Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Serologic Evidence Of Infection With Ehrlichia Spp. In Wild Rodents (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) In The United States, William L. Nicholson, Susie Muir, John W. Sumner, James E. Childs

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Rodent (Muridae: Sigmodontinae) blood and sera collected from 14 states were tested for seroreactivity to a cultured isolate of the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent by using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of the 1,240 samples tested, 136 (11%) were found to be reactive at titers of ≥32. Rodents with HGE agent-specific antibodies were found in New York (23% of 491 samples; geometric mean endpoint titer GMT = 441), Connecticut (11% of 100 samples; GMT = 481), California (9% of 32 samples; GMT = 323), Colorado (2% of 212 samples; GMT = 256), Florida (7% of 27 samples; GMT = 362), …

Dietary Habits Of The Common Rodents In An Agrecosystem In Argentina, Barbara A. Ellis, James N. Mills, Gregory E. Glass, Kelly T. Mckee Jr, Delia A. Enria, James E. Childs

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Dietary habits of five common rodents in agroecosystems on the central Argentine Pampa were studied for 15 months using microhistological analysis of stomach contents. All five rodent species were omnivorous, but proportions of major dietary items (arthropods, dicot leaves and seeds, monocot leaves and seeds) varied among species and seasons. Akodon azarae largely was entomophagous; arthropods formed 41-62% of the diet in all seasons. The other four species (Calomys musculinus, Calomys laucha, Bolomys obscurus, and Oligoryzomys flavescens) consumed most diet items throughout the year, but relative proportions varied among seasons. Leaves formed a relatively minor proportion of the …

Monoclonal Antibody F89/160.1.5 Defines A Conserved Epitope On The Ruminant Prion Protein, Katherine I. O'Rourke, Timothy V. Baszler, Janice M. Miller, Terry R. Spraker, Ingrid Sadler-Riggleman, Donald P. Knowles

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a heterogeneous group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders occurring in humans, mink, cats, and ruminant herbivores. The occurrence of novel transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in cattle in the United Kingdom and Europe and in mule deer and elk in parts of the United States has emphasized the need for reliable diagnostic tests with standardized reagents. Postmortem diagnosis is performed by histologic examination of brain sections from affected animals. The histopathological criteria for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies include gliosis, astrocytosis, neuronal degeneration, and spongiform change. These lesions vary in intensity and anatomic location depending on the host species and …

Preclinical Detection Of PrpSc In Nictitating Membrane Lymphoid Tissue Of Sheep, Katherine I. O'Rourke, T. V. Baszler, S. M. Parish, D. P. Knowles

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

SHEEP scrapie is the prototype of a heterogeneous group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSES) which occur in humans, cattle, cats, mink and cervids. TSEs are characterised by the deposition of prion proteins (Prp-Scrapie or Prp^Sc) in the central nervous system of affected individuals (Prusiner 1982). PrP^Sc and infectivity have also been detected in the lymphoreticular system of sheep well before symptoms occur (Hadlow and others 1982, Race and others 1992). Detection of Prp^Sc in lymphoid tissue, such as tonsils or peripheral lymph nodes, has been proposed as a preclinical diagnostic test for scrapie (Ikegami and others …

The Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Tsc10/Ybr265w Gene Encoding 3-Ketosphinganine Reductase Is Identified In A Screen For Temperature-Sensitive Suppressors Of The Ca2+-Sensitive Csg2Δ Mutant, Troy Beeler, Dagmar Bacikova, Ken Gable, Lisa Hopkins, Courtney Johnson, Harry Slife, Teresa Dunn

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Saccharomyces cerevisiae csg2Δ mutants accumulate the sphingolipid inositolphosphorylceramide, which renders the cells Ca²⁺-sensitive. Temperature-sensitive mutations that suppress the Ca²⁺ sensitivity of csg2Δ mutants were isolated and characterized to identify genes that encode sphingolipid synthesis enzymes. These temperature-sensitive csg2Δ suppressors (tsc) fall into 15 complementation groups. The TSC10/YBR265w gene was found to encode 3-ketosphinganine reductase, the enzyme that catalyzes the second step in the synthesis of phytosphingosine, the long chain base found in yeast sphingolipids. 3-Ketosphinganine reductase (Tsc10p) is essential for growth in the absence of exogenous dihydrosphingosine or phytosphingosine. Tsc10p is a member of the …

Veterinary And Biomedical Sciences: Annual Report 1998

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Information and History

Personnel
Awards and Recognition
Committees
Teaching Program
Graduate Program
GPVEC
Research Program
Extension Program
NVDLS
Active Grants
Publications
Presentations
Selected Committees, Editorial and Other Appointments
Nebraska Agricultural Statistics

A Prolonged Outbreak Of Shigella Sonnei Infections In Traditionally Observant Jewish Communities In North America Caused By A Molecularly Distinct Bacterial Subtype, Jeremy Sobel, Daniel N. Cameron, Johanne Ismail, Nancy Strockbine, Michael Williams, Pamela S. Diaz, Barbara Westley, Marilyn Rittmann, Joseph Dicristina, Halina Ragazzoni, Robert V. Tauxe, Eric D. Mintz

United States Public Health Resources

During 1994–1996, Shigella sonnei outbreaks occurred in 8 North American traditionally observant Jewish communities. These communities remain relatively separate from neighboring populations while maintaining close contact by travel with coreligionists in other cities. Epidemiologic investigations suggested community-to-community transmission via travel. Outbreak-related and control isolates of S. sonnei from each city were subtyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to confirm an epidemiologic linkage between outbreaks. Forty-three (94%) of 46 outbreak-related isolates had closely related PFGE patterns, constituting a single subtype; 33 (94%) of 35 control isolates demonstrated unrelated PFGE patterns. Several patterns differing by ≤3 bands were identified within the …

Mycobacterium Bovis In Coyotes From Michigan, Colleen S. Bruning-Fann, Stephen M. Schmitt, Scott D. Fitzgerald, Janet B. Payeur, Diana L. Whipple, Thomas M. Cooley, Thomas Carlson, Paul Friedrich

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database

During a survey for tuberculosis in wild carnivores and omnivores, Mycobacteriurn bovis was cultured from pooled lymph nodes of three adult female coyotes (Canis latrans) harvested by hunters in Michigan (USA). No gross or histologic lesions suggestive of tuberculosis were seen in these animals. One coyote was taken from Montmorency county and two coyotes from Alcona county located in the northeastern portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula where free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been found infected with bovine tuberculosis. It is thought that these coyotes became infected with M. bovis through the consumption of tuberculous deer. …

Polyadenylation Of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Mrna Dictates Efficient Transcription Termination At The Intercistronic Gene Junctions, Leroy N. Hwang, Nathan Englund, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The intercistronic gene junctions of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) contain conserved sequence elements that are important for polyadenylation and transcription termination of upstream transcript as well as reinitiation of transcription of downstream transcript. To examine the role of the putative polyadenylation signal 3' AUACU₇5' at the gene junctions in polyadenylation and transcription termination, we constructed plasmids encoding antigenomic minireplicons containing one or two transcription units. In plasmid-transfected cells, analyses of the bicistronic minireplicon containing the wild-type or mutant intercistronic gene junctions for the ability to direct synthesis of polyadenylated upstream, downstream, and readthrough mRNAs showed that the AUACU …

Mummies And Mummification Practices In The Southern And Southwestern United States, Mahmoud Y. El-Najjar, Thomas M. J. Mulinski, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Mummification was not intentional for most North American prehistoric cultures. Natural mummification occurred in the dry areas of North America, where mummies have been recovered from rock shelters, caves, and overhangs. In these places, corpses desiccated and spontaneously mummified. In North America, mummies are recovered from four main regions: the southern and southwestern United States, the Aleutian Islands, and the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. This chapter is limited to a discussion of burial practices and a tabulation of the location of mummies in the southwestern United States with some comments on mummies of the southern United States, including the Ozarks.

Human Dental Microwear Caused By Calcium Oxalate Phytoliths In Prehistoric Diet Of The Lower Pecos Region, Texas, Dennis Danielson, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Recent research demonstrates that silica phytoliths of dietary origin are associated with microwear of human teeth. Previous research has shown that severe enamel microwear and dental wear characterizes Archaic hunter-gatherers in the lower Pecos region of west Texas. Calcium oxalate crystals are especially common in Archaic coprolites. The vast majority are derived from prickly pear and agave, which were the dietary staples in west Texas for 6,000 years. The calcium oxalate phytoliths are harder than enamel. Therefore, calcium oxalate crystals are the most likely source of previously documented dental microwear and wear in the lower Pecos region.Am J Phys Anthropol …

What Is Learned About Nontarget Items In Simple Visual Search?, John H. Flowers, Karen L. Smith

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Human sensitivity to correlational structure between nontargets and likelihood of target presence in a visual letter-search task were studied in two experiments. In each of these experiments, the performance of subjects for whom the nontarget information was altered in the final trial block was compared with the performance of subjects for whom the nontarget information did not change. When stimulus strings were presented individually on a computer screen and subjects were required to make a yes–no decision about target presence (Experiment 1), the change in nontarget structure resulted in increased reaction times for target-absent trials. When subjects searched simultaneously for …

Partner, Teacher, And Guide: Examples Of Teacher Behavior In Reggio Emilia, Carolyn P. Edwards

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

To give a fuller picture and provide concrete examples of the abstract principles presented above, we offer four short observation records drawn from videotapes taken at the Diana School in 1988 and 1990. They illustrate different kinds of teacher behavior commonly seen in the Reggio Emilia preprimary schools.

The Teacher Gets Children Started
The Teacher Provides Instruction in Tool-Use and Technique
The Teacher Turns a Dispute into a Hypothesis to Test
The Teacher Encourages Children to Solve Their Own Disputes

Genetic Polymorphism Among Cryptosporidium Parvum Isolates: Evidence Of Two Distinct Human Transmission Cycles, Michael M. Peng, Lihua Xiao, Amanda R. Freeman, Michael J. Arrowood, Ananias A. Escalante, André C. Weltman, Corinne S.L. Ong, William R. Mac Kenzie, Altaf A. Lal, Charles B. Beard

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

We report the results of molecular analysis of 39 isolates of Cryptosporidium parvum from human and bovine sources in nine human outbreaks and from bovine sources from a wide geographic distribution. All 39 isolates could be divided into either of two genotypes, on the basis of genetic polymorphism observed at the thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (TRAP-C2) locus. Genotype 1 was observed only in isolates from humans. Genotype 2, however, was seen in calf isolates and in isolates from a subset of human patients who reported direct exposure to infected cattle or consumed items thought to be contaminated with cattle feces. Furthermore, …

Young Adolescents’ Conflicts With Siblings And Friends, Marcela Raffaelli

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

One hundred twelve white, middle class 10-14-year-olds participated in a descriptive study of conflict with their closest sibling and best friend. Analysis of questionnaire ratings (completed by all participants) revealed that frequency of conflict was significantly related to ratings of the friend’s importance and satisfaction with the friendship but was not related to sibling relationship ratings. Descriptions of specific conflicts in the two relationships (provided by 81 youngsters) were compared to examine the onset, process, and aftermath of conflict. Conflicts between siblings and friends differed in how they were structured and experienced, suggesting that conflict functions differently in each relationship. …

Neurobehavior In Preterm Neonates Exposed To Cocaine, Alcohol, And Tobacco, K. A. Espy, M. L. Riese, D. J. Francis

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory: Faculty Publications

Neonatal neurobehavioral development was investigated in a sample of 20 hospitalized, prenatally cocaine-exposed preterm infants and 20 matched non-exposed controls. Prenatal cocaine exposure was related to reductions in attention performance that remained apparent at 36 wks conceptional age. There was no impact of prenatal cocaine exposure on the rate of change in attention proficiency. In utero alcohol exposure was associated with increased rates of age-related change in motor skill. Alcohol-related performance deficits were transient; alcohol-exposed infants reached an equivalent level of motor performance exhibited by the non-exposed infants by 36 wks conceptional age. These findings highlight the importance of considering …

The Shape School: Assessing Executive Function In Preschool Children, K. A. Espy

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory: Faculty Publications

Age-related changes in executive function were examined on a new task, the Shape School, in 70 preschool children (32-68 months old). The Shape School is a colorful storybook designed to examine inhibition and switching processes in young children. Results confirmed that task efficiency varied significantly with age, with older age groups outperforming younger groups. Furthermore, inhibition efficiency improved significantly between 3 to 4 years of age, whereas switching skills showed developmental improvement from 4 to 5 years of age. These results suggest that the Shape School is sensitive to maturational effects and that performance can be parsed into inhibition and …

An Evaluation Of The Sensitivity Of Subjects With Peanut Allergy To Very Low Doses Of Peanut Protein: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Food Challenge Study, Jonathan O'B. Hourihane, Sally A. Kilburn, Julie A. Nordlee, Susan L. Hefle, Steve L. Taylor, John O. Warner

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

The minimum dose of food protein to which subjects with food allergy have reacted in double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges is between 50 and 100 mg. However, subjects with peanut allergy often report severe reactions after minimal contact with peanuts, even through intact skin.

Objective: We sought to determine whether adults previously proven by challenge to be allergic to peanut react to very low doses of peanut protein.

Methods: We used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge of 14 subjects allergic to peanuts with doses of peanut ranging from 10 μg to 50 mg, administered in the form of …

Cross-Validation Of The Injury Behavior Checklist In A School-Age Sample, Richard Potts, Isaac Martinez, Angela Dedmon, Leslie Schwarz, David Dilillo, Lisa Swisher

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Examined descriptive characteristics, internal validity, and convergent validity of the Injury Behavior Checklist (IBC) in a sample of 7- to 10-year-old children. Although the IBC was originally designed for use with preschool children, results of the present study showed that it has acceptable psychometric qualities for use with children as old as 9 years. The IBC shows promise as an easily administered instrument for research on psychological and behavioral mechanisms of child hood injury, as well as for individual screening for injury liability.

Identification Of Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis Gene Expression Signals, John P. Bannantine, Raul G. Barletta, Charles O. Thoen, Robert E. Andrews Jr.

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium paratuberculosis promoter-containing clones were isolated from a genomic DNA library constructed in the transcriptional-translational fusion vector pYUB76. The promoter-containing DNA fragments were identified in the surrogate host Mycobacterium smegmatis by expression of the promoterless lacZ reporter gene of pYUB76. The expression signals exhibited a wide range of strengths, as indicated by their corresponding β-galactosidase activities. Eight clones were sequenced and characterized further. Predicted open reading frames and codon usage were identified by computer analysis. Database searching for related sequences using the BLAST method revealed no homologies. Transcriptional activity was measured by slot-blot hybridization with steady-state RNA isolated from lacZ …

The Effects Of Divorce And Custody Arrangements On Children’S Behavior, Development, And Adjustment, Michael E. Lamb, Kathleen J. Sternberg, Ross A. Thompson

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article summarizes the consensus among a group of experts from developmental and clinical psychology, sociology, social welfare, and law who sought to evaluate existing empirical evidence regarding the ways in which children are affected by divorce and the varying custody arrangements that follow it. Divorce and/or single parenthood tend to have adverse effects on children’s adjustment, with the magnitude of the effects varying depending on the psychological status of the two parents, the extent of conflict between them, and the financial circumstances, particularly after divorce. Children whose nonresidential parents continue to support them financially, those whose custodial parents are …

The Influence Of Case And Professional Variables On The Identification And Reporting Of Child Maltreatment: A Study Of Licensed Psychologists And Certified Masters Social Workers, David J. Hansen, Kurt M. Bumby, Lori M. Lundquist, Reginald M. Chandler, Peter T. Le, Kristine T. Futa

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

All 50 states have laws requiring mental health and other professionals to report suspected maltreatment. Unfortunately, many professionals who are mandated to report suspicions of child maltreatment often fail to recognize potential maltreatment or fail to report their suspicions. The present study examines several factors that may influence identification and reporting of child maltreatment. Subjects were licensed psychologists in the Midwest and certified Masters social workers in Nebraska. Child maltreatment included neglect, physical abuse, psychological maltreatment, and sexual abuse. Characteristics associated with the family or “case” (race, socioeconomic status of family, age of victim, type of maltreatment) were manipulated and …

Recommendations For Elimination Of Bovine Tuberculosis In Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer In Michigan, K. L. Cool, James Haveman, Dan Wyant

Michigan Bovine Tuberculosis Bibliography and Database

A significant infection rate of bovine TB in the deer population of the northeastern lower peninsula poses a potential risk to several important values including public health, United States Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) TB-free accreditation for Michigan cattle, wildlife health, wildlife-related recreation and tourism and economic stability in several sectors. A risk assessment study by the U.S. D.A. Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (Fort Collins, CO) predicted that if no changes were made in the management of the affected free-ranging deer population, the TB prevalence (compared to the current prevalence of 2.3%). Although the current annual risk of TB …

Analysis Of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 Transcripts During A Primary Infection Of Trigeminal Ganglia Of Cattle, Luis M. Schang, Clinton J. Jones

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

During an infection of nonneuronal cells, bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) gene expression proceeds in a well-defined cascade. Products of immediate-early (IE) genes are expressed first, and they activate expression of early (E) and late (L) genes. Although the same cascade is assumed to occur during an infection of neurons in trigeminal ganglia (TG) of cattle, no experimental data is available to support this hypothesis. Consequently, we analyzed BHV-1 gene expression in bovine TG at 1, 2, 4, 7, and 15 days postinfection (dpi). Infectious virus was detected in ocular swabs from 1 to 7 dpi but not 15 dpi. By …

Intimacy Deficits, Fear Of Intimacy, And Loneliness Among Sexual Offenders, Kurt M. Bumby, David J. Hansen

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Intimacy deficits and loneliness recently have been theorized as influential factors in the etiology and maintenance of sexually offending behaviors, although to date there has been a lack of empirical research conducted to address this proposition. The present study examined intimacy defi cits, fear of intimacy, and loneliness among intrafamilial child molesters, rapists, nonsexually offending inmates, and a community sample of adult males. The child molesters and rapists reported greater overall intimacy deficits than did the nonsexually offending inmates and community controls, with rapists reporting the greatest intimacy deficits. Fear of intimacy was found to be a particularly salient characteristic …

Overexpression Of The D-Alanine Racemase Gene Confers Resistance To D-Cycloserine In Mycobacterium Smegmatis, Nancy E. Caceres, N. Beth Harris, James F. Wellehan, Zhengyu Feng, Vivek Kapur, Raul G. Barletta

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

D-Cycloserine is an effective second-line drug against Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. To analyze the genetic determinants of D-cycloserine resistance in mycobacteria, a library of a resistant Mycobacterium smegmatis mutant was constructed. A resistant clone harboring a recombinant plasmid with a 3.1-kb insert that contained the glutamate decarboxylase (gadA) and D-alanine racemase (alrA) genes was identified. Subcloning experiments demonstrated that alrA was necessary and sufficient to confer a D-cycloserine resistance phenotype. The D-alanine racemase activities of wild-type and recombinant M. smegmatis strains were inhibited by D-cycloserine in a concentration-dependent manner. The D-cycloserine resistance phenotype in the …

Cultural, Historical, And Subcultural Contexts Of Adolescence: Implications For Health And Development, Lisa J. Crockett

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Although clearly influenced by biological and psychological growth, adolescent development is also molded by the social and cultural context in which it occurs. As the transition from childhood to adulthood, adolescence is closely tied to the structure of adult society, and the expectations for youth during this period reflect, in important ways, the skills and qualities deemed important for success in adult roles (Benedict, 1937; Havighurst, 194811972). Furthermore, prevailing demographic, economic, and political conditions determine the adult occupational and social roles to which young people can aspire, as well as the access to and competition for those roles (Elder, 1975). …

Dental Implant Drill Guide System, J. Bruce Bavitz

College of Dentistry: Faculty Publications

A method for imbedding a dental implant includes the initial step of casting a model of the patient's jaw and teeth in the vicinity of the implant site. A pilot hole is drilled in the implant site of the model, correlating to the ideal angle and location of the implant in the patient's jaw. A guide rod is provided for forming a guide hole in a stent, with a generally cylindrical shaft and a screw portion mounted at the lower end of the shaft. The screw portion is threaded into the pilot hole with the upper portion of the guide …

Individual Differences In Response To Novelty, Amphetamine-Induced Activity And Drug Discrimination In Rats, Rick A. Bevins, J. E. Klebaur, M. T. Bardo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Rats mere pre-tested in several individual difference screens - novelty-induced activity, novelty-induced place preference, novel-object interaction, and amphetamine-induced activity. Rats that were more sensitive to the locomotor effects of amphetamine were more active in an inescapable novel environment and displayed a greater preference for a novel environment. All animals were then trained to discriminate amphetamine (1 mg/kg) from saline in a two-bar discrimination procedure using food-maintained responding. After acquisition of the discrimination (mean =37 trials), two amphetamine generalization tests (0.0625,0.125,0.25,0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) were conducted. In the second generalization test, rats that were more sensitive to the activating effect …

Converging Evidence For One-Trial Context Fear Conditioning With An Immediate Shock: Importance Of Shock Potency, Rick A. Bevins, Janice E. Mcphee, Anthony S. Rauhut, John J.B. Ayres

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

In a sample of 208 Holtzman-descended albino rats, we found evidence with 4 measures of conditioning (freezing, defecation, side crossing, and nose crossing) that a single 2-s, 1.0-mA immediate shock could condition fear to a context (Experiments 1, 2, and 4). When we reduced the shock intensity to 0.5 mA, we obtained a complete immediate-shock conditioning deficit according to all measures in Experiment 3 and to all but the defecation measure in Experiment 4. Results suggest two conclusions: (a) Differences in shock potency between laboratories may help explain discrepant findings about whether immediate shock supports contextual conditioning; (b) theories of …