The feasibility of age-specific travel restrictions during influenza pandemics

Background

Epidemiological studies have shown that imposing travel restrictions to prevent or delay an influenza pandemic may not be feasible. To delay an epidemic substantially, an extremely high proportion of trips (~99%) would have to be restricted in a homogeneously mixing population. Influenza is, however, strongly influenced by age-dependent transmission dynamics, and the effectiveness of age-specific travel restrictions, such as the selective restriction of travel by children, has yet to be examined.

Methods

A simple stochastic model was developed to describe the importation of infectious cases into a population and to model local chains of transmission seeded by imported cases. The probability of a local epidemic, and the time period until a major epidemic takes off, were used as outcome measures, and travel restriction policies in which children or adults were preferentially restricted were compared to age-blind restriction policies using an age-dependent next generation matrix parameterized for influenza H1N1-2009.

Results

Restricting children from travelling would yield greater reductions to the short-term risk of the epidemic being established locally than other policy options considered, and potentially could delay an epidemic for a few weeks. However, given a scenario with a total of 500 imported cases over a period of a few months, a substantial reduction in the probability of an epidemic in this time period is possible only if the transmission potential were low and assortativity (i.e. the proportion of contacts within-group) were unrealistically high. In all other scenarios considered, age-structured travel restrictions would not prevent an epidemic and would not delay the epidemic for longer than a few weeks.

Conclusions

Selectively restricting children from traveling overseas during a pandemic may potentially delay its arrival for a few weeks, depending on the characteristics of the pandemic strain, but could have less of an impact on the economy compared to restricting adult travelers. However, as long as adults have at least a moderate potential to trigger an epidemic, selectively restricting the higher risk group (children) may not be a practical option to delay the arrival of an epidemic substantially.     

comH, a novel gene essential for natural transformation of Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is naturally competent for transformation, but the DNA uptake system of this bacterium is only partially characterized, and nothing is known about the regulation of competence in H. pylori. To identify other components involved in transformation or competence regulation in this species, we screened a mutant library for competence-deficient mutants. This resulted in the identification of a novel, Helicobacter-specific competence gene (comH) whose function is essential for transformation of H. pylori with chromosomal DNA fragments as well as with plasmids. Complementation of comH mutants in trans completely restored competence. Unlike other transformation genes of H. pylori, comH does not belong to a known family of orthologous genes. Moreover, no significant homologs of comH were identified in currently available databases of bacterial genome sequences. The comH gene codes for a protein with an N-terminal leader sequence and is present in both highly competent and less-efficient transforming H. pylori strains. A comH homolog was found in Helicobacter acinonychis but not in Helicobacter felis and Helicobacter mustelae.     

Effect of self-association on the structural organization of partially folded proteins: inactivated actin

The propensity to associate or aggregate is one of the characteristic properties of many nonnative proteins. The aggregation of proteins is responsible for a number of human diseases and is a significant problem in biotechnology. Despite this, little is currently known about the effect of self-association on the structural properties and conformational stability of partially folded protein molecules. G-actin is shown to form equilibrium unfolding intermediate in the vicinity of 1.5 M guanidinium chloride (GdmCl). Refolding from the GdmCl unfolded state is terminated at the stage of formation of the same intermediate state. An analogous form, known as inactivated actin, can be obtained by heat treatment, or at moderate urea concentration, or by the release of Ca(2+). In all cases actin forms specific associates comprising partially folded protein molecules. The structural properties and conformational stability of inactivated actin were studied over a wide range of protein concentrations, and it was established that the process of self-association is rather specific. We have also shown that inactivated actin, being denatured, is characterized by a relatively rigid microenvironment of aromatic residues and exhibits a considerable limitation in the internal mobility of tryptophans. This means that specific self-association can play an important structure-forming role for the partially folded protein molecules.     

小麦植株内糖类的昼夜变化

1.田间条件下灌浆期的小麦,叶子、叶鞘、及节间里的含糖量有着昼夜的变化,其中主要是蔗糖含量的变化。在日间下午3—6时含糖量最高,而晚上含糖量降低。2.小麦叶子、叶鞘及节间含糖量的变化受到环境因素的影响。这里主要是光线及植物社会的影响。3.在阴天只有单行植株第1叶和第2叶里的蔗糖有显著的昼夜变化;叶子、叶鞘变化很小,还维持了原来的水平。中行植株的叶子、叶鞘及节间的含糖量一般是降低的。4.在晴天,不问单行植株、中行植株,叶子、叶鞘和节间的含糖量都有昼夜的变化。但含糖量变化的进程在单行植株和中行植株之间有着很明显的差异。单行植株的含糖水/平高于中行植株。它们之间差异的幅度,越是在下部的器官越是显著。单行植株叶子、叶鞘的蔗糖最高含量在下午6时到达,而中行植株叶子、叶鞘里的蔗糖最高含量早在下午3时就达到了。这种差异的形成由于中行植株被左右边行的植株所荫蔽,在光线条件上处于不利的状态。在阴天中行植株的光线条件更差,以至阻碍了光合作用的进行。5.小麦在灌浆期,叶、叶鞘、节间糖的分布是这样的:叶子里的糖浓度小于叶鞘,叶鞘里的糖浓度小于节间的。但当阳光充足的时候,叶子里的浓度有时高于叶鞘中的浓度。此外第2节间的糖浓度高于第1节...     

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, GROWTH AND PRODUCTION OF ANADARA SENILIS (LINNAEUS, 1758) IN A SENEGAL LAGOON

Two populations of Anadara senilis were sampled periodicallyin a lagoon of Senegal. Spatfall occurs in summer during therainy season. Population density decreases from about 50, 000.m^–2,two months after spatfall, down to 6, 750 one year later and750 after 28 months. The average growth, measured on the surfaceof the shell, following the umbo rim axis is 0.8 mm per month.The main reduction in growth rate occurs in winter and endsby the deposition of a growth ring. A second growth reductiontakes place during the rainy season and sometimes ends by aweak growth ring. The microgrowth increments are conspicuousand widest during spring equinox. They are not directly relatedto the tidal cycle, but it was impossible to determine if theyhave a tidal or a daily periodicity. (Received 11 February 1990; accepted 16 July 1993)