Detection of Gammaherpesvirus 1 in Domestic Cat Saliva: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Attempted Virus Isolation.

gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1) infects domestic cats worldwide, yet it has not been successfully propagated in cell culture, and little is known about how it is shed and transmitted. To investigate the salivary shedding of FcaGHV1, we quantified FcaGHV1 DNA in feline saliva by qPCR. For FcaGHV1-positive saliva, we sequenced a portion of the viral glycoprotein B (gB) gene and attempted to isolate the infectious virus by passage in several felid and non-felid cell lines.

Pharmacokinetics of Budesonide Oral Suspension in Children and Adolescents With Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

The pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of budesonide oral suspension (BOS) was evaluated during a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study in pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) (MPI 101-01/NCT00762073). Non-compartmental methods were used to calculate PK parameters in 37 patients after receiving morning doses of BOS, with volume and dose adjusted for age (low dose: 0.35 or 0.

Establishment of Host-Algal Endosymbioses: Genetic Response to Symbiont Versus Prey in a Sponge Host.

The freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri and its Chlorella-like algal partner is an emerging model for studying animal: algal endosymbiosis. The sponge host is a tractable laboratory organism, and the symbiotic algae are easily cultured. We took advantage of these traits to interrogate questions about mechanisms that govern the establishment of durable intracellular partnerships between hosts and symbionts in facultative symbioses.

Gluten Degradation, Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of TAK-062, an Engineered Enzyme to Treat Celiac Disease.

Background And Aims: Celiac disease (CeD) is an immune-mediated disorder triggered by the ingestion of gluten. Despite adhering to a gluten-free diet (the only management option available to patients with CeD), many patients continue to experience symptoms and intestinal injury. Degradation of immunogenic fractions of gluten peptides in the stomach has been proposed as an approach to reduce toxicity of ingested gluten; however, no enzymes evaluated to date have demonstrated sufficient gluten degradation in complex meals.

Freshwater sponge hosts and their green algae symbionts: a tractable model to understand intracellular symbiosis.

In many freshwater habitats, green algae form intracellular symbioses with a variety of heterotrophic host taxa including several species of freshwater sponge. These sponges perform important ecological roles in their habitats, and the poriferan:green algae partnerships offers unique opportunities to study the evolutionary origins and ecological persistence of endosymbioses. We examined the association between and its chlorophyte partner to identify features of host cellular and genetic responses to the presence of intracellular algal partners.

Technical Considerations for Use of Oligonucleotide Solution API.

The most common approach for the manufacture of oligonucleotides includes isolation of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) via lyophilization to provide a solid product, which is then dissolved to provide an aqueous formulation. It is well known from the development and manufacture of large molecules ("biologics") that API production does not always require isolation of solid API before drug product formulation, and this article provides technical considerations for the analogous use of oligonucleotide API in solution. The primary factor considered is solution stability, and additional factors such as viscosity, concentration, end-to-end manufacturing, microbiological control, packaging, and storage are also discussed.

Assessing the Effect of Middle Ear Effusions on Wideband Acoustic Immittance Using Optical Coherence Tomography.

Objectives: Wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) noninvasively assesses middle ear function by measuring the sound conduction over a range of audible frequencies. Although several studies have shown the potential of WAI for detecting the presence of middle ear effusions (MEEs), determining the effects of MEE type and amount on WAI in vivo has been challenging due to the anatomical location of middle ear cavity. The purpose of this study is to correlate WAI measurements with physical characteristics of the middle ear and MEEs determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT), a noninvasive optical imaging technique.

Automated classification platform for the identification of otitis media using optical coherence tomography.

The diagnosis and treatment of otitis media (OM), a common childhood infection, is a significant burden on the healthcare system. Diagnosis relies on observer experience via otoscopy, although for non-specialists or inexperienced users, accurate diagnosis can be difficult. In past studies, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used to quantitatively characterize disease states of OM, although with the involvement of experts to interpret and correlate image-based indicators of infection with clinical information.

Secreted frizzled related protein is a target of PaxB and plays a role in aquiferous system development in the freshwater sponge, Ephydatia muelleri.

Canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling, as well as the Pax/Six gene network, are involved in patterning the freshwater sponge aquiferous system. Using computational approaches to identify transcription factor binding motifs in a freshwater sponge genome, we located putative PaxB binding sites near a Secreted Frizzled Related Protein (SFRP) gene in Ephydatia muelleri. EmSFRP is expressed throughout development, but with highest levels in juvenile sponges.

Ontogeny of symbiont community structure in two carotenoid-rich, viviparous marine sponges: comparison of microbiomes and analysis of culturable pigmented heterotrophic bacteria.

Marine sponges harbour diverse communities of microbes. Mechanisms used to establish microbial symbioses in sponges are poorly understood, and the relative contributions of horizontal and vertical transmission are unknown for most species. We examined microbial communities in adults and larvae of carotenoid-rich Clathria prolifera and Halichondria bowerbanki from the mid-Atlantic region of the eastern United States.

European Pharma Oligonucleotide Consortium: A Move to Consolidate Oligonucleotide Knowledge and Share Experience Within the Community.

A consortium of seven pharma companies has been formed with the aim of sharing knowledge on and harmonizing approaches to oligonucleotide development. This letter aims to raise awareness of this new group and to set expectations for future publications.

In vivo detection of nanometer-scale structural changes of the human tympanic membrane in otitis media.

Otitis media (OM) is a common ear infection and a leading cause of conductive hearing loss in the pediatric population. Current technologies such as otoscopy, pneumatic otoscopy, tympanometry, and acoustic reflectometry are used to diagnose OM, which can reasonably diagnose the infection with a sensitivity and specificity of 50-90% and 60-90%, respectively. However, these techniques provide limited information about the physical architecture of the tympanic membrane (TM), or what may lie behind it.

Belonging and exclusion in the lives of young people with intellectual disability in small town communities.

In recent policies, it is assumed that communities welcome the inclusion of young people with intellectual disability. However, little is known about perspectives of young people themselves. This article reports on research that sought to address this gap.

Pneumatic low-coherence interferometry otoscope to quantify tympanic membrane mobility and middle ear pressure.

Pneumatic otoscopy to assess the mobility of the tympanic membrane (TM) is a highly recommended diagnostic method of otitis media (OM), a widespread middle ear infection characterized by the fluid accumulation in the middle ear. Nonetheless, limited depth perception and subjective interpretation of small TM displacements have challenged the appropriate and efficient examination of TM dynamics experienced during OM. In this paper, a pneumatic otoscope integrated with low coherence interferometry (LCI) was adapted with a controlled pressure-generating system to record the pneumatic response of the TM and to estimate middle ear pressure (MEP).

Sibling species of mutualistic Symbiodinium clade G from bioeroding sponges in the western Pacific and western Atlantic oceans.

Dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium associate with a broad array of metazoan and protistian hosts. Symbiodinium-based symbioses involving bioeroding sponge hosts have received less attention than those involving popular scleractinian hosts. Certain species of common Cliona harbor high densities of an ecologically restricted group of Symbiodinium, referred to as Clade G.

Psychometric validation of the Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis treated with budesonide oral suspension.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is characterized by high levels of eosinophils in the esophageal mucosa. Patients with the disease present with a range of symptoms, including dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). The aim of this analysis was to assess the psychometric properties of the Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ), a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure of dysphagia associated with EoE.

Micro- and nano-structural characterization of six marine sponges of the class Demospongiae.

The sponges produce their skeletal elements and silicateins are the key enzymes in this process. The mechanism underlying the formation of their silica skeleton and its structural properties are of exceptional interest for applications in technology. Micro- and nano-scale structural analysis of the six marine sponges belonging to Demospongiae [Callyspongia (Cladochalia) plicifera (Lamarck, 1814), Cervicornia cuspidifera (Lamarck, 1815), Cinachyrela sp.

Noninvasive depth-resolved optical measurements of the tympanic membrane and middle ear for differentiating otitis media.

Objective/hypothesis: In this study, optical coherence tomography (OCT) is used to noninvasively and quantitatively determine tympanic membrane (TM) thickness and the presence and thickness of any middle-ear biofilm located behind the TM. These new metrics offer the potential to differentiate normal, acute, and chronic otitis media (OM) infections in pediatric subjects.

Study Design: Case series with comparison group.

Production possibility frontiers in phototroph:heterotroph symbioses: trade-offs in allocating fixed carbon pools and the challenges these alternatives present for understanding the acquisition of intracellular habitats.

Intracellular habitats have been invaded by a remarkable diversity of organisms, and strategies employed to successfully reside in another species' cellular space are varied. Common selective pressures may be experienced in symbioses involving phototrophic symbionts and heterotrophic hosts. Here I refine and elaborate the Arrested Phagosome Hypothesis that proposes a mechanism that phototrophs use to gain access to their host's intracellular habitat.

Transcriptomic analysis of differential host gene expression upon uptake of symbionts: a case study with Symbiodinium and the major bioeroding sponge Cliona varians.

Background: We have a limited understanding of genomic interactions that occur among partners for many symbioses. One of the most important symbioses in tropical reef habitats involves Symbiodinium. Most work examining Symbiodinium-host interactions involves cnidarian partners.

Nearly complete 28S rRNA gene sequences confirm new hypotheses of sponge evolution.

The highly collaborative research sponsored by the NSF-funded Assembling the Porifera Tree of Life (PorToL) project is providing insights into some of the most difficult questions in metazoan systematics. Our understanding of phylogenetic relationships within the phylum Porifera has changed considerably with increased taxon sampling and data from additional molecular markers. PorToL researchers have falsified earlier phylogenetic hypotheses, discovered novel phylogenetic alliances, found phylogenetic homes for enigmatic taxa, and provided a more precise understanding of the evolution of skeletal features, secondary metabolites, body organization, and symbioses.

Reconstruction of family-level phylogenetic relationships within Demospongiae (Porifera) using nuclear encoded housekeeping genes.

Background: Demosponges are challenging for phylogenetic systematics because of their plastic and relatively simple morphologies and many deep divergences between major clades. To improve understanding of the phylogenetic relationships within Demospongiae, we sequenced and analyzed seven nuclear housekeeping genes involved in a variety of cellular functions from a diverse group of sponges.

Methodology/principal Findings: We generated data from each of the four sponge classes (i.

Cliona tumula sp. nov., a conspicuous, massive Symbiodinium-bearing clionaid from the lower Florida Keys (USA)(Demospongiae: Hadromerida: Clionaidae).

Cliona tumula sp. nov. is described from the Florida Keys, Florida, USA.

Experimental manipulation of sponge/bacterial symbiont community composition with antibiotics: sponge cell aggregates as a unique tool to study animal/microorganism symbiosis.

Marine sponges can harbor dense and diverse bacterial communities, yet we have a limited understanding of important aspects of this symbiosis. We developed an experimental methodology that permits manipulating the composition of the microbial community. Specifically, we evaluated sponge cell aggregates (SCA) from Clathria prolifera that had been treated with different classes of antibiotics to determine whether this system might offer novel experimental approaches to the study of sponge/bacterial symbioses.