The Santee-Cooper ranaviruses doctor fish virus (DFV), guppy virus 6 (GV6), and largemouth bass virus (LMBV) are members of the genus Ranavirus within the family Iridoviridae. The major capsid ...protein (MCP) is a main structural protein of iridoviruses and supports the differentiation and classification of ranaviruses. Presently the complete sequence of the MCP gene is known for most ranaviruses with the exception of the Santee-Cooper ranaviruses. In the present study, the complete nucleotide sequence of the MCP gene of DFV, GV6, and LMBV was determined. DFV and GV6 are identical within the MCP gene sequence. The identity compared to the corresponding sequence in LMBV amounts to 99.21%. The MCP gene of DFV, GV6, and LMBV exhibits only approximately 78% identity compared to the respective gene of other ranaviruses. Based on the sequence data obtained in the present study, a Rana MCP polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis were developed to identify and differentiate ranaviruses, including DFV, GV6, and LMBV.
Summary
Detailed, country‐specific epidemiological data are needed to characterize the burden of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection around the world. With new treatment options available, ...policy makers and public health officials must reconsider national strategies for infection control. In this study of 15 countries, published and unpublished data on HCV prevalence, viraemia, genotype, age and gender distribution, liver transplants and diagnosis and treatment rates were gathered from the literature and validated by expert consensus in each country. Viraemic prevalence in this study ranged from 0.2% in Iran and Lebanon to 4.2% in Pakistan. The largest viraemic populations were in Pakistan (7 001 000 cases) and Indonesia (3 187 000 cases). Injection drug use (IDU) and a historically unsafe blood supply were major risk factors in most countries. Diagnosis, treatment and liver transplant rates varied widely between countries. However, comparison across countries was difficult as the number of cases changes over time. Access to reliable data on measures such as these is critical for the development of future strategies to manage the disease burden.
Aim
To evaluate the influence of several niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) concentrations on the radio‐opacity, flow, film thickness, microhardness and degree of conversion of an experimental root canal ...sealer.
Methodology
An experimental dual‐cured root canal sealer was produced with a methacrylate‐based comonomer blend. Nb2O5 was added at four different concentrations: 0, 80, 100 and 120 wt%. Radio‐opacity was evaluated according to ISO 6876 using a digital system (n = 5). Flow and film thickness were determined in accordance with ISO 6876 (n = 3). Microhardness was evaluated with 50 g for 15 s (n = 5). Degree of conversion was evaluated with FTIR immediately after photocuring and after 1, 7 and 14 days. The data were analysed using anova and Tukey's test. The degree of conversion over time was evaluated using RM‐anova (α = 0.05).
Results
The groups with 80 wt% and 100 wt% of filler showed no significant difference in radio‐opacity from that of equivalent 2 mmAl (P > 0.05). The addition of 120 wt% resulted in radio‐opacity values higher than 2 mmAl (P < 0.05). The flow was not significantly different amongst the different groups (P > 0.05). All groups had a film thickness of <50 μm (ISO 6876). All groups with Nb2O5 were associated with higher values of microhardness than the control group. The group with 0 wt% was associated with a higher degree of conversion at all times. All groups except those with 80 wt% had higher values for degree of conversion after 14 days than immediately after photocuring.
Conclusion
The addition of Nb2O5 increases radio‐opacity and microhardness; this material may be a promising filler for the production of a new endodontic sealer.
Hybrids of koi, Cyprinus carpio x crucian carp, Carassius carassius and koi x goldfish, Carassius auratus, proved to be susceptible to koi herpesvirus (KHV, syn. CyHV-3) and developed KHV disease ...(KHVD). While hybrids of koi x goldfish were partly resistant to mortality following infection by immersion, most koi x crucian carp hybrids died after bath infection. KHV DNA was detected in dead fish but also in all surviving animals by different polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). According to these results, hybrid crossbreeding does not seem to prevent severe losses associated with KHV in terms of inducing KHVD. The present study showed severe losses after a waterborne KHV infection of between 35% and 100% in koi x goldfish and koi x crucian carp hybrids as well as in SPF carp.
Allergic rhinitis affects the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. Air pollution not only causes morbidity, but nearly 3 million people per year die from unhealthy indoor air exposure. ...Furthermore, allergic rhinitis and air pollution interact. This report summarizes the discussion of an International Expert Consensus on the management of allergic rhinitis aggravated by air pollution. The report begins with a review of indoor and outdoor air pollutants followed by epidemiologic evidence showing the impact of air pollution and climate change on the upper airway and allergic rhinitis. Mechanisms, particularly oxidative stress, potentially explaining the interactions between air pollution and allergic rhinitis are discussed. Treatment for the management of allergic rhinitis aggravated by air pollution primarily involves treating allergic rhinitis by guidelines and reducing exposure to pollutants. Fexofenadine a non-sedating oral antihistamine improves AR symptoms aggravated by air pollution. However, more efficacy studies on other pharmacological therapy of coexisting AR and air pollution are currently lacking.
Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) for IgG regulate adaptive immune responses by modulating activating and inhibitory signalling pathways within immune cells. Data from a haemophilia A mouse model ...demonstrate that genetic deletion or blockade of the inhibitory FcγR (CD32) suppresses the formation of antibody‐secreting cells (ASCs) in vitro. Mechanisms preventing the FVIII‐specific recall response, however, remain unclear. Here, the potential role of CD32 inhibition was studied by differentially modulating receptor activity with selected anti‐CD32 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Splenocytes from immunized FVIII‐/‐ mice were restimulated with FVIII in the absence or presence of different anti‐CD32 mAbs over 6 days. At day 6, cytokine release was quantified from cell culture supernatant and the formation of FVIII‐specific ASCs assessed. Binding of FVIII‐containing immune complexes (F8‐ICs) to bone marrow‐derived dendritic cells (BMdDCs) was also investigated. The antagonistic CD32 mAb AT128 suppressed the formation of FVIII‐specific ASCs and reduced secretion of IFN‐γ and IL‐10. In contrast, the agonistic mAbs AT130‐2 and AT130‐5, and their F(ab’)2 fragments, allowed the formation of FVIII‐specific ASCs, even though the full IgG of AT130‐2 reduced binding of F8‐ICs to CD32. Data suggest that an inhibitory signal is transmitted when F8‐ICs bind to CD32 and that this signal is required during memory B cell (MBC) activation to support formation of FVIII‐specific ASCs. If the inhibitory signal is lacking due to CD32 deletion or blockade with antagonistic anti‐CD32 mAbs, FVIII‐specific T cell stimulation and ASC formation are suppressed, whereas agonistic stimulation of CD32 restores T cell stimulation and ASC formation.
Continuous turnover of neurons in the olfactory bulb is implicated in several key aspects of olfaction. There is a dramatic decline postnatally in the number of migratory neuroblasts en route to the ...olfactory bulb in humans, and it has been unclear to what extent the small number of neuroblasts at later stages contributes new neurons to the olfactory bulb. We have assessed the age of olfactory bulb neurons in humans by measuring the levels of nuclear bomb test-derived 14C in genomic DNA. We report that 14C concentrations correspond to the atmospheric levels at the time of birth of the individuals, establishing that there is very limited, if any, postnatal neurogenesis in the human olfactory bulb. This identifies a fundamental difference in the plasticity of the human brain compared to other mammals.
► Carbon dating establishes cell turnover dynamics in the human olfactory bulb ► The yearly exchange rate of nonneuronal cells is 2.0%–3.4% ► Olfactory bulb neurons are as old as the individual ► <1% of olfactory bulb neurons are exchanged over 100 years in humans
Bergmann et al. measure the cellular integration of 14C in olfactory bulb neurons from humans exposed to nuclear bomb tests. Results show that olfactory bulb neurons in humans are as old as the individual and argue that adult olfactory bulb neurogenesis is minimal in humans.
A novel permanently growing brain cell line from koi (Cyprinus carpio L.) (KB cell line) was established, and its suitability for detection of koi herpesvirus (KHV) was demonstrated in this study. ...The KB cell line was optimally maintained at 27°C in Leibovitz's L‐15 medium supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS). It was subcultured more than 100 times, and chromosome analysis revealed that 51.54% of KB cells at passage 80 maintained the abnormal diploid chromosome number 2n = 96 while the modal chromosome number was 2n = 100. The cell line was cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen at −196°C and was recovered from storage after 1 year with good cell viability and vitality. The results of virus isolation demonstrated that KB cells were susceptible to KHV, which was shown by the presence of an obvious cytopathic effect and abundant virus particles. The viral titres of KHV in KB reached 105.73TCID50/0.1 ml within 7 days. Immunofluorescence and Western blot assays confirmed that KB replicated KHV. The newly established KB cell line will serve as a useful tool to elucidate KHV disease (KHVD) pathogenesis.
The 10 m prototype facility at the Albert-Einstein-institute (AEI) in Hanover, Germany, employs three large seismic attenuation systems to reduce mechanical motion. The AEI seismic-attenuation-system ...(AEI-SAS) uses mechanical anti-springs in order to achieve resonance frequencies below 0.5 Hz. This system provides passive isolation from ground motion by a factor of about 400 in the horizontal direction at 4 Hz and in the vertical direction at 9 Hz. The presented isolation performance is measured under vacuum conditions using a combination of commercial and custom-made inertial sensors. Detailed analysis of this performance led to the design and implementation of tuned dampers to mitigate the effect of the unavoidable higher order modes of the system. These dampers reduce RMS motion substantially in the frequency range between 10 and 100 Hz in 6 degrees of freedom. The results presented here demonstrate that the AEI-SAS provides substantial passive isolation at all the fundamental mirror-suspension resonances.
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