Modulation of genetic and epigenetic biomarkers of colorectal cancer in humans by black raspberries: a phase I pilot study.

Purpose: This study evaluated the effects of black raspberries (BRBs) on biomarkers of tumor development in the human colon and rectum including methylation of relevant tumor suppressor genes, cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and expression of Wnt pathway genes.

Experimental Design: Biopsies of adjacent normal tissues and colorectal adenocarcinomas were taken from 20 patients before and after oral consumption of BRB powder (60 g/d) for 1-9 weeks. Methylation status of promoter regions of five tumor suppressor genes was quantified.

Canine subcutaneous mast cell tumor: characterization and prognostic indices.

Histologic grading schemes for canine cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs) were not developed for subcutaneous MCTs. Despite this, subcutaneous MCTs are currently categorized by many as grade II or higher. The aim of this investigation was to assess the pathology and clinical outcome for subcutaneous MCTs to provide a more accurate prognosis.

Assessment of diagnostic tools for identifying cattle shedding and super-shedding Escherichia coli O157:H7 in a longitudinal study of naturally infected feedlot steers in Ohio.

The objectives of this study were to compare the performance of different diagnostic protocols (rectoanal mucosal swabs and immunomagnetic separation [RAMS-IMS], fecal samples and IMS [fecal-IMS], and direct plating) to determine the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and to evaluate the pattern of E. coli O157:H7 shedding and super-shedding (defined as having a direct plating count equal to or >10(4) colony forming units of E. coli O157:H7 per gram of feces) in a longitudinal study of naturally infected feedlot steers.

Survey of prevalence of overweight body condition in laboratory-housed cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis).

Excessive weight gain has been reported to occur in captive cynomolgus macaques with little to no change in diet. Overweight body condition can result in development of hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes and should be avoided. The purpose of this survey was to assess the prevalence of overweight cynomolgus macaques in North American research facilities, including breeding colonies and short-term and long-term facilities, and to describe current methods used to assess body condition.

Epidemiology of enteric disease in C-EnterNet's pilot site - Waterloo region, Ontario, 1990 to 2004.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to describe the epidemiology of reportable enteric illness in Ontario's Waterloo region, including comparing calculated incidence rates with published rates, and adjusting for under-reporting to determine the number of community cases, where published data were available.

Methods: Descriptive analyses were performed on reportable disease data for 13 enteric diseases collected in the Waterloo region from 1990 to 2004. Poisson and negative binomial regression analyses were used to investigate differences in incidence rates among age, sex, the 15 years of data and seasons.

Risk factors for the incidence of calcium oxalate uroliths or magnesium ammonium phosphate uroliths for dogs in Ontario, Canada, from 1998 to 2006.

Objective: To investigate individual- and community-level contextual variables as risk factors for submission of calcium oxalate (CaOx) uroliths or magnesium ammonium phosphate (ie, struvite) uroliths for dogs to a national urolith center, as determined on the basis of urolith submission patterns.

Sample Population: Records of 7,297 dogs from Ontario, Canada, with CaOx or struvite uroliths submitted to the Canadian Veterinary Urolith Centre from 1998 through 2006.

Procedures: Data were analyzed via multilevel multivariable logistic regression.

Factors associated with whole carcass condemnation rates in provincially-inspected abattoirs in Ontario 2001-2007: implications for food animal syndromic surveillance.

Background: Ontario provincial abattoirs have the potential to be important sources of syndromic surveillance data for emerging diseases of concern to animal health, public health and food safety. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe provincially inspected abattoirs processing cattle in Ontario in terms of the number of abattoirs, the number of weeks abattoirs process cattle, geographical distribution, types of whole carcass condemnations reported, and the distance animals are shipped for slaughter; and (2) identify various seasonal, secular, disease and non-disease factors that might bias the results of quantitative methods, such as cluster detection methods, used for food animal syndromic surveillance.

Results: Data were collected from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ontario Cattlemen's Association regarding whole carcass condemnation rates for cattle animal classes, abattoir compliance ratings, and the monthly sales-yard price for various cattle classes from 2001-2007.

Avian bornavirus is present in many tissues of psittacine birds with histopathologic evidence of proventricular dilatation disease.

Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) is a neurologic disease of psittacine birds suspected to be caused by a recently identified Avian bornavirus (ABV). In the current report, data supporting the causal association of ABV with PDD are presented. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) with rabbit polyclonal antiserum raised against ABV nucleocapsid protein was used to identify cell and organ distribution of viral antigen.

Newborn and carrier screening for spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in the survival motor neuron (SMN1) gene, affecting approximately 1 in 10,000 live births. The homozygous absence of SMN1 exon 7 has been observed in the majority of patients and is being utilized as a reliable and sensitive SMA diagnostic test. Treatment and prevention of SMA are complementary responses to the challenges presented by SMA.

A province-level risk factor analysis of fluoroquinolone consumption patterns in Canada (2000-06).

Objectives: To assess potential risk factors among socioeconomic variables and the rate of influenza for the use of different fluoroquinolone antimicrobials in Canada, and to evaluate modelling fluoroquinolone-use data by two different outcome measures.

Methods: Fluoroquinolone use was described monthly from 2000 to 2006 by two outcome measurements: defined daily doses and prescription counts. Multivariable linear and negative binomial models were produced with socioeconomic and influenza rate data.

Estimating species phylogenies using coalescence times among sequences.

The estimation of species trees (phylogenies) is one of the most important problems in evolutionary biology, and recently, there has been greater appreciation of the need to estimate species trees directly rather than using gene trees as a surrogate. A Bayesian method constructed under the multispecies coalescent model can consistently estimate species trees but involves intensive computation, which can hinder its application to the phylogenetic analysis of large-scale genomic data. Many summary statistics-based approaches, such as shallowest coalescences (SC) and Global LAteSt Split (GLASS), have been developed to infer species phylogenies for multilocus data sets.

A randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of dietary energy sources, feed supplements, and the presence of super-shedders on the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in feedlot cattle using different diagnostic procedures.

Alteration of the gastro-intestinal tract through manipulation of cattle diets has been proposed as a preharvest control measure to reduce fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the energy source's moisture content (high moisture corn and dry whole-shelled corn), two natural feed supplements (Saccaromyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM 1079-Levucell and Aspergillus oryzae-Amaferm), and two levels of vitamin A (2200 IU/kg and no supplementation) on the fecal excretion of E. coli O157:H7 in naturally infected cattle.

Retrospective case-control study of hyperglycemia in group-housed, mature female cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis).

Background: Captive cynomolgus macaques are prone to obesity, increasing their risk for developing hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Social rank may be a contributing risk factor predisposing macaques to adverse health events.

Methods: Using retrospective health records from 259 animals, a matched case-control study was conducted to assess risk factors for developing hyperglycemia in group-housed, adult females aged 10 or older.

Spatial and temporal clustering of calcium oxalate and magnesium ammonium phosphate uroliths in dogs living in Ontario, Canada between 1998 and 2006.

Using the spatial scan statistic with a Bernoulli model, in a comparison of the two most common canine uroliths, calcium oxalate (CaOx) and magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) we determined whether there was evidence of spatial and/or temporal clustering of each urolith type based on canine submissions from Ontario to the Canadian Veterinary Urolith Centre (CVUC) between 1998 and 2006. During this period, there were 10,478 canine submissions, excluding cases that were identified as recurrent. We were able to georeference approximately 93% of these incident cases.

Evaluation of pet-related management factors and the risk of Salmonella spp. carriage in pet dogs from volunteer households in Ontario (2005-2006).

The purpose of this study was to determine pet-related management factors that may be associated with the presence of Salmonella spp. in feces of pet dogs from volunteer households. From October 2005 until May 2006, 138 dogs from 84 households in Ontario were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional study.

Concentration of specific amino acids at the catalytic/active centers of highly-conserved "housekeeping" enzymes of central metabolism in archaea, bacteria and Eukaryota: is there a widely conserved chemical signal of prebiotic assembly?

In alignments of 1969 protein sequences the amino acid glycine and others were found concentrated at most-conserved sites within approximately 15 A of catalytic/active centers (C/AC) of highly conserved kinases, dehydrogenases or lyases of Archaea, Bacteria and Eukaryota. Lysine and glutamic acid were concentrated at least-conserved sites furthest from their C/ACs. Logistic-regression analyses corroborated the "movement" of glycine towards and lysine away from their C/ACs: the odds of a glycine occupying a site were decreased by 19%, while the odds for a lysine were increased by 53%, for every 10 A moving away from the C/AC.

Methicillin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infections in dogs.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a pathogen of animals. To compare types of infections, clinical outcomes, and risk factors associated with MRSA in dogs with those associated with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infections, we conducted a case-control study at 3 veterinary referral hospitals in the United States and Canada during 2001-2007. Risk factors analyzed were signalment, medical and surgical history, and infection site.

Effects of ibuprofen topical gel on muscle soreness.

Purpose: Muscle soreness is a common symptom after novel exercise and may influence exercise adherence. This study examined the effect of an ibuprofen topical gel and the effect of age and sex on muscle soreness after a gym exercise.

Methods: One hundred and six participants completed six sets of 10 repetitions of the elbow and knee flexor muscles.

Canadian province-level risk factor analysis of macrolide consumption patterns (2000-2006).

Objectives: To assess provincial-level predictors among socioeconomic and influenza rate data for the use of different macrolide antimicrobials in Canada from 2000 to 2006.

Methods: Multivariable models were developed to describe macrolide defined daily doses per capita.

Results: Use was highest during October to March for all macrolides.

Risk factors associated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Ontario beef cow-calf operations.

The aim of this study was to identify farm management factors associated with the prevalence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among cattle in Ontario beef cow-calf operations. A total of 119 cow-calf operations with more than 50 cows in southern Ontario were visited between June and December 2002. From each farm, 65 fresh fecal samples were collected and cultured for E.

Distribution of sulfonamide resistance genes in Escherichia coli and Salmonella isolates from swine and chickens at abattoirs in Ontario and Québec, Canada.

Sulfonamide-resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella isolates from pigs and chickens in Ontario and Québec were screened for sul1, sul2, and sul3 by PCR. Each sul gene was distributed differently across populations, with a significant difference between distribution in commensal E. coli and Salmonella isolates and sul3 restricted mainly to porcine E.

Coalescent methods for estimating phylogenetic trees.

We review recent models to estimate phylogenetic trees under the multispecies coalescent. Although the distinction between gene trees and species trees has come to the fore of phylogenetics, only recently have methods been developed that explicitly estimate species trees. Of the several factors that can cause gene tree heterogeneity and discordance with the species tree, deep coalescence due to random genetic drift in branches of the species tree has been modeled most thoroughly.

Maximum tree: a consistent estimator of the species tree.

We propose a model based approach to use multiple gene trees to estimate the species tree. The coalescent process requires that gene divergences occur earlier than species divergences when there is any polymorphism in the ancestral species. Under this scenario, speciation times are restricted to be smaller than the corresponding gene split times.

Differences in audiovisual integration, as measured by McGurk phenomenon, among adult and adolescent patients with schizophrenia and age-matched healthy control groups.

Background: McGurk effect is a perceptual phenomenon that reflects the integration of visual and auditory information during speech perception. Using McGurk effect, the authors examined the audiovisual integration in adolescents and adults with schizophrenia as compared with healthy volunteers.

Sampling And Methods: Thirty hospitalized patients with schizophrenia and 20 age-matched healthy controls were examined for perception of ambiguous audiovisual stimuli.

A multi-level approach for investigating socio-economic and agricultural risk factors associated with rates of reported cases of Escherichia coli O157 in humans in Alberta, Canada.

Using negative binomial and multi-level Poisson models, the authors determined the statistical significance of agricultural and socio-economic risk factors for rates of reported disease associated with Escherichia coli O157 in census subdivisions (CSDs) in Alberta, Canada, 2000-2002. Variables relating to population stability, aboriginal composition of the CSDs, and the economic relationship between CSDs and urban centres were significant risk factors. The percentage of individuals living in low-income households was not a statistically significant risk factor for rates of disease.