Migrant Ridesharing Drivers in San Francisco: A Case of Blocked Mobility?

Migrants have long turned to self-employment in host country labor markets due to not only racial and ethnic prejudices, but also issues of local language proficiency and lack of recognition of the academic degree from the sending country. The taxi industry, one particular occupational niche dominated by migrants, has long been studied by scholars. However, the industry has evolved into a newer and understudied form of transportation: ridesharing. This study argues that in the case of the ridesharing industry, drivers did indeed turn to the occupation because of factors such as insufficient English language level and foreign academic degrees, but also age and personal family matters. Participants were attracted to the ridesharing industry in large part because of the flexibility and level of compensation provided. As a whole, participants saw ridesharing as the best option available to them in an otherwise unsuitable labor market

Molecular prevalence, phylogenetic characterization and benzimidazole resistance of Haemonchus contortus from sheep Koyunlarda Haemonchus contortus’un moleküler prevalansı, filogenetik karakterizasyonu ve benzimidazol dirençliliği

© 2016 Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi. All rights reserved.This study was conducted to determine the molecular prevalence and characterization of Haemonchus contortus from sheep along with the benzimidazole (BZ) resistance in H. contortus populations. Fecal samples were collected from a total of 300 sheep in research area and analyzed by fecal flotation. qPCR assays were utilized on trichostrongylid egg positive samples in order to identify H. contortus. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on ribosomal ITS-2 and mt-COI gene regions. BZ sensitive and resistant allele frequencies were determined by qPCR along with sequence analyses of the ß-tubulin isotype 1 gene for single nucleotide polimorphizms (SNPs). H. contortus was identified in 36 (24.8%) out of 145 trichostrongylid egg positive samples. H. contortus isolates showed 100.0% identity to each other and 0.1% difference with the isolates available in the GenBank based on phylogenetic analyses of ITS-2 gene while mt-COI analyses of the isolates exhibited a mean of 97.4±0.5% identity to each other and 5.5±0.8% difference with the isolates in GenBank. BZ sensitive and resistant allele frequencies in H. contortus populations were determined as 87.1%±16.2 and 12.9%±16.2, respectively. SNPs were detected only in the codon 200 of the sequenced isolates belong to resistant allele. This study provides the first data on molecular prevalence, phylogenetic characterization and BZ resistance in H. contortus populations from sheep in Turkey

Comparative Diagnosis of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in Cattle by Reverse Line Blotting, Nested PCR and Real Time PCR Techniques

This study was carried out to compare Reverse Line Blotting (RLB), Nested PCR and Real Time PCR techniques in the molecular diagnosis of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in cattle. Genomic DNA extractions were performed on 400 blood samples which were previously collected from cattle in various provinces of Turkey and stored in the laboratory with respect to use in different project studies. The concentrations of the DNAs were measured in NanoDrop spectrophotometer and analyzed by RLB, Nested PCR and Real Time PCR techniques after preparing the suitable concentrations. Totally 18 (4.50%), 59 (14.75%), 16 (4.00%) and 2 (0.50%) of examined samples were found to be infected with B. bovis, B. bigemina, Babesia spp. and B. bovis + B. bigemina mix, respectively by RLB. 23 (5.75%), 71 (17.75%), 7 (1.75%) and 23 (5.75%), 75 (18.75%), 9 (2.00%) of the examined samples were found to be infected with B. bovis, B. bigemina and B. bovis + B. bigemina mix by Nested PCR and Real Time PCR, respectively. When comparing the Nested PCR and RLB results with Real Time PCR assay, 94.4% and 88.8% sensitivity and both 100.0% specificity were determined, respectively. 5, 9 and 2 out of the total 16 Babesia spp. positivity's in RLB test were determined as B. bigemina, B. bovis, B. bovis + B. bigemina mix, respectively by both Real Time and Nested PCR. In conclusion, Real Time PCR was found to be more sensitive than Nested PCR and RLB in the investigation of B. bovis and B. bigemina in cattle with this study

Molecular characterization and expression of the apical membrane antigen-1 from in vivo and in vitro isolates of Babesia bigemina Kayseri/Turkey strain

This study was performed to molecular characterization and expression of AMA-1 protein molecules of in vivo and in vitro cultivated and passaged isolates from "Babesia bigemina Kayseri/Turkey" strain, and also to determine the possible polymorphisms of these molecules due to the attenuation of the isolates. For this aim, target gene was completely amplified by PCR after isolation of genomic DNA and total RNA from the in vivo and in vitro cultivated isolates which were obtained from Babesia bigemina Kaysen/Turkey strain. The isolates were cloned into suitable vectors after PCR analysis. The cloned isolates were sequenced and the obtained sequences were deposited in GenBank with accession numbers KP000032-33. Multiple and pairwise alignments of the sequences were performed and phylogenies were investigated. The obtained recombinant plasmids were transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells and expressed after induction with IPTG. The target proteins were analyzed by using SDS-PAGE and Western Blot techniques. Nucleotide sequences of Kayseri/Turkey IV1 and Kayseri/Turkey IT2 isolates showed 99.7% identity to each other and a difference (0.2%) was also determined in ammo acid sequences of these two isolates due to a mutation in 103(rd) nucleotide. According to results of SDS-PAGE and Western Blot analyses, the BbigAMA-1 isolates were expressed with a molecular mass of 72 kDa m different IPTG concentration levels and time penods. In conclusion, attenuation-related polymorphic sites that indicate the mutational differences between AMA-1 nucleotide and ammo acid sequences from in vivo and in vitro isolates of Babesia bigemina Kayseri/Turkey strain were revealed with this study

Detection and molecular characterization of the Wolbachia Endobacteria in the Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) specimens collected from Kayseri province of Turkey

This study was performed to investigate Wolbachia endobacteria in Culex pipiens specimens collected from Kayseri province of Turkey. For this aim, totally 10 genomic DNA pools each including 6-15 Cx. pipiens specimens which were collected and identified within the scope of a project (No: 1070533) supported by TUBITAK, were examined by using the amplification of surface protein gene (wsp) region of the Wolbachia. The sequences from this gene were highly variable and could be used to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of different Wolbachia strains. After the genomic DNA extraction from the pools, PCR analyses were carried out with Wolbachia specific primer pair which was amplified a 590-632 bp region of the wsp gene. Out of 6 of the 10 examined genomic DNA pools were found to be positive (60.0%) by PCR analyses. The minimum infection rate of Wolbachia spp. in the totally analyzed 118 Cx. pipens specimens was determined as 5.08. One of the amplicon from the positive isolates was gel purified and sequenced in terms of wsp gene region of Wolbachia by using the same primers. Pair wise analyses of the obtained DNA sequences and multiple alignments with some other Wolbachia strains available in the GenBank were done and phylogenies were investigated. The obtained isolate (WolKys1) was deposited in GenBank International Nucleotide Sequence Database with the accession number JX474753. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that the obtained WolKys1 isolate belongs to Wolbachia Super Group B and wPIP group. According to the phylogenetic comparisons the WolKys1 showed 100.0% identity with some other Wolbachia isolates under the Group B. In conclusion, this study reports the first molecular detection and characterization of Wolbachia endobacteria in Cx. pipiens populations in Turkey

The investigation of some tick-borne protozoon and rickettsial infections in dogs by Real Time PCR and the molecular characterizations of the detected isolates Köpeklerde kene kaynakli{dotless} bazi{dotless} protozoon ve rickettsial enfeksiyonlari{dotless}n Real Time PCR ile araşti{dotless}ri{dotless}lmasi{dotless} ve saptanan izolatlari{dotless}n moleküler karakterizasyonlari{dotless}

This study was conducted to investigate Babesia canis vogeli, B. canis canis, B. canis rossi, B. gibsoni, Hepatozoon canis, Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum species, and to determine the molecular characterizations of the isolates in totally 400 whole blood samples of dogs in Kayseri region. According to the Real Time PCR results, the prevalence of E.canis, B.canis canis, B. gibsoni, A. phagocytophilum, H. canis, and B. canis vogeli was detected as 14.5%, 12.0%, 9.0%, 7.8%, 5.3%, and 2.3%, respectively while B.canis rossi was not detected in the examined samples. 182 (89.7%) out of the 400 samples were found to be infected with a single parasite species, and 21 (10.3%) were found to be infected with two species. According to the pairwise comparisons of 18S rRNA gene region of the isolates under B. canis canis, B.canis vogeli and B. gibsoni, 1.4±0.2%, 0.3±0.2%, and 0.9±0.3% genetic distance were detected with the other similar isolates from the world, respectively. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence alignments, 100% identity was found among the 3 isolates of E. canis while 0.1% genetic difference was determined with the isolates from the world. With respect to ankA gene region of A. phagocytophilum, 99.8±0.2% identity and 0.9±0.3% genetic difference were found among the 3 isolates obtained from Kayseri region and the isolates from the world, respectively. The 2 H. canis isolates were showed 100% identity to each other and 0.2±0.1% genetic difference were determined with the other isolates from the world with respect to 18S rRNA gene region. In conclusion, the molecular prevalence of tick-borne protozoon and rickettsial infections in dogs in Kayseri region was determined and the molecular characterizations of the obtained isolates were performed by analyzing the various gene regions in this study. All isolates were recorded to GenBank