Field study on swine influenza virus (SIV) infection in weaner pigs and sows.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this field study was to explore the occurrence of and factors associated with the detection of swine influenza virus (SIV) by RTqPCR in weaner pigs and sows from herds with a history of respiratory or reproductive disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample set was based on nasal swabs from 823 sows (123 submissions) and 562 weaner pigs (80 submissions). Nasal swab samples were taken and submitted by 51 veterinary practices from all over Germany. Corresponding to the pig density most of the submissions originated from the north-western part of Germany. The nasal swabs were used to detect SIV RNA by real-time RT-PCR (RTqPCR). Subtyping of SIV RNA by conventional RT-PCR and sequencing was attempted directly from clinical samples or from isolates when available. The herd characteristics, management and housing conditions of the pig herd as well as the course of the disease were collected by a telephone questionnaire with the herd attending veterinarian. RESULTS: SIV was detected by RTqPCR in 53.8% of the submissions from weaner pigs with a history of respiratory disease. Moreover SIV was detected in 10.6% of the submissions from sows. The predominant endemic subtype found in nasal swabs from sows and weaner pigs was H1N1 (60.5%) whereas subtypes H1N2 (14.0%) and H3N2 (14.0%) were detected less frequently. In addition, human pandemic H1N1 virus or reassortants thereof were found in 11.5%. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The results underline the significance of a SIV infection in young pigs. A significant lower detection of SIV in wea- ner pigs was associated with the vaccination of piglets against por- cine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), possibly indicating an interaction of SIV and PCV2. Most of the positive samples from sows originated from gilts, whereas only two originated from sows. An association between reproductive disorders and the detection of SIV could not be confirmed.

Scanning tunneling microscopy: a unique tool in the study of chirality, dynamics, and reactivity in physisorbed organic monolayers.

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is applied to study organic monolayers, physisorbed at the liquid-graphite interface. Due to the very local nature of the probing, the structure of these adlayers has been imaged with very high detail. The high resolution allowed us to investigate the effect of molecular chirality on the monolayer formation and provided a unique way to study chemical reactions at the liquid-graphite interface. Making use of a fast scanning mode, dynamic processes in these adlayers have been visualized.

A dominant-hereditary variation of the Pena-Shokeir syndrome; a case report.

Four children with the Pena-Shokeir syndrome are described. Apart from the classical manifestations of the syndrome: camptodactyly, ankyloses, facial anomalies, pulmonary hypoplasia, all four children had an extremely rigid skin. Possibly this rigidness of unknown origin led in these cases to fetal akinesia, which seems to be the explanation of the clinical manifestations of the syndrome. All children were born to one man, three in his first marriage, one in his second. Therefore this case report almost certainly presents a dominant-hereditary variation of the syndrome.

Further delineation of the Yunis-Varon syndrome.

A boy with intrauterine growth retardation, microcephaly, dysostosis of the skull, hypoplastic facial bones, labiogingival retraction, agenesis of the clavicles, distal aphalangia, and severely hypoplastic thumbs and halluces is described. The features are consistent with the Yunis-Varon syndrome. Review of published reports shows this to be a generalised disorder with variable manifestations in the skeletal, ectodermal, and cardiovascular systems. The consanguinity of the parents of the present case is in agreement with autosomal recessive inheritance.

The endogenous concentration and subcellular distribution of androgens in normal human premenopausal endometrium, myometrium and vagina.

The endogenous concentrations of testosterone (Testo), androstenedione (Adion), 5-androstene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol (Adiol), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) have been measured in endometrium, myometrium and vagina from 23 premenopausal women at different stages of the cycle. The tissue to plasma gradient was positive for all androgens except DHEAS; a significant correlation existed between plasma and tissue levels of Adiol and DHEAS. In all tissues significant correlations were calculated between Adiol and DHEA, Adion and Testo, and Adiol and DHEAS. Except for Testo, androgen concentrations were different in the tissues with a significant correlation between the tissues, each tissue seeming to be able to create its own specific intratissue androgen pattern. During the cycle Testo was highest in myometrium and vagina and Adion in myometrium and endometrium during the secretory phase. Except for DHEA, androgens were preferentially localized in the cytosol fraction of the cells. From this localization and the known inhibitory effects of androgens on the activity of estrogen metabolizing enzymes, it is postulated that androgens play a role in enzymatic rather than receptor-mediated processes in uterine cells.

Fetal treatment for thyrotoxicosis in non-thyrotoxic pregnant women.

Euthyroid or even hypothyroid pregnant women without antithyroid medication but with a history of treatment for thyrotoxicosis, almost always a subtotal strumectomy, may still produce thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins. This can induce fetal and neonatal thyrotoxicosis. Without treatment this results in a high fetal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. Fetal treatment by administering antithyroid drugs during pregnancy improves this prognosis remarkably. A case is described, the literature is reviewed and guidelines for diagnosis and treatment are presented.

The endogenous concentration of estradiol and estrone in pathological human postmenopausal endometrium.

The endogenous estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2) levels (in pg/g tissue) were measured in 7 postmenopausal patients with a hyperplastic endometrium, in 3 with an atypical adenomatous hyperplastic endometrium and in 13 with a carcinomatous endometrium. These tissue concentrations were compared with the E1 and E2 concentrations in plasma (pg/ml) and with data from a control group of postmenopausal women with atrophic endometria. The tissue levels of both steroids showed large variations and there were no significant correlations with their plasma levels. In the hyperplastic and the atypical adenomatous hyperplastic group the mean E2 tissue level was higher compared with the mean E1 tissue level, despite the excess of E1 over E2 in peripheral plasma. In the carcinomatous group the mean E1 tissue level was higher, although not significantly, than the mean E2 tissue level. There were no significant differences between the E1 and E2 tissue levels in the three different pathological groups as compared to the atrophic control group. We conclude that it is unlikely that estrogens alone play a crucial role in the development of a pathological endometrium.

Neonatal thyrotoxicosis treated with exchange transfusion and Lugol's iodine.

An infant with neonatal thyrotoxicosis was born to a mother who had become euthyroid after subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves' disease. Exchange transfusion resulted in a 50% decrease of serum thyroxine levels and thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins. After 10 days mild thyrotoxic signs reappeared with high serum thyroxine levels, which were treated successfully with Lugol's iodine for 4 weeks. TSI was undetectable at 7 weeks of age. TSI was present in breast milk.

The endogenous concentration of estradiol and estrone in normal human postmenopausal endometrium.

The endogenous estrone (E1) and estradiol (E2) levels (pg/g tissue) were measured in 54 postmenopausal, atrophic endometria and compared with the E1 and E2 levels in plasma (pg/ml). The results from the tissue levels of both steroids showed large variations and there was no significant correlation with their plasma levels. The mean E2 concentration in tissue was 420 pg/g, 50 times higher than in plasma and the E1 concentration of 270 pg/g was 9 times higher. The E2/E1 ratio in tissue of 1.6, was higher than the corresponding E2/E1 ratio in plasma, being 0.3. We conclude that normal postmenopausal atrophic endometria contain relatively high concentrations of estradiol and somewhat lower estrone levels. These tissue levels do not lead to histological effects.

The relationship of zinc to protein utilization in the preadolescent child.

The effects of zinc intake on nitrogen utilization was investigated during a 20-day balance study with 23 preadolescent girls. The children were fed a diet which provided 4.17 g of nitrogen and 5.5 mg of zinc daily; the diet was supplemented with a combination of 5 mg of zinc and/or nitrogen supplied from either amino acids or nonspecific nitrogen. Complete collections of excreta were made throughout the study. Neither the supplementation of amino acids nor zinc improved the retention of nitrogen. Urinary excretion of urea nitrogen, uric acid, and creatinine were not different as a result of zinc supplementation. Subjects consuming the lower level of zinc were in negative zinc balance, but the subjects consuming 10.5 mg of zinc were in positive balance. The supplementation of this low protein diet with amino acids did not improve nitrogen retention.

The effects of sweat nitrogen losses in evaluating protein utilization by preadolescent children.

A nitrogen balance study was conducted to determine the effects of three levels of nitrogen intake on the loss of nitrogen through sweat and to assess further the impact of sweat nitrogen on protein needs of preadolescent children. Values were determined through the collection of 24-hr, total body sweat samples from twelve healthy boys having a mean age of 8 years, 8 months. Mean height and weight of the subjects were 131.4 cm and 31.0 kg, respectively. Environmental conditions were relatively constant during the study. Mean sweat nitrogen losses were 208, 287, and 368 mg/day on daily protein intakes of 29, 54, and 84 g, respectively. Mean nitrogen balances per day were 0.39, 0.09, and 1.95 g when sweat nitrogen losses were included in the calculations. At the lower and moderate levels of protein intake, nine and six subjects were in negative nitrogen balance when sweat losses were considered. Sweat nitrogen losses in the boys were similar to a previous study with preadolescent girls. Based upon published basal metabolic rates and mean sweat nitrogen losses of 261 and 288 mg/day for girls and boys, the nitrogen lost through sweat was 0.25 mg/basal kcal for both sexes. An estimation of 0.5 mg/basal kcal for integumental nitrogen loss appears realistic for this age group.