Serological Evidence of Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus Infections in Greek Swine

The introduction of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza virus in pigs changed the epidemiology of influenza A viruses (IAVs) in swine in Europe and the rest of the world. Previously, three IAV subtypes were found in the European pig population: an avian-like H1N1 and two reassortant H1N2 and H3N2 viruses with human-origin haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase proteins and internal genes of avian decent. These viruses pose antigenically distinct HAs, which allow the retrospective diagnosis of infection in serological investigations. However, cross-reactions between the HA of pH1N1 and the HAs of the other circulating H1 IAVs complicate serological diagnosis. The prevalence of IAVs in Greek swine has been poorly investigated. In this study, we examined and compared haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titres against previously established IAVs and pH1N1 in 908 swine sera from 88 herds, collected before and after the 2009 pandemic. While we confirmed the historic presence of the three IAVs established in European swine, we also found that 4% of the pig sera examined after 2009 had HI antibodies only against the pH1N1 virus. Our results indicate that pH1N1 is circulating in Greek pigs and stress out the importance of a vigorous virological surveillance programme.

Evaluation of toxicological effects induced by tributyltin in clam Ruditapes decussatus using high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Study of metabolic responses in heart tissue and detection of a novel metabolite

Tributyltin (TBT) is a highly toxic pollutant present in many aquatic ecosystems. Its toxicity in mollusks strongly affects their performance and survival. The main purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms of TBT toxicity in clam Ruditapes decussatus by evaluating the metabolic responses of heart tissues, using high-resolution magic angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (HRMAS NMR), after exposure to TBT (10^-9, 10^-6 and 10^-4 M) during 24 h and 72 h. Results show that responses of clam heart tissue to TBT exposure are not dose dependent. Metabolic profile analyses indicated that TBT 10^-6 M, contrary to the two other doses tested, led to a significant depletion of taurine and betaine. Glycine levels decreased in all clam groups treated with the organotin. It is suggested that TBT abolished the cytoprotective effect of taurine, betaine and glycine thereby inducing cardiomyopathie. Moreover, results also showed that TBT induced increase in the level of alanine and succinate suggesting the occurrence of anaerobiosis particularly in clam group exposed to the highest dose of TBT. Taken together, these results demonstrate that TBT is a potential toxin with a variety of deleterious effects on clam and this organotin may affect different pathways depending to the used dose. The main finding of this study was the appearance of an original metabolite after TBT treatment likely N-glycine-N'-alanine. It is the first time that this molecule has been identified as a natural compound. Its exact role is unknown and remains to be elucidated. We suppose that its formation could play an important role in clam defense response by attenuating Ca²⁺ dependent cell death induced by TBT. Therefore this compound could be a promising biomarker for TBT exposure.

Revealing the structure of a granular medium through ballistic sound propagation

We study the propagation of sound through a bidimensional granular medium consisting of photoelastic disks, which are packed into different crystalline and disordered structures. Acoustic sensors placed at the boundaries of the system capture the acoustic signal produced by a local and well-controlled mechanical excitation. By compressing the system, we find that the speed of the ballistic part of the acoustic wave behaves as a power law of the applied force with both exponent and prefactor sensitive to the internal geometry of the contact network. This information, which we are able to link to the force-deformation relation of single grains under different contact geometries, provides enough information to reveal the structure of the granular medium.

Bis(triphenylphosphan)iminiummonothionitrat

The title compound (1) has been prepared by the reaction of PNP-perthionitrate with triphenylphosphane in acetone or acetonitrile.

PNP-Perthionitrit und PNP-Monothionitrit / PNP-Perthionitrite and PNP-M onothionitrite

As a major product from the reaction of PNP-nitrite [P = P(C6H5)3] with elementary sulfur or a PNP-polysulfide (PNP)2S12 in acetone under anaerobic conditions PNP-perthionitrite (PNPnitrosodisulfide) PNP-SSNO has been isolated. VIS/UV-spectra point to a thionitrate or perthionitrate as a precursor.

The structures of PNP-SSNO and of the product obtained on treating the perthionitrite with triphenylphosphane in acetonitrile, PNP -SNO (PNP-monothionitrite, PNP-nitrososulfide), have been elucidated through X-ray diffraction and independently from new chemical and NMRspectrometric arguments. PNP-SSN O crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P ben with a = 11.843(3), b = 16.647(5), c = 15.556(4) Å , PNP -SNO in the triclinic group P1̄ with a = 10.525(3), b = 17.196(5), c = 9.451(3) Å , a = 95.22(3), β = 92.32(3), γ = 91.65(3)°.

Analogiebetrachtungen und Analogrechner zur Behandlung der Korrelation von Π-Elektronen (1)

Um das Verhalten eines Moleküls bei Lichteinwirkung zu behandeln, wird die Annahme zugrunde gelegt, daß jedes π-Elektron im Feld der Lichtwelle, im Feld des Molekülrumpfs und im zeitlich veränderlichen gemittelten Feld aller übrigen π-Elektronen des Moleküls steht. Das sich so mit der zeitabhängigen SCHRÖDINGER-Gleichung ergebende Gleichungssystem ist analog zu dem System der Gleichungen, die das Verhalten einer Gesamtheit untereinander gekoppelter linearer klassischer Oszillatoren beschreibt, welche unter der Wirkung einer periodisch veränderlichen äußeren Kraft stehen. Das Gleichungssystem kann mit einem geeigneten Analogrechner leicht gelöst werden und das Verfahren ist daher auch im Fall komplizierter π-Elektronensysteme leicht durchführbar. Es zeigt sich, daß das Verfahren zu einer Näherung führt, wie sie in der Methode der Konfigurationswechselwirkung bei Mitberücksichtigung der zweifach angeregten Konfigurationen erreicht wird. Der Einfluß des Lösungsmittels auf die Größe des an den Elektronen wirksamen Feldes der Lichtwelle wird untersucht.

Verfahren zur röntgenometrischen Untersuchung von Kristallpulvern mit Zersetzungsdampfdrucken bis 760 Torr bei Temperaturen ≦ 20° C

Es wird ein Verfahren zur Aufnahme der Röntgeninterferenzen von Kristallpulvern mit Zersetzungsdampfdrucken bis zu 760 Torr beschrieben, die in einer Kammer direkt durch Einwirkung ihrer gasförmigen auf ihre nicht flüchtige Komponente hergestellt werden. Das Verfahren wurde an Pulvern der bereits früher röntgenometrisch untersuchten Ammine NH4Br · 3 NH3 und NH4J · n NH3 (n = 1, 3 und 4) erprobt. Es führte zur erstmaligen Bestimmung der Gitterkonstanten des NH4Br-NH3: a = 8,40, b = 10,14, c = 10,18 Å, Z = 8, Drö = 1,78 g/cm3 und des NH4J · 2 NH3: a = 6,02, b = 9,93, c = 11,07 Å, Z=4, Drö = 1,79 g/Kubikzentimeter.

Folding of the anterior cingulate cortex partially explains inhibitory control during childhood: a longitudinal study

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Difficulties in cognitive control are related to several psychiatric conditions.

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Inhibitory control (IC) of children predicts academic and professional successes.

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ACC sulcal patterns at age 5 were related to IC efficiency at age 5 (Stroop scores).

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ACC sulcal patterns at age 5 explained IC efficiency at age 9 (Stroop scores).

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ACC sulcal patterns constrain IC efficiency during childhood.

Difficulties in cognitive control including inhibitory control (IC) are related to the pathophysiology of several psychiatric conditions. In healthy subjects, IC efficiency in childhood is a strong predictor of academic and professional successes later in life. The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is one of the core structures responsible for IC. Although quantitative structural characteristics of the ACC contribute to IC efficiency, the qualitative structural brain characteristics contributing to IC development are less-understood. Using anatomical magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated whether the ACC sulcal pattern at age 5, a stable qualitative characteristic of the brain determined in utero, explains IC at age 9. 18 children performed Stroop tasks at age 5 and age 9. Children with asymmetrical ACC sulcal patterns (n = 7) had better IC efficiency at age 5 and age 9 than children with symmetrical ACC sulcal patterns (n = 11). The ACC sulcal patterns appear to affect specifically IC efficiency given that the ACC sulcal patterns had no effect on verbal working memory. Our study provides the first evidence that the ACC sulcal pattern – a qualitative structural characteristic of the brain not affected by maturation and learning after birth – partially explains IC efficiency during childhood.

In vitro and ex vivo analyses of co-infections with swine influenza and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses

Viral respiratory diseases remain problematic in swine. Among viruses, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and swine influenza virus (SIV), alone or in combination, are the two main known contributors to lung infectious diseases. Previous studies demonstrated that experimental dual infections of pigs with PRRSV followed by SIV can cause more severe disease than the single viral infections. However, our understanding of the impact of one virus on the other at the molecular level is still extremely limited. Thus, the aim of the current study was to determine the influence of dual infections, compared to single infections, in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) and precision cut lung slices (PCLS). PAMs were isolated and PCLS were acquired from the lungs of healthy 8-week-old pigs. Then, PRRSV (ATCC VR-2385) and a local SIV strain of H1N1 subtype (A/Sw/Saskatchewan/18789/02) were applied simultaneously or with 3 h apart on PAMs and PCLS for a total of 18 h. Immuno-staining for both viruses and beta-tubulin, real-time quantitative PCR and ELISA assays targeting various genes (pathogen recognition receptors, interferons (IFN) type I, cytokines, and IFN-inducible genes) and proteins were performed to analyze the cell and the tissue responses. Interference caused by the first virus on replication of the second virus was observed, though limited. On the host side, a synergistic effect between PRRSV and SIV co-infections was observed for some transcripts such as TLR3, RIG-I, and IFNβ in PCLS. The PRRSV infection 3 h prior to SIV infection reduced the response to SIV while the SIV infection prior to PRRSV infection had limited impact on the second infection. This study is the first to show an impact of PRRSV/SIV co-infection and superinfections in the cellular and tissue immune response at the molecular level. It opens the door to further research in this exciting and intriguing field.

Different herd level factors associated with H1N1 or H1N2 influenza virus infections in fattening pigs

Herd-level factors associated with European H1N1 or H1N2 swine influenza virus (SIV) infections were assessed by mean of a cross-sectional study carried out in 125 herds in France. Serum samples from 15 fattening pigs in each herd were tested by haemagglutination inhibition. Data related to herd characteristics, biosecurity, management and housing conditions were collected by questionnaire during the farm visit. Climatic conditions in the post-weaning and fattening rooms, where the sampled pigs were housed, were measured over 20 h. Factors associated with H1N1 or H1N2 sero-positive status of the herd were identified by logistic regressions for binary outcome. For both subtypes, the odds for a herd to be SIV sero-positive increased if there were more than two pig herds in the vicinity (OR=3.2, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.4-7.6, p<0.01 and OR=3.5, 95% CI: 1.5-8.1 p<0.01 for H1N1 and H1N2 respectively). Different factors were specifically associated with either H1N1 or H1N2 SIV infections. The odds for a herd to be H1N1 sero-positive were significantly increased by having a large number of pigs per pen in the post-weaning room (OR=3.2, 95% CI: 1.2-8.6, p=0.02), temperature setpoints below 25 °C (OR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.1-6.4, p=0.03) and below 24 °C (OR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.1-6.1, p=0.03) for the heating device in the farrowing room and the ventilation controller, respectively, and moving the pigs to the fattening facility via a room housing older pigs (OR=3.3, 95% CI: 1.1-9.6, p=0.03). A H1N2 sero-positive status was associated with a brief down period in the farrowing room (OR=2.6, 95% CI: 1.1-6.3, p=0.03), small floor area per pig in the post-weaning pen (OR=2.9, 95% CI: 1.2-7.0, p=0.02), large-sized fattening room (OR=2.5, 95% CI: 1.1-5.9, p=0.03), lack of all-in all-out management in the fattening room (OR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.0-5.8, p=0.04) and a temperature range of less than 5 °C controlling ventilation in the fattening facilities (OR=3.2, 95% CI: 1.4-7.4, p<0.01). Factors related to external and internal biosecurity and to the control of inside climatic conditions should be considered together when implementing programmes to better control SIV infections.

Phospholipids of the sea anemone: Quantitative distribution; absence of carbon-phosphorus linkages in glycerol phospholipids; structural elucidation of ceramide aminoethylphosphonate

The phospholipid composition of the sea anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima) was determined by quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Phosphonic acids were not detected in phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, or phosphatidyl serine following isolation and hydrolysis. The structure of ceramide aminoethylphosphonate, a phosphonolipid, was elucidated by hydrolysis and oxidative degradation followed by characterization of the products by TLC and gas-liquid chromatography. The long-chain base was shown to be sphingosine with the 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid group attached through the primary hydroxyl group at carbon one. Ceramide aminoethylphosphonate is therefore 1-(O-phosphonoethylamine)-N-acyl sphingosine.

Quantitative analysis of brain and spinach leaf lipids employing silicic acid column chromatography and acetone for elution of glycolipids

Quantitative elution of acidic and neutral glycolipids of brain and spinach leaves from silicic acid columns with acetone was demonstrated. Cerebrosides and sulfatides of brain and sulfolipid and glycosyl diglycerides of spinach leaves were eluted quantitatively with acetone while prospholipids remained on the column. The observations provide the basis for an analytical procedure employing column and quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Sephadex column chromatography is utilized for separation of lipids from nonlipids; silicic acid column chromatography for separation into neutral lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid fractions; and quantitative TLC for analysis of lipid classes of each column fraction.

New alkyl-lipid blockers of SK3 channels reduce cancer cell migration and occurrence of metastasis

Edelfosine is an inhibitor of SK3 channel mediated cell migration. However, this compound bears adverse in vivo side effects. Using cell SK3 dependent cell-migration assay, patch-clamp, (125)I-apamin binding, and in vivo experiments we tested the ability of 15 lipid derivatives with chemical structures inspired from edelfosine to inhibit SK3 channels. Using a structure-activity relationship approach we identified an edelfosine analog named Ohmline (1-O-hexadecyl- 2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-lactose) with potent inhibitory effects on the SK3 channel. Its potency was greater for SK3 channels than for SK1 channels; it did not affect IKCa channels and only slightly but not significantly affected SK2 channels. This is the first SKCa channel blocker that can be used to discriminate between SK2 and SK1/SK3 channels and represents a useful tool to investigate the functional role of SK3 channels in peripheral tissues (that do not express SK1 channels). This compound, which acts with an IC(50) of 300 nM, did not displace apamin from SKCa channels and had no effect on non-specific edelfosine targets such as protein kinase C (PKC), receptors for platelet activating factor (PAF) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), as well as non-cancerous cells. This is promising because the pitfalls associated with the use of edelfosine-like compounds have been that their effective and high concentrations are often cytotoxic due to their detergent-like character causing normal cell lysis. Finally, Ohmline reduced metastasis development in a mice model of tumor indicating that this compound could become a lead compound for the first class of lipid-antimetastatic agent.

HRMAS NMR as a tool to study metabolic responses in heart clam Ruditapes decussatus exposed to Roundup®

The essence of this study was to investigate the metabolic responses of heart tissues of carpet-shell clam Ruditapes decussatus after exposure to two doses (0.2 and 1 g/L) of Roundup(®) during 24 and 72 h. The main metabolic changes after Roundup(®) exposure were related to disturbance in energy metabolism and metabolic biomarkers such as alanine, succinate, acetate and propionate, suggesting the occcurence of anaerobiosis and the impairment of oxydative metabolism. Results showed also that peak intensities of amino acids used as biomarker of anaerobiosis in molluscs are time and dose dependent. In the opposite, phosphoarginine and ATP level are dependent to Roundup(®) concentration rather than to the time of exposure. We suggest that changes in energy demands require adjustements in the forward arginine kinase reaction rate. Therefore, the results demonstrate the high applicability of HRMAS NMR to elucidate the mechanism of toxicity of Roundup(®). In addition, (31)P HRMAS NMR appeared to be an effective and simple method to follow bioaccumulation of Roundup(®) formulation.