Development and Evaluation of a Combined Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) Live Vaccine

Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (Mmm) is the causative agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP). Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral disease of cattle caused by lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). LSD and CBPP are both transboundary diseases spreading in the same areas of Africa and Asia. A combination vaccine to control CBPP and LSD offers significant value to small-scale livestock keepers as a single administration. Access to a bivalent vaccine may improve vaccination rates for both pathogens. In the present study, we evaluated the LSDV/CBPP live combined vaccine by testing the generation of virus neutralizing antibodies, immunogenicity, and safety on target species. In-vitro assessment of the Mycoplasma effect on LSDV growth in cell culture was evaluated by infectious virus titration and qPCR during 3 serial passages, whereas in-vivo interference was assessed through the antibody response to vaccination. This combined Mmm/LSDV vaccine could be used to protect cattle against both diseases with a single vaccination in the endemic countries. There were no adverse reactions detected in this study and inoculated cattle produced high levels of specific antibodies starting from day 7 post-vaccination, suggesting that this combination vaccine is both safe and effective.     

Recommendations for the implementation of genetic testing for metastatic prostate cancer patients in Canada

IntroductionGenetic testing in advanced prostate cancer is rapidly moving to become standard of care. Testing for genetic alterations in genes involved in DNA repair pathways, particularly those implicated in the homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway, in patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) can inform selection of optimal therapies, as well as provide information about familial cancer risks; however, there are currently no consistent Canadian guidelines in place for genetic testing in mPCa.MethodsA multidisciplinary steering committee guided the process of an environmental scan to define the current landscape, as well as the perceived challenges, through interviews with specialists from 14 sites across Canada. The challenges most commonly identified include limited testing guidelines and protocols, inadequate education and awareness, and insufficient resources. Following the environmental scan, an expert multidisciplinary working group with pan-Canadian representation from medical oncologists, urologists, medical geneticists, genetic counsellors, pathologists, and clinical laboratory scientists convened in virtual meetings to discuss the challenges in implementation of genetic testing in mPCa across Canada.ResultsKey recommendations from the working group include implementation of germline and tumor HRR testing for all patients with mPCa, with a mainstreaming model in which non-geneticist clinicians can initiate germline testing. The working group defined the roles and responsibilities of the various healthcare providers (HCPs) involved in the genetic testing pathway for mPCa patients. In addition, the educational needs for all HCPs involved in the genetic testing pathway for mPCa were defined.ConclusionsAs genetic testing for mPCa becomes standard of care, additional resources and investments will be required to implement the changes that will be needed to support the necessary volume of genetic testing, to ensure equitable access, and to provide education to all stakeholders.     

Neuroimaging-based markers of bipolar disorder: evidence from two meta-analyses

Background

Bipolar disorder (BD) is often misdiagnosed or tardily detected, leading to inadequate treatment and devastating consequences. The identification of objective biomarkers, such as functional and structural brain abnormalities of BD might improve diagnosis and help elucidate its pathophysiology.

Methods

To identify neurobiological markers of BD, two meta-analyses, one of functional neuroimaging studies related to emotional processing and a second of structural whole-brain neuroimaging studies in BD were conducted in the present study. Conducting a literature search on studies published up to September 2009 we identified 28 studies that were eligible for the meta-analyses: 13 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies, related to emotional processing and 15 structural imaging studies using whole-brain voxel-based morphometry. Only studies comparing patients with bipolar disorder to healthy controls were considered. Data were extracted or converted to a single anatomical reference (Talairach space). The activation likelihood estimation technique was used to assess the voxel-wise correspondence of results between studies.

Results

In patients with BD, decreased activation and diminution of gray matter were identified in a cortical-cognitive brain network that has been associated with the regulation of emotions. By contrast, patients with BD exhibited increased activation in ventral limbic brain regions that mediate the experience of emotions and generation of emotional responses. The present study provides evidence for functional and anatomical alterations in BD in brain networks associated with the experience and regulation of emotions.

Conclusions

These alterations support previously proposed neurobiological models of BD and might represent valid neurobiological markers of the disorder. The specificity of these results to unipolar depression remains to be explored.     

Using an Integrated Approach to Assess the Sediment Quality of an Mediterranean Lagoon,the Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia)

The present study investigates the quality of surface sediments from the Bizerte lagoon (North Tunisia) using an integrated approach including chemical contaminant analysis, bioassays and sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). Sediment samples were collected at 9 sites and analyzed for eight heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Fe and Mn). PAHs, PCBs, OCPs were measured previously in the same sediment samples. Our results indicated that the highest concentrations of metals were found near urban areas due to the municipial and industrial wastewater discharges. Sediment pollution assessment was carried out using geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor, which indicate a widespread pollution by Cd, Pb, Ni and Zn in the studied sediments. For bioassays, aqueous and organic extracts were used to assess toxicity and genotoxicity in sediments by using Microtox^® and SOS Chromotest, respectively. Toxicity levels were compared to metallic and organic pollutants contents. Our results highlight differences in the pattern of responses between the different assays and show no correlation with all the studied contaminants, emphasizing the influence of other contaminants not analyzed in the present study. Based on SQGs, the results of toxicity assessment indicated that adverse effects caused by Ni and Zn would be expected frequently. Nickel was found to have the highest predicted acute toxicity, followed by Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu and Cr. There was no significant relationship between sediment toxicity calculated from heavy metal concentrations (SQG approach) and those measured with bioassays. These findings support the use of integrated approachs for evaluating the environmental risks of sediments.