In contrast, the HSP inhibitor effect of individual determinants was weak in 3-week-old NOD/SCID mice, and all the determinants were required for substantial attenuation. These results suggest that a cooperative effect of the attenuation determinants of PVI(Sabin) is essential for attenuated neurovirulence of EV71.”
“The anesthetic gas nitrous oxide (N2O) and the volatile anesthetic isoflurane (ISO) are commonly used in surgical procedures for human infants and in veterinary and laboratory animal practice to produce loss

of consciousness and analgesia. Recent reports indicate that exposure of the developing brain to general anesthetics that block N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors or potentiate GABA(A) receptors can trigger widespread Proteases inhibitor apoptotic neurodegeneration. In the present study, the question arises whether a relatively low dose of ISO alone or its

combination with N2O entails significant risk of inducing enhanced apoptosis. In addition, the role Of L-carnitine to attenuate these effects was also examined. Postnatal day 7 (PND-7) rat pups were exposed to N2O (75%) or a low dose of ISO (0.55%) alone, or N2O plus ISO for 2, 4, 6 or 8 h with or without L-carnitine. The neurotoxic effects were evaluated 6 h after completion of anesthetic administration. No significant neurotoxic effects were observed for the animals exposed to N2O or ISO alone. However, enhanced apoptotic cell death was apparent when N2O was combined with ISO at exposure durations of 6 h or more. Co-administration of L-carnitine (300 or 500 mg/kg, i.p.) effectively protected neurons from the anesthetic-induced damage. These data indicate that 6 h or more of inhaled anesthetic exposure consisting of a combination of N2O and ISO results in enhanced neuronal apoptosis, and L-carnitine

effectively blocks the neuronal apoptosis caused by inhalation anesthetics in the developing rat brain. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of IBRO.”
“Antigenic profiles of post-2002 H5N1 viruses representing major genetic clades and various geographic either sources were investigated using a panel of 17 monoclonal antibodies raised from five H5N1 strains. Four antigenic groups from seven clades of H5N1 virus were distinguished and characterized based on their cross-reactivity to the monoclonal antibodies in hemagglutination inhibition and cell-based neutralization assays. Genetic polymorphisms associated with the variation of antigenicity of H5N1 strains were identified and further verified in antigenic analysis with recombinant H5N1 viruses carrying specific mutations in the hemagglutinin protein.