First molecular analysis of rabies virus in Qatar and clinical cases imported into Qatar, a case report

Identifying the origin of the rabies virus (RABV) infection may have significant implications for control measures. Here, we identified the source of a RABV infection of two Nepalese migrants in Qatar by comparing their RABV genomes with RABV genomes isolated from the brains of a RABV infected camel and fox from Qatar.

MERS-CoV in Camels but Not Camel Handlers, Sudan, 2015 and 2017

We tested samples collected from camels, camel workers, and other animals in Sudan and Qatar in 2015 and 2017 for evidence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. MERS-CoV antibodies were abundant in Sudan camels, but we found no evidence of MERS-CoV infection in camel workers, other livestock, or bats.

Towards high quality real-time whole genome sequencing during outbreaks using Usutu virus as example

Recently, protocols for amplicon based whole genome sequencing using Nanopore technology have been described for Ebola virus, Zika virus, yellow fever virus and West Nile virus. However, there is some debate regarding reliability of sequencing using this technology, which is important for applications beyond diagnosis such as linking lineages to outbreaks, tracking transmission pathways and pockets of circulation, or mapping specific markers. To our knowledge, no in depth analyses of the required read coverage to compensate for the error profile in Nanopore sequencing have been described. Here, we describe the validation of a protocol for whole genome sequencing of USUV using Nanopore sequencing by direct comparison to Illumina sequencing. To that point we selected brain tissue samples with high viral loads, typical for birds which died from USUV infection. We conclude that the low-cost MinION Nanopore sequencing platform can be used for characterization and tracking of Usutu virus outbreaks.

Radiation-induced skin injury in the animal model of scleroderma: implications for post-radiotherapy fibrosis

Background

Radiation therapy is generally contraindicated for cancer patients with collagen vascular diseases (CVD) such as scleroderma due to an increased risk of fibrosis. The tight skin (TSK) mouse has skin which, in some respects, mimics that of patients with scleroderma. The skin radiation response of TSK mice has not been previously reported. If TSK mice are shown to have radiation sensitive skin, they may prove to be a useful model to examine the mechanisms underlying skin radiation injury, protection, mitigation and treatment.

Methods

The hind limbs of TSK and parental control C57BL/6 mice received a radiation exposure sufficient to cause approximately the same level of acute injury. Endpoints included skin damage scored using a non-linear, semi-quantitative scale and tissue fibrosis assessed by measuring passive leg extension. In addition, TGF-β1 cytokine levels were measured monthly in skin tissue.

Results

Contrary to our expectations, TSK mice were more resistant (i.e. 20%) to radiation than parental control mice. Although acute skin reactions were similar in both mouse strains, radiation injury in TSK mice continued to decrease with time such that several months after radiation there was significantly less skin damage and leg contraction compared to C57BL/6 mice (p < 0.05). Consistent with the expected association of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) with late tissue injury, levels of the cytokine were significantly higher in the skin of the C57BL/6 mouse compared to TSK mouse at all time points (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

TSK mice are not recommended as a model of scleroderma involving radiation injury. The genetic and molecular basis for reduced radiation injury observed in TSK mice warrants further investigation particularly to identify mechanisms capable of reducing tissue fibrosis after radiation injury.

Gender differences in pretreatment quality of life in a prospective lung cancer trial

The purpose of this analysis was to assess the impact of pretreatment factors on quality of life (QOL) in patients with locally advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In particular, this study focused on the possible interaction between gender-specific baseline health-related QOL and Karnofsky performance score (KPS) in a prospective randomized lung cancer trial. QOL information, using validated instruments (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung [FACT-L], version 2, and Functional Living Index-Cancer [FLIC]), was prospectively collected in patients with locally advanced NSCLC treated on Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) trial 89-01. Between April 1990 and April 1994, 70 eligible patients participated in a phase III trial comparing a regimen containing sequential chemotherapy and radiation therapy versus sequential chemotherapy plus surgery. Of these 70 patients, 46 underwent pretreatment FLIC and 49 underwent pretreatment FACT-L. There was a significant interaction between gender and KPS using FLIC (P = 0.009), which also showed a trend toward significance with FACT (P = 0.09). Significant KPS-by-gender interactions were noted for FACT-L in the physical well-being and additional concerns-lung subscales (P = 0.012 and P = 0.0003, respectively). The results of both the FLIC and FACT-L demonstrated significantly lower scores corresponding to lower KPS values (P = 0.009 and P = 0.016, respectively). Results of this randomized study incorporating prospective QOL measurements suggested that in patients with locally advanced NSCLC, analyzing QOL data by either gender or performance status alone may not accurately reflect how these factors depend upon each another. Understanding the interaction between gender and performance status could lead to better prognosticators and potentially could tailor interventions for specific groups of patients with lung cancer.

Polyethylene Glycol (Molecular Weight 400 DA) Vehicle Improves Gene Expression of Adenovirus Mediated Gene Therapy

PURPOSE

A significant limitation of adenoviral mediated suicide gene therapy is poor gene distribution in vivo. The choice of vehicle has been demonstrated to affect the level of adenoviral delivered gene transduction. We examined the hypotheses that 1) adenovirus suspended in PEG400 improves gene expression in the naïve canine prostate model, 2) improved transgene expression with PEG400 results in improved tumor control and 3) vehicle affects the initial adenoviral spread from a single intratumor injection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The magnitude and volume of gene expression were measured 24 hours following intraprostatic injection of adenovirus suspended in PEG400 (12.5% weight per volume) or saline as vehicle. Tumor growth delay was measured in mice bearing human tumor xenografts following the injection of adenovirus in PEG400 and saline. The initial spread of adenovirus was measured by confocal microscopy following a single injection of fluorescently labeled adenoviral particles in human tumor xenografts using each vehicle.

RESULTS

Adenovirus suspended in PEG400 provided an average of twice the level of gene expression in the canine prostate and significantly better tumor control relative to saline in preclinical tumor models (p = 0.046 and 0.036, respectively). The initial spread of adenovirus with PEG400 was superior to that of adenovirus in saline and the latter was largely limited to the needle tract.

CONCLUSIONS

Adenoviral gene therapy vectors suspended in PEG400 results in improved tumor control because of greater initial adenoviral spread, and the increased volume and magnitude of gene expression in vivo.

Long-term efficacy of fluid ability interventions with older adults

Three-year follow-up data were gathered from 108 elderly persons to investigate the long-term efficacy of fluid ability (Gf) interventions with the aged. Results suggested that the effects of reminding older persons to use previously acquired training strategies facilitated 3-year Letter Series performance, particularly so for stress inoculation participants. No reminder effects were observed for Letter Sets scores. While 3-year declines in Letter Sets performance were observed for all persons, losses in Letter Sets performance were minimized to a greater extent for stress inoculation group participants than for those in both the induction training and control conditions. These data collectively underscore the interaction between qualitatively different types of Gf interventions and the ongoing use of previously acquired training strategies as factors in the maintenance of Gf training effects in older persons.

Salivary total protein and experimental Coriolis sickness

Symptomatic reporting has been used in quantifying the severity of motion sickness including Coriolis sickness. This study was designed to objectively examine if the dynamic changes of salivary protein concentration relate to the severity of Coriolis sickness. Healthy adults with normal vestibular function underwent a modified Coriolis Sickness Susceptibility Index (CSSI) test, utilizing a staircase profile. Salivary samples were obtained prior to stimulation, 15, 30, and 45 min following stimulus onset, and/or upon reaching "nausea-II" endpoint. Total protein concentration tended to rise over the initial 30 min of stimulation, and then level off or decline. A statistically significant difference was found between the pre-stimulation and 30 min samples. Although some variability existed among the subjects, the general pattern of changes along the time course was similar. An inverse correlation approaching statistical significance was found between control (non-stimulus) total protein levels, and minutes of Coriolis stimulation required to reach the "nausea-II" endpoint. Thus, baseline salivary total protein levels can be of use in predicting susceptibility of Coriolis sickness and other forms of motion sickness.

The use of epidural anesthesia and analgesia in aortic surgery

During a 3-year period, sixty-four consecutive patients, who had elective aortic reconstruction were investigated to determine whether epidural anesthesia and analgesia, combined with light general anesthesia, would lower the rate of perioperative complications in this high-risk group of patients. The epidural group comprised 32 consecutive patients who had surgery during the 20-month period from July 1986 to December 1987. These patients were compared with the previous 32 patients who had aortic reconstruction at Huntington Memorial Hospital (Pasadena, CA) using conventional general anesthetic techniques. Cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity, length of hospital stay, length of intensive care unit stay, and duration of endotracheal intubation were compared. There was no statistically significant difference in cardiovascular morbidity, length of hospital stay, or intensive care unit stay between the two groups. There was however, a striking decrease in respiratory complications and length of intubation in the epidural anesthesia group (P less than 0.005). The authors conclude that epidural anesthesia and analgesia, combined with a light general anesthetic may confer benefits over conventional general anesthesia in patients undergoing aortic surgery.

Coagulopathy after snake bite by Bothrops neuwiedi: case report and results of in vitro experiments

Coagulation studies were performed in a patient who had been bitten by a snake of the species Bothrops neuwiedi. The patient presented with hemorrhagic necrosis at the envenomization site and considerable bleeding from venous puncture sites. He developed a severe defibrination syndrome with a clottable fibrinogen level of approximately 0.1 g/l. Fibrinogen was not measurable by clotting time assay. Fibrin degradation products were greatly elevated. Treatment with antivenom caused an anaphylactic reaction within ten minutes and serum sickness after three days. In vitro experiments revealed that B. neuwiedi venom directly activates Factors II and X, but does not activate Factor XIII. In vivo consumption of Factor XIII after B. neuwiedi envenomization is ascribed to the action of Factor IIa. At low venom concentrations clotting is initiated by activation of prothrombin by the venom either directly or via Factor X activation. Treatment with heparin might be beneficial in coagulopathy secondary to snake bite by reducing circulating active thrombin. The venom contains thrombin-like proteases which cause slow clotting of fibrinogen, and plasmin-like components causing further proteolysis of fibrinogen and fibrin. Antivenom has no effect on the proteolytic action of the snake venom. The in vivo effects of antivenom are presumably caused by acceleration of the elimination of venom components from the circulation. Intravenous administration of antivenom caused normalization of blood coagulation parameters within 48 h.

X;15 translocation in a retarded girl: X inactivation pattern and attempt to localise the hexosaminidase A and other loci

Cytogenetic studies on a retarded girl showed a complex S;15 translocation, karyotype 45,X,-15,+t(X15). The translocation X chromosome was non-randomly partially inactivated, the inactivation being mainly confined to the X segment and in some cells only to the X long arm. Gene marker studies failed to show anomalous segregation of the hexosaminidase A gene or any other gene markers tested.

The influence of alpha-receptors on lordosis in the female rat

The alpha-adrenergic agonist clonidine suppressed lordotic responding in spayed female rats brought into heat by estrogen and progesterone. The suppression was blocked by the alpha-antagonist yohimbine, but not by phenoxybenzamine or pimozide. The suppression was blocked by the alpha-antagonist yohimbine, but not by phenoxybenzamine or pimozide. Phenoxybenzamine itself had no suppressive effect on lordosis, though yohimbine did under some conditions. These results argue against an important facilitatory influence of norepinephrine on lordosis in the rat. Further, in comparison with the quite different findings recently reported from the guinea pig, they offer support for the presence of two different kinds of alpha-adrenergic receptors in the brain with different physiological functions.