A NEW COCCIDIAN (APICOMPLEXA: EIMERIIDAE) IN THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED CENTRAL AMERICAN RIVER TURTLE (DERMATEMYS MAWII) IN BELIZE.

As part of a biannual health examination, coprological samples from 3-mo-old Central American river turtles, Dermatemys mawii (Gray, 1847) in a breeding program in Belize, Central America, revealed a previously undescribed coccidian (Apicomplexa) in 17 of 46 (37%) samples. Of 3 positive fecal samples transported to the University of Florida, coccidian oocysts were observed in 1 sample. Sporulated oocysts were measured and described, and using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), an approximately 400-base pair (bp) region of both the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA gene and 1,200-bp region of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene were amplified in all 3 samples and their products were sequenced.

Effect of Vitamin C, Thiamine, and Hydrocortisone on Ventilator- and Vasopressor-Free Days in Patients With Sepsis: The VICTAS Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Sepsis is a common syndrome with substantial morbidity and mortality. A combination of vitamin C, thiamine, and corticosteroids has been proposed as a potential treatment for patients with sepsis.

Objective: To determine whether a combination of vitamin C, thiamine, and hydrocortisone every 6 hours increases ventilator- and vasopressor-free days compared with placebo in patients with sepsis.

Reciprocal Circuits Linking the Prefrontal Cortex with Dorsal and Ventral Thalamic Nuclei.

Reciprocal interactions between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and thalamus play a critical role in cognition, but the underlying circuits remain poorly understood. Here we use optogenetics to dissect the specificity and dynamics of cortico-thalamo-cortical networks in the mouse brain. We find that cortico-thalamic (CT) neurons in prelimbic PFC project to both mediodorsal (MD) and ventromedial (VM) thalamus, where layer 5 and 6 inputs activate thalamo-cortical (TC) neurons with distinct temporal profiles.

Cell-Type Specificity of Callosally Evoked Excitation and Feedforward Inhibition in the Prefrontal Cortex.

Excitation and inhibition are highly specific in the cortex, with distinct synaptic connections made onto subtypes of projection neurons. The functional consequences of this selective connectivity depend on both synaptic strength and the intrinsic properties of targeted neurons but remain poorly understood. Here, we examine responses to callosal inputs at cortico-cortical (CC) and cortico-thalamic (CT) neurons in layer 5 of mouse prelimbic prefrontal cortex (PFC).

Prevalence of Nasal Colonization by Methicillin-Resistant in Persons Using a Homeless Shelter in Kansas City.

Nasal colonization of methicillin-resistant (MRSA) plays an important role in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of disease. Situations of close-quarter contact in groups are generally regarded as a risk factor for community-acquired MRSA strains due to transmission fomites and person-to-person contact. With these criteria for risk, homeless individuals using shelter facilities, including showers and toilets, should be considered high risk for colonization and infection.

A Versatile Method for Immunofluorescent Staining of Cells Cultured on Permeable Membrane Inserts.

BACKGROUND Obtaining high-quality images of cellular structures via immunofluorescence staining is critical for cellular localization studies. Often, these studies cannot be performed in parallel with certain oncology, virology, pharmacokinetic, and drug absorption studies due to model system technicalities requiring the cells to be cultured on porous membranes rather than glass or plastic. MATERIAL AND METHODS Here, we report a method of immunofluorescent staining of cells cultured on permeable membranes.

The TGF-β pathway mediates doxorubicin effects on cardiac endothelial cells.

Elevated ALK4/5 ligands including TGF-β and activins have been linked to cardiovascular remodeling and heart failure. Doxorubicin (Dox) is commonly used as a model of cardiomyopathy, a condition that often precedes cardiovascular remodeling and heart failure. In 7-8-week-old C57Bl/6 male mice treated with Dox we found decreased capillary density, increased levels of ALK4/5 ligand and Smad2/3 transcripts, and increased expression of Smad2/3 transcriptional targets.

The effects of human immunodeficiency virus infection on the expression of the drug efflux proteins P-glycoprotein and breast cancer resistance protein in a human intestine model.

Objectives: In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, decreased penetration of antiretroviral drugs is postulated to contribute to HIV persistence within lymphoid-rich regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, mechanistic explanations for this phenomenon remain unclear. Specifically, investigations of HIV effects on drug efflux proteins within intestinal models are minimal.

GABA-A receptor inhibition of local calcium signaling in spines and dendrites.

Cortical interneurons activate GABA-A receptors to rapidly control electrical and biochemical signaling at pyramidal neurons. Different populations of interneurons are known to uniquely target the soma and dendrites of pyramidal neurons. However, the ability of these interneurons to inhibit Ca(2+) signaling at spines and dendrites is largely unexplored.

Plant-pollinator interactions over 120 years: loss of species, co-occurrence, and function.

Using historic data sets, we quantified the degree to which global change over 120 years disrupted plant-pollinator interactions in a temperate forest understory community in Illinois, USA. We found degradation of interaction network structure and function and extirpation of 50% of bee species. Network changes can be attributed to shifts in forb and bee phenologies resulting in temporal mismatches, nonrandom species extinctions, and loss of spatial co-occurrences between extant species in modified landscapes.

Carbanion-accelerated Claisen rearrangements: asymmetric induction with chiral phosphorus-stabilized anions.

The carbanion-accelerated Claisen rearrangement has been extended to include phosphorus carbanion-stabilizing groups. The appropriately substituted allyl vinyl ethers are synthesized by the nucleophilic addition of allyl oxides to phosphorus-substituted allenes, which are obtained in one step from simple starting materials. The phosphorus-stabilized, carbanion-accelerated Claisen rearrangements proceed rapidly at room temperature in high yield, and the rearrangements are highly site- and stereoselective.

Functional PAK-2 knockout and replacement with a caspase cleavage-deficient mutant in mice reveals differential requirements of full-length PAK-2 and caspase-activated PAK-2p34.

p21-Activated protein kinase 2 (PAK-2) has both anti- and pro-apoptotic functions depending on its mechanism of activation. Activation of full-length PAK-2 by the monomeric GTPases Cdc42 or Rac stimulates cell survival, whereas caspase activation of PAK-2 to the PAK-2p34 fragment is involved in the apoptotic response. In this study we use functional knockout of PAK-2 and gene replacement with the caspase cleavage-deficient PAK-2D212N mutant to differentiate the biological functions of full-length PAK-2 and caspase-activated PAK-2p34.

Prevalence of multi-gastrointestinal infections with helminth, protozoan and Campylobacter spp. in Guatemalan children.

Background: The prevalence of multi-infections with helminthes, protozoans and Campylobacter spp. in Guatemalan children is a reflection of differences in the risk factors related to pathogen transmission.

Methodology: Two hundred and eighty-nine fecal samples were collected from children of the Guatemalan highlands and patterns of pathogen occurrences were evaluated using an immunoassay for Campylobacter spp.

Elevated p21-activated kinase 2 activity results in anchorage-independent growth and resistance to anticancer drug-induced cell death.

p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK-2) seems to be a regulatory switch between cell survival and cell death signaling. We have shown previously that activation of full-length PAK-2 by Rac or Cdc42 stimulates cell survival, whereas caspase activation of PAK-2 to the proapoptotic PAK-2p34 fragment is involved in the cell death response. In this study, we present a role of elevated activity of full-length PAK-2 in anchorage-independent growth and resistance to anticancer drug-induced apoptosis of cancer cells.

Effect of tourism and trade on intestinal parasitic infections in Guatemala.

A survey was performed to determine if infection with gastrointestinal parasites differs between the rural and urban poor inhabitants of Guatemala. A total of 317 stool samples from children in two towns, one rural and one urban, were examined using the formalin-ether concentration method. The overall prevalence of parasites in infected children was 67%, 20%, 30%, and 22%, respectively for Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Giardia duodenalis and Entamoeba histolytica in the rural town of La Mano de Leon and 49%, 14%, 15%, and 21%, respectively in the urban town of Santa Maria de Jesus.

RhoA mediates cyclooxygenase-2 signaling to disrupt the formation of adherens junctions and increase cell motility.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) represents an important target for treatment and prevention of colorectal cancer. Although COX-2 signaling is implicated in promoting tumor cell growth and invasion, the molecular mechanisms that mediate these processes are largely unknown. In this study, we show that the RhoA pathway mediates COX-2 signaling to disrupt the formation of adherens junctions and increase cell motility.

Dredged Illinois River sediments: plant growth and metal uptake.

Sedimentation of the Illinois River in central Illinois has greatly diminished the utility and ecological value of the Peoria Lakes reach of the river. Consequently, a large dredging project has been proposed to improve its wildlife habitat and recreation potential, but disposal of the dredged sediment presents a challenge. Land placement is an attractive option.

Sediments and sediment-derived soils in Illinois: pedological and agronomic assessment.

Dredging sediments from water bodies in Illinois is done to preserve reservoir capacity, maintain navigation and recreation channels, and restore habitats, but the fate of the sediments is an issue. In anticipation of a major sediment dredging operation in Lake Peoria in the Illinois River, a retrospective study of sediment placement operations was performed. Sediments previously dredged from reservoirs and placed in retaining ponds were sampled along with adjacent upland soils which served as references.

Apicoectomy surgical procedure using thermoplasticized injectable gutta-percha retrofillings.

Many materials have been used as retrograde fillings. Zinc oxide and eugenol, cavit, composite, gold foils, and other materials have been used in an attempt to seal the apical extent of the root canal. However, the most common material is amalgam.