Digital Commons Network^™

Peg3 Mutational Effects On Reproduction And Placenta-Specific Gene Families, Joomyeong Kim, Wesley D. Frey, Hongzhi He, Hana Kim, Muhammad B. Ekram, Arundhati Bakshi, Mohammad Faisal, Bambarendage P.U. Perera, An Ye, Ryoichi Teruyama

Faculty Publications

Peg3 (paternally expressed gene 3) is an imprinted gene encoding a DNA-binding protein. This gene plays important roles in controlling fetal growth rates and nurturing behaviors. In the current study, a new mutant mouse model has been generated to further characterize the functions of this DNA-binding protein. Besides known phenotypes, this new mutant model also revealed potential roles of Peg3 in mammalian reproduction. Female heterozygotes produce a much smaller number of mature oocytes than the wild-type littermates, resulting in reduced litter sizes. According to genome-wide expression analyses, several placenta-specific gene families are de-repressed in the brain of Peg3 heterozygous embryos, …

Primary Care And Youth Mental Health In Ireland: Qualitative Study In Deprived Urban Areas, Dorothy Leahy, Elisabeth Schaffalitzky, Claire Armstrong, Gerard Bury, Paula Cussen-Murphy, Rachel Davis, Barbara Dooley, Blanaid Gavin, Rory Keane, Eamon Keenan, Linda Latham, David Meagher, Pat Mcgorry, Fiona Mcnicholas, Ray O'Connor, Ellen O'Dea, Veronica O'Keane, Tom P. O'Toole, Edel Reilly, Patrick Ryan, Lena Sanci, Bobby P. Smyth, Walter Cullen

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders account for six of the 20 leading causes of disability worldwide with a very high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in youth aged 15-24 years. However, healthcare professionals are faced with many challenges in the identification and treatment of mental and substance use disorders in young people (e.g. young people's unwillingness to seek help from healthcare professionals, lack of training, limited resources etc.) The challenge of youth mental health for primary care is especially evident in urban deprived areas, where rates of and risk factors for mental health problems are especially common. There is an emerging consensus that …

Authors' Response To Commentaries On 'Physical Activity Does Not Influence Obesity Risk', Amy Luke, Richard S. Cooper

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Physical Activity Does Not Influence Obesity Risk: Time To Clarify The Public Health Message, Amy Luke, Richard S. Cooper

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Hand-Held Meters For Determination Of Hemolymph Lactate And Protein Concentrations In Red Swamp Crayfish Procambarus Clarkii, Christopher P. Bonvillain, D. Allen Rutherford, William E. Kelso, Christopher C. Green

Faculty Publications

We evaluated the accuracy of an Accutrend® lactate meter and a Reichert® Vet 360 temperature compensated refractometer for determining red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) hemolymph lactate and protein concentrations, with results compared to measurements obtained from spectrophotometric analyses. Results from the lactate meter (R2 = 0.926) and refractometer (R2 = 0.830) both demonstrated strong relationships with spectrophotometer measurements, indicating that these instruments provide rapid, reliable, and economical methods for determining crayfish hemolymph lactate and protein concentrations. Both meters can provide on-site information to commercial crayfish farmers and processors to assess crayfish health and stress levels, and can also …

Theft And Deterrence, William T. Harbaugh, Naci Mocan, Michael S. Visser

Faculty Publications

We report results from economic experiments of decisions that are best described as petty larceny, with high school and college students who can anonymously steal real money from each other. Our design allows exogenous variation in the rewards of crime, and the penalty and probability of detection. We find that the probability of stealing is increasing in the amount of money that can be stolen, and that it is decreasing in the probability of getting caught and in the penalty for getting caught. Furthermore, the impact of the certainty of getting caught is larger when the penalty is bigger, and …

The Influence Of Family Dynamics On Contraceptive Use In Madagascar And The Ensuing Impact On Family Well-Being, Joel Zafitandra Hajason, Kayla Piña, Joel L. Raveloharimisy

Faculty Publications

While studies have shown a relationship between family dynamics and contraceptive use and between contraceptive use and family well-being, no empirical study has been conducted to test whether a relationship exists between family influence on contraceptive use and family wellbeing. The objective of this study is to explore whether there is such a relationship between family influence on contraceptive use and family well-being.

Impact Of Obesity-Related Genes In Spanish Population, Fernando Martínez-García, María L. Mansego, Gemma Rojo-Martínez, Griselda De Marco-Solar, Sonsoles Morcillo, Federico Soriguer, Josep Redón, Monica Pineda Alonso, Juan C. Martín-Escudero, Richard S. Cooper, Felipe J. Chaves

Faculty Publications

Background: The objective was to investigate the association between BMI and single nucleotide polymorphisms previously identified of obesity-related genes in two Spanish populations. Forty SNPs in 23 obesity-related genes were evaluated in a rural population characterized by a high prevalence of obesity (869 subjects, mean age 46 yr, 62% women, 36% obese) and in an urban population (1425 subjects, mean age 54 yr, 50% women, 19% obese). Genotyping was assessed by using SNPlex and PLINK for the association analysis.Results: Polymorphisms of the FTO were significantly associated with BMI, in the rural population (beta 0.87, p-value <0.001). None of the other SNPs showed significant association after Bonferroni correction in the two populations or in the pooled analysis. A weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) was constructed using the risk alleles of the Tag-SNPs with a positive Beta parameter in both populations. From the first to the fifth quintile of the score, the BMI increased 0.45 kg/m2 in Hortega and 2.0 kg/m2 in Pizarra. Overall, the obesity predictive value was low (less than 1%).Conclusion: The risk associated with polymorphisms is low and the overall effect on BMI or obesity prediction is minimal. A weighted genetic risk score based on genes mainly acting through central nervous system mechanisms was associated with BMI but it yields minimal clinical prediction for the obesity risk in the general population. © 2013 Martínez-García et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Α1 But Not Α2 Catalytic Subunit Potentiates Myogenin Expression And Myogenesis, Xing Fu, Jun Xing Zhao, Mei Jun Zhu, Marc Foretz, Benoit Viollet, Mike V. Dodson, Min Du

Faculty Publications

The link between AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and myogenesis remains poorly defined. AMPK has two catalytic αsubunits, α1 and α2. We postulated that AMPK promotes myogenesis in an isoform-specific manner. Primary myoblasts wereprepared from AMPK knockout (KO) mice and AMPK conditional KO mice, and knockout of the α1 but not the α2 subunit resultedin downregulation of myogenin and reduced myogenesis. Myogenin expression and myogenesis were nearly abolished inthe absence of both AMPKα1 and AMPKα2, while enhanced AMPK activity promoted myogenesis and myotube formation. TheAMPKα1-specific effect on myogenesis was likely due to the dominant expression of α1 in myoblasts. These results …

Microbes In Nature Are Limited By Carbon And Energy: The Starving-Survival Lifestyle In Soil And Consequences For Estimating Microbial Rates, John E. Hobbie, Erik A. Hobbie

Faculty Publications

Understanding microbial transformations in soils is important for predicting future carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling. This review questions some methods of assessing one key microbial process, the uptake of labile organic compounds. First, soil microbes have a starving-survival life style of dormancy, arrested activity, and low activity. Yet they are very abundant and remain poised to completely take up all substrates that become available. As a result, dilution assays with the addition of labeled substrates cannot be used. When labeled substrates are transformed into 14CO2, the first part of the biphasic release follows metabolic rules and is not affected by …

Common Variants Associated With Plasma Triglycerides And Risk For Coronary Artery Disease, Ron Do, Cristen J. Willer, Ellen M. Schmidt, Sebanti Sengupta, Chi Gao, Gina M. Peloso, Stefan Gustafsson, Stavroula Kanoni, Andrea Ganna, Jin Chen, Martin L. Buchkovich, Samia Mora, Jacques S. Beckmann, Jennifer L. Bragg-Gresham, Hsing Yi Chang, Ayse Demirkan, Heleen M. Den Hertog, Louise A. Donnelly, Georg B. Ehret, Tõnu Esko, Mary F. Feitosa, Teresa Ferreira, Krista Fischer, Pierre Fontanillas, Ross M. Fraser, Daniel F. Freitag, Deepti Gurdasani, Kauko Heikkilä, Elina Hyppönen, Aaron Isaacs, Anne U. Jackson, Åsa Johansson, Toby Johnson

Faculty Publications

Triglycerides are transported in plasma by specific triglyceride-rich lipoproteins; in epidemiological studies, increased triglyceride levels correlate with higher risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, it is unclear whether this association reflects causal processes. We used 185 common variants recently mapped for plasma lipids (P < 5 × 10 -8 for each) to examine the role of triglycerides in risk for CAD. First, we highlight loci associated with both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride levels, and we show that the direction and magnitude of the associations with both traits are factors in determining CAD risk. Second, we consider loci with only a strong association with triglycerides and show that these loci are also associated with CAD. Finally, in a model accounting for effects on LDL-C and/or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, the strength of a polymorphism's effect on triglyceride levels is correlated with the magnitude of its effect on CAD risk. These results suggest that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins causally influence risk for CAD. © 2013 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.

High Fat Diet Partially Attenuates Fermentation Responses In Rats Fed Resistant Starch From High-Amylose Maize, Jason A. Charrier, Roy J. Martin, Kathleen L. Mccutcheon, Anne M. Raggio, Felicia Goldsmith, M'Famara Goita, Reshani N. Senevirathne, Ian L. Brown, Christine Pelkman, June Zhou, John Finley, Holiday A. Durham, Michael J. Keenan

Faculty Publications

Objective The effects of type 2 resistant starch from high-amylose maize (HAM-RS2) in rodents fed with low-fat diets were demonstrated in previous studies. Fish oil is also reported to reduce body fat. In the current study, the effects of high fat and fish oil on HAM-RS2 feeding in rats were investigated. Design and Methods Rats were fed 0 or 27% (weight) HAM-RS2 with low (15% energy) or high fat (42% energy) diets that included 0 or 10% (energy) tuna oil to test the effect of HAM-RS2 in diet-induced obesity and effects of tuna oil. Data were analyzed as 2 × …

Dietary Resistant Starch Improves Selected Brain And Behavioral Functions In Adult And Aged Rodents, June Zhou, Michael J. Keenan, Sun Ok Fernandez-Kim, Paul J. Pistell, Donald K. Ingram, Bing Li, Anne M. Raggio, Li Shen, Hanjie Zhang, Kathleen L. Mccutcheon, Richard T. Tulley, Marc R. Blackman, Jeffrey N. Keller, Roy J. Martin

Faculty Publications

Resistant starch (RS) is a dietary fiber that exerts multiple beneficial effects. The current study explored the effects of dietary RS on selected brain and behavioral functions in adult and aged rodents. Because glucokinase (GK) expression in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and area postrema of the brainstem is important for brain glucose sensing, GK mRNA was measured by brain nuclei microdissection and PCR. Adult RS-fed rats had a higher GK mRNA than controls in both brain nuclei, an indicator of improved brain glucose sensing. Next, we tested whether dietary RS improve selected behaviors in aged mice. RS-fed aged mice exhibited (i) …

The Glucose Signaling Network In Yeast, Jeong-Ho Kim, Adhiraj Roy, David Jouandot Ii, Kyu Hong Cho

Faculty Publications

Background

Most cells possess a sophisticated mechanism for sensing glucose and responding to it appropriately. Glucose sensing and signaling in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae represent an important paradigm for understanding how extracellular signals lead to changes in the gene expression program in eukaryotes.

Scope of review

This review focuses on the yeast glucose sensing and signaling pathways that operate in a highly regulated and cooperative manner to bring about glucose-induction of HXT gene expression.

Major conclusions

The yeast cells possess a family of glucose transporters (HXTs), with different kinetic properties. They employ three major glucose signaling pathways—Rgt2/Snf3, …

Streptomyces Coelicolor Encodes A Urate-Responsive Transcriptional Regulator With Homology To Pecs From Plant Pathogens, Hao Huang, Brian J. Mackel, Anne Grove

Faculty Publications

Many transcriptional regulators control gene activity by responding to specific ligands. Members of the multiple-antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) family of transcriptional regulators feature prominently in this regard, and they frequently function as repressors in the absence of their cognate ligands. Plant pathogens such as Dickeya dadantii encode a MarR homolog named PecS that controls expression of a gene encoding the efflux pump PecM in addition to other virulence genes. We report here that the soil bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor also encodes a PecS homolog (SCO2647) that regulates a pecM gene (SCO2646). S. coelicolor PecS, which exists as a homodimer, binds the …

Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Mediates Myogenin Expression And Myogenesis Via Histone Deacetylase 5, Xing Fu, Jun Xing Zhao, Junfang Liang, Mei Jun Zhu, Marc Foretz, Benoit Viollet, Min Du

Faculty Publications

There is a global epidemic of obesity, and obesity is known to inhibit AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity and impairs myogenesis. Myogenin mediates the fusion of myoblasts into myotubes, a critical step in myogenesis. We observed that inhibition of AMPK1 downregulates myogenin expression and myogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We postulated that AMPK regulates myogenin expression through phosphorlytion of histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5). In C2C12 cells, HDAC5 knockdown increased while HDAC5 stablization by MC1568 reduced myogenin expression. Consistently, using luciferase assay, we observed that myogenin promoter activity was negatively regulated by HDAC5. Using RNA interference and primary myoblasts …

Preparing Public Librarians For Consumer Health Information Service: A Nation-Wide Study, L. Luo, Van M. Ta Park

Faculty Publications

A nationwide survey study was conducted to gain understanding as to how to prepare public librarians for consumer health information service. Findings indicate that the popular health information needs encountered by public librarians cover a wide variety of topics, including the human body, a medical/health condition, a disease, a medical concept, and fitness/diet/nutrition. The top two challenges faced by public librarians when providing consumer health information service are difficulty in interpreting patrons' questions and lack of knowledge about available and trusted/appropriate medical/health information sources. Public librarians wish to receive training on a number of topics that could help address the …

Chemical Attraction Of Dermacentor Variabilis Ticks Parasitic To Peromyscus Leucopus Based On Host Body Mass And Sex, Tad Dallas, Stephanie Foré

Faculty Publications

Macroparasites are commonly aggregated on a small subset of a host population. Previous explanations for this aggregation relate to differences in immunocompetence or the degree to which hosts encounter parasites. We propose active tick host choice through chemical attraction as a potential mechanism leading to aggregated tick burdens. We test this hypothesis using a Y-maze olfactometer, comparing chemical attraction responses of larval and nymphal Dermacentor variabilis ticks parasitic to the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, as a function of host sex and host body mass. We hypothesized that larger hosts and male hosts would be most attractive to searching ticks, as …

District Specific Correlates For Hypertension In Kaoma And Kasama Rural Districts Of Zambia, Seter Siziya, Emmanuel Rudatsikira, Victor M. Mukonka, Olesegun Babaniyi, Peter Songolo, Adamson S. Muula

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Hypertension a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is the most widely recognized modifiable risk factor for this disease. There is little information on the prevalence and risk factors for hypertension in Zambia, and in particular in rural areas of the country. In order to contribute to the existing global literature on hypertension, particularly in rural Zambia, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of hypertension and its correlates in two rural districts of Zambia, namely Kaoma and Kasama. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a modified World Health Organization (WHO) global non communicable diseases (NCD) surveillance initiative …

Parental Height And Child Growth From Birth To 2 Years In The Who Multicentre Growth Reference Study, Cutberto Garza, Elaine Borghi, Adelheid W. Onyango, Mercedes De Onis, Edward A. Frongillo Jr.

Faculty Publications

inear growth from birth to 2 years of children enrolled in the World Health Organization Multicentre Growth Reference Study was similar despite substantial parental height differences among the six study sites. Within-site variability in child length attributable to parental height was estimated by repeated measures analysis of variance using generalized linear models. This approach was also used to examine relationships among selected traits (e.g. breastfeeding duration and child morbidity) and linear growth between 6 and 24 months of age. Differences in intergenerational adult heights were evaluated within sites by comparing mid-parental heights (average of the mother's and father's heights) to …

Naringenin Inhibits Adipogenesis And Reduces Insulin Sensitivity And Adiponectin Expression In Adipocytes, Allison J. Richard, Zhaleh Amini-Vaughan, David M. Ribnicky, Jacqueline M. Stephens

Faculty Publications

Adipose tissue development and function are widely studied to examine the relationship between obesity and the metabolic syndrome. It is well documented that the inability of adipose tissue to properly increase its lipid storage capacity during the obese state can lead to metabolic dysfunction. In a blind screen of 425 botanicals, we identified naringenin as an inhibitor of adipocyte differentiation. Naringenin is one of the most abundant citrus flavonoids, and recent studies have demonstrated antihyperlipidemic capabilities. These studies have largely focused on the effects of naringenin on the liver. Our biochemical studies clearly demonstrate that naringenin inhibits adipogenesis and impairs …

Multitargeting By Turmeric, The Golden Spice: From Kitchen To Clinic (Abstract), Subash C. Gupta, Bokyung Sung, Ji Hye Kim, Sahdeo Prasad, Shiyou Li, Bharat Aggarwal

Faculty Publications

Abstract attached

Relationship Among Determinant Characters Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Use Efficiency In Maize, Felipe Bermudez Pereira, Júlio César Dovale, Pedro Crescêncio Souza Carneiro, Roberto Fritsche-Neto

Faculty Publications

The genetic improvement of N (EUN) and P (EUP) use efficiency is a less expensive and more sustainable way to obtain satisfactory grain yields. However, the lack of knowledge about the relationship among the determinant characters of nutrient use efficiency has made the use of early and indirect selection difficult. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the relationship among the determinant characters of nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency in maize. In this study, 14 lines and 39 single-cross hybrids were tested in two experiments with low and high N and P availability, in a completely randomized simple …

Experimental Demonstration Of Accelerated Extinction In Source-Sink Metapopulations, John M. Drake, Blaine D. Griffen

Faculty Publications

Population extinction is a fundamental ecological process which may be aggravated by the exchange of organisms between productive (source) and unproductive (sink) habitat patches. The extent to which such source-sink exchange affects extinction rates is unknown. We conducted an experiment in which metapopulation effects could be distinguished from source-sink effects in laboratory populations of Daphnia magna. Time-to-extinction in this experiment was maximized at intermediate levels of habitat fragmentation, which is consistent with a minority of theoretical models. These results provided a baseline for comparison with experimental treatments designed to detect effects of concentrating resources in source patches. These treatments showed …

Study Of Health And Activity In Preschool Environments (Shapes): Study Protocol For A Randomized Trial Evaluating A Multi-Component Physical Activity Intervention In Preschool Children, Karin A. Pfeiffer, Ruth P. Saunders, William H. Brown, Marsha Dowda, Cheryl L. Addy, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background: Physical inactivity is a recognized public health concern. Inadequate proportions of children in the U.S, including those of preschool age, are meeting physical activity recommendations. In response to low numbers of preschool children attaining appropriate physical activity levels, combined with the large number of young children who attend preschool, researchers have identified the need to devise interventions to increase physical activity at preschools. However, few multi-component interventions to increase physical activity in preschool children exist. The aims of this study were to observe the effects of a multi-component intervention on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and physical activity energy expenditure …

Population Dynamics Of Three Aphid Species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) On Four Ipomoea Spp. Infected Or Noninfected With Sweetpotato Potyviruses, E. N. Wosula, J. A. Davis, C. A. Clark

Faculty Publications

Three aphid species, Aphis gossypii Glover and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (efficient sweetpotato potyvirus vectors) and Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (an inefficient vector), are commonly found in sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (L.), in Louisiana. Field-grown sweet potatoes are naturally infected with several potyviruses: Sweet potato feathery mottle virus, Sweet potato virus G, and Sweet potato virus 2. Thus, these aphids commonly encounter virus-infected hosts. What is not known is how each of these aphids responds to sweet potato, either infected or virus-free. The objectives of this study were to 1) determine if these aphid species can colonize mixed virus-infected sweet potato 'Beau-regard', …

Systematic Review Of Three Decades Of Spanish Cardiovascular Epidemiology: Improving Translation For A Future Of Prevention, Manuel Franco, Usama Bilal, Eliseo Guallar, Ginés Sanz, Alicia F. Gómez, Valentín Fuster, Richard Cooper

Faculty Publications

Background: In order to improve national cardiovascular disease (CVD) epidemiology and prevention, we systematically reviewed and analyzed the relevant literature produced in the last three decades for Spain. Design: Systematic Review. Methods: We searched for all the articles aiming to monitor CVD clinical endpoints and risk factors in the Spanish general population that were indexed in MEDLINE and EMBASE. Based on international recommendations, we analyzed each article with a three-level scoring system (low to high) for the following criteria: data quality, representativeness and translation of results into preventive interventions. Results: We reviewed 2565 articles, selecting 314 for in-depth analysis. Articles …

Host-Microbe Interactions In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Rui Zhang, Aixin Hou

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Human-Relevant Levels Of Added Sugar Consumption Increase Female Mortality And Lower Male Fitness In Mice, James Ruff, Amanda Suchy, Sara Hugentobler, Mirtha Sosa, Bradley Schwartz, Linda Morrison, Sin Gieng, Mark Shigenaga, Wayne Potts

Faculty Publications

Consumption of added sugar has increased over recent decades and is correlated with numerous diseases. Rodent models have elucidated mechanisms of toxicity, but only at concentrations beyond typical human exposure. Here we show that comparatively low levels of added sugar consumption have substantial negative effects on mouse survival, competitive ability, and reproduction. Using Organismal Performance Assays—in which mice fed human-relevant concentrations of added sugar (25% kcal from a mixture of fructose and glucose, modeling high fructose corn syrup) and control mice compete in seminatural enclosures for territories, resources and mates—we demonstrate that fructose/glucose-fed females experience a twofold increase in mortality …

Transcriptional Profiling Of Sweetpotato (Ipomoea Batatas) Roots Indicates Down-Regulation Of Lignin Biosynthesis And Up-Regulation Of Starch Biosynthesis At An Early Stage Of Storage Root Formation, Nurit Firon, Don Labonte, Arthur Villordon, Yanir Kfir, Julio Solis, Evgenia Lapis, Temima Schnitzer Perlman, Adi Doron-Faigenboim, Amots Hetzroni, Leviah Althan, Lahan Adani Nadir

Faculty Publications

Background: The number of fibrous roots that develop into storage roots determines sweetpotato yield. The aim of the present study was to identify the molecular mechanisms involved in the initiation of storage root formation, by performing a detailed transcriptomic analysis of initiating storage roots using next-generation sequencing platforms. A two-step approach was undertaken: (1) generating a database for the sweetpotato root transcriptome using 454-Roche sequencing of a cDNA library created from pooled samples of two root types: fibrous and initiating storage roots; (2) comparing the expression profiles of initiating storage roots and fibrous roots, using the Illumina Genome Analyzer to …