Simon Fraser University

2 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Immunology and Infection

Avian Influenza Surveillance with FTA Cards: Field Methods, Biosafety, and Transportation Issues Solved

Robert H.S. Kraus¹, Pim van Hooft¹, Jonas Waldenström², Neus Latorre-Margalef², Ronald C. Ydenberg^1,3, Herbert H.T. Prins¹

¹Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, ²Section for Zoonotic Ecology and Epidemiology, School of Natural Sciences, Linnaeus University, ³Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University

A method to preserve, detect and sequence RNA from Avian Influenza Viruses was validated and extended using natural faecal samples from birds. This technique removes the necessity of maintaining a cool chain and handling of infectious viruses and can be applied in a 96-well high-throughput setup.

Medicine

Tilt Testing with Combined Lower Body Negative Pressure: a "Gold Standard" for Measuring Orthostatic Tolerance

Clare L. Protheroe¹, Henrike (Rianne) J.C. Ravensbergen¹, Jessica A. Inskip¹, Victoria E. Claydon¹

¹Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University

We describe a "gold standard" for evaluating orthostatic tolerance (OT) using tilt testing with combined lower body negative pressure (LBNP). This can be combined with non-invasive evaluations of cardiovascular reflex control. Normal and abnormal responses are defined.