72 research outputs found
Histological variation of early stage atherosclerotic lesions in baboons after prolonged challenge with high-cholesterol, highfat diet
IntroductionâThe baboon is a well-characterized model of human early stage atherosclerosis. However, histological and morphological changes involved in atherogenesis in baboons are not known. Previously we challenged baboons with a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet for two years and observed fatty streak and plaque lesions in iliac arteries (RCIA). MethodsâWe evaluated histological and morphological changes of baboon arterial lesions and control arteries. In addition, we evaluated the vascular expression of CD68 and SMαA markers with progression of atherosclerosis. ResultsâWe observed changes that correlated with extent of atherosclerosis, including increased maximum intimal thickness. We demonstrated at molecular level the infiltration of smooth muscle cells and macrophages into the intimal layer. Further, we observed histological and morphological discordancy between the affected and adjacent areas of the same RCIA. ConclusionâAtherogenesis in baboons is accompanied by histological, morphological and molecular changes, as in humans, providing insights to evaluate the mechanisms underlying early stage atherosclerosis in target tissues
Diet-induced early-stage atherosclerosis in baboons: lipoproteins, atherogenesis, and arterial compliance
Background The purpose of this study was to determine if dietary manipulation can reliably induce early-stage atherosclerosis and clinically relevant changes in vascular function in an established, well-characterized nonhuman primate model. Methods We fed 112 baboons a high cholesterol, high fat challenge diet for two years. We assayed circulating biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, at 0, 7, and 104 weeks into the challenge; assessed arterial compliance noninvasively at 104 weeks; and measured atherosclerotic lesions in three major arteries at necropsy. Results We observed evidence of atherosclerosis in all but one baboon fed the two-year challenge diet. CVD risk biomarkers, the prevalence, size, and complexity of arterial lesions, plus consequent arterial stiffness, were increased in comparison to dietary control animals. Conclusions Feeding baboons a high cholesterol, high fat diet for two years reliably induces atherosclerosis, with risk factor profiles, arterial lesions, and changes in vascular function also seen in humans
Phenotypic and Functional Signatures of Peripheral Blood and Spleen Compartments of Cynomolgus Macaques Infected With T. cruzi: Associations With Cardiac Histopathological Characteristics
We performed a detailed analysis of immunophenotypic features of circulating leukocytes and spleen cells from cynomolgus macaques that had been naturally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, identifying their unique and shared characteristics in relation to cardiac histopathological lesion status. T. cruzi-infected macaques were categorized into three groups: asymptomatic [CCC(-)], with mild chronic chagasic cardiopathy [CCC(+)], or with moderate chronic chagasic cardiopathy [CCC(++)]. Our findings demonstrated significant differences in innate and adaptive immunity cells of the peripheral blood and spleen compartments, by comparison with non-infected controls. CCC(+) and CCC(++) hosts exhibited decreased frequencies of monocytes, NK and NKT-cell subsets in both compartments, and increased frequencies of activated CD8+ T-cells and GranA+/GranB+ cells. While a balanced cytokine profile (TNF/IL-10) was observed in peripheral blood of CCC(-) macaques, a predominant pro-inflammatory profile (increased levels of TNF and IFN/IL-10) was observed in both CCC(+) and CCC(++) subgroups. Our data demonstrated that cardiac histopathological features of T. cruzi-infected cynomolgus macaques are associated with perturbations of the immune system similarly to those observed in chagasic humans. These results provide further support for the validity of the cynomolgus macaque model for pre-clinical research on Chagas disease, and provide insights pertaining to the underlying immunological mechanisms involved in the progression of cardiac Chagas disease
Conference on Best Practices for Managing \u3cem\u3eDaubert\u3c/em\u3e Questions
This article is a transcript of the Philip D. Reed Lecture Series Conference on Best Practices for Managing Daubert Questions, held on October 25, 2019, at Vanderbilt Law School under the sponsorship of the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Evidence Rules. The transcript has been lightly edited and represents the panelistsâ individual views only and in no way reflects those of their affiliated firms, organizations, law schools, or the judiciary
Use of a Cholera Rapid Diagnostic Test during a Mass Vaccination Campaign in Response to an Epidemic in Guinea, 2012
During the 2012 cholera outbreak in the Republic of Guinea, the Ministry of Health, supported by MĂ©decins Sans FrontiĂšres - Operational Center Geneva, used the oral cholera vaccine Shanchol as a part of the emergency response. The rapid diagnostic test (RDT) Crystal VC, widely used during outbreaks, detects lipopolysaccharide antigens of Vibrio cholerae O1 and O139, both included in Shanchol. In the context of reactive use of a whole-cell cholera vaccine in a region where cholera cases have been reported, it is essential to know what proportion of vaccinated individuals would be reactive to the RDT and for how long after vaccination
1993 Progress Reports
The 1993 Progress Reports which contain Blueberry Tax Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports, and CSRS Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports, pertain to and report on research conducted in 1992. They were prepared for the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include:
Progress Reports
1. Effects of Irrigation on Low bush Blueberry Yield and Quality
2. Economics of Investing in Irrigation for Lowbush Blueberries
3. Diammonium Phosphate Study
4. Phosphorus Dose/Response Curve
5. Winter Injury Protection by Potassium
6. Multiple Cropping of Wild Stands
7. Effect of Boron on Lowbush Blueberry Fruit Set and Yield
8.Determination of Pesticide Residue Levels in Freshly Harvested and Processed Lowbush Blueberries
9. Effects of Calcium Salts and Citric Acids on the Quality of Canned Lowbush Blueberries- missing
10. Investigation of PreProcess Changes- missing
11. The Effect of Fertilization and Irrigation on Blueberry Fruit Control - missing
12. Pollination Ecology of Lowbush Blueberry in Maine
13. Control of Secondary Blueberry Pests
14. Control of Blueberry Maggot
15. Biology and Action Thresholds of Secondary Blueberry Pests
16. Cold-Hardiness of Native Lowbush Blueberries
17. Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an Experimental Sterilizer for Blueberry Fields
18. Canned Product Quality - Heat Resistant Molds
19. Sanitation for Disease Control
Blueberry Tax Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports
20. Evaluation of Postemergence Applications of Tribenuron Methyl for Bunchberry Control
21. Comparison of Poast and Select for Suppression of Bunchgrass
22. Effect of Time of Fall Pruning on Growth and Productivity of Blueberries. and Evaluation of Infrared Burner to Prune Blueberries
23. Evaluation of Velpar impregnated DAP for weed control
24. Thresholds of Dogbane and Bracken Fern for Mechanical and Chemical Control in Lowbush Blueberry Fields
25. Effect of Time and Rate of Application of Clopyralid for Control of Vetch in Lowbush Blueberries
26. Hexazinone Ground Water Survey
27. Composting Blueberry Processing Waste
28. Hexazinone Movement in a Blueberry Soil in Maine
CSRS Supported Weed Management and Pruning Project Reports
29. Evaluation of the Suitability of Remote Sensing to Evaluate Plant Cover in Lowbush Blueberry Fields
30. Obstruction Removal in Lowbush Blueberry Fields
31. Evaluation of Pressurized Rope Wick Wick Master Wiper for Treating Weeds Growing Above Lowbush Blueberries
32. Evaluation of Infrared Burner for Weed Control
33. Blueberry Extension Education Program Base
Miscellaneous
34. Comparison of N, NP, and NPK Fertilizers to Correct Nitrogen and Phosphorus Deficienc
Airborne rhinovirus detection and effect of ultraviolet irradiation on detection by a semi-nested RT-PCR assay
BACKGROUND: Rhinovirus, the most common cause of upper respiratory tract infections, has been implicated in asthma exacerbations and possibly asthma deaths. Although the method of transmission of rhinoviruses is disputed, several studies have demonstrated that aerosol transmission is a likely method of transmission among adults. As a first step in studies of possible airborne rhinovirus transmission, we developed methods to detect aerosolized rhinovirus by extending existing technology for detecting infectious agents in nasal specimens. METHODS: We aerosolized rhinovirus in a small aerosol chamber. Experiments were conducted with decreasing concentrations of rhinovirus. To determine the effect of UV irradiation on detection of rhinoviral aerosols, we also conducted experiments in which we exposed aerosols to a UV dose of 684 mJ/m(2). Aerosols were collected on Teflon filters and rhinovirus recovered in Qiagen AVL buffer using the Qiagen QIAamp Viral RNA Kit (Qiagen Corp., Valencia, California) followed by semi-nested RT-PCR and detection by gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: We obtained positive results from filter samples that had collected at least 1.3 TCID(50 )of aerosolized rhinovirus. Ultraviolet irradiation of airborne virus at doses much greater than those used in upper-room UV germicidal irradiation applications did not inhibit subsequent detection with the RT-PCR assay. CONCLUSION: The air sampling and extraction methodology developed in this study should be applicable to the detection of rhinovirus and other airborne viruses in the indoor air of offices and schools. This method, however, cannot distinguish UV inactivated virus from infectious viral particles
1993-94 Progress Report
The 1993 edition of the Progress Reports was prepared for the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include:
1. Effects of irrigation on lowbush blueberry yield and quality
2. The Economics of investigating irrigation for lowbush blueberries
3. Phosphorus dose/response curve
4. Winter injury protection by potassium
5. Multiple cropping of wild stands
6. Effect of Boron and Calcium on lowbush blueberry fruit set and yield
7. Comparison of N, NP, and NPK fertilizers to correct nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency
8. Determination of pesticide residue levels in freshly harvested and processed lowbush blueberries
9. Effects of calcium salts and citric acid on the quality of canned lowbush blueberries
10. Investigation of preprocess changes (chemical, microbiological, and/or physical) that can lead to the development of a simple and inexpensive method to measure preprocess berry spoilage
11. The effect of fertilization and irrigation in blueberry fruit quality
12. Pollination Ecology of lowbush blueberry in Maine
13. Current importance of insects in lowbush blueberry fields
14. Application of heat as a method of controlling secondary pest insects on lowbush blueberry: a feasibility study
15. Control of blueberry maggot
16. Control of secondary blueberry pest insects
17. Biology and action thresholds of secondary blueberry pest insects
18. Cold-hardiness of native lowbush blueberry
19. Design, fabrication, and testing of an experimental sterilizer for blueberry fields
20. Canned Product Quality--Heat-resistant molds
21. Sanitation for disease control
22. Evaluation of VelparÂź impregnated DAP and PrononeÂź for weed control
23. Evaluation of postemergence applications of tribenuron methyl for bunchberry control
24. Evaluation of postemergence applications of a tank mix of tribenuron methyl and hexazinone for bunchberry control
25. Thresholds of dogbane and bracken fem by mechanical and chemical control in lowbush blueberry fields
26. Effect of time of application of clopyralid for control of vetch and effect on flowering in lowbush blueberries
27. Effect of time of fall pruning on growth and productivity of blueberries and evaluation of infrared burner to prune blueberries
28. Evaluation of infrared burner for selective seedling weed control
29. Evaluation of pressurized rope wick Wick Master wiper for treating weeds growing above lowbush blueberries
30. Blueberry Extension Education Program Base
31. Blueberry ICM program for Hancock County
32. Composting blueberry processing waste
33. Hexazinone ground water survey
34. Investigations of Lowbush Blueberry Fruit bud Cold-hardiness
35. Design, Fabrication, and Testing of an Experimental Sterilizer for Blueberry Field
Anti-Heparanase Aptamers as Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Agents for Oral Cancer
Peer reviewe
Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome
The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers âŒ99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of âŒ1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead
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