Publications

reprogramming the host: modification of cell functions upon viral infection.	viruses and their hosts have co-evolved for million years. in order to successfully replicate their genome, viruses need to usurp the biosynthetic machinery of the host cell. depending on the complexity and the nature of the genome, replication might involve or not a relatively large subset of viral products, in addition to a number of host cell factors, and take place in several subcellular compartments, including the nucleus, the cytoplasm, as well as virus-induced, rearranged membranes. there ...	24175226
innate host responses to west nile virus: implications for central nervous system immunopathology.	west nile virus (wnv) is an emerging neurotropic flavivirus that has recently spread to america and southern europe via an enzootic/epizootic bird-mosquito-bird transmission cycle. the virus can occasionally infect humans through mosquito bites, and man-to-man transmission has also been reported via infected blood or organ donation. in the human host, wnv causes asymptomatic infection in about 70%-80% of cases, while < 1% of clinical cases progress to severe neuroinvasive disease; long-term neur ...	24175229
suspected congenital centronuclear myopathy in an arabian-cross foal.		25410957
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
the antiviral effector ifitm3 disrupts intracellular cholesterol homeostasis to block viral entry.	vesicle-membrane-protein-associated protein a (vapa) and oxysterol-binding protein (osbp) regulate intracellular cholesterol homeostasis, which is required for many virus infections. during entry, viruses or virus-containing vesicles can fuse with endosomal membranes to mediate the cytosolic release of virions, and alterations in endosomal cholesterol can inhibit this invasion step. we show that the antiviral effector protein interferon-inducible transmembrane protein 3 (ifitm3) interacts with v ...	23601107
correlation between aerial insecticide spraying to interrupt west nile virus transmission and emergency department visits in sacramento county, california.	insecticides reduce vector-borne pathogen transmission but also pose health risks. in august 2005, sacramento county, california, underwent emergency aerial ultralow-volume (ulv) application of pyrethrin insecticide to reduce the population of west nile virus (wnv)-infected mosquitoes and thereby interrupt enzootic and tangential transmission. we assessed the association between aerially applied pyrethrin insecticide and patterns of emergency department (ed) visit diagnoses.	23633737
trial watch: dna vaccines for cancer therapy.	the foundation of modern vaccinology dates back to the 1790s, when the english physician edward jenner uncovered the tremendous medical potential of prophylactic vaccination. jenner's work ignited a wave of nationwide vaccination campaigns abating the incidence of multiple life-threatening infectious diseases and culminating with the eradication of natural smallpox virus, which was definitively certified by the who in 1980. the possibility of using vaccines against cancer was first proposed at t ...	23734328
tick-borne encephalitis virus in horses, austria, 2011.	an unexpectedly high infection rate (26.1%) of tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) was identified in a herd of 257 horses of the same breed distributed among 3 federal states in austria. young age (p<0.001) and male sex (p=0.001) were positively associated with infection.	23631894
west nile virus lineage 2 strain in greece, 2012.		23697609
updates on clinically isolated syndrome and diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis.	clinically isolated syndrome (cis) is a central nervous system demyelinating event isolated in time that is compatible with the possible future development of multiple sclerosis (ms). early risk stratification for conversion to ms helps with treatment decisions. magnetic resonance imaging (mri) is currently the most useful tool to evaluate risk. cerebrospinal fluid studies and evoked potentials may also be used to assess the likelihood of ms. four clinical trials evaluating the benefits of eithe ...	23983889
embracing the wild: conceptualizing wilderness medicine in canada.		23673594
targeting surveillance for zoonotic virus discovery.	we analyzed a database of mammal-virus associations to ask whether surveillance targeting diseased animals is the best strategy to identify potentially zoonotic pathogens. although a mixed healthy and diseased animal surveillance strategy is generally best, surveillance of apparently healthy animals would likely maximize zoonotic virus discovery potential for bats and rodents.	23647732
aging and its impact on innate immunity and inflammation: implications for periodontitis.	the elderly exhibit increased susceptibility to a number of inflammatory or degenerative pathologies. aging is similarly thought to be associated with increased prevalence and severity of periodontitis, although the underlying causes are poorly understood. among the plausible mechanisms whereby aging could contribute to increased susceptibility to periodontitis are age-dependent alterations in the innate immune and inflammatory status of the host. this hypothesis is supported by studies in human ...	24707191
hepatitis c virus. strategies to evade antiviral responses.	hepatitis c virus (hcv) causes chronic liver disease and poses a major clinical and economic burden worldwide. hcv is an rna virus that is sensed as non-self in the infected liver by host pattern recognition receptors, triggering downstream signaling to interferons (ifns). the type iii ifns play an important role in immunity to hcv, and human genetic variation in their gene loci is associated with differential hcv infection outcomes. hcv evades host antiviral innate immune responses to mediate a ...	25983854
viral inactivation of human osteochondral grafts with methylene blue and light.	cartilage injury is one of the most common disorders of synovial joints. fresh osteochondral allografts are becoming a standard treatment; however, they are supply constrained with a potential risk of disease transmission. there are no known virucidal processes available for osteochondral allografts and most methods presently available are detrimental to cartilage. methylene blue light treatment has been shown to be successful in the literature for viral inactivation of fresh frozen plasma. the ...	26069682
regulation of the trafficking and antiviral activity of ifitm3 by post-translational modifications.	ifitm3 restricts cellular infection by multiple important viral pathogens, and is particularly critical for the innate immune response against influenza virus. expression of ifitm3 expands acidic endolysosomal compartments and prevents fusion of endocytosed viruses, leading to their degradation. this small, 133 amino acid, antiviral protein is controlled by at least four distinct post-translational modifications. positive regulation of ifitm3 antiviral activity is provided by s-palmitoylation, w ...	25405885
health-care provider preferences for time-sensitive communications from public health agencies.	the rapid emergency alert communication in health (reach) trial was a randomized control trial to systematically compare and evaluate the effectiveness of traditional and mobile communication modalities for public health agencies to disseminate time-sensitive information to health-care providers (hcps). we conducted a sub-study to identify the communication channels by which hcps preferred receiving public health alerts and advisories.	25355977
a peer assessment approach for learning from public health emergencies.	as an alternative to standard quality improvement approaches and to commonly used after action report/improvement plans, we developed and tested a peer assessment approach for learning from singular public health emergencies. in this approach, health departments engage peers to analyze critical incidents, with the goal of aiding organizational learning within and across public health emergency preparedness systems. we systematically reviewed the literature in this area, formed a practitioner adv ...	25355972
elucidating the role of t cells in protection against and pathogenesis of dengue virus infections.	dengue viruses (denv) cause significantly more human disease than any other arbovirus, with hundreds of thousands of cases leading to severe disease in thousands annually. antibodies and t cells induced by primary infection with denv have the potential for both positive (protective) and negative (pathological) effects during subsequent denv infections. in this review, we summarize studies that have examined t-cell responses in humans following natural infection and vaccination. we discuss studie ...	24762312
antiviral natural products and herbal medicines.	viral infections play an important role in human diseases, and recent outbreaks in the advent of globalization and ease of travel have underscored their prevention as a critical issue in safeguarding public health. despite the progress made in immunization and drug development, many viruses lack preventive vaccines and efficient antiviral therapies, which are often beset by the generation of viral escape mutants. thus, identifying novel antiviral drugs is of critical importance and natural produ ...	24872930
the effect of temperature on life history traits of culex mosquitoes.	climatic changes forecasted in the coming years are likely to result in substantial alterations to the distributions and populations of vectors of arthropod-borne pathogens. characterization of the effect of temperature shifts on the life history traits of specific vectors is needed to more accurately define how such changes could impact the epidemiological patterns of vector-borne disease. here, we determined the effect of temperatures including 16, 20, 24, 28, and 32 degreec on development tim ...	24605453
interspecific competition of a new invasive mosquito, culex coronator, and two container mosquitoes, aedes albopictus and cx. quinquefasciatus (diptera: culicidae), across different detritus environments.	the mosquito culex coronator (dyar and knab) (diptera: culicidae) has undergone rapid range expansion in the united states since 2003, with its historical distribution in the southwest expanding eastward to the atlantic coast. although cx. coronator nominally use small natural aquatic habitats for development, the use of containers (e.g., tires) makes it potentially important as container invasive. to determine the potential ecological effects of cx. coronator on resident container species, we c ...	24605457
emerging infectious diseases.	the spectrum of human pathogens and the infectious diseases they cause is continuously changing through evolution and changes in the way human populations interact with their environment and each other. new human pathogens most often emerge from an animal reservoir, emphasizing the central role that non-human reservoirs play in human infectious diseases. pathogens may also re-emerge with new characteristics, such as multidrug-resistance, or in different places, such as west nile virus in the usa ...	24563608
melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 in zebrafish provoking higher interferon-promoter activity through signalling enhancing of its shorter splicing variant.	melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (mda5) is one of the three members in the retinoic acid-inducible gene i-like receptor (rlr) family, which are cytoplasmic pathogen recognition receptors recognizing intracellular viruses. in the present study, mda5 and its spliced shorter forms, named as mda5a and mda5b, were identified in zebrafish. mda5a and mda5b can be up-regulated in cell lines following the infection of a negative ssrna virus, the spring viraemia of carp virus (svcv), and an intr ...	24116956
co-circulation of west nile virus variants, arizona, usa, 2010.	molecular analysis of west nile virus (wnv) isolates obtained during a 2010 outbreak in maricopa county, arizona, usa, demonstrated co-circulation of 3 distinct genetic variants, including strains with novel envelope protein mutations. these results highlight the continuing evolution of wnv in north america and the current complexity of wnv dispersal and transmission.	24447818
marcoing monocytes for elimination.	eliminating inflammatory monocytes using microparticles that bind to the marco receptor represents a promising strategy to reduce inflammation and injury (getts et al., this issue).	24431109
therapeutic inflammatory monocyte modulation using immune-modifying microparticles.	inflammatory monocyte-derived effector cells play an important role in the pathogenesis of numerous inflammatory diseases. however, no treatment option exists that is capable of modulating these cells specifically. we show that infused negatively charged, immune-modifying microparticles (imps), derived from polystyrene, microdiamonds, or biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid, were taken up by inflammatory monocytes, in an opsonin-independent fashion, via the macrophage receptor with collag ...	24431111
evaluation of seasonal feeding patterns of west nile virus vectors in bernalillo county, new mexico, united states: implications for disease transmission.	many mosquito species take bloodmeals predominantly from either birds or mammals. other mosquito species are less host-specific and feed readily on both. furthermore, some species tend to alter their feeding patterns over the course of the year; early in the mosquito season such species may feed primarily on a particular host type, and subsequently take an increasingly larger proportion of their bloodmeals from an alternative host type as the season progresses. we have examined the feeding patte ...	24605477
level of awareness regarding some zoonotic diseases, among dog owners of ithaca, new york.	worldwide, dogs and cats are the two most common household companion animals. because of this, they can be direct or indirect source of many human infections. fortunately, most of these zoonotic infections can be clinically prevented by appropriate prophylactic interventions.	25657956
case reports published by residents of texas tech university health sciences center, lubbock, 2008-2013.	case report publications introduce new information into the current body of medical information and provide trainees with an opportunity to develop skills that enhance patient care. however, opportunities for publication are limited because journals often have other editorial priorities and some journals do not want to publish articles that might decrease their impact factors. using pubmed and google scholar, we identified the case report articles published by our residents who completed trainin ...	25484496
update on west nile virus in italy.		25350968
could the different performance of the procleix west nile virus assay towards wnv l1 and l2 represent an issue in the blood transfusion setting?		25350965
knemidocoptic mange in wild golden eagles, california, usa.	during 2012-2013 in california, usa, 3 wild golden eagles were found with severe skin disease; 2 died. the cause was a rare mite, most closely related to knemidocoptes derooi mites. cautionary monitoring of eagle populations, habitats, and diseases is warranted.	25271842
facts and ideas from anywhere.		24381410
advances in haplo-identical stem cell transplantation in adults with high-risk hematological malignancies.	allogeneic bone marrow transplant is a life-saving procedure for adults and children that have high-risk or relapsed hematological malignancies. incremental advances in the procedure, as well as expanded sources of donor hematopoietic cell grafts have significantly improved overall rates of success. yet, the outcomes for patients for whom suitable donors cannot be found remain a significant limitation. these patients may benefit from a hematopoietic cell transplant wherein a relative donor is fu ...	25258660
baylisascaris procyonis neural larva migrans in an infant in new york city.	neural larva migrans (nlm) with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis secondary to raccoon roundworm (baylisascaris procyonis) infection has been reported in rural and suburban areas of north america and europe with extant raccoon populations. most cases have occurred in infants less than two years of age exposed to areas of raccoon fecal contamination. here, we present a case of baylisascaris-induced nlm from the densely populated borough of brooklyn in new york city and alert urban pediatricians to ...	25346856
natalizumab treatment is associated with peripheral sequestration of proinflammatory t cells.	natalizumab is an antibody directed against integrin alpha4 that reduces disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis (ms) by blocking migration of t and b cells into the cns. the goal of this study was to characterize the effects of natalizumab treatment on cytokine production and expression of activation markers, costimulatory molecules, and trafficking determinants on cd4+ and cd8+ t cells.	19487650
happy new fear: new disease of the year.		19480030
aging of the t cell compartment in mice and humans: from no naive expectations to foggy memories.	until the mid-20th century, infectious diseases were the major cause of morbidity and mortality in humans. massive vaccination campaigns, antibiotics, antivirals, and advanced public health measures drastically reduced sickness and death from infections in children and younger adults. however, older adults (>65 y of age) remain vulnerable to infections, and infectious diseases remain among the top 5-10 causes of death in this population. the aging of the immune system, often referred to as immun ...	25193936
nesting bird "host funnel" increases mosquito-bird contact rate.	increases in vector-host contact rates can enhance arbovirus transmission intensity. we investigated weekly fluctuations in contact rates between mosquitoes and nesting birds using the recently described nest mosquito trap (nmt). the number of mosquitoes per nestling increased from < 1 mosquito per trap night to 36.2 in the final 2 wk of the nesting season. our evidence suggests the coincidence of the end of the avian nesting season and increasing mosquito abundances may have caused a "host funn ...	23540137
protective efficacy of orally administered, heat-killed lactobacillus pentosus b240 against influenza a virus.	influenza a(h1n1)pdm virus caused the first human pandemic of the 21st century. although various probiotic lactobacillus species have been shown to have anti-microbial effects against pneumonia-inducing pathogens, the prophylactic efficacy and mechanisms behind their protection remain largely unknown. here, we evaluated the prophylactic efficacy of heat-killed lactobacillus pentosus b240 against lethal influenza a(h1n1)pdm virus infection in a mouse model. to further define the protective respon ...	23535544
high mobility group box 1 protein as a potential drug target for infection- and injury-elicited inflammation.	in response to infection or injury, a ubiquitous nucleosomal protein, hmgb1 is secreted actively by innate immune cells, and / or released passively by injured/damaged cells. subsequently, extracellular hmgb1 alerts, recruits, and activates various innate immune cells to sustain a rigorous inflammatory response. a growing number of hmgb1 inhibitors ranging from neutralizing antibodies, endogenous hormones, to medicinal herb-derived small molecule hmgb1 inhibitors (such as nicotine, glycyrrhizin, ...	19906009
impact of rituximab (rituxan) on the treatment of b-cell non-hodgkin's lymphoma.	non-hodgkin's lymphoma (nhl) is the most common hematological malignancy in adults, with b-cell lymphomas accounting for 85% of all nhls. the most substantial advancement in the treatment of b-cell malignancies, since the advent of combination chemotherapy, has been the addition of the monoclonal anti-cd20 antibody rituximab (rituxan). since its initially reported single-agent activity in indolent lymphomas in 1997, the role of rituximab has expanded to cover both indolent and aggressive lymphom ...	20442809
automated microscopy for high-content rnai screening.	fluorescence microscopy is one of the most powerful tools to investigate complex cellular processes such as cell division, cell motility, or intracellular trafficking. the availability of rna interference (rnai) technology and automated microscopy has opened the possibility to perform cellular imaging in functional genomics and other large-scale applications. although imaging often dramatically increases the content of a screening assay, it poses new challenges to achieve accurate quantitative a ...	20176920
anti-n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis: characteristic behavioral and movement disorder.		20142537
giving monoclonal antibodies to healthy volunteers in phase 1 trials: is it safe?	many monoclonal antibodies (mabs) have been studied in healthy volunteers in phase 1, but few data have been published on the safety of that practice. we aimed to review the available data, and thereby to estimate the risks of participation in phase 1trials of mabs. we searched pubmed, the clinicaltrials.gov database and google, using the search terms 'monoclonal antibody', 'phase 1' and 'healthy volunteers'. we identified 70 completed trials of mabs in healthy volunteers, but the published data ...	23438102
double-edged genetic swords and immunity: lesson from ccr5 and beyond.		20025529
pcr/ldr/universal array platforms for the diagnosis of infectious disease.	infectious diseases account for between 14 and 17 million deaths worldwide each year. accurate and rapid diagnosis of bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections is therefore essential to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. classical microbiological and serological methods have long served as the gold standard for diagnosis but are increasingly being replaced by molecular diagnostic methods that demonstrate increased sensitivity and specificity and provide a ...	20217576
differential gene expression in lps/ifngamma activated microglia and macrophages: in vitro versus in vivo.	two different macrophage populations contribute to cns neuroinflammation: cns-resident microglia and cns-infiltrating peripheral macrophages. markers distinguishing these two populations in tissue sections have not been identified. therefore, we compared gene expression between lps (lipopolysaccharide)/interferon (ifn)gamma-treated microglia from neonatal mixed glial cultures and similarly treated peritoneal macrophages. fifteen molecules were identified by quantative pcr (qpcr) as being enriche ...	19393017
oncolytic vaccinia virus therapy of salivary gland carcinoma.	to examine the therapeutic effects of an attenuated, replication-competent vaccinia virus (glv-1h68) against a panel of 5 human salivary gland carcinoma cell lines.	23429949
six-of-the-best: unique contributions of γδ t cells to immunology.	γδ t cells are a unique and conserved population of lymphocytes that have been the subject of a recent explosion of interest owing to their essential contributions to many types of immune response and immunopathology. but what does the integration of recent and long-established studies really tell us about these cells and their place in immunology? the time is ripe to consider the evidence for their unique and crucial functions. we conclude that whereas b cells and αβ t cells are commonly though ...	23348415
prion diseases as transmissible zoonotic diseases.	prion diseases, also called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (tses), lead to neurological dysfunction in animals and are fatal. infectious prion proteins are causative agents of many mammalian tses, including scrapie (in sheep), chronic wasting disease (in deer and elk), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (bse; in cattle), and creutzfeldt-jakob disease (cjd; in humans). bse, better known as mad cow disease, is among the many recently discovered zoonotic diseases. bse cases were first repo ...	24159531
phylogenetic and ecologic perspectives of a monkeypox outbreak, southern sudan, 2005.	identification of human monkeypox cases during 2005 in southern sudan (now south sudan) raised several questions about the natural history of monkeypox virus (mpxv) in africa. the outbreak area, characterized by seasonally dry riverine grasslands, is not identified as environmentally suitable for mpxv transmission. we examined possible origins of this outbreak by performing phylogenetic analysis of genome sequences of mpxv isolates from the outbreak in sudan and from differing localities. we als ...	23347770
a descending cranial nerve palsy during the christmas holidays.		23983866
a review of spatial methods in epidemiology, 2000-2010.	understanding the impact of place on health is a key element of epidemiologic investigation, and numerous tools are being employed for analysis of spatial health-related data. this review documents the huge growth in spatial epidemiology, summarizes the tools that have been employed, and provides in-depth discussion of several methods. relevant research articles for 2000-2010 from seven epidemiology journals were included if the study utilized a spatial analysis method in primary analysis (n = 2 ...	22429160
landscape-level spatial patterns of west nile virus risk in the northern great plains.	understanding the landscape-level determinants of west nile virus (wnv) can aid in mapping high-risk areas and enhance disease control and prevention efforts. this study analyzed the spatial patterns of human wnv cases in three areas in south dakota during 2003-2007 and investigated the influences of land cover, hydrology, soils, irrigation, and elevation by using case-control models. land cover, hydrology, soils, and elevation all influenced wnv risk, although the main drivers were different in ...	22492161
interferon-induced transmembrane protein-3 genetic variant rs12252-c is associated with severe influenza in chinese individuals.	the snp rs12252-c allele alters the function of interferon-induced transmembrane protein-3 increasing the disease severity of influenza virus infection in caucasians, but the allele is rare. however, rs12252-c is much more common in han chinese. here we report that the cc genotype is found in 69% of chinese patients with severe pandemic influenza a h1n1/09 virus infection compared with 25% in those with mild infection. specifically, the cc genotype was estimated to confer a sixfold greater risk ...	23361009
new generation humanized mice for virus research: comparative aspects and future prospects.	work with human specific viruses will greatly benefit from the use of an in vivo system that provides human target cells and tissues in a physiological setting. in this regard humanized mice (hu-mice) have played an important role in our understanding of viral pathogenesis and testing of therapeutic strategies. limitations with earlier versions of hu-mice that lacked a functioning human immune system are currently being overcome. the new generation hu-mouse models are capable of multilineage hum ...	23217612
anti-viral cd8 t cells and the cytokines that they love.	viral infections cause an immunological disequilibrium that provokes cd8 t cell responses. these cells play critical roles in purging acute infections, limiting persistent infections, and conferring life-long protective immunity. at every stage of the response anti-viral cd8 t cells are sensitive to signals from cytokines. initially cytokines operate as immunological warning signs that inform of the presence of an infection, and also influence the developmental choices of the responding cells. l ...	23217625
the dendritic cell lineage: ontogeny and function of dendritic cells and their subsets in the steady state and the inflamed setting.	dendritic cells (dcs) form a remarkable cellular network that shapes adaptive immune responses according to peripheral cues. after four decades of research, we now know that dcs arise from a hematopoietic lineage distinct from other leukocytes, establishing the dc system as a unique hematopoietic branch. recent work has also established that tissue dcs consist of developmentally and functionally distinct subsets that differentially regulate t lymphocyte function. this review discusses major adva ...	23516985
efficacy of mosquito traps for collecting potential west nile mosquito vectors in a natural mediterranean wetland.	surveillance, research, and control of mosquito-borne diseases such as west nile virus require efficient methods for sampling mosquitoes. we compared the efficacy of bg-sentinel and centers for disease control and prevention (cdc)-co(2) traps in terms of the abundances of host-seeking and blood-fed female mosquitoes and the origin of mosquito bloodmeals. our results indicate that bg-sentinel traps that use co(2) and attractants are as effective as cdc-co(2) traps for culex mosquito species, ochl ...	22492149
neuroinvasive disease and west nile virus infection, north dakota, usa, 1999-2008.	to determine risk for west nile virus (wnv) neuroinvasive disease in north dakota, we tested plasma samples from blood donors for wnv igg and compared infection rates with reported wnv neuroinvasive disease incidence. we estimate that 1 in 244 wnv infections leads to neuroinvasive disease; risk is substantially increased among men and older persons.	22469465
surveillance for west nile, dengue, and chikungunya virus infections, veneto region, italy, 2010.	in 2010, in veneto region, italy, surveillance of summer fevers was conducted to promptly identify autochthonous cases of west nile fever and increase detection of imported dengue and chikungunya in travelers. surveillance highlighted the need to modify case definitions, train physicians, and when a case is identified, implement vector control measures.	22469230
west nile virus lineage 2 from blood donor, greece.		22469502
the chemokine receptor cxcr2 and coronavirus-induced neurologic disease.	inoculation with the neurotropic jhm strain of mouse hepatitis virus (mhv) into the central nervous system (cns) of susceptible strains of mice results in an acute encephalomyelitis in which virus preferentially replicates within glial cells while excluding neurons. control of viral replication during acute disease is mediated by infiltrating virus-specific t cells via cytokine secretion and cytolytic activity, however sterile immunity is not achieved and virus persists resulting in chronic neur ...	23217621
high degree of single nucleotide polymorphisms in california culex pipiens (diptera: culicidae) sensu lato.	resolution of systematic relationships among members of the culex pipiens (l.) complex has important implications for public health as well as for studies on the evolution of sibling species. currently held views contend that in california considerable genetic introgression occurs between cx. pipiens and cx. quinquefasciatus say, and as such, these taxa behave as if they are a single species. development of high throughput snp genotyping tools for the analysis of cx. pipiens complex population s ...	22493847
emerging roles of semaphorins in the regulation of epithelial and endothelial junctions.	tissue barriers maintain homeostasis, protect underlying tissues, are remodeled during organogenesis and injury and limit aberrant proliferation and dissemination. in this context, endothelial and epithelial intercellular junctions are the primary targets of various cues. this cellular adaptation requires plasticity and dynamics of adhesion molecules and the associated cytoskeleton, as well as the adhesive-linked signaling platforms. it is therefore not surprising that the guidance molecules fro ...	24665374
determinants for autopsy after unexplained deaths possibly resulting from infectious causes, united states.	we analyzed us multiple cause-of-death data for 2003-2006 for demographic and clinical determinants for autopsy in unexplained deaths possibly resulting from infectious causes. for 96,242 deaths, the definition for unexplained death was met and autopsy status was recorded. most decedents were male, 40-49 years of age, and white. to identify factors associated with unexplained death, we used data from arizona records. multivariate analysis of arizona records suggested that decedents of races othe ...	22469466
vaccine development in the twenty-first century: changing paradigms for elusive viruses.		19707212
multiple sclerosis with predominant, severe cognitive impairment.	to describe the characteristics of multiple sclerosis (ms) presenting with severe cognitive impairment as its primary disabling manifestation.	19752304
diagnostics and discovery in viral hemorrhagic fevers.	the rate of discovery of new microbes and of new associations of microbes with health and disease is accelerating. many factors contribute to this phenomenon including those that favor the true emergence of new pathogens as well as new technologies and paradigms that enable their detection and characterization. this chapter reviews recent progress in the field of pathogen surveillance and discovery with a focus on viral hemorrhagic fevers.	19751404
experimental assessment of the impacts of northern long-eared bats on ovipositing culex (diptera: culicidae) mosquitoes.	the importance of predation as a mortality factor in adult mosquitoes has received only limited attention in the scientific literature. despite the lack of consensus among researchers as to whether bats are important predators of mosquitoes, there have been no attempts to directly document the effect of bats on mosquito populations or behavior. we conducted an enclosure experiment to test the hypothesis that bats reduce the local abundance of ovipositing female mosquitoes by examining whether th ...	19769034
clinical experience with flebogamma 5% dif: a new generation of intravenous immunoglobulins in patients with primary immunodeficiency disease.	the development of effective, safe, liquid intravenous immunoglobulins (ivig) preparations has represented a major therapeutic advancement in the treatment of patients with antibody deficiencies. flebogamma 5% was the first liquid ivig licensed in europe that has been widely used in the treatment of immunodeficiency diseases. it has been proven to have an excellent efficacy and safety profile. flebogamma 5% dual inactivation and filtration (dif) is a newly developed ivig preparation that shares ...	19630866
emerging and re-emerging viruses in the era of globalisation.		19657478
in response.		26657299
no evolutionary response to four generations of laboratory selection on antipredator behavior of aedes albopictus: potential implications for biotic resistance to invasion.	aedes albopictus (skuse) is an invasive container-dwelling mosquito and an important disease vector that co-occurs with the native mosquito, aedes triseriatus (say), and the predatory midge, corethrella appendiculata (grabham). larval ae. triseriatus show significantly greater antipredatory responses when compared to larval ae. albopictus in the presence of predation cues from c. appendiculata. the potential for evolution of antipredatory behavioral responses to c. appendiculata in ae. albopictu ...	19645279
maternal antibody transfer in yellow-legged gulls.		19624950
novel drugs targeting toll-like receptors for antiviral therapy.	toll-like receptors (tlrs) are sentinel receptors of the host innate immune system that recognize conserved 'pathogen-associated molecular patterns' of invading microbes, including viruses. the activation of tlrs establishes antiviral innate immune responses and coordinates the development of long-lasting adaptive immunity in order to control viral pathogenesis. however, microbe-induced damage to host tissues may release 'danger-associated molecular patterns' that also activate tlrs, leading to ...	25620999
effects of ingested vertebrate-derived factors on insect immune responses.	during the process of blood feeding insect vectors are exposed to an array of vertebrate-derived blood factors ranging from byproducts of blood meal digestion to naturally occurring products in the blood including growth hormones, cytokines and factors derived from blood-borne pathogens themselves. in this review, we examine the ability of these ingested vertebrate blood factors to alter the innate pathogen defenses of insect vectors. the ability of these factors to modify the immune responses o ...	25401083
polyradiculopathy and herpes zoster.	herpes zoster causing skin eruptions and neuropathic pain is routinely seen in the clinical setting. we present an interesting case of weakness involving more than one nerve root level secondary to shingles. the differential diagnosis of lower extremity weakness is long. while a polyradiculopathy secondary to herpes zoster infection is rare, it must be considered in a patient with dermatomal involvement. a thorough history and physical examination with appropriate diagnostic testing is essential ...	19633742
flebogamma 5% dif development: rationale for a new option in intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.	flebogamma 5% dual inactivation and filtration (dif), a new 5% liquid intravenous immunoglobulin with a stability of 2 years when stored at temperatures between 2 and 30 degrees c, has been developed. this new product is the result of the accumulated experience provided by flebogamma, with more than 30 million grams administered since 1992 in europe and the united states, and the implementation of the latest technology to improve flebogamma even more by increasing its viral safety margin further ...	19630865
weather variability affects abundance of larval culex (diptera: culicidae) in storm water catch basins in suburban chicago.	culex pipiens l. (diptera: culicidae) and culex restuans theobald are the primary enzootic and bridge vectors of west nile virus in the eastern united states north of 36 degrees latitude. recent studies of the natural history of these species have implicated catch basins and underground storm drain systems as important larval development sites in urban and suburban locales. although the presence of larvae in these habitats is well-documented, the influence of abiotic factors on the ecology of cu ...	22493843
review of clinical applications of scalp acupuncture for paralysis: an excerpt from chinese scalp acupuncture.	chinese scalp acupuncture is a contemporary acupuncture technique integrating traditional chinese needling methods with western medical knowledge of representative areas of the cerebral cortex. it has been proven to be a most effective technique for treating acute and chronic central nervous system disorders. scalp acupuncture often produces remarkable results with just a few needles and usually brings about immediate improvement, sometimes taking only several seconds to a minute. acupuncture, a ...	24278807
visible light and near-infrared-responsive chromophores for drug delivery-on-demand applications.	the need for temporal-spatial control over the release of biologically active molecules has motivated efforts to engineer novel drug delivery-on-demand strategies actuated via light irradiation. many systems, however, have been limited to in vitro proof-of-concept due to biocompatibility issues with the photo-responsive moieties or the light wavelength, intensity, and duration. to overcome these limitations, this paper describes a light actuated drug delivery-on-demand strategy that uses visible ...	26423655
epidemiology and course of disease in childhood uveitis.	to describe the disease characteristics and visual outcome of pediatric uveitis.	19651312
identifying clusters of active transportation using spatial scan statistics.	there is an intense interest in the possibility that neighborhood characteristics influence active transportation such as walking or biking. the purpose of this paper is to illustrate how a spatial cluster identification method can evaluate the geographic variation of active transportation and identify neighborhoods with unusually high/low levels of active transportation.	19589451
software to facilitate remote sensing data access for disease early warning systems.	satellite remote sensing produces an abundance of environmental data that can be used in the study of human health. to support the development of early warning systems for mosquito-borne diseases, we developed an open-source, client based software application to enable the epidemiological applications of spatial technologies (eastweb). two major design decisions were full automation of the discovery, retrieval and processing of remote sensing data from multiple sources, and making the system eas ...	26644779
inflammatory breast cancer clusters: a hypothesis.	cancer clusters have long been a focus of interest because of the possibility of identifying etiologic agents. only on rare occasions, however, have such cluster investigations been successful. one major difficulty in cluster investigations, particularly in the area of breast cancer, is the long latent period. there have been a number of publications providing a discouraging picture regarding cancer cluster investigations. the possibility of learning from a cluster investigation, however, is gre ...	25114867
negative regulatory effects of phosphatidylinositol3-kinase pathway on phagocytosis and macropinocytosis in bovine monocytes.	recent studies have shown that monocytes and macrophages not only present antigens to effector t cells and stimulate and shape t cell-mediated immune responses, but they also prime naïve t cells, thus initiating adaptive immune responses. phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase functions at an early phase of toll-like receptor signaling pathways, modulates the magnitude of the primary immune responses, and is involved in the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton during macropinocytic and phagocytic ant ...	25893219
serologic surveillance for west nile virus in dogs, africa.		25061842
severe encephalitis caused by toscana virus, greece.		25061909
reproductive biology and susceptibility of florida culex coronator to infection with west nile virus.	abstract ornithophilic culex species are considered the primary amplification vectors of west nile virus (wnv) in bird hosts as well as vectors responsible for epidemic transmission. culex coronator was first collected from okaloosa, santa rosa, walton, and washington counties in florida in 2005 and has since spread throughout the state. the vector competence of cx. coronator for wnv, known to be infected in nature, has not been assessed. without this knowledge, we are unable to assess this spec ...	25072992
antibodies against west nile and shuni viruses in veterinarians, south africa.		25062350
towards a hybrid agent-based model for mosquito borne disease.	agent-based models (abm) are used to simulate the spread of infectious disease through a population. detailed human movement, demography, realistic business location networks, and in-host disease progression are available in existing abms, such as the epidemic simulation system (episims). these capabilities make possible the exploration of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical mitigation strategies used to inform the public health community. there is a similar need for the spread of mosquito bor ...	26618203
a high-throughput shotgun mutagenesis approach to mapping b-cell antibody epitopes.	characterizing the binding sites of monoclonal antibodies (mabs) on protein targets, their 'epitopes', can aid in the discovery and development of new therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines. however, the speed of epitope mapping techniques has not kept pace with the increasingly large numbers of mabs being isolated. obtaining detailed epitope maps for functionally relevant antibodies can be challenging, particularly for conformational epitopes on structurally complex proteins. to enable rapid ep ...	24854488
antagonism of the phosphatase pp1 by the measles virus v protein is required for innate immune escape of mda5.	the cytosolic sensor mda5 is crucial for antiviral innate immune defense against various rna viruses including measles virus; as such, many viruses have evolved strategies to antagonize the antiviral activity of mda5. here, we show that measles virus escapes mda5 detection by targeting the phosphatases pp1α and pp1γ, which regulate mda5 activity by removing an inhibitory phosphorylation mark. the v proteins of measles virus and the related paramyxovirus nipah virus interact with pp1α/γ, preventi ...	25011105
identifying determinants of oncomelania hupensis habitats and assessing the effects of environmental control strategies in the plain regions with the waterway network of china at the microscale.	this study aims to identify the landscape ecological determinants related to oncomelania hupensis distribution, map the potential high risk of o. hupensis habitats at the microscale, and assess the effects of two environmental control strategies. sampling was performed on 242 snail sites and 726 non-snail sites throughout qianjiang city, hubei province, china. an integrated approach of landscape pattern analysis coupled with multiple logistic regression modeling was applied to investigate the ef ...	25003174
an unusual case of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis.	the present article reports a case involving an immunocompetent, previously well child who, despite two previous doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine, developed severe flaccid paralysis consistent with polio after receiving oral polio vaccine.	25285130