Leptospiral Hemolysins Induce Proinflammatory Cytokines Through Toll-Like Receptor 2-And 4-Mediated Jnk And Nf-Κb Signaling Pathways,
2012
Zhejiang University School of Medicine,
Leptospiral Hemolysins Induce Proinflammatory Cytokines Through Toll-Like Receptor 2-And 4-Mediated Jnk And Nf-Κb Signaling Pathways, Huan Wang, Yifei Hu, David M. Ojcius, X. Frank Yang, Chenglin Zhang, Shibiao Ding, Xu'ai Lin, Jie Yan
All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles
Infection with pathogenic Leptospira species causes serious systemic inflammation in patients. Although a few leptospiral proinflammatory molecules have been identified, Leptospira likely encodes other unidentified strong inflammation stimulators. The pathogenic L. interrogans genome encodes numerous putative hemolysin genes. Since hemolysins from other bacteria can cause inflammatory reactions, we hypothesized that leptospiral hemolysins may function as proinflammatory stimulators that contribute to the strong inflammation associated with Leptospira infection.
Regulation Of To Xin Synthesis By Clostridium Difficile,
2012
The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston
Regulation Of To Xin Synthesis By Clostridium Difficile, Charles Darkoh
Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)
Clostridium difficile is the leading definable cause of nosocomial diarrhea worldwide due to its virulence, multi-drug resistance, spore-forming ability, and environmental persistence. The incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) has been increasing exponentially in the last decade. Virulent strains of C. difficile produce either toxin A and/or toxin B, which are essential for the pathogenesis of this bacterium. Current methods for diagnosing CDI are mostly qualitative tests that detect the bacterium, the toxins, or the toxin genes. These methods do not differentiate virulent C. difficile strains that produce active toxins from non-virulent strains that do not produce toxins or produce …
Deciphering The C-Type Lectin Receptor Signaling Pathway In Macrophages In Response To Candida Albicans,
2012
The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston
Deciphering The C-Type Lectin Receptor Signaling Pathway In Macrophages In Response To Candida Albicans, Sara Gorjestani
Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)
Candida albicans causes opportunistic fungal infections in humans and is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in immune-compromised individuals. Dectin-2, a C-type lectin receptor, is required for recognition of C. albicans by innate immune cells and is required for initiation of the anti-fungal immune response. We set out to identify components of the intracellular signaling cascade downstream of Dectin-2 activation in macrophages and to understand their importance in mediating the immune response to C. albicans in vivo. Using macrophages derived from Phospholipase-C-gamma 1 and 2 (PLCγ1and PLCγ2) knockout mice, we demonstrate that PLCγ2, but not PLCγ1, is required …
Inhibition Of Burkholderia Multivorans Adhesion To Lung Epithelial Cells By Bivalent Lactosides,
2012
Institute of Technology Tallaght
Inhibition Of Burkholderia Multivorans Adhesion To Lung Epithelial Cells By Bivalent Lactosides, Ciara Wight, Rosaria Leyden, Paul V. Murphy, Máire Callaghan, Trinidad Velasco-Torrijos, Siobhan Mcclean
Articles
Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is an opportunistic pathogen in cystic fibrosis patients which is inherently resistant to antimicrobial agents. The mechanisms of attachment and pathogenesis of Bcc, a group of 17 species, are poorly understood. The most commonly identified Bcc species in newly colonised patients, Burkholderia multivorans, continues to be acquired from the environment. Development of therapies which can prevent or reduce the risk of colonization on exposure to Bcc in the environment would be a better alternative to antimicrobial agents. Previously, it has been shown that Bcc strains bound to many glycolipid receptors on lung epithelia. Using a …
Melanopsin Mediates Retrograde Visual Signaling In The
Retina,
2012
Oakland University
Melanopsin Mediates Retrograde Visual Signaling In The Retina, Dao-Qi Zhang, Michael A. Belenky, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard, Douglas G. Mcmahon
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
The canonical flow of visual signals proceeds from outer to inner retina (photoreceptors→bipolar cells→ganglion cells). However, melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells are photosensitive and functional sustained light signaling to retinal dopaminergic interneurons persists in the absence of rods and cones. Here we show that the sustained-type light response of retinal dopamine neurons requires melanopsin and that the response is mediated by AMPA-type glutamate receptors, defining a retrograde retinal visual signaling pathway that fully reverses the usual flow of light signals in retinal circuits.
Association Of Environmental Traits With The Geographic
Ranges Of Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Of Medical
And Veterinary Importance In The Western Palearctic.
A Digital Data Set,
2012
Miguel Servet
Association Of Environmental Traits With The Geographic Ranges Of Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Of Medical And Veterinary Importance In The Western Palearctic. A Digital Data Set, A. Estrada-Peña, Robert Farkas, Thomas G.T. Jaenson, Frank Koenen, Maxime Madder, Ilaria Pascucci, Mo Salman, Jordi Tarrés-Call, Frans Jongejan
Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials
We compiled information on the distribution of ticks in the western Palearctic (11oW, 45oE; 29oN, 71oN), published during 1970–2010. The literature search was filtered by the tick’s species name and an unambiguous reference to the point of capture. Records from some curated collections were included. We focused on tick species of importance to human and animal health, in particular: Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, Haemaphysalis punctata, H. sulcata, Hyalomma marginatum, Hy. lusitanicum, Rhipicephalus annulatus, R. bursa, and the R. sanguineus group. A few records of other species (I. canisuga, I. …
Diffusion Barriers Of The Lateral Ventricular System,
2012
University of Connecticut
Diffusion Barriers Of The Lateral Ventricular System, Anitha Saravanakumar
Master's Theses
Adult neurogenesis in mammalian brain has become a well-accepted phenomenon. The neural stem cells in the sub ventricular zone (SVZ) along the lateral wall of the lateral ventricle, the largest germinal center of adult neurogenesis, are maintained by the neural stem cell niche. One prominent feature of the niche is its close proximity to the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). The role of micromolecules (such as ions, water and gases) present in the CSF and diffusing through the lateral ventricular wall and how the stem cell micro-environment is maintained is poorly understood. The cytoarchitecture of the lateral ventricular wall with a …
The Anti-Tumorigenic Mushroom Agaricus Blazei Murill Enhances Il-1Β Production And Activates The Nlrp3 Inflammasome In Human Macrophages,
2012
Chang Gung University
The Anti-Tumorigenic Mushroom Agaricus Blazei Murill Enhances Il-1Β Production And Activates The Nlrp3 Inflammasome In Human Macrophages, Tsung-Teng Huang, David M. Ojcius, John Ding-E. Young, Yi-Hui Wu, Yun-Fei Ko, Tsui-Yin Wong, Cheng-Yeu Wu, Chia-Chen Lu, Hsin-Chih Lai
All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles
Agaricus blazei Murill (AbM) has been reported to possess immune activity against tumors and infections through stimulation of mononuclear phagocytes. Recently, AbM extract was shown to induce the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), in human monocytes. IL-1β is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by activated macrophages and monocytes and its secretion is strictly controlled by the inflammasome. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of AbM water extracts on the regulation of IL-1β production and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in human THP-1 macrophages. The NLRP3 inflammasome consists of an NLRP3 receptor, an adaptor protein …
Analysis Of Variable Effects On Presence Of Cryptosporidium Oocysts And Giardia Cysts In Effluent Water From Wastewater Treatment Utilities In Florida From 1998 To 2010,
2012
University of South Florida
Analysis Of Variable Effects On Presence Of Cryptosporidium Oocysts And Giardia Cysts In Effluent Water From Wastewater Treatment Utilities In Florida From 1998 To 2010, Katherine Jane Barkan
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The concern of a Cryptosporidium or Giardia waterborne outbreak due to treated wastewater has had water treatment utilities using some of the highest water cleansing technologies available. Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis are severe diarrheal diseases which can lead to death, thus it is important that appropriate steps are taken to assure these parasites are not present in the effluent of treated wastewater. This study examined the results of 863 assays for Giardia and Cryptosporidium on the effluent of wastewater treatment facilities and found that county of collection, watershed of collection, and laboratory analyzing the sample have the most significant impact on …
Characterization Of The Infectivity Of Non-Replicating Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv)-Derived Viral Vectors.,
2012
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso.
Characterization Of The Infectivity Of Non-Replicating Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv)-Derived Viral Vectors., Vanessa E. Rodriguez, Manuel Llano, Luis Valdes
COURI Symposium Abstracts, Summer 2012
The ability of HIV-derived viral vectors to integrate genes of interest into the host genome causing permanent phenotypic modifications makes them excellent tools in gene therapy. However, integration also causes insertional mutagenesis and controlling integration site selection will increase the biosafety of these molecular tools. HIV DNA integration site selection is influenced by LEDGF/p75, a chromatin-bound cellular protein that interacts with the viral enzyme integrase through the integrase binding domain (IBD). Integrase catalyzes viral DNA integration and non-covalently associates with the HIV genome forming the pre-integration complex (PIC). Therefore, interaction of chromatin-bound LEDGF/p75 with the PIC-associated integrase tethers the HIV …
High-Throughput Of Indoline Derivatives Against Leishmania Major And Trypanozoma Cruzi,
2012
Department of Biological Sciences,University of Texas at El Paso
High-Throughput Of Indoline Derivatives Against Leishmania Major And Trypanozoma Cruzi, Joanna A. Olivas, Eva E. Iniguez, Miguel A. Vasquez, Elizabeth Calzada, Katja Michael, Rosa A. Maldonado
COURI Symposium Abstracts, Summer 2012
Leishmania major and Trypanozoma cruzi are obligate intracellular parasites responsible for Leishmaniasis and Chaga’s disease, respectively. These neglected diseases are endemic in many regions such as Africa and South America, and are becoming a serious problem in the blood and tissue banks in the U.S. due to high immigration of people from endemic regions. Current treatments are characterized by their low efficacy against parasites and high toxicity in humans. Therefore, the discovery of new ways to treat these parasitoses has become urgent. Drug Screening of novel compounds serves as a starting point for the design of new therapies and for …
Cholesterol Degradation Pathways As Therapeutic Targets In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis,
2012
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
Cholesterol Degradation Pathways As Therapeutic Targets In Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Veronica Escalante, Johnathan Abou-Fadel, Rhone A. Mendoza, Hugues Ouellet
COURI Symposium Abstracts, Summer 2012
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is an intracellular pathogen responsible for about 2 million deaths worldwide annually. During infection, Mtb faces the nutrient-deficient environment of the macrophage phagosome and switches to lipids, including cholesterol, as its main source or carbon and energy. Extensive work has been done on the cholesterol AB rings degradation, but much less is known about the degradation of the CD rings and aliphatic side-chain, which are thought to be shortened by β-oxidation reactions. In this study, we investigate the role of four fadD (fadD3, fadD17, fadD19 and fadD36) and eight fadE ( …
Assessment Of A Microbicide Candidate Among A Diverse Cohort Of Urban Southern Us Women And Their Male Sexual Partners,
2012
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Assessment Of A Microbicide Candidate Among A Diverse Cohort Of Urban Southern Us Women And Their Male Sexual Partners, Paula M. Frew, Kimberly Parker, Takeia Horton, Brooke Hixson, Lisa Flowers, Frances Priddy, Lisa Grohskopf, Christine Mauck, Kimberly Workowski
Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research
Background: This mixed methods study reports on product acceptance from a Phase I clinical trial of a candidate non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) vaginal microbicide product (UC781). The product was evaluated in the context of a Phase I clinical trial in an area characterized by high HIV prevalence among minority women. The findings will inform the development of an acceptable microbicide that will address the needs of diverse women and their partners. Methods: This is a mixed methods study of 34 racially and ethnically diverse female participants and 10 male partners in Atlanta, Georgia. Chi-square tests for marginal homogeneity and …
Efficacy Comparison Of Various Pcr Master Mixes And Thermal Cycling Parameters For Detection Of Brucella Abortus In Multiplex Assays,
2012
California State University - Stanislaus
Efficacy Comparison Of Various Pcr Master Mixes And Thermal Cycling Parameters For Detection Of Brucella Abortus In Multiplex Assays, Kevin J. Testo, Jason A. Olivas, Alda C. Carrillo, Pejman Naraghi-Arani
STAR Program Research Presentations
Diagnostic testing for bioterrorism agents in food is essential for the safety and welfare of the general populace. Multiplex assays provide the means to test for multiple pathogen signatures with a single polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. PCR, Luminex xMAP ® infrared fluorophore bead technology, and flow cytometry, multiplex diagnostic assays are incredibly specific and sensitive to highly conserved regions at various loci in a microbe’s genome. In order to increase the effectiveness of the PCR and the resulting fluorescent response of the beads, different PCR master mix commercial kits were compared to the standard AgPath RT-PCR mix. This study …
Gastrointestinal Cell Mediated Immunity And The Microsporidia,
2012
George Washington University
Gastrointestinal Cell Mediated Immunity And The Microsporidia, Magali M. Moretto, Imtiaz A. Khan, Louis M. Weiss
Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications
No abstract provided.
Germline Transgenesis And Insertional Mutagenesis In Schistosoma Mansoni Mediated By Murine Leukemia Virus,
2012
George Washington University
Germline Transgenesis And Insertional Mutagenesis In Schistosoma Mansoni Mediated By Murine Leukemia Virus, Gabriel Rinaldi, Sabine E. Eckert, Isheng J. Tsai, Suttas Suttiprapa, Kristine J. Kines, Jose F. Tort, Victoria H. Mann, Daniel J. Turner, Matthew Berriman, Paul J. Brindley
Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications
Functional studies will facilitate characterization of role and essentiality of newly available genome sequences of the human schistosomes, Schistosoma mansoni, S. japonicum and S. haematobium. To develop transgenesis as a functional approach for these pathogens, we previously demonstrated that pseudotyped murine leukemia virus (MLV) can transduce schistosomes leading to chromosomal integration of reporter transgenes and short hairpin RNA cassettes. Here we investigated vertical transmission of transgenes through the developmental cycle of S. mansoni after introducing transgenes into eggs. Although MLV infection of schistosome eggs from mouse livers was efficient in terms of snail infectivity, >10-fold higher transgene copy …
Vasa-Like Dead-Box Rna Helicases Of Schistosoma Mansoni,
2012
George Washington University
Vasa-Like Dead-Box Rna Helicases Of Schistosoma Mansoni, Danielle E. Skinner, Gabriel Rinaldi, Sutas Suttiprapa, Victoria H. Mann, Pablo Smircich, Alexis A. Cogswell, David L. Williams, Paul J. Brindley
Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine Faculty Publications
Genome sequences are available for the human blood flukes, Schistosoma japonicum, S. mansoni and S. haematobium. Functional genomic approaches could aid in identifying the role and importance of these newly described schistosome genes. Transgenesis is established for functional genomics in model species, which can lead to gain- or loss-of-functions, facilitate vector-based RNA interference, and represents an effective forward genetics tool for insertional mutagenesis screens. Progress toward routine transgenesis in schistosomes might be expedited if germ cells could be reliably localized in cultured schistosomes. Vasa, a member of the ATP-dependent DEAD-box RNA helicase family, is a prototypic marker of …
Detection Of European Strain Of Echinococcus Multilocularis In North America,
2012
University of Saskatchewan
Detection Of European Strain Of Echinococcus Multilocularis In North America, Emily J. Jenkins, Andrew S. Peregrine, Janet E. Hill, Christopher Somers, Karen Gesy, Brian Barnes, Bruno Gottstein, Lydden Polley
Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials
To the Editor: In 2009, an alveolar hydatid cyst, the intermediate stage of the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis, was detected in the liver of a dog from Quesnel, British Columbia (BC), Canada, 600 km west of the nearest known record of this parasite in central North America. Alveolar hydatid cysts normally occur in rodent intermediate hosts. However, humans can serve as aberrant intermediate hosts; cysts generally originate in the liver and, in about one third of cases, metastasize throughout the body. Detection of the larval stage of this pathogen in an unusual host in a new geographic region required application …
Host Pathogen Interactions: Is Arabidopsis Thaliana Remembered By Its Nemesis Pseudomonas Syringae?,
2012
Lawrence University
Host Pathogen Interactions: Is Arabidopsis Thaliana Remembered By Its Nemesis Pseudomonas Syringae?, Daniel Z. Kreiser
Lawrence University Honors Projects
Plants contain innate immune systems that deter pathogen infection. Pattern recognition receptors bind microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), triggering immunity. MAMPs are proteins exclusive to pathogens that are typically indispensable for their survival. For this reason, MAMPs cannot be mutated or removed without causing pathogen death. However, this does not necessitate constitutive expression of MAMPs. In this study, the MAMP response of Arabidopsis thaliana was utilized to determine differential detection of MAMPs expressed by Pseudomonas syringe pv. tomato DC3000 when pretreated with A. thaliana. Results demonstrated that more MAMPs are detected when P. syringae had previously encountered A. thaliana, …
Cloning And Purification Of Sas0397 From Community Associated Staphylococcus Aureus,
2012
Indiana State University
Cloning And Purification Of Sas0397 From Community Associated Staphylococcus Aureus, Amber Wannemacher, H. Kathleen Dannelly
Symposium 2012
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a unique bacterium that can cause painful abscesses that require surgical treatment and can be confined to the skin surface or burrow into the skin causing life-threatening infections. There are two types of MRSA: hospital associated-MRSA (HA-MRSA) and community associated-MRSA (CA-MRSA). Community associated-MRSA is acquired through direct contact with an infected individual or sharing of personal items and is often seen in locations such as athletic facilities, dormitories, and daycare centers. This study involves cloning and purification of SAS0397, a putative exported protein predicted, according to bioinformatics, to be unique to community associated Staphylococcus …
