Publications by authors named "G L Hamer"
Radiation therapy is a common treatment modality for lung cancer, and resistance to radiation can significantly affect treatment outcomes. We recently described that lung cancer cells that express more germ cell cancer genes (GC genes, genes that are usually restricted to the germ line) can repair DNA double-strand breaks more rapidly, show higher rates of proliferation and are more resistant to ionizing radiation than cells that express fewer GC genes. The gene encoding TRIP13 appeared to play a large role in this malignant phenotype.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe control of zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens is challenging due to the limited availability of intervention tools. West Nile virus (WNV) is an example of a globally distributed zoonotic arbovirus that circulates between Culex species (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes and avian hosts, with spillover transmission to humans, resulting in disease cases. Interventions delivering systemic insecticides to vertebrate hosts used by vector species, known as xenointoxication, are potential tools for managing vector populations by creating toxic bloodmeals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - Moose in boreal habitats are heavily exposed to Dipteran flies, with a study on the Kenai Peninsula revealing that 91% of collected flies were a specific moose fly species, impacting their health.
- - The study found a positive correlation between the number of sores on moose hind legs and their body fat, indicating that while moose gain energy, they also suffer from injuries caused by flies and parasites.
- - Interestingly, the presence of flies did not trigger a stress response in moose, as indicated by stable corticosteroid levels, yet the injuries sustained can negatively affect their reproduction and overall survival.
Background: Aedes aegypti presence, human-vector contact rates, and Aedes-borne virus transmission are highly variable through time and space. The Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), Texas, is one of the few regions in the U.S.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Flea-borne diseases like flea-borne typhus and cat scratch disease are increasingly common in Texas, highlighting the need to understand flea ecology for public health protection.
- A study in East Texas involved monthly trapping of mammals, resulting in 101 fleas collected predominantly from Virginia opossums, which had a high infestation rate of 79%.
- The research found that flea populations peaked in spring and identified pathogens in some mammals, suggesting that wildlife may play a significant role in maintaining these disease vectors.