Digital Commons Network^™

Day-To-Day Fluctuation Of Point-Of-Care Circulating Cathodic Antigen Test Scores And Faecal Egg Counts In Children Infected With Schistosoma Mansoni In Ethiopia, Abraham Degarege, Mengistu Legesse, Girmay Medhin, Tilahun Teklehaymanot, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Determining the variation of circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) in urine and egg counts variation in stool between days in Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) infected individuals is vital to decide whether or not to rely on a single-sample test for diagnosis of Schistosomiasis. In this study, the magnitude of day-to-day variation in urine-CCA test scores and in faecal egg counts was evaluated in school children in Ethiopia.

METHODS: A total of 620 school children (age 8 to 12 years) were examined for S. mansoni infection using double Kato-Katz and single urine-CCA cassette methods (batch 32727) on three consecutive days.

RESULTS: …

Enzymatic Activity In The Chorion For Hatching In The California Grunion, Emily R. Pierce, Vince V. Quach, Karen L. Martin

Featured Research

Leuresthes tenuis is a small, silverside fish that spawns on the beaches during some of the highest tides of the summer months. Of the many unique traits to the species including that the eggs develop fully out of water to the point of hatching competence but will not hatch until presented with an environmental cue, which causes them to hatch in less than a minute. The purpose of this study is to better understand the role of enzymes called chorionases, which act to break down the chorion (egg membrane). I hypothesize that the chorion begins to weaken in this species …

Broad And Direct Interaction Between Tlr And Siglec Families Of Pattern Recognition Receptors And Its Regulation By Neu1., Guo-Yun Chen, Nicholas K. Brown, Wei Wu, Zahra Khedri, Hai Yu, Xi Chen, Diantha Van De Vlekkert, Alessandra D'Azzo, Pan Zheng, Yang Liu

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Both pathogen- and tissue damage-associated molecular patterns induce inflammation through toll-like receptors (TLRs), while sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin superfamily lectin receptors (Siglecs) provide negative regulation. Here we report extensive and direct interactions between these pattern recognition receptors. The promiscuous TLR binders were human SIGLEC-5/9 and mouse Siglec-3/E/F. Mouse Siglec-G did not show appreciable binding to any TLRs tested. Correspondingly, Siglece deletion enhanced dendritic cell responses to all microbial TLR ligands tested, while Siglecg deletion did not affect the responses to these ligands. TLR4 activation triggers Neu1 translocation to cell surface to disrupt TLR4:Siglec-E interaction. Conversely, sialidase inhibitor Neu5Gc2en prevented TLR4 ligand-induced …

Influence Of Diet And Obesity On Copd Development And Outcomes, Corrine K. Hanson, Erica P. Rutten, Emiel F.M. Wouters, Stephen I. Rennard

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

The global increase in the prevalence and incidence of obesity has called serious attention to this issue as a major public health concern. Obesity is associated with many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and recently the role of overweight and obesity in lung disease has received new interest. Independently of obesity, diet also plays a role as a risk factor for many chronic diseases, and evidence is accumulating to support a role for diet in the prevention and management of several lung diseases. Chronic obstructive lung disease is the third-leading cause of death globally, and both obesity and …

Low Birth Weight Male Guinea Pig Offspring Display Increased Visceral Adiposity In Early Adulthood., Ousseynou Sarr, Jennifer A Thompson, Lin Zhao, Ting-Yim Lee, Timothy Regnault

Paediatrics Publications

Uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI)-induced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) predisposes individuals to adult visceral obesity. We postulated that low birth weight (LBW) offspring, from UPI-induced IUGR pregnancies, would display a visceral adipose lipogenic molecular signature involving altered gene expression, phosphorylation status of proteins of the lipid synthesis pathway and microRNA (miR) expression profile, occurring in association with increased visceral adiposity. Normal birth weight (NBW) and LBW (obtained by uterine artery ablation) male guinea pig pups were fed a control diet from weaning to 145 days and sacrificed. Despite being lighter at birth, LBW pups displayed body weights similar to NBW offspring at …

Brain Metastases From Breast Cancer: Lessons From Experimental Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies And Clinical Implications., Donna Murrell, Paula J Foster, Ann F Chambers

Medical Biophysics Publications

Breast cancer that has metastasized to the brain presents difficult clinical challenges. This diagnosis comes with high mortality rates, largely due to complexities in early detection and ineffective therapies associated with both dormancy and impermeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current gold standard for diagnosis and assessment of brain tumors. It has been used clinically to investigate metastatic development as well as monitor response to therapy. Here, we describe preclinical imaging strategies that we have used to study the development of brain metastases due to breast cancer. Using this approach, we have identified three …

Bilateral Saccadic Deficits Following Large And Reversible Inactivation Of Unilateral Frontal Eye Field., Tyler R Peel, Kevin Johnston, Stephen G Lomber, Brian D Corneil

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Inactivation permits direct assessment of the functional contribution of a given brain area to behavior. Previous inactivation studies of the frontal eye field (FEF) have either used large permanent ablations or reversible pharmacological techniques that only inactivate a small volume of tissue. Here we evaluated the impact of large, yet reversible, FEF inactivation on visually guided, delayed, and memory-guided saccades, using cryoloops implanted in the arcuate sulcus. While FEF inactivation produced the expected triad of contralateral saccadic deficits (increased reaction time, decreased accuracy and peak velocity) and performance errors (neglect or misdirected saccades), we also found consistent increases in reaction …

Short-Duration Stimulation Of The Supplementary Eye Fields Perturbs Anti-Saccade Performance While Potentiating Contralateral Head Orienting., Brendan B Chapman, Brian D Corneil

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Many forms of brain stimulation utilize the notion of state dependency, whereby greater influences are observed when a given area is more engaged at the time of stimulation. Here, by delivering intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) to the supplementary eye fields (SEF) of monkeys performing interleaved pro- and anti-saccades, we show a surprising diversity of state-dependent effects of ICMS-SEF. Short-duration ICMS-SEF passed around cue presentation selectively disrupted anti-saccades by increasing reaction times and error rates bilaterally, and also recruited neck muscles, favoring contralateral head turning to a greater degree on anti-saccade trials. These results are consistent with the functional relevance of the …

Dtaf Dye Concentrations Commonly Used To Measure Microscale Deformations In Biological Tissues Alter Tissue Mechanics., Spencer E Szczesny, Rachel S. Riley, Dawn M Elliott

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Identification of the deformation mechanisms and specific components underlying the mechanical function of biological tissues requires mechanical testing at multiple levels within the tissue hierarchical structure. Dichlorotriazinylaminofluorescein (DTAF) is a fluorescent dye that is used to visualize microscale deformations of the extracellular matrix in soft collagenous tissues. However, the DTAF concentrations commonly employed in previous multiscale experiments (≥2000 µg/ml) may alter tissue mechanics. The objective of this study was to determine whether DTAF affects tendon fascicle mechanics and if a concentration threshold exists below which any observed effects are negligible. This information is valuable for guiding the continued use of …

Non-Invasive Mri And Spectroscopy Of Mdx Mice Reveal Temporal Changes In Dystrophic Muscle Imaging And In Energy Deficits., Christopher R. Heier, Alfredo D. Guerron, Alexandru Korotcov, Stephen Lin, Heather Gordish-Dressman, Stanley Fricke, Raymond W. Sze, Eric P. Hoffman, Paul Wang, Kanneboyina Nagaraju

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disruption of dystrophin protein expression results in repeated muscle injury and chronic inflammation. Magnetic resonance imaging shows promise as a surrogate outcome measure in both DMD and rehabilitation medicine that is capable of predicting clinical benefit years in advance of functional outcome measures. The mdx mouse reproduces the dystrophin deficiency that causes DMD and is routinely used for preclinical drug testing. There is a need to develop sensitive, non-invasive outcome measures in the mdx model that can be readily translatable to human clinical trials. Here we report the use of magnetic resonance imaging …

Hyperglycemia-Induced Diaphragm Weakness Is Mediated By Oxidative Stress, Leigh Ann Callahan, Gerald S. Supinski

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: A major consequence of ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW) is diaphragm weakness, which prolongs the duration of mechanical ventilation. Hyperglycemia (HG) is a risk factor for ICUAW. However, the mechanisms underlying HG-induced respiratory muscle weakness are not known. Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) injure multiple tissues during HG, but only one study suggests that excessive ROS generation may be linked to HG-induced diaphragm weakness. We hypothesized that HG-induced diaphragm dysfunction is mediated by excessive superoxide generation and that administration of a specific superoxide scavenger, polyethylene glycol superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD), would ameliorate these effects.

METHODS: HG was induced in rats using streptozotocin …

Man’S Best Friend? Dogs And Pigs In Early Modern Germany, Alison Stewart

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Faculty Publications and Creative Activity

When Jacob Seisenegger and Titian painted individual portraits of Emperor Charles V around 1532, a dog replaced such traditional accouterments of imperial power as crown, scepter, and orb.3 Charles placed one hand on the dog’s collar, a gesture indicating his companion’s noble qualities including faithfulness.4 At the same time, another more down-to-earth meaning for the dog had become prominent in the decades before the imperial portraits: the interest in and ability to eat anything in sight. This pig-like ability resulted in dogs, alongside pigs, becoming emblems of indiscriminate and gluttonous eating and drinking during the early sixteenth century when humanists, …

Dielectric Characterization Of Coastal Cartilage Chondrocytes, Michael W. Stacey, Ahmet C. Sabuncu, Ali Beskok

Bioelectrics Publications

BACKGROUND: Chondrocytes respond to biomechanical and bioelectrochemical stimuli by secreting appropriate extracellular matrix proteins that enable the tissue to withstand the large forces it experiences. Although biomechanical aspects of cartilage are well described, little is known of the bioelectrochemical responses. The focus of this study is to identify bioelectrical characteristics of human costal cartilage cells using dielectric spectroscopy.

METHODS: Dielectric spectroscopy allows non-invasive probing of biological cells. An in house computer program is developed to extract dielectric properties of human costal cartilage cells from raw cell suspension impedance data measured by a microfluidic device. The dielectric properties of chondrocytes are …

A Scientist Looks At Book Of Mormon Anachronisms, Neal Rappleye

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

Anachronisms, or out of place items, have long been a subject of controversy with the Book of Mormon. Several Latterday Saints over the years have attempted to examine them. Dr. Wade E. Miller, as a paleontologist and geologist, offers a some new insights on this old question, especially regarding animals mentioned in the Book of Mormon, including a report on some preliminary research which might completely change the pre- Columbian picture for horses in America. Overall, this is an indispensable resource on Book of Mormon anachronisms.

Habitat-Specific Density And Diet Of Rapidly Expanding Invasive Red Lionfish, Pterois Volitans,, Populations In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Kristen A. Dahl, William F. Patterson Iii

C-IMAGE Publications

Invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish, Pterois volitans, were first reported in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) in summer 2010. To examine potential impacts on native reef fish communities, lionfish density and size distributions were estimated from fall 2010 to fall 2013 with a remotely operated vehicle at natural (n = 16) and artificial (n = 22) reef sites. Lionfish (n = 934) also were sampled via spearfishing to examine effects of habitat type, season, and fish size on their diet and trophic ecology. There was an exponential increase in lionfish density at both natural and artificial reefs over the study …

Alternative Splicing In The Variable Domain Of Camkiiβ Affects The Level Of F-Actin Association In Developing Neurons., Jun Zheng, Lori R. Hardy, Chengshi Xu, Jing Kuang, Weijing Liao

PCOM Scholarly Works

The Ca(2+)/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) β has an essential function in dendritic spines via binding to and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton during plasticity events not shared by CaMKIIα isoform. CaMKIIβ and CaMKIIα isoforms have remarkable structural differences within the variable region. Three exons (E1, E3, and E4) are present in CaMKIIβ but not in CaMKIIα gene. Four splice variants of CaMKIIβ isoforms (CaMKIIβ, β', βe and β'e) were discovered in embryonic and adult brains. Exons E1 (lacked in βe and β'e) and E4 (lacked in β' and β'e) are subject to differential alternative splicing. We hypothesized that …

In Vitro Culture Of Bovine Preantral Follicles: A Review, Valdevane R Araújo, Melba O Gastal, José R Figueiredo, Eduardo L Gastal

Peer-reviewed Articles

Preantral follicles are the majority of the ovarian follicle population and their use as a source of homogeneous oocytes for bovine reproductive biotechnologies could result in a substantial advance in this field. However, while in other species embryos and offspring have been produced, in bovine species the results have been limited to the follicular activation of small (primordial) preantral follicles and formation of early antral follicles from large (secondary) preantral follicles after in vitro culture. Therefore, this review will highlight the basic aspects of bovine folliculogenesis by focusing on preantral follicles, the methods of harvesting preantral follicles, the main results …

The Forkhead Transcription Factor, Foxp3: A Critical Role In Male Fertility In Mice., Jake S Jasurda, Deborah O Jung, Erin D Froeter, David B Schwartz, Torin D Hopkins, Corrie L Farris, Stacey Mcgee, Prema Narayan, Buffy S Ellsworth

Articles

Fertility is dependent on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Each component of this axis is essential for normal reproductive function. Mice with a mutation in the forkhead transcription factor gene, Foxp3, exhibit autoimmunity and infertility. We have previously shown that Foxp3 mutant mice have significantly reduced expression of pituitary gonadotropins. To address the role of Foxp3 in gonadal function, we examined the gonadal phenotype of these mice. Foxp3 mutant mice have significantly reduced seminal vesicle and testis weights compared with Foxp3(+/Y) littermates. Spermatogenesis in Foxp3 mutant males is arrested prior to spermatid elongation. Activation of luteinizing hormone signaling in Foxp3 mutant mice …

Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis Of Archaeological Faunal Material From Dutchess Quarry Caves, Ny, Jessica Zuhlke

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to do an isotopic analysis to determine the carbon and nitrogen isotope concentrations of archaeological faunal material found in the Dutchess Quarry Caves in Orange County, NY. These isotope values were then used to compare the taxa from which the samples were taken to determine if and how trophic relationships were formed. The main focus of this comparison spotlighted a sample from a human femur; to establish the human's position trophically with the other large and small mammal samples collected. The human had been previously radiocarbon dated to have lived between 2877 and 3180 …

Meglumine Exerts Protective Effects Against Features Of Metabolic Syndrome And Type Ii Diabetes, Arturo Bravo Nuevo, Alice Marcy, Minzhou Huang, Frank Kappler, Jennifer Mulgrew, Lisa Laury-Kleintop, Melvin Reichman, Annette Tobia, George C Prendergast

PCOM Scholarly Works

Metabolic syndrome, diabetes and diabetes complications pose a growing medical challenge worldwide, accentuating the need of safe and effective strategies for their clinical management. Here we present preclinical evidence that the sorbitol derivative meglumine (N-methyl-D-glucamine) can safely protect against several features of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, as well as elicit enhancement in muscle stamina. Meglumine is a compound routinely used as an approved excipient to improve drug absorption that has not been ascribed any direct biological effects in vivo. Normal mice (SV129) administered 18 mM meglumine orally for six weeks did not display any gastrointestinal or other observable adverse effects, …

Beef Heifer Growth And Reproductive Performance Following Two Levels Of Pasture Allowance During The Fall Grazing Period1, B. L. Bailey, T. C. Griggs, E. B. Rayburn, K. M. Krause

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Familial Strife On The Seashore: Aggression Increases With Relatedness In The Sea Anemone Actinia Equina., Nicola L. Foster, Mark Briffa

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Pairwise contests occur when two individuals compete directly over ownership of an indivisible resource. Contests vary in the degree of escalation, some encounters being settled through non-injurious behaviour while others are only resolved after dangerous fighting. Here, we investigate the role of relatedness, assessed using AFLP analysis, on the occurrence of stinging during staged contests in the beadlet sea anemone Actinia equina. Contrary to our expectations, we found that the chance of stinging, and hence the chance of inflicting damage, increased with the degree of relatedness between the two opponents. This result may be explained by the negative relationship between …

Efficient B Cell Responses To Borrelia Hermsii Infection Depend On Baff And Baffr But Not Taci., Gregory S. Dickinson, Phd, Guizhi Sun, Richard J Bram, Kishore Alugupalli

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

T cell-independent antibody responses develop rapidly, within 3 to 4 days, and are critical for preventing blood-borne pathogens from evolving into life-threatening infections. The interaction of BAFF, also known as BLyS, with its receptors BAFFR and TACI on B cells is critical for B cell homeostasis and function. Using a synthetic polysaccharide antigen, it has previously been shown that TACI is critical for T cell-independent antibody responses. To examine the role of BAFFR and TACI in T cell-independent antibody responses to an active infection, we utilized the Borrelia hermsii infection system. In this infection system, T cell-independent responses mediated by …

Fluid Flow Shear Stress Over Podocytes Is Increased In The Solitary Kidney., Tarak Srivastava, Gianni E. Celsi, Mukut Sharma, Hongying Dai, Ellen T. Mccarthy, Melanie Ruiz, Patricia A. Cudmore, Uri S. Alon, Ram Sharma, Virginia A. Savin

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Glomerular hyperfiltration is emerging as the key risk factor for progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Podocytes are exposed to fluid flow shear stress (FFSS) caused by the flow of ultrafiltrate within Bowman's space. The mechanism of hyperfiltration-induced podocyte injury is not clear. We postulated that glomerular hyperfiltration in solitary kidney increases FFSS over podocytes.

METHODS: Infant Sprague-Dawley rats at 5 days of age and C57BL/6J 14-week-old adult mice underwent unilateral nephrectomy. Micropuncture and morphological studies were then performed on 20- and 60-day-old rats. FFSS over podocytes in uninephrectomized rats and mice was calculated using the recently published equation …

Marine Fish May Be Biochemically Constrained From Inhabiting The Deepest Ocean Depths, Paul H. Yancey, Mackenzie E. Gerringer, Jeffrey C. Drazen, Ashley A. Rowden, Alan Jamieson

Biology

No fish have been found in the deepest 25% of the ocean (8,400-11,000 m). This apparent absence has been attributed to hydrostatic pressure, although direct evidence is wanting because of the lack of deepest-living species to study. The common osmolyte trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) stabilizes proteins against pressure and increases with depth, going from 40 to 261 mmol/kg in teleost fishes from 0 to 4,850 m. TMAO accumulation with depth results in increasing internal osmolality (typically 350 mOsmol/kg in shallow species compared with seawater's 1,100 mOsmol/kg). Preliminary extrapolation of osmolalities of predicted isosmotic state at 8,000-8,500 m may indicate a possible …

The Earliest Colubroid-Dominated Snake Fauna From Africa: Perspectives From The Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation Of Southwestern Tanzania, Jacob A. Mccartney, Nancy J. Stevens, Patrick M. O'Connor

Biology

The extant snake fauna has its roots in faunal upheaval occurring across the Paleogene - Neogene transition. On northern continents, this turnover is well established by the late early Miocene. However, this transition is poorly documented on southern landmasses, particularly on continental Africa, where no late Paleogene terrestrial snake assemblages are documented south of the equator. Here we describe a newly discovered snake fauna from the Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation in the Rukwa Rift Basin of Tanzania. The fauna is small but diverse with eight identifiable morphotypes, comprised of three booids and five colubroids. This fauna includes Rukwanyoka holmani gen. …

Meiotic Drive Impacts Expression And Evolution Of X-Linked Genes In Stalk-Eyed Flies, Josephine A. Reinhardt, Cara L. Brand, Kimberly A. Paczolt, Philip M. Johns, Richard H. Baker, Gerald S. Wilkinson

Biology

Although sex chromosome meiotic drive has been observed in a variety of species for over 50 years, the genes causing drive are only known in a few cases, and none of these cases cause distorted sex-ratios in nature. In stalk-eyed flies (Teleopsis dalmanni), driving X chromosomes are commonly found at frequencies approaching 30% in the wild, but the genetic basis of drive has remained elusive due to reduced recombination between driving and non-driving X chromosomes. Here, we used RNAseq to identify transcripts that are differentially expressed between males carrying either a driving X (X SR ) or a standard X …

Rat Hippocampal Responses Up To 90 Days After A Single Nanoceria Dose Extends A Hierarchical Oxidative Stress Model For Nanoparticle Toxicity, Sarita S. Hardas, Rukhsana Sultana, Govind Warrier, Mo Dan, Peng Wu, Eric A. Grulke, Michael T. Tseng, Jason M. Unrine, Uschi M. Graham, Robert A. Yokel, D. Allan Butterfield

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Ceria engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have very promising commercial and therapeutic applications. Few reports address the effects of nanoceria in intact mammals, let alone long term exposure. This knowledge is essential to understand potential therapeutic applications of nanoceria in relation to its hazard assessment. The current study elucidates oxidative stress responses in the rat hippocampus 1 and 20 h, and 1, 7, 30 and 90 days following a single systemic infusion of 30 nm nanoceria. The results are incorporated into a previously described hierarchical oxidative stress (HOS) model. During the 1-20 h period, increases of the GSSG: GSH ratio and cytoprotective …

The Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitor Rolipram Attenuates Heroin-Seeking Behavior Induced By Cues Or Heroin Priming In Rats, Miaojun Lai, Huaqiang Zhu, Anna Sun, Dingding Zhuang, Dan Fu, Weisheng Chen, Han-Ting Zhang, Wenhua Zhou

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Inhibition of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), an enzyme that specifically hydrolyzes cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) increases intracellular cAMP/cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) signaling. Activation of this signaling is considered as an important compensatory response that decreases motivational properties of drugs of abuse. However, it is not known whether PDE4 is involved in heroin seeking. Self-administration of heroin (50

Neuronal Activity Regulates Extracellular Tau In Vivo, Kaoru Yamada, Jerrah K. Holth, Fan Liao, Floy R. Stewart, Thomas E. Mahan, Hong Jiang, John R. Cirrito, Tirth K. Patel, Katja Hochgräfe, Eva-Maria Mandelkow, David M. Holtzman

Open Access Publications

Tau is primarily a cytoplasmic protein that stabilizes microtubules. However, it is also found in the extracellular space of the brain at appreciable concentrations. Although its presence there may be relevant to the intercellular spread of tau pathology, the cellular mechanisms regulating tau release into the extracellular space are not well understood. To test this in the context of neuronal networks in vivo, we used in vivo microdialysis. Increasing neuronal activity rapidly increased the steady-state levels of extracellular tau in vivo. Importantly, presynaptic glutamate release is sufficient to drive tau release. Although tau release occurred within hours in response to …