[en] Influenza is an infectious disease which results in numerous epidemics every year. At present, neuraminidase is regarded, as the key therapeutic target against influenza and several well-known neuraminidase inhibitors are widely used as anti-influenza drugs. Combined computational methods including 3D-QSAR and molecular docking were applied to explore the structural–activity relationship with Xu’s compounds as the data set. Ten epigoitrin derivatives were then designed based on the computational results and they displayed 11.1–85.5 μM inhibitory potencies against neuraminidase in the in vitro biological evaluation. The combined computational studies did not only present the structural–activity relationship of Xu’s inhibitors, but also guide the designation of epigoitrin derivatives as novel neuraminidase inhibitors. Graphical abstract: .

[en] Full text: Transboundary animal diseases (TAD), such as highly pathogenic avian influenza, Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth-disease, classical swine fever, African swine fever, bluetongue, etc are highly pathogenic infectious maladies that migrate across boundaries between regions or countries, causing very high economic and socioeconomic losses worldwide. These diseases are fought at the international level by international organisations such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The new generation molecular diagnostic technologies, such as high-throughput, robust realtime PCR assays, solid- and liquid-phase microarrays (Luminex), padlock probes, proximity ligation, full-genome sequencing and phylogeny, together with other novel methods of direct and/or indirect virus detection offer hitherto unparalleled methodologies in the biotechnology-based diagnosis of infectious diseases, including TAD. These novel technologies are vital for the positive detection and identification of pathogenic agents as well as the effects of the pathogens on the production of antibodies. The development phase of the novel technologies entails a thorough understanding of accurate diagnosis and discrimination of present and emerging diseases. These diagnostic improvements will allow early warning of potential disease spread and the safeguarding of human and animal health. The development of novel technologies can only be successful if they are transferred, and used, in the field with a sustainable quality assured application to allow for the optimal detection and effective control of diseases. The aim of these new tools is to detect the presence of a pathogen agent before the onset of disease. This presentation is focusing mainly on the experiences of two Collaborating Centres of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in context to molecular diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of transboundary and endemic animal diseases of viral origin, food safety and zoonoses. By applying these novel technologies to address the listed wide range of problems, there is a hope that the 'One World One Health' principle will be followed and the quality of human and animal life will be improved. The novel assays facilitate both the laboratory-based and the 'on site' detection of the targeted pathogens and support the improved control of the devastating infectious diseases. (author)

[en] Avian influenza (Bird flu) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting mainly chickens, turkeys, ducks, other birds and mammals. Reservoirs for HPAI /H5N1 virus are shore birds and waterfowl (asymptomatic, excrete virus in feces for a long periods of time), live bird markets and commercial swine facilities. Virus tends to cycle between pigs and birds. HPAI (H5N1) virus is on every 'top ten' list available for potential agricultural bio-weapon agents. The threat of a HPAI/H5N1 pandemic is a definitively global phenomenon and the response must be global. A number of National plans led to various measures of preventing and dealing with epidemics/pandemics. Lessons learned form the pandemic history indicated essential role of military and military medical support to civil authorities in a crisis situation. Based on International Military Medical Avian Influenza Pandemic workshop (Vienna 2006), an expected scenario would involve 30-50% outpatients, 20-30% hospital admission, 2-3% deaths, 10-20% complicated cases. Activities of civil hospital may be reduced by 50%. Benefits of military support could be in: Transportation of patients (primarily by air); Mass vaccination and provision of all other preventive measures (masks, Tamiflu); Restriction of movements; Infection control of health care facilities; Field hospitals for triage and quarantine, military barracks to treat milder cases and military hospitals for severe cases; Deal with corpses; Stockpiling (vaccines, antiviral, antibiotics, protective equipment, supplies); Training; Laboratories; Ensure public safety, etc. With the aim of minimizing the risk of a pandemic spread by means of rapid and uncomplicated cooperation, an early warning system has to be established to improve surveillance, improve international contacts (WHO, ECDC, CDC), establish Platform for sharing information, close contacts of national and international military and civilian surveillance networks and databases, cooperation between military and civilian labs (external quality control). (author)

[en] Full text: A household survey was conducted in Zanzibar between May and June 2008 to investigate the impact of the ongoing nationwide Avian and Human Influenza Pandemic (AHIP) awareness campaigns on people's understanding of the pandemic. A total of 500 families in 239 villages; all 10 districts of Zanzibar were interviewed. Factors: administrative district, age, sex, number of family members, level of education, occupational groups (farmer vs. non farmer) and access to AHIP training and other media tools were investigated in different models. Preliminary results showed that over 70 percent of respondents know the disease but less than 40 percent out of them understands the cause and ways to prevent the spread of infection in Zanzibar. The district of residence featured prominently (P < 0.001) as an important factor of people knowing the pandemic, the causative agent, transmission of the pandemic, self-protection, protection of the country and adequacy of the campaign. The level of education significantly influenced people knowing the pandemic (P < 0.05), the causative agent (P < 0.001), transmission of the pandemic (P < 0.001), self protection (P < 0.001), country protection (P < 0.001) and adequacy of the campaign (P < 0.05). The ongoing training on AHIP offered significant understanding of the pandemic, the cause, transmission, self-protection and protection of the country (P < 0.001). The family size appeared as a significant (P < 0.05) factor of the family knowing the cause of the pandemic. Finally, the habit of reading news article among the respondents increased the exposure to the knowledge of self (P < 0.01) and country (P < 0.001) protection against the pandemic. It was concluded that the future AHIP campaigns emphasis on particular disadvantaged districts and widening the use of alternative media of information. (author)

[en] International travel and free trade are modern bywords and the international movement of people, animals and livestock products seen as essential for the global market place to function. Yet is this compatible with a national bio-secure environment? Governments around the world seek to manage the risks posed by infectious disease to livestock, man, the environment and related ecosystems whilst at the same time permitting free trade. Ample examples exist of these competing elements as illustrated by recent outbreaks of avian influenza, bluetongue, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and most recently in Australia, equine influenza. Whilst the recognition that some 70% of new infectious diseases in man come from animals, even those diseases that affect only animals such as foot and mouth disease, can have devastating effects on trade and economies. The word 'biosecurity' now encompasses most of these elements with processes being developed to identify, mitigate or eliminate these biosecurity risks, and ultimately to prevent adverse events. An added dimension to be considered recently is that of bio-terrorism. So is it time for a new global co-ordinated and collaborative approach to managing biosecurity that recognises the need to encourage not restrict, the global market place? Are there newer approaches that could encourage global trade in livestock and livestock products? One such strategy could be to consider the biosecurity risks of the commodity as opposed to the disease status of the country of origin as a more effective approach for the future. (author)

[en] Investigation of the time dependence of the magnetic moment allows to get detailed information s about the pinning behaviour in high temperature superconductors. There are mainly two types of pinning barriers which both influence the time dependence in different way. First pinning centres in the bulk of the material, which act - despite of their special nature - in symmetrical on flux entering or leaving the sample. This is in contrast to the action of surface barriers which have a strong asymmetrical influence. It is this different behaviour which allows to distinguish between both types of barriers and to investigate their properties separately. This is shown for a HgBa₂Ca₂Cu₃O_8+x ceramics. (Authors)

[en] Zoonotic infections receive internationally more and more attention as neglected diseases impoverished communities. Professional organisations and government institutes have created joint public and animal health working groups and numerous surveillance and research and programmes under the umbrella of 'One Health'. Still, there remains a divide between human, animal and ecosystem health specialists. Because most zoonoses go unrecorded, a rethinking of research and control efforts and their economic consequences is needed. Innovative research approaches promise to better capture the impacts of zoonoses from a societal perspective through more comprehensive frameworks that consider benefits and costs of zoonoses control in different sectors, notably the public health, livestock and private sectors. Such cross-sectoral studies promise to foster communication and exchange of information between sectors. Building on established national and regional technical support agencies for avian influenza will be important, despite the challenges to capture the momentum of partnerships, to establish permanent dialogue between sectors and to create sustainable national and regional bodies. Regional and international research groups applying a 'One Health' approach are well placed to generate the data required on levels of under-reporting, disability adjusted life years (DALY) estimates of zoonoses and the epidemiological and financial information for analyses of costs and benefits and cost-effectiveness and thereby identify the appropriate option for zoonoses prevention and control in particular settings from a range of possible interventions. (author)

[en] Using by pre-developed multiplex RT-PCR kit that is able to diagnosis Tamiflu-sensitive and -resistant Swine Influenza A (H1N1) in the 1st research year, reproducibility and sentitivity of the kit has been investigated in this year. The optimum concentration of reverse transcriptase has also been determined and the economic evaluation has been carried out in this year. Based on the results, a international patent has been applied and a domestic patent has been registered in this year

[en] The Bcl-2 family, including antiapoptotic and proapoptotic members, plays key regulating roles in programmed cell death. We report the characterization of a new member of the bcl-2 family, encoded by herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT). The product of this gene shares 80% homology with Nr-13, an apoptosis inhibitor, which is overexpressed in avian cells transformed by the v-src oncogene. This new gene, that we propose to call vnr-13, is the first member of the bcl-2 family to be isolated among α-herpesviruses. Results from cells expressing the HVT-vnr-13 gene product show that the encoded protein inhibits apoptosis and also reduces the rate of cellular proliferation. Contrary to all bcl-2 homologues found in γ-herpesvirus, which are intronless, vnr-13 has the same organization as the cellular nr-13 gene. Hence, the HVT vnr-13 gene may have been acquired from a reverse transcriptase product of an unspliced precursor RNA, or via direct recombination with the host chromosomal DNA

No abstract available