Publications by authors named "Fields P"

Paratyphoid B fever (PTB) is caused by an invasive lineage (phylogroup 1, PG1) of Salmonella enterica serotype Paratyphi B (SPB). However, little was known about the global population structure, geographic distribution, and evolution of this pathogen. Here, we report a whole-genome analysis of 568 historical and contemporary SPB PG1 isolates, obtained globally, between 1898 and 2021.

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The fossil record of the U.S. Pacific Northwest preserves many Middle Miocene floras with potential for revealing long-term climate-vegetation dynamics during the Miocene Climatic Optimum.

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Article Synopsis
  • Genomic regions involved in parasite defense, like the MHC, are highly variable, with multiple factors like single nucleotide polymorphisms and copy number variations contributing to this diversity.
  • The study focuses on the Pasteuria Resistance Complex (PRC) in the crustacean Daphnia magna, revealing significant genetic variation and non-homologous haplotypes, suggesting the region is under balancing selection and has a long evolutionary history.
  • The research highlights the interplay of ancient resistance mechanisms and hyper-divergent genomic environments, offering insights into the evolution of disease resistance not just in Daphnia, but across the broader Cladocera class.
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RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) has become a widely adopted technique for studying gene expression. However, conventional RNA-Seq analyses rely on gene expression (GE) values that aggregate all the transcripts produced under a single gene identifier, overlooking the complexity of transcript variants arising from different transcription start sites or alternative splicing. Transcript variants may encode proteins with diverse functional domains, or noncoding RNAs.

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  • Salinization is a growing global issue that impacts freshwater organisms like Daphnia magna, raising concerns about their adaptability to increasing salinity levels.
  • Research showed that Daphnia populations with higher salt tolerance are better adapted to their native habitats, as evidenced by a correlation between local salinity and salt tolerance.
  • A crucial gene, TPS, linked to trehalose production was identified as key to managing salinity stress, with experiments confirming that animals lacking functional TPS struggle to tolerate higher salinity.
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Objective: To compare the adequacy, agreement, and acceptability of Papanicolaou testing (cytology) for cervical cancer screening using self-collected samples compared to physician-collected samples in Grenada in the Caribbean. Furthermore, the study identifies the human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes present among asymptomatic women testing positive for HPV, the etiologic cause of cervical cancer.

Methods: Participants were divided into two groups and two cervical samples were collected from the women in each group: a self-collected sample and a physician-collected sample.

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Two important characteristics of metapopulations are extinction-(re)colonization dynamics and gene flow between subpopulations. These processes can cause strong shifts in genome-wide allele frequencies that are generally not observed in "classical" (large, stable, and panmictic) populations. Subpopulations founded by one or a few individuals, the so-called propagule model, are initially expected to show intermediate allele frequencies at polymorphic sites until natural selection and genetic drift drive allele frequencies toward a mutation-selection-drift equilibrium characterized by a negative exponential-like distribution of the site frequency spectrum.

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Balancing selection is an evolutionary process that maintains genetic polymorphisms at selected loci and strongly reduces the likelihood of allele fixation. When allelic polymorphisms that predate speciation events are maintained independently in the resulting lineages, a pattern of trans-species polymorphisms may occur. Trans-species polymorphisms have been identified for loci related to mating systems and the MHC, but they are generally rare.

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The recommended COVID-19 booster vaccine uptake is low. At-home lateral flow assay (LFA) antigen tests are widely accepted for detecting infection during the pandemic. Here, we present the feasibility and potential benefits of using LFA-based antibody tests as a means for individuals to detect inadequate immunity and make informed decisions about COVID-19 booster immunization.

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  • Researchers sequenced and analyzed the genomes and transcriptomes of two New Zealand snail species, Potamopyrgus estuarinus and Potamopyrgus kaitunuparaoa, to understand their evolutionary context as relatives of the freshwater snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum.
  • Both species share a similar set of genes related to meiosis and sperm functions, indicating obligate sexual reproduction and laying the groundwork for studying P. antipodarum's unique biological traits, including its sexual and asexual lineages.
  • Though P. kaitunuparaoa appears to be the closest relative to P. antipodarum, significant gene flow through introgression occurs between the two species; however, the mitochondrial genome acts as a
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Article Synopsis
  • The cuticles of arthropods act as a boundary between the organism and its environment, influencing their interactions and responses.
  • Researchers used label-free quantification proteomics to analyze the moulted cuticle of the aquatic crustacean Daphnia magna, identifying 278 high-confidence proteins.
  • They found that the most abundant proteins were chitin-binding structural proteins and chitin-modifying enzymes, providing insights into the cuticle's flexibility and structure, while also presenting a valuable resource for future research on Daphnia.
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Increased activation of ovarian primordial follicles in knockout () rats becomes evident as early as postnatal day 8.5. To identify the ERβ-regulated genes that may control ovarian primordial follicle activation, we analyzed the transcriptome profiles of rat ovaries collected on postnatal days 4.

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Loss of ERβ increases primordial follicle growth activation (PFGA), leading to premature ovarian follicle reserve depletion. We determined the expression and gene regulatory functions of ERβ in dormant primordial follicles (PdFs) and activated primary follicles (PrFs) using mouse models. PdFs and PrFs were isolated from 3-week-old knockout () mouse ovaries, and their transcriptomes were compared with those of control mice.

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Purpose: Pharmacy residents often aspire to develop research skills through conducting a research project. Project publication rates among pharmacy residents are variable and at times low; however, previous studies have been limited to specific geographic regions and timeframes. This study sought to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the proportion of pharmacy resident research projects published in the peer-reviewed literature.

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Introduction: The concurrent use of bleomycin and granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs) has historically been debated as a risk factor for bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity in patients with both testicular cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of pulmonary toxicity in patients with testicular cancer who were treated with bleomycin and pegfilgrastim concurrently.

Methods: This is a retrospective study that includes male patients over the age of 18 years old diagnosed with testicular cancer who received bleomycin-containing chemotherapy regimens with and without the use of G-CSF agents.

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Background: The disease severity index (DSI) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) combines measures of disease phenotype, inflammatory activity, and patient-reported outcomes. We aimed to validate the DSI and assess its utility in predicting a complicated IBD course.

Methods: A multicenter cohort of adults with IBD was recruited.

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  • Researchers have completed a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly for the angiosperm genus Silene, specifically Silene conica, using advanced genomic technologies.
  • The assembly consists of 10 scaffolds representing each chromosome, with a total length of 862 Mb and minimal gap content, confirming a reduced base chromosome number compared to its ancestral state of 12.
  • The study also reveals that Silene conica has a large mitochondrial genome with unknown sequences, and the new assembly will aid in future comparative genomic research within the Silene genus, especially regarding sex chromosome evolution.
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Purpose: Our preclinical studies showed that the oncolytic reovirus formulation pelareorep (PELA) has significant immunomodulatory anti-myeloma activity. We conducted an investigator-initiated clinical trial to evaluate PELA in combination with dexamethasone (Dex) and bortezomib (BZ) and define the tumor immune microenvironment (TiME) in patients with multiple myeloma treated with this regimen.

Patients And Methods: Patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (n = 14) were enrolled in a phase Ib clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.

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Unlabelled: The angiosperm genus has been the subject of extensive study in the field of ecology and evolution, but the availability of high-quality reference genome sequences has been limited for this group. Here, we report a chromosome-level assembly for the genome of based on PacBio HiFi, Hi-C and Bionano technologies. The assembly produced 10 scaffolds (one per chromosome) with a total length of 862 Mb and only ~1% gap content.

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Microsporidia are intracellular parasitic fungi whose genomes rank among the smallest of all known eukaryotes. A number of outstanding questions remain concerning the evolution of their large-scale variation in genome architecture, responsible for genome size variation of more than an order of magnitude. This genome report presents the first near-chromosomal assembly of a large-genome microsporidium, Hamiltosporidium tvaerminnensis.

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Article Synopsis
  • Understanding the genomic aspects of infectious diseases is crucial for co-evolution theory and has implications in healthcare, agriculture, and epidemiology.
  • Traditional models predict that specific host and parasite genotypes are linked in infection and resistance, but there's been limited evidence of this in nature.
  • The study found significant genomic associations between host and parasite genomes in Daphnia magna and Pasteuria ramosa, demonstrating evidence of co-evolution supported by lab trials linking phenotype to genotype.
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Antimicrobial resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Concord (S. Concord) is known to cause severe gastrointestinal and bloodstream infections in patients from Ethiopia and Ethiopian adoptees, and occasional records exist of S. Concord linked to other countries.

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  • The study analyzes Salmonella infections in US infants from 1968-2015, focusing on the characteristics of gastroenteritis, bacteremia, and meningitis caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella.
  • Out of 190,627 cases, gastroenteritis was the most common, followed by bacteremia and a rare occurrence of meningitis, with higher incidence rates observed in boys and certain racial groups (Black and Asian infants).
  • The research highlights significant hospitalization and fatality rates linked to these infections and stresses the need for further investigation into risk factors and prevention strategies.
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