Airborne spread and infection of a novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus

BACKGROUND

The novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-O 2009 IV) can cause respiratory infectious diseases in humans and pigs, but there are few studies investigating the airborne spread of the virus. In January 2011, a swine-origin H1N1 epidemic emerged in eastern China that rapidly spread to neighboring farms, likely by aerosols carried by the wind.

METHODS

In this study, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect viruses in air samples from pig farms. Based on two aerosol infection models (Pig and guinea pig), we evaluated aerosol transmission and infection of the novel S-O 2009 IV isolate.

RESULTS

Three novel S-O 2009 IV were isolated from the diseased pig. The positive rate and viral loads of air samples were 26.1% and 3.14-5.72 log₁₀copies/m³ air, respectively. In both pig and guinea pig infection models, the isolate (A/swine/Shandong/07/2011) was capable of forming aerosols and infected experimental animals at a range of 2.0-4.2 m by aerosols, but aerosol route was less efficient than direct contact.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that S-O 2009 IV is able to be aerosolized by infected animals and to be transmitted to susceptible animals by airborne routes.

Characterization of nonlinear saturation and mode-locking potential of ionically-doped colored glass filter for short-pulse fiber lasers

The nonlinear saturable absorption of an ionically-doped colored glass filter is measured directly using a Z-scan technique. For the first time, we demonstrate the potential of this material as a saturable asborber in fiber lasers. We achieve mode-locking of an ytterbium doped system. Mode-locking of cavities with all-positive and net-negative group velocity dispersion are demonstrated, achieving pulse durations of 60 ps and 4.1 ps, respectively. This inexpensive and optically robust material, with the potential for broadband operation, could surplant other saturable absorber devices in affordable mode-locked fiber lasers.

Variety and complexity of fluorine-18-labelled fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose accumulations in the oral cavity of patients with oral cancers

OBJECTIVES

To elucidate the points that require attention when interpreting fluorine-18-labelled fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ((18)F-FDG)/positron emission tomography (PET) images by demonstration of (18)F-FDG accumulation in various areas of the oral cavity other than primary lesions in patients with oral cancers.

METHODS

(18)F-FDG accumulations with a maximal standardized uptake value of over 2.5 in various areas of the oral cavity other than primary lesions were identified in 82 patients with oral cancers.

RESULTS

(18)F-FDG/PET-positive areas, excluding primary tumours, included the front intrinsic muscles of the tongue (89.0%), upper and lower marginal parts of the orbicularis oris muscle (64.6%), sublingual glands, palatine tonsil, pharyngeal tonsil, and lingual tonsil. In addition, some areas in the jaws also showed accumulation.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with oral cancers, areas of (18)F-FDG accumulation in the oral cavity should be precisely identified and appropriately diagnosed, because accumulations can be seen in areas other than the primary tumour.

Concise review: chemical approaches for modulating lineage-specific stem cells and progenitors

Generation and manipulation of lineage-restricted stem and progenitor cells in vitro and/or in vivo are critical for the development of stem cell-based clinical therapeutics. Lineage-restricted stem and progenitor cells have many advantageous qualities, including being able to efficiently engraft and differentiate into desirable cell types in vivo after transplantation, and they are much less tumorigenic than pluripotent cells. Generation of lineage-restricted stem and progenitor cells can be achieved by directed differentiation from pluripotent stem cells or lineage conversion from easily obtained somatic cells. Small molecules can be very helpful in these processes since they offer several important benefits. For example, the risk of tumorigenesis is greatly reduced when small molecules are used to replace integrated transcription factors, which are widely used in cell fate conversion. Furthermore, small molecules are relatively easy to apply, optimize, and manufacture, and they can more readily be developed into conventional pharmaceuticals. Alternatively, small molecules can be used to expand or selectively control the differentiation of lineage-restricted stem and progenitor cells for desirable therapeutics purposes in vitro or in vivo. Here we summarize recent progress in the use of small molecules for the expansion and generation of desirable lineage-restricted stem and progenitor cells in vitro and for selectively controlling cell fate of lineage-restricted stem and progenitor cells in vivo, thereby facilitating stem cell-based clinical applications.

Measurement of 2∕1 intrinsic error field of Joint TEXT tokamak

The amplitude and spatial phase of the intrinsic error field of Joint TEXT (J-TEXT) tokamak were measured by scanning the spatial phase of an externally exerted resonant magnetic perturbation and fitting the mode locking thresholds. For a typical plasma with current of 180 kA, the amplitude of the 2∕1 component of the error field at the plasma edge is measured to be 0.31 G, which is about 1.8 × 10(-5) relative to the base toroidal field. The measured spatial phase is about 317° in the specified coordinate system (r, θ, ϕ) of J-TEXT tokamak. An analytical model based on the dynamics of rotating island is developed to verify the measured phase.

Reliability, validity and sensitivity of the Chinese (simple) short form 36 health survey version 2 (SF-36v2) in patients with chronic hepatitis B

The purpose of the study was to evaluate reliability, validity and sensitivity of the Chinese (simple) SF-36v2 in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Four hundred and sixty patients were recruited and allocated to CHB (CHB without cirrhosis) (n = 323) and CHB-related cirrhosis (n = 137) groups. Internal consistency reliability was estimated with Cronbach's α-coefficient. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by item-scale-component correlation. Factorial validity was explored by principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation. Sensitivity was measured with Cohen's effect size (ES), and independent sample t-test between the CHB and CHB-related cirrhosis groups and between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normal and abnormal groups after stratifying illness stages. The results showed that Cronbach's α of the total SF-36v2 was 0.92, with the range from 0.72 to 0.87 in the eight scales and 0.76 to 0.77 in the two summary components. Most of the hypothesized item-scale-component correlations were 0.40 or over, and all of such hypothesized correlations were higher than the alternative ones, indicating satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity. Two and seven factors were extracted after varimax rotation at the scale level and item level. The eligible ES with statistically significant independent sample t-test was found in the physical component summary (PCS) and physical function (PF), role-physical (RP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF) scales by comparison between CHB and CHB-related cirrhosis groups, and in the PCS and PF, GH, SF scales by comparison between the ALT normal and abnormal groups in the stratification of patients with CHB. In conclusion, the Chinese (simple) SF-36v2 has acceptable reliability, validity and sensitivity in patients with CHB.

Identification and biological characterization of chicken embryonic cardiac progenitor cells

OBJECTIVES

Many kinds of cardiac progenitor cell populations have been identified, including c-kit(+) , Nkx2.5(+) s and GATA4(+) cells. However, these progenitors have limited ability to differentiate into different cardiac cell types. Recently, a new kind of cardiac progenitor cell named the multipotent Isl1(+) cardiovascular progenitor (MICPs) has been identified, which also expresses Nkx2.5, GATA4, CD34 and Flk1.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we have isolated and characterized MICPs from chicken embryonic heart tissues using immunofluorescence and PCR.

RESULTS

Results shown that they express markers of cardiac progenitor cells, with high clonality. They have the ability to self-renew and can give rise to three types of heart cell in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

Myocytes, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. Our work provides evidence for a developmental paradigm of the heart, that endothelial and muscle lineage diversification arises from multipotent cardiac progenitor cells. Existence of these cells provides a new opportunity for myocardial injury repair.