General health status in army personnel: relations with health behaviors and psychosocial variables.

Purpose: Poor self-rated health (SRH) is linked to an increased risk of injury, future healthcare services utilization, and morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify correlates of a single-item measure of health in 8070 US Army personnel.

Methods: Responses were collected from the Army's global assessment tool (GAT) 2.

Low-Pathogenic Influenza A Viruses in North American Diving Ducks Contribute to the Emergence of a Novel Highly Pathogenic Influenza A(H7N8) Virus.

Introductions of low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses of subtypes H5 and H7 into poultry from wild birds have the potential to mutate to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses, but such viruses' origins are often unclear. In January 2016, a novel H7N8 HPAI virus caused an outbreak in turkeys in Indiana, USA. To determine the virus's origin, we sequenced the genomes of 441 wild-bird origin influenza A viruses (IAVs) from North America and subjected them to evolutionary analyses.

Genotyping-by-Sequencing in a Species Complex of Australian Hummock Grasses (Triodia): Methodological Insights and Phylogenetic Resolution.

Next-generation sequencing is becoming increasingly accessible to researchers asking biosystematic questions, but current best practice in both choosing a specific approach and effectively analysing the resulting data set is still being explored. We present a case study for the use of genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) to resolve relationships in a species complex of Australian arid and semi-arid grasses (Triodia R.Br.

Comparison of commercial nanoliquid chromatography columns for fast, targeted mass spectrometry-based proteomics.

Aim: We compared four commonly used, commercially available reverse phase nanoLC columns for identification/determination of Wnt/β-catenin-related pathway proteins.

Materials & Methods: The columns were: Chromolith (silica monolith; Merke Millipore, MA, USA), PepMap™ (porous particles; Thermo Fisher Scientific, MA, USA), Accucore™ (solid core particles; Thermo Fisher Scientific) and PepSwift™ (organic monolith; Thermo Fisher Scientific).

Results: The peak capacity of the columns varied from 100 (Pepswift) to 190 (Accucore) (for 30 min gradients).

Versatile, sensitive liquid chromatography mass spectrometry - Implementation of 10 μm OT columns suitable for small molecules, peptides and proteins.

We have designed a versatile and sensitive liquid chromatographic (LC) system, featuring a monolithic trap column and a very narrow (10 μm ID) fused silica open tubular liquid chromatography (OTLC) separation column functionalized with C-groups, for separating a wide range of molecules (from small metabolites to intact proteins). Compared to today's capillary/nanoLC approaches, our system provides significantly enhanced sensitivity (up to several orders) with matching or improved separation efficiency, and highly repeatable chromatographic performance. The chemical properties of the trap column and the analytical column were fine-tuned to obtain practical sample loading capacities (above 2 μg), an earlier bottleneck of OTLC.

Potential for Low-Pathogenic Avian H7 Influenza A Viruses To Replicate and Cause Disease in a Mammalian Model.

Unlabelled: H7 subtype influenza A viruses are widely distributed and have been responsible for human infections and numerous outbreaks in poultry with significant impact. Despite this, the disease-causing potential of the precursor low-pathogenic (LP) H7 viruses from the wild bird reservoir has not been investigated. Our objective was to assess the disease-causing potential of 30 LP H7 viruses isolated from wild avian species in the United States and Canada using the DBA/2J mouse model.

Regulation of mRNA Translation by MID1: A Common Mechanism of Expanded CAG Repeat RNAs.

Expansion of CAG repeats, which code for the disease-causing polyglutamine protein, is a common feature in polyglutamine diseases. RNA-mediated mechanisms that contribute to neuropathology in polyglutamine diseases are important. RNA-toxicity describes a phenomenon by which the mutant CAG repeat RNA recruits RNA-binding proteins, thereby leading to aberrant function.

The Effect of Polyhexanide, Octenidine Dihydrochloride, and Tea Tree Oil as Topical Antiseptic Agents on In Vivo Microcirculation of the Human Skin: A Noninvasive Quantitative Analysis.

Background: Antiseptics are indispensable for wound management and should focus not only on the efficacy in reducing the bacterial burden but also on how much they interfere in wound healing. In this study, the authors analyzed the direct effect of topical antiseptic agents on the microcirculation of intact human skin.

Methods: The perfusion dynamics were assessed before, and 10 minutes after, the volunteers' fingers of the right hand (n = 20) were immersed in the following solutions - octenidine dihydrochloride, polyhexanide, tea tree oil, and saline solution.

Highly Pathogenic Reassortant Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Clade 2.3.2.1a in Poultry, Bhutan.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1), clade 2.3.2.

Paternity analysis reveals wide pollen dispersal and high multiple paternity in a small isolated population of the bird-pollinated Eucalyptus caesia (Myrtaceae).

Optimal foraging behaviour by nectavores is expected to result in a leptokurtic pollen dispersal distribution and predominantly near-neighbour mating. However, complex social interactions among nectarivorous birds may result in different mating patterns to those typically observed in insect-pollinated plants. Mating system, realised pollen dispersal and spatial genetic structure were examined in the bird-pollinated Eucalyptus caesia, a species characterised by small, geographically disjunct populations.

Objective Method for Presumptive Field-Testing of Illicit Drug Possession Using Centrifugal Microdevices and Smartphone Analysis.

Current colorimetric presumptive identification of illicit drugs for determining illegal possession of controlled substances by law enforcement relies solely on the subjective interpretation of color change using drug- or class-specific reactions. Here, we describe the use of inexpensive polyester-toner, rotation-driven microfluidic devices with a smartphone as a potential alternative for current presumptive colorimetric field-testing of illicit drugs, allowing for an objective and user-friendly image analysis technique for detection. The centrifugal microfluidic platform accommodates simultaneous presumptive testing of material from a single input to multiple reaction chambers, enabling rapid screening.

Phytyl Fatty Acid Esters in the Pulp of Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum).

Phytyl fatty acid esters (PFAE) are esters of fatty acids with the isoprenoid alcohol phytol (3,7R,11R,15-tetramethylhexadec-2E-enol). In this study, PFAE were identified and quantified in bell pepper using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). All red (n = 14) and yellow (n = 6) samples contained six or seven PFAE at 0.

The enigma of the apparent disappearance of Eurasian highly pathogenic H5 clade 2.3.4.4 influenza A viruses in North American waterfowl.

One of the major unresolved questions in influenza A virus (IAV) ecology is exemplified by the apparent disappearance of highly pathogenic (HP) H5N1, H5N2, and H5N8 (H5Nx) viruses containing the Eurasian hemagglutinin 2.3.4.

Whole-genome analysis of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses isolated in Uganda from 2009 to 2011.

We report a whole-genome analysis of 19 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates from four Ugandan hospitals between 2009 and 2011. The isolates differed from the vaccine strain A/California/07/2009 by three amino acid substitutions P100S, S220T, and I338V in the hemagglutinin and by two amino acid substitutions V106I and N248D in the neuraminidase proteins with consistent mutations in all gene segments distinguishing isolates from the 2009/2010 to 2010/2011 seasons. Phylogenetic analysis showed low genetic evolution, with genetic distances of 0%-1.

Antibodies to Influenza A Viruses in Gulls at Delaware Bay, USA.

Gulls are the known reservoir for H13 and H16 influenza A viruses (IAV) but also host a diversity of other IAV subtypes. Gulls also share habitats with both ducks and shorebirds, increasing the potential for cross-species IAV transmission. We serologically tested laughing gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla) collected at Delaware Bay during May when they were in direct contact with IAV-infected shorebirds; both species feed on horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs on beaches during this month.

The Continuing Evolution of H5N1 and H9N2 Influenza Viruses in Bangladesh Between 2013 and 2014.

In 2011, avian influenza surveillance at the Bangladesh live bird markets (LBMs) showed complete replacement of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus of clade 2.2.2 (Qinghai-like H5N1 lineage) by the HPAI H5N1 clade 2.

Novel Highly Pathogenic Avian A(H5N2) and A(H5N8) Influenza Viruses of Clade 2.3.4.4 from North America Have Limited Capacity for Replication and Transmission in Mammals.

Highly pathogenic influenza A(H5N8) viruses from clade 2.3.4.

Microfluidic enzymatic DNA extraction on a hybrid polyester-toner-PMMA device.

To date, the forensic community regards solid phase extraction (SPE) as the most effective methodology for the purification of DNA for use in short tandem repeat (STR) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. While a dominant methodology, SPE protocols generally necessitate the use of PCR inhibitors (guanidine, IPA) and, in addition, can demand timescales of up to 30 min due to the necessary load, wash and elution steps. The recent discovery and characterization of the EA1 protease has allowed the user to enzymatically extract (not purify) DNA, dramatically simplifying the task of producing a PCR-ready template.

Epigenetic perturbations in aging stem cells.

Stem cells maintain homeostasis in all regenerating tissues during the lifespan of an organism. Thus, age-related functional decline of such tissues is likely to be at least partially explained by molecular events occurring in the stem cell compartment. Some of these events involve epigenetic changes, which may dictate how an aging genome can lead to differential gene expression programs.

Untangling a species complex of arid zone grasses (Triodia) reveals patterns congruent with co-occurring animals.

The vast Australian arid zone formed over the last 15million years, and gradual aridification as well as more extreme Pliocene and Pleistocene climate shifts have impacted the evolution of its biota. Understanding the evolutionary history of groups of organisms or regional biotas such as the Australian arid biota requires clear delimitation of the units of biodiversity (taxa). Here we integrate evidence from nuclear (ETS and ITS) and chloroplast (rps16-trnK spacer) regions and morphology to clarify taxonomic boundaries in a species complex of Australian hummock grasses (Triodia) to better understand the evolution of Australian arid zone plants and to evaluate congruence in distribution patterns with co-occurring organisms.

Ecosystem Interactions Underlie the Spread of Avian Influenza A Viruses with Pandemic Potential.

Despite evidence for avian influenza A virus (AIV) transmission between wild and domestic ecosystems, the roles of bird migration and poultry trade in the spread of viruses remain enigmatic. In this study, we integrate ecosystem interactions into a phylogeographic model to assess the contribution of wild and domestic hosts to AIV distribution and persistence. Analysis of globally sampled AIV datasets shows frequent two-way transmission between wild and domestic ecosystems.

The replication of Bangladeshi H9N2 avian influenza viruses carrying genes from H7N3 in mammals.

H9N2 avian influenza viruses are continuously monitored by the World Health Organization because they are endemic; they continually reassort with H5N1, H7N9 and H10N8 viruses; and they periodically cause human infections. We characterized H9N2 influenza viruses carrying internal genes from highly pathogenic H7N3 viruses, which were isolated from chickens or quail from live-bird markets in Bangladesh between 2010 and 2013. All of the H9N2 viruses used in this study carried mammalian host-specific mutations.

Demographic and genetic connectivity: the role and consequences of reproduction, dispersal and recruitment in seagrasses.

Accurate estimation of connectivity among populations is fundamental for determining the drivers of population resilience, genetic diversity, adaptation and speciation. However the separation and quantification of contemporary versus historical connectivity remains a major challenge. This review focuses on marine angiosperms, seagrasses, that are fundamental to the health and productivity of temperate and tropical coastal marine environments globally.

Isolation and characterization of 13 microsatellites for the rare endemic shrub Tetratheca erubescens (Elaeocarpaceae).

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellite markers were developed for the rare Tetratheca erubescens (Elaeocarpaceae) to assess genetic diversity and spatial structuring.

Methods And Results: We generated ca. 2.