Sleep Problems Are Related to a Worse Quality of Life and a Greater Non-Motor Symptoms Burden in Parkinson's Disease.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to examine the frequency of self-reported sleep problems and their associated factors in a large cohort of PD patients. METHODS: PD patients and controls, recruited from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS cohort were included in this cross-sectional study. Sleep problems were assessed by the Spanish version of the Parkinson's disease Sleep Scale version 1 (PDSS-1). An overall score below 82 or a score below 5 on at least 1 item was defined as sleep problems. RESULTS: The frequency of sleep problems was nearly double in PD patients compared to controls: 65.8% (448/681) vs 33.5% (65/206) (p < 0.0001). Mean total PDSS score was lower in PD patients than controls: 114.9 ± 28.8 vs 132.8 ± 16.3 (p < 0.0001). Quality of life (QoL) was worse in PD patients with sleep problems compared to those without: PDQ-39SI, 19.3 ± 14 vs 13 ± 11.6 (p < 0.0001); EUROHIS-QoL8, 3.7 ± 0.5 vs 3.9 ± 0.5 (p < 0.0001). Non-motor symptoms burden (NMSS; OR = 1.029; 95%CI 1.015-1.043; p < 0.0001) and impulse control behaviors (QUIP-RS; OR = 1.054; 95%CI 1.009-1.101; p = 0.018) were associated with sleep problems after adjustment for age, gender, disease duration, daily equivalent levodopa dose, H&Y, UPDRS-III, UPDRS-IV, PD-CRS, BDI-II, NPI, VAS-Pain, VAFS, FOGQ, and total number of non-antiparkinsonian treatments. CONCLUSION: Sleep problems were frequent in PD patients and were related to both a worse QoL and a greater non-motor symptoms burden in PD. These findings call for increased awareness of sleep problems in PD patients.

Isolation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae from layer hens showing clinical signs of infectious coryza.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the causal agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, which is a highly contagious respiratory disease that affects swine nearly exclusively. An isolate with characteristics of some Pasteurellaceae family members (Gram-negative bacterium, pleomorphic, and NAD-dependent) was isolated from layer hens showing clinical signs of infectious coryza. This bacterium presented hemolysis on rabbit red blood cell agar plates, and PCR amplification and sequencing of its 16S rDNA gene indicated 99% identity with A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes 3 and 7. The presence of a putative apxIIA gene was also determined by PCR. A single, smooth colony of this bacterium inoculated in five, 7-day-old chicken embryos via the yolk sac route induced 100% mortality. However, inoculation into 10-wk-old, specific-pathogen-free chickens induced only light facial swelling, and reisolation of the inoculated bacterium was negative.

Haemophilus paragallinarum secretes metalloproteases.

Haemophilus paragallinarum secretes metalloproteases into different culture media lacking serum. Secreted proteins, concentrated by precipitation with 70% ammonium sulphate ((NH(4))(2)SO(4)) or methanol, displayed proteolytic activity at >100 kDa molecular mass in 10% polyacrylamide gels co-polymerized with porcine gelatin (0.1%). They were active in a broad pH range (4-9); pH 7.5 being the optimum. Protease activity was inhibited by 20 mmol EDTA/L and reactivated by calcium. The proteolytic activity was heat-stable at 40, 50, and 60 degrees C, but its activity diminished at 70 degrees C or higher. Secreted proteins partially degraded chicken immunoglobulin G (IgG) and cross-reacted with a polyclonal serum against a high molecular mass protease secreted by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Extracellular proteases could play a role in infectious coryza caused by H. paragallinarum.