(C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Influenza A H1N1 (2009) was declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century. Rapid detection of influenza A and differentiation of influenza A H1N1 (2009) and seasonal influenza A is beneficial. In addition the rapid detection of antiviral resistant strains of influenza A H1N1 (2009) would be useful for clinicians

to allow for change to an effective treatment at a much earlier stage if resistance is found. It was the aim of this study to develop a real-time RTPCR that can detect all influenza A viruses and type simultaneously for influenza A H1N1 (2009) and oseltamivir resistant (H275Y) influenza A H1N1 (2009). This multiplex assay will allow laboratories to screen respiratory samples for all types of influenza A, influenza A H1N1 (2009) virus and oseltamivir resistant (H275Y) influenza A HI NI ARN-509 research buy (2009) virus in a rapid and cost effective format, ensuring click here that typing methods for seasonal and avian viruses are used on a smaller subset of samples. Since most virology laboratories already offer a molecular service for influenza A this assay could easily be implemented into most areas at little cost therefore increasing local access to resistance testing. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Neuropathic

pain is often a chronic condition, disabling and difficult to treat. Using a murine model of neuropathic pain induced by placing a polyethylene cuff around the main branch of the sciatic nerve, we have shown that chronic treatment only with beta-AR agonists is effective against neuropathic allodynia. beta-mimetics

are widely used against asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and may offer an interesting option for neuropathic pain management. The most prominent adverse effects of chronic treatment with beta-mimetics are cardiovascular. In this study, we compared the action of low doses of the selective beta(2)-AR agonist terbutaline and of a high dose of the mixed beta(1)/beta(2)-AR agonist isoproterenol on cardiovascular parameters in a neuropathic pain context. Isoproterenol was used as a positive control for some heart-related changes. Cardiac functions were studied by echocardiography, hemodynamic measurements, histological analysis of fibrosis and cardiac hypertrophy, and by quantitative real time PCR analysis of atrial natriuretic peptide (Nppa), periostin (Postn), connective tissue growth factor (Ctgf) and beta-myosin heavy chain (Myh7). Our data show that a chronic treatment with the beta(2)-AR agonist terbutaline at low antiallodynic dose does not affect cardiovascular parameters, whereas the mixed beta(1)/beta(2)-AR agonist isoproterenol induces cardiac hypertrophy. These data suggest that low doses of beta(2)-AR agonists may provide a suitable treatment with rare side effects in neuropathic pain management.