A(H9N2) influenza viruses associated with chicken mortality in outbreaks in Algeria 2017

In late 2017, increased mortality was detected in chicken farms in Algeria undergoing A(H9N2) influenza outbreaks. Analysis of viruses isolated from affected farms showed that they were monophyletic, were of the G1 hemagglutinin (HA) lineage, and were antigenically and genetically similar to viruses detected contemporaneously in other countries in Northern Africa and the Middle East. The virus was able to spread via contact transmission between ferrets but did not cause disease in intravenously inoculated chickens.     

Phenotypic variability in giant axonal neuropathy

Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN), a severe childhood disorder affecting both the peripheral nerves and the central nervous system, is due to mutations in the GAN gene encoding gigaxonin, a protein implicated in the cytoskeletal functions and dynamics. In the majority of the GAN series reported to date, patients had the classical clinical phenotype characterized by a severe axonal neuropathy with kinky hair and early onset CNS involvement including cerebellar and pyramidal signs. We present 12 patients (6 families) with GAN mutations and different clinical phenotypes. Four families were harbouring an identical homozygous nonsense mutation but with different severe clinical phenotypes, one patient had a novel missense homozygous mutation with a peculiar moderate phenotype and prominent skeletal deformations. The last family (4 patients) harbouring a homozygous missense mutation had the mildest form of the disease. In contrast with recent reported series of patients with typical GAN clinical features, the present series demonstrate obvious clinical heterogeneity.     

Antibiotic and antimicrobial peptide combinations: synergistic inhibition of Pseudomonas fluorescens and antibiotic-resistant variants

Variants resistant to penicillin G (RvP), streptomycin (RvS), lincomycin (RvL) and rifampicin (RvR) were developed from a colistin-sensitive isolate of Pseudomonas fluorescens LRC-R73 (P. fluorescens). Cell fatty acid composition, K(+) efflux and sensitivity to antimicrobial peptides (nisin Z, pediocin PA-1/AcH and colistin) alone or combined with antibiotics were determined. P. fluorescens was highly sensitive to kanamycin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol at minimal inhibitory concentrations of 0.366, 0.305 and 0.732 μg/ml respectively. P. fluorescens, RvP, RvS, RvL and RvR were resistant to nisin Z and pediocin PA-1/AcH at concentrations ≥100 μg/ml but sensitive to colistin at 0.076, 0.043, 0.344, 0.344 and 0.258 μg/ml respectively. A synergistic inhibitory effect (FICI ≤0.5) was observed when resistant variants were treated with peptide/antibiotic combinations. No significant effect on K(+) efflux from the resistant variants in the presence of antibiotics or peptides alone or combined was observed. The proportion of C16:0 was significantly higher in antibiotic-resistant variants than in the parent strain, accounting for 32.3%, 46.49%, 43.3%, 40.1% and 44.1% of the total fatty acids in P. fluorescens, RvP, RvS, RvL and RvR respectively. Combination of antibiotics with antimicrobial peptides could allow reduced use of antibiotics in medical applications and could help slow the emergence of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.     

Human treadmill walking needs attention

Background  

The aim of the study was to assess the attentional requirements of steady state treadmill walking in human subjects using a dual task paradigm. The extent of decrement of a secondary (cognitive) RT task provides a measure of the attentional resources required to maintain performance of the primary (locomotor) task. Varying the level of difficulty of the reaction time (RT) task is used to verify the priority of allocation of attentional resources.     

Giant cell tumor of the cervical spine in children

We report what we believe to be the first case to be presented in the literature of a giant cell tumor (GCT) arising in the seventh cervical vertebral body in a girl of almost 10 years of age. The only similar-reported case occurred in the cervical spine of an adolescent. Cervical location of this tumour is rare: spinal cases usually arise in the lumbar or thoracic spine. The patient presented to the emergency department with the following neurological symptoms: reduction of tricipital reflex and lack of straight in the right upper limb. Radiographs revealed lysis of the C7 vertebral body with anterior subluxation of C7 on T1. Further investigations (MRI, CT scan, Total Whole Body Scintigraphy) showed neurovascular involvement (the vertebral artery and C7 and T1 nerve roots were incorporated within the tumoural mass) without secondary lesions. An open biopsy at C6-T1 level was performed; diagnosis was histological: mononucleated spindle cells and osteoclast-like multinucleated cells were identified. Treatment consisted of surgical resection, vertebral stabilisation and chemotherapy. Twenty-four months after surgical resection and chemotherapy, the girl is well without evidence of local or systemic recurrence. Radiation therapy was not performed to avoid the risk of secondary sarcomatous degeneration.     

Molecular Imaging of Apoptosis in Ischemia Reperfusion Injury With Radiolabeled Duramycin Targeting Phosphatidylethanolamine: Effective Target Uptake and Reduced Nontarget Organ Radiation Burden

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of imaging apoptosis in experimental ischemia-reperfusion model by technetium-99m (^99mTc)-labeled Duramycin, and compare it to an established tracer, ^99mTc-labeled Annexin-V, which has a relative disadvantage of high radiation burden to nontarget organs.