bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Utilization of Gracilaria chilensis (Rhodophyta: Gracilariaceae) as a Biofilter in the Depuration of Effluents from Tank Cultures of Fish, Oysters, and Sea Urchins
Authors: Chow Fungyi , Macchiavello Juan , Cruz Sergio Santa , Fonck Erika , Olivares Jorge 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAn evaluation was made on a seasonal basis of the effect of the marine macroalga culture Gracilaria chilensis on concentrations of some soluble and particulate wastes emitted during tank cultures of a fish Isacia conteptionis, an oyster Crassostrea gigas, and a sea urchin Loxechinus albus species. The animals were each cultured in separate tanks, and effluent from each was directed through separate tanks, which contained dense cultures of the Gracilaria chilensis. Inflow‐outflow monitoring was conducted for the presence of nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and phosphate. Also evaluated were particulate nitrogen and phosphate. The most significant wastes were ammonium from the fish culture and nitrate from the oyster culture. These were completely removed from the water, with minor exceptions, by the alga during all seasons of the year. Lesser amounts of soluble phosphate and nitrite, arising from the fish cultures, were also removed. Of the particulate matter, only nitrogen was in evidence from the fish cultures in the summer. It was concluded that Gracilaria chilensis culture was highly efficient at biofiltration of the soluble nutrients tested but had little effect on particulate emissions. The best growth of Gracilaria chilensis occurred in the ammonium‐rich effluent from the fish culture.
The Application of Hydrogen Peroxide as a Treatment for the Ectoparasite Amyloodinium ocellatum (Brown 1931) on the Pacific Threadfin Polydactylus sexfilis
Authors: Montgomery‐Brock Dee , Sato Vernon T. , Brock James A. , Tamaru Clyde S. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractEctoparasite infections can cause death or a decline in the general health of farm‐raised finfish. This paper reports the findings from two studies conducted to evaluate the efficacy of hydrogen peroxide as a therapeu‐tant for the control of infections of Amyloodinium sp. on cultured Pacific threadfin Polydactylus sexfilis (locally called “moi”). Threadfin with amyloodiniasis collected from a commercial farm were used in both trials. Prior to the trials, and following hydrogen peroxide treatment, the extent of infection was determined by a gill biopsy procedure. An initial trial was conducted in the laboratory to assess the response of juvenile threadfin and Amyloodinium sp. trophonts to hydrogen peroxide exposure at four dosages: 0, 75, 150, or 300 mg/L for 30 min. In a trial on a commercial farm, a hydrogen peroxide treatment at 75 mg/L for 30 min was applied to juvenile threadfin in a grow‐out tank. In both trials, hydrogen peroxide was immediately flushed from the culture system with sea‐water after the 30 min exposure period. In the laboratory trial, treatment with 300 mg/L hydrogen peroxide resulted in 100% mortality of the exposed group of fish. However, single treatments with hydrogen peroxide at concentrations of 75 or 150 mg/L eliminated Amyloodinium sp. trophonts without causing loss of fish. In the field trial, a single treatment with 75 mg/L hydrogen peroxide greatly reduced levels of Amyloodinium infestation, and a second treatment 6 d later reduced Amyloodinium trophonts to a nondetectable level. These findings suggest that hydrogen peroxide is a suitable chemical for the treatment of amyloodiniasis of cultured, juvenile Pacific threadfin.
Impact of topical anaesthesia on pain alleviation and wound healing in lambs after mulesing
Authors: Lomax S , Sheil M , Windsor P A 
Published: May 2008

Objective   To investigate the impact of using the topical anaesthetic preparation Tri‐Solfen® on pain alleviation and wound healing in lambs undergoing mulesing.Design  Three separate trials, placebo controlled and/or randomised, were carried out over a 5 month period on three mobs of between 60 and 263 merino lambs undergoing routine mulesing.Procedure   Wound pain was assessed using 10 and 75 g calibrated Von‐Frey monofilaments to determine sensitivity to light touch and pain stimulation over a 4 to 8 h period. Pain‐related behaviour was documented by trained, blinded observers using a numerical rating scale. Wound healing rates were determined using scaled digital photography and image analysis software to calculate contraction in wound surface area 2 and 4 weeks after mulesing.Results   There was rapid (3 min) and prolonged (up to 8 h) wound analgesia as shown by pain response scores (P ≤ 0.01), with absent or significantly diminished primary and secondary hyperalgesia (P ≤ 0.01) and significant reduction in pain‐related behaviour (P < 0.001) in treated versus untreated lambs. In addition there was improved wound healing in the treated lambs (P ≤ 0.05).Conclusion   Tri‐Solfen® effects rapid and prolonged wound analgesia, reduction in pain‐related behaviour and improved wound healing in lambs undergoing routine mulesing, providing effective alleviation of pain associated with routine mulesing in sheep.
Virulence Factors and Antimicrobial Susceptibility ofEscherichia coliIsolated from Calves in Turkey
Authors: Güler L. , Gündüz K. , Ok Ü 
Published: May 2008

SummaryEscherichia coliisolates from calves were investigated by multiplex PCR assays for the presence of genes encoding K99, F41, F17‐related fimbriae, heat‐stabile enterotoxin a (STa), intimin (eae) and Shiga toxins (stx1 and stx2). A total of 120E. coliisolates, 75 isolated from diarrhoeic or septicemic calves and 45 from clinically healthy calves aged between 1 day and 2 months were tested. Each isolate was obtained from different calves in different herds. Among the isolates from diseased animals, 12 (16%) isolates from 1‐ to 7‐day‐old diarrhoeic calves were detected as enterotoxigenicE. coliwhich possessed K99, F41 and STa in combination; F17‐related fimbriae genes were detected in 33 (44%) isolates and they were found in combination with K99 + F41 + STa in two isolates. Of 120 isolates, 16 carriedeae, eightstx1 and fivestx2 genes alone or in combination. None of theeae‐ or stx‐positive strains was identified as O157:H7. However, results indicate that calves may be carrier of Shiga toxin‐producingE. coliwhich have potential as a human pathogen. Antimicrobial susceptibility of 75 isolates from diseased calves was determined by agar disk diffusion method for 14 antimicrobial agents. In 77.3% of the isolates, multiresistance was detected. Higher resistance rates were detected for cephalothin (72%), tetracycline (69.3%), kanamycin (69.3%), ampicillin (65.3%), nalidixic acid (53.3%), trimethoprim‐sulphamethoxazole (52%) and enrofloxacin (41.3%), respectively. No resistance was found for ceftiofur and cefoxitin.
High Frequency ofMycobacterium bovisDNA in Colostra from Tuberculous Cattle Detected by Nested PCR
Authors: Serrano‐Moreno B. A. , Romero T. A. , Arriaga C. , Torres R. A. , Pereira‐Suárez A. L. , García‐Salazar J. A. , Estrada‐Chávez C. 
Published: May 2008

SummaryWe evaluated by nested PCR reaction, different cow secretions from a herd with 48% of prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB), seeking to determine niches whereMycobacterium boviscould be found. Postmortem examination of 18 (75%) tuberculin reacting cows allowed demonstrates BTB‐compatible lesions in six, all of them PCR positives in milk and four in colostra samples. Our results showed that up to 62% of the colostra analysed containedM. bovisDNA, whereas only 18% of milk gave a positive reaction. Moreover, in bronchoalveolar lavages from cattle with compatible lesions in lungs or lymph nodes, where macrophages account up to 90% of cells, we did not find evidences ofM. bovis. Altogether, these results suggest that differences in the anti‐bacterial capacity of bovine macrophages, dependent upon microenvironment and organ‐specific factors, exist. Alternatively, we hypothesize that hypoxic conditions that are encountered in mammary glands macrophages could induceM. bovisentrance into a ‘dormancy‐like’ state, and that the high number of colostra samples wereM. boviswas detected, could be an indicator of reactivation during ‘peripartum’.
Effects of Age and Oral Disease on Systemic Inflammatory and Immune Parameters in Nonhuman Primates
Authors: Ebersole J. L. , Steffen M. J. , Gonzalez-Martinez J. , Novak M. J. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTThis report evaluated systemic inflammatory and immune biomarkers in a cohort ofMacaca mulatta(rhesus monkeys) maintained as a large family social unit, including an age range from <1 year to >24 years. We hypothesized that the systemic host responses would be affected by the age, gender, and clinical oral presentation of the population, each contributing to inflammatory and immune responses that would reflect chronic oral infections. The results demonstrated that the prevalence and severity of periodontitis, including missing teeth, increased significantly with age. Generally, minimal differences in clinical parameters were noted between the genders. Systemic inflammatory mediators, including acute-phase reactants, prostaglandin E2(PGE2), cytokines/chemokines, and selected matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), demonstrated significant differences among the various age groups of animals. Levels of many of these were increased with age, although PGE2, RANTES, bactericidal permeability-inducing factor (BPI), MMP-1, and MMP-9 levels were significantly increased in the young group (∼1 to 3 years old) relative to those for the older animals. We observed that in the adult and aged animals, levels of the systemic inflammatory mediators related to gingival inflammation and periodontal tissue destruction were significantly elevated. Serum antibody levels in response to a battery of periodontal pathogens were generally lower in the young animals, <50% of those in the adults, and were significantly related to aging in the cohort. The levels of antibodies, particularly those toPorphorymonas gingivalis,Fusobacterium nucleatum, andTannerella forsythia, were most significantly elevated in animals with periodontal disease, irrespective of the age of the animal. These results provide a broad description of oral health and host responses in a large cohort of nonhuman primates from very young animals to the aged of this species. The findings afford a base of data with which to examine the ontogeny of host responses at mucosal sites, such as the gingival tissues.
Memory T Cells Specific for Novel Human Papillomavirus Type 16 (HPV16) E6 Epitopes in Women Whose HPV16 Infection Has Become Undetectable
Authors: Wang Xuelian , Moscicki Anna-Barbara , Tsang Laura , Brockman Andrea , Nakagawa Mayumi 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTHuman papillomavirus (HPV)-specific T-cell response to the HPV type 16 (HPV16) E6 protein has been shown to be associated with successful viral clearance. The patterns of CD8 T-cell epitopes within HPV16 E6 protein were previously studied in two women with HPV16 clearance. The goal of this study was to characterize these epitopes in terms of their minimal and optimal amino acid sequences and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) restriction molecules. The presence of the epitope-specific memory T cells after viral clearance was also examined. In subject A, the dominant epitope was characterized to be E6 75-83 (KFYSKISEY), restricted by the HLA-B62 molecule, while that of subject B was E6 133-142 (HNIRGRWTGR), restricted by the HLA-A6801 molecule. Homologous epitopes were identified in five other high-risk HPV types for both of these epitopes, but they were not recognized by respective T-cell clone cells. An enzyme-linked immunospot assay or tetramer analysis was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from blood samples collected after viral clearance but prior to isolation of the T-cell clones. The presence of epitope-specific memory T cells was demonstrated. These data suggest that HPV-specific memory T cells were generated in vivo and that they may remain in circulation many months, if not years, after viral clearance. Our findings broaden the spectrum of the CD8 T-cell epitopes of the HPV16 E6 protein. The characterization of novel T-cell epitopes and long-lasting epitope-specific memory T cells may be useful for the development of a potential epitope-based vaccine.
Evaluation of Seven Tests for Diagnosis of Human Brucellosis in an Area Where the Disease Is Endemic
Authors: Gómez M. Concepción , Nieto José A. , Rosa Carmen , Geijo Paloma , Escribano M. Ángeles , Muñoz Amparo , López Clara 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
The results of seven serologic tests for diagnosis of human brucellosis were evaluated. The titrated Rose Bengal test, microagglutination test, microtiter-adapted Coombs test, and immunocapture-agglutination test (Brucellacapt) were positive for all sera from patients with acute brucellosis. The immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA commercial enzyme immunoassays (ELISAs) failed to show specific antibodies in 3 patients, 10 patients, and 1 patient, respectively. The sensitivity of ELISA is not higher than that of conventional tests.
Detection of Caspofungin Resistance in
Candida
spp. by Etest
Authors: Desnos-Ollivier Marie , Dromer Françoise , Dannaoui Eric 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

The caspofungin susceptibilities of 28
Candida
sp. clinical isolates, including 8 caspofungin-resistant isolates characterized by mutations in the Fks1 protein, were determined by the Etest in RPMI and AM3 media. Good discrimination between wild-type and mutant isolates was obtained. These results suggest that the Etest is valuable for the detection of caspofungin resistance in
Candida
spp.
Optimization of a Laboratory-Developed Test Utilizing Roche Analyte-Specific Reagents for Detection of
Staphylococcus aureus
, Methicillin-Resistant
S. aureus
, and Vancomycin-Resistant
Enterococcus
Species
Authors: Mehta Maitry S. , Paule Suzanne M. , Hacek Donna M. , Thomson Richard B. , Kaul Karen L. , Peterson Lance R. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Nasal and perianal swab specimens were tested for detection of
Staphylococcus aureus
and vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus
species (VRE) using a laboratory-developed real-time PCR test and microbiological cultures. The real-time PCR and culture results for
S. aureus
were similar. PCR had adequate sensitivity, but culture was more specific for the detection of VRE.
Lyme Disease in Oregon
Authors: Doggett J. Stone , Kohlhepp Sue , Gresbrink Robert , Metz Paul , Gleaves Curt , Gilbert David 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

The incidence of Lyme disease in Oregon is calculated from cases reported to the Oregon State Health Division. We reviewed the exposure history of reported cases of Lyme disease and performed field surveys for infected
Ixodes pacificus
ticks. The incidence of Lyme disease correlated with the distribution of infected
I
.
pacificus
ticks.
Detection of Pathogenic Protozoa in the Diagnostic Laboratory: Result Reproducibility, Specimen Pooling, and Competency Assessment
Authors: Libman M. D. , Gyorkos T. W. , Kokoskin E. , MacLean J. D. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTStool microscopy as performed in clinical parasitology laboratories is a complex procedure with subjective interpretation. Quality assurance (QA) programs often emphasize proficiency testing as an assessment tool. We describe a result reproducibility assessment tool, which can form part of a broader QA program, and which is based on the blinded resubmission of selected clinical samples, using concordance between the reports of the initial and resubmitted specimen as an indicator. Specimens preserved in sodium acetate-acetic acid-formalin can be stored for several months for use in such a program. The presence of multiple protozoa in one specimen does not affect concordance. Some dilution of specimens occurs in this process, and this may explain poor concordance when specimens with low protozoal concentrations are resubmitted. Evaluation of this tool in a large parasitology laboratory revealed concordance rates for pathogenic protozoa (Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar,Giardia lamblia, andDientamoeba fragilis) of about 80%, which may be considered for use as a benchmark value. We also used this tool to demonstrate that when pairs of specimens from one patient are pooled to create a single specimen, concordance between the results of the individual and pooled specimens is high.
Comparison of PCR, Immunofluorescence Assay, and Pathogen Isolation for Diagnosis of Q Fever in Humans with Spontaneous Abortions
Authors: Vaidya V. M. , Malik S. V. S. , Kaur Simranpreet , Kumar Satish , Barbuddhe S. B. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Coxiella burnetii
, an obligate intracellular parasite with a worldwide distribution, is the causative agent of Q fever in humans. We tested a total of 368 samples (placental bits, genital swabs, fecal swabs, and urine and serum samples) collected from women (
n
= 74) with spontaneous abortions for
C. burnetii
by a PCR assay targeting IS
1111
, the repetitive transposon-like region of
C. burnetii
(trans-PCR); real-time PCR; an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA); and the isolation of the pathogen. The IFA showed seropositivity for 25.68% of the women with spontaneous abortions, whereas trans-PCR and real-time PCR each detected the pathogen in 21.62% of cases. Overall, 25.68% of the subjects were positive by one or more assays. Real-time PCR showed a slightly higher level of sensitivity than trans-PCR. With the IFA as the reference, the two PCR assays showed a higher level of sensitivity (84.21%) than pathogen isolation (26.31%), while both the PCR assays and pathogen isolation were specific (100%). The detection of high numbers of
C. burnetii
cells in clinical samples and the frequent association of the pathogen with cases of spontaneous abortions observed in this study revealed that Q fever remains underdiagnosed and that the prevalence in India is underestimated.
Rapid Screening for Carriage of Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
by PCR and Associated Costs
Authors: Bühlmann Manuela , Bögli-Stuber Katja , Droz Sara , Mühlemann Kathrin 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

PCR tests for the rapid and valid detection of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) are now available. We evaluated the costs associated with contact screening for MRSA carriage in a tertiary-care hospital with low MRSA endemicity. Between 1 October 2005 and 28 February 2006, 232 patients were screened during 258 screening episodes (644 samples) for MRSA carriage by GenoType MRSA Direct (Hain Lifescience GmbH, Nehren, Germany). Conventional culture confirmed all PCR results. According to in-house algorithms, 34 of 258 screening episodes (14.7%) would have qualified for preemptive contact isolation, but such isolation was not done upon negative PCR results. MRSA carriage was detected in 4 (1.5%) of 258 screening episodes (i.e., in four patients), of which none qualified for preemptive contact isolation. The use of PCR for all 258 screening episodes added costs (in Swiss francs [CHF]) of CHF 104,328.00 and saved CHF 38,528.00 (for preemptive isolation). The restriction of PCR screening to the 34 episodes that qualified for preemptive contact isolation and screening all others by culture would have lowered costs for PCR to only CHF 11,988.00, a savings of CHF 38,528.00. Therefore, PCR tests are valuable for the rapid detection of MRSA carriers, but high costs require the careful evaluation of their use. In patient populations with low MRSA endemicity, the broad use of PCR probably is not cost-effective.
Impact of Endogenous Intronic Retroviruses on Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Diversity and Stability
Authors: Doxiadis Gaby G. M. , de Groot Nanine , Bontrop Ronald E. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTThe major histocompatibility complex (MHC) represents a multigene family that is known to display allelic and gene copy number variations. Primate species such as humans, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) showDRBregion configuration polymorphism at the population level, meaning that the number and content ofDRBloci may vary per haplotype. Introns of primateDRBalleles differ significantly in length due to insertions of transposable elements as long endogenous retrovirus (ERV) and human ERV (HERV) sequences in theDRB2,DRB6, andDRB7pseudogenes. Although the integration of intronic HERVs resulted sooner or later in the inactivation of the targeted genes, the fixation of these endogenous retroviral segments over long time spans seems to have provided evolutionary advantage. Intronic HERVs may have integrated in a sense or an antisense manner. On the one hand, antisense-oriented retroelements such as HERV-K14I, observed in intron 2 of theDRB7genes in humans and chimpanzees, seem to promote stability, as configurations/alleles containing these hits have experienced strong conservative selection during primate evolution. On the other hand, the HERVK3I present in intron 1 of allDRB2and/orDRB6alleles tested so far integrated in a sense orientation. The data suggest that multigenic regions in particular may benefit from sense introgressions by HERVs, as these elements seem to promote and maintain the generation of diversity, whereas these types of integrations may be lethal in monogenic systems, since they are known to influence transcript regulation negatively.
Cholesterol Effectively Blocks Entry of Flavivirus
Authors: Lee Chyan-Jang , Lin Hui-Ru , Liao Ching-Len , Lin Yi-Ling 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and dengue virus serotype 2 (DEN-2) are enveloped flaviviruses that enter cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis and low pH-triggered membrane fusion and then replicate in intracellular membrane structures. Lipid rafts, cholesterol-enriched lipid-ordered membrane domains, are platforms for a variety of cellular functions. In this study, we found that disruption of lipid raft formation by cholesterol depletion with methyl-β-cyclodextrin or cholesterol chelation with filipin III reduces JEV and DEN-2 infection, mainly at the intracellular replication steps and, to a lesser extent, at viral entry. Using a membrane flotation assay, we found that several flaviviral nonstructural proteins are associated with detergent-resistant membrane structures, indicating that the replication complex of JEV and DEN-2 localizes to the membranes that possess the lipid raft property. Interestingly, we also found that addition of cholesterol readily blocks flaviviral infection, a result that contrasts with previous reports of other viruses, such as Sindbis virus, whose infectivity is enhanced by cholesterol. Cholesterol mainly affected the early step of the flavivirus life cycle, because the presence of cholesterol during viral adsorption greatly blocked JEV and DEN-2 infectivity. Flavirial entry, probably at fusion and RNA uncoating steps, was hindered by cholesterol. Our results thus suggest a stringent requirement for membrane components, especially with respect to the amount of cholesterol, in various steps of the flavivirus life cycle.