Surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza in migratory shorebirds at the terminus of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway

AIM: To determine if migratory birds arriving in New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere spring of 2004 were infected with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) virus, H5N1.

METHODS: Cloacal and faecal samples were collected from migratory red knots following their arrival in New Zealand in October 2004. Two species of resident sympatric birds, wrybill and mallard duck, were sampled prior to, and following, the arrival of migratory birds.

RESULTS: No AI viruses were isolated from migratory or resident shorebirds. Non-pathogenic AI viruses were isolated from six resident mallard ducks, comprising the endemic subtypes H4 (n=2), H7 (non-pathogenic), H10, and H11 (n=2).

CONCLUSIONS: Highly pathogenic AI H5N1 virus was not detected in migratory shorebirds or sympatric water birds in the Firth of Thames, New Zealand, in 2004-2005, despite the possible proximity of migratory birds to outbreaks of the disease in East Asia in 2004.     

Approach to the patient in respiratory distress

Respiratory distress is a very common presenting complaint in emergency practice. It is essential that the clinician rapidly determine the underlying cause of the clinical signs using physical examination findings and nonstressful diagnostic tests. Oxygen therapy will often stabilize a patient, allowing for a more complete physical examination and diagnostics, including thoracocentesis, thoracic radiographs, and blood collection for laboratory analysis. The disease processes that cause respiratory distress can be grouped according to anatomic location: the airways, pulmonary parenchyma, pleural space, or thoracic wall. The choice of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques will be dependent on the suspected anatomic origin of disease. Techniques useful in diagnosing airway disorders include oral examination, cervical and thoracic radiographs, fluoroscopy, and bronchoscopy. Therapeutic techniques include intubation and tracheostomy. For parenchymal disease, thoracic radiographs, echocardiography, ultrasound of the thorax, and transtracheal or endotracheal wash can be useful. When the disease process is in the pleural space, thoracocentesis can be both diagnostic and therapeutic. Chest tube placement may be necessary for continuous removal of air or fluid from the pleural space. Monitoring of the respiratory patient can involve serial physical examination, pulse oximetry, and arterial blood gas analysis. It is essential to minimize stress on patients with respiratory distress because decompensation can occur easily, leading to respiratory arrest.     

Protein engineering of Sulfolobus solfataricus maltooligosyltrehalose synthase to alter its selectivity

Maltooligosyltrehalose synthase (MTSase) is one of the key enzymes involved in trehalose production from starch and catalyzes an intramolecular transglycosylation reaction by converting the alpha-1,4- to alpha,alpha-1,1-glucosidic linkage. Mutations at residues F206, F207, and F405 were constructed to change the selectivity of the enzyme because the changes in selectivity could reduce the side hydrolysis reaction of releasing glucose and thus increase trehalose production from starch. As compared with wild-type MTSase, F405Y and F405M MTSases had decreased ratios of the initial rate of glucose formation to that of trehalose formation in starch digestion at 75 degrees C when wild-type and mutant MTSases were, respectively, used with isoamylase and maltooligosyltrehalose trehalohydrolase (MTHase). The highest trehalose yield from starch digestion was by the mutant MTSase having the lowest initial rate of glucose formation to trehalose formation, and this predicted high trehalose yield better than the ratio of catalytic efficiency for hydrolysis to that for transglycosylation.     

Numerosol A–D,New Cembranoid Diterpenes from the Soft Coral Sinularia numerosa

Four new cembrane-type diterpenes; numerosol A–D (1–4); along with a known steroid; gibberoketosterol (5); were isolated from the Taiwanese soft coral Sinularia numerosa. The structures of these metabolites were determined by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data. Gibberoketosterol (5) exhibited cytotoxicity against P-388 (mouse lymphocytic leukemia) cell line with an ED₅₀ of 6.9 μM.     

Effects of whey protein concentrate (WPC) on the distributions of lymphocyte subpopulations in rats with excessive alcohol intake

To investigate the effects of whey protein concentrate (WPC) on antioxidant statuses and the lymphocyte subpopulations in the rats with alcohol intake, the antioxidant statuses in the peripheral blood (PB) and the lymphocyte subpopulations in the PB, spleen, and bone marrow (BM) of the rats fed with WPC (0.334 g/kg) and alcohol (6 g/kg) for 3 months were analyzed. Results showed that the effects of WPC on the glutathione peroxidase and glutathione in the PB, the T and B cells in the spleen, and the B cells in the BM were more apparent in the rats with alcohol intake; however, they are not apparent in the controls. Taken together, our results indicated that the immunity of rats might be enhanced by the increased antioxidant ability after WPC supplementation and the effects of WPC on the lymphocyte subpopulations were mainly in the spleen and BM and not in the PB.     

Nutrient intake of horses in Thoroughbred and Standardbred stables

SUMMARY Twenty-five Thoroughbred (TB) and 25 Standardbred (SB) stables were visited to determine their feeding practices. The ingredients of the main feed of the day for a mature gelding of average size in full training were weighed at each stable. Nutrient content of diets was calculated using published data for the individual ingredients. Results are expressed as mean±sd. The estimated body weight of TB horses was 493±34 kg and 437±32 kg for SB horses. There was considerable variation in diet composition and nutrient intake between stables. The TB trainers fed 11.0±2.4 kg and SB trainers 11.8±2.5 kg per day. The concentrate component of the diet weighed 7.8±1.6 and 7.7±2.3 kg for TB and SB stables, respectively, and the roughage component for TB horses 3.3±1.4 and SB horses 4.1±1.4 kg per day. The digestible energy intake of horses at TB stables was 129±29 MJ per day and at SB stables 132±31 MJ per day. Crude protein intake of TB horses was 1452±363 g and SB horses 1442±338 g per day. There were differences in some feeding practices at TB and SB stables. Standardbred trainers fed more roughage than TB trainers. Standardbred trainers fed chaffed lucerne (alfalfa) and cereal hays as the major roughage, whereas TB trainers fed more hay. The major hay type fed by TB trainers was lucerne, whereas many SB trainers preferred clover hay. Both trainers fed oats as the major grain, but TB trainers fed slightly more maize (corn) than SB trainers. The SB trainers fed barley as part of the concentrate component of the diet, whereas TB trainers usually fed boiled barley and linseed oil in winter only. Although many trainers used vitamin and mineral supplements, this appeared unnecessary in many Instances, especially with respect to Iron. Calcium and NaCI supplementation was necessary for some diets. We concluded that while there was a wide range in feed intake and diet composition for both TB and SB horses, average nutrient intakes were similar to National Research Council (1989) recommendations for horses performing intense work.