Evaluation of fetal protection against experimental infection with type 1 and type 2 bovine viral diarrhea virus after vaccination of the dam with a bivalent modified-live virus vaccine

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a modified-live virus (MLV) combination vaccine containing type 1 and type 2 bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in providing fetal protection against challenge with heterologous type 1 and type 2 BVDV. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 55 heifers. PROCEDURE: Heifers were vaccinated with a commercial MLV combination vaccine or given a sham vaccine (sterile water) and bred 47 to 53 days later. Heifers were challenged with type 1 or type 2 BVDV on days 75 to 79 of gestation. Clinical signs of BVDV infection, presence of viremia, and WBC count were assessed for 14 days after challenge. Fetuses were collected on days 152 to 156 of gestation, and virus isolation was attempted from fetal tissues. RESULTS: Type 1 BVDV was not isolated in any fetuses from vaccinated heifers and was isolated in all fetuses from nonvaccinated heifers challenged with type 1 BVDV. Type 2 BVDV was isolated in 1 fetus from a vaccinated heifer and all fetuses from nonvaccinated heifers challenged with type 2 BVDV. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A commercial MLV combination vaccine containing type 1 and type 2 BVDV given to the dam prior to breeding protected 100% of fetuses against type 1 BVDV infection and 95% of fetuses against type 2 BVDV infection. Use of a bivalent MLV vaccine in combination with a comprehensive BVDV control program should result in decreased incidence of persistent infection in calves and therefore minimize the risk of BVDV infection in the herd.     

Body and Wing Allometries Reveal Flight-Fecundity Tradeoff in Response to Larval Provisioning in Osmia lignaria (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Variation in body size has important implications for physical performance and fitness. For insects, adult size and morphology are determined by larval growth and metamorphosis. Female blue orchard bees, Osmia lignaria, (Say) provision a finite quantity of food to their offspring. In this study, we asked how provision-dependent variation in size changes adult morphology. We performed a diet manipulation in which some larvae were starved in the final instar and some were given unlimited food. We examined the consequences on adult morphology in two ways. First, allometric relationships between major body regions (head, thorax, abdomen) and total body mass were measured to determine relative growth of these structures. Second, morphometrics that are critical for flight (wing area, wing loading, and extra flight power index) were quantified. Head and thorax mass had hyperallometric relationships with body size, indicating these parts become disproportionately large in adults when larvae are given copious provisions. However, abdominal mass and wing area increased hypoallometrically with body size. Thus, large adults had disproportionately lighter abdomens and smaller wing areas than smaller adults. Though both males and females followed these general patterns, allometric patterns were affected by sex. For flight metrics, small adults had reduced wing loading and an increased extra flight power index. These results suggest that diet quantity alters development in ways that affect the morphometric trait relationships in adult O. lignaria and may lead to functional differences in performance.     

Expanding the genetic code of Escherichia coli with phosphoserine

O-Phosphoserine (Sep), the most abundant phosphoamino acid in the eukaryotic phosphoproteome, is not encoded in the genetic code, but synthesized posttranslationally. Here, we present an engineered system for specific cotranslational Sep incorporation (directed by UAG) into any desired position in a protein by an Escherichia coli strain that harbors a Sep-accepting transfer RNA (tRNA(Sep)), its cognate Sep-tRNA synthetase (SepRS), and an engineered EF-Tu (EF-Sep). Expanding the genetic code rested on reengineering EF-Tu to relax its quality-control function and permit Sep-tRNA(Sep) binding. To test our system, we synthesized the activated form of human mitogen-activated ERK activating kinase 1 (MEK1) with either one or two Sep residues cotranslationally inserted in their canonical positions (Sep(218), Sep(222)). This system has general utility in protein engineering, molecular biology, and disease research.     

Identification of a mutant bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) in post-arrival outbreaks of IBR in feedlot calves and protection with conventional vaccination.

Outbreaks of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) have recently been observed in vaccinated feedlot calves in Alberta a few months post-arrival. To investigate the cause of these outbreaks, lung and tracheal tissues were collected from calves that died of IBR during a post-arrival outbreak of disease. Bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), the causative agent of IBR, was isolated from 6 out of 15 tissues. Of these 6 isolates, 5 failed to react with a monoclonal antibody specific for one of the epitopes on glycoprotein D, one of the most important antigens of BHV-1. The ability of one of these mutant BHV-1 isolates to cause disease in calves vaccinated with a modified-live IBR vaccine was assessed in an experimental challenge study. After one vaccination, the majority of the calves developed humoral and cellular immune responses. Secondary vaccination resulted in a substantially enhanced level of immunity in all animals. Three months after the second vaccination, calves were either challenged with one of the mutant isolates or with a conventional challenge strain of BHV-1. Regardless of the type of virus used for challenge, vaccinated calves experienced significantly (P < 0.05) less weight loss and temperature rises, had lower nasal scores, and shed less virus than non-vaccinated animals. The only statistically significant (P < 0.05) difference between the 2 challenge viruses was the amount of virus shed, which was higher in non-vaccinated calves challenged with the mutant virus than in those challenged with the conventional virus. These data show that calves vaccinated with a modified-live IBR vaccine are protected from challenge with either the mutant or the conventional virus.     

New Marine Derived Anticancer Therapeutics ─ A Journey from the Sea to Clinical Trials

Nature has been instrumental as a source for therapeutics. Despite the fact that we live in an oceanic planet, a number of technical factors have historically hampered the evolution of a marine-based chamanic medicine. With the implementation of scuba diving tools and the development of sophisticated instruments for the isolation and elucidation of structures of natural products from marine organisms, major advances have been made in the discovery of marine derived therapeutics. The availability of ARA-C, a nucleoside analog that is a basic component in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, and its fluorinated analog Gemcitabine, an important therapeutic tool in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and in non small cell lung cancer, is a solid proof and validation of the potential of this approach. As a result of our discovery and developmental program, three innovative compounds with novel mechanisms of action: ET-743, Aplidin^R and Kahalalide F, have been shown to display a positive therapeutic index and activity in resistant solid tumors that supports the ongoing clinical phase III/II trials. ET-743 represents the first active agent against sarcomas developed in the past 25 years and has demonstrated a therapeutic potential in pretreated ovarian cancer. Several chemical entities are under advanced preclinical testing and additional candidates for clinical development are emerging, including compounds hitting a specific target. Moreover, the development of a given marine candidate implies the collaboration of an interdisciplinary team special focused on supply, formulation, pharmacogenetics and preclinical toxicology.     

Reducing risks of Salmonella infections in poultry

3预防沙门氏菌传播的措施 3.1卫生和消毒 在引进新一批鸡群前,所有鸡舍和器具必须进行清洁消毒,特别是在前一批鸡群为沙门氏菌阳性的情况下,清洁消毒就更有必要.卫生措施的有效性可通过严格的细菌学定量检测验证,要求肠道细菌计数小于103个/25 m2.     

The live attenuated bovine viral diarrhea virus components of a multi-valent vaccine confer protection against fetal infection

Fetal infection with bovine virus diarrhea virus (BVDV) causes severe economic loss and virus spread in cattle. This study investigated the ability of modified live BVDV I and II components of a commercially available modified live virus (MLV) vaccine (Breed-Back FP 10, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc.) to prevent fetal infection and abortion, and therefore the birth of persistently infected animals. Heifers immunized with vaccine 4-8 weeks before insemination showed no adverse effects. All vaccinated animals had seroconverted to BVDV 4 weeks after immunization. Pregnant heifers were divided into two vaccination and two control groups and challenged with type I or II BVDV on days 60-90 of gestation. Seroconversion, clinical signs, immunosuppression, viremia, mortality, abortion rate, and fetal infection were studied. Post-challenge, 6/11 (type I challenged) and 8/11 (type II challenged) vaccinated heifers were free from clinical signs of BVD. Post-challenge clinical signs noted in the vaccinated groups were mild to moderate, while all unvaccinated controls had clinical signs ranging from moderate to severe. Viremia was not detected post-challenge in any of the vaccinated heifers. However, 100% of the controls were BVDV viremic on at least 1 day post-challenge. One of 22 vaccinated heifers had transient leukopenia, whereas 2/8 and 6/7 unvaccinated heifers in control groups I and II, respectively, had transient leukopenia. Type II BVDV infection led to abortion or death in 86% of unvaccinated heifers. The corresponding vaccinated group showed no deaths or abortions. All control group fetuses were infected with BVDV. The test vaccine gave 91% (type I BVDV challenged) and 100% (type II BVDV challenged) protection from fetal infection. This vaccine is safe and effective against fetal infection, abortion (type II BVDV) and the birth of persistently infected animals.