Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Characterization Of The Ompl1 Gene Of Pathogenic Leptospira Species In China And Cross-Immunogenicity Of The Ompl1 Protein, Haiyan Dong, Ye Hu, Feng Xue, Dexter Sun, David M. Ojcius, Yafei Mao, Jie Yan

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Background: The usefulness of available vaccine and serological tests for leptospirosis is limited by the low cross-reactivity of antigens from numerous serovars of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Identification of genus-specific protein antigens (GP-Ag) of Leptospira would be important for development of universal vaccines and serodiagnostic methods. OmpL1, a transmembrane porin of pathogenic leptospires, was identified as a possible GP-Ag, but its sequence diversity and immune cross-reactivity among different serovars of pathogenic leptospires remains largely unknown.

Results: PCR analysis demonstrated that the ompL1 gene existed in all 15 official Chinese standard strains as well as 163 clinical strains of pathogenic leptospires isolated …

Ecological Niche Of The 2003 West Nile Virus Epidemic In The Northern Great Plains Of The United States, Michael Wimberly, Michael B. Hildreth, Stephen P. Boyte, Erik Lindquist, Lon Kightlinger

Public Health Resources

Background: The incidence of West Nile virus (WNv) has remained high in the northern Great Plains compared to the rest of the United States. However, the reasons for the sustained high risk of WNv transmission in this region have not been determined. To assess the environmental drivers of WNv in the northern Great Plains, we analyzed the county-level spatial pattern of human cases during the 2003 epidemic across a seven-state region.
Methodology/Principal Findings: County-level data on WNv cases were examined using spatial cluster analysis, and were used to fit statistical models with weather, climate, and land use variables as predictors. …

How Does A Riverine Setting Affect The Lifestyle Of Shellmound Builders In Brazil?, Sabine Eggers, C. C. Petronilho, K. Brandt, C. Jericó-Daminello, J. Filippini, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

The contact of inland and coastal prehistoric groups in Brazil is believed to have been restricted to regions with no geographical barrier, as is the case in the Ribeira de Iguape valley. The inland osteological collection from the riverine shellmound Moraes (5800–4500 BP) represents a unique opportunity to test this assumption for this region. Despite cultural similarities between riverine and coastal shellmounds, important ecological and site distribution differences are expected to impact on lifestyle. The purpose of this study is thus to document and interpret health and lifestyle indicators in Moraes in comparison to coastal shellmound groups. Specifically we test …

Intraretinal Signaling By Ganglion Cell Photoreceptors To Dopaminergic Amacrine Neurons, Dao-Qi Zhang, Kwoon Y. Wong, Patricia J. Sollars, David M. Berson, Gary E. Pickard, Douglas G. Mcmahon

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Retinal dopaminergic amacrine neurons (DA neurons) play a central role in reconfiguring retinal function according to prevailing illumination conditions, yet the mechanisms by which light regulates their activity are poorly understood. We investigated the means by which sustained light responses are evoked in DA neurons. Sustained light responses were driven by cationic currents and persisted in vitro and in vivo in the presence of L-AP4, a blocker of retinal ON-bipolar cells. Several characteristics of these L-AP4-resistant light responses suggested that they were driven by melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), including long latencies, marked poststimulus persistence, and a peak …

Upregulated Mir-146a Expression In Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells From Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients, Kaleb M. Pauley, M. Satoh, A. L. Chan, M. R. Bubb, W. H. Reeves, E. K. Chan

Science and Mathematics Faculty Publications

Introduction

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression via degradation or translational repression of their targeted mRNAs. It is known that aberrant microRNA expression can play important roles in cancer, but the role of microRNAs in autoimmune diseases is only beginning to emerge. In this study, the expression of selected microRNAs is examined in rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods

Total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and healthy and disease control individuals, and the expression of miR-146a, miR-155, miR-132, miR-16, and microRNA let-7a was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR.

Results …

Cd5 Plays An Inhibitory Role In The Suppressive Function Of Murine Cd4+ Cd25+ TReg Cells, Trivikram Dasu, Joseph E. Qualls, Halide Tuna, Chander Raman, Donald A. Cohen, Subbarao Bondada

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

A subset of CD4⁺ T cells, the CD4⁺ CD25⁺ regulatory T (T_reg) cells in the lymphoid organs and peripheral blood are known to possess suppressive function. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that T cell receptor (TCR) signal is required for development of such ‘natural regulatory (T_reg) cells’ and for activation of the effector function of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ regulatory T cells. CD5 is a cell surface molecule present on all T cells and a subtype of B lymphocytes, the B-1 cells, primarily localized to coelomic cavities, Peyer's patches, …

Regulation Of The Bioavailability Of Thioredoxin In The Lens By A Specific Thioredoxin-Binding Protein (Tbp-2), Namal P.M. Liyanage, M. Rohan Fernando, Marjorie F. Lou

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Thioredoxin (TRx) is known to control redox homeostasis in cells. In recent years, a specific TRx binding protein called thioredoxin binding protein-2 (TBP-2) was found in other cell types and it appeared to negatively regulate TRx bioavailability and thereby control TRx biological function. In view of the sensitivity of lens transparency to redox status, proper regulation of TRx bioavailability is of the utmost importance. This study was conducted to examine the presence and function of TBP-2 in human lens epithelial cells (HLE B3). We cloned human lens TBP-2 from a human cDNA library (GenBank accession number AY 594328) and showed …

Sheep Updates 2008 - Contents, Department Of Food And Agriculture, Western Australia

Sheep Updates

No abstract provided.

Sheep Updates 2008 - Part 1, David Hughes, Tony Higgs, Di Evans, Scott Hansen, Michael Paton, Mary Nenke

Sheep Updates

This session covers five papers from different authors: KEYNOTE 1. Global trends in consumer and community expectations and their affect on the market, Dr David Hughes, Imperial College, London. (Powerpoint) PLENARY 2. Animal welfare - trends and opportunities, Tony Higgs, Di Evans, Department of Agriculture and Food WA 3. Australia's live sheep exports to Saudi Arabia, Scott Hansen, Meat & Livestock Australia 4. Livestock Welfare Challenges in Road Transport, Dr Mike Paton, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 5. My 2020 Summit Experience, Mary Nenke, Producer Kukerin WA

Sheep Updates 2008 - Part 2, Meredith L. Sheil, Di Evans, Brown Besier, Tim Scanlon, Andre Martinho De Almeida, Johan Greeff, Tanya Kilminster, John Milton, Chris Oldham, B. L. Mcintyre, Alison Wheatley, John Lucey, Fiona Jones, Nick Costa, Ed Riggall, J. R. L. Hall, Robin Jacob, Dave Pethick, Dave Hopkins, Graham Gardner

Sheep Updates

This session covers eleven papers from different authors: The Sheep Room 1. Analgesia for Surgical Husbandry Procedures in Sheep and Other Livestock, Dr Meredith L. Sheil, Animal Ethics Pty Ltd, Associate Sydney University Faculty of Veterinary Science The Wool Enterprise 2. Unmulsed sheep - implications for chemical use, Di Evans & Brown Besier, Department of Agriculture and Food WA 3. Are Damara and Dorper sheep better adapted than Merinos to nutritional stress? - Growth rates, Tim Scanlon1, Andre Martinho de Almeida2, Johan Greeff1, Tanya Kilminster1, John Milton3, Chris Oldham1, Department of Agriculture and Food WA1, Instituto de Investigacao Cientifica Tropical, …

Sheep Updates 2008 - Part 3, L. J. E. Karlsson, J. C. Greeff, L. Slocombe, K. Jones, N. Underwood, Fred Wilkinson, W. D. Hoffman, W. A. Mckiernan, V. H. Oddy, M. J. Mcphee, B. L. Mcintyre, P. F. Parnell, R. A. Clark, J. Timms, G. Griffith, C. Mulholland, P. Hyland, Danielle England, Fiona Jones, John Lucey, Martin Staines, Richard Morris, Megan Abrahams, Caroline Peek, Dennis Van Gool, Daniel Gardiner, Kari-Lee Falconer, Sandra Prosser, Mario D'Antuono, John Young, Andrew Thompson, Chris Oldham, Brown Besier, Angus Campbell, Ralph Behrendt

Sheep Updates

This session covers fiveteen papers from different authors:

CONTROLLING FLY STRIKE

1. Breeding for Blowfly Resistance - Indicatoe Traits, LJE Karlsson, JC Greeff, L Slocombe, Department of Agriculture & Food, Western Australia

2.A practical method to select for breech strike resistance in non-pedigreed Merino flocks, LJE Karlsson, JC Greeff, L Slocombe, K. Jones, N. Underwood, Department of Agriculture & Food, Western Australia

3. Twice a year shearing - no mulesing, Fred Wilkinson, Producer, Brookton WA

BEEF

4. Commercial testing of a new tool for prediction of fatness in beef cattle, WD Hoffman^A, WA McKiernan^A, VH Oddy …

Critical Involvement Of The Atm-Dependent Dna Damage Response In The Apoptotic Demise Of Hiv-1-Elicited Syncytia, Jean-Luc Perfettini, Roberta Nardacci, Mehdi Bourouba, Frederic Subra, Laurent Gros, Claire Séror, Gwenola Manic, Filippo Rosselli, Alessandra Amendola, Peggy Masdehors, Luciana Chessa, Giuseppe Novelli, David M. Ojcius, Jan Konrad Siwicki, Magdalena Chechlinska, Christian Auclair, Jose R. Regueiro, Hughes De Thé, Marie-Lise Gougeon, Mauro Piacentini, Guido Kroemer

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

DNA damage can activate the oncosuppressor protein ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), which phosphorylates the histone H2AX within characteristic DNA damage foci. Here, we show that ATM undergoes an activating phosphorylation in syncytia elicited by the envelope glycoprotein complex (Env) of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) in vitro. This was accompanied by aggregation of ATM in discrete nuclear foci that also contained phospho-histone H2AX. DNA damage foci containing phosphorylated ATM and H2AX were detectable in syncytia present in the brain or lymph nodes from patients with HIV-1 infection, as well as in a fraction of blood leukocytes, correlating with viral status. Knockdown …

Susceptibility Of Chlamydia Trachomatis To The Excipient Hydroxy-Ethylcellulose: Ph And Concentration Dependence Of Antimicrobial Activity, Ali A. Abdul-Sater, David M. Ojcius, M. P. Meyer

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) is used as a neutral excipient in microbicides used against sexually transmitted pathogens. However, HEC inhibits the infection of cervical epithelial cells by Chlamydia trachomatis at pH 5 in a concentration-dependent manner. At pH 7, infection is inversely dependent on the concentration of HEC, possibly due to pH-dependent calcium sequestration.

Use Of Origanum Vulgare Essential Oil To Combat Human Pathogenic Yeasts, Amber Adams

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

With the outbreak of autoimmune diseases, pathogenic yeasts have begun to pose a serious medical threat. This threat is compounded as more of these yeasts evolve resistance to existing antifungal drugs. In the ever-widening search for new, effective antifungal treatment, the realm of herbal medicine offers some interesting and potentially valuable alternatives. Origanum vulgare is one herb that has demonstrated broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi alike. This study undertook to examine the effects of the essential oil of Origanum vulgare on Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Rhodotorula rubrum, and Cryptococcus albidus, with the hypothesis that Essential Oil of …

Genetic Characterization Of Feline Leukemia Virus From Florida Panthers, Meredith Brown, Mark W. Cunningham, Alfred L. Roca, Jennifer L. Troyer, Warren E. Johnson, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

From 2002 through 2005, an outbreak of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) occurred in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi). Clinical signs included lymphadenopathy, anemia, septicemia, and weight loss; 5 panthers died. Not associated with FeLV outcome were the genetic heritage of the panthers (pure Florida vs. Texas/Florida crosses) and co-infection with feline immunodeficiency virus. Genetic analysis of panther FeLV, designated FeLV-Pco, determined that the outbreak likely came from 1 cross-species transmission from a domestic cat. The FeLV-Pco virus was closely related to the domestic cat exogenous FeLV-A subgroup in lacking recombinant segments derived from endogenous FeLV. FeLV-Pco sequences were …

Genomic Organization, Sequence Divergence, And Recombination Of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus From Lions In The Wild, Jill Pecon-Slattery, Carrie L. Mccracken, Jennifer L. Troyer, Sue Vandewoude, Melody E. Roelke, Kerry Sondgeroth, Christiaan Winterbach, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Background

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) naturally infects multiple species of cat and is related to human immunodeficiency virus in humans. FIV infection causes AIDS-like disease and mortality in the domestic cat (Felis catus) and serves as a natural model for HIV infection in humans. In African lions (Panthera leo) and other exotic felid species, disease etiology introduced by FIV infection are less clear, but recent studies indicate that FIV causes moderate to severe CD4 depletion.

Results

In this study, comparative genomic methods are used to evaluate the full proviral genome of two geographically distinct FIV subtypes …

Optimizing Qpcr For The Quantification Of Periodontal Pathogens In A Complex Plaque Biofilm, Sreenatha S. Kirakodu, M. Govindaswami, Michael John Novak, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Karen F. Novak

Center for Oral Health Research Faculty Publications

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) has recently been used to quantify microorganisms in complex communities, including dental plaque biofilms. However, there is variability in the qPCR protocols being used. This study was designed to evaluate the validity of two of these variables with the intent of developing a more standardized qPCR protocol. The two variables evaluated were (1) the use of DNA content versus actual cell counts to estimate bacterial numbers in mixed plaque samples and (2) the effectiveness of three different universal primers versus species specific primers in amplifying specific target pathogens in these samples. Results lead to the development of …

Pathoecology And The Future Of Coprolite Studies In Bioarchaeology, Karl J. Reinhard, Vaughn M. Bryant Jr.

Karl Reinhard Publications

Human coprolites currently provide an expanding array of information about the diet, health, and ecology of prehistoric people in the Southwest, but for many years coprolites were not recognized or preserved, or they were not considered important and thus were not saved (Bryant and Dean 2006). With the expansion of archaeological field work during the last half of the twentieth century archaeologists have increasingly explored the "complete" potentials of sites, including the collection and analysis of geomorphologic, botanical, and faunal data. In some ideal habitats (e.g., very dry or frozen) this includes exploring the scientific potential of human coprolite studies. …

Pathoecology Of Two Ancestral Pueblo Villages, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Pathoecology is the study of the biotic, abiotic, and cultural environments of disease (Martinson et al. 2003). A parasitic infection is the result of the pathoecological interaction of host behavior, parasite life cycle, the environment in which both life forms live, the nutritional status of the host, and host physiological responses to all of these factors. Parasites contribute to anemia in many ways. Some, such as hookworm, actually consume blood and cause iron loss through their activities. For other parasites, symptoms such as profuse diarrhea reduce intestinal absorption of nutrients. Others, such as certain fish tapeworms, actually compete for absorption …

Parasite Pathoecology Of Salmon Pueblo And Other Chacoan Great Houses: The Healthiest And Wormiest Ancestral Puebloans, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Two fields of paleopathological investigation originated in the Southwest. Archaeoparasitology is the study of ancient parasite infection (Reinhard 1990, 1992b). It includes comparisons between time periods of single societies as well as comparisons of parasitism between different, contemporaneous cultures. For example, Fry (1980) compared Fremont and Anasazi parasitism, and also Archaic hunter-gatherer and ancestral Pueblo parasitism. All of these studies fall into the definition of archaeoparasitology.

By contrast, pathoecology is the reconstruction of relationships among behavior, environment, and disease organisms in the development of illness (Martinson et al. 2003; ReinhardandBuikstra2003; Reinhardet al. 2003; Santoro et al. 2003).1his field developed from …

Cranial Deformation As The Cause Of Death For A Child From The Chillon River Valley, Peru, Shelia M.F. Medoncade Souza, Karl J. Reinhard, Andrea Lessa

Karl Reinhard Publications

Two small mummy bundles, found in a tomb at the Chillon River Valley, Lima Plains, Peru exist in the collections of the Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They were donated to the collections at the beginning of the 20th century. A multidisciplinary team is now curating and studying them. CT scans confirmed both skeletons were of individuals less than one year old at death. One of the bundles is intact and will be preserved and displayed. The other one was partly decomposed and the authors received permission to unwrap it to analyze the bones in details. Mites and pollen …

A Child And His Fate: Tuberculosis, Perimortem Trauma And Mummification, Sheila M. M.De Souza, Karl J. Reinhard, Bernardo Tessarollo, Jose Fernando Cardona Zannier, Adauto Araujo

Karl Reinhard Publications

A male child, sitting, 7 years, circumferential deformation, skin marked by coiled fibers, nostril plugs, consistent with Aymara practices was CT scanned. Puppae in the skin suggest exposition of the body previous to the funeral. Dark brown color at the skin suggest blood perfusion. A broken area at the right frontal with the skin partially inside is suggestive of perimorten trauma. There were no bone debris inside the skull and the CT images show two confluent fractures defined by radiating lines extending beyond the missing bone surface. The right eyeball is projected out, the tongue is outside the mouth, the …

Enterobius Vermicularis Ancient Dna In Pre-Columbian Human Populations, Alena Mayo Iniguez, Karl J. Reinhard, Luiz Fernando Ferreira, Adauto Araujo, Ana Carolina, Paulo Vincente

Karl Reinhard Publications

In prehistoric populations the paleoparasitological findings show an Enterobius vennicularis homogeneous distribution among North American hunter-gatherers intensified with the advent of agriculture. The same occurred in the transition from nomad hunter-gatherers to sedentary farmers in South America, although E. vermicularis infection encompasses only the ancient Andean peoples. Since molecular techniques are sensitive in detecting ancient DNA (aDNA), in this work we have performed a molecular paleoparasitological study of E. vermicularis. aDNA was recovered from North and South American coprolites (4110 BC-AD 900). Human (cox 2 and HVR) and pinworm (5S rRNA spacer) sequences were determined. The sequence analysis confirmed E. …

Paleoparasitology: Perspectives With New Techniques, Adauto Araújo, Karl Reinhard, Otilio M. Bastos, Ligia C. Costa, Claude Pirmez, Alena Iñighez, Ana Carolina Vicente, Carlos M. Morel, Luiz Fernando Ferreira

Karl Reinhard Publications

Paleoparasitology is the study of parasites found in archaeological material. The development of this field of research began with histological identification of helminth eggs in mummy tissues, analysis of coprolites, and recently through molecular biology. An approach to the history of paleoparasitology is reviewed in this paper, with special reference to the studies of ancient DNA identified in archaeological material.

Paleoparasitologia: perspectivas com novas técnicas
Paleoparasitologia é o estudo de parasitos encontrados em material arqueológico. O desenvolvimento deste campo da pesquisa teve início com a identificação de ovos de helmintos em tecidos mumificados, análise de coprólitos e, recentemente, através da …

Do Hospitalists Or Physicians With Greater Inpatient Hiv Experience Improve Hiv Care In The Era Of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy? Results From A Multicenter Trial Of Academic Hospitalists, John A. Schneider, Qi Zhang, Andrew Auerbach, David Gonzales, Peter Kaboli, Jeffrey Schnipper, Tosha B. Wetterneck, David L. Pitrak, David O. Meltzer

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background. Little is known about the effect of provider type and experience on outcomes, resource use, and processes of care of hospitalized patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Hospitalists are caring for this population with increasing frequency.

Methods. Data from a natural experiment in which patients were assigned to physicians on the basis of call cycle was used to study the effects of provider type—that is, hospitalist versus non hospitalist—and HIV-specific inpatient experience on resource use, outcomes, and selected measures of processes of care at 6 academic institutions. Administrative data, inpatient interviews, 30-day follow-up interviews, and the National Death …