Rapid detection of human blood in triatomines (kissing bugs) utilizing a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay - A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: We tested a rapid and specific immunochromatographic assay (that detects human blood in forensic samples) to determine if human blood was present in triatomines and their fecal excreta. METHODS: We fed Triatoma rubida human blood (positive control) or mouse blood (negative control) and performed the assay on the abdominal contents and fecal excreta. Triatomine field specimens collected in and around human habitations and excreta were also tested. FINDINGS: The assay was positive in triatomines fed human blood (N = 5/5) and fecal excreta from bugs known to have ingested human blood (N = 5/5). Bugs feeding on mice (N = 15/15) and their fecal excreta (N = 8/8) were negative for human blood. Human blood was detected in 47% (N = 23/49) triatomines, representing six different species, collected in the field. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: The pilot study shows that this rapid and specific test may have applications in triatomine research. Further study is needed to determine the sensitivity of this assay compared to other well-established techniques, such as DNA- and proteomics-based methodologies and the assay's application in the field.

Rapid detection of human blood in triatomines (kissing bugs) utilizing a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay - A pilot study

BACKGROUND DNA- and proteomics-based techniques are currently used to identify a triatomine human blood meal. These methods are time consuming, require access to laboratories with sophisticated equipment, and trained personnel. OBJECTIVES We tested a rapid and specific immunochromatographic assay (that detects human blood in forensic samples) to determine if human blood was present in triatomines and their fecal excreta. METHODS We fed Triatoma rubida human blood (positive control) or mouse blood (negative control) and performed the assay on the abdominal contents and fecal excreta. Triatomine field specimens collected in and around human habitations and excreta were also tested. FINDINGS The assay was positive in triatomines fed human blood (N = 5/5) and fecal excreta from bugs known to have ingested human blood (N = 5/5). Bugs feeding on mice (N = 15/15) and their fecal excreta (N = 8/8) were negative for human blood. Human blood was detected in 47% (N = 23/49) triatomines, representing six different species, collected in the field. MAIN CONCLUSIONS The pilot study shows that this rapid and specific test may have applications in triatomine research. Further study is needed to determine the sensitivity of this assay compared to other well-established techniques, such as DNA- and proteomics-based methodologies and the assay's application in the field.

Genotype imputation in a tropical crossbred dairy cattle population.

The objective of this study was to investigate different strategies for genotype imputation in a population of crossbred Girolando (Gyr × Holstein) dairy cattle. The data set consisted of 478 Girolando, 583 Gyr, and 1,198 Holstein sires genotyped at high density with the Illumina BovineHD (Illumina, San Diego, CA) panel, which includes ∼777K markers. The accuracy of imputation from low (20K) and medium densities (50K and 70K) to the HD panel density and from low to 50K density were investigated. Seven scenarios using different reference populations (RPop) considering Girolando, Gyr, and Holstein breeds separately or combinations of animals of these breeds were tested for imputing genotypes of 166 randomly chosen Girolando animals. The population genotype imputation were performed using FImpute. Imputation accuracy was measured as the correlation between observed and imputed genotypes (CORR) and also as the proportion of genotypes that were imputed correctly (CR). This is the first paper on imputation accuracy in a Girolando population. The sample-specific imputation accuracies ranged from 0.38 to 0.97 (CORR) and from 0.49 to 0.96 (CR) imputing from low and medium densities to HD, and 0.41 to 0.95 (CORR) and from 0.50 to 0.94 (CR) for imputation from 20K to 50K. The CORRanim exceeded 0.96 (for 50K and 70K panels) when only Girolando animals were included in RPop (S1). We found smaller CORRanim when Gyr (S2) was used instead of Holstein (S3) as RPop. The same behavior was observed between S4 (Gyr + Girolando) and S5 (Holstein + Girolando) because the target animals were more related to the Holstein population than to the Gyr population. The highest imputation accuracies were observed for scenarios including Girolando animals in the reference population, whereas using only Gyr animals resulted in low imputation accuracies, suggesting that the haplotypes segregating in the Girolando population had a greater effect on accuracy than the purebred haplotypes. All chromosomes had similar imputation accuracies (CORRsnp) within each scenario. Crossbred animals (Girolando) must be included in the reference population to provide the best imputation accuracies.

Perceptions of children's body sizes among mothers living on the Texas-Mexico border (La Frontera).

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to quantify mothers' perceptions of their children's sizes and explore mothers' views of child growth, diet, activity, and health. Photographs of children from the Berkeley Longitudinal Growth Study (on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] Web site) were used to stimulate discussion with mothers about child sizes. DESIGN: A descriptive, cross-sectional study examined mothers' perceptions of their children's size and their beliefs about child size, growth, and health. SAMPLE: The convenience sample included 25 mother-child dyads of 3-year-old children at two Head Start Centers in a county on the Texas-Mexico border. All mothers self-identified as Hispanic. MEASUREMENT: Photographs of children were shown to elicit mothers' perceptions of children's body sizes. The children and mothers were weighed and measured and their body mass indices (BMIs) were computed. The mothers were interviewed about their beliefs on child health, growth, and feeding. RESULTS: No congruence was found between mothers' perceptions of child sizes in the pictures and their children's sizes. CONCLUSIONS: Using CDC photographs does not appear to be a useful way to educate mothers about child body sizes. A child who is happy, active, and can accomplish normal childhood activities is not considered by mothers as overweight, regardless of the child's BMI.