Life Sciences Commons^™

Bed Bug Deterrence, Kenneth F. Haynes, Mark H. Goodman, Michael F. Potter

Entomology Faculty Publications

A recent study in BMC Biology has determined that the immature stage of the bed bug (the nymph) signals its reproductive status to adult males using pheromones and thus avoids the trauma associated with copulation in this species. The success of this nymphal strategy of deterrence is instructive. Against the background of increasing problems with bed bugs, this research raises the question whether pheromones might be used to control them.

See research article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/8/121.

Meditation Acutely Improves Psychomotor Vigilance, And May Decrease Sleep Need, Prashant Kaul, Jason Passafiume, Craig R. Sargent, Bruce F. O'Hara

Biology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: A number of benefits from meditation have been claimed by those who practice various traditions, but few have been well tested in scientifically controlled studies. Among these claims are improved performance and decreased sleep need. Therefore, in these studies we assess whether meditation leads to an immediate performance improvement on a well validated psychomotor vigilance task (PVT), and second, whether longer bouts of meditation may alter sleep need.

METHODS: The primary study assessed PVT reaction times before and after 40 minute periods of mediation, nap, or a control activity using a within subject cross-over design. This study utilized novice …

Comparative Mitogenomics Of Braconidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) And The Phylogenetic Utility Of Mitochondrial Genomes With Special Reference To Holometabolous Insects, Shu-Jun Wei, Min Shi, Michael J. Sharkey, Cornelis Van Achterberg, Xue-Xin Chen

Entomology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Animal mitochondrial genomes are potential models for molecular evolution and markers for phylogenetic and population studies. Previous research has shown interesting features in hymenopteran mitochondrial genomes. Here, we conducted a comparative study of mitochondrial genomes of the family Braconidae, one of the largest families of Hymenoptera, and assessed the utility of mitochondrial genomic data for phylogenetic inference at three different hierarchical levels, i.e., Braconidae, Hymenoptera, and Holometabola.

RESULTS: Seven mitochondrial genomes from seven subfamilies of Braconidae were sequenced. Three of the four sequenced A+T-rich regions are shown to be inverted. Furthermore, all species showed reversal of strand asymmetry, suggesting …

Cannabinoid-Mediated Inhibition Of Recurrent Excitatory Circuitry In The Dentate Gyrus In A Mouse Model Of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Muthu D. Bhaskaran, Bret N. Smith

Physiology Faculty Publications

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a neurological condition associated with neuron loss, axon sprouting, and hippocampal sclerosis, which results in modified synaptic circuitry. Cannabinoids appear to be anti-convulsive in patients and animal models of TLE, but the mechanisms of this effect are not known. A pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus mouse model of TLE was used to study the effect of cannabinoid agonists on recurrent excitatory circuits of the dentate gyrus using electrophysiological recordings in hippocampal slices isolated from control mice and mice with TLE. Cannabinoid agonists WIN 55,212-2, anandamide (AEA), or 2-arachydonoylglycerol (2-AG) reduced the frequency of spontaneous and tetrodotoxin-resistant excitatory …

Effects Of Long-Term Pioglitazone Treatment On Peripheral And Central Markers Of Aging, Eric M. Blalock, Jeremiah T. Phelps, Tristano Pancani, James L. Searcy, Katie L. Anderson, John C. Gant, Jelena Popovic, Margarita G. Avdiushko, Don A. Cohen, Kuey-Chu Chen, Nada M. Porter, Olivier Thibault

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and are used clinically to help restore peripheral insulin sensitivity in Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Interestingly, long-term treatment of mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with TZDs also has been shown to reduce several well-established brain biomarkers of AD including inflammation, oxidative stress and Abeta accumulation. While TZD's actions in AD models help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying their potentially beneficial effects in AD patients, little is known about the functional consequences of TZDs in animal models of normal aging. Because aging is a common risk factor for both AD and …

Dopamine Neuron Stimulating Actions Of A Gdnf Propeptide, Luke H. Bradley, Josh Fuqua, April Richardson, Jadwiga Turchan-Cholewo, Yi Ai, Kristen A. Kelps, John D. Glass, Xiuquan He, Zhiming Zhang, Richard Grondin, O. Meagan Littrell, Peter Huettl, Francois Pomerleau, Don M. Gash, Greg A. Gerhardt

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Neurotrophic factors, such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), have shown great promise for protection and restoration of damaged or dying dopamine neurons in animal models and in some Parkinson's disease (PD) clinical trials. However, the delivery of neurotrophic factors to the brain is difficult due to their large size and poor bio-distribution. In addition, developing more efficacious trophic factors is hampered by the difficulty of synthesis and structural modification. Small molecules with neurotrophic actions that are easy to synthesize and modify to improve bioavailability are needed.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: Here we present the neurobiological actions of dopamine …

Molecular Evidence For A Functional Ecdysone Signaling System In Brugia Malayi, George Tzertzinis, Ana L. Egaña, Subba Reddy Palli, Marc Robinson-Rechavi, Chris R. Gissendanner, Canhui Liu, Thomas R. Unnasch, Claude V. Maina

Entomology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Filarial nematodes, including Brugia malayi, the causative agent of lymphatic filariasis, undergo molting in both arthropod and mammalian hosts to complete their life cycles. An understanding of how these parasites cross developmental checkpoints may reveal potential targets for intervention. Pharmacological evidence suggests that ecdysteroids play a role in parasitic nematode molting and fertility although their specific function remains unknown. In insects, ecdysone triggers molting through the activation of the ecdysone receptor: a heterodimer of EcR (ecdysone receptor) and USP (Ultraspiracle).

METHODS AND FINDINGS: We report the cloning and characterization of a B. malayi EcR homologue (Bma-EcR). Bma-EcR dimerizes with …