Salmonella Enteritidis strains from poultry exhibit differential responses to acid stress, oxidative stress, and survival in the egg albumen.

Salmonella Enteritidis is the major foodborne pathogen that is primarily transmitted by contaminated chicken meat and eggs. We recently demonstrated that Salmonella Enteritidis strains from poultry differ in their ability to invade human intestinal cells and cause disease in orally challenged mice. Here we hypothesized that the differential virulence of Salmonella Enteritidis strains is due to the differential fitness in the adverse environments that may be encountered during infection in the host.

Quantitative whole body biodistribution of fluorescent-labeled agents by non-invasive tomographic imaging.

When small molecules or proteins are injected into live animals, their physical and chemical properties will significantly affect pharmacokinetics, tissue penetration, and the ultimate routes of metabolism and clearance. Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) offers the ability to non-invasively image and quantify temporal changes in fluorescence throughout the major organ systems of living animals, in a manner analogous to traditional approaches with radiolabeled agents. This approach is best used with biotherapeutics (therapeutic antibodies, or other large proteins) or large-scaffold drug-delivery vectors, that are minimally affected by low-level fluorophore conjugation.

Interrelations of lymphocyte subset values, human immunodeficiency virus antibodies, and HIV antigen levels of homosexual males in San Francisco.

Serum and leukocytes from a cohort of homosexual males were analyzed to determine the interrelationships of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), serum HIV antigen levels, and phenotypical differences in lymphocyte subpopulations of HIV antibody-positive (HIV Ab+) and HIV antibody-negative (HIV Ab-) homosexual males. Significant reductions were observed in the percentages of B lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD4+ kappa lambda- T lymphocytes and the CD4+/CD8+ ratios of HIV Ab+ homosexual males in comparison to HIV Ab- homosexual males. Significant increases were observed in the percentages of CD8+, CD8+ CD11b-, CD8+ kappa lambda-, CD8+ DR+, CD8+Leu7+, and Leu7+ lymphocytes of HIV Ab+ study subjects.