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Sequencing, Identification And Mapping Of Primed L1 Elements (Simple) Reveals Significant Variation In Full Length L1 Elements Between Individuals, Vincent A. Streva, Vallmer E. Jordan, Sara Linker, Dale J. Hedges, Mark A. Batzer, Prescott L. Deininger Mar 2015

Sequencing, Identification And Mapping Of Primed L1 Elements (Simple) Reveals Significant Variation In Full Length L1 Elements Between Individuals, Vincent A. Streva, Vallmer E. Jordan, Sara Linker, Dale J. Hedges, Mark A. Batzer, Prescott L. Deininger

Faculty Publications

© Streva et al. Background: There are over a half a million copies of L1 retroelements in the human genome which are responsible for as much as 0.5% of new human genetic diseases. Most new L1 inserts arise from young source elements that are polymorphic in the human genome. Highly active polymorphic "hot" L1 source elements have been shown to be capable of extremely high levels of mobilization and result in numerous instances of disease. Additionally, hot polymorphic L1s have been described to be highly active within numerous cancer genomes. These hot L1s result in mutagenesis by insertion of new …


Perception Of Safety, Importance, And Effectiveness Of Vaccinations Among Urban School Employees In Utah, Karlen E. Luthy, Kim E. Thompson, Renea L. Beckstrand, Janelle L B Macintosh, Lacey M. Eden Mar 2015

Perception Of Safety, Importance, And Effectiveness Of Vaccinations Among Urban School Employees In Utah, Karlen E. Luthy, Kim E. Thompson, Renea L. Beckstrand, Janelle L B Macintosh, Lacey M. Eden

Faculty Publications

Purpose: School employees are in direct contact with children in confined areas, a setting in which communicable infection can quickly spread. Therefore, it is important for school employees to be fully vaccinated. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the current vaccination status and perceptions of school employees in an urban school district.

Data Sources: The study employed a nonexperimental mixed-method design. School employee participants (N = 1,400) completed a questionnaire to evaluate vaccination status, availability of vaccination records, and vaccination awareness. Participants were randomly selected from 85 schools within one urban school district.

Conclusions: Two common perceptions about …


Elevated Hypertension Risk For African-Origin Populations In Biracial Societies: Modeling The Epidemiologic Transition Study, Richard S. Cooper, Terrence E. Forrester, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Pascal Bovet, Estelle V. Lambert, Lara R. Dugas, Kathryn E. Cargill, Ramon A. Durazo-Arvizu, David A. Shoham, Liping Tong, Guichan Cao, Amy Luke Mar 2015

Elevated Hypertension Risk For African-Origin Populations In Biracial Societies: Modeling The Epidemiologic Transition Study, Richard S. Cooper, Terrence E. Forrester, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Pascal Bovet, Estelle V. Lambert, Lara R. Dugas, Kathryn E. Cargill, Ramon A. Durazo-Arvizu, David A. Shoham, Liping Tong, Guichan Cao, Amy Luke

Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES:: Blood pressures in persons of African descent exceed those of other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Whether this trait is attributable to the genetic factors in African-origin populations, or a result of inadequately measured environmental exposures, such as racial discrimination, is not known. To study this question, we conducted a multisite comparative study of communities in the African diaspora, drawn from metropolitan Chicago, Kingston, Jamaica, rural Ghana, Cape Town, South Africa, and the Seychelles. METHODS:: At each site, 500 participants between the age of 25 and 49 years, with approximately equal sex balance, were enrolled for a longitudinal …


First Record Of A Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Sp. And Theileria Annulata In Hyalomma Dromedarii (Acari: Ixodidae) Ticks In The United Arab Emirates, Mohammad Ali Al-Deeb, Sabir Bin Muzaffar, Yousif Ali Abu-Zeid, Mohamed Rizk Enan, Shahid Karim Mar 2015

First Record Of A Spotted Fever Group Rickettsia Sp. And Theileria Annulata In Hyalomma Dromedarii (Acari: Ixodidae) Ticks In The United Arab Emirates, Mohammad Ali Al-Deeb, Sabir Bin Muzaffar, Yousif Ali Abu-Zeid, Mohamed Rizk Enan, Shahid Karim

Faculty Publications

Rickettsiosis and theileriosis can cause mortalities in camel populations. This study was conducted to achieve 2 objectives: (1) to detect the presence of SFG Rickettsia sp. and Theileria sp. in Hyalomma dromedarii Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks and (2) to determine their prevalence in the tick population on the sampled camel farms in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Camel ticks (H. dromedarii) were collected from a total of 625 one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in 22 sampling locations in Al-Ain, UAE. Tick samples were analyzed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). An SFG Rickettsia sp., which was 99% …


Under-Reporting Of Dietary Energy Intake In Five Populations Of The African Diaspora, Lindsay Orcholski, Amy Luke, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Pascal Bovet, Terrence E. Forrester, Estelle V. Lambert, Lara R. Dugas, Elizabeth Kettmann, Ramon A. Durazo-Arvizu, Richard S. Cooper, Dale A. Schoeller Feb 2015

Under-Reporting Of Dietary Energy Intake In Five Populations Of The African Diaspora, Lindsay Orcholski, Amy Luke, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Pascal Bovet, Terrence E. Forrester, Estelle V. Lambert, Lara R. Dugas, Elizabeth Kettmann, Ramon A. Durazo-Arvizu, Richard S. Cooper, Dale A. Schoeller

Faculty Publications

Studies on the role of diet in the development of chronic diseases often rely on self-report surveys of dietary intake. Unfortunately, many validity studies have demonstrated that self-reported dietary intake is subject to systematic under-reporting, although the vast majority of such studies have been conducted in industrialised countries. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether or not systematic reporting error exists among the individuals of African ancestry (n 324) in five countries distributed across the Human Development Index (HDI) scale, a UN statistic devised to rank countries on non-income factors plus economic indicators. Using two 24 h …


Genetic Studies Of Body Mass Index Yield New Insights For Obesity Biology, A. E. Locke, B. Kahali, S. I. Berndt, A. E. Justice, T. H. Pers, F. R. Day, C. Powell, S. Vedantam, M. L. Buchkovich, J. Yang, D. C. Croteau-Chonka, T. Esko, T. Fall, T. Ferreira, S. Gustafsson, Z. Kutalik, J. Luan, R. Mägi, J. C. Randall, T. W. Winkler, A. R. Wood, T. Workalemahu, J. D. Faul, J. A. Smith, J. H. Zhao, W. Zhao, J. Chen, R. Fehrmann, K. Hedman, J. Karjalainen, E. M. Schmidt, D. Absher, N. Amin Feb 2015

Genetic Studies Of Body Mass Index Yield New Insights For Obesity Biology, A. E. Locke, B. Kahali, S. I. Berndt, A. E. Justice, T. H. Pers, F. R. Day, C. Powell, S. Vedantam, M. L. Buchkovich, J. Yang, D. C. Croteau-Chonka, T. Esko, T. Fall, T. Ferreira, S. Gustafsson, Z. Kutalik, J. Luan, R. Mägi, J. C. Randall, T. W. Winkler, A. R. Wood, T. Workalemahu, J. D. Faul, J. A. Smith, J. H. Zhao, W. Zhao, J. Chen, R. Fehrmann, K. Hedman, J. Karjalainen, E. M. Schmidt, D. Absher, N. Amin

Faculty Publications

Obesity is heritable and predisposes to many diseases. To understand the genetic basis of obesity better, here we conduct a genome-wide association study and Metabochip meta-analysis of body mass index (BMI), a measure commonly used to define obesity and assess adiposity, in up to 339,224 individuals. This analysis identifies 97 BMI-associated loci (P < 5 × 10-8), 56 of which are novel. Five loci demonstrate clear evidence of several independent association signals, and many loci have significant effects on other metabolic phenotypes. The 97 loci account for ∼2.7% of BMI variation, and genome-wide estimates suggest that common variation accounts for >20 % of BMI variation. Pathway analyses provide strong support for a role of the central nervous system in obesity susceptibility and implicate new genes and pathways, including those related to synaptic function, glutamate signalling, insulin secretion/action, energy metabolism, lipid biology and adipogenesis.


First Record Of The Invasive Asian Fish Tapeworm Bothriocephalus Acheilognathi In Honduras, Central America, Guillermo Salgado-Maldonado, Wilfredo A. Matamoros, Brian R. Kreiser, Juan Manuel Caspeta-Mandujano, Edgar F. Mendoza-Franco Feb 2015

First Record Of The Invasive Asian Fish Tapeworm Bothriocephalus Acheilognathi In Honduras, Central America, Guillermo Salgado-Maldonado, Wilfredo A. Matamoros, Brian R. Kreiser, Juan Manuel Caspeta-Mandujano, Edgar F. Mendoza-Franco

Faculty Publications

This paper provides the first report of the invasive Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, 1934, in Honduras. The cestode was found in Profundulus portillorum (Cyprinodontiformes: Profundulidae), which represents a new host record, and which is a member of a genus faced with a variety of conservation challenges, now potentially complicated by the presence of this pathogenic cestode. Nearly complete sequence data from the ITS-1 5.8S and ITS-2 regions corroborate the determination based on morphological characteristics. Several species of carp were introduced to Honduras for aquaculture purposes in the early 1980s and the presence of the Asian fish tapeworm in …


A Moonlighting Function Of Mycobacterium Smegmatis Ku In Zinc Homeostasis?, Ambuj K. Kushwaha, Dinesh K. Deochand, Anne Grove Feb 2015

A Moonlighting Function Of Mycobacterium Smegmatis Ku In Zinc Homeostasis?, Ambuj K. Kushwaha, Dinesh K. Deochand, Anne Grove

Faculty Publications

© 2014 The Protein Society. Ku protein participates in DNA double-strand break repair via the nonhomologous end-joining pathway. The three-dimensional structure of eukaryotic Ku reveals a central core consisting of a β-barrel domain and pillar and bridge regions that combine to form a ring-like structure that encircles DNA. Homologs of Ku are encoded by a subset of bacterial species, and they are predicted to conserve this core domain. In addition, the bridge region of Ku from some bacteria is predicted from homology modeling and sequence analyses to contain a conventional HxxC and CxxC (where x is any residue) zinc-binding motif. …


Genomic Variation In A Widespread Neotropical Bird (Xenops Minutus) Reveals Divergence, Population Expansion, And Gene Flow, Michael G. Harvey, Robb T. Brumfield Feb 2015

Genomic Variation In A Widespread Neotropical Bird (Xenops Minutus) Reveals Divergence, Population Expansion, And Gene Flow, Michael G. Harvey, Robb T. Brumfield

Faculty Publications

© 2014 Elsevier Inc. The demographic and phylogeographic histories of species provide insight into the processes responsible for generating biological diversity, and genomic datasets are now permitting the estimation of species histories with unprecedented accuracy. We used a genomic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset generated using a RAD-Seq method to investigate the historical demography and phylogeography of a widespread lowland Neotropical bird (Xenops minutus). As expected, we found that prominent landscape features that act as dispersal barriers, such as Amazonian rivers and the Andes Mountains, are associated with the deepest phylogeographic breaks, and also that isolation by distance is limited …


Substance Use, Mental Disorders And Physical Health Of Caribbeans At-Home Compared To Those Residing In The United States, Krim K. Lacey, Karen Powell Sears, Ishtar O. Govia, Ivy Forsythe-Brown, Niki Matusko, James S. Jackson Jan 2015

Substance Use, Mental Disorders And Physical Health Of Caribbeans At-Home Compared To Those Residing In The United States, Krim K. Lacey, Karen Powell Sears, Ishtar O. Govia, Ivy Forsythe-Brown, Niki Matusko, James S. Jackson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Satrat: Staphylococcus Aureus Transcript Regulatory Network Analysis Tool, Tamilselvi Gopal, Vijayaraj Nagarajan, Mohamed O. Elasri Jan 2015

Satrat: Staphylococcus Aureus Transcript Regulatory Network Analysis Tool, Tamilselvi Gopal, Vijayaraj Nagarajan, Mohamed O. Elasri

Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal organism that primarily colonizes the nose of healthy individuals. S. aureus causes a spectrum of infections that range from skin and soft-tissue infections to fatal invasive diseases. S. aureus uses a large number of virulence factors that are regulated in a coordinated fashion. The complex regulatory mechanisms have been investigated in numerous high-throughput experiments. Access to this data is critical to studying this pathogen. Previously, we developed a compilation of microarray experimental data to enable researchers to search, browse, compare, and contrast transcript profiles. We have substantially updated this database and have built a novel …


Unreliable Bodies: A Follow-Up Twenty Years Later By A Mother And Daughter About The Impact Of Illness And Disability On Their Lives, Kaethe Weingarten, Miranda Worthen Jan 2015

Unreliable Bodies: A Follow-Up Twenty Years Later By A Mother And Daughter About The Impact Of Illness And Disability On Their Lives, Kaethe Weingarten, Miranda Worthen

Faculty Publications

We are a mother and daughter, both health care professionals, who offer a follow-up to an article we published twenty years ago about the impact of each other’s ongoing, serious medical problems on our relationship. In this article, we contribute a long-term perspective on the differences between having an illness that is well or poorly understood by medical professionals and the lay community. We also discuss health in the cont ext of identity formation and life stage, as during this interval the daughter left home, graduated college, married, and had two children. Also in this period, the mother survived a …


The Frequency Of Ticks Carrying Rickettsia Sp., Sarah C. Canterberry, Daniel J. Bennett, Robert J. Wiggers Jan 2015

The Frequency Of Ticks Carrying Rickettsia Sp., Sarah C. Canterberry, Daniel J. Bennett, Robert J. Wiggers

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Effects Of Urbanization On The Occurrence Of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis: Do Urban Environments Provide Refuge From The Amphibian Chytrid Fungus?, Daniel Saenz, Taylor L. Hall, Matthew Kwiatkowski Jan 2015

Effects Of Urbanization On The Occurrence Of Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis: Do Urban Environments Provide Refuge From The Amphibian Chytrid Fungus?, Daniel Saenz, Taylor L. Hall, Matthew Kwiatkowski

Faculty Publications

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a widespread pathogenic fungus that is known to cause the disease, chytridiomycosis, which can be lethal to many amphibians. We compared occurrence rates on spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) in urban and forested breeding sites in eastern Texas, USA. All study sites were at approximately the same latitude and altitude, and samples were collected at the same time of year to isolate differences in Bd infection rates between habitat types. We found significant differences (p<0.001) in the occurrence of Bd between habitats; with dramatically lower rates of occurrence at urban sites (19.5 %), compared to forested sites (62.9 …


Sharing The Burden Of Ebola Vaccine Related Adverse Events, Sam F. Halabi, John Monahan Jan 2015

Sharing The Burden Of Ebola Vaccine Related Adverse Events, Sam F. Halabi, John Monahan

Faculty Publications

Based upon past experience with other vaccines, the proposed administration of Ebola vaccines (once testing has been completed) will inevitably result in at least some adverse events that will give rise to legal liabilities of only crudely estimable magnitude at this time. Manufacturers, beneficiary governments (e.g., Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone), supporting governments (e.g. U.S., U.K.), individuals suffering adverse events, and populations benefiting from widespread vaccination against the Ebola virus all have a shared interest in recognizing, understanding, and managing potential liability as effectively as possible within the framework of a global public health response. There are multiple options available to …


Cofeeding Intra- And Interspecific Transmission Of An Emerging Insect-Borne Rickettsial Pathogen, Lisa D. Brown, Rebecca C. Christofferson, Kaikhushroo H. Banajee, Fabio Del Piero, Lane D. Foil, Kevin R. Macaluso Jan 2015

Cofeeding Intra- And Interspecific Transmission Of An Emerging Insect-Borne Rickettsial Pathogen, Lisa D. Brown, Rebecca C. Christofferson, Kaikhushroo H. Banajee, Fabio Del Piero, Lane D. Foil, Kevin R. Macaluso

Faculty Publications

© 2015 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are known as the primary vector and reservoir of Rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever; however, field surveys regularly report molecular detection of this infectious agent from other blood-feeding arthropods. The presence of R. felis in additional arthropods may be the result of chance consumption of an infectious bloodmeal, but isolation of viable rickettsiae circulating in the blood of suspected vertebrate reservoirs has not been demonstrated. Successful transmission of pathogens between actively blood-feeding arthropods in the absence of a disseminated …


Stratification Of The Impact Of Inappropriate Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy For Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections By Predicted Prognosis, Sarah E. Cain, Joseph Kohn, P. Brandon Bookstaver, Helmut Albrecht, Majdi N. Al-Hasan Jan 2015

Stratification Of The Impact Of Inappropriate Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy For Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections By Predicted Prognosis, Sarah E. Cain, Joseph Kohn, P. Brandon Bookstaver, Helmut Albrecht, Majdi N. Al-Hasan

Faculty Publications

The bloodstream infection mortality risk score (BSIMRS) predicts the outcome of patients with Gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSI) with high discrimination. This retrospective cohort study examined the impact of inappropriate antimicrobial therapy on mortality in adult patients with Gram-negative BSI admitted to Palmetto Health Hospitals in Columbia, SC, USA, from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 after stratification by predicted prognosis at initial presentation using BSIMRS. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to identify independent risk factors for 28-day mortality overall and within each predefined BSIMRS category (<5, 5 to 9, and ≥10). Relative risk reduction (RRR), absolute risk reduction (ARR), and number needed to treat (NNT) were calculated from a predictive logistic regression model of mortality. Overall, 390 unique patients with first episodes of Gram-negative BSI were identified. The median age was 66 years, and 229 (59%) were women. There was significant association between inappropriate antimicrobial therapy and mortality in patients with BSIMRS of 5 to 9 (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 3.55; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.22 to 8.31; P = 0.02) and BSIMRS of ≥10 (aHR, 4.99; 95% CI, 1.09 to 22.87; P = 0.04) but not in those with BSIMRS of <5 (aHR, 3.34; 95% CI, 0.17 to 22.77; P = 0.34). RRR, ARR, and NNT were 0.25, 0.02, and 63 for BSIMRS of <5; 0.56, 0.32, and 3 for BSIMRS of 5 to 9; and 0.39, 0.39, and 3 for BSIMRS of ≥10, respectively. There is a significant benefit from appropriate antimicrobial therapy in patients with Gram-negative BSI with guarded (BSIMRS of 5 to 9) and poor (BSIMRS of ≥10) predicted prognosis. Survival difference remains unclear among those with good predicted prognosis (BSIMRS of <5) at initial presentation.


Serotonin 5-Ht2 Receptor Activation Prevents Allergic Asthma In A Mouse Model, Felix Nau, Justin Miller, Jordy Saravia, Terry Ahlert, Bangning Yu, Kyle I. Happel, Stephania A. Cormier, Charles D. Nichols Jan 2015

Serotonin 5-Ht2 Receptor Activation Prevents Allergic Asthma In A Mouse Model, Felix Nau, Justin Miller, Jordy Saravia, Terry Ahlert, Bangning Yu, Kyle I. Happel, Stephania A. Cormier, Charles D. Nichols

Faculty Publications

© 2015 the American Physiological Society. Asthma is an inflammatory disease of the lung characterized by airways hyper-responsiveness (AHR), inflammation, and mucus hyperproduction. Current main-stream therapies include bronchodilators that relieve bronchoconstriction and inhaled glucocorticoids to reduce inflammation. The small molecule hormone and neurotransmitter serotonin has long been known to be involved in inflammatory processes; however, its precise role in asthma is unknown. We have previously established that activation of serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)2A receptors has potent anti-inflammatory activity in primary cultures of vascular tissues and in the whole animal in vasculature and gut tissues. The 5-HT2A receptor agonist, (R)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine [(R)-DOI] is …


Vector-Borne Viral Diseases, Penghua Wang, Fengwei Bai, Gong Cheng, Jianfeng Dai, Michael J. Conway Jan 2015

Vector-Borne Viral Diseases, Penghua Wang, Fengwei Bai, Gong Cheng, Jianfeng Dai, Michael J. Conway

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Association Between Toxocariasis And Cognitive Function In Young To Middle-Aged Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Lance D. Erickson, Shawn D. Gale, Andrew Berrett, Dawson W. Hedges Jan 2015

Association Between Toxocariasis And Cognitive Function In Young To Middle-Aged Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Lance D. Erickson, Shawn D. Gale, Andrew Berrett, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

The ascarid nematodes Toxocara canis (Werner, 1782) and Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) may infect humans resulting in toxocariasis. A prior study associated species of Toxocara Stiles, 1905 with cognitive deficits in children. To determine if a similar association between toxocariasis and cognition exists in adults, we analysed a large dataset from the United States’ Center for Disease Control’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We used linear-regression and multivariate models to examine the association between toxocariasis as assessed by the presence of anti-Toxocara IgG antibodies and three measures of cognitive function – simple reaction time (SRT), symbol-digit substitution (SDS) and …


Interaction Between Helicobacter Pylori And Latent Toxoplasmosis And Demographic Variables On Cognitive Function In Young To Middle-Aged Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Shawn D. Gale, Lance D. Erickson, Dawson W. Hedges Jan 2015

Interaction Between Helicobacter Pylori And Latent Toxoplasmosis And Demographic Variables On Cognitive Function In Young To Middle-Aged Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Shawn D. Gale, Lance D. Erickson, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

Helicobacter pylori and latent toxoplasmosis are widespread diseases that have been associated with cognitive deficits and Alzheimer’s disease. We sought to determine whether interactions between Helicobacter pylori and latent toxoplasmosis, age, race-ethnicity, educational attainment, economic status, and general health predict cognitive function in young and middle-aged adults. To do so, we used multivariable regression and multivariate models to analyze data obtained from the United States’ National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which can be weighted to represent the US population. In this sample, we found that 31.6 percent of women and 36.2 …


Dry Needling For Myofascial Trigger Point Pain: A Clinical Commentary, Casey Unverzagt, Kathleen Berglund, J J. Thomas Jan 2015

Dry Needling For Myofascial Trigger Point Pain: A Clinical Commentary, Casey Unverzagt, Kathleen Berglund, J J. Thomas

Faculty Publications

Sports and orthopaedic physical therapists have long used a multitude of techniques in order to address pain and dysfunction associated with myofascial trigger points. One technique in particular has recently received overwhelming attention: trigger point dry needling (DN). Despite its efficacy and low risk, questions remain as to its effectiveness, safety, and whether the technique is within the scope of practice of physical therapists. Therefore, the purpose of this clinical commentary is to summarize the current literature related to the associated mechanisms of action of DN, the safety of DN, as well as to discuss relevant scope of practice concerns.


Comparative Genomics Reveals Insights Into Avian Genome Evolution And Adaptation, Guojie Correction Zhang, Cai Li, Qiye Li, Bo Li, Denis M. Larkin, Chul Lee, Jay F. Storz, Agostinho Antunes, Matthew J. Greenwold, Robert W. Meredith, Anders Ödeen, Jie Cui, Qi Zhou, Luohao Xu, Hailin Pan, Zongji Wang, Lijun Jin, Pei Zhang, Haofu Hu, Wei Yang, Jiang Hu, Jin Xiao, Zhikai Yang, Yang Liu, Qiaolin Xie, Hao Yu, Jinmin Lian, Ping Wen, Fang Zhang, Hui Li, Yongli Zeng, Zijun Xiong, Shiping Liu, Long Zhou Dec 2014

Comparative Genomics Reveals Insights Into Avian Genome Evolution And Adaptation, Guojie Correction Zhang, Cai Li, Qiye Li, Bo Li, Denis M. Larkin, Chul Lee, Jay F. Storz, Agostinho Antunes, Matthew J. Greenwold, Robert W. Meredith, Anders Ödeen, Jie Cui, Qi Zhou, Luohao Xu, Hailin Pan, Zongji Wang, Lijun Jin, Pei Zhang, Haofu Hu, Wei Yang, Jiang Hu, Jin Xiao, Zhikai Yang, Yang Liu, Qiaolin Xie, Hao Yu, Jinmin Lian, Ping Wen, Fang Zhang, Hui Li, Yongli Zeng, Zijun Xiong, Shiping Liu, Long Zhou

Faculty Publications

Birds are the most species-rich class of tetrapod vertebrates and have wide relevance across many research fields. We explored bird macroevolution using full genomes from 48 avian species representing all major extant clades. The avian genome is principally characterized by its constrained size, which predominantly arose because of lineage-specific erosion of repetitive elements, large segmental deletions, and gene loss. Avian genomes furthermore show a remarkably high degree of evolutionary stasis at the levels of nucleotide sequence, gene synteny, and chromosomal structure. Despite this pattern of conservation, we detected many non-neutral evolutionary changes in protein-coding genes and noncoding regions. These analyses …


Whole-Genome Analyses Resolve Early Branches In The Tree Of Life Of Modern Birds, Erich D. Jarvis, Siavash Mirarab, Andre J. Aberer, Bo Li, Peter Houde, Cai Li, Simon Y.W. Ho, Brant C. Faircloth, Benoit Nabholz, Jason T. Howard, Alexander Suh, Claudia C. Weber, Rute R. Da Fonseca, Jianwen Li, Fang Zhang, Hui Li, Long Zhou, Nitish Narula, Liang Liu, Ganesh Ganapathy, Bastien Boussau, Md Shamsuzzoha Bayzid, Volodymyr Zavidovych, Sankar Subramanian, Toni Gabaldón, Salvador Capella-Gutiérrez, Jaime Huerta-Cepas, Bhanu Rekepalli, Kasper Munch, Mikkel Schierup, Bent Lindow, Wesley C. Warren, David Ray, Richard E. Green Dec 2014

Whole-Genome Analyses Resolve Early Branches In The Tree Of Life Of Modern Birds, Erich D. Jarvis, Siavash Mirarab, Andre J. Aberer, Bo Li, Peter Houde, Cai Li, Simon Y.W. Ho, Brant C. Faircloth, Benoit Nabholz, Jason T. Howard, Alexander Suh, Claudia C. Weber, Rute R. Da Fonseca, Jianwen Li, Fang Zhang, Hui Li, Long Zhou, Nitish Narula, Liang Liu, Ganesh Ganapathy, Bastien Boussau, Md Shamsuzzoha Bayzid, Volodymyr Zavidovych, Sankar Subramanian, Toni Gabaldón, Salvador Capella-Gutiérrez, Jaime Huerta-Cepas, Bhanu Rekepalli, Kasper Munch, Mikkel Schierup, Bent Lindow, Wesley C. Warren, David Ray, Richard E. Green

Faculty Publications

To better determine the history of modern birds, we performed a genome-scale phylogenetic analysis of 48 species representing all orders of Neoaves using phylogenomic methods created to handle genome-scale data.We recovered a highly resolved tree that confirms previously controversial sister or close relationships.We identified the first divergence in Neoaves, two groups we named Passerea and Columbea, representing independent lineages of diverse and convergently evolved land and water bird species. Among Passerea, we infer the common ancestor of core landbirds to have been an apex predator and confirm independent gains of vocal learning. Among Columbea, we identify pigeons and flamingoes as …


Musculoskeletal Safety Outcomes Of Patients Receiving Daptomycin With Hmg-Coa Reductase Inhibitors, Christopher M. Bland, P Brandon Bookstaver, Z Kevin Lu, Brianne L. Dunn, Kathey Fulton Rumley Oct 2014

Musculoskeletal Safety Outcomes Of Patients Receiving Daptomycin With Hmg-Coa Reductase Inhibitors, Christopher M. Bland, P Brandon Bookstaver, Z Kevin Lu, Brianne L. Dunn, Kathey Fulton Rumley

Faculty Publications

Daptomycin, a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are commonly administered in the inpatient setting and are associated with creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevations, myalgias, and muscle weakness. Safety data for coadministration of daptomycin with statins are limited. To determine the safety of coadministration of daptomycin with statin therapy, a multicenter, retrospective, observational study was performed at 13 institutions in the Southeastern United States. Forty-nine adult patients receiving statins concurrently with daptomycin were compared with 171 patients receiving daptomycin without statin therapy. Detailed information, including treatment indication and duration, infecting pathogen, baseline and subsequent CPK levels, and …


Integrating The Public In Mosquito Management: Active Education By Community Peers Can Lead To Significant Reduction In Peridomestic Container Mosquito Habitats, Kristen Healy, George Hamilton, Taryn Crepeau, Sean Healy, Isik Unlu, Ary Farajollahi, Dina M. Fonseca Sep 2014

Integrating The Public In Mosquito Management: Active Education By Community Peers Can Lead To Significant Reduction In Peridomestic Container Mosquito Habitats, Kristen Healy, George Hamilton, Taryn Crepeau, Sean Healy, Isik Unlu, Ary Farajollahi, Dina M. Fonseca

Faculty Publications

Mosquito species that utilize peridomestic containers for immature development are commonly aggressive human biters, and because they often reach high abundance, create significant nuisance. One of these species, the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, is an important vector of emerging infectious diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika fevers. Integrated mosquito management (IMM) of Ae. albopictus is particularly difficult because it requires access to private yards in urban and suburban residences. It has become apparent that in the event of a public health concern due to this species, homeowners will have to be active participants in the control process by …


Space Radiation: The Number One Risk To Astronaut Health Beyond Low Earth Orbit, Jeffery C. Chancellor, Graham B.I. Scott, Jeffrey P. Sutton Sep 2014

Space Radiation: The Number One Risk To Astronaut Health Beyond Low Earth Orbit, Jeffery C. Chancellor, Graham B.I. Scott, Jeffrey P. Sutton

Faculty Publications

Projecting a vision for space radiobiological research necessitates understanding the nature of the space radiation environment and how radiation risks influence mission planning, timelines and operational decisions. Exposure to space radiation increases the risks of astronauts developing cancer, experiencing central nervous system (CNS) decrements, exhibiting degenerative tissue effects or developing acute radiation syndrome. One or more of these deleterious health effects could develop during future multi-year space exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Shielding is an effective countermeasure against solar particle events (SPEs), but is ineffective in protecting crew members from the biological impacts of fast moving, highly-charged galactic …


Hepatitis C In Sub-Saharan Africa: Urgent Need For Attention, Jennifer E. Layden, Richard Phillips, Ohene Opare-Sem, Adegboyega Akere, Babatunde L. Salako, Kenrad Nelson, Lara Dugas, Amy Luke, Bamidele O. Tayo, Richard S. Cooper Sep 2014

Hepatitis C In Sub-Saharan Africa: Urgent Need For Attention, Jennifer E. Layden, Richard Phillips, Ohene Opare-Sem, Adegboyega Akere, Babatunde L. Salako, Kenrad Nelson, Lara Dugas, Amy Luke, Bamidele O. Tayo, Richard S. Cooper

Faculty Publications

The hepatitis C virus (HCV), which was not recognized as an infectious agent until the 1980s, is responsible for a worldwide epidemic. The World Health Organization estimates global prevalence at 2.8%, with 185 million persons infected. In contrast to hepatitis B, where successful vaccine campaigns have reduced the disease burden, much less progress has been made toward the control of HCV. Phylogenetic studies suggest that HCV originated in Africa and has been endemic in some regions for at least 500-600 years. However, little is known about the epidemiology, transmission, and clinical course of HCV in Africa. With the advent of …


Influence Of Resource Levels, Organic Compounds And Laboratory Colonization On Interspecific Competition Between The Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes Albopictus (Stegomyia Albopicta) And The Southern House Mosquito Culex Quinquefasciatus, D.W. Allgood, Donald A. Yee Sep 2014

Influence Of Resource Levels, Organic Compounds And Laboratory Colonization On Interspecific Competition Between The Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes Albopictus (Stegomyia Albopicta) And The Southern House Mosquito Culex Quinquefasciatus, D.W. Allgood, Donald A. Yee

Faculty Publications

The mosquitoes Aedes albopictus (Stegomyia albopicta) (Skuse) and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) (Diptera: Culicidae) are common inhabitants of tyres and other artificial containers, which constitute important peridomestic mosquito breeding habitats. We tested the hypotheses that interspecific resource competition between the larvae of these species is asymmetrical, that the concentration of chemicals associated with decomposing detritus affects the competitive outcomes of these species, and that wild and colonized strains of Cx. quinquefasciatus are affected differently by competition with Ae. albopictus. We conducted two laboratory competition experiments wherein we measured survivorship and estimated population growth (λ′) in both species under …


Comparisons Of Intensity-Duration Patterns Of Physical Activity In The Us, Jamaica And 3 African Countries, Lara R. Dugas, Pascal Bovet, Terrence E. Forrester, Estelle V. Lambert, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Ramon A. Durazo-Arvizu, David Shoham, Jacolene Kroff, Guichan Cao, Richard S. Cooper, Soren Brage, Ulf Ekelund, Amy Luke Aug 2014

Comparisons Of Intensity-Duration Patterns Of Physical Activity In The Us, Jamaica And 3 African Countries, Lara R. Dugas, Pascal Bovet, Terrence E. Forrester, Estelle V. Lambert, Jacob Plange-Rhule, Ramon A. Durazo-Arvizu, David Shoham, Jacolene Kroff, Guichan Cao, Richard S. Cooper, Soren Brage, Ulf Ekelund, Amy Luke

Faculty Publications

Background: This difference in how populations living in low-, middle or upper-income countries accumulate daily PA, i.e. patterns and intensity, is an important part in addressing the global PA movement. We sought to characterize objective PA in 2,500 participants spanning the epidemiologic transition. The Modeling the Epidemiologic Transition Study (METS) is a longitudinal study, in 5 countries. METS seeks to define the association between physical activity (PA), obesity and CVD risk in populations of African origin: Ghana (GH), South Africa (SA), Seychelles (SEY), Jamaica (JA) and the US (suburban Chicago).