Intranasal challenge with B. pertussis leads to more severe disease manifestations in mice than aerosol challenge

The murine Bordetella pertussis challenge model has been utilized in preclinical research for decades. Currently, inconsistent methodologies are employed by researchers across the globe, making it difficult to compare findings. The objective of this work was to utilize the CD-1 mouse model with two routes of challenge, intranasal and aerosol administration of B. pertussis, to understand the differences in disease manifestation elicited via each route. We observed that both routes of B. pertussis challenge result in dose-dependent colonization of the respiratory tract, but overall, intranasal challenge led to higher bacterial burden in the nasal lavage, trachea, and lung. Furthermore, high dose intranasal challenge results in induction of leukocytosis and pro-inflammatory cytokine responses compared to aerosol challenge. These data highlight crucial differences in B. pertussis challenge routes that should be considered during experimental design.

Dehydration Alters Transcript Levels in the Mosquito Midgut, Likely Facilitating Rapid Rehydration following a Bloodmeal

The mosquito midgut is an important site for bloodmeal regulation while also acting as a primary site for pathogen exposure within the mosquito. Recent studies show that exposure to dehydrating conditions alters mosquito bloodfeeding behaviors as well as post-feeding regulation, likely altering how pathogens interact with the mosquito. Unfortunately, few studies have explored the underlying dynamics between dehydration and bloodmeal utilization, and the overall impact on disease transmission dynamics remains veiled. In this study, we find that dehydration-based feeding in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, prompts alterations to midgut gene expression, as well as subsequent physiological factors involving water control and post-bloodfeeding (pbf) regulation. Altered expression of ion transporter genes and aquaporin 2 (AQP2) in the midgut of dehydrated mosquitoes as well as the rapid reequilibration of hemolymph osmolality after a bloodmeal indicate an ability to expedite fluid and ion processing. These alterations ultimately indicate that female A. aegypti employ mechanisms to ameliorate the detriments of dehydration by imbibing a bloodmeal, providing an effective avenue for rehydration. Continued research into bloodmeal utilization and the resulting effects on arthropod-borne transmission dynamics becomes increasingly important as drought prevalence is increased by climate change.

Characterizing CFTR modulated sweat chloride response across the cf population: Initial results from the CHEC-SC study

BACKGROUND

CHEC-SC is an ongoing epidemiologic study characterizing modulator-induced sweat chloride (SC) responses across the CF population, with interim results available prior to the availability of triple combination modulator therapy.

METHODS

Eligible participants had been prescribed a modulator for ≥90 days with re-enrollment allowed upon establishment of a new modulator. Pre-modulator SC values were obtained from chart review; post-modulator sweat was collected and analyzed locally. SC changes were descriptively summarized with biologic sex effects adjusted for age, weight, and CFTR genotype. Heterogeneity in ivacaftor SC response was characterized in relation to published CFTR functional responses.

RESULTS

1848 participants provided 2004 SC measurements, 26.2% on ivacaftor, 39.1% on lumacaftor/ivacaftor, and 34.7% on tezacaftor/ivacaftor. Average SC changes for all modulators were consistent with those reported in previous clinical studies, with greater variation in SC response observed among rarer mutations and notable shifts in the proportion with SC <60mmol/L independent of the magnitude of SC change. Ivacaftor induced in vitro CFTR functional change was significantly correlated with ivacaftor-modulated SC response (Pearson correlation= ‒0.52, 95% CI: ‒0.773, ‒0.129). Average SC change from ivacaftor to tezacaftor/ivacaftor was ‒4.9 mmol/L (n=17,95% CI:‒9.3, ‒0.5) and differed from those switching from lumacaftor/ivacaftor (10.0 mmol/L, n=139, 95% CI:7.8,12.3). Sex at birth was not associated with SC response.

CONCLUSIONS

CHEC-SC is the largest study characterizing modulator-induced SC changes across the CF population. There was a strong association between ivacaftor induced in vitro CFTR function and SC response across a genotypically heterogenous cohort. Biological sex was not associated with SC response.

Bloodmeal regulation in mosquitoes curtails dehydration-induced mortality, altering vectorial capacity

Mosquitoes readily lose water when exposed to any humidity less than that of near saturated air unless mitigated, leading to shifts in behavior, survival, distribution, and reproduction. In this study, we conducted a series of physiological experiments on two prominent species in the Culicinae subfamily: Culex pipiens, a vector of West Nile virus, and Aedes aegypti, a vector of yellow fever and Zika to examine the effects of dehydration. We exposed C. pipiens and A. aegypti to non-dehydrating conditions (saturated air), dehydrating conditions (air at a 0.89 kPa saturation vapor pressure deficit), several recovery conditions, as well as to bloodfeeding opportunities. We show that dehydrated mosquitoes increase bloodfeeding propensity, improve retention, and decrease excretion of a post-dehydration bloodmeal. In addition, mosquitoes that take a bloodmeal prior to dehydration exposure show increased survival over non-bloodfed counterparts. Dehydration-induced alterations in survival, reproduction, and bloodfeeding propensity of C. pipiens and A. aegypti resulted in marked changes to vectorial capacity. Ultimately, these results become increasingly important as drought intensifies in association with climate change and mosquitoes become more likely to experience arid periods.

Early Australian experience in the maintenance of schizophrenia management with 3-monthly paliperidone palmitate

OBJECTIVES:

Real-world experience from a 6-month product familiarization programme (PFP) for 3-monthly paliperidone palmitate in schizophrenia maintenance treatment.

METHODS:

Prescribers completed an online questionnaire for each patient at enrolment with further questions at second dose (re-supply) stage and a second survey of their overall experience at the end.

RESULTS:

Ninety-four patients were enrolled and received a first dose and 23 received a second dose within the 6-month programme; 51.1% had been hospitalised for symptom relapse in the previous 2 years. Reasons for prescribing were convenience of 3-monthly dosing for patients (94.7%) and patient choice (54.6%). Prescribers followed-up at least once-monthly (69.6% cases) and indicated in 48.9% they would consider shared GP care. All patients were satisfied with symptom control and either maintained functioning or showed improvement. Clinicians felt confident with administration and identifying suitable patients and were all 'satisfied' or 'somewhat satisfied' with efficacy and tolerability. All felt patients' treatment goals were either 'met' (81.3%) or 'partly met' (18.7%) and none reported dissatisfaction with relapse prevention.

CONCLUSIONS:

Convenient 3-monthly dosing was preferred by clinicians and patients, and symptoms were adequately managed. This has the potential to improve adherence and lead to better outcomes as patients only need four intramuscular doses per year.

Recommendations for the optimal care of patients with recent-onset psychosis in the Asia-Pacific region

Providing optimal care to patients with recent-onset psychosis can improve outcomes and reduce relapse. However, there is a lack of consistency of the implementation of guidelines for such patients across the Asia-Pacific region. We determined a pragmatic set of recommendations for use on a day-to-day basis to help provide optimal care at this crucial stage of illness. The recommendations were developed over a series of meetings by an international faculty of 15 experts from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and South Africa. A structured search of the PubMed database was conducted. This was further developed based on the faculty's clinical experience and knowledge of the literature into 10 key aspects of optimal care for patients during the first five years of a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder, with particular relevance to the Asia-Pacific region. Several common principles emerged: adherence to antipsychotic medications is crucial; substance abuse, psychiatric and medical comorbidities should be addressed; psychosocial interventions play a pivotal role; and family members can play a vital role in overall patient care. By following these recommendations, clinicians may improve outcomes for patients with recent-onset psychosis.

Experimental validation of a novel compact focusing scheme for future energy-frontier linear lepton colliders

A novel scheme for the focusing of high-energy leptons in future linear colliders was proposed in 2001 [P. Raimondi and A. Seryi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 3779 (2001)]. This scheme has many advantageous properties over previously studied focusing schemes, including being significantly shorter for a given energy and having a significantly better energy bandwidth. Experimental results from the ATF2 accelerator at KEK are presented that validate the operating principle of such a scheme by demonstrating the demagnification of a 1.3 GeV electron beam down to below 65 nm in height using an energy-scaled version of the compact focusing optics designed for the ILC collider.

Akathisia treated with olanzapine: Three case reports

There have been reports of clozapine being used in the treatment of neuroleptic-induced akathisia. However, due to clozapine's side effects, its use has been limited. Olazapine has been shown to have a similar receptor occupancy to that of clozapine and also a similar chemical structure. We present three case histories where the commencement of olanzapine has had a dramatic improvement of in the symptoms of akathisia induced by other neuroleptics.

Antithrombin and heparin

Antithrombin, the main inhibitor of thrombosis in blood, is bound and activated by the heparin-like side-chains that line the small vasculature. We now have good depictions of the heparin-binding site on antithrombin, and of the way in which mutations at this site cause thrombotic disease. The interaction of heparin with antithrombin is, however, a kinetic one, with binding being followed by formation of a complex with thrombin and then release from the heparin. Our understanding of the processes involved is currently based on crystallographic models but, for a mobile mechanism, these merely provide snapshots - what is needed is a movie.

Blink reflex excitability recovery curves in patients with spasmodic dysphonia

We studied 12 patients with spasmodic dysphonia (SD) and 12 healthy control subjects. The patients, who had no symptomatic involvement of the eyes, were evaluated for increased excitability of blink reflexes, which is characteristic of blepharospasm and generalized dystonia. We measured symptom severity from sound spectrograms of five sentences, including sentence production time, number of pitch phonatory breaks, and percentage of aperiodic phonation. We evoked blink reflexes by electrical and mechanical stimulation, and assessed excitability by obtaining excitability recovery curves and responses to trains of stimuli. Patients and controls differed from each other in test R2 amplitude attenuation across all intervals from 150 to 1,000 msec to electrical and mechanical stimulation. Our results indicate that patients with SD have increased excitability of blink reflexes, which suggests that the dystonia involves not only the larynx but also other anatomical structures.

Tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA is increased by hyperosmotic stimuli in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei

In situ hybridization histochemistry was used to locate cells containing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA in the hypothalami of salt-loaded and Brattleboro rats. The hyperosmotic plasma conditions found in these animals, as compared to control animals, was associated with an increase in detectable TH mRNA-producing cells in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. These results suggest that dopamine synthesized by neurons of those nuclei may participate in the regulation of neuropeptide synthesis and release within the nuclei and the posterior pituitary.