Publications

tropical travel medicine. a growing interest in tropical medicine reflects the increasing incidence of tropical disease in the western world.		18670439
origin of the old testament plagues: explications and implications.	analyses of past disasters may supply insights to mitigate the impact of recurrences. in this context, we offer a unifying causative theory of old testament plagues, which has present day public health implications. we propose the root cause to have been an aberrant el niño-southern oscillation teleconnection that brought unseasonable and progressive climate warming along the ancient mediterranean littoral, including the coast of biblical egypt, which, in turn, initiated the serial catastrophes ...	18604309
regionalization in local public health systems: public health preparedness in the washington metropolitan area.	the washington metropolitan area was closely examined to understand how these regional preparedness structures have been organized, implemented, and governed, as well as to assess the likely impact of such regional structures on public health preparedness and public health systems more generally. it was found that no single formal regional structure for the public health system exists in the washington metropolitan area, although the region is designated by the department of homeland security as ...	18763408
regional public health emergency preparedness: the experience of massachusetts region 4b.	historically, local public health in massachusetts has been largely decentralized, with each town responsible for providing local public health services. after 9/11, the massachusetts department of public health (mdph) began to plan for bioterrorism and other possible public health emergencies and found that having 351 separate departments made emergency planning difficult and dispersing of funds a challenge. to facilitate this process, mdph created seven emergency preparedness regions and asked ...	18763407
regionalization in local public health systems: variation in rationale, implementation, and impact on public health preparedness.	comparative case studies found that regionalization originated from a crisis or perceived need for a coordinated response, a need to build local public health capacity, or an effort to use federal preparedness funds more efficiently. regions vary in terms of their congruence with regional structures for partner agencies, such as emergency management agencies, as well as hospital and health services markets and organizational structure. some focus on building formal organizational relationships t ...	18763406
cell-based assays to identify inhibitors of viral disease.	background: antagonizing the production of infectious virus inside cells requires drugs that can cross the cell membrane without harming host cells. objective: it is therefore advantageous to establish intracellular potency of anti-viral drug candidates early in the drug-discovery pipeline. methods: to this end, cell-based assays are being developed and employed in high-throughput drug screening, ranging from assays that monitor replication of intact viruses to those that monitor activity of spe ...	19750206
intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of innate immune receptors.	pattern recognition receptors (prrs) in innate immune cells play a pivotal role in the first line of host defense system. prrs recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (pamps) or danger-associated molecular patterns (damps) to initiate and regulate innate and adaptive immune responses. prrs include toll-like receptors (tlrs), rig-i-like receptors (rlrs) and nod-like receptors (nlrs), which have their own features in ligand recognition and cellular location. activated prrs deliver signals ...	21488180
cxcr3 in t cell function.	cxcr3 is a chemokine receptor that is highly expressed on effector t cells and plays an important role in t cell trafficking and function. cxcr3 is rapidly induced on naïve cells following activation and preferentially remains highly expressed on th1-type cd4(+) t cells and effector cd8(+) t cells. cxcr3 is activated by three interferon-inducible ligands cxcl9 (mig), cxcl10 (ip-10) and cxcl11 (i-tac). early studies demonstrated a role for cxcr3 in the trafficking of th1 and cd8 t cells to periph ...	21376175
survival of west nile virus-challenged southern house mosquitoes, culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, in relation to environmental temperatures.	we investigated the effect of west nile virus (wnv) infection on survival in two colonies of culex pipiens quinquefasciatus say (diptera: culicidae) originating from vero beach and gainesville, fl. mosquitoes were fed west nile virus-infected blood and checked daily for survival. exposure to wnv decreased survival among cx. p. quinquefasciatus from gainesville relative to unexposed individuals at 31° c. in contrast, exposure to wnv enhanced survival among cx. p. quinquefasciatus from vero beach ...	24820564
detecting specific infections in children through host responses: a paradigm shift.	there is a need for improved diagnosis and for optimal classification of patients with infectious diseases. an alternative approach to the pathogen-detection strategy is based on a comprehensive analysis of the host response to the infection. this review focuses on the value of transcriptome analyses of blood leukocytes for the diagnosis and management of patients with infectious diseases.	24739346
diagnosis and management of acute encephalitis: a practical approach.	encephalitis results in considerable morbidity and mortality in the united states and worldwide. neurologists are often consulted or directly care for patients with encephalitis admitted to the hospital and must be able to discriminate between encephalitis and the many conditions that mimic it. moreover, neurologists must be familiar with the myriad causes of encephalitis in order to develop a practical approach to diagnostic testing and treatment. an understanding of recent advances in manageme ...	25110619
dsrna-activation of tlr3 and rlr signaling: gene induction-dependent and independent effects.	double-stranded (ds) rna has diverse roles in host defense and disease prevention. dsrna, produced by viral replication, elicits strong antiviral responses in host; similar protective responses can also be triggered by cellular dsrna produced by necrotic, apoptotic, or otherwise stressed, uninfected cells. dsrna is recognized in the cell by a large family of dsrna-binding proteins, among which are the pattern recognition receptors (prrs), toll-like receptor 3 (tlr3), and retinoic acid-inducible ...	24905199
zika virus, french polynesia, south pacific, 2013.		24856001
progress in the development of vaccines for hepatitis c virus infection.	the hepatitis c virus (hcv), first described in 1989, is now a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. with more than 170 million people infected globally, this virus is a major public health issue. the current standard therapy is based on interferon in combination with ribavirin. this costly therapy often fails to completely clear the infection and is associated with adverse side effects. recent anti-hcv therapies are interferon-free direct-acting antiviral (daa) regimens ...	26576087
dna vaccines: ready for prime time?	since the discovery, over a decade and a half ago, that genetically engineered dna can be delivered in vaccine form and elicit an immune response, there has been much progress in understanding the basic biology of this platform. a large amount of data has been generated in preclinical model systems, and more sustained cellular responses and more consistent antibody responses are being observed in the clinic. four dna vaccine products have recently been approved, all in the area of veterinary med ...	18781156
pemetrexed and communicating hydrocephalus.	pemetrexed (alimta) is widely used in combination with platinum as a first-line treatment of mesothelioma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. it is also approved for use in the maintenance setting as a single agent after patient completion of 4 to 6 cycles of a platinum-based doublet regimen for non-small cell lung cancer. with the increasing use of pemetrexed and longer durations of therapy, unexpected cumulative toxicity or other toxicities are possible.	24940146
infectious complications after liver transplantation.	orthotopic liver transplantation (olt) is the standard of care for patients with decompensated cirrhosis and for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. more than 6000 liver transplants are performed annually in the united states. high patient and graft survival rates have been achieved in great part due to the availability of potent immunosuppressive agents. systemic immunosuppression has rendered the liver recipient susceptible to de novo infections as well as reactivation of preexisting laten ...	27134589
febrile exanthem with hyperferritinemia.	diagnosis of an adult with acute generalized exanthem coupled with spiking fevers, arthralgias, and myalgias requires careful consideration. history and physical examination are basic necessities, while laboratory studies can be valuable adjuncts. the authors present a case of adult onset still's disease, discuss the differential diagnoses, and highlight the utility of high serum ferritin in identifying this febrile exanthem.	26705442
risk factors associated with trypanosoma cruzi exposure in domestic dogs from a rural community in panama.	chagas disease, caused by trypanosoma cruzi infection, is a zoonosis of humans, wild and domestic mammals, including dogs. in panama, the main t. cruzi vector is rhodnius pallescens, a triatomine bug whose main natural habitat is the royal palm, attalea butyracea. in this paper, we present results from three t. cruzi serological tests (immunochromatographic dipstick, indirect immunofluorescence and elisa) performed in 51 dogs from 24 houses in trinidad de las minas, western panama. we found that ...	26560985
regulation of physiological processes by micrornas in insects.	micrornas (mirnas) are small non-coding rnas that function in gene regulatory processes in plants and animals by targeting sites within messenger rna. in insects, mirnas have been shown to regulate a variety of physiological processes throughout insect development, including molting, metamorphosis, oogenesis, embryogenesis, behavior and host-pathogen interactions. the roles of mirnas in the model organism, drosophila melanogaster, have been studied extensively due to the conserved nature of mirn ...	26251827
cofeeding intra- and interspecific transmission of an emerging insect-borne rickettsial pathogen.	cat fleas (ctenocephalides felis) are known as the primary vector and reservoir of rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever; however, field surveys regularly report molecular detection of this infectious agent from other blood-feeding arthropods. the presence of r. felis in additional arthropods may be the result of chance consumption of an infectious bloodmeal, but isolation of viable rickettsiae circulating in the blood of suspected vertebrate reservoirs has not been d ...	26414611
sex ratio variation shapes the ecological effects of a globally introduced freshwater fish.	sex ratio and sexual dimorphism have long been of interest in population and evolutionary ecology, but consequences for communities and ecosystems remain untested. sex ratio could influence ecological conditions whenever sexual dimorphism is associated with ecological dimorphism in species with strong ecological interactions. we tested for ecological implications of sex ratio variation in the sexually dimorphic western mosquitofish, gambusia affinis. this species causes strong pelagic trophic ca ...	26490793
disrupted seasonal biology impacts health, food security and ecosystems.	the rhythm of life on earth is shaped by seasonal changes in the environment. plants and animals show profound annual cycles in physiology, health, morphology, behaviour and demography in response to environmental cues. seasonal biology impacts ecosystems and agriculture, with consequences for humans and biodiversity. human populations show robust annual rhythms in health and well-being, and the birth month can have lasting effects that persist throughout life. this review emphasizes the need fo ...	26468242
natural killer cell memory.	natural killer (nk) cells have historically been considered short-lived cytolytic cells that can rapidly respond against pathogens and tumors in an antigen-independent manner and then undergo cell death. recently, however, nk cells have been shown to possess traits of adaptive immunity and can acquire immunological memory in a manner similar to that of t and b cells. in this review, we discuss evidence of nk cell memory and the mechanisms involved in the generation and survival of these innate l ...	26488815
putative lineage of novel african usutu virus, central europe.	we characterized the complete genome of a putative novel usutu virus (usuv) strain (usutu-bonn) detected in a dead blackbird from germany. genomic analysis revealed several unique amino acid substitutions among the polyprotein gene. phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that usutu-bonn constitutes a putative novel african usuv lineage, which was probably recently introduced to central europe.	26291923
emerging infections of cns: avian influenza a virus, rift valley fever virus and human parechovirus.	history is replete with emergent pandemic infections that have decimated the human population. given the shear mass of humans that now crowd the earth, there is every reason to suspect history will repeat itself. we describe three rna viruses that have recently emerged in the human population to mediate severe neurological disease. these new diseases are results of new mutations in the infectious agents or new exposure pathways to the agents or both. to appreciate their pathogenesis, we summariz ...	26276027
the canadian wildlife health cooperative: addressing wildlife health challenges in the 21st century.		26346834
new tricks for kdel receptors.		26356567
seroprevalence of west nile virus specific igg and igm antibodies in north-western and western provinces of zambia.	west nile virus (wnv) infection has been reported worldwide, including in africa but its existence in zambia is unknown. symptoms for the virus include headache, myalgia, arthralgia and rash.	26957968
hepatitis, hiv and ebola: light at the end of the tunnel.		26958003
detection of oropouche virus segment s in patients and inculex quinquefasciatus in the state of mato grosso, brazil.	this study aimed to investigate the circulation of orthobunyavirus species in the state of mato grosso (mt) brazil. during a dengue outbreak in 2011/2012, 529 serum samples were collected from patients with acute febrile illness with symptoms for up to five days and 387 pools of female culex quinquefasciatus captured in 2013 were subjected to nested-reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for segment s of the simbu serogroup followed by nucleotide sequencing and virus isolation in vero c ...	26517653
immune and non-immune responses to hepatitis c virus infection.	the host innate and adaptive immune systems are involved in nearly every step of hepatitis c virus (hcv) infection. in patients, the outcome is determined by a series of complex host-virus interactions, whether it is a natural infection or results from clinical intervention. strong and persistent cd8(+) and cd4(+) t-cell responses are critical in hcv clearance, as well as cytokine-induced factors that can directly inhibit virus replication. newly available direct-acting antivirals (daas) are ver ...	26478666
zika virus outbreak, bahia, brazil.		26401719
public health response to aedes aegypti and ae. albopictus mosquitoes invading california, usa.	aedes aegypti and ae. albopictus mosquitoes, primary vectors of dengue and chikungunya viruses, were recently detected in california, usa. the threat of potential local transmission of these viruses increases as more infected travelers arrive from affected areas. public health response has included enhanced human and mosquito surveillance, education, and intensive mosquito control.	26401891
next-generation sequencing in clinical virology: discovery of new viruses.	viruses are a cause of significant health problem worldwide, especially in the developing nations. due to different anthropological activities, human populations are exposed to different viral pathogens, many of which emerge as outbreaks. in such situations, discovery of novel viruses is utmost important for deciding prevention and treatment strategies. since last century, a number of different virus discovery methods, based on cell culture inoculation, sequence-independent pcr have been used fo ...	26279987
human immune system development and survival of non-obese diabetic (nod)-scid il2rγ(null) (nsg) mice engrafted with human thymus and autologous haematopoietic stem cells.	immunodeficient mice bearing targeted mutations in the il2rg gene and engrafted with human immune systems are effective tools for the study of human haematopoiesis, immunity, infectious disease and transplantation biology. the most robust human immune model is generated by implantation of human fetal thymic and liver tissues in irradiated recipients followed by intravenous injection of autologous fetal liver haematopoietic stem cells [often referred to as the blt (bone marrow, liver, thymus) mod ...	23869841
quelling an innate response to dsrna.		26356565
comparison of automatic traps to capture mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) in rural areas in the tropical atlantic rainforest.	in several countries, surveillance of insect vectors is accomplished with automatic traps. this study addressed the performance of mosquito magnet® independence (mmi) in comparison with those of cdc with co2 and lactic acid (cdc-a) and cdc light trap (cdc-lt). the collection sites were in a rural region located in a fragment of secondary tropical atlantic rainforest, southeastern brazil. limatus durhami and limatus flavisetosus were the dominant species in the mmi, whereas ochlerotatus scapulari ...	24402154
polyreactive monoclonal autoantibodies in multiple sclerosis: functional selection from phage display library and characterization by deep sequencing analysis.	multiple sclerosis (ms) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that primarily affects young and middle-aged people. it is widely accepted that b lymphocyte activation is required for ms progression. despite the fact that the exact triggering mechanisms of ms remain enigmatic, one may suggest that ms can be induced by viral or bacterial infection in combination with specific genetic and environmental factors. using deep sequencing and functional selection me ...	24455188
a new dna vaccine fused with the c3d-p28 induces a th2 immune response against amyloid-beta.	to enhance anti-amyloid-beta (aβ) antibody generation and induce a th2 immune response, we constructed a new dna vaccine p(aβ3-10)10-c3d-p28.3 encoding ten repeats of aβ3-10 and three copies of c3d-p28 as a molecular adjuvant. in this study, we administered this adjuvant cularly to female c57bl/6j mice at 8-10 weeks of age. enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the titer of serum anti-aβ antibody, isotypes, and cytokines in splenic t cells. a 3-(4,5-cimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphe ...	25206569
hla class ii allele polymorphism in an outbreak of chikungunya fever in middle andaman, india.	a sudden upsurge of fever cases with joint pain was observed in the outpatient department, community health centre, rangat during july-august 2010 in rangat middle andaman, india. the aetiological agent responsible for the outbreak was identified as chikungunya virus (chikv), by using rt-pcr and igm elisa. the study investigated the association of polymorphisms in the human leucocyte antigen class ii genes with susceptibility or protection against chikv. one hundred and one patients with clinica ...	23710940
toll-like receptor 3 in viral pathogenesis: friend or foe?	viral infections frequently induce acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, yet the contribution of the innate immune response to a detrimental host response remains poorly understood. in virus-infected cells, double-stranded rna (dsrna) is generated as an intermediate during viral replication. cell necrosis (and the release of endogenous dsrna) is a common event during both sterile and infectious inflammatory processes. the discovery of toll-like receptor 3 (tlr3) as an interferon-inducing dsrn ...	23909285
pathogen safety of long-term treatments for bleeding disorders: still relevant to current practice.		24091928
evaluation of a frequentist hierarchical model to estimate prevalence when sampling from a large geographic area using pool screening.	we present a frequentist bernoulli-beta hierarchical model to relax the constant prevalence assumption underlying the traditional prevalence estimation approach based on pooled data. this assumption is called into question when sampling from a large geographic area. pool screening is a method that combines individual items into pools. each pool will either test positive (at least one of the items is positive) or negative (all items are negative). pool screening is commonly applied to the study o ...	24347808
cd4 t-cell immunotherapy for chronic viral infections and cancer.	during chronic infections and cancer, t cells progressively lose function and become exhausted. however, effective t-cell responses are necessary to ultimately control viral infections and tumors. hence, strategies that either restore endogenous immune responses or provide functional t cells by adoptive immunotherapy need to be explored. cd8 t cells play a prominent role in viral infections, as well as cancer, but cd4 t cells are necessary to support cd8 t-cell function. in addition, cd4 t cells ...	23998732
the evolution of the regulatory framework for the plasma and plasma-derived medicinal products system in italy.		24333315
divergent astrovirus associated with neurologic disease in cattle.	using viral metagenomics of brain tissue from a young adult crossbreed steer with acute onset of neurologic disease, we sequenced the complete genome of a novel astrovirus (boastv-neuros1) that was phylogenetically related to an ovine astrovirus. in a retrospective analysis of 32 cases of bovine encephalitides of unknown etiology, 3 other infected animals were detected by using pcr and in situ hybridization for viral rna. viral rna was restricted to the nervous system and detected in the cytopla ...	23965613
continued evolution of west nile virus, houston, texas, usa, 2002-2012.	we investigated the genetics and evolution of west nile virus (wnv) since initial detection in the united states in 1999 on the basis of continual surveillance studies in the houston, texas, usa, metropolitan area (harris county) as a surrogate model for wnv evolution on a national scale. full-length genomic sequencing of 14 novel 2010-2012 wnv isolates collected from resident birds in harris county demonstrates emergence of 4 independent genetic groups distinct from historical strains circulati ...	23965756
west nile virus rna in tissues from donor associated with transmission to organ transplant recipients.	we identified west nile virus (wnv) rna in skin, fat, muscle, tendon, and bone marrow from a deceased donor associated with wnv transmission through solid organ transplantation. wnv could not be cultured from the rna-positive tissues. further studies are needed to determine if wnv can be transmitted from postmortem tissues.	23965573
parenchymal anaplastic astrocytoma presenting with visual symptoms due to bilateral optic nerve sheath involvement.		23838764
communications in public health emergency preparedness: a systematic review of the literature.	during a public health crisis, public health agencies engage in a variety of public communication efforts to inform the population, encourage the adoption of preventive behaviors, and limit the impact of adverse events. given the importance of communication to the public in public health emergency preparedness, it is critical to examine the extent to which this field of study has received attention from the scientific community. we conducted a systematic literature review to describe current res ...	24041193
natural killer cells: multifaceted players with key roles in hepatitis c immunity.	natural killer cells (nks) are involved in every stage of hepatitis c viral (hcv) infection, from protection against hcv acquisition and resolution in the acute phase to treatment-induced clearance. in addition to their direct antiviral actions, nks are involved in the induction and priming of appropriate downstream t-cell responses. in the setting of chronic hcv, overall nk cell levels are decreased, subset distribution is altered, and changes in nk receptor (nkr) expression have been demonstra ...	23947348
improvements in timeliness resulting from implementation of electronic laboratory reporting and an electronic disease surveillance system.	electronic laboratory reporting (elr) reduces the time between communicable disease diagnosis and case reporting to local health departments (lhds). however, it also imposes burdens on public health agencies, such as increases in the number of unique and duplicate case reports. we assessed how elr affects the timeliness and accuracy of case report processing within public health agencies.	23997286
the affordable care act, meaningful use, and their impact on public health laboratories.		23997297
viruses play dead to tame interferon responses.	tam receptors promote apoptotic cell uptake and function as inflammation suppressors. many viruses mimic apoptotic cells, thus exploiting tam receptors for attachment and entry. in this issue of cell host & microbe, bhattacharyya et al. show that tam binding by enveloped viruses also induces receptor signaling to suppress cellular interferon responses.	23954149
clinical reasoning: a 40-year-old man with cidp-like illness resistant to treatment.		23999567
host selection patterns of culex tarsalis (diptera: culicidae) at wetlands near the salton sea, coachella valley, california, 1998-2002.	the bloodmeal hosts used by culex tarsalis coquillett collected along the salton sea in coachella valley, ca, during 1998-2002 were identified using sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase i gene identified from barcode of life database. overall, 265 (83.3%) of 318 bloodmeals were identified, of which 76.6% fed on birds, 18.1% on mammals, and 5.3% on reptiles. forty-seven different hosts were identified, none of which comprised > 12.5% of the total. although cx. tarsalis exhibits specific host-see ...	24180112
linking the historical roots of environmental conservation with human and wildlife health.	we examine the historical and philosophical roots of environmental stewardship and how they relate to conservation and human health. concern for the environment in the united states derives from two distinct historical ideologies that we term ‘‘green’’ and ‘‘brown’’ environmentalism. we propose a modern-day synthesis of these ideologies that recognizes that environmental degradation and the emergence of zoonotic and epizootic diseases, affecting both humans and wildlife (i.e., pathogen pollution ...	24057804
resurgence of west nile virus in 2012: lack of evidence for viral genetic determinants.		23926137
urbanization and geographic expansion of zoonotic arboviral diseases: mechanisms and potential strategies for prevention.	arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) mainly infect people via direct spillover from enzootic cycles. however, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses have repeatedly initiated urban transmission cycles involving human amplification and peridomestic mosquito vectors to cause major epidemics. here, i review these urban emergences and potential strategies for their prevention and control.	23910545
differential induction of toll-like receptors & type 1 interferons by sabin attenuated & wild type 1 polioviruses in human neuronal cells.	polioviruses are the causative agent of paralytic poliomyelitis. attenuated polioviruses (sabin oral poliovirus vaccine strains) do not replicate efficiently in neurons as compared to the wild type polioviruses and therefore do not cause disease. this study was aimed to investigate the differential host immune response to wild type 1 poliovirus (wild pv) and sabin attenuated type 1 poliovirus (sabin pv) in cultured human neuronal cells.	24056597
identification of blood meal sources in aedes vexans and culex quinquefasciatus in bernalillo county, new mexico.	culex quinquefasciatus say (diptera: culicidae) and aedes vexans meigen are two of the most abundant mosquitoes in bernalillo county, new mexico, usa. in this study, a polymerase chain reaction based methodology was used to identify the sources of blood meals taken by these two species. ae. vexans was found to take a large proportion of its meals from mammals. although less specific in terms of its blood meal preferences, cx. quinquefasciatus was found to feed more commonly on birds. the results ...	24224615
west nile virus activity in kern county and the factors leading to the 2007 outbreak.	west nile virus (wnv) reappeared in kern county in late-may 2007, amplified rapidly and was detected concurrently by all surveillance methods. enzootic activity during 2007 had some similarities to that of the previous three years, with 77 seropositive sentinel chickens in 9 flocks, 207 positive mosquito pools, 124 dead birds that tested positive, and 168 seropositive wild birds. wnv disease in equines remained infrequent, with only 4 cases reported. in contrast, kern county had a significant in ...	25383065
reproductive partitioning and the assumptions of reproductive skew models in the cooperatively breeding american crow.	understanding the benefits of cooperative breeding for group members of different social and demographic classes requires knowledge of their reproductive partitioning and genetic relatedness. from 2004-2007, we examined parentage as a function of relatedness and social interactions among members of 21 american crow (corvus brachyrhynchos) family groups. paired female breeders monopolized maternity of all offspring in their broods, whereas paired male breeders sired 82.7% of offspring, within-gro ...	20126287
therapeutic antibodies: current state and future trends--is a paradigm change coming soon?	antibody-based therapeutics currently enjoy unprecedented success, growth in research and revenues, and recognition of their potential. it appears that the promise of the "magic bullet" has largely been realized. there are currently 22 monoclonal antibodies (mabs) approved by the united states food and drug administration (fda) for clinical use and hundreds are in clinical trials for treatment of various diseases including cancers, immune disorders, and infections. the revenues from the top five ...	19252861
phthalates, pesticides, and bisphenol-a exposure and the development of nonoccupational asthma and allergies: how valid are the links?	phthalates, pesticides, and bisphenol-a (bpa) are three groups of chemicals, implicated in endocrine disruption and commonly found in the local environment, that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma and allergies [1-3]. multiple observational studies have demonstrated an association between exposure to phthalates and the development of asthma and allergies in humans. associations with exposure to pesticides and bpa and the development of respiratory disease are less clear. however, ...	20622976
approaches to determine expression of inflammatory cytokines.	there is an increasing awareness of the role of inflammation in cancer. immune responses can limit the growth of some tumors, but paradoxically, may promote the growth of others. cytokines are critical mediators of both the innate and the adaptive immune responses. in this chapter, we will describe several methods for the detection of inflammatory cytokines. first, we will describe a protocol for quantification of cytokine mrna by real-time quantitative pcr. in addition, we will describe detecti ...	19347295
pyrethrin and pyrethroid illnesses in the pacific northwest: a five-year review.	pyrethrin and pyrethroid insecticides are commonly applied in homes and businesses and on some agricultural crops. this research used a two-state regional approach to analyze reports of acute pesticide poisonings due to pyrethrin and pyrethroid insecticides.	19413037
assessing public health capabilities during emergency preparedness tabletop exercises: reliability and validity of a measurement tool.	improving the ability of local public health agencies to respond to large-scale emergencies is an ongoing challenge. tabletop exercises can provide an opportunity for individuals and groups to practice coordination of emergency response and evaluate performance. the purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable self-assessment performance measurement tool for tabletop exercise participants.	19413036
clinical reasoning: a 64-year-old woman with progressive quadriparesis. transverse myelitis (tm).		24042577
mycophenolate mofetil for myasthenia gravis: a clear and present controversy.	mycophenolate mofetil (mmf) has been used to treat myasthenia gravis (mg) for over 10 years. mmf's use in the mg population stems from its theoretical mechanism of action and the medical literature that supports its benefit in mg patients. recently, two large, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials were initiated to study the effectiveness of mmf for mg. one of these studies found no benefit in taking mmf with 20 mg of prednisone as compared to taking prednisone alone, wh ...	19337460
blood feeding patterns of potential arbovirus vectors of the genus culex targeting ectothermic hosts.	reptiles and amphibians constitute a significant portion of vertebrate biomass in terrestrial ecosystems and may be important arbovirus reservoirs. to investigate mosquito preference for ectothermic hosts, feeding indices were calculated from data collected in tuskegee national forest, alabama, usa. four mosquito species fed upon ectothermic hosts, with culex peccator and cx. territans feeding primarily upon ectotherms. these two species appeared to target distinct species with little overlap in ...	18981528
treatment and prevention of neonatal anemia.	because red blood cell (rbc) transfusion therapy remains the primary treatment of anemia encountered in early life, the basis for rbc transfusion in the treatment of symptomatic anemia is discussed in this review along with several important aspects of neonatal blood banking practices. nontransfusion approaches to the prevention and treatment of neonatal anemia also are described. finally, this review covers the controversy surrounding whether neonatal rbc transfusion therapy should be restricti ...	20209037
the extraordinary nature of illusion.		18976590
therapeutically targeting rna viruses via lethal mutagenesis.	rna viruses exhibit increased mutation frequencies relative to other organisms. recent work has attempted to exploit this unique feature by increasing the viral mutation frequency beyond an extinction threshold, an antiviral strategy known as lethal mutagenesis. a number of novel nucleoside analogs have been designed around this premise. herein, we review the quasispecies nature of rna viruses and survey the antiviral, biological and biochemical characteristics of mutagenic nucleoside analogs, i ...	19727424
immunogenomics and systems biology of vaccines.	vaccines represent a potent tool to prevent or contain infectious diseases with high morbidity or mortality. however, despite their widespread use, we still have a limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effective elicitation of protective immune responses by vaccines. recent research suggests that this represents the cooperative action of the innate and adaptive immune systems. immunity is made of a multifaceted set of integrated responses involving a dynamic interaction of thous ...	21198673
completeness of communicable disease reporting, north carolina, usa, 1995-1997 and 2000-2006.	despite widespread use of communicable disease surveillance data to inform public health intervention and control measures, the reporting completeness of the notifiable disease surveillance system remains incompletely assessed. therefore, we conducted a comprehensive study of reporting completeness with an analysis of 53 diseases reported by 8 health care systems across north carolina, usa, during 1995-1997 and 2000-2006. all patients who were assigned an international classification of diseases ...	21192850
emerging role of antioxidants in the protection of uveitis complications.	current understanding of the role of oxidative stress in ocular inflammatory diseases indicates that antioxidant therapy may be important to optimize the treatment. recently investigated antioxidant therapies for ocular inflammatory diseases include various vitamins, plant products and reactive oxygen species scavengers. oxidative stress plays a causative role in both non-infectious and infectious uveitis complications, and novel strategies to diminish tissue damage and dysfunction with antioxid ...	21182473
veterinary medicine and public health.		19252708
cutting edge: tlr ligands increase tcr triggering by slowing peptide-mhc class i decay rates.	tlr ligands are among the key stimuli driving the optimal dendritic cell (dc) maturation critical for strong and efficacious t cell priming. in this study, we show that part of this effect occurs via increased tcr triggering. pretreatment of dcs with tlr ligands resulted in the triggering of many more tcrs in responding cd8(+) t cells. importantly, even when dcs expressed the same amount of cognate peptide-mhc (pmhc) molecules, tlr ligand treatment resulted in down-regulation of larger numbers o ...	18832671
110 million dollars vaccine research centre to be built in saskatoon.		17353519
bird migration routes and risk for pathogen dispersion into western mediterranean wetlands.	wild birds share with humans the capacity for moving fast over large distances. during migratory movements, birds carry pathogens that can be transmitted between species at breeding, wintering, and stopover places where numerous birds of various species are concentrated. we consider the area of the camargue (southern france) as an example to highlight how ad hoc information already available on birds' movements, abundance, and diversity can help assess the introduction and transmission risk for ...	17552088
rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure after fire ant bites.	we describe a 59-year-old patient who developed acute renal failure because of rhabdomyolysis after extensive red fire ant bites. this case illustrates a serious systemic reaction that may occur from fire ant bites. consistent with the clinical presentation in rhabdomyolysis associated with non-traumatic causes, hyperkalemia, hypophosphatemia, hypocalcemia, and high anion gap acidosis were not observed in this patient. while local allergic reactions to fire ant bites are described in the literat ...	17351856
increases in apoptosis and declines in bcl-xl protein characterise testicular regression in american crows (corvus brachyrhynchos).	the present study investigated the cellular changes observed during testicular regression in american crows. testes from adults caught during the early (march), progressing (april), peak (early may), transitional (late may), and post- (june) breeding season were examined. apoptosis was assessed by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dutp nick end-labelling (tunel) and bcl-x(l) protein immunolabelling. testis mass increased two-fold from march to early may (p < 0.05), then decl ...	17394794
modeling and biological control of mosquitoes.	models can be useful at many different levels when considering complex issues such as biological control of mosquitoes. at an early stage, exploratory models are valuable in exploring the characteristics of an ideal biological control agent and for guidance in data collection. when more data are available, models can be used to explore alternative control strategies and the likelihood of success. there are few modeling studies that explicitly consider biological control in mosquitoes; however, t ...	17853610
solution-phase parallel synthesis of a library of delta(2)-pyrazolines.	a parallel synthesis of a library (80 members) of 2-pyrazolines in solution phase is described. the 2-pyrazoline core was accessed through the [3 + 2] cycloaddition of nitrilimines with enoyl oxazolidinones. the cycloaddition provided two regioisomers, the major product being the c regioisomer. the oxazolidinone moiety was further reduced to the primary alcohol, producing another library of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-pyrazolines. the lipinski profiles and calculated adme properties of the compounds are a ...	17206829
training for and maintaining public health surge capacity: a program for disease outbreak investigation by student volunteers.		17236619
evaluation of public health response to hurricanes finds north carolina better prepared for public health emergencies.	reviews of state public health preparedness improvements have been primarily limited to measuring funds expenditures and achievement of cooperative agreement benchmarks. such reviews fail to assess states' actual capacity for meeting the challenges they may face during an emergency, as evidenced by activities undertaken during the various phases of a disaster. this article examines north carolina's public health preparedness and response performance during two hurricanes, hurricane floyd in 1999 ...	17236604
opportunities and obstacles to collecting wildlife disease data for public health purposes: results of a pilot study on vancouver island, british columbia.	existing sources of wildlife morbidity and mortality data were evaluated and 3 pilot active surveillance projects were undertaken to compare and contrast methods for collecting wildlife disease data on vancouver island for public health purposes. few organizations could collect samples for diagnostic evaluation, fewer still maintained records, and none regularly characterized or reported wildlife disease for public health purposes. wildlife rehabilitation centers encountered the greatest variety ...	17310627
a cautionary tale of downloading public health in ontario: what does it say about the need for national standards for more than doctors and hospitals?	the 2003 sars outbreak highlighted the importance of maintaining an adequate public health (ph) infrastructure, and cast doubt on the wisdom of basing the system locally without adequate provisions for higher-level oversight and coordination. structurally, it highlighted the policy legacy of the 1998 ontario decision to download full responsibility for funding ph services to municipal governments, forcing such services into budgetary competition with the "hard" services traditionally provided by ...	19305705
habitat segregation of mosquito arbovirus vectors in south florida.	oviposition traps set in rural to urban environments in three south florida counties were colonized predominantly by culex quinquefasciatus say (35.1%), aedes albopictus (skuse) (34.5%), aedes aegypti (l.) (23.8%), and culex nigripalpus theobald (6.6%) during 1 yr of monthly sampling. significant differences were detected among counties for abundances of cx. quinquefasciatus and for percentage composition of that species and ae. albopictus. aerial images of habitats around each collection site w ...	17162945
maternal infectious diseases, antimicrobial therapy or immunizations: very few contraindications to breastfeeding.		23125529
maternal infectious diseases, antimicrobial therapy or immunizations: very few contraindications to breastfeeding.		18382638
skin sensitization induced langerhans' cell mobilization: variable requirements for tumour necrosis factor-α.	upon antigen/allergen recognition, epidermal langerhans' cells (lc) are mobilized and migrate to the local lymph node where they play a major role in initiating or regulating immune responses. it had been proposed that all chemical allergens induce lc migration via common cytokine signals delivered by tnf-α and il-1β. here the dependence of lc migration on tnf-α following treatment of mice with various chemical allergens has been investigated. it was found that under standard conditions the alle ...	25039377
host group formation decreases exposure to vector-borne disease: a field experiment in a 'hotspot' of west nile virus transmission.	animals can decrease their individual risk of predation by forming groups. the encounter-dilution hypothesis extends the potential benefits of gregariousness to biting insects and vector-borne disease by predicting that the per capita number of insect bites should decrease within larger host groups. although vector-borne diseases are common and can exert strong selective pressures on hosts, there have been few tests of the encounter-dilution effect in natural systems. we conducted an experimenta ...	25339722
immunotoxins constructed with ribosome-inactivating proteins and their enhancers: a lethal cocktail with tumor specific efficacy.	the term ribosome-inactivating protein (rip) is used to denominate proteins mostly of plant origin, which have n-glycosidase enzymatic activity leading to a complete destruction of the ribosomal function. the discovery of the rips was almost a century ago, but their usage has seen transition only in the last four decades. with the advent of antibody therapy, the rips have been a subject of extensive research especially in targeted tumor therapies, which is the primary focus of this review. in th ...	25341935
toscana virus genome stability: data from a meningoencephalitis case in mantua, italy.	in july of 2013, samples from a patient with a neurological syndrome were collected from mantua hospital and sent to the national reference laboratory for arboviruses (national institute of health, rome). on the basis of the symptoms, serological and molecular assays were performed to diagnose either west nile virus (wnv) or toscana virus (tosv) infection. molecular and serological tests confirmed tosv infection. virus isolation was obtained from cerebrospinal fluid. a full genome sequence was d ...	25514123
replication and shedding of mers-cov in upper respiratory tract of inoculated dromedary camels.	in 2012, a novel coronavirus associated with severe respiratory disease in humans emerged in the middle east. epidemiologic investigations identified dromedary camels as the likely source of zoonotic transmission of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov). here we provide experimental support for camels as a reservoir for mers-cov. we inoculated 3 adult camels with a human isolate of mers-cov and a transient, primarily upper respiratory tract infection developed in each of the 3 ...	25418529
suspected congenital centronuclear myopathy in an arabian-cross foal.		25410957
molecular regulation of effector and memory t cell differentiation.	immunological memory is a cardinal feature of adaptive immunity and an important goal of vaccination strategies. here we highlight advances in the understanding of the diverse t lymphocyte subsets that provide acute and long-term protection from infection. these include new insights into the transcription factors, and the upstream 'pioneering' factors that regulate their accessibility to key sites of gene regulation, as well as metabolic regulators that contribute to the differentiation of effec ...	25396352