Efficacy of a canarypox-vectored recombinant vaccine expressing the hemagglutinin gene of equine influenza H3N8 virus in the protection of ponies from viral challenge

OBJECTIVE: To determine onset and duration of immunity provided by a 2- or 3-dose series of a new canarypox-vectored recombinant vaccine for equine influenza virus (rCP-EIV vaccine) expressing the hemagglutinin genes of influenza H3N8 virus strains A/eq/Kentucky/94 and A/eq/Newmarket/2/93 in ponies. ANIMALS: Forty-nine 1- to 3-year-old male Welsh Mountain Ponies that were seronegative for equine influenza virus. PROCEDURES: Vaccinated and control ponies were challenged with aerosolized influenza virus A/eq/Sussex/89 (H3N8), representative of the Eurasian lineage of circulating influenza viruses. In trial 1, control ponies and ponies that received rCP-EIV vaccine were challenged 2 weeks after completion of the 2-dose primary vaccination program. In trial 2, ponies were challenged 5 months after 2 doses of rCP-EIV vaccine or 1 year after the first boosting dose of rCP-EIV vaccine, administered 5 months after completion of the primary vaccination program. After challenge, ponies were observed daily for clinical signs of influenza and nasal swab specimens were taken to monitor virus excretion. RESULTS: The challenge reliably produced severe clinical signs consistent with influenza infection in the control ponies, and virus was shed for up to 7 days. The vaccination protocol provided clinical and virologic protection to vaccinates at 2 weeks and 5 months after completion of the primary vaccination program and at 12 months after the first booster. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The rCP-EIV vaccine provided protection of ponies to viral challenge. Of particular importance was the protection at 5 months after the second dose, indicating that this vaccine closes an immunity gap between the second and third vaccination.     

New methodology for removing carbonyl compounds from sweet wines

Sweet white wines from botrytized grapes present high SO2 levels because of their high sulfur dioxide binding power. The objective of this work was to develop a new method for reducing this binding power by partially eliminating the carbonyl compounds naturally present in these wines that are responsible for this phenomenon. A selective liquid-solid removal technique was developed. Phenylsulfonylhydrazine was selected as the best candidate for removing carbonyl compounds. Its reactivity in the presence or absence of sulfur dioxide was verified in model media containing acetaldehyde, pyruvic acid, and 2-oxoglutaric acid, some of the main carbonyl compounds responsible for the SO2 binding power of sweet wines. The scavenging function was grafted on porous polymer supports, and its efficiency was evaluated in model wines. Dependent upon the supports used, different quantities of carbonyl compounds (over 90% in some cases) were removed in a few days. The presence of sulfur dioxide delayed removal without changing its quality. The results obtained showed that the method removed carbonyl compounds efficiently and was applicable to wines at any stage in winemaking.     

Alpha-synuclein blocks ER-Golgi traffic and Rab1 rescues neuron loss in Parkinson's models

Alpha-synuclein (alphaSyn) misfolding is associated with several devastating neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD). In yeast cells and in neurons alphaSyn accumulation is cytotoxic, but little is known about its normal function or pathobiology. The earliest defect following alphaSyn expression in yeast was a block in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi vesicular trafficking. In a genomewide screen, the largest class of toxicity modifiers were proteins functioning at this same step, including the Rab guanosine triphosphatase Ypt1p, which associated with cytoplasmic alphaSyn inclusions. Elevated expression of Rab1, the mammalian YPT1 homolog, protected against alphaSyn-induced dopaminergic neuron loss in animal models of PD. Thus, synucleinopathies may result from disruptions in basic cellular functions that interface with the unique biology of particular neurons to make them especially vulnerable.     

Effects of age-related increases in sapwood area,leaf area,and xylem conductivity on height-related hydraulic costs in two contrasting coniferous species

Introduction  

Knowledge of vertical variation in hydraulic parameters would improve our understanding of individual trunk functioning and likely have important implications for modeling water movement to the leaves. Specifically, understanding how foliage area (A _l), sapwood area (A _s), and hydraulic specific conductivity (k _s) vary with canopy position to affect leaf-specific conductivity (LSC) and whole-tree leaf-specific hydraulic conductance (K _l) may explain some of the contrasting patterns of A _l/A _s reported in the literature.     

DISC1 and PDE4B are interacting genetic factors in schizophrenia that regulate cAMP signaling

The disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) gene is a candidate susceptibility factor for schizophrenia, but its mechanistic role in the disorder is unknown. Here we report that the gene encoding phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) is disrupted by a balanced translocation in a subject diagnosed with schizophrenia and a relative with chronic psychiatric illness. The PDEs inactivate adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), a second messenger implicated in learning, memory, and mood. We show that DISC1 interacts with the UCR2 domain of PDE4B and that elevation of cellular cAMP leads to dissociation of PDE4B from DISC1 and an increase in PDE4B activity. We propose a mechanistic model whereby DISC1 sequesters PDE4B in resting cells and releases it in an activated state in response to elevated cAMP.     

Hydrolysis of nitriles using an immobilized nitrilase: applications to the synthesis of methionine hydroxy analogue derivatives

Mild and selective hydrolysis of a large range of nitriles leading to carboxylic acids was achieved under neutral conditions by an immobilized and genetically modified enzyme preparation from Alcaligenes faecalis ATCC8750. This immobilized nitrilase has been shown to be an effective catalyst for the stereoselective hydrolysis of mandelonitrile 1a to R-(-)-mandelic acid 1c. This method is particularly useful for the production of hydroxy analogues of methionine derivatives 2c-4c that could have an interest in cattle feeding and for the transformation of compounds containing other acid- or base-sensitive groups 3a-10a. A series of aliphatic dinitriles 11a-15a was hydrolyzed to the corresponding cyano acids. The suitability of the immobilized catalyst as a robust and versatile biocatalyst is discussed, and models to account for the stereoselectivity of the enzymic hydrolysis have been proposed.     

Hyperthermia protects against light damage in the rat retina

An increase in the synthesis of heat shock proteins that is induced in cells in vitro by hyperthermia or other types of metabolic stress correlates with enhanced cell survival upon further stress. To determine if a similar increase in stress tolerance could be elicited in vivo, rats were made hyperthermic, and then their retinas were tested for sensitivity to light damage. This treatment resulted in a marked decrease in photoreceptor degeneration after exposure to bright light as compared to normothermic animals. Concomitant with such protection was an increase in retinal synthesis of three heat shock proteins. Thus, a physiological rise in body temperature enhances the stress tolerance of nerve tissue, perhaps by increasing heat shock protein production.     

Challenges for local breed management in Mediterranean dairy sheep farming: insights from Central Greece

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Local breeds are recognized as an important element for the maintenance of various and specific farming systems. Challenges for local breeds’...     

Evaluation of the ability of canarypox-vectored equine influenza virus vaccines to induce humoral immune responses against canine influenza viruses in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate canarypox-vectored equine influenza virus (EIV) vaccines expressing hemagglutinins of A/equine/Kentucky/94 (vCP1529) and A2/equine/Ohio /03 (vCP2242) for induction of antibody responses against canine influenza virus (CIV) in dogs. ANIMALS: 35 dogs. PROCEDURES: Dogs were randomly allocated into 4 groups; group 1 (n = 8) and group 2 (9) were inoculated SC on days 0 and 28 with 1.0 mL (approx 10(5.7) TCID(50)) of vCP1529 and vCP2242, respectively. Dogs in group 3 (n = 9) were inoculated twice with 0.25 mL (approx 10(5.7) TCID(50)) of vCP2242 via the transdermal route. The 9 dogs of group 4 were control animals. All dogs were examined for adverse reactions. Sera, collected on days -1, 7, 13, 21, 28, 35, and 42, were tested by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and virus neutralization (VN) assays for antibodies against CIV antigens A/Canine/FL/43/04-PR and A/Canine/NY/115809/05, respectively. RESULTS: Inoculations were tolerated well. The HI and VN antibodies were detected by 7 days after primary inoculation. Most dogs of groups 1 and 2 and all dogs of group 3 had detectable antibodies by 14 days after initial inoculation. The second inoculation induced an anamnestic response, yielding geometric mean HI titers of 139, 276, and 1,505 and VN titers of 335, 937, and 3,288 by day 42 (14 days after booster inoculation) in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Canarypox-vectored EIV vaccines induce biologically important antibodies and may substantially impact CIV transmission within a community and be of great value in protecting dogs against CIV-induced disease.