Publications by authors named "Brown I"

This study describes the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with noncoronavirus respiratory pathogens in a sample of symptomatic patients undergoing PCR testing in March 2020.

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Avian influenza A viruses (IAVs) in different species of seals display a spectrum of pathogenicity, from sub-clinical infection to mass mortality events. Here we present an investigation of avian IAV infection in a 3- to 4-month-old Grey seal () pup, rescued from St Michael's Mount, Cornwall in 2017. The pup underwent medical treatment but died after two weeks; post-mortem examination and histology indicated sepsis as the cause of death.

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As high-throughput sequencing technologies are becoming more widely adopted for analysing pathogens in disease outbreaks there needs to be assurance that the different sequencing technologies and approaches to data analysis will yield reliable and comparable results. Conversely, understanding where agreement cannot be achieved provides insight into the limitations of these approaches and also allows efforts to be focused on areas of the process that need improvement. This manuscript describes the next-generation sequencing of three closely related viruses, each analysed using different sequencing strategies, sequencing instruments and data processing pipelines.

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The data presented in this article relates to the manuscript entitled 'Engineering of Chinese hamster ovary cell lipid metabolism results in an expanded ER and enhanced recombinant biotherapeutic protein production', published in the Journal Metabolic Engineering [1]. In the article here, we present data examining the overexpression of the lipid metabolism modifying genes and in CHO cells by densitometry of western blots and by using mass spectrometry to investigate the impact on specific lipid species. We also present immunofluorescence data at the protein level upon SCD1 and SREBF1 overexpression.

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Metabolosomes, catabolic bacterial microcompartments (BMCs), are proteinaceous organelles that are associated with the breakdown of metabolites such as propanediol and ethanolamine. They are composed of an outer multicomponent protein shell that encases a specific metabolic pathway. Protein cargo found within BMCs is directed by the presence of an encapsulation peptide that appears to trigger aggregation before the formation of the outer shell.

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Following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) in a poultry house, control measures are put in place to prevent further spread. An essential part of the control measures based on the European Commission Avian Influenza Directive 2005/94/EC is the cleansing and disinfection (C&D) of infected premises. Cleansing and disinfection includes both preliminary and secondary C&D, and the dismantling of complex equipment during secondary C&D is also required, which is costly to the owner and also delays the secondary cleansing process, hence increasing the risk for onward spread.

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Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 (pH1N1) virus has become established in swine in the United Kingdom and currently co-circulates with previously enzootic swine influenza A virus (IAV) strains, including avian-like H1N1 and human-like H1N2 viruses. During 2010, a swine influenza A reassortant virus, H1N2r, which caused mild clinical disease in pigs in the United Kingdom, was isolated. This reassortant virus has a novel gene constellation, incorporating the internal gene cassette of pH1N1-origin viruses and hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of swine IAV H1N2 origin.

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Endoscopic resection (ER) allows optimal staging with potential cure of early-stage luminal malignancies while maintaining organ preservation. ER and surgery are non-competing but complementary therapeutic options. In addition, histological examination of ER specimens can either confirm or refine the pre-procedure diagnosis.

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Purpose: We describe the cardiovascular risk profile in a representative cohort of patients with prostate cancer treated with or without androgen deprivation therapy.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively characterized in detail 2,492 consecutive men (mean age 68 years) with prostate cancer (newly diagnosed or with a plan to prescribe androgen deprivation therapy for the first time) from 16 Canadian sites. Cardiovascular risk was estimated by calculating Framingham risk scores.

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Shelf seas play an important role in the global carbon cycle, absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO) and exporting carbon (C) to the open ocean and sediments. The magnitude of these processes is poorly constrained, because observations are typically interpolated over multiple years. Here, we used 298500 observations of CO fugacity (fCO) from a single year (2015), to estimate the net influx of atmospheric CO as 26.

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Purpose: Sessile serrated lesions (SSL) are precursors to colon carcinoma, and their distinction from other polyps, in particular hyperplastic polyps (HP), presents significant diagnostic challenges. We evaluated expression patterns in colonic polyps of previously identified colon carcinoma-associated extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to identify markers distinguishing SSLs from other polyps.

Experimental Design: Gene-expression analyses of ECM proteins were performed using publicly available data on preneoplastic colonic polyps.

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Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell expression systems have been exquisitely developed for the production of recombinant biotherapeutics (e.g. standard monoclonal antibodies, mAbs) and are able to generate efficacious, multi-domain proteins with human-like post translational modifications at high concentration with appropriate product quality attributes.

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The molecular alterations identified among pyloric gland adenomas (PGAs) in the published literature are based on polymerase chain reaction of targeted genes, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) has not been performed. In this study, we performed NGS and correlated the molecular alterations with the histologic grade of dysplasia and immunohistochemical findings in a cohort of PGAs. Successful DNA extraction and sequencing were performed in 15 pyloric gland adenomas/adenocarcinoma from 12 patients.

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In vivo bioluminescence imaging has been used to monitor Staphylococcus aureus infections in preclinical models by employing bacterial reporter strains possessing a modified lux operon from Photorhabdus luminescens. However, the relatively short emission wavelength of lux (peak 490 nm) has limited tissue penetration. To overcome this limitation, the gene for the click beetle (Pyrophorus plagiophtalamus) red luciferase (luc) (with a longer >600 emission wavelength), was introduced singly and in combination with the lux operon into a methicillin-resistant S.

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A swine influenza A pandemic 2009 H1N1 (pH1N1) virus was used in a pig challenge model to investigate the efficacy of whole inactivated vaccines homologous or heterologous to the challenge virus as well as a commercial vaccine. Nasal shedding of viral RNA was monitored daily by real-time, quantitative RT-PCR (RRT-qPCR) as detailed (1). Here we report the statistical modelling of the viral RNA shedding kinetics.

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The anticancer effects of the omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), EPA and DHA may be due, at least in part, to conversion to their respective endocannabinoid derivatives, eicosapentaenoyl-ethanolamine (EPEA) and docosahexaenoyl-ethanolamine (DHEA). Here, the effects of EPEA and DHEA and their parent compounds, EPA and DHA, on breast cancer (BC) cell function was examined. EPEA and DHEA exhibited greater anti-cancer effects than EPA and DHA in two BC cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) whilst displaying no effect in non-malignant breast cells (MCF-10a).

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The in vivo net energy content of resistant starch (RS) has not been measured in humans so it has not been possible to account for the contribution of RS to dietary energy intake. We aimed to determine the in vivo net energy content of RS and examine its effect on macronutrient oxidation. This was a randomized, double-blind cross-over study.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined the effects of dietary amylase resistant starch (RS) on intestinal fermentation in stunted versus healthy children in southern India.
  • Results indicated that while both types of RS (HAMS and HAMSA) reduced fecal pH and increased certain short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), particularly acetate and propionate, only HAMS improved butyrate levels in both groups, whereas HAMSA did not benefit stunted children.
  • Stunted children exhibited lower SCFA concentrations and impaired fermentation of certain RS types, suggesting the need for tailored dietary formulations to enhance microbial function in this population.
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Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma is relatively rare (1 to 2% of pancreatic malignancies) but may be under-recognized. In contrast to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, most acinar cell carcinomas lack mutations in KRAS, DPC, CDKN2A or TP53, but appear to have a high incidence of gene rearrangements, with up to 20% reported to be driven by BRAF fusions. With the development of a new class of RET-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which appear to have particularly strong activity against RET gene rearranged tumours, there is now considerable interest in identifying RET gene rearrangements across a wide range of cancers.

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Influenza A viruses of H5 and H7 subtype in poultry can circulate subclinically and subsequently mutate from low to high pathogenicity with potentially devastating economic and welfare consequences. European Union Member States undertake surveillance of commercial and backyard poultry for early detection and control of subclinical H5 and H7 influenza A infection. This surveillance has moved towards a risk-based sampling approach in recent years; however, quantitative measures of relative risk associated with risk factors utilized in this approach are necessary for optimization.

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Aims: To determine the clinicopathological features of pyloric gland adenomas (PGA) that arise in the duodenum.

Methods And Results: Fifty-seven cases of duodenal PGA were identified and analysed from 56 patients. Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed.

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