A Multiplex Label-Free Approach to Avian Influenza Surveillance and Serology

Influenza serology has traditionally relied on techniques such as hemagglutination inhibition, microneutralization, and ELISA. These assays are complex, challenging to implement in a format allowing detection of several types of antibody-analyte interactions at once (multiplex), and troublesome to implement in the field. As an alternative, we have developed a hemagglutinin microarray on the Arrayed Imaging Reflectometry (AIR) platform. AIR provides sensitive, rapid, and label-free multiplex detection of targets in complex analyte samples such as serum. In preliminary work, we demonstrated the application of this array to the testing of human samples from a vaccine trial. Here, we report the application of an expanded label-free hemagglutinin microarray to the analysis of avian serum samples. Samples from influenza virus challenge experiments in mallards yielded strong, selective detection of antibodies to the challenge antigen in most cases. Samples acquired in the field from mallards were also analyzed, and compared with viral hemagglutinin inhibition and microneutralization assays. We find that the AIR hemagglutinin microarray can provide a simple and robust alternative to standard methods, offering substantially greater information density from a simple workflow.     

Cerebroside analogues from 3-phenylserines

Cerebroside analogues were synthesized from DL-threo-and DL-erythro-3-phenylserines by the following sequence of reactions: estirification, N-acylation, reduction with sodium bis (2-methoxyethoxy)-aluminum hydride (SMEAH), and condensation with acetobromoglucose followed by deacetylation. Mass spectrometry disclosed that the glycosidic bond was formed at the primary hydroxyl group.     

Using diffusion distances for flexible molecular shape comparison

Background  

Many molecules are flexible and undergo significant shape deformation as part of their function, and yet most existing molecular shape comparison (MSC) methods treat them as rigid bodies, which may lead to incorrect shape recognition.     

Genes for serum amyloid A proteins map to Chromosome 7 in the mouse

Summary Several restriction fragment length variants have been detected among inbred strains using a mouse serum amyloid A cDNA clone. Five variants were shown to segregate as a single genetic unit and were mapped to Chromosome 7 between the glucose phosphate isomerase locus (Gpi-1) and the pink eye dilution locus (p) using recombinant inbred and congenic strains. The finding that no major MspI or BclI restriction fragments were shared between digests of DNAs from a Chromosome 7 congenic strain and its inbred partner, indicate that most, and probably all, sequences detected with the probe are clustered on Chromosome 7. Aneuploid mapping was used to show that the serum amyloid A gene complex (Saa) is proximal to the Chromosome 7 breakpoint in T(7;X)1Ct, a translocation in which the middle third of Chromosome 7 is inserted into the X-chromosome. A survey of inbred strains revealed a single common Saa haplotype and eight rare haplotypes. The complex distribution of 14 different variants suggests that recombination may have played a role in haplotype evolution.This work was supported by grants GM18684 and CA33093 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the National Cancer Institute, respectively.     

Very-Heavy Precipitation in the Greater New York City Region and Widespread Drought Alleviation Tied to Western US Agriculture

Observed intensification of precipitation extremes, responsible for extensive societal impacts, are widely attributed to anthropogenic sources, which may include indirect effects of agricultural irrigation. However quantifying the effects of irrigation on far-downstream climate remains a challenge. We use three paired Community Earth System Model simulations to assess mechanisms of irrigation-induced precipitation trends and extremes in the conterminous US and the effect on the terrestrial carbon sink. Results suggest precipitation enhancement in the central US reduced drought conditions and increased regional carbon uptake, while further downstream, the heaviest precipitation events were more frequent and intense. Specifically, moisture advection from irrigation in the western U.S. and recycling of enhanced local convective precipitation produced very-heavy storm events that were 11% more intense and occurred 23% more frequently in the densely populated greater New York City region.