Virulence Determination for Rapid Extraintestinal Dissemination (Acute Infection) of Common Salmonella Serotypes in Swine

Salmonella enterica (Typhimurium and Choleraesuis) have been shown to rapidly disseminate extraintestinally (RED) within 3 hours of intranasal inoculation in pigs (1,2,5,6). Evaluation of RED serotypes may be an important indicator of Salmonella virulence. Experimentally, pigs were challenged with important lymph node, fecal, and vaccine isolates of Salmonella and evaluated for RED. These isolates include S. Heidelberg, S. Infantis, S. Derby, S. Worthington, S. 4, 12 imonophasic, S. untypable HL 10416, S. Typhimurium, S. Typhimurium variant Copenhagen, S. Bredeney, S. Muenchen, S. Brandenburg, S. Choleraesuis SC-38, S. Choleraesuis SC-54, and S. Choleraesuis strain Argus. Three hours after intranasal inoculation, the pigs were euthanized, necropsied, and the following tissues were collected for qualitative isolation: tonsil, thymus, blood, mandibular lymph node, lung, spleen, liver, ileocecal lymph node, colon contents, and cecum contents. Fewer tissues were positive for vaccine strains compared with wild type or parent strains

Experience with the Danish Mix-ELISA in the United States

This article details some of our experiences with Danish mix-ELISA (DME) testing on herds in the United States. In contrast to Denmark, clinical outbreaks of Salmonella Choleraesuis occur in the United States. We examine the appropriateness of the current cut-off of OD%\u3e=40 for U.S. herds by examining serum and fecal samples collected from individual pigs and tested with the DME and culture, respectively. We report the estimated sensitivity and specificity of the DME using the original and possibly modified cut-off values. The 30% cutoff was deemed optimal with a sensitivity of .57 (.45, .82) and a specificity of .84 (.68, .98) for the first set of samples and .69 (.49, .93) and .63 (.53, .76) for the second set of samples. A major use of these tests is for monitoring herds for Salmonella exposure over time. Information on the sensitivity and specificity of the DME is helpful in determining how many animals in a herd to sample and how often

Serotonin modulates asymmetric learning from reward and punishment in healthy human volunteers

Instrumental learning is driven by a history of outcome success and failure. Here, we examined the impact of serotonin on learning from positive and negative outcomes. Healthy human volunteers were assessed twice, once after acute (single-dose), and once after prolonged (week-long) daily administration of the SSRI citalopram or placebo. Using computational modelling, we show that prolonged boosting of serotonin enhances learning from punishment and reduces learning from reward. This valence-dependent learning asymmetry increases subjects’ tendency to avoid actions as a function of cumulative failure without leading to detrimental, or advantageous, outcomes. By contrast, no significant modulation of learning was observed following acute SSRI administration. However, differences between the effects of acute and prolonged administration were not significant. Overall, these findings may help explain how serotonergic agents impact on mood disorders

Atomic-scale structure of the SrTiO3(001)-c(6x2) reconstruction: Experiments and first-principles calculations

The c(6x2) is a reconstruction of the SrTiO3(001) surface that is formed between 1050-1100oC in oxidizing annealing conditions. This work proposes a model for the atomic structure for the c(6x2) obtained through a combination of results from transmission electron diffraction, surface x-ray diffraction, direct methods analysis, computational combinational screening, and density functional theory. As it is formed at high temperatures, the surface is complex and can be described as a short-range ordered phase featuring microscopic domains composed of four main structural motifs. Additionally, non-periodic TiO2 units are present on the surface. Simulated scanning tunneling microscopy images based on the electronic structure calculations are consistent with experimental images

The Tabby cat locus maps to feline chromosome B1.

The Tabby markings of the domestic cat are unique coat patterns for which no causative candidate gene has been inferred from other mammals. In this study, a genome scan was performed on a large pedigree of cats that segregated for Tabby coat markings, specifically for the Abyssinian (Ta-) and blotched (tbtb) phenotypes. There was linkage between the Tabby locus and eight markers on cat chromosome B1. The most significant linkage was between marker FCA700 and Tabby (Z = 7.56, theta = 0.03). Two additional markers in the region supported linkage, although not with significant LOD scores. Pairwise analysis of the markers supported the published genetic map of the cat, although additional meioses are required to refine the region. The linked markers cover a 17-cM region and flank an evolutionary breakpoint, suggesting that the Tabby gene has a homologue on either human chromosome 4 or 8. Alternatively, Tabby could be a unique locus in cats

Innovative applications of energy storage in a restructured electricity marketplace : Phase III final report : a study for the DOE Energy Storage Systems Program.

This report describes Phase III of a project entitled Innovative Applications of Energy Storage in a Restructured Electricity Marketplace. For this study, the authors assumed that it is feasible to operate an energy storage plant simultaneously for two primary applications: (1) energy arbitrage, i.e., buy-low-sell-high, and (2) to reduce peak loads in utility ''hot spots'' such that the utility can defer their need to upgrade transmission and distribution (T&D) equipment. The benefits from the arbitrage plus T&D deferral applications were estimated for five cases based on the specific requirements of two large utilities operating in the Eastern U.S. A number of parameters were estimated for the storage plant ratings required to serve the combined application: power output (capacity) and energy discharge duration (energy storage). In addition to estimating the various financial expenditures and the value of electricity that could be realized in the marketplace, technical characteristics required for grid-connected distributed energy storage used for capacity deferral were also explored

Prepared for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Environmental Health Radiation Studies Branch

1.2 Materials and Equipment............................................... 1-

Virulence determination for rapid extraintestinal Dissemination (Acute Infection) of Common Salmonella Serotypes in Swine

Salmonella enterica (Typhimurium and Choleraesuis) have been shown to rapidly disseminate extraintestinally (RED) within 3 hours of intranasal inoculation in pigs (Fedorka-Cray et al., 1995) (Blaha et al., 1997) (Nugent et al., 2000) (Nielsen, 2000). Evaluation of RED serotypes may be an important indicator of Salmonella virulence. Experimentally, pigs were challenged with important lymph node, fecal and vaccine isolates ofSalmonella and evaluated for RED. These isolates include: Salmonella Heidelberg, Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Derby, Salmonella Worthington, Salmonella 4, 12 i-monophasic, Salmonella untypable HL I 0416, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Typhimurium variant Copenhagen, Salmonella Bredeney, Salmonella Muenchen, Salmonella Brandenburg, Salmonella Choleraesuis SC-38, Salmonella Choleraesuis SC-54, and Salmonella Choleraesuis strain Argus. Three hours after intranasal inoculation, the pigs were euthanized, necropsied, and the following tissues were collected for qualitative isolation: tonsil, thymus, blood, mandibular lymph node, lung, spleen, liver, ileocecal lymph node, colon contents and cecum contents. Fewer tissues were positive for vaccine strains as compared to wild type or parent strains

Anhedonia is associated with poor health status and more somatic and cognitive symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease

Purpose: The effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is moderated by negative emotions and clinical factors, but no studies evaluated the role of positive emotions. This study examined whether anhedonia (i.e. the lack of positive affect) moderated the effectiveness of CR on health status and somatic and cognitive symptoms. Methods: CAD patients (n = 368) filled out the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess anhedonia at the start of CR, and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Health Complaints Scale (HCS) at the start of CR and at 3 months to assess health status and somatic and cognitive symptoms, respectively. Results: Adjusting for clinical and demographic factors, health status improved significantly during the follow-up (F(1,357) = 10.84, P = .001). Anhedonic patients reported poorer health status compared with non-anhedoni