The role of macrophages and anti-viral antibodies in West Nile virus pathogenesis

Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on December 22, 2006)The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file."May 2006"Vita.Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2006.Since the introduction of West Nile virus into the United States in 1999, the virus has spread throughout the continental territory of the United States and it is suspected that the virus has moved present into Mexico and Canada. The emergence of this flavivirus in North America has resulted in an intense interest in the virus, leading to research efforts focused on the pathogenesis and possible treatments or methods for prevention of the disease. In the present studies, we demonstrate the ability of WNV to productively infect horse monocytes, CD4+ T lymphocytes as well as monocyte-derived macrophages. Along with these findings we report the ability of immune horse serum to induce antibody dependent enhancement of WNV infection of horse macrophages and mouse macrophages in vitro. The question of ADE in vivo was also addressed and we found that the sub-neutralizing dilutions of anti-WNV immune horse serum that induce ADE in vitro fail to induce the same effect in vivo. The serum induces protection, which is perhaps driven by the up-regulation of IL-12 in spleen during the earliest phase of infection. In brain the chemokines C-10 and MCP-5 are secreted earlier than other chemokines and cytokines, suggesting that those chemokines play an important role in the beginning of the encephalitis caused by WNV. High titers of virus in blood and spleen, as well as the ability of the virus to infect horse monocytes and CD4+ lymphocytes suggest that this virus spreads from subcutaneous tissue to the brain by a hematogenous route.Includes bibliographical reference

Ayotzinapa: Viejas luchas, nuevas formas

En el presente documento se brinda una breve crónica de lo acontecido cuando en septiembre de 2014, con la participación de elementos de la fuerza pública, se desapareció a 43 estudiantes de la Normal Rural Isidro Burgos de Ayotzinapa, Guerrero. Se da cuenta tanto de las inconsistencias de la verdad histórica presentada por el gobierno federal, como de la crisis de legitimidad que vive la actual administración que, si bien llegó con el apoyo de un porcentaje muy bajo del electorado, con el paso de los años ha visto disolver su popularidad. Por otro lado, siguiendo las ideas de Raul Zibechi y Ana Esther Ceceña se menciona que lo sucedido en Ayotzinapa debe ser visto como un emblema del capitalismo neoextractivista que aqueja nuestra región. En dicho sentido se hace énfasis a la agenda política y económica de la actual administración, con el objetivo de dar cuenta de una agudización de las contradicciones sociales, sobre todo en territorios rurales de nuestro país

Comparison of effectiveness of cefovecin, doxycycline, and amoxicillin for the treatment of experimentally induced early Lyme borreliosis in dogs

Background While Koch’s postulates have been fulfilled for Lyme disease; causing transient fever, anorexia and arthritis in young dogs; treatment of sero-positive dogs, especially asymptomatic animals, remains a topic of debate. To complicate this matter the currently recommended antibiotic treatments of Lyme Disease in dogs caused by Borrelia burgdorferi require daily oral administrations for 31 days or longer, which makes non-compliance a concern. Additionally, there is no approved veterinary antimicrobial for the treatment of Lyme Disease in dogs in the USA and few recommended treatments have been robustly tested. In vitro testing of cefovecin, a novel extended-spectrum cephalosporin, demonstrated inhibition of spirochete growth. A small pilot study in dogs indicated that two cefovecin injections two weeks apart would be as efficacious against B. burgdorferi sensu stricto as the recommended treatments using doxycycline or amoxicillin daily for 31 days. This hypothesis was tested in 17–18 week old Beagle dogs, experimentally infected with B. burgdorferisensu stricto, using wild caught ticks, 75 days prior to antimicrobial administration. Results Clinical observations for lameness were performed daily but were inconclusive as this characteristic sign of Lyme Disease rarely develops in the standard laboratory models of experimentally induced infection. However, each antibiotic tested was efficacious against B. burgdorferi as measured by a rapid elimination of spirochetes from the skin and reduced levels of circulating antibodies to B. burgdorferi. In addition, significantly less cefovecin treated animals had Lyme Disease associated histopathological changes compared to untreated dogs. Conclusions Convenia was efficacious against B. burgdorferi sensu stricto infection in dogs as determined by serological testing, PCR and histopathology results. Convenia provides an additional and effective treatment option for Lyme Disease in dogs

Vibrato de la voz cantada. Caracterización acústica y bases fisiológicas

El vibrato es uno de los ornamentos más comunes del canto clásico occidental y de la música destinada a aquellos instrumentos que pueden producirlo. El vibrato vocal corresponde físicamente a una modulación periódica sinusoidal de frecuencia fundamental de la fonación. El vibrato hace que la voz suene agradable, viva, excitante, cálida, menos mecánica que aquella que se consigue al emitir un tono plano. Da naturalidad y expresividad al sonido vocal. La mayoría de los cantantes lo consideran un elemento deseable pero no todos son capaces de desarrollarlo. Parece que la aparición del vibrato depende de un nivel técnico determinado. Se revisan las consideraciones históricas, las propiedades físicas, acústicas y aerodinámicas del vibrato. Se establecen hipótesis en lo referente a su origen y se plantean estrategias dirigidas a facilitar su desarrollo y aprendizaje

Conservation of the endemic dwarf carnivores of Cozumel Island, Mexico.

Cozumel Island, Mexico, harbours two endemic species of dwarf procyonids: the Pygmy Raccoon Procyon pygmaeus and the Dwarf Coati Nasua nelsoni. Both species are Critically Endangered, and are among the world&rsquo;s most threatened Carnivora. Here we summarise the research we have been conducting on their ecology, evolution, genetics, and conservation. We also summarise the conservation initiatives we have been undertaking and promoting in order to advance the conservation of these unique species and their habitats. This effort illustrates the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in conservation science and action in maximising effectiveness. Nevertheless, the precarious status of the species make it imperative to continue and expand the work we have carried out in Cozumel to prevent two imminent global extinctions.<br /

Energy Estimation of Cosmic Rays with the Engineering Radio Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) is part of the Pierre Auger Observatory and is used to detect the radio emission of cosmic-ray air showers. These observations are compared to the data of the surface detector stations of the Observatory, which provide well-calibrated information on the cosmic-ray energies and arrival directions. The response of the radio stations in the 30 to 80 MHz regime has been thoroughly calibrated to enable the reconstruction of the incoming electric field. For the latter, the energy deposit per area is determined from the radio pulses at each observer position and is interpolated using a two-dimensional function that takes into account signal asymmetries due to interference between the geomagnetic and charge-excess emission components. The spatial integral over the signal distribution gives a direct measurement of the energy transferred from the primary cosmic ray into radio emission in the AERA frequency range. We measure 15.8 MeV of radiation energy for a 1 EeV air shower arriving perpendicularly to the geomagnetic field. This radiation energy -- corrected for geometrical effects -- is used as a cosmic-ray energy estimator. Performing an absolute energy calibration against the surface-detector information, we observe that this radio-energy estimator scales quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy as expected for coherent emission. We find an energy resolution of the radio reconstruction of 22% for the data set and 17% for a high-quality subset containing only events with at least five radio stations with signal.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the cosmic ray spectrum above 4×10184{\times}10^{18} eV using inclined events detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory

A measurement of the cosmic-ray spectrum for energies exceeding $4{\times}10^{18}$ eV is presented, which is based on the analysis of showers with zenith angles greater than $60^{\circ}$ detected with the Pierre Auger Observatory between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013. The measured spectrum confirms a flux suppression at the highest energies. Above $5.3{\times}10^{18}$ eV, the "ankle", the flux can be described by a power law $E^{-\gamma}$ with index $\gamma=2.70 \pm 0.02 \,\text{(stat)} \pm 0.1\,\text{(sys)}$ followed by a smooth suppression region. For the energy ($E_\text{s}$) at which the spectral flux has fallen to one-half of its extrapolated value in the absence of suppression, we find $E_\text{s}=(5.12\pm0.25\,\text{(stat)}^{+1.0}_{-1.2}\,\text{(sys)}){\times}10^{19}$ eV.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8 \pm 0.7 (stat) \pm 6.7 (sys) MeV for cosmic rays with an energy of 1 EeV arriving perpendicularly to a geomagnetic field of 0.24 G, scaling quadratically with the cosmic-ray energy. A comparison with predictions from state-of-the-art first-principle calculations shows agreement with our measurement. The radiation energy provides direct access to the calorimetric energy in the electromagnetic cascade of extensive air showers. Comparison with our result thus allows the direct calibration of any cosmic-ray radio detector against the well-established energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Supplemental material in the ancillary file

Constraints on the χ_(c1) versus χ_(c2) polarizations in proton-proton collisions at √s = 8 TeV

The polarizations of promptly produced χ_(c1) and χ_(c2) mesons are studied using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, in proton-proton collisions at √s=8  TeV. The χ_c states are reconstructed via their radiative decays χ_c → J/ψγ, with the photons being measured through conversions to e⁺e⁻, which allows the two states to be well resolved. The polarizations are measured in the helicity frame, through the analysis of the χ_(c2) to χ_(c1) yield ratio as a function of the polar or azimuthal angle of the positive muon emitted in the J/ψ → μ⁺μ⁻ decay, in three bins of J/ψ transverse momentum. While no differences are seen between the two states in terms of azimuthal decay angle distributions, they are observed to have significantly different polar anisotropies. The measurement favors a scenario where at least one of the two states is strongly polarized along the helicity quantization axis, in agreement with nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics predictions. This is the first measurement of significantly polarized quarkonia produced at high transverse momentum