A paucigranulocytic asthma host environment promotes the emergence of virulent influenza viral variants

Influenza virus has a high mutation rate, such that within one host different viral variants can emerge. Evidence suggests that influenza virus variants are more prevalent in pregnant and/or obese individuals due to their impaired interferon response. We have recently shown that the non-allergic, paucigranulocytic subtype of asthma is associated with impaired type I interferon production. Here, we seek to address if this is associated with an increased emergence of influenza virus variants. Compared to controls, mice with paucigranulocytic asthma had increased disease severity and an increased emergence of influenza virus variants. Specifically, PB1 mutations exclusively detected in asthmatic mice were associated with increased polymerase activity. Furthermore, asthmatic host-derived virus led to increased disease severity in wild-type mice. Taken together, these data suggest that at least a subset of patients with asthma may be more susceptible to severe influenza and may be a possible source of new influenza virus variants

Superoxes, high temperature universal phases in (GC)2

Most of the common classes of organic compounds chromatograph normally on Superoxes. There is no tailing or adverse effect from excessively different activity different activity coefficients. Superoxes are therefore universal phases for gas chromatography. This is also expressed by a wide useful temperature range from ∼50° to ∼300°. High MW Superox-4 has a MAOT about 20° higher than the lower MW Superox-0.1. Several applications illustrating the versatility of Superox phases in (GC)2 are presented

Preparative-scale gas chromatography : V. Experiments with very long columns

Practical preparative-scale gas chromatography on long narrow-bore columns (75 m × 9 mm) on coarse support material (10–20 mesh) seems very promising. The main advantage may turn out to be high versatility. Large samples (in the ml range) of hydrocarbons, aromatics, ketones, esters and alcohols could be separated on the same column with 10% SE. 30 as stationary phase. This is even the case for α-values as low as 1.2 to 1.1. Details of the ocnstruction and experimental handling of such apparatus are described. The main difficulty for the generalisatiin of this approach lies in the support material. Chromosorb W type supports are preferable but cannot be obtained in a sufficiently coarse mesh size to make really long columns, Chromosorb P type supports and the new experimental Chromosorb supports described in the paper show support interactions which are more conspicuous in the long columns mentioned than on analytical columns

Abeo-iso-α-acids

During boiling, substantial amounts of hop α-acids are transformed into oxidation products containing the same cyclopentane nucleus as the iso-α-acids: these oxidation products, which have been called abeo-iso-α-acids I, II and III, are separable by countercurrent distribution. Lager beers contained between 88 and 160 mg. of abeo-iso-α-acids per litre. Although the abeo-iso-α-acids are almost devoid of bitterness, they have strong foam-producing propertie