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The Immunobiology Of Myelodysplastic Neoplasms: A Mini-Review, Shruthi Kannan, Rolando A Vedia, Jeffrey J Molldrem

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This mini review summarizes the immunobiology of myelodysplastic syndromes, specifically focusing on the interactions between immune cells, cytokines, and dysplastic cells within the tumor microenvironment in the bone marrow. We elucidate in detail how immune dysregulation and evasion influence the initiation and progression of myelodysplastic syndromes, as well as resistance to therapy and progression to AML. In addition, we highlight a range of therapeutic strategies, including the most recent breakthroughs and experimental therapies for treating MDS. Finally, we address the existing knowledge gaps in the understanding of the immunobiology of MDS and propose future research directions, promising advancements toward enhancing …

Distribution And Prevalence Of Antibodies To Trichinella Spp. And Toxoplasma Gondii In Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In The United States, Christopher A. Cleveland, Ellen Haynes, Katherine C. Callaghan, Alinde Fojtik, Sarah Coker, Emily Doub, Vienna R. Brown, Ania A. Majewska, Michael J. Yabsley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are a reservoir for over 100 viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens that are transmissible to humans, livestock, domestic animals, and wildlife in North America. Numerous historical local surveys and results from a nation-wide survey (2006–2010) indicated that wild pigs in the United States act as reservoirs for Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, two zoonotic pathogens of importance for human and animal health. Since that time, wild pig populations have expanded and increased in density in many areas. Population expansion of wild pigs creates opportunities for the introduction of pathogens to new areas …

Role Of Interleukin 2 Receptor Alpha In The Cellular Response To Dna Damage, Shristi Khanal

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The interleukin 2 receptor alpha (IL-2Rα), which is integral to the functioning of the cytokine interleukin 2, has recently been found to be present in different cell types besides just lymphocytes. Previous studies done by our laboratory showed that several other non-lymphoid cells including smooth muscle cells express IL-2Rα. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) deficient in IL-2Rα exhibited increased proliferation, decreased size, and hypodiploid DNA content when compared to wild type (WT) cells. Previous studies also suggested that VSMC proliferate in response to IL-2 and that IL-2 increases following interventions to stimulate intimal hyperplasia in vivo. These findings, in total, …

Studies Of Selective And Reversible Inhibitors Of Calcium Entry In Immune Cells, Naga Lakshmi Gandi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Calcium signaling is a crucial regulator in many cellular processes, from immune response modulation to gene expression and apoptosis. Here, I have investigated the dynamics of calcium entry pathways, namely, store-operated calcium entry and store-independent calcium entry using a variety of cell types such as Jurkat T cells, HEK-293 cells and murine macrophages. Using fluorescence calcium imaging and selective inhibitor compounds, I have investigated the contributions of Orai and related calcium channels to calcium entry in both immune and non-immune cell types. The results demonstrate the pharmacological modulation of store-operated and store-independent calcium entry, showing the ability of compounds such …

Epitope Mapping Novel Monoclonal Antibodies Against Borrelia Burgdorferi Surface Proteins Ospc And Bmpa, Eliza M. Doyle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In response to the progressive nature of Lyme disease, direct diagnostic testing of Borrelia burgdorferi surface proteins was proposed as a quicker and more sensitive alternative to the current indirect detection methods. To determine the ability of novel monoclonal antibodies to detect the surface lipoproteins BmpA and OspC, recombinant fragments of these proteins were created. These fragments were tested against the putative diagnostic antibodies via western blotting as a means to map the epitope of each of the proteins that the respective antibodies recognize. All BmpA fragments with deletions on the N-terminal end exhibited reactivity, indicating that the epitope is …

Cd8+ T Cell Metabolic Flexibility Elicited By Cd28-Ars2 Axis- Driven Alternative Splicing Of Pkm Supports Antitumor Immunity, G. Aaron Holling, Colin A. Chavel, Anand P. Sharda, Mackenzie M. Lieberman, Caitlin M. James, Shivana M. Lightman, Jason H. Tong, Guanxi Qiao, Tiffany R. Emmons, Thejaswini Giridharan, Shengqi Hou, Andrew M. Intlekofer, Richard M. Higashi, Teresa W. M. Fan, Andrew N. Lane, Kevin H. Eng, Brahm H. Segal, Elizabeth A. Repasky, Kevin P. Lee, Scott H. Olejniczak

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Metabolic flexibility has emerged as a critical determinant of CD8+ T-cell antitumor activity, yet the mechanisms driving the metabolic flexibility of T cells have not been determined. In this study, we investigated the influence of the nuclear cap-binding complex (CBC) adaptor protein ARS2 on mature T cells. In doing so, we discovered a novel signaling axis that endows activated CD8+ T cells with flexibility of glucose catabolism. ARS2 upregulation driven by CD28 signaling reinforced splicing factor recruitment to pre-mRNAs and affected approximately one-third of T-cell activation-induced alternative splicing events. Among these effects, the CD28-ARS2 axis suppressed the expression of the …

Terminally Differentiated Effector Memory T Cells Associate With Cognitive And Ad-Related Biomarkers In An Aging-Based Community Cohort, Edric Winford, Jenny Lutshumba, Barbara J. Martin, Donna M. Wilcock, Gregory A. Jicha, Barbara S. Nikolajczyk, Ann M. Stowe, Adam D. Bachstetter

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background and purpose: The immune response changes during aging and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementia (ADRD). Terminally differentiated effector memory T cells (called TEMRA) are important during aging and AD due to their cytotoxic phenotype and association with cognitive decline. However, it is not clear if the changes seen in TEMRAs are specific to AD-related cognitive decline specifically or are more generally correlated with cognitive decline. This study aimed to examine whether TEMRAs are associated with cognition and plasma biomarkers of AD, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation in a community-based cohort of older adults.

Methods: Study participants from …

Descriptive Report On Dietary Remains From Aztec And Salmon Ruins Coprolites, Karl J. Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

This report focuses only on dietary results from the Aztec Ruins and Salmon Ruins coprolites. The parasitological analysis was completed in 2018 and was the focus of several papers that were summarized by Camacho and Reinhard (2020). This did not include DNA analysis. The coprolites from these sites are not appropriate sources of DNA testing.

The main conclusion of the analysis are:

1) Two very distinct plant spectra are represented in Aztec Ruins West (ARW) room 219 and room 225.

2) The three contexts of ARW room 219 show interesting variation in food selection, however these are small samples.

3) …

The Characterization Of Vig-1’S Expression Patterns In Ipnv-Infected, Or Dsrna-Treated, Rainbow Trout Cells, Samantha Lum

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In Canada, annual trout production is valued at over $60M with approximately 10,000 tonnes of trout produced per year. Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are one of the most commonly farmed fresh-water fish in Canada. The high-density farming practices involved in aquaculture increase rainbow trout susceptibility to aquatic viruses such as infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV). The innate antiviral immune response in rainbow trout is poorly characterized, and the functions of numerous interferon stimulated genes (ISG) in rainbow trout remain unclear. One such gene, virus-induced gene 1 (vig-1) has been poorly studied; however, the human orthologue for vig-1 …

Assessing The Value And Knowledge Gains From An Online Tick Identification And Tick-Borne Disease Management Course For The Southeastern United States, Catherine A. Lippi, Holly D. Gaff, Alexis L. White, Sadie J. Ryan

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Tick-borne diseases are a growing public health threat in the United States. Despite the prevalence and rising burden of tick-borne diseases, there are major gaps in baseline knowledge and surveillance efforts for tick vectors, even among vector control districts and public health agencies. To address this issue, an online tick training course (OTTC) was developed through the Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (SECOEVBD) to provide a comprehensive knowledge base on ticks, tick-borne diseases, and their management.

Methods

The OTTC consisted of training modules covering topics including tick biology, tick identification, tick-borne diseases, and public health, personal tick …

Natural Enemies Of Varroa Destructor Identified From Eastern North America Honey Bee Colonies: A Biological Survey Of Candidates For Mite Control From Maryland, Usa, Francisco Posada-Flórez, Daniel Sonenshine, Jay Evans, Dawn Boncristiani, Monica Pava-Ripoll, Steven Cook

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A survey was conducted of microbes and arthropods associated with Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) mites (hereafter, Varroa) collected from honey bee colonies in Maryland, USA. Live Varroa were challenged with samples of both microbes and arthropods and assessed for their potential as biocontrol agents against the mites. To our knowledge, this is the first survey of natural enemies of Varroa conducted in North American honey bee colonies. The survey revealed 21 fungi, 25 bacteria, one nematode, and 8 arthropod species associated with Varroa in honey bee colonies, and from challenge assays using 11 of these, including 4 species of …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 34: Introduction To Diplostomida Olson Et Al., 2003 (Order) [Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Digenea, Diplostomida], Lucrecia Acosta Soto, Bernard Fried, Rafael Toledo

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An introduction to the trematode (fluke) order Diplostomida Olson et al., 2003, one of the two main lineages from which subclass Digenea have diversified. Includes a discussion of Diplostomida systematics, general morphology, and human pathogenesis, including schistosomiasis.

Chapter 34 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology, by Lucrecia Acosta Soto, Bernard Fried, and Rafael Toledo. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap034

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 52: Oxyurida (Order): Pinworms [Nemata, Secernentea], Haylee J. Weaver

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the pinworms, order Oxyurida, discussing their key features, life history, ecology, health effects on hosts, systematics, taxonomy, and including summaries of the main groups.

Chapter 52 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology, by Haylee J. Weaver. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap052

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Part 5: Ectoparasites, Griselda Pulido-Flores, Scott C. Cutmore, Thomas H. Cribb, Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa, Sebastian Kvist, Marcela Lareschi, Lajos Rózsa, Haylee J. Weaver, Sue Ann Gardner, Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti, Valeria Castilho Onofrio, Filipe Dantas-Torres

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Part V: Ectoparasites, chapters 60–67, pages 732–841, in Concepts in Animal Parasitology. 2024. Scott L. Gardner and Sue Ann Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States; part V doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap075

Platyhelminthes

Chapter 60: Monogenea van Beneden, 1858 (Class) by Griselda Pulido-Flores, pages 733–742

Chapter 61: Transversotrematidae Witenberg, 1944 (Family): Ectoparasitic Trematodes by Scott C. Cutmore and Thomas H. Cribb, pages 743–746

Hirudinea

Chapter 62: Hirudinea (Subclass): Parasitic Leeches by Alejandro Oceguera-Figueroa and Sebastian Kvist, pages 747–755

Arthropoda

Chapter 63: Siphonaptera Latreille, 1825 (Order): Fleas by Marcela Lareschi, pages 756–770

Chapter 64: Phthiraptera (Order): Lice by Lajos Rózsa and Haylee …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 33: Aspidogastrea (Subclass) [Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Aspidogastrea], Klaus Rohde

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the trematode (fluke) subclass Aspidogastrea, a very small group of trematodes with around 80 species, none of them of economic importance, but are of great interest because of their unique structure, their simple life cycles (which may well be the most primitive or ancestral one among the trematodes, and the extraordinarily complex sensory/nervous systems found in some species. Includes a desciption of their general morphology, life cycles, taxonomy and phylogeny, infection process, localization in the host, and ecological infection dynamics.

Chapter 33 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology by Klaus Rohde. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 19: Echinococcus (Genus) [Platyhelminthes, Cestoda, Eucestoda], Akira Ito, Scott L. Gardner

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Discusses the cestode (tapeworm) genus Echinococcus, several species of which infect humans, including their general morphology, taxonomy, systematics, life cycles, host range, and medical and veterinary importance.

Chapter 19 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on the family Proteocephalidae La Rue, 1911 by Tomáš Scholz and Roman Kuchta. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap019

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 21: Bothriocephalidea Kuchta Et Al., 2008 (Order) [Platyhelminthes, Cestoda, Eucestoda], Jorge Falcón-Ordaz, Luis García-Prieto

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the cestode (tapeworm) order Bothriocephalidea Kuchta et al., 2008, including a discussion of the main morphological characteristics, the description and summary of a representative species, Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934) Brabec et al., 2015 (also known as the Asian fish tapeworm), including its prevalence, life cycles, host range, and zoogeography.

Chapter 21 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology by Jorge Falcón-Ordaz and Luis García-Prieto. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap021

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 41: Monorchiata Olson Et Al., 2003 (Suborder): Two Families Separated By Salinity [Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Digenea, Plagiorchiida], Nicholas Q.-X. Wee

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the speciose trematode (fluke) suborder Monorchiata Olson et al., 2003, which parasitizes fishes as adults. Includes general morphology, systematics, taxonomy, life cycles, and biogeography for several groups.

Chapter 41 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology, by Nicholas Q.-X. Wee. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap041

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 66: Ixodida Leach, 1815 (Order): Ticks -- Keys To The Ticks [Arthropoda], Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti, Valeria Castilho Onofrio, Filipe Dantas-Torres

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Chapter 66: Ixodida Leach, 1815 (Order): Ticks -- Keys to the Ticks by Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti, Valeria Castilho Onofrio, and Filipe Dantas-Torres.

Supplement to chapter 66 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology. 2024. Scott L. Gardner and Sue Ann Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States.

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 67: Acari Leach, 1817 (Subclass): Mites [Arthropoda], David Evans Walter, Gerald W. Krantz, Evert E. Lindquist

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

A very brief overview from open access sources about mites (subclass Acari Leach, 1817), including discussion of general identifying characteristics, biology, life cycle, scabies (cause by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis), and phylogenetic relationships (through 1996).

Chapter 67 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology, by David Evans Walter, Gerald W. Krantz, and Evert E. Lindquist. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap067

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 46: Opecoelidae Ozaki, 1925 (Family): The Richest Trematode Family [Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Digenea, Plagiorchiida, Xiphidiata], Storm B. Martin

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the trematode (fluke) family Opecoelidae Ozaki, 1925, the richest of all trematode families, comprising over 1,000 described species presently arranged into about 100 genera. Adult opecoelids are benign endoparasites, typically residing in the intestines, pyloric ceca, or rectum of phylogenetically and ecologically diverse teleost fishes worldwide. They exploit both marine and freshwater fishes and are among the best represented trematode lineages known from polar and deep sea fishes. Therefore, although no opecoelids are known to have any economic importance, they are often among the lineages of trematodes most frequently encountered by ichthyoparasitologists in the field.

Includes a …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 05: Life Cycles [Parasites In Relation To Other Organisms], Matthew G. Bolek, Kyle D. Gustafson, Gabriel J. Langford

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Discusses the complex life cycles of parasites, their infection sites, and host range in relation to various host species.

Chapter 5 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on life cycles by Matthew G. Bolek, Kyle D. Gustafson, and Gabriel J. Langford. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap005

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 65: Triatominae Jeannel, 1919 (Subfamily): Kissing Bugs [Arthropoda], Sue Ann Gardner

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview compiled from open access sources about kissing bugs, subfamily Triatominae Jeannel, 1919, including their hemtaophage biology, morphology of a representative species, Triatoma sanguisuga, history of the subfamily, biogeographic history, phylogeny, life cycle, triatomines serving as a vector for Trypanosoma cruzi, triatomine behavior, and medical importance.

Chapter 65 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology, compiled by Sue Ann Gardner. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap065

Compiled from the work of: C. Nunes de Araújo, T. V. Azeredo-Oliveira, I. Marques Dourado Bastos, K. L. da Silva Bentes, C. …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 08: Distributional Ecology Of Parasites [Parascript Approaches], A. Townsend Peterson

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Discusses the distributional ecology of parasites, exploring the factors influencing their geographic distributions and the complexities involved compared to free-living organisms.

Chapter 8 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on distributional ecology of parasites by A. Townsend Peterson. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap008

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 20: Proteocephalidae La Rue, 1911 (Family) [Platyhelminthes, Cestoda, Eucestoda], Tomáš Scholz, Roman L. Kuchta

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the cestode (tapeworm) family Proteocephalidae La Rue, 1911, including a discussion of the current classification, general morphology, species diversity, life cycles, host associations, geographical distribution, phylogenetic relationships, and selected Nearctic taxa.

Chapter 20 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on the family Proteocephalidae La Rue, 1911 by Tomáš Scholz and Roman Kuchta. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap020

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 27: Litobothriidea Dailey, 1969 (Order) [Platyhelminthes, Cestoda, Eucestoda], Luis García-Prieto, Berenice Adán-Torres, Brenda Atziri García-García, Omar Lagunas-Calvo

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the cestode (tapeworm) order Litobothriidea Dailey, 1969. The 9 species included in the order, all belonging to the genus Litobothrium, infect the spiral intestine of sharks in the order Lamniformes in the tropical eastern Pacific to the central Indo-Pacific marine ecoregions. Covers their main morphological characteristics, description and summary of a representative species, L. amplificum (Kurochkin and Slankis, 1973) Euzet, 1994, taxonomy, and life cycles.

Chapter 27 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology by Luis García-Prieto, Berenice Adán-Torres, Brenda Atziri García-García, and Omar Lagunas-Calvo. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 04: Hosts, Reservoirs, And Vectors [Parasites In Relation To Other Organisms], Matthew G. Bolek, Kyle D. Gustafson, Gabriel J. Langford

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Discusses the role of hosts in life cycles and transmission of parasites, and reservoir hosts and vectors.

Chapter 4 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on hosts, reservoirs, and vectors by Matthew G. Bolek, Kyle D. Gustafson, and Gabriel J. Langford. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap004

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 14: Mesozoa (Phylum Dicyemida And Phylum Orthonecta) [Mesozoa], Sarah R. Catalano

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the Mesozoa, parasites of marine invertebrates such as squid, octopus, and cuttlefish. Discusses the taxonomic classification, position in the Tree of Life, morphology, life cycle (inlcuding the secondary nematogen), hosts, patterns of infection, and molecular analyses, collection, and staining methods.

Chapter 14 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on the Mesozoa (phylum Dicyemida and phylum Orthonectida) by Sarah R. Catalano. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap014

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 25: Diphyllidea Van Beneden In Carus, 1863 (Order) [Platyhelminthes, Cestoda, Eucestoda], Luis García-Prieto, Brenda Atziri García-García, Omar Lagunas-Calvo, Berenice Adán-Torres

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the cestode (tapeworm) order Diphyllidea van Beneden in Carus, 1863, a group of small and polyzoic cestodes inhabiting the spiral valve of elasmobranchs that occurs worldwide. Includes a discussion of the main morphological characteristics, species in the order, including a description and summary of a representative species, Halysioncum mexicanum (Tyler & Caira, 1999) Caira et al., 2013, and the life cycle.

Chapter 25 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology by Luis García-Prieto, Brenda Atziri García-García, Omar Lagunas-Calvo, and Berenice Adán-Torres. 2024. S. L. Gardner and S. A. Gardner, editors. Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.ciap025

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Chapter 10: Haemosporida (Order): The “Malaria Parasites” [Protozoa, Apicomplexa], Susan L. Perkins, Spencer C. Galen

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

An overview of the order Haemosporida, also referred to as the malaria parasites, including history of the knowledge of malaria, general life cycle, diversity of the group, classification, and phylogenetic relationships. Covers malaria parasites of birds, squamate reptiles, rodents, and other mammals, including humans and other apes. Includes discussion of Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. knowlesi. Includes sections on the impact on human genetics and health, including sickle cell anemia, Duffy coat receptors, and combatting malarial disease.

Chapter 10 in Concepts in Animal Parasitology on the …