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Neural Substrates Of Sound–Touch Synesthesia After A Thalamic Lesion, Michael S. Beauchamp, Tony Ro

Publications and Research

Neural plasticity induced by stroke can mediate positive outcomes, such as recovery of function, but can also result in the formation of abnormal connections with negative consequences for perception and cognition. In three experiments using blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined the neural substrates of acquired auditory-tactile synesthesia, in which certain sounds can produce an intense somatosensory tingling sensation in a patient with a thalamic lesion. Compared with nine normal controls, the first experiment showed that the patient had a threefold greater BOLD response to sounds in the parietal operculum, the location of secondary somatosensory cortex. …

Testing Comparative Phylogeographic Models Of Marine Vicariance And Dispersal Using A Hierarchical Bayesian Approach, Michael J. Hickerson, Christopher P. Meyer

Publications and Research

Background Marine allopatric speciation is an enigma because pelagic larval dispersal can potentially connect disjunct populations thereby preventing reproductive and morphological divergence. Here we present a new hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation model (HABC) that tests two hypotheses of marine allopatric speciation: 1.) "soft vicariance", where a speciation involves fragmentation of a large widespread ancestral species range that was previously connected by long distance gene flow; and 2.) peripatric colonization, where speciations in peripheral archipelagos emerge from sweepstakes colonizations from central source regions. The HABC approach analyzes all the phylogeographic datasets at once in order to make across taxon-pair inferences about …

The Alien As Other: Spiritual, Political, And Cultural Representations Of The Alien In Late 20 Th Century Cinema, Benjamin Franz

Publications and Research

Storytellers frame their morals and fables of us through the lens of the 'Others'. When the popular form of storytelling evolved into film, the Other naturally became that which was most fascinating and curious, the Intergalactic Entity, or Alien.

In the film Contact(1997), Dr. Ellie Arroway struggles with a disbelief in things greater than herself, and the desire to see what is out there in the cosmos. In Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), strangers are brought together by the vision of harmony set forth by cosmic visitors. The theme of belief in something greater than oneself echoes …

Blood Collection From The American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus Polyphemus, Peter Armstrong, Mara Conrad

Publications and Research

The horseshoe crab has the best-characterized immune system of any long-lived invertebrate. The study of immunity in horseshoe crabs has been facilitated by the ease in collecting large volumes of blood and from the simplicity of the blood. Horseshoe crabs show only a single cell type in the general circulation, the granular amebocyte. The plasma has the salt content of sea water and only three abundant proteins, hemocyanin, the respiratory protein, the C-reactive proteins, which function in the cytolytic destruction of foreign cells, including bacterial cells, and α2-macroglobulin, which inhibits the proteases of invading pathogens. Blood is collected by direct …

Hiv/Aids: An Opportunistic Infection Of Globalization?, David H. Lee

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Myosin Ii Has Distinct Functions In Pns And Cns Myelin Sheath Formation, Haibo Wang, Ambika Tewari, Steven Einheber, James L. Salzer, Carmen V. Melendez-Vasquez

Publications and Research

The myelin sheath forms by the spiral wrapping of a glial membrane around the axon. The mechanisms responsible for this process are unknown but are likely to involve coordinated changes in the glial cell cytoskeleton. We have found that inhibition of myosin II, a key regulator of actin cytoskeleton dynamics, has remarkably opposite effects on myelin formation by Schwann cells (SC) and oligodendrocytes (OL). Myosin II is necessary for initial interactions between SC and axons, and its inhibition or down-regulation impairs their ability to segregate axons and elongate along them, preventing the formation of a 1:1 relationship, which is critical …

Enduring Mental Health Morbidity And Social Function Impairment In World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, And Cleanup Workers: The Psychological Dimension Of An Environmental Health Disaster, Jeanne Mager Stellman, Rebecca P. Smith, Craig L. Katz, Vansh Sharma, Dennis S. Charney, Robin Herbert, Jacqueline Moline, Benjamin J. Luft, Steven Markowitz, Iris Udasin, Denise Harrison, Sherry Baron, Philip J. Landrigan, Stephen M. Levin, Steven Southwick

Publications and Research

Background The World Trade Center (WTC) attacks exposed thousands of workers to hazardous environmental conditions and psychological trauma. In 2002, to assess the health of these workers, Congress directed the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to establish the WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program. This program has established a large cohort of WTC rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers. We previously documented extensive pulmonary dysfunction in this cohort related to toxic environmental exposures. Objectives Our objective in this study was to describe mental health outcomes, social function impairment, and psychiatric comorbidity in the WTC worker cohort, as well as …

The Contribution Of Advective Fluxes To Net Ecosystem Exchange In A High-Elevation, Subalpine Forest, Chuixiang Yi, Dean E. Anderson, Andrew A. Turnipseed, Sean P. Burns, Jed P. Sparks, David I. Stannard, Russell K. Monson

Publications and Research

The eddy covariance technique, which is used in the determination of net ecosystem CO₂ exchange (NEE), is subject to significant errors when advection that carries CO₂ in the mean flow is ignored. We measured horizontal and vertical advective CO₂ fluxes at the Niwot Ridge AmeriFlux site (Colorado, USA) using a measurement approach consisting of multiple towers. We observed relatively high rates of both horizontal (F_hadv) and vertical (F_vadv) advective fluxes at low surface friction velocities (u_*) which were associated with downslope katabatic flows. We observed that F_hadv was confined to …

Claims Of Potential Expansion Throughout The U.S. By Invasive Python Species Are Contradicted By Ecological Niche Models, R. Alexander Pyron, Frank T. Burbrink, Timothy J. Guiher

Publications and Research

Background Recent reports from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) suggested that invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades may quickly spread into many parts of the U.S. due to putative climatic suitability. Additionally, projected trends of global warming were predicted to significantly increase suitable habitat and promote range expansion by these snakes. However, the ecological limitations of the Burmese python are not known and the possible effects of global warming on the potential expansion of the species are also unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we show that a predicted continental expansion is unlikely based on the ecology of the organism and …

Dynamic Surface Activity By Folding And Unfolding An Amphiphilic Α-Helix, Vikas Jain, Angela Jimenez, Charles Maldarelli, Raymond S. Tu

Publications and Research

We describe a rationally designed peptide with tunable surface activity, where the dynamics of surface activity are an outcome of helical folding. Our rationally designed model peptide is surface-active only as an α-helix. We apply circular dichroism to show that the folded population can be controlled with changes in electrolyte concentration, and we apply pendant bubble tensiometry to explore dynamic surfactant activity. This study shows a peptide that responds to environmental stimuli with dynamic folding and surface activity. Extending this concept to selective binding peptides will lead to new tools, where dynamic surface activity is coupled to targeted binding.

Gene Expression And Functional Studies Of The Optic Nerve Head Astrocyte Transcriptome From Normal African Americans And Caucasian Americans Donors, Haixi Miao, Lin Chen, Sean M. Riordan, Wenjun Li, Santiago Juarez, Andrea M. Crabb, Thomas J. Lukas, Pan Du, Simon M. Lin, Alexandria Wise, Olga A. Agapova, Ping Yang, Charles C. Gu, M. Rosario Hernandez

Publications and Research

Purpose To determine whether optic nerve head (ONH) astrocytes, a key cellular component of glaucomatous neuropathy, exhibit differential gene expression in primary cultures of astrocytes from normal African American (AA) donors compared to astrocytes from normal Caucasian American (CA) donors. Methods We used oligonucleotide Affymetrix microarray (HG U133A & HG U133A 2.0 chips) to compare gene expression levels in cultured ONH astrocytes from twelve CA and twelve AA normal age matched donor eyes. Chips were normalized with Robust Microarray Analysis (RMA) in R using Bioconductor. Significant differential gene expression levels were detected using mixed effects modeling and Statistical Analysis of …

Susceptibility To Glaucoma: Differential Comparison Of The Astrocyte Transcriptome From Glaucomatous African American And Caucasian American Donors, Thomas J. Lukas, Haixi Miao, Lin Chen, Sean M. Riordan, Wenjun Li, Andrea M. Crabb, Alexandria Wise, Pan Du, Simon M. Lin, M Rosario Hernandez

Publications and Research

Comparison of gene expression in normal and glaucomatous eyes from Caucasian American and African American donors reveals differences that might reflect different susceptibility to glaucoma.

Laurate Biosensors Image Brain Neurotransmitters In Vivo: Can An Antihypertensive Medication Alter Psychostimulant Behavior?, Patricia A. Broderick, Helen Ho, Karyn Wat, Vivek Murthy

Publications and Research

Neuromolecular Imaging (NMI) with novel biosensors enables the selective detection of neurotransmitters in vivo within seconds, on line and in real time. Biosensors remain in place for continuing studies over a period of months. This biotechnological advance is based on conventional electrochemistry; the biosensors detect neurotransmitters by electron transfer. Simply stated, biosensors adsorb electrons from each neurotransmitter at specific oxidation potentials; the current derived from electron transfer is proportional to neurotransmitter concentration. Selective electron transfer properties of these biosensors permit the imaging of neurotransmitters, metabolites and precursors. The novel BRODERICK PROBE® biosensors we have developed, differ in formulation and detection …

Wide Distribution Of A High-Virulence Borrelia Burgdorferi Clone In Europe And North America, Wei-Gang Qiu, John F. Bruno, William D. Mccaig, Yun Xu, Ian Livey, Martin E. Schriefer, Benjamin J. Luft

Publications and Research

We found substantial population differentiation and recent trans-Atlantic dispersal of a high-virulence B. burgdorferi clone.

The Effects Of Children's Gender On Living Arrangements And Child Support, Kristin Mammen

Publications and Research

Previous evidence suggests that the gender composition of a family's children--specifically, the presence of sons--affects a number of parental behaviors, including marriage formation, marriage disruption, and living arrangements. Using the March Current Population Survey from 1988 to 2006, this paper examines whether girls are at a double disadvantage in terms of living in single mother homes, and in the likelihood of receiving child support from absent fathers. The findings show that girls are indeed more likely to live in single mother homes and boys are overrepresented in married parent homes with a father or stepfather, and in single father families. …

The 3′ Processing Factor Cstf Functions In The Dna Repair Response, Nurit Mirkin, Danae Fonseca, Samia Mohammed, Murat A. Cevher, James L. Manley, Frida E. Kleiman

Publications and Research

Following DNA damage, mRNA levels decrease, reflecting a coordinated interaction of the DNA repair, transcription and RNA processing machineries. In this study, we provide evidence that transcription and polyadenylation of mRNA precursors are both affected in vivo by UV treatment. We next show that the polyadenylation factor CstF, plays a direct role in the DNA damage response. Cells with reduced levels of CstF display decreased viability following UV treatment, reduced ability to ubiquitinate RNA polymerase II (RNAP II), and defects in repair of DNA damage. Furthermore, we show that CstF, RNAP II and BARD1 are all found at sites of …

Maternal Cocaine Administration In Mice Alters Dna Methylation And Gene Expression In Hippocampal Neurons Of Neonatal And Prepubertal Offspring, Svetlana I. Novikova, Fang He, Jie Bai, Nicholas J. Cutrufello, Michael S. Lidow, Ashiwel S. Undieh

Publications and Research

Previous studies documented significant behavioral changes in the offspring of cocaine-exposed mothers. We now explore the hypothesis that maternal cocaine exposure could alter the fetal epigenetic machinery sufficiently to cause lasting neurochemical and functional changes in the offspring. Pregnant CD1 mice were administered either saline or 20 mg/kg cocaine twice daily on gestational days 8–19. Male pups from each of ten litters of the cocaine and control groups were analyzed at 3 (P3) or 30 (P30) days postnatum. Global DNA methylation, methylated DNA immunoprecipitation followed by CGI2 microarray profiling and bisulfite sequencing, as well as quantitative real-time RT-PCR gene expression …

Using A Paradigm Shift To Teach Neurobiology And The Nature Of Science—A C.R.E.A.T.E.-Based Approach, Sally G. Hoskins

Publications and Research

Decades ago, classic experiments established the phenomenon of “neural induction” (Spemann and Mangold, 1924; Holtfreter, 1933). It appeared clear that amphibian ectoderm was pre-programmed to form epidermis, and that the neural phenotype was induced by a chemical signal from mesoderm. The “ectoderm makes skin, unless induced to make nervous system” model appeared in many textbooks. This interpretation, however, was not simply incorrect but 180 degrees out of alignment with the actual situation. As subsequently demonstrated, the default state of amphibian ectoderm is neuronal, and the expression of the epidermal phenotype requires cell signaling (Hemmati-Brivanlou and Melton, 1992; 1994; 1997). In …

The Impact Of Emerging Technologies In The Workplace: Who's Watching The Man (Who's Watching Me)?, William A. Herbert, Amelia Tuminaro

Publications and Research

This 2008 law review article examines the state of the law and regulation concerning the introduction of then new technologies in the workplace to track and monitor workers.

Racism And Ambulatory Blood Pressure In A Community Sample, Elizabeth Brondolo, Daniel Libby, Ellen-Ge Denton

Publications and Research

Objective: Racism has been identified as a psychosocial stressor that may contribute to disparities in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease. The goal of the present article was to investigate the relationship of perceived racism to ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in a sample of American-born Blacks and Latinos.

Methods: Participants included English-speaking Black or Latino(a) adults between the ages of 24 and 65. They completed daily mood diaries and measures of perceived racism, socioeconomic status, and hostility. Participants were outfitted with ABP monitors; 357 provided data on waking hours only, and 245 provided data on both waking and nocturnal ABP.

Results: …

Depression In Parkinson's Disease: Health Risks, Etiology, And Treatment Options, Pasquale G. Frisina, Joan C. Borod, Nancy S. Foldi, Harriet R. Tenenbaum

Publications and Research

Depression is found in about 30%-40% of all patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), but only a small percentage (about 20%) receive treatment. As a consequence, many PD patients suffer with reduced health-related quality of life. To address quality of life in depressed PD patients, we reviewed the literature on the health correlates of depression in PD (eg, cognitive function), etiology of depression in PD, and treatment options (ie, antidepressants, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychotherapy). The current review is unique in its focus on psychosocial aspects, as well as neuropathological factors, of depression in PD. Overall, we conclude that neurochemical (eg, serotonin) …

Childhood Obesity Predicts Adult Metabolic Syndrome: The Fels Longitudinal Study, Shumei S. Sun, Ruohong Liang, Terry T-K Huang, Stephen R. Daniels, Silva Arslanian, Kiang Liu, Gilman D. Grave, Roger M. Siervogel

Publications and Research

Objectives—To determine the age of significant divergence in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference in adults with and without the metabolic syndrome, and to provide age- and sexspecific childhood values that predict adult metabolic syndrome.

Study design—Part 1 of this study is a retrospective cohort study of 92 men and 59 women (mean age, 51 years) who had metabolic syndrome and 154 randomly selected adults matched for age and sex who did not have the syndrome. Part 2 is a study of predictive accuracy in a validation sample of 743 participants.

Results—The first appearance of differences …

Does Economic Development Contribute To Sex Differences In Ischaemic Heart Disease Mortality? Hong Kong As A Natural Experiment Using A Case-Control Study, Mary Schooling, Tai Hing Lam, Sai Yin Ho, Kwok Hang Mak, Gabriel M. Leung

Publications and Research

Background
The male excess risk of premature ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality may be partially due to an unknown macro-environmental influence associated with economic development. We examined whether excess male risk of IHD mortality was higher with birth in an economically developed environment.

Methods
We used multivariable logistic regression in a population-based case-control study of all adult deaths in Hong Kong Chinese in 1998 to compare sex differences in IHD mortality (1,189 deaths in men, 1,035 deaths in women and 20,842 controls) between Hong Kong residents born in economically developed Hong Kong or in contemporaneously undeveloped Guangdong province in China. …

Diverse Antidepressants Increase Cdp-Diacylglycerol Production And Phosphatidylinositide Resynthesis In Depression-Relevant Regions Of The Rat Brain, Kimberly R. Tyeryar, Ashiwel S. Undieh, Habiba Ou Vongtau

Publications and Research

Background: Major depression is a serious mood disorder affecting millions of adults and children worldwide. While the etiopathology of depression remains obscure, antidepressant medications increase synaptic levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in brain regions associated with the disease. Monoamine transmitters activate multiple signaling cascades some of which have been investigated as potential mediators of depression or antidepressant drug action. However, the diacylglycerol arm of phosphoinositide signaling cascades has not been systematically investigated, even though downstream targets of this cascade have been implicated in depression. With the ultimate goal of uncovering the primary postsynaptic actions that may initiate cellular antidepressive signaling, we …

A Technique For Characterizing The Development Of Rhythms In Bird Song, Sigal Saar, Partha P. Mitra

Publications and Research

The developmental trajectory of nervous system dynamics shows hierarchical structure on time scales spanning ten orders of magnitude from milliseconds to years. Analyzing and characterizing this structure poses significant signal processing challenges. In the context of birdsong development, we have previously proposed that an effective way to do this is to use the dynamic spectrum or spectrogram, a classical signal processing tool, computed at multiple time scales in a nested fashion. Temporal structure on the millisecond timescale is normally captured using a short time Fourier analysis, and structure on the second timescale using song spectrograms. Here we use the dynamic …

The Osu1/Qua2/Tsd2-Encoded Putative Methyltransferase Is A Critical Modulator Of Carbon And Nitrogen Nutrient Balance Response In Arabidopsis, Peng Gao, Zeyu Xin, Zhi-Liang Zheng

Publications and Research

The balance between carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) nutrients must be tightly coordinated so that cells can optimize their opportunity for metabolism, growth and development. However, the C and N nutrient balance perception and signaling mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of two allelic oversensitive to sugar1 mutants (osu1-1, osu1-2) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using the cotyledon anthocyanin accumulation and root growth inhibition assays, we show that the osu1 mutants are more sensitive than wild-type to both of the imbalanced C/N conditions, high C/low N and low C/high N. However, under the balanced C/N conditions (low …

Judicial Evasion And Disingenuous Legislative Appeals To Science In The Abortion Controversy, Caitlin Borgmann

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Our Existential Death Penalty: Judges, Jurors, And Terror Management, Jeffrey Kirchmeier

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Queer Kids: A Comprehensive Annotated Legal Bibliography On Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender, And Questioning Youth, Sarah Valentine

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Cave Biology: It’S Not A Job, It’S An Adventure, Aldemaro Romero Jr.

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.