Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Using Physical Contact Heterogeneity And Frequency To Characterize Dynamics Of Human Exposure To Nonhuman Primate Bodily Fluids In Central Africa, Victor Narat, Mamdou Kampo, Thibut Heyer, Stephanie Rupp, Philippe Ambata, Richard Njouom, Tamara Giles-Vernick

Publications and Research

Emerging infectious diseases of zoonotic origin constitute a recurrent threat to global health. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) occupy an important place in zoonotic spillovers (pathogenic transmissions from animals to humans), serving as reservoirs or amplifiers of multiple neglected tropical diseases, including viral hemorrhagic fevers and arboviruses, parasites and bacteria, as well as retroviruses (simian foamy virus, PTLV) that are pathogenic in human beings. Hunting and butchering studies in Africa characterize at-risk human social groups, but overlook critical factors of contact heterogeneity and frequency, NHP species differences, and meat processing practices. In southeastern Cameroon, a region with a history of zoonotic emergence …

Immediate Neurophysiological Effects Of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation, Anli Liu, Mihály Vöröslakos, Gregory Kronberg, Simon Henin, Matthew R. Krause, Yu Huang, Alexander Opitz, Ashesh Mehta, Christopher C. Pack, Bart Krekelberg, Antal Berényi, Lucas C. Parra, Lucia Melloni, Orrin Devinsky, György Buzsáki

Publications and Research

Noninvasive brain stimulation techniques are used in experimental and clinical fields for their potential effects on brain network dynamics and behavior. Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES), including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), has gained popularity because of its convenience and potential as a chronic therapy. However, a mechanistic understanding of TES has lagged behind its widespread adoption. Here, we review data and modelling on the immediate neurophysiological effects of TES in vitro as well as in vivo in both humans and other animals. While it remains unclear how typical TES protocols affect neural activity, we …

Il-24 Promotes Apoptosis Through Camp-Dependent Pka Pathways In Human Breast Cancer Cells, Leah Persaud, Jason Mighty, Xuelin Zhong, Ashleigh Francis, Marifer Mendez, Hilal Muharam, Stephen M. Redenti, Dibash Das, Bertal Huseyin Aktas, Moira Sauane

Publications and Research

Interleukin 24 (IL-24) is a tumor-suppressing protein, which inhibits angiogenesis and induces cancer cell-specific apoptosis. We have shown that IL-24 regulates apoptosis through phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α) during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in cancer. Although multiple stresses converge on eIF2α phosphorylation, the cellular outcome is not always the same. In particular, ER stress-induced apoptosis is primarily regulated through the extent of eIF2α phosphorylation and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) action. Our studies show for the first time that cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activation is required for IL-24-induced cell death in a variety of …

Microbial Diversity In Urban Environments: Concern For Antibiotic Resistance, Ality Aghedo, Mangala Tawde, Nazrul I. Khandaker

Publications and Research

We are almost oblivious to the presence of microorganisms in our daily lives, but they exist and come into contact with us all the time. While some bacteria are harmless, and even beneficial, other bacteria can cause infections. A common treatment to bacterial infections is antibiotics and the success of an antibiotic depends on the resistance of the bacteria to the antibiotic. We conducted experiments to identify the types of bacteria that can be found on surfaces or within soil environments that come into contact with a vast number of people on a daily basis and how this can affect …

Manipulation Of Human Verticality Using High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Taiza E. G. Santos, Diandra B. Favoretto, Iman Ghodratti Toostani, Diego C. Nascimento, Brunna P. Rimoli, Eduardo Bergonzoni, Tenysson Will Lemos, Dennis Quangvinh Truong, Alexandre C. B. Delbem, Bahador Makkiabadi, Renato Moraes, Francisco Louzada, Marom Bikson, Joao P. Leite, Dylan J. Edwards

Publications and Research

Background: Using conventional tDCS over the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) we previously reported that it is possible to manipulate subjective visual vertical (SVV) and postural control. We also demonstrated that high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) can achieve substantially greater cortical stimulation focality than conventional tDCS. However, it is critical to establish dose-response effects using well-defined protocols with relevance to clinically meaningful applications.

Objective: To conduct three pilot studies investigating polarity and intensity-dependent effects of HD-tDCS over the right TPJ on behavioral and physiological outcome measures in healthy subjects. We additionally aimed to establish the feasibility, safety, and tolerability of this stimulation protocol.

Methods: …

Hominoid Intraspecific Cranial Variation Mirrors Neutral Genetic Diversity, Julia M. Zichello, Karen L. Baab, Kieran P. Mcnulty, Christopher J. Raxworthy, Michael E. Steiper

Publications and Research

Natural selection, developmental constraint, and plasticity have all been invoked as explanations for intraspecific cranial variation in humans and apes. However, global patterns of human cranial variation are congruent with patterns of genetic variation, demonstrating that population history has influenced cranial variation in humans. Here we show that this finding is not unique to Homo sapiens but is also broadly evident across extant ape species. Specifically, taxa that exhibit greater intraspecific cranial shape variation also exhibit greater genetic diversity at neutral autosomal loci. Thus, cranial shape variation within hominoid taxa reflects the population history of each species. Our results suggest …

Nanoparticles As Multimodal Photon Transducers Of Ionizing Radiation, Edwin C. Pratt, Travis M. Shaffer, Qize Zhang, Charles Michael Drain, Jan Grimm

Publications and Research

In biomedical imaging, nanoparticles combined with radionuclides that generate Cerenkov luminescence are used in diagnostic imaging, photon-induced therapies, and as activatable probes. In these applications, the nanoparticle is often viewed as a carrier inert to ionizing radiation from the radionuclide. However, certain phenomena such as enhanced nanoparticle luminescence and generation of reactive oxygen species cannot be explained by only Cerenkov luminescence interactions with nanoparticles. Herein, we report methods to examine the mechanisms of nanoparticle excitation by radionuclides, including interactions with Cerenkov luminescence, β particles, and γ radiation. We demonstrate that β scintillation contributes appreciably to excitation and reactivity in certain …

Genetic Determinants Of Telomere Length In African American Youth, Andrew M. Zeiger, Marquitta J. White, Celeste Eng, Sam S. Oh, Jonathan Witonsky, Pagé C. Goddard, Maria G. Contreras, Jennifer R. Elhawary, Donglei Hu, Angel C. Y. Mak, Eunice Y. Lee, Kevin L. Keys, Lesly-Anne Samedy, Oona Risse Adams, Joaquín Magaña, Scott Huntsman, Sandra Salazar, Adam Davis, Kelley Meade, Emerita Brigino-Buenaventura, Michael A. Lenoir, Harold J. Farber, Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, Luisa N. Borrell, Esteban G. Burchard

Publications and Research

Telomere length (TL) is associated with numerous disease states and is affected by genetic and environmental factors. However, TL has been mostly studied in adult populations of European or Asian ancestry. These studies have identified 34 TL-associated genetic variants recently used as genetic proxies for TL. The generalizability of these associations to pediatric populations and racially diverse populations, specifically of African ancestry, remains unclear. Furthermore, six novel variants associated with TL in a population of European children have been identified but not validated. We measured TL from whole blood samples of 492 healthy African American youth (children and adolescents between …

Tributyltin Inhibits Neural Induction Of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Shigeru Yamada, Yusuke Kubo, Daiju Yamazaki, Yuko Sekino, Yoko Nomura, Sachiko Yoshida, Yusunari Kanda

Publications and Research

Tributyltin (TBT), one of the organotin compounds, is a well-known environmental pollutant. In our recent study, we reported that TBT induces mitochondrial dysfunction, in human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) through the degradation of mitofusin1 (Mfn1), which is a mitochondrial fusion factor. However, the effect of TBT toxicity on the developmental process of iPSCs was not clear. The present study examined the effect of TBT on the differentiation of iPSCs into the ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal germ layers. We found that exposure to nanomolar concentration of TBT (50 nM) selectively inhibited the induction of iPSCs into the ectoderm, which is the …

Very Low-Carbohydrate, High-Fat, Weight Reduction Diet Decreases Hepatic Gene Response To Glucose In Obese Rats, Kathleen V. Axen, Marianna A. Harper, Yu Fu Kuo, Kenneth Axen

Publications and Research

Background: Very low carbohydrate (VLC) diets are used to promote weight loss and improve insulin resistance (IR) in obesity. Since the high fat content of VLC diets may predispose to hepatic steatosis and hepatic insulin resistance, we investigated the effect of a VLC weight-reduction diet on measures of hepatic and whole body insulin resistance in obese rats.

Methods: In Phase 1, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were made obese by ad libitum consumption of a high-fat (HF1, 60% of energy) diet; control rats ate a lower-fat (LF, 15%) diet for 10 weeks. In Phase 2, obese rats were fed energy-restricted amounts …

Spinal Control Of Locomotion: Individual Neurons, Their Circuits And Functions, Marie-Pascale Côté, Lynda M. Murray, Maria Knikou

Publications and Research

Systematic research on the physiological and anatomical characteristics of spinal cord interneurons along with their functional output has evolved for more than one century. Despite significant progress in our understanding of these networks and their role in generating and modulating movement, it has remained a challenge to elucidate the properties of the locomotor rhythm across species. Neurophysiological experimental evidence indicates similarities in the function of interneurons mediating afferent information regarding muscle stretch and loading, being affected by motor axon collaterals and those mediating presynaptic inhibition in animals and humans when their function is assessed at rest. However, significantly different muscle …

Antioxidants And Cancer: Theories, Techniques, And Trials In Preventing Cancer, Gloria M. Calaf, Francisco Aguayo, Consolato M. Sergi, Angeles Juarranz, Debasish Roy

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

What We Do Not Know About Fungal Cell Adhesion Molecules, Peter N. Lipke

Publications and Research

There has been extensive research on structure and function of fungal cell adhesion molecules, but the most of the work has been about adhesins in Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These yeasts are members of a single ascomycete order, and adhesion molecules from the six other fungal phyla are only sparsely described in the literature. In these other phyla, most of the research is at the cellular level, rather than at the molecular level, so there has been little characterization of the adhesion molecules themselves. A catalog of known adhesins shows some common features: high Ser/Thr content, tandem repeats, N- …

Translation Control By P53, Justina Kasteri, Dibash K. Das, Xuelin Zhong, Leah Persaud, Ashleigh Francis, Hilal Muharam, Moira Sauane

Publications and Research

The translation of mRNAs plays a critical role in the regulation of gene expression and therefore, in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Unrestricted initiation of translation causes malignant transformation and plays a key role in the maintenance and progression of cancers. Translation initiation is regulated by the ternary complex and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4F (eIF4F) complex. The p53 tumor suppressor protein is the most well studied mammalian transcription factor that mediates a variety of anti-proliferative processes. Post-transcriptional mechanisms of gene expression in general and those of translation in particular play a major role in shaping the …

Data And Statistical Methods To Analyze The Human Microbiome, Levi Waldron

Publications and Research

The Waldron lab for computational biostatistics bridges the areas of cancer genomics and microbiome studies for public health, developing methods to exploit publicly available data resources and to integrate-omics studies.

Market Integration Predicts Human Gut Microbiome Attributes Across A Gradient Of Economic Development, Keaton Stagaman, Tara J. Cepon-Robins, Melissa A. Liebert, Theresa E. Gildner, Samuel S. Urlacher, Felicia C. Madimenos, Karen Guillemin, J. Josh Snodgrass, Lawrence S. Sugiyama, Brendan J. M. Bohannan

Publications and Research

Economic development is marked by dramatic increases in the incidence of microbiome-associated diseases, such as autoimmune diseases and metabolic syndromes, but the lifestyle changes that drive alterations in the human microbiome are not known. We measured market integration as a proxy for economically related lifestyle attributes, such as ownership of specific market goods that index degree of market integration and components of traditional and nontraditional (more modern) house structure and infrastructure, and profiled the fecal microbiomes of 213 participants from a contiguous, indigenous Ecuadorian population. Despite relatively modest differences in lifestyle across the population, greater economic development correlated with significantly …

A Computational Assessment Of Target Engagement In The Treatment Of Auditory Hallucinations With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Won Hee Lee, Nigel I. Kennedy, Marom Bikson, Sophia Frangou

Publications and Research

We use auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) to illustrate the challenges in defining and assessing target engagement in the context of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for psychiatric disorders. We defined the target network as the cluster of regions of interest (ROIs) that are consistently implicated in AVH based on the conjunction of multimodal meta-analytic neuroimaging data. These were prescribed in the New York Head (a population derived model) and head models of four single individuals. We appraised two potential measures of target engagement, tDCS-induced peak electric field strength and tDCS-modulated volume defined as the percentage of the volume of the …

Resveratrol And Pterostilbene Exhibit Anticancer Properties Involving The Downregulation Of Hpv Oncoprotein E6 In Cervical Cancer Cells, Kaushiki Chatterjee, Dina Alsharif, Christina Mazza, Palwasha Syar, Mohamed Al Sharif, Jimmie E. Fata

Publications and Research

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women living in developing countries. Due to a lack of affordable effective therapy, research into alternative anticancer compounds with low toxicity such as dietary polyphenols has continued. Our aim is to determine whether two structurally similar plant polyphenols, resveratrol and pterostilbene, exhibit anticancer and anti-HPV (Human papillomavirus) activity against cervical cancer cells. To determine anticancer activity, extensive in vitro analyses were performed. Anti-HPV activity, through measuring E6 protein levels, subsequent downstream p53 effects, and caspase-3 activation, were studied to understand a possible mechanism of action. Both polyphenols are effective agents …

To Do Or Not To Do: Dopamine, Affordability And The Economics Of Opportunity, Jeff A. Beeler, Devry Mourra

Publications and Research

Five years ago, we introduced the thrift hypothesis of dopamine (DA), suggesting that the primary role of DA in adaptive behavior is regulating behavioral energy expenditure to match the prevailing economic conditions of the environment. Here we elaborate that hypothesis with several new ideas. First, we introduce the concept of affordability, suggesting that costs must necessarily be evaluated with respect to the availability of resources to the organism, which computes a value not only for the potential reward opportunity, but also the value of resources expended. Placing both costs and benefits within the context of the larger economy in which …

The Candida Albicans Stress Response Gene Stomatin-Like Protein 3 Is Implicated In Ros-Induced Apoptotic-Like Death Of Yeast Phase Cells, Karen A. Conrad, Ronald Rodriguez, Eugenia C. Salcedo, Jason M. Rauceo

Publications and Research

The ubiquitous presence of SPFH (Stomatin, Prohibitin, Flotillin, HflK/HflC) proteins in all domains of life suggests that their function would be conserved. However, SPFH functions are diverse with organism-specific attributes. SPFH proteins play critical roles in physiological processes such as mechanosensation and respiration. Here, we characterize the stomatin ORF19.7296/SLP3 in the opportunistic human pathogen Candida albicans. Consistent with the localization of stomatin proteins, a Slp3p-Yfp fusion protein formed visible puncta along the plasma membrane. We also visualized Slp3p within the vacuolar lumen. Slp3p primary sequence analyses identified four putative S-palmitoylation sites, which may facilitate membrane localization and are conserved features …

Liposomal Tricurin, A Synergistic Combination Of Curcumin, Epicatechin Gallate And Resveratrol, Repolarizes Tumor-Associated Microglia/Macrophages, And Eliminates Glioblastoma (Gbm) And Gbm Stem Cells, Sumit Mukherjee, Juliet N. E. Baidoo, Samay Sampat, Andrew Manusco, Lovena David, Leah S. Cohen, Shuiqin Zhou, Probal Banerjee

Publications and Research

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a deadly brain tumor with a current mean survival of 12–15 months. Despite being a potent anti-cancer agent, the turmeric ingredient curcumin (C) has limited anti-tumor efficacy in vivo due to its low bioavailability. We have reported earlier a strategy involving the use two other polyphenols, epicatechin gallate (E) from green tea and resveratrol (R) from red grapes at a unique, synergistic molar ratio with C (C:E:R: 4:1:12.5, termed TriCurin) to achieve superior potency against HPV+ tumors than C alone at C:E:R (M): 32:8:100 (termed 32 M+ TriCurin). We have now prepared liposomal TriCurin (TrLp) and demonstrated …

Target Engagement Imaging Of Parp Inhibitors In Small-Cell Lung Cancer, Brandon Carney, Susanne Kossatz, Benjamin H. Lok, Valentina Schneeberger, Kishore K. Gangangari, Naga Vara Kishore Pillarsetty, Wolfgang A. Weber, Charles M. Rudin, John T. Poirier, Thomas Reiner

Publications and Research

Insufficient chemotherapy response and rapid disease progression remain concerns for smallcell lung cancer (SCLC). Oncologists rely on serial CT scanning to guide treatment decisions, but this cannot assess in vivo target engagement of therapeutic agents. Biomarker assessments in biopsy material do not assess contemporaneous target expression, intratumoral drug exposure, or drug-target engagement. Here, we report the use of PARP1/2-targeted imaging to measure target engagement of PARP inhibitors in vivo. Using a panel of clinical PARP inhibitors, we show that PARP imaging can quantify target engagement of chemically diverse small molecule inhibitors in vitro and in vivo. We measure PARP1/2 inhibition …

Precocious Development Of Self-Awareness In Dolphins, Rachel Morrison, Diana Reiss

Publications and Research

Mirror-self recognition (MSR) is a behavioral indicator of self-awareness in young children and only a few other species, including the great apes, dolphins, elephants and magpies. The emergence of self-awareness in children typically occurs during the second year and has been correlated with sensorimotor development and growing social and self-awareness. Comparative studies of MSR in chimpanzees report that the onset of this ability occurs between 2 years 4 months and 3 years 9 months of age. Studies of wild and captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have reported precocious sensorimotor and social awareness during the first weeks of life, but no …

Regulation Of Radioactive Fracking Waste, Elizabeth Ann Glass Geltman, Nichole Leclair

Publications and Research

Natural gas extracted form shale reached record production totals in 2015 in the United States and the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts natural gas production will continue to increase. Wastes from shale gas extraction can contain the radioactive isotopes radium-226 (Ra-226) and radium-228 (Ra-228), which decay further into radon (Rn). Exposure to radon, a form of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking. This article explores how states handle the disposal of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) and/or NORM waste from oil and gas operations to …

Peptide Density Targets And Impedes Triple Negative Breast Cancer Metastasis, Daxing Liu, Peng Guo, Craig Mccarthy, Biran Wang, Yu Tao, Debra Auguste

Publications and Research

The C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4, CD184) pathway is a key regulator of cancer metastasis. Existing therapeutics that block CXCR4 signaling are dependent on single molecule-receptor interactions or silencing CXCR4 expression. CXCR4 localizes in lipid rafts and forms dimers therefore CXCR4 targeting and signaling may depend on ligand density. Herein, we report liposomes presenting a CXCR4 binding peptide (DV1) as a threedimensional molecular array, ranging from 9k to 74k molecules μm−2, target triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC cells exhibit a maxima in binding and uptake of DV1functionalized liposomes (L-DV1) in vitro at a specific density, which yields a …

Changes In Reach To Eat Movement Control After Intensive Training For Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy, Yaching Hung, Aryeh D. Spingarn

Publications and Research

Ya Ching Hung EdD. and Aryeh Spingarn EP-C, CSCS, EIM-Level 2 Queens College, City University of New York Department of Family, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, Changes in Reach to Eat Movement Control After Intensive Training for Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy. Purpose: The current study compares the effects of an intervention on children with Congenital Hemiplegia during a simple eating task using kinematic analyses. Previous studies looked at simple bimanual tasks such as opening a drawer; no studies examined the effects of intensive training on unimanual reach, grasp, and eat movement control. Methods: 20 children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy …

Quantification Of Hiv-1 Rna Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Using An At-Home Self-Collected Dried Blood Spot Specimen: Feasibility Study, Sabina Hirshfield, Richard A. Teran, Martin J. Downing Jr., Mary Ann Chiasson, Hong-Van Tieu, Laura Dize, Charlotte A. Gaydos

Publications and Research

Background: Suboptimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and disengagement in care present significant public health challenges because of the increased probability of HIV transmission. In the United States, men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV, highlighting a critical need to engage high-risk MSM living with HIV who are not engaged or retained in care.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of at-home blood self-collection and laboratory quantification of HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL) to report laboratory-based VL outcomes and compare self-reported and laboratory-reported VL

Methods: Between 2016 and 2017, …