Temporal gene expression during asexual development of the apicomplexan .

Unlabelled: Asexual replication in the apicomplexan involves two main developmental stages: the motile extracellular merozoite and the sessile intracellular schizont. Merozoites invade host cells and transform into schizonts that undergo replication via endopolygeny to form multiple (64) daughter merozoites that are invasive to new host cells. Given that the capabilities of the merozoite vary significantly from the schizont, the patterns of transcript levels throughout the asexual lifecycle were determined and compared in this study.

Direction Estimation in 3D Outdoor Air-Air Wireless Channels through Machine Learning.

UAVs need to communicate along three dimensions (3D) with other aerial vehicles, ranging from above to below, and often need to connect to ground stations. However, wireless transmission in 3D space significantly dissipates power, often hindering the range required for these types of links. Directional transmission is one way to efficiently use available wireless channels to achieve the desired range.

Social contact behaviors are associated with infection status for Trichuris sp. in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus).

Social grooming in the animal kingdom is common and serves several functions, from removing ectoparasites to maintaining social bonds between conspecifics. We examined whether time spent grooming with others in a highly social mammal species was associated with infection status for gastrointestinal parasites. Of six parasites detected, one (Trichuris sp.

Presumptive tick paralysis in 2 American Miniature horses in the United States.

Rationale: Tick paralysis has not been reported in horses in North America.

Clinical Findings: Two American Miniature horses were examined for progressive weakness and recumbency. Numerous ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) were found on both horses.

Number of Grooming Partners Is Associated with Hookworm Infection in Wild Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops).

There are many known benefits of social grooming among primates, including maintenance of social relationships, removal of ectoparasites, and improved physiological condition. Recently, however, researchers have noted that social grooming and social contact may also present a significant cost by facilitating transmission of some parasites and pathogens. We investigated whether the number of social grooming partners varied based on infection status for gastrointestinal parasites.

Identification of Heterobilharzia americana infection in a dog residing in Indiana with no history of travel.

Case Description: A 1-year-old castrated male dog residing in Indiana was examined because of intermittent vomiting of 4 months' duration.

Clinical Findings: The dog's condition did not resolve with medication. Diagnostic imaging revealed a possible partial obstruction at the ileocecal junction.

Temporal patterns of human and canine Giardia infection in the United States: 2003-2009.

Giardia protozoa have been suspected to be of zoonotic transmission, including transmission from companion animals such as pet dogs to humans. Patterns of infection have been previously described for dogs and humans, but such investigations have used different time periods and locations for these two species. Our objective was to describe and compare the overall trend and seasonality of Giardia species infection among dogs and humans in the United States from 2003 through 2009 in an ecological study using public health surveillance data and medical records of pet dogs visiting a large nationwide private veterinary hospital.

Prevalence and risk factors for Giardia spp. infection in a large national sample of pet dogs visiting veterinary hospitals in the United States (2003-2009).

Estimates of the prevalence of intestinal infection of dogs with Giardia spp. in the United States vary widely. Risk factors for infection in a large sample of dogs over an extended period of time have not been well characterized.

Effects of oral clotrimazole troches on the pharmacokinetics of oral and intravenous midazolam.

Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the effects of oral clotrimazole troches on the pharmacokinetics of oral and intravenous midazolam in the plasma.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, open-label, four-way crossover study in 10 healthy volunteers. Each volunteer received oral midazolam 2 mg or intravenous midazolam 0.

The pharmacokinetics of codeine and its metabolites in Blacks with sickle cell disease.

Purpose: We conducted a prospective, open-label study in 54 adult subjects with sickle cell disease to determine the relationship between morphine concentrations, cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 genotype, and clinical outcomes.

Methods: A blood sample was obtained for genotyping and serial blood samples were drawn to measure codeine and its metabolites in the plasma before and after oral codeine sulfate 30 mg. Codeine and its metabolites were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Hypertension-induced renal fibrosis and spironolactone response vary by rat strain and mineralocorticoid receptor gene expression.

Introduction: Aldosterone promotes renal fibrosis via the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), thus contributing to hypertension-induced nephropathy. We investigated whether MR gene expression influences renal fibrosis and MR antagonist response in a two-kidney, one-clip hypertensive rat model.

Materials And Methods: Brown Norway (BN), Lewis, and ACI rats were randomised to spironolactone 20 mg/kg/day or water by gavage, starting four weeks after left renal artery clipping.

Association of beta-blocker dose with serum procollagen concentrations and cardiac response to spironolactone in patients with heart failure.

Study Objective: To determine whether beta-blocker dose influences cardiac collagen turnover and the effects of spironolactone on cardiac collagen turnover in patients with heart failure.

Design: Prospective clinical study.

Setting: Two heart failure centers.

Intravenous administration of paclitaxel in Sprague-Dawley rats: what is a safe dose?

Few studies describe the administration of Taxol to rats; however, rats are typically used to study the toxicity of new drugs or novel formulations. A dose finding study was conducted to determine a safe dose of Taxol following intravenous administration in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a bolus of paclitaxel 5-20 mg/kg i.

Paclitaxel decreases the accumulation of gemcitabine and its metabolites in human leukemia cells and primary cell cultures.

Background: We identified a drug-drug interaction between gemcitabine and paclitaxel in a clinical pharmacokinetic study. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether paclitaxel affected the uptake and accumulation of the parent drug gemcitabine and the formation of its metabolites after treatment of cells with gemcitabine in vitro.

Materials And Methods: The human leukemia cell line CEM was treated with 15 micoM 3H-gemcitabine, with and without paclitaxel, and the accumulation of radiolabeled gemcitabine was assessed up to one minute and one hour.

Long-term (2-year) clinical events following transthoracic intramyocardial gene transfer of VEGF-2 in no-option patients.

Background: The short-term clinical impact of intramyocardial gene transfer (GT) of the angiogenic protein vascular endothelial growth factor-2 (VEGF-2) has been previously reported to significantly reduce Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina class and to prolong exercise treadmill test (ETT) time. We describe the safety and long-term events (>1 year) in consecutive, nonrandomized, patients who received intramyocardial VEGF-2.

Methods: Thirty patients with intractable CCS class III or IV angina and no options for revascularization underwent direct intramyocardial GT of VEGF-2 naked DNA via limited thoracotomy at total doses of 0.

One-year follow-up of direct myocardial gene transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor-2 using naked plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid by way of thoracotomy in no-option patients.

This phase I open label, dose-escalating study shows that gene transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor-2 naked deoxyribonucleic acid by direct myocardial injection by way of thoracotomy in patients with Canadian Cardiovascular Society class 3 or 4 angina is feasible and safe. The procedure is well tolerated, with few major adverse cardiac events at 1 year, and without complications directly related to gene expression. In this prospective, nonblinded study, the procedure is associated with clinical improvement; however, there was no angiographic evidence of angiogenesis and there is a great potential for a sham or placebo effect in the study patients.