The Gods Have Taken Thought for Them : Syncretic Animal Symbolism in Medieval European Magic

This thesis investigates syncretic animal symbolism within medieval European occult systems. The major question that this work seeks to answer is: what does the ubiquity and importance of magical animals and animal magic reveal about overarching medieval perceptions of the world? In response, I utilize the emerging subfield of Animal History as a theoretical framework to draw attention to an understudied yet highly relevant aspect of occult theory and practice. This work argues that medieval Europeans lived in a fundamentally “enchanted” world compared to our modern age, where the permeable boundaries between physical and spiritual planes imbued nature and its creatures with intrinsic power. In addition, with the increasingly pervasive influence of Christianity, animals took on supplementary and often negative symbolic dimensions within evolving magical systems, yet retained their sense of power within a new syncretic context. By surveying classical occult inheritance, the pervasive influence of Christian doctrine, the use of animals in medical magic, and their rich symbolic potential within medieval literature, this interdisciplinary work highlights the multifaceted medley of Christian and pagan elements that became intertwined in daily life despite seeming doctrinal opposition. Although further scholarly research has yet to be done, analyzing understandings of a world filled with intrinsic occult power offers a valuable and revealing contrast to an age of increasingly sharpened boundaries between animals, human beings, the cosmic realm, and nature

High Resolution Fractionation, Characterization, and Studies of ADP-Ribose Polymers

A method for the high resolution fractionation of ADP-ribose polymers has been developed that allows isolation of highly purified polymers of defined size and branching fequency. The key features of the method are purification using dihydroxyboronyl-BioRex 70 and fractionation by anion exchange HPLC

Endometrial Histopathology in Patients with Laparoscopic Proven Salpingitis and HIV-1 Infection

Study Objective. To identify sensitive and specific histological criteria for endometritis in women with laparoscopically-confirmed acute salpingitis. Methods. Women, age 18–40 years of age presenting with complaints of lower abdominal pain ≤2 weeks and no antibiotics use in past two weeks, were enrolled. They underwent clinical examination, screening for HIV; other sexually transmitted infections plus endometrial biopsy sampling for histopathology. Diagnostic laparoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of acute salpingitis. Controls were women undergoing tubal ligation and HIV-1 infected women asymptomatic for genital tract infection. Results. Of 125 women with laparoscopically-confirmed salpingitis, 38% were HIV-1 seropositive. Nineteen HIV-1 negative controls were recruited. For the diagnosis of endometritis, ≥1 plasma cells (PC) and ≥3 polymorphonuclear lymphocytes (PMN) per HPF in the endometrium had a sensitivity of 74% for HIV-1-seropositive, 63% for HIV-1-seronegative women with a specificity of 75% and positive predictive value of 85% regardless of HIV-1-infection for predicting moderate to severe salpingitis. For HIV-1-seronegative women with mild salpingitis, ≥1 PC and ≥3 PMN had a sensitivity of 16% and a PPV of 57%. Conclusion. Endometrial histology, did not perform well as a surrogate marker for moderate to severe salpingitis, and failed as a surrogate marker for mild salpingitis

Etiology of Persistent Tubo-Ovarian Abscess in Nairobi, Kenya

Objective To study the microbial etiology of tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). Methods We recruited 11 women in Nairobi, Kenya who failed antibiotic therapy alone and required surgical drainage of a presumptive TOA. Pus from the nine abscesses and two pyosalpinges were collected and cultured for aerobic, facultative and anaerobic microorganisms. Results Eleven women suspected of having a TOA were hospitalized and treated for a median of 6 days (range 3–14 days) prior to surgical drainage of the abscess. Nine (82%) specimens were culture positive. Aerobes were present in all nine specimens. Seven of the nine positive cultures (78%) were polymicrobial and five of the polymicrobial cultures contained both anaerobes and aerobes. Anaerobic Gram-negative bacilli (Prevotella sp., Porphyromonas sp. and Bacteroides sp., Escherichia coli ) and Streptococcus sp. ( S. viridans and S. agalactiae) were the most common microorganisms isolated. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis were not isolated by culture or detected by polymerase chain reaction. Conclusions In Kenya, persistent TOAs are associated with endogenous flora similar to that normally found in the gastrointestinal tract

Arcobacter butzleri: Underestimated Enteropathogen

Molecular methods applied to 2,855 strains of Campylobacter-like organisms received from a surveillance network of Campylobacter infections in France identified 29 Arcobacter butzleri infections. This species ranks fourth for Campylobacteraceae isolation and appears to have the same pathogenic potential as the other species in the genus

Arcobacter Species in Humans1

During an 8-year study period, Arcobacter butzleri was the fourth most common Campylobacter-like organism isolated from 67,599 stool specimens. Our observations suggest that A. butzleri displays microbiologic and clinical features similar to those of Campylobacter jejuni; however, A. butzleri is more frequently associated with a persistent, watery diarrhea

Helicobacter cinaedi Induced Typhlocolitis in Rag-2-Deficient Mice

Background Helicobacter cinaedi, an enterohepatic helicobacter species (EHS), is an important human pathogen and is associated with a wide range of diseases, especially in immunocompromised patients. It has been convincingly demonstrated that innate immune response to certain pathogenic enteric bacteria is sufficient to initiate colitis and colon carcinogenesis in recombinase-activating gene (Rag)-2-deficient mice model. To better understand the mechanisms of human IBD and its association with development of colon cancer, we investigated whether H. cinaedi could induce pathological changes noted with murine enterohepatic helicobacter infections in the Rag2[superscript −/−] mouse model. Materials and Methods Sixty 129SvEv Rag2[superscript −/−] mice mouse were experimentally or sham infected orally with H. cinaedi strain CCUG 18818. Gastrointestinal pathology and immune responses in infected and control mice were analyzed at 3, 6 and 9 months postinfection (MPI). H. cinaedi colonized the cecum, colon, and stomach in infected mice. Results H. cinaedi induced typhlocolitis in Rag2[superscript −/−] mice by 3 MPI and intestinal lesions became more severe by 9 MPI. H. cinaedi was also associated with the elevation of proinflammatory cytokines, interferon-γ, tumor-necrosis factor-α, IL-1β, IL-10; iNOS mRNA levels were also upregulated in the cecum of infected mice. However, changes in IL-4, IL-6, Cox-2, and c-myc mRNA expressions were not detected. Conclusions Our results indicated that the Rag2[superscript −/−] mouse model will be useful to continue investigating the pathogenicity of H. cinaedi, and to study the association of host immune responses in IBD caused by EHS.United States. National Institutes of Health (R01-0D011141)United States. National Institutes of Health (R01-CA067529)United States. National Institutes of Health (P30-ES002109)United States. National Institutes of Health (P01-CA026731