Emergence of a new swine H3N2 and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza A virus reassortant in two Canadian animal populations, mink and swine.

A swine H3N2 (swH3N2) and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (pH1N1) influenza A virus reassortant (swH3N2/pH1N1) was detected in Canadian swine at the end of 2010. Simultaneously, a similar virus was also detected in Canadian mink based on partial viral genome sequencing. The origin of the new swH3N2/pH1N1 viral genes was related to the North American swH3N2 triple-reassortant cluster IV (for hemagglutinin [HA] and neuraminidase [NA] genes) and to pH1N1 for all the other genes (M, NP, NS, PB1, PB2, and PA).

Skeletal muscle endurance and muscle metabolism in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Alterations in skeletal muscle function are known to contribute to exercise intolerance in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Objectives: To evaluate whether muscle isometric endurance can be objectively measured and whether it is related to skeletal muscle metabolism in CHF.

Methods: Isometric endurance of the vastus lateralis, measured as time to fatigue (T(F)), was evaluated in 25 patients with CHF (55+/-8 years of age [mean +/- SD]) and 18 healthy subjects (HS) (62+/-6 years of age [mean +/- SD]).

Lipofuscin accumulation in the vastus lateralis muscle in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Exercise-induced oxidative stress has been reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may play a role in muscle fatigue. It is speculated that oxidative stress during exercise originates from the contracting muscles but this has not been documented. The accumulation of lipofuscin, a marker of cellular oxidative damage, was evaluated in the vastus lateralis muscle in 17 patients with COPD and 10 healthy subjects of similar age.