Digital Commons Network^™

Cohort Study Of Prevalence And Phenomenology Of Tremor In Dementia With Lewy Bodies, Marco Onofrj, Sara Varanese, Laura Bonanni, John-Paul Taylor, Angelo Antonini, Enza Maria Valente, Simona Petrucci, Fabrizio Stocchi, Astrid Thomas, Bernardo Perfetti

Publications and Research

To study prevalence, specific patterns and response to treatment of tremor in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), in comparison with other tremulous disorders prevalence, qualitative and quantitative features of tremor were studied in an incident cohort of 67 dopaminergic treatment naive DLB, 111 Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and 34 Essential Tremor (ET) patients. Tremulous DLB patients (tDLB) were compared with tremulous PD (tPD) and ET patients and followed for 2 years. Double blind placebo-controlled acute drug challenge with l-Dopa and alcohol was performed in all ET, 24 tDLB and 27 tPD. Effects of dopaminergic chronic treatment in all tDLB and tPD …

Isoflurane Increases Neuronal Cell Death Vulnerability By Downregulating Mir-214, Hailiang Yan, Tao Xu, Hongfeng Zhao, Kuo-Chieh Lee, Hoau-Yan Wang, Yan Zhang

Publications and Research

Since accumulating evidence suggests the application of anesthetics may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we investigated the cytotoxicity of inhaled general anesthesia in neurons and its underlying mechanism. Using primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons as the study model, here we show that isoflurane increases vulnerability to intracellular or extracellular amyloid b with or without serum deprivation. This isoflurane-induced effect is mediated by the downregulation of miR-214 level that lead to an elevated expression of Bax, a prominent target for miR-214. We conclude that isoflurane increases cell death in the presence of amyloid b by increasing Bax level through …

Assessing Regional And Interspecific Variation In Threshold Responses Of Forest Breeding Birds Through Broad Scale Analyses, Yntze Van Der Hoek, Rosalind Renfrew, Lisa L. Manne

Publications and Research

Background: Identifying persistence and extinction thresholds in species-habitat relationships is a major focal point of ecological research and conservation. However, one major concern regarding the incorporation of threshold analyses in conservation is the lack of knowledge on the generality and transferability of results across species and regions. We present a multi-region, multi-species approach of modeling threshold responses, which we use to investigate whether threshold effects are similar across species and regions.

Methodology/Principal Findings: We modeled local persistence and extinction dynamics of 25 forest-associated breeding birds based on detection/non-detection data, which were derived from repeated breeding bird atlases for the state …

Ecological Genetics Of Chinese Rhesus Macaque In Response To Mountain Building: All Things Are Not Equal, Shan-Jin Wu, Jing Luo, Qing-Qing Li, Yan-Qin Wang, Robert E. Murphy, Christopher Blair, Shi-Fang Wu, Bi-Song Yue, Ya-Ping Zhang

Publications and Research

Pliocene uplifting of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and Quaternary glaciation may have impacted the Asian biota more than any other events. Little is documented with respect to how the geological and climatological events influenced speciation as well as spatial and genetic structuring, especially in vertebrate endotherms. Macaca mulatta is the most widely distributed non-human primate. It may be the most suitable model to test hypotheses regarding the genetic consequences of orogenesis on an endotherm.

Cuny's Critical Thinking Skills Initiative: Redesigning Workforce Education Through Information Literacy Learning, Irene Gashurov, Ann Matsuuchi

Publications and Research

In the wake of the recent financial upheaval, there is a feeling in academia that colleges should pay more attention to what employers are saying; and the common concern of employers is that many new hires are coming out of college unprepared.

In job situations that demand approaching problems from a variety of perspectives, using innovative approaches to find solutions, and communicating effectively, employers said these recent graduates were coming up short. They called on educators “to teach [students] the analytical skills, the critical thinking skills and the communication skills that are necessary for almost every job in today’s economy.”

Searching Mindfully: Are Libraries Up To The Challenge Of Competing With Google Books?, Amrita Dhawan

Publications and Research

Traditional research tools used by libraries, such as encyclopedias and catalogs (OPACs) were created in an age of print and information scarcity. They have not kept up with changes in the information world which assume an abundance of online information in different formats and interdisciplinary topics which attempt to solve ‘real world’ messy problems and not traditional theoretical questions. The traditional tools rest on an unwieldy and somewhat outdated collaboration between OCLC, LOC, private aggregators, librarians and faculty. The search results they deliver offer excessive information with very little guidance on how to systematically sift through them. This makes the …

The Impact Of Gut Passage By Binturongs (Arctictus Binturong) On Seed Germination, Christina P. Colon, Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz

Publications and Research

Binturongs (Arctictis binturong) are the largest of Asian civets and, due to their highly frugivorous diet, are expected to play an important role in seed dispersal processes. To study the effect of binturong gut passage on seed viability, we fed 10 captive binturongs with fruits of longan (Dimocarpus longan), papaya (Carica papaya) and chiku (Manilkara zapota), collected the seeds they defaecated, and planted these to determine seed germination rate and time. Of the defaecated seeds, 90.4% passed through binturong gut intact in under nine hours, and 99.4% passed in under 33 hours. Chiku seeds had the highest germination rate (35.7% …

Expansion Of Electronic Health Record-Based Screening, Prevention, And Management Of Diabetes In New York City, Jeanine Albu, Nancy Sohler, Brenda Matti-Orozco, Jordan Sill, Daniel Baxter, Gary Burke, Edwin Young

Publications and Research

To address the increasing burden of diabetes in New York City, we designed 2 electronic health records (EHRs)-facilitated diabetes management systems to be implemented in 6 primary care practices on the West Side of Manhattan, a standard system and an enhanced system. The standard system includes screening for diabetes. The enhanced system includes screening and ensures close patient follow-up; it applies principles of the chronic care model, including community–clinic linkages, to the management of patients newly diagnosed with diabetes and prediabetes through screening. We will stagger implementation of the enhanced system across the 6 clinics allowing comparison, through a quasi-experimental …

Youth Development Through Service: A Quality Assessment Of The Youthbuild Americorps Program, Kathleen A. Tomberg

Publications and Research

The YouthBuild AmeriCorps program serves youth facing a multitude of challenges, including a lack of education and job skills, community disengagement, and economic disadvantage. This program assessment found that after engaging with the YouthBuild AmeriCorps model, participants made significant, positive changes in their outlook on service, personal responsibility, and community orientation. More specifically, after participating in the program, they deepened their personal commitments to service, began to develop a sense of personal worth and reliability, became more connected with their communities, and started to develop more trust in larger social institutions. These encouraging findings suggest that YouthBuild AmeriCorps is succeeding …

Nutrient Timing Revisited: Is There A Post-Exercise Anabolic Window?, Alan Albert Aragon, Brad Jon Schoenfeld

Publications and Research

Nutrient timing is a popular nutritional strategy that involves the consumption of combinations of nutrients--primarily protein and carbohydrate--in and around an exercise session. Some have claimed that this approach can produce dramatic improvements in body composition. It has even been postulated that the timing of nutritional consumption may be more important than the absolute daily intake of nutrients. The post-exercise period is widely considered the most critical part of nutrient timing. Theoretically, consuming the proper ratio of nutrients during this time not only initiates the rebuilding of damaged muscle tissue and restoration of energy reserves, but it does so in …

The Passiflora Tripartita (Banana Passion) Fruit: A Source Of Bioactive Flavonoid C-Glycosides Isolated By Hsccc And Characterized By Hplc–Dad–Esi/Ms/Ms, Mario J. Simirgiotis, Guillermo Schmeda-Hirschmann, Jorge Bórquez, Edward J. Kennelly

Publications and Research

The banana passion fruit (Passiflora tripartita Breiter, Passifloraceae) known as “tumbo” is very appreciated in tropical and subtropical countries of South America. Methanolic extracts from peel and the fruit juice of P. tripartita growing in Chile were analyzed for antioxidant capacity as well as for flavonoid and phenolic content. A chromatographic method was developed for the rapid identification of the main phenolics in the samples by HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS. The fast fingerprint analysis allowed the detection of eighteen flavonoid C-glycosides and four flavonoid O-glycoside derivatives which were characterized by UV spectra and ESI-MS-MS analysis. Several of the C-glycosides detected are …

Multiple Breast Cancer Cell-Lines Derived From A Single Tumor Differ In Their Molecular Characteristics And Tumorigenic Potential, Goar Mosoyan, Chandandeep Nagi, Svetlana Marukian, Avelino Teixeira, Anait Simonian, Lois Resnick-Silverman, Analisa Difeo, Dean Johnston, Sandra R. Reynolds, Daniel F. Roses, Arevik Mosoian

Publications and Research

Background Breast cancer cell lines are widely used tools to investigate breast cancer biology and to develop new therapies. Breast cancer tissue contains molecularly heterogeneous cell populations. Thus, it is important to understand which cell lines best represent the primary tumor and have similarly diverse phenotype. Here, we describe the development of five breast cancer cell lines from a single patient’s breast cancer tissue. We characterize the molecular profiles, tumorigenicity and metastatic ability in vivo of all five cell lines and compare their responsiveness to 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) treatment. Methods Five breast cancer cell lines were derived from a single patient’s …

Integration Of Nodal And Bmp Signals In The Heart Requires Foxh1 To Create Left–Right Differences In Cell Migration Rates That Direct Cardiac Asymmetry, Kari F. Lenhart, Nathalia G. Holtzman, Jessica R. Williams, Rebecca D. Burdine

Publications and Research

Failure to properly establish the left–right (L/R) axis is a major cause of congenital heart defects in humans, but how L/R patterning of the embryo leads to asymmetric cardiac morphogenesis is still unclear. We find that asymmetric Nodal signaling on the left and Bmp signaling act in parallel to establish zebrafish cardiac laterality by modulating cell migration velocities across the L/R axis. Moreover, we demonstrate that Nodal plays the crucial role in generating asymmetry in the heart and that Bmp signaling via Bmp4 is dispensable in the presence of asymmetric Nodal signaling. In addition, we identify a previously unappreciated role …

Sexual Orientation And Functional Pain In U.S. Young Adults: The Mediating Role Of Childhood Abuse, Andrea L. Roberts, Margaret Rosario, Heather L. Corliss, David Wypij, Jennifer R. Lightdale, S. Bryn Austin

Publications and Research

Objective: Pain without known pathology, termed ‘‘functional pain,’’ causes much school absenteeism, medication usage, and medical visits. Yet which adolescents are at risk is not well understood. Functional pain has been linked to childhood abuse, and sexual orientation minority youth (gay, lesbian, bisexual, ‘‘mostly heterosexual,’’ and heterosexual with same-sex sexual contact) are more likely to be victims of childhood abuse than heterosexuals, thus may be at greater risk of functional pain.

Methods: We examined sexual orientation differences in past-year prevalence of functional headache, pelvic, and abdominal pain and multiple sites of pain in 9,864 young adults (mean age = …

A Naturally-Occurring Histone Acetyltransferase Inhibitor Derived From Garcinia Indica Impairs Newly Acquired And Reactivated Fear Memories, Stephanie A. Maddox, Casey S. Watts, Valerie Doyere, Glenn E. Schafe

Publications and Research

The study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the consolidation and reconsolidation of traumatic fear memories has progressed rapidly in recent years, yet few compounds have emerged that are readily useful in a clinical setting for the treatment of anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Here, we use a combination of biochemical, behavioral, and neurophysiological methods to systematically investigate the ability of garcinol, a naturallyoccurring histone acetyltransferase (HAT) inhibitor derived from the rind of the fruit of the Kokum tree (Garcina indica), to disrupt the consolidation and reconsolidation of Pavlovian fear conditioning, a widely studied rodent model …

Motivational Interviewing Targeting Risk Behaviors For Youth Living With Hiv In Thailand, Chokechai Rongkavilit, Sylvie Naar-King, Bo Wang, Apirudee Panthong, Torsak Bunupuradah, Jeffrey T. Parsons, Supalak Phonphithak, Juline A. Koken, Pichai Saengcharnchai, Praphan Phanuphak

Publications and Research

Healthy Choices, a four-session motivational interviewing-based intervention, reduces risk behaviors among US youth living with HIV (YLWH). We randomized 110 Thai YLWH (16–25 years) to receive either Healthy Choices or time-matched health education (Control) over 12 weeks. Risk behaviors were assessed at baseline, 1, and 6 months post-session. The pilot study was not powered for between-group differences; there were no statistical differences in sexual risks, alcohol use, and antiretroviral adherence between the two groups at any visit. In within-group analyses, Healthy Choices group demonstrated decreases in the proportion of HIV-negative partners (20 vs 8.2 %, P = 0.03) and HIV …

Serum Amyloid P Inhibits Granulocyte Adhesion, Anu S. Maharjan, David Roife, Derrick Brazill, Richard H. Gomer

Publications and Research

Background The extravasation of granulocytes (such as neutrophils) at a site of inflammation is a key aspect of the innate immune system. Signals from the site of inflammation upregulate granulocyte adhesion to the endothelium to initiate extravasation, and also enhance granulocyte adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins to facilitate granulocyte movement through the inflamed tissue. During the resolution of inflammation, other signals inhibit granulocyte adhesion to slow and ultimately stop granulocyte influx into the tissue. In a variety of inflammatory diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, an excess infiltration of granulocytes into a tissue causes undesired collateral damage, and being …

Allometric Scaling And Resource Limitations Model Of Tree Heights: Part 1. Model Optimization And Testing Over Continental Usa, Yuli Shi, Sungho Choi, Xiliang Ni, Sangram Ganguly, Gong Zhang, Hieu V. Duong, Michael A. Lefsky, Marc Simard, Sassan S. Saatchi, Shihyan Lee, Wenge Ni-Meister, Shilong Piao, Chunxiang Cao, Ramakrishna R. Nemani, Ranga B. Myneni

Publications and Research

A methodology to generate spatially continuous fields of tree heights with an optimized Allometric Scaling and Resource Limitations (ASRL) model is reported in this first of a multi-part series of articles. Model optimization is performed with the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) waveform data. This methodology is demonstrated by mapping tree heights over forested lands in the continental USA (CONUS) at 1 km spatial resolution. The study area is divided into 841 eco-climatic zones based on three forest types, annual total precipitation classes (30 mm intervals) and annual average temperature classes (2 °C intervals). Three model parameters (area of single …

Functional Neural Correlates Of Attentional Deficits In Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, Nicholas T. Van Dam, Mary Sano, Effie M. Mitsis, Hillel T. Grossman, Xiaosi Gu, Yunsoo Park, Patrick R. Hof, Jin Fan

Publications and Research

Although amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI; often considered a prodromal phase of Alzheimer’s disease, AD) is most recognized by its implications for decline in memory function, research suggests that deficits in attention are present early in aMCI and may be predictive of progression to AD. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine differences in the brain during the attention network test between 8 individuals with aMCI and 8 neurologically healthy, demographically matched controls. While there were no significant behavioral differences between groups for the alerting and orienting functions, patients with aMCI showed more activity in neural regions …

Allometric Scaling And Resource Limitations Model Of Tree Heights: Part 2. Site Based Testing Of The Model, Sungho Choi, Xiliang Ni, Yuli Shi, Sangram Ganguly, Gong Zhang, Hieu V. Duong, Michael A. Lefsky, Marc Simard, Sassan S. Saatchi, Shihyan Lee, Wenge Ni-Meister, Shilong Piao, Chunxiang Cao, Ramakrishna R. Nemani, Ranga B. Myneni

Publications and Research

The ultimate goal of this multi-article series is to develop a methodology to generate continuous fields of tree height and biomass. The first paper demonstrated the need for Allometric Scaling and Resource Limitation (ASRL) model optimization and its ability to generate spatially continuous fields of tree heights over the continental USA at coarse (1 km) spatial resolution. The objective of this second paper is to provide an assessment of that approach at site scale, specifically at 12 FLUXNET sites where more accurate data are available. Estimates of tree heights from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) waveform data are used …

A Guide To Enterotypes Across The Human Body: Meta- Analysis Of Microbial Community Structures In Human Microbiome Datasets, Omry Koren, Dan Knights, Antonio Gonzalez, Levi Waldron, Nicola Segata, Rob Knight, Curtis Huttenhower, Ruth E. Ley

Publications and Research

Recent analyses of human-associated bacterial diversity have categorized individuals into ‘enterotypes’ or clusters based on the abundances of key bacterial genera in the gut microbiota. There is a lack of consensus, however, on the analytical basis for enterotypes and on the interpretation of these results. We tested how the following factors influenced the detection of enterotypes: clustering methodology, distance metrics, OTU-picking approaches, sequencing depth, data type (whole genome shotgun (WGS) vs.16S rRNA gene sequence data), and 16S rRNA region. We included 16S rRNA gene sequences from the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) and from 16 additional studies and WGS sequences from …

Effects Of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome On Dexterous Manipulation Are Grip Type-Dependent, Wei Zhang, Jamie A. Johnston, Mark A. Ross, Kyle Sanniec, Elizabeth A. Gleason, Amylou C. Dueck, Marco Santello

Publications and Research

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) impairs sensation of a subset of digits. Although the effects of CTS on manipulation performed with CTS-affected digits have been studied using precision grip tasks, the extent to which CTS affects multi-digit force coordination has only recently been studied. Whole-hand manipulation studies have shown that CTS patients retain the ability to modulate multi-digit forces to object mass, mass distribution, and texture. However, CTS results in sensorimotor deficits relative to healthy controls, including significantly larger grip force and lower ability to balance the torques generated by the digits. Here we investigated the effects of CTS on multi-digit …

The Prion Dilemma Confounding Science Educators, Igor V. Zaitsev, Ling Chen, Susie Boydston-White, Manita Pavel, Svetlana N. Shugaeva, Alla G. Petrova, Oksana V. Williams

Publications and Research

In this paper, the issue of the prion hypothesis, a simmering controversy within the scientific community, is addressed. We inquire into the appropriateness of the use of certain augmentations and rhetoric approaches used during scientific debates, as well as the aptness of unequivocal statements in textbooks that indicate “abnormal prions” as a primary cause of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies.

Tolerance Of Roadside And Old Field Populations Of Common Teasel (Dipsacus Fullonum Subsp. Sylvestris) To Salt And Low Osmotic Potentials During Germination, Laura L. Beaton, Susan A. Dudley

Publications and Research

Maternal families from roadside populations of Dipsacus fullonum subsp. sylvestris displayed greater tolerance of both high salinity and drought during germination than families from old field populations. However, the tolerances were not correlated, indicating that they are separate traits.

Changes In Natural Killer Cell Activation And Function During Primary Hiv-1 Infection, Vivek Naranbhai, Marcus Altfeld, Salim S. Abdool Karim, Thumbi Ndung’U, Quarraisha Abdool Karim, William H. Carr

Publications and Research

Background: Recent reports suggest that Natural Killer (NK) cells may modulate pathogenesis of primary HIV-1 infection. However, HIV dysregulates NK-cell responses. We dissected this bi-directional relationship to understand how HIV impacts NK-cell responses during primary HIV-1 infection.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Paired samples from 41 high-risk, initially HIV-uninfected CAPRISA004 participants were analysed prior to HIV acquisition, and during viraemic primary HIV-1 infection. At the time of sampling post-infection five women were seronegative, 11 women were serodiscordant, and 25 women were seropositive by HIV-1 rapid immunoassay. Flow cytometry was used to measure NK and T-cell activation, NK-cell receptor expression, cytotoxic and cytokine-secretory functions, …

High Levels Of Adherence And Viral Suppression In A Nationally Representative Sample Of Hiv-Infected Adults On Antiretroviral Therapy For 6, 12 And 18 Months In Rwanda, Batya Elul, Paulin Basinga, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Suzue Saito, Deborah Horowitz, Denis Nash, Jules Mugabo, Veronicah Mugisha, Etienne Rugigana, Richard Nkunda, Anita Asiimwe

Publications and Research

Background Generalizable data are needed on the magnitude and determinants of adherence and virological suppression among patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey with chart abstraction, patient interviews and site assessments in a nationally representative sample of adults on ART for 6, 12 and 18 months at 20 sites in Rwanda. Adherence was assessed using 3- and 30-day patient recall. A systematically selected sub-sample had viral load (VL) measurements. Multivariable logistic regression examined predictors of non-perfect (<100%) 30-day adherence and detectable VL (>40 copies/ml). Results Overall, 1,417 adults were interviewed and 837 had VL measures. Ninety-four percent and 78% …

Differential Transcriptional Regulation Of Meis1 By Gfi1b And Its Co-Factors Lsd1 And Corest, Asif H. Chowdhury, Johnny R. Ramroop, Ghanshyam Upadhyay, Ananya Sengupta, Anna Andrzejczyk, Shireen Saleque

Publications and Research

Gfi1b (growth factor independence 1b) is a zinc finger transcription factor essential for development of the erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages. To elucidate the mechanism underlying Gfi1b function, potential downstream transcriptional targets were identified by chromatin immunoprecipitation and expression profiling approaches. The combination of these approaches revealed the oncogene meis1, which encodes a homeobox protein, as a direct and prominent target of Gfi1b. Examination of the meis1 promoter sequence revealed multiple Gfi1/1b consensus binding motifs. Distinct regions of the promoter were occupied by Gfi1b and its cofactors LSD1 and CoREST/Rcor1, in erythroid cells but not in the closely related megakaryocyte lineage. …

Estimation Of Total Body Skeletal Muscle Mass In Chinese Adults: Prediction Model By Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, Xinyu Zhao, Zimian Wang, Junyi Zhang, Jianming Hua, Wei He, Shankuan Zhu

Publications and Research

Background: There are few reports on total body skeletal muscle mass (SM) in Chinese. The objective of this study is to establish a prediction model of SM for Chinese adults.

Methodology: Appendicular lean soft tissue (ALST) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and SM by magnetic resonance image (MRI) in 66 Chinese adults (52 men and 14 women). Images of MRI were segmented into compartments including intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and IMAT-free SM. Regression was used to fit the prediction model SM~czk|ALST. Age and gender were adjusted in the fitted model. The piece-wise linear function was performed to …

Autophagy Plays An Essential Role In Mediating Regression Of Hypertrophy During Unloading Of The Heart, Nirmala Hariharan, Yoshiyuki Ikeda, Chull Hong, Ralph R. Alcendor, Soichiro Usui, Shumin Gao, Yasuhiro Maejima, Junichi Sadoshima

Publications and Research

Autophagy is a bulk degradation mechanism for cytosolic proteins and organelles. The heart undergoes hypertrophy in response to mechanical load but hypertrophy can regress upon unloading. We hypothesize that autophagy plays an important role in mediating regression of cardiac hypertrophy during unloading. Mice were subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for 1 week, after which the constriction was removed (DeTAC). Regression of cardiac hypertrophy was observed after DeTAC, as indicated by reduction of LVW/BW and cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area. Indicators of autophagy, including LC3-II expression, p62 degradation and GFP-LC3 dots/cell, were significantly increased after DeTAC, suggesting that autophagy is induced. Stimulation …

From Toxic Tours To Growing The Grassroots: Tensions In Critical Pedagogy And Community Development, Celina Su, Isabelle Jagninski

Publications and Research

Structural inequalities in American public education are inextricably tied to deep-seated patterns of racial and economic segregation. Children in poor neighborhoods are less likely to have the household resources, neighborhood institutions, or school amenities necessary for a good, challenging education. In response, a growing number of organizations have launched initiatives to simultaneously revitalize neighborhoods and improve public education, emphasizing youth participation as an essential component in their efforts. We draw upon ethnographic data from two such organizations to examine their practice of place-based critical pedagogy in community development. We focus on how they engage marginalized, “hard-to-reach” youth via (1) experiential …