Microbiology Commons^™

Clinical Presentation And Genotype Of Hepatitis Delta In Karachi, Tariq Moatter, Zaigham Abbas, Sabhita Shabir, Wasim Jafri

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Aim:
To assess the clinical presentation and genotypes of delta hepatitis in local population.
Methods:
In this prospective study, 39 consecutive patients who were positive for HBsAg and hepatitis D virus (HDV) antibody were included. The patients were divided in two groups on the basis of presence or absence of HDV RNA and a comparative study was done. Genotype of HDV was determined in PCR positive patients.
Results:
Overall there is male dominance, in which 34 patients out of 39 (87.2%) were male. Twenty (51%) patients were from the adjacent areas of three provinces; Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan indicating the …

The Microbiological Analysis Of Composting, Marion Shepherd

All Theses

The objectives of this study were to: 1) perform a survey of South Carolina poultry farms to determine if the methods implemented resulted in the destruction of foodborne pathogens, and 2) determine the survival of E. coli O157:H7 in a dairy manure-based compost performed in uncontrolled environmental conditions.
In the survey of poultry farms Ninety-one (91) of 141 compost samples analyzed were positive for coliform populations ranging from 1.00 to 6.00 log10 CFU/g. Among finished compost samples (n=21), ca. 62%, 33%, and 14% were positive for coliforms, presumptive Salmonella, and presumptive Listeria, respectively.
In the investigation of the survival of …

The Nasal Cavity Is A Route For Prion Infection In Hamsters, Anthony E. Kincaid, Jason C. Bartz

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Animals that naturally acquire the prion diseases have a well-developed olfactory sense that they utilize for a variety of basic behaviors. To assess the potential for the nasal cavity to serve as a point of entry for prion diseases, a small amount of prion-infected brain homogenate was placed inferior to the nostrils of hamsters, where it was immediately sniffed into the nasal cavity. Hamsters extranasally inoculated with the HY strain of transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) agent had an incubation period that was not significantly different from per os inoculation of the same dose of the HY TME agent. However, the …

Conservation Of The Sos Operon, Umudc, In Acinetobacter Species, Ching-Li Lin

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science & Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Ching-Li Lin on May 1, 2007.

Impact Of Nutritional Supplements And Monosaccharides On Growth, Oxalate Accumulation, And Culture Ph By Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum, Steven L. Daniel, Bryan J. Culbertson, Norbert C. Furumo

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum D-E7 was studied to determine the impact of nutritional supplements and monosaccharides on growth, oxalate accumulation, and culture pH in broth media (initial pH c. 5). Cultures with 0.1% nutritional supplement (tryptone, yeast extract, or soytone) yielded minimal growth, 2–3 mM oxalate, and a final culture pH of 4.2–4.8. In contrast, cultures with 0.1% nutritional supplement and 25 mM glucose yielded significant growth, minimal oxalate (<1 mM), and a final culture pH of 2.8–3.7. Similar trends were observed when glucose in 0.1% soytone cultures was replaced with 25 mM d-mannose, l-arabinose, or d-xylose. With 1% soytone-25 mM glucose cultures, growth and oxalate accumulation (∼21 mM) occurred with little change in initial pH. This was not the case with 1% soytone-250 mM glucose cultures; increased glucose levels resulted in a decrease in oxalate accumulation (∼7 mM) and in final culture pH (3.4). Time-course studies with these cultures revealed that oxalate accumulation was suppressed during growth when the culture pH dropped to <4. Overall, these results indicate that (1) the decrease in external pH (i.e. acidification) was independent of oxalate accumulation and (2) acidification coupled to glucose-dependent growth regulated oxalate accumulation by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

Impact Of Nutritional Supplements And Monosaccharides On Growth, Oxalate Accumulation, And Culture Ph By Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum, Steven Daniel, Bryan Culbertson, Norbert Furumo

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum D-E7 was studied to determine the impact of nutritional supplements and monosaccharides on growth, oxalate accumulation, and culture pH in broth media (initial pH c. 5). Cultures with 0.1% nutritional supplement (tryptone, yeast extract, or soytone) yielded minimal growth, 2–3 mM oxalate, and a final culture pH of 4.2–4.8. In contrast, cultures with 0.1% nutritional supplement and 25 mM glucose yielded significant growth, minimal oxalate (<1 mM), and a final culture pH of 2.8–3.7. Similar trends were observed when glucose in 0.1% soytone cultures was replaced with 25 mM d-mannose, l-arabinose, or d-xylose. With 1% soytone-25 mM glucose cultures, growth and oxalate accumulation (∼21 mM) occurred with little change in initial pH. This was not the case with 1% soytone-250 mM glucose cultures; increased glucose levels resulted in a decrease in oxalate accumulation (∼7 mM) and in final culture pH (3.4). Time-course studies with these cultures revealed that oxalate accumulation was suppressed during growth when the culture pH dropped to <4. Overall, these results indicate that (1) the decrease in external pH (i.e. acidification) was independent of oxalate accumulation and (2) acidification coupled to glucose-dependent growth regulated oxalate accumulation by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

The Effect Of Radiation And Repeated Sub-Culturing On Tgf-Β1 Signaling In Frtl-5 Cells, Cheryl G. Burrell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

From our ongoing in vitro studies using the Fisher Rat Thyroid cell line-5 (FRTL-5) we recorded accelerated growth, reduced follicularization and reduction in thyroxin release that occurred as the cells were repeatedly sub-cultured. We also recorded that these changes occurred earlier and more rapidly following radiation exposure. We determined that TGF-β1 production increased under both conditions. We hypothesized that alteration in the TGF-β1 signaling pathway contributed to the changes observed in the cellular properties of FRTL-5 cells. Our objective was to examine some of the players in the TGF-β1 signaling pathway to determine whether radiation and/or repeated subculturing promoted changes …

Radiation-Induced Increases In Pkc Modulate Integrin Expression And Contribute To Fibrotic Changes, Pinal Rushikesh Pandya

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The sequences of events in fibrosis are similar to those in wound healing; however, the normal termination and resolution stages do not take place. The initial cellular response following ionizing radiation involves accumulation of the ECM (extracellular matrix) including collagen, fibronectin and the interaction of many growth factors (cytokines) with their receptors. There are a number of unanswered questions regarding many aspects of radiation-induced fibrosis, including the initial triggers and physical changes that initiate the process. We have confirmed that elevated pKC and other cellular changes following radiation are similar to those found at sites of inflammation. This information leads …

Downy Mildew In Vineyards, Diana Fisher, Andrew Taylor, Colin Gordon, Peter Magarey

Bulletins 4000 -

Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is a major fungal disease of grapevines that originates from North America. This disease was first detected in a commercial Western Australian vineyard in October 1998 and has since been found in most grape growing areas within the State. It is found in all other grape growing areas of Australia.

Plasmopara viticola is specific to grapevines (e.g. Vitis vinifera), although not all Vitis spp. are susceptible. The American rootstock species and hybrids are less susceptible or are resistant (refer to ‘Varietal susceptibility’). Other species of downy mildew, such as those found on …

Soil Microbial Community Response To Hexavalent Chromium In Planted And Unplanted Soil, Ioannis Ipsilantis, Mark S. Coyne

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Theories suggest that rapid microbial growth rates lead to quicker development of metal resistance. We tested these theories by adding hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] to soil, sowing Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), and comparing rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial community responses. Four weeks after the initial Cr(VI) application we measured Cr concentration, microbial biomass by fumigation extraction and soil extract ATP, tolerance to Cr and growth rates with tritiated thymidine incorporation, and performed community substrate use analysis with BIOLOG GN plates. Exchangeable Cr(VI) levels were very low, and therefore we assumed the Cr(VI) impact was transient. Microbial biomass was reduced …

Epidermoid Cyst Of The Ovary, Romana Idress, Zubair Ahmad, Khurrum Minhas, Naila Kayani

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Epidermoid cysts of the ovary are rare lesions and are uniformly incidental findings in hysterectomy specimens. They must be differentiated from mature cystic teratomas of the ovary, and some authors believe them to be monodermal teratomas. The histogenesis is still uncertain. We report an epidermoid cyst of the ovary which was an incidental finding.

An Infection Model For Examining The Effects Of Gender And Diabetic State On Proinflammatory Cytokine Secretion By Phagocytic Cells In Response To Infection With Burkholderia Pseudomallei, Laura L. Dickey

Theses and Dissertations

Burkholderia pseudomallei is an opportunistic soil pathogen that causes melioidosis, a life-threatening human disease prevalent in Southeast Asia, northern Australia, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. The organism also causes disease in plants and animals. Persons with severe melioidosis usually die of septicemia. Relatively little is known regarding the virulence mechanisms of B. pseudomallei; however, several putative virulence determinants have been identified. The organism is able to invade and replicate within phagocytic cells and is particularly pathogenic in males with diabetes mellitus. B. thailandensis is closely related to B. pseudomallei, but is not pathogenic. This study examines various in …

Membrane Association And Multimerization Of Tcpt, The Cognate Atpase Ortholog Of The Vibrio Cholerae Toxin-Coregulated-Pilus Biogenesis Apparatus, Shital A. Tripathi, Ronald K. Taylor

Dartmouth Scholarship

The toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) is one of the major virulence factors of Vibrio cholerae. Biogenesis of this type 4 pilus (Tfp) requires a number of structural components encoded by the tcp operon. TcpT, the cognate putative ATPase, is required for TCP biogenesis and all TCP-mediated functions. We studied the stability and localization of TcpT in cells containing in-frame deletions in each of the tcp genes. TcpT was detectable in each of the biogenesis mutants except the ΔtcpT strain. TcpT was localized to the inner membrane (IM) in a TcpR-dependent manner. TcpR is a predicted bitopic inner membrane protein …

Inhibitory Effects Of Estrogen Receptor Beta On Specific Hormone-Responsive Gene Expression And Association With Disease Outcome In Primary Breast Cancer, Chin-Yo Lin, Anders Strom, Li Say Kong, Silke Kietz, Jane S. Thomsen, Jason B. S. Tee, Vinsensius B. Vega, Lance D. Miller, Johanna Smeds, Jonas Bergh, Jan-Ake Gustafsson, Edison T. Liu

Faculty Publications

The impact of interactions between the two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ER(alpha) and ER(beta), on gene expression in breast cancer biology is not clear. The goal of this study was to examine transcriptomic alterations in cancer cells co-expressing both receptors and the association of gene expression signatures with disease outcome. Methods: Transcriptional effects of ER(beta) overexpression were determined in a stably transfected cell line derived from ER(alpha) -positive T-47D cells. Microarray analysis was carried out to identify differential gene expression in the cell line, and expression of key genes was validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Microarray and clinical data …

Effect Of Farnesol On A Mouse Model Of Systemic Candidiasis, Determined By Use Of A Dpp3 Knockout Mutant Of Candida Albicans, Dhammika H.M.L.P. Navarathna, Jacob M. Hornby, Navasona Krishnan, Anne M. Parkhurst, Gerald E. Duhamel, Kenneth W. Nickerson

Papers in Microbiology

This work extends our previous observation that the fungus Candida albicans secretes micromolar levels of farnesol and that accumulation of farnesol in vitro prevents the yeast-to-mycelium conversion in a quorumsensing manner. What does farnesol do in vivo? The purpose of this study was to determine the role of farnesol during infection with a well-established mouse model of systemic candidiasis with C. albicans A72 administered by tail vein injection. This question was addressed by altering both endogenous and exogenous farnesol. For endogenous farnesol, we created a knockout mutation in DPP3, the gene encoding a phosphatase which converts farnesyl pyrophosphate to farnesol. …

Green Autofluorescence In Dinoflagellates, Diatoms, And Other Microalgae And Its Implications For Vital Staining And Morphological Studies, Ying Zhong Tang, Fred C. Dobbs

OES Faculty Publications

Green autofluorescence (GAF) has been described in the short flagellum of golden and brown algae, the stigma of Euglenophyceae, and cytoplasm of different life stages of dinoflagellates and is considered by some researchers a valuable taxonomic feature for dinoflagellates. In addition, green fluorescence staining has been widely proposed or adopted to measure cell viability (or physiological state) in areas such as apoptosis of phytoplankton, pollutant stresses on algae, metabolic activity of algae, and testing treatment technologies for ships' ballast water. This paper reports our epifluorescence microscopic observations and quantitative spectrometric measurements of GAIT in a broad phylogenetic range of microalgae. …

Bactericidal Effects Of Cold Plasma Technology On Geobacillus Stearothermophilus And Bacillus Cereus Microorganisms, Angela Dawn Morris

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma, also known as cold plasma, is a state of matter that consists of a mix of neutral and charged particles. Plasma generates chemically reactive species and ultraviolet radiation making them useful in decontamination applications (Kong & Laroussi, 2003). Research regarding the inactivation of gram-positive bacteria, such as Bacillus atrophaeus, by cold plasma has been studied by Laroussi et al. (2003); however, there is limited research regarding the germicidal effectiveness of cold plasma on the microorganisms Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus. The purpose of this study was to determine if cold plasma technology inactivates heat …

Tandem Repeat Regions Within The Burkholderia Pseudomallei Genome And Their Application For High Resolution Genotyping, Richard A. Robison, Jana M. U'Ren, James M. Schupp, Talima Pearson, Heidie Hornstra, Christine L. Friedman Clark, Kimothy L. Smith, Rebecca R. Leadem Daugherty, Shane D. Rhoton, Ben Leadem, Shalamar Georgia, Michelle Cardon, Lynn Y. Huynh, David Deshazer, Steven P. Harvey, Daniel Gal, Mark J. Mayo, David Wagner, Bart J. Currie, Paul Keim

Faculty Publications

The facultative, intracellular bacterium Burkholderia pseudomalle is the causative agent of melioidosis, a serious infectious disease of humans and animals. We identified and categorized tandem repeat arrays and their distribution throughout the genome of B. pseudomallei strain K96243 in order to develop a genetic typing method for B. pseudomallei. We then screened 104 of the potentially polymorphic loci across a diverse panel of 31 isolates including B. pseudomallei, B. mallei and B. thailandensis in order to identify loci with varying degrees of polymorphism. A subset of these tandem repeat arrays were subsequently developed into a multiple-locus VNTR analysis to examine …

Ecology Of Culturable Organisms At Rozel Point, Great Salt Lake, Utah, Emily Sarah Haws

Theses and Dissertations

The study of organisms from extreme environments is an emerging field of research with applications to multiple scientific areas. One of these extreme environments is Great Salt Lake (GSL), whose microbiology has yet to be extensively studied. This dynamic and unique environment offers an excellent opportunity to increase understanding of hypersaline ecology. Cultivation of microorganisms remains an important part of ecology research, as it is essential for understanding microbial physiology. We report here the culturing and characterization of isolates from Rozel Point, located on the northeastern shore of Great Salt Lake. This site was chosen because of the presence of …

The Role Of Prolactin In Ccl28 Regulation, Jennie Hyde

Theses and Dissertations

Infants are born with naive immune systems, making them susceptible to a variety of infections. In order to protect the newborn infant it is important that mothers be able to pass protective IgA antibodies to their infants through breast milk. B cells that produce IgA enter the mammary tissue during lactation and secrete IgA into the milk. During pregnancy, the mammary tissue expresses high levels of chemokines, molecules that allow lymphocytes to selectively home to specific tissues. The chemokine CCL28 has been shown to be upregulated during both pregnancy and lactation, and is vital for the ability of IgA-producing B …

Inverse Regulation Of Biofilm Formation And Swarming Motility By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14, Nicky C. Caiazza, Judith H. Merritt, Kimberly M. Brothers, George A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

We previously reported that SadB, a protein of unknown function, is required for an early step in biofilm formation by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here we report that a mutation in sadB also results in increased swarming compared to the wild-type strain. Our data are consistent with a model in which SadB inversely regulates biofilm formation and swarming motility via its ability both to modulate flagellar reversals in a viscosity-dependent fashion and to influence the production of the Pel exopolysaccharide. We also show that SadB is required to properly modulate flagellar reversal rates via chemotaxis cluster IV (CheIV cluster). …

In Vivo And In Vitro Anaerobic Mating In Candida Albicans, Raluca Dumitru, Dhammika H.M.L.P. Navarathna, Camile P. Semighini, Christian G. Elowsky, Razvan Dumitru, Daniel Dignard, Malcom Whiteway, Audrey L. Atkin, Kenneth W. Nickerson

Papers in Microbiology

Candida albicans cells of opposite mating types are thought to conjugate during infection in mammalian hosts, but paradoxically, the mating-competent opaque state is not stable at mammalian body temperatures. We found that anaerobic conditions stabilize the opaque state at 37°C, block production of farnesol, and permit in vitro mating at 37°C at efficiencies of up to 84%. Aerobically, farnesol prevents mating because it kills the opaque cells necessary for mating, and as a corollary, farnesol production is turned off in opaque cells. These in vitro observations suggest that naturally anaerobic sites, such as the efficiently colonized gastrointestinal (GI) tract, could …

Protection Against Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus (Prrsv) Infection Through Passive Transfer Of Prrsv-Neutralizing Antibodies Is Dose Dependent, O. J. Lopez, M. F. Oliveira, E. Alvarez Garcia, Byung Joon Kwon, Alan R. Doster, Fernando A. Osorio

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Previous work in our laboratory demonstrated that passive transfer of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)-neutralizing antibodies (NA) protected pregnant sows against reproductive failure and conferred sterilizing immunity in sows and offspring. We report here on the dose requirement for protection by passive transfer with NA in young weaned pigs. The presence of a 1:8 titer of PRRSV-NA in serum consistently protected pigs against viremia. Nevertheless, their lungs, tonsils, buffy coat cells, and peripheral lymph nodes contained replicating PRRSV similar to the infected control group. Likewise, these animals excreted infectious virus to sentinels similar to the infectivity control animals. …

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Pathobiology Studied In Humanized Balb/C-Rag2-/- ΓC-/- Mice, Santhi Gorantla, Hannah Seller, Lisa Walters, John G. Sharp, Samuel Pirruccello, John T. West, Charles Wood, Stephen Dewhurst, Howard Gendelman, Larisa Poluektova

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The specificity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) for human cells precludes virus infection in most mammalian species and limits the utility of small animal models for studies of disease pathogenesis, therapy, and vaccine development. One way to overcome this limitation is by human cell xenotransplantation in immune-deficient mice. However, this has proved inadequate, as engraftment of human immune cells is limited (both functionally and quantitatively) following transplantation of mature human lymphocytes or fetal thymus/liver. To this end, a human immune system was generated from umbilical cord blood-derived CD34⁺ hematopoietic stem cells in BALB/c-Rag2^-/- γ_c^{-/- …}

Characterization Of Dairy Milk House Waste Water In Kentucky, Anshu Singh, Czarena L. Crofcheck, Gail M. Brion

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

This study focuses on characterization of milk house waste water from eight different farms in Kentucky. The farms were separated into three groups based on the number of cows: small (20-30), medium (30-60), and large (over 60 cows). Samples were collected once a month from four farms and twice a month from the remainder. Samples were analyzed for chemical, biochemical, and microbiological characteristics. Results indicated a large and significant variation in the chemical and microbiological characteristics between the farms. Farm size had a significant effect on the nutrient content of the waste water. Though samples exhibited seasonal variation, there was …

Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec And Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Characterization Of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Clones, Shannon M. Moroney, Loree C. Heller, Jesse Arbuckle, Monica Talavera, Ray H. Widen

Bioelectrics Publications

Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene carriage were compared among suspected community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus MRSA (CA-MRSA) and health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) isolates. CA-MRSA isolates carried the SCCmec type IV complex, and most were PVL positive. The HA-MRSA isolates carried the SCCmec type II complex and did not harbor the PVL genes.

Collecting Duct Carcinoma: An Incidental Finding In A Non Functional Kidney Secondary To Nephrolithiasis, Asim Qureshi

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

A nephrectomy specimen was sent to the laboratory for end stage renal disease secondary to nephrolithiasis. Initial sections incidentally revealed a tumor infiltrating the normal renal tissue. Further workup including cytochemical and immuno-histochemical stains confirmed it to be collecting duct carcinoma.

Supplementary Data For “Sequence And Annotation Of The 369-Kb Ny-2a And The 345-Kb Ar158 Viruses That Infect Chlorella Nc64a”: Appendix A: Gene Names B002r – B797r, Lisa A. Fitzgerald, Michael V. Graves, Xiao Li, Tamara Feldblyum, William C. Nierman, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Appendix A: Gene Names b002R – b797R

Document shows Gene Name, Genome Position, A.A. length, Peptide Mw, pI, CDD Hit Number, COGs, COG Definition, Bit Score, E-value, % Identity, % Positive, Query from-to, Hit from-to, BLASTp Hit Number, Hit Accession, BLASTp Definition, Bit Score, E-value, % Identity, % Positive, Query from-to, and Hit from-to.

Supplementary Data For “Sequence And Annotation Of The 314-Kb Mt325 And The 321-Kb Fr483 Viruses That Infect Chlorella Pbi”: Appendix B: Gene Names M001l Through M807r, Lisa A. Fitzgerald, Michael V. Graves, Xiao Li, Tamara Feldblyum, James Hartigan, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Appendix B: Gene Names M001L through M807R

Document, in spreadsheet format, shows Gene Name, Genome Position, A.A. length, Peptid e Mw, pI, CDD Hit Number, COGs, COG Definition, Bit Score, E-value, % Identity, % Positive, Query from-to, Hit from-to, BLASTp Hit Number, Hit Accession, BLASTp Definition, Bit Score, E-value, % Identity, % Positive, Query from-to, and Hit from-to.

Supplementary Data For “Sequence And Annotation Of The 369-Kb Ny-2a And The 345-Kb Ar158 Viruses That Infect Chlorella Nc64a”: Appendix C: Gene Names C001r – C814l, Lisa A. Fitzgerald, Michael V. Graves, Xiao Li, Tamara Feldblyum, William C. Nierman, James L. Van Etten

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Appendix C: Gene Names c001R – c814L

Document shows Gene Name, Genome Position, A.A. length, Peptide Mw, pI, CDD Hit Number, COGs, COG Definition, Bit Score, E-value, % Identity, % Positive, Query from-to, Hit from-to, BLASTp Hit Number, Hit Accession, BLASTp Definition, Bit Score, E-value, % Identity, % Positive, Query from-to, and Hit from-to.