Expanded cocirculation of stable subtypes, emerging lineages, and new sporadic reassortants of porcine influenza viruses in swine populations in Northwest Germany.

The emergence of the human 2009 pandemic H1N1 (H1N1pdm) virus from swine populations refocused public and scientific attention on swine as an important source of influenza A viruses bearing zoonotic potential. Widespread and year-round circulation of at least four stable lineages of porcine influenza viruses between 2009 and 2012 in a region of Germany with a high-density swine population is documented here. European avian influenza virus-derived H1N1 (H1N1av) viruses dominated the epidemiology, followed by human-derived subtypes H1N2 and H3N2. H1N1pdm viruses and, in particular, recently emerging reassortants between H1N1pdm and porcine HxN2 viruses (H1pdmN2) were detected in about 8% of cases. Further reassortants between these main lineages were diagnosed sporadically. Ongoing diversification both at the phylogenetic and at the antigenic level was evident for the H1N1av lineage and for some of its reassortants. The H1avN2 reassortant R1931/11 displayed conspicuously distinct genetic and antigenic features and was easily transmitted from pig to pig in an experimental infection. Continuing diverging evolution was also observed in the H1pdmN2 lineage. These viruses carry seven genome segments of the H1N1pdm virus, including a hemagglutinin gene that encodes a markedly antigenically altered protein. The zoonotic potential of this lineage remains to be determined. The results highlight the relevance of surveillance and control of porcine influenza virus infections. This is important for the health status of swine herds. In addition, a more exhaustive tracing of the formation, transmission, and spread of new reassortant influenza A viruses with unknown zoonotic potential is urgently required.

Reassortants of pandemic influenza A virus H1N1/2009 and endemic porcine HxN2 viruses emerge in swine populations in Germany.

The incursion of the human pandemic influenza A virus H1N1 (2009) (H1N1 pdm) into pig populations and its ongoing co-circulation with endemic swine influenza viruses (SIVs) has yielded distinct human-porcine reassortant virus lineages. The haemagglutinin (HA) gene of H1N1 pdm was detected in 41 influenza virus-positive samples from seven swine herds in north-west Germany in 2011. Eight of these samples yielded virus that carried SIV-derived neuraminidase N2 of three different porcine lineages in an H1N1 pdm backbone. The HA sequences of these viruses clustered in two distinct groups and were distinguishable from human and other porcine H1 pdm by a unique set of eight non-synonymous mutations. In contrast to the human population, where H1N1 pdm replaced seasonal H1N1, this virus seems to co-circulate and interact more intensely with endemic SIV lineages, giving rise to reassortants with as-yet-unknown biological properties and undetermined risks for public health.

Naked aggression: Personality and portfolio manager performance.

We provide evidence that a personality trait, aggression, has a first-order effect on group financial decision making. In a laboratory experiment on group portfolio choice, highly aggressive subjects (measured by a standard psychology test) were much more likely to recommend risky investment strategies consistent with their own personal information, regardless of the information received by other group members. Outside of this group context, aggression had no effect on subject behavior. Thus, our aggression measure appears to capture an aggressive disposition, which seeks to dominate group decisions, rather than simply reflect risk attitudes or cognitive biases.