Spatial and temporal activity patterns of Amblyomma americanum.

Background: Estimates of tick abundance and distribution are used to determine the risk of tick-host contact. Tick surveys provide estimates of distributions and relative abundance for species that remain stationary and wait for passing hosts (i.e.

The Establishment of a Novel In Vitro System for Culturing .

Cytauxzoonosis, a highly fatal tick-borne disease in domestic cats caused by , poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to the inability to culture the parasite in vitro. This study aimed to artificially replicate infection and characterize in vitro replication kinetics. Concanavalin A-activated feline embryonal macrophages (Fcwf-4) were plated at 3-5 × 10 cells/mL and incubated with -positive blood samples from either a (1) chronically infected bobcat (), (2) chronically infected domestic cat, or (3) acutely infected domestic cat with clinical signs of cytauxzoonosis.

Anti-T-lymphocyte globulin (ATLG) compared to post-transplant cyclophosphamide as GvHD prophylaxis in ALL patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

We retrospectively analyzed high-risk ALL patients in CR1 receiving total body irradiation based conditioning regimen with ATLG (n = 74) or PTCy (n = 73) for GVHD prophylaxis. The 3-year OS and LFS were similar in both groups: 65 and 60% in the ATLG group and 64 and 67% in the PTCy group (p = 0.9 and 0.

Cytauxzoonosis in Indiana, USA: a case series of cats infected with (2018-2022).

Case Series Summary: This case series describes six cases involving seven cats naturally infected with in Indiana, USA. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed and all available information on signalment, history, clinical and diagnostic findings, treatment, outcome and pathology was reported. Cats infected with were domestic shorthairs, were aged between 2 and 9 years and all but one of the cats were male.

Parasitic fish embryos do a "front-flip" on the yolk to resist expulsion from the host.

Embryonic development is often considered shielded from the effects of natural selection, being selected primarily for reliable development. However, embryos sometimes represent virulent parasites, triggering a coevolutionary "arms race" with their host. We have examined embryonic adaptations to a parasitic lifestyle in the bitterling fish.

Turnover of sex chromosomes in the Lake Tanganyika cichlid tribe Tropheini (Teleostei: Cichlidae).

Sex chromosome replacement is frequent in many vertebrate clades, including fish, frogs, and lizards. In order to understand the mechanisms responsible for sex chromosome turnover and the early stages of sex chromosome divergence, it is necessary to study lineages with recently evolved sex chromosomes. Here we examine sex chromosome evolution in a group of African cichlid fishes (tribe Tropheini) which began to diverge from one another less than 4 MYA.

Lack of host specialization despite selective host use in brood parasitic cuckoo catfish.

Host-parasite dynamics involve coevolutionary arms races, which may lead to host specialization and ensuing diversification. Our general understanding of the evolution of host specialization in brood parasites is compromised by a restricted focus on bird and insect lineages. The cuckoo catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus) is an obligate parasite of parental care of mouthbrooding cichlids in Lake Tanganyika.

Conserved satellite DNA motif and lack of interstitial telomeric sites in highly rearranged African Nothobranchius killifish karyotypes.

Using African annual killifishes of the genus Nothobranchius from temporary savannah pools with rapid karyotype and sex chromosome evolution, we analysed the chromosomal distribution of telomeric (TTAGGG) repeat and Nfu-SatC satellite DNA (satDNA; isolated from Nothobranchius furzeri) in 15 species across the Nothobranchius killifish phylogeny, and with Fundulosoma thierryi as an out-group. Our fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments revealed that all analysed taxa share the presence of Nfu-SatC repeat but with diverse organization and distribution on chromosomes. Nfu-SatC landscape was similar in conspecific populations of Nothobranchius guentheri and Nothobranchius melanospilus but slightly-to-moderately differed between populations of Nothobranchius pienaari, and between closely related Nothobranchius kuhntae and Nothobranchius orthonotus.

Differential gene expression response to acute and chronic Cytauzxoon felis infection in domestic cats (Felis catus).

Cytauxzoonosis is a severe tick transmitted protozoan disease of domestic cats, caused by Cytauxzoon felis. The disease is characterized by acute onset of high fever, depression, lethargy, inappentence, anorexia, icterus, dehydration, hemolytic anemia, and alteration of immune response. The aim of our study was to further detail the immune response of domestic cats to C.

Low incidence of cannibalism among brood parasitic cuckoo catfish embryos.

Brood parasites have demanding needs of host resources. Brood parasitic offspring are highly competitive and frequently cause the failure of host broods and the survival of a single parasitic offspring. Accordingly, virulent brood parasites lay a single egg in the same host nest to avoid sibling competition.

HIGH PREVALENCE OF CYTAUXZOON FELIS IN BOBCATS (LYNX RUFUS) ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND OCCURRENCE IN WEST TEXAS, USA.

Cytauxzoonosis is a fatal tick-borne disease in domestic cats caused by infection with the apicomplexan Cytauxzoon felis. Bobcats are the natural wild-vertebrate reservoirs for C. felis, and infections are typically subclinical and chronic in this species.

From fish to cells: Establishment of continuous cell lines from embryos of annual killifish Nothobranchius furzeri and N. kadleci.

There is a growing need of alternative experimental models that avoid or minimize the use of animals due to ethical, economical, and scientific reasons. Surprisingly, the stable embryonic cell lines representing Nothobranchius spp., emerging vertebrate models in aging research, regenerative medicine, ecotoxicology, or genomics, have been not derived so far.

Transmission of Cytauxzoon felis by injection of Amblyomma americanum salivary glands.

Background: Cytauxzoonosis is a life-threatening disease of cats, caused by the tick-borne piroplasmid hemoparasite, Cytauxzoon felis. Current experimental models for cytauxzoonosis rely on either tick transmission or direct injection of infected cat tissues. These models require researchers to directly work with infected ticks or use cats with acute cytauxzoonosis.

A Novel Vaccine Strategy to Prevent Cytauxzoonosis in Domestic Cats.

Cytauxzoonosis is caused by (), a tick-borne parasite that causes severe disease in domestic cats in the United States. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent this fatal disease, as traditional vaccine development strategies have been limited by the inability to culture this parasite in vitro. Here, we used a replication-defective human adenoviral vector (AdHu5) to deliver -specific immunogenic antigens and induce a cell-mediated and humoral immune response in cats.

Impaired fin regeneration and angiogenesis in aged zebrafish and turquoise killifish.

Impaired wound healing is associated with aging and has significant effects on human health on an individual level, but also on the whole health-care sector. Deficient angiogenesis appears to be involved in the process, but the underlying biology is still poorly understood. This is at least partially being explained by complexity and costs in using mammalian aging models.

Prevalence and genetic characterization of strains isolated from 31 wild Passeriformes collected in North-Central Oklahoma.

Passerine birds are widely distributed and adapted to various habitats, therefore they are commonly exposed to, and infected with The purpose of our project was to determine the prevalence and genotypes of in 31 different species of passerines collected as mortalities due to window collisions in North-Central Oklahoma. DNA was extracted from breast tissue and subjected to PCR with primers that amplify a portion of the B1 gene. Genotyping was based on a portion of the infected birds based on a multiplex PCR followed by RFLP of 12 markers.

Cytauxzoon felis in salivary glands of Amblyomma americanum.

Cytauxzoon felis is a tick-borne piroplasmid hemoparasite that causes life-threatening disease in cats. Despite the critical role that ticks play in pathogen transmission, our knowledge regarding the C. felis life cycle remains limited to the feline hosts.

TOXOPLASMA GONDII PREVALENCE, PARTIAL GENOTYPES, AND SPATIAL VARIATION IN NORTH AMERICAN RIVER OTTERS (LONTRA CANADENSIS) IN THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN, USA.

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous parasitic protozoan that poses a health threat to wildlife and human health worldwide. Oocysts shed into the environment in felid host feces may persist for several years. Runoff from rainfall and snowmelt may carry the oocysts into waterways.

RNAseq Analysis of Brain Aging in Wild Specimens of Short-Lived Turquoise Killifish: Commonalities and Differences With Aging Under Laboratory Conditions.

A vast body of studies is available that describe age-dependent gene expression in relation to aging in a number of different model species. These data were obtained from animals kept in conditions with reduced environmental challenges, abundant food, and deprivation of natural sensory stimulation. Here, we compared wild- and captive aging in the short-lived turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri).

A Serodiagnostic IgM ELISA to Detect Acute Cytauxzoonosis.

Cytauxzoonosis is a tick-borne infectious disease affecting domestic cats with high mortality and limited treatment modalities. Because early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention are crucial to survival of infected cats, the objective of this study was to develop an ELISA capable of detecting cytauxzoonosis and differentiating acute vs. chronic infection in clinical feline blood samples.

Sex chromosome differentiation via changes in the Y chromosome repeat landscape in African annual killifishes Nothobranchius furzeri and N. kadleci.

Homomorphic sex chromosomes and their turnover are common in teleosts. We investigated the evolution of nascent sex chromosomes in several populations of two sister species of African annual killifishes, Nothobranchius furzeri and N. kadleci, focusing on their under-studied repetitive landscape.

Good Practices for Histological Analysis of the Annual Killifish (Nothobranchiidae).

Paraffin histology is one of the most important and commonly used laboratory techniques enabling the study of the microscopic structure of animal and plant tissues. This technique uses paraffin wax, which in liquid form impregnates fixed and dehydrated tissues and allows the preparation of thin sections when solidified in blocks. This protocol on good practices in paraffin histology of (Nothobranchiidae) summarizes the authors' current experience in terms of technique, evaluation, and interpretation of sectioned tissues.

Patterns and drivers of killifish diversity in lowland Tanzania.

Temporary pools are seasonal wetland habitats with specifically adapted biota, including annual killifishes that survive habitat desiccation as diapausing eggs encased in dry sediment. To understand the patterns in the structure of assemblages and their potential in wetland conservation, we compared biodiversity components (alpha, beta, and gamma) between regions and estimated the role and sources of nestedness and turnover on their diversity. We sampled assemblages from 127 pools across seven local regions in lowland Eastern Tanzania over 2 years, using dip net and seine nets.