Performance Evaluation of the BD SARS-CoV-2 Reagents for the BD MAX System.

Nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 is the standard approach for confirming COVID-19 cases. This study compared results between two emergency use authorization (EUA) NAATs, with two additional EUA NAATs utilized for discrepant testing. The limits of detection (LOD) for the BD SARS-CoV-2 reagents for the BD MAX system (MAX SARS-CoV-2 assay), the bioMérieux BioFire respiratory panel 2.1 (BioFire SARS-CoV-2 assay), the Roche cobas SARS-CoV-2 assay (cobas SARS-CoV-2 assay), and the Hologic Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay Panther (Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay) NAAT systems were determined using a total of 84 contrived nasopharyngeal specimens with 7 target levels for each comparator. The positive and negative percent agreement (PPA and NPA, respectively) of the MAX SARS-CoV-2 assay, compared to the Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay, was evaluated in a postmarket clinical study utilizing 708 nasopharyngeal specimens collected from suspected COVID-19 cases. Discordant testing was achieved using the cobas and BioFire SARS-CoV-2 NAATs. In this study, the measured LOD for the MAX SARS-CoV-2 assay (251 copies/ml; 95% confidence interval [CI], 186 to 427) was comparable to the cobas SARS-CoV-2 assay (298 copies/ml; 95% CI, 225 to 509) and the BioFire SARS-CoV-2 assay (302 copies/ml; 95% CI, 219 to 565); the Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay had an LOD of 612 copies/ml (95% CI, 474 to 918). The MAX SARS-CoV-2 assay had a PPA of 100% (95% CI, 97.3% to 100.0%) and an NPA of 96.7% (95% CI, 94.9% to 97.9%) compared to the Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay. The clinical performance of the MAX SARS-CoV-2 assay agreed with another sensitive EUA assay.

Hind limb motoneurons activity during fictive locomotion or scratching induced by pinna stimulation, serotonin, or glutamic acid in brain cortex-ablated cats.

In brain cortex-ablated cats (BCAC), hind limb motoneurons activity patterns were studied during fictive locomotion (FL) or fictive scratching (FS) induced by pinna stimulation. In order to study motoneurons excitability: heteronymous monosynaptic reflex (HeMR), intracellular recording, and individual Ia afferent fiber antidromic activity (AA) were analyzed. The intraspinal cord microinjections of serotonin or glutamic acid effects were made to study their influence in FL or FS During FS, HeMR amplitude in extensor and bifunctional motoneurons increased prior to or during the respective electroneurogram (ENG). In soleus (SOL) motoneurons were reduced during the scratch cycle (SC). AA in medial gastrocnemius (MG) Ia afferent individual fibers of L6-L7 dorsal roots did not occur during FS Flexor digitorum longus (FDL) and MG motoneurons fired with doublets during the FS bursting activity, motoneuron membrane potential from some posterior biceps (PB) motoneurons exhibits a depolarization in relation to the PB (ENG). It changed to a locomotor drive potential in relation to one of the double ENG, PB bursts. In FDL and semitendinosus (ST) motoneurons, the membrane potential was depolarized during FS, but it did not change during FL Glutamic acid injected in the L3-L4 spinal cord segment favored the transition from FS to FL During FL, glutamic acid produces a duration increase of extensors ENGs. Serotonin increases the ENG amplitude in extensor motoneurons, as well as the duration of scratching episodes. It did not change the SC duration. Segregation and motoneurons excitability could be regulated by the rhythmic generator and the pattern generator of the central pattern generator.

Locomotion in intact and in brain cortex-ablated cats.

The current decerebration procedures discard the role of the thalamus in the motor control and decortication only rules out the brain cortex part, leaving a gap between the brain cortex and the subthalamic motor regions. In here we define a new preparation denominated Brain Cortex-Ablated Cat (BCAC), in which the frontal and parietal brain cortices as well as the central white matter beneath them were removed, this decerebration process may be considered as suprathalamic, since the thalamus remained intact. To characterize this preparation cat hindlimb electromyograms (EMG), kinematics and cutaneous reflexes (CR) produced by electrical stimulation of sural (SU) or saphenous (SAPH) nerves were analyzed during locomotion in intact and in BCAC. In cortex-ablated cats compared to intact cats, the hindlimb EMG amplitude was increased in the flexors, whereas in most extensors the amplitude was decreased. Bifunctional muscle EMGs presented complex and speed-dependent amplitude changes. In intact cats CR produced an inhibition of extensors, as well as excitation and inhibition of flexors, and a complex pattern of withdrawal responses in bifunctional muscles. The same stimuli applied to BCAC produced no detectable responses, but in some cats cutaneous reflexes produced by electrical stimulation of saphenous nerve reappeared when the locomotion speed increased. In BCAC, EMG and kinematic changes, as well as the absence of CR, imply that for this cat preparation there is a partial compensation due to the subcortical locomotor apparatus generating close to normal locomotion.

The neuropeptide Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modifies the spontaneous muscular contraction in the earthworm: Eisenia foetida.

We investigated whether the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone affects the spontaneous muscular contraction in the earthworm Eisenia foetida. In addition, we investigated the presence of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in ventral nerve cord by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone induced a significant increase on both amplitude and muscular tone and decrease in the frequency of spontaneous muscular contraction. We found the presence of immunoreactive material to Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in the ventral nerve cord, likewise the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor mRNA expression. In conclusion, the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modifies the spontaneous muscular contraction in E. foetida and these effects can be due to the activation of the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor.

Gastroenteritis eosinofílica. Reporte del primer caso en Cuba. Consideraciones patogénicas / Eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Report of the first case in Cuba. Pathogenic considerations

Se sabe que la gastroenteritis eosinofílica (GE) es un desorden raro donde existe una infiltración parcheada y variable de la pared del tracto gastrointestinal por eosinófilos maduros y los síntomas se correlacionan con el patrón de infiltración y el sitio afectado. Se hallan, con frecuencia, pacientes con formas mixtas de la enfermedad, el patrón menos común es la forma predominantemente subserosa, encontrada en menos del 10 porciento de los casos, con un líquido ascítico rico en eosinófilos. Aunque su patogénesis no está del todo clara, varias características sugieren alergia alimentaria. Se presentó una paciente de 59 años con cuadro de ascitis eosinofílica, dolor abdominal, vómitos y diarreas; tuvo pruebas cutáneas de alergia a alimentos positiva y títulos elevados de IgE. Se excluyeron otras causas de ascitis eosinofílicas y se llegó a la conclusión que se trataba de GE (Klein tipo III). Se explicó la relación entre eosinófilos y distintas citoquinas, así como la función de mediadores de la inflamación producidos por ellos en este modelo de enfermedad

Effect of equine hypothalamic extract on hormone secretion by the adenohypophysis of rats

The effect of Equine Hypothalamic Extract (EHE) on pituitary weight and secretion of TSH, FSH-LH and ACTH was studied in the rat. The pituitary respponse to EHE was assessed by measuring (131) I uptake by the thyroid and by weight changes of the pituituray glands, thyroids, adrenals, ovaries and uteri. (131) I uptake of the thyroid and weights of the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and uterus increased in the treated rats, whereas ovarian weights were similar to control groups. These findings indicate that the EHE containes hypophysiotropic peptides which can stimulate the secretion of pituitary hormones in the rat. (AU)

Effect of equine hypothalamic extract on hormone secretion by the adenohypophysis of rats

The effect of Equine Hypothalamic Extract (EHE) on pituitary weight and secretion of TSH, FSH-LH and ACTH was studied in the rat. The pituitary respponse to EHE was assessed by measuring (131) I uptake by the thyroid and by weight changes of the pituituray glands, thyroids, adrenals, ovaries and uteri. (131) I uptake of the thyroid and weights of the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal and uterus increased in the treated rats, whereas ovarian weights were similar to control groups. These findings indicate that the EHE containes hypophysiotropic peptides which can stimulate the secretion of pituitary hormones in the rat.