219 research outputs found
Emerging infectious disease : ecological niche modeling and molecular identification of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in rodents from Oklahoma and Louisiana.
Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) have devastating effects on wildlife. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic EID that causes eosinophilic meningitis in humans and neurological illnesses in wildlife. Because A. cantonensis has been documented worldwide and continues to spread, it is a clear example of an EID of potential pathogenicity to both humans and wildlife. The advent of modeling techniques to predict the geographic distribution of pathogens, in conjunction with modern molecular genetics, provides a unique opportunity to gain insight into the distribution of A. cantonensis, and evaluate methods of disease surveillance. I used the modeling program Maxent in combination with IPCC bioclimatic variables to build an ENM to predict current and future distributions of A. cantonensis. I tested these predictions by sampling rodents in SE Oklahoma and Louisiana and analyzing tissues for the parasite using qPCR. Out of 34 samples identified as positive, sequencing analysis revealed only three definitive identifications, one from Sigmodon hispidus and two from Rattus norvegicus. The remaining 31 samples were classified as "false positives" by qPCR. Sequences from positive samples were compared to those on GenBank through BLAST with a match to A. cantonensis. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed relationships by comparing positive sample sequences to A. cantonensis and two closely related species, Angiostrongylus vasorum and Angiostrongylus costaricensis. All phylogenetic methods grouped positive samples and A. cantonensis with 100% confidence. The projected future distribution for A. cantonensis indicates an overall decrease in suitable habitat and a range shift. The findings from this study alter our current perspective of A. cantonensis within the United States, and demonstrate the successful application of two important epidemiological techniques that may be applied more broadly to a variety of EIDs
Who\u27s not dieting in America and who should be? Results from the 1994-1996 Diet and Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS 1994-1996)
The rising rates of obesity and overweight are contributing to higher costs for the individual and the nation, both medically and financially. There is a greater need for education and other preventive measures, but in order to tailor such programs effectively to the individuals most in need, it is important to examine the current trends, knowledge, and practices of adults in the United States. Previous research has examined the prevalence rates and practices of specific populations and individuals in limited geographical locations but, due to obvious constraints, few nationally representative samples have been examined. This study analyzed the results of the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey 1994-1996 (DHKS 1994-1996) in the context of dieting and nutritional knowledge and practices of adults in the United States. Factor analyses were conducted on the dietary knowledge and practices portion of the survey for data reduction. To examine the effects of various demographic variables on dietary knowledge and practices, the resulting subscales and various demographic variables were subjected to multivariate analyses. This study also employed logistic regression analyses to examine who is currently dieting and the likelihood of a health professional as the source of the diet. The factor analyses resulted in an interview with 50 key questions and 12 factors related to the consequences of poor nutrition, dietary beliefs, dietary practices, and dietary knowledge. Results indicated that dieters were most likely to be females and individuals with higher income, higher BMI level, and higher education. Among dieters, individuals with a medical condition were more likely to report a health professional as the source of their diet. Dieters also tended to report healthier dietary practices than non-dieters. Additional main effects and interactions are discussed further
Do overweight inactive parents raise overweight inactive children? Examination of the influence of the home environment on weight status of children over time
The primary aim of this study was to test whether body mass index (BMI), psychosocial, and behavioral parental variables were associated with similar variables in children at baseline, and whether these variables also served as significant predictors of overweight status in children after two years. While there have been several cross-sectional studies examining the impact of parental behaviors and characteristics on similar variables in children, and several longitudinal studies predicting weight status, BMI percentile, and risk factors of disease in children over time, there is a paucity of research that has identified (cross-sectionally) and then tested (longitudinally) significant parental variables as predictors of weight status in children over time. The current study sought to expand this literature. It was hypothesized that parental variables such as weight, activity level, social support, and eating habits would be associated with BMI percentile, eating attitudes, food selection, energy consumption, and activity level of their children at baseline. These parental and environmental variables were then tested as predictors of the children’s weight status after two years. Cross-sectional results provided partial support for the hypotheses, whereby less active caregivers with higher BMI’s, less social support, and unhealthy dietary habits were associated with heavier children who consumed more calories, reported lower self-esteem, fewer dieting attitudes and behaviors, had a higher preoccupation with food, and consumed more calories from fat. However, the significant cross-sectional parental correlates at baseline were not significant predictors of weight status in children after two years. In order to design more effective environmental interventions, future studies should primarily utilize longitudinal data from all family members to gain further insight into significant relationships between family members’ weight, activity, and health status over time
Dissection of the Role of the Stable Signal Peptide of the Arenavirus Envelope Glycoprotein in Membrane Fusion
The arenavirus envelope glycoprotein (GPC) retains a stable signal peptide (SSP) as an essential subunit in the mature complex. The 58-amino-acid residue SSP comprises two membrane-spanning hydrophobic regions separated by a short ectodomain loop that interacts with the G2 fusion subunit to promote pH-dependent membrane fusion. Small-molecule compounds that target this unique SSP-G2 interaction prevent arenavirus entry and infection. The interaction between SSP and G2 is sensitive to the phylogenetic distance between New World (Junin) and Old World (Lassa) arenaviruses. For example, heterotypic GPC complexes are unable to support virion entry. In this report, we demonstrate that the hybrid GPC complexes are properly assembled, proteolytically cleaved, and transported to the cell surface but are specifically defective in their membrane fusion activity. Chimeric SSP constructs reveal that this incompatibility is localized to the first transmembrane segment of SSP (TM1). Genetic changes in TM1 also affect sensitivity to small-molecule fusion inhibitors, generating resistance in some cases and inhibitor dependence in others. Our studies suggest that interactions of SSP TM1 with the transmembrane domain of G2 may be important for GPC-mediated membrane fusion and its inhibition
Prospective Longitudinal Study of the Pregnancy DNA Methylome: The US Pregnancy, Race, Environment, Genes (PREG) Study
Purpose The goal of the Pregnancy, Race, Environment, Genes study was to understand how social and environmental determinants of health (SEDH), pregnancy-specific environments (PSE) and biological processes influence the timing of birth and account for the racial disparity in preterm birth. The study followed a racially diverse longitudinal cohort throughout pregnancy and included repeated measures of PSE and DNA methylation (DNAm) over the course of gestation and up to 1 year into the postpartum period. Participants All women were between 18 and 40 years of age with singleton pregnancies and no diagnosis of diabetes or indication of assisted reproductive technology. Both mother and father had to self-identify as either African-American (AA) or European-American (EA). Maternal peripheral blood samples along with self-report questionnaires measuring SEDH and PSE factors were collected at four pregnancy visits, and umbilical cord blood was obtained at birth. A subset of participants returned for two additional postpartum visits, during which additional questionnaires and maternal blood samples were collected. The pregnancy and postpartum extension included n=240 (AA=126; EA=114) and n=104 (AA=50; EA=54), respectively. Findings to date One hundred seventy-seven women (AA=89, EA=88) met full inclusion criteria out of a total of 240 who were initially enrolled. Of the 63 participants who met exclusion criteria after enrolment, 44 (69.8%) were associated with a medical reason. Mean gestational age at birth was significantly shorter for the AA participants by 5.1 days (M=272.5 (SD=10.5) days vs M=277.6 (SD=8.3)). Future plans Future studies will focus on identifying key environmental factors that influence DNAm change across pregnancy and account for racial differences in preterm birth
Impact of Bio-alcohol Fuels Combustion on Particulate Matter (PM) Morphology from Efficient Gasoline Direct Injection Engines
The Na 8200 Angstrom Doublet as an Age Indicator in Low-Mass Stars
We investigate the use of the gravity sensitive neutral sodium (NaI) doublet
at 8183 Angstroms 8195 Angstroms (Na 8200 Angstrom doublet) as an age indicator
for M dwarfs. We measured the Na doublet equivalent width (EW) in giants, old
dwarfs, young dwarfs, and candidate members of the Beta Pic moving group using
medium resolution spectra. Our Na 8200 Angstrom doublet EW analysis shows that
the feature is useful as an approximate age indicator in M-type dwarfs with
(V-K_s) >= 5.0, reliably distinguishing stars older and younger than 100 Myr. A
simple derivation of the dependence of the Na EW on temperature and gravity
supports the observational results. An analysis of the effects of metallicity
show that this youth indicator is best used on samples with similar
metallicity. The age estimation technique presented here becomes useful in a
mass regime where traditional youth indicators are increasingly less reliable,
is applicable to other alkali lines, and will help identify new-low mass
members in other young clusters and associations.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures, accepted to the Astronomical Journa
No Confirmed New Isolated Neutron Stars In The SDSS Data Release 4
We report on follow-up observations of candidate X-ray bright, radio-quiet
isolated neutron stars (INSs) identified from correlations of the ROSAT All-Sky
Survey (RASS) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 4 in
Ag\"ueros et al. (2006). We obtained Chandra X-ray Telescope exposures for 13
candidates in order to pinpoint the source of X-ray emission in optically blank
RASS error circles. These observations eliminated 12 targets as good INS
candidates. We discuss subsequent observations of the remaining candidate with
the XMM-Newton X-ray Observatory, the Gemini North Observatory, and the Apache
Point Observatory. We identify this object as a likely extragalactic source
with an unusually high log(fX/fopt) ~ 2.4. We also use an updated version of
the population synthesis models of Popov et al. (2010) to estimate the number
of RASS-detected INSs in the SDSS Data Release 7 footprint. We find that these
models predict ~3-4 INSs in the 11,000 square deg imaged by SDSS, which is
consistent with the number of known INSs that fall within the survey footprint.
In addition, our analysis of the four new INS candidates identified by Turner
et al. (2010) in the SDSS footprint implies that they are unlikely to be
confirmed as INSs; together, these results suggest that new INSs are not likely
to be found from further correlations of the RASS and SDSS.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables; accepted for publication in A
CAF-derived MFAP5 is a novel transcription regulator for immune checkpoint CD47 in ovarian cancer
https://openworks.mdanderson.org/sumexp23/1115/thumbnail.jp
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