. Our results indicate that H1N1pdm has already diversified into distinct viral lineages with defined spatial patterns.

Human p59fyn(T) regulates OKT3-induced calcium influx by a mechanism distinct from PIP2 hydrolysis in Jurkat T cells

The earliest biochemical event after cross-linking of TCR is the tyrosine phosphorylation of a variety of substrates. At least three nonreceptor tyrosine kinases have been implicated in this signaling cascade: p59fyn(T), p56lck, and ZAP-70. Recently, PLC gamma 1 has been shown to be tyrosine phosphorylated in T cells after receptor activation. This increase in tyrosine phosphorylation correlates with the increased activity of the enzyme. The substrate for PLC gamma 1, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), is hydrolyzed to the protein kinase C activator diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3), which promotes calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. These results lend support to the notion that calcium mobilization after TCR cross-linking is mediated by increased levels of IP3. In this study we have cloned and transfected a human p59fyn(T) cDNA in the anti-sense configuration into the human T cell line, Jurkat, resulting in decreased expression of the protein. We find that cell lines expressing significantly reduced levels of p59fyn(T) exhibit significantly lower calcium influx following OKT3 activation. However, the level of IP3 production was unchanged and IP1 and IP2 levels were elevated. These data indicate that p59fyn(T) can regulate calcium influx by a mechanism distinct from PIP2 hydrolysis.

Human p59fyn(T) regulates OKT3-induced calcium influx by a mechanism distinct from PIP2 hydrolysis in Jurkat T cells

The earliest biochemical event after cross-linking of TCR is the tyrosine phosphorylation of a variety of substrates. At least three nonreceptor tyrosine kinases have been implicated in this signaling cascade: p59fyn(T), p56lck, and ZAP-70. Recently, PLC gamma 1 has been shown to be tyrosine phosphorylated in T cells after receptor activation. This increase in tyrosine phosphorylation correlates with the increased activity of the enzyme. The substrate for PLC gamma 1, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), is hydrolyzed to the protein kinase C activator diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3), which promotes calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. These results lend support to the notion that calcium mobilization after TCR cross-linking is mediated by increased levels of IP3. In this study we have cloned and transfected a human p59fyn(T) cDNA in the anti-sense configuration into the human T cell line, Jurkat, resulting in decreased expression of the protein. We find that cell lines expressing significantly reduced levels of p59fyn(T) exhibit significantly lower calcium influx following OKT3 activation. However, the level of IP3 production was unchanged and IP1 and IP2 levels were elevated. These data indicate that p59fyn(T) can regulate calcium influx by a mechanism distinct from PIP2 hydrolysis.

Distinct intracellular localization of Lck and Fyn protein tyrosine kinases in human T lymphocytes

Two src family kinases, lck and fyn, participate in the activation of T lymphocytes. Both of these protein tyrosine kinases are thought to function via their interaction with cell surface receptors. Thus, lck is associated with CD4, CD8, and Thy-1, whereas fyn is associated with the T cell antigen receptor and Thy-1. In this study, the intracellular localization of these two protein tyrosine kinases in T cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. Lck was present at the plasma membrane, consistent with its proposed role in transmembrane signalling, and was also associated with pericentrosomal vesicles which co-localized with the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor. Surprisingly, fyn was not detected at the plasma membrane in either Jurkat T cells or T lymphoblasts but was closely associated with the centrosome and to microtubule bundles radiating from the centrosome. In mitotic cells, fyn co-localized with the mitotic spindle and poles. The essentially non-overlapping intracellular distributions of lck and fyn suggest that these kinases may be accessible to distinct regulatory proteins and substrates and, therefore, may regulate different aspects of T cell activation. Anti-phosphotyrosine antibody staining at the plasma membrane increases dramatically after CD3 cross-linking of Jurkat T cells. The localization of lck to the plasma membrane suggests that it may participate in mediating this increase in tyrosine phosphorylation, rather than fyn. Furthermore, the distribution of fyn in mitotic cells raises the possibility that it functions at the M phase of the cell cycle.

Studies on the hyperplasia ('regeneration') of the rat liver following partial hepatectomy. Changes in lipid peroxidation and general biochemical aspects

Using the experimental model of partial hepatectomy in the rat, we have examined the relationship between cell division and lipid peroxidation activity. In rats entrained to a regime of 12 h light/12 h dark and with a fixed 8 h feeding period in the dark phase, partial hepatectomy is followed by a rapid regeneration of liver mass with cycles of synchronized cell division at 24 h intervals. The latter phenomenon is indicated in this study by pulses of thymidine kinase activity having maxima at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after partial hepatectomy. Microsomes prepared from regenerating livers show changes in lipid peroxidation activity (induced by NADPH/ADP/iron or by ascorbate/iron), which is significantly decreased relative to that in microsomes from sham-operated controls, again at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after the operation. This phenomenon has been investigated with regard to possible underlying changes in the content of microsomal fatty acids, the microsomal enzymes NADPH:cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome P-450, and the physiological microsomal antioxidant alpha-tocopherol. The cycles of decreased lipid peroxidation activity are apparently due, at least in part, to changes in microsomal alpha-tocopherol content that are closely associated in time with thymidine kinase activity.

Lipid peroxidation in regenerating rat liver

Rats entrained to a strictly regulated lighting and feeding schedule have been subjected to partial hepatectomy or a sham operation. In the partially hepatectomised animals the period of liver regeneration is characterised by regular bursts of thymidine kinase activity. Liver microsomes from rats, at times corresponding to maximum thymidine kinase activity, have much reduced rates of lipid peroxidation compared to control preparations: this is due in part to increased levels of lipid-soluble antioxidant at times of maximal DNA synthesis. This temporal relationship between thymidine kinase and lipid peroxidation is consistent with the view that lipid peroxidation is decreased prior to cell division.

Studies on lipid peroxidation in normal and tumour tissues. The Novikoff rat liver tumour

A study has been made of the factors that contribute to the decreased rates of lipid peroxidation under different pro-oxidant conditions in intact Novikoff tumour cells, and in microsomal suspensions prepared from Novikoff tumour cells, compared with isolated normal rat hepatocytes and microsomal suspensions prepared from normal rat liver. The pro-oxidant conditions were the addition of either NADPH, NADPH + ADP + iron, NADPH + CCl4 or ascorbate+iron to the experimental systems used, or exposure to gamma-radiation. Contributory factors to the lower rates of lipid peroxidation observed include: a significant decrease in the polyunsaturated fatty acid content of Novikoff cells or Novikoff microsomes; the decreases are especially marked for the C20:4 and C22:6 fatty acids; a very marked reduction in NADPH-cytochrome c reductase; and no detectable content of cytochrome P-450. Another, and in our opinion critical, contribution to the diminished rate of lipid peroxidation in the tumour material is the substantial increase in alpha-tocopherol relative both to total lipid and to methylene-interrupted double bonds in fatty acids. Moreover, the alpha-tocopherol is the major contributor to lipid-soluble chain-breaking antioxidant in lipid extracts of normal liver and of Novikoff tumour material.