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Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135604/1/hep28794.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135604/2/hep28794_am.pd

Response of Breeding Birds in the Great Plains to Low Density Urban Sprawl

Low-density development consumes large tracts of the rural landscape surrounding Great Plains cities. Our objective was to determine how low-density sprawl influences the presence of birds. We used logistic regression models developed for two eastern Great Plains study areas for 1966-1990 to determine the probability of occurrence of bird species on the same areas in 1902. The two areas experienced different levels of low-density urban sprawl from 1902-1990. Birds associated with forests and forest edge are expected to decrease in both areas. Some of these are species of high concern. Dickcissel, a grassland bird, is expected to increase in the area of low sprawl, whereas several bird species associated with intense development, such as the house sparrow, are expected to increase in the area with a greater level of urban sprawl. We conclude that changes in land use and human activity associated with urbanization are influencing plains bird communities

Usable Space Versus Food Quantity in Bobwhite Habitat Management

We studied the response of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) foods (plants and invertebrates), usable space, and populations following thinning and burning on the 60,000-ha pine (Pinus spp.)-grassland restoration area in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas, to examine 2 hypotheses commonly used to manage bobwhite habitat: 1) usable space (suitable permanent cover) and 2) food quantity (an element of habitat quality). We estimated invertebrate food abundance using sweep nets and abundance of food-producing plants using herbaceous and woody stem counts. The disk of vulnerability was used to index usable space. We used whistling-male counts to index population response. Relative abundance, mass, and frequency of occurrence of invertebrate foods and richness, density, and frequency of occurrence of bobwhite food-producing plants increased following thinning and fire. Relative abundance of whistling males was greatest in thinned stands 3 growing seasons post-burn and in thinned but unburned stands. We found food supply was related to usable space following treatment. However, food abundance alone did not explain bobwhite population response, whereas, usable space was predictive for bobwhite response. By comparing treated stands with similar usable space but different food quantity, we observed no differences in bobwhite abundance. Neural models suggested bobwhite population response was less sensitive to changes in food supply relative to changes in usable space. We recommend that managers should seek first to provide usable space (suitable permanent cover in low basal area stands), recognizing that adequate food supply will likely be a side effect of management to this end

Challenge pools of hepatitis C virus genotypes 1-6 prototype strains: replication fitness and pathogenicity in chimpanzees and human liver-chimeric mouse models

Chimpanzees represent the only animal model for studies of the natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV). To generate virus stocks of important HCV variants, we infected chimpanzees with HCV strains of genotypes 1-6 and determined the infectivity titer of acute-phase plasma pools in additional animals. The courses of first- and second-passage infections were similar, with early appearance of viremia, HCV RNA titers of >10(4.7) IU/mL, and development of acute hepatitis; the chronicity rate was 56%. The challenge pools had titers of 10(3)-10(5) chimpanzee infectious doses/mL. Human liver-chimeric mice developed high-titer infections after inoculation with the challenge viruses of genotypes 1-6. Inoculation studies with different doses of the genotype 1b pool suggested that a relatively high virus dose is required to consistently infect chimeric mice. The challenge pools represent a unique resource for studies of HCV molecular virology and for studies of pathogenesis, protective immunity, and vaccine efficacy in vivo

Fire effects in native plant communities

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

The role of hepatitis E virus infection in adult Americans with acute liver failure

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Fire prescriptions for restoration and maintenance of native plant communities

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311

Fire Prescriptions for Maintenance and Restoration of Native Plant Communities

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service periodically issues revisions to its publications. The most current edition is made available. For access to an earlier edition, if available for this title, please contact the Oklahoma State University Library Archives by email at [email protected] or by phone at 405-744-6311.Natural Resource Ecology and Managemen

Acute Hepatitis E Infection Accounts for Some Cases of Suspected Drug-Induced Liver Injury

The diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury relies upon exclusion of other causes, including viral hepatitis A, B, and C. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has been proposed as another cause of suspected drug-induced liver disease. We assessed the frequency of HEV infection among patients with drug-induced liver injury in the United States

Viral expression and molecular profiling in liver tissue versus microdissected hepatocytes in hepatitis B virus - associated hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Background The molecular mechanisms whereby hepatitis B virus (HBV) induces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain elusive. We used genomic and molecular techniques to investigate host-virus interactions by studying multiple areas of the same liver from patients with HCC. Methods We compared the gene signature of whole liver tissue (WLT) versus laser capture-microdissected (LCM) hepatocytes along with the intrahepatic expression of HBV. Gene expression profiling was performed on up to 17 WLT specimens obtained at various distances from the tumor center from individual livers of 11 patients with HCC and on selected LCM samples. HBV markers in liver and serum were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confocal immunofluorescence. Results Analysis of 5 areas of the liver showed a sharp change in gene expression between the immediate perilesional area and tumor periphery that correlated with a significant decrease in the intrahepatic expression of HB surface antigen (HBsAg). The tumor was characterized by a large preponderance of down-regulated genes, mostly involved in the metabolism of lipids and fatty acids, glucose, amino acids and drugs, with down-regulation of pathways involved in the activation of PXR/RXR and PPARα/RXRα nuclear receptors, comprising PGC-1α and FOXO1, two key regulators critically involved not only in the metabolic functions of the liver but also in the life cycle of HBV, acting as essential transcription factors for viral gene expression. These findings were confirmed by gene expression of microdissected hepatocytes. Moreover, LCM of malignant hepatocytes also revealed up-regulation of unique genes associated with cancer and signaling pathways, including two novel HCC-associated cancer testis antigen genes, NUF2 and TTK. Conclusions Integrated gene expression profiling of whole liver tissue with that of microdissected hepatocytes demonstrated that HBV-associated HCC is characterized by a metabolism switch-off and by a significant reduction in HBsAg. LCM proved to be a critical tool to validate gene signatures associated with HCC and to identify genes that may play a role in hepatocarcinogenesis, opening new perspectives for the discovery of novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets