Anatomy Commons^™

Prevalence Of Streptococci And Increased Polymicrobial Diversity Associated With Cystic Fibrosis Patient Stability, L. M. Filkins, T. H. Hampton, A. H. Gifford, M. J. Gross, D. A. Hogan, M. L. Sogin, H. G. Morrison, B. J. Paster, G. A. O'Toole

Dartmouth Scholarship

Diverse microbial communities chronically colonize the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Pyrosequencing of amplicons for hypervariable regions in the 16S rRNA gene generated taxonomic profiles of bacterial communities for sputum genomic DNA samples from 22 patients during a state of clinical stability (outpatients) and 13 patients during acute exacerbation (inpatients). We employed quantitative PCR (qPCR) to confirm the detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus by the pyrosequencing data and human oral microbe identification microarray (HOMIM) analysis to determine the species of the streptococci identified by pyrosequencing. We show that outpatient sputum samples have significantly higher bacterial diversity than inpatients, but …

Mice Deficient In Gem Gtpase Show Abnormal Glucose Homeostasis Due To Defects In Beta-Cell Calcium Handling, Jenny E. Gunton, Mary Sisavanh, Rebecca A. Stokes, Jon Satin, Leslie S. Satin, Min Zhang, Sue M. Liu, Weikang Cai, Kim Cheng, Gregory J. Cooney, D. Ross Laybutt, Trina So, Juan-Carlos Molero, Shane T. Grey, Douglas A. Andres, Michael S. Rolph, Charles R. Mackay

Physiology Faculty Publications

AIMS AND HYPOTHESIS: Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from beta-cells is a tightly regulated process that requires calcium flux to trigger exocytosis of insulin-containing vesicles. Regulation of calcium handling in beta-cells remains incompletely understood. Gem, a member of the RGK (Rad/Gem/Kir) family regulates calcium channel handling in other cell types, and Gem over-expression inhibits insulin release in insulin-secreting Min6 cells. The aim of this study was to explore the role of Gem in insulin secretion. We hypothesised that Gem may regulate insulin secretion and thus affect glucose tolerance in vivo.

METHODS: Gem-deficient mice were generated and their metabolic phenotype characterised by in …

Non-Typeable Haemophilus Influenzae Decreases Cilia Beating Via Protein Kinase Cε., Kristina L. Bailey, Tricia D. Levan, Daniel A. Yanov, Jacqueline A. Pavlik, Jane M. Devasure, Joseph H. Sisson, Todd A. Wyatt

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Haemophilus influenzae infection of the nasal epithelium has long been associated with observations of decreased nasal ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and injury to the ciliated epithelium. Previously, we have reported that several agents that slow CBF also have the effect of activating protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) activity in bronchial epithelial cells. The subsequent auto-downregulation of PKCε or the direct inhibition of PKCε leads to the specific detachment of the ciliated cells.

METHODS: Primary cultures of ciliated bovine bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to filtered conditioned media supernatants from non-typeable H. influenzae (NTHi) cultures. CBF and motile points were …

Composition Of The Adult Digestive Tract Bacterial Microbiome Based On Seven Mouth Surfaces, Tonsils, Throat And Stool Samples, Nicola Segata, Susan Kinder Haake, Peter Mannon, Katherine P. Lemon, Levi Waldron, Dirk Gevers, Curtis Huttenhower, Jacques Izard

Publications and Research

Background: To understand the relationship between our bacterial microbiome and health, it is essential to define the microbiome in the absence of disease. The digestive tract includes diverse habitats and hosts the human body’s greatest bacterial density. We describe the bacterial community composition of ten digestive tract sites from more than 200 normal adults enrolled in the Human Microbiome Project, and metagenomically determined metabolic potentials of four representative sites.

Results: The microbiota of these diverse habitats formed four groups based on similar community compositions: buccal mucosa, keratinized gingiva, hard palate; saliva, tongue, tonsils, throat; sub- and supra-gingival plaques; and stool. …

Endogenous Dynorphin Protects Against Neurotoxin-Elicited Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neuron Damage And Motor Deficits In Mice, Qingshan Wang, Eun-Joo Shin, Xuan-Khanh Thi Nguyen, Quan Li, Jae-Hyung Bach, Guoying Bing, Won-Ki Kim, Hyoung-Chun Kim, Jau-Shyong Hong

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The striato-nigral projecting pathway contains the highest concentrations of dynorphin in the brain. The functional role of this opioid peptide in the regulation of mesencephalic dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons is not clear. We reported previously that exogenous dynorphin exerts potent neuroprotective effects against inflammation-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration in vitro. The present study was performed to investigate whether endogenous dynorphin has neuroprotective roles in vivo.

METHODS: 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and methamphetamine (MA), two commonly used neurotoxins in rodent models of Parkinson's disease, were administered to wild-type (Dyn⁺/⁺) and prodynorphin-deficient mice (Dyn⁻/⁻). We examined dopaminergic neurotoxicity by using an automated video tracking system, HPLC, …

Melanoma Induction By Ultraviolet A But Not Ultraviolet B Radiation Requires Melanin Pigment, Frances P. Noonan, M. Raza Zaidi, Agnieszka Wolnicka-Glubisz, Miriam R. Anver, Jesse Bahn, Anastas Popratiloff, +9 Additional Authors

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

Malignant melanoma of the skin (CMM) is associated with ultraviolet radiation exposure, but the mechanisms and even the wavelengths responsible are unclear. Here we use a mammalian model to investigate melanoma formed in response to precise spectrally defined ultraviolet wavelengths and biologically relevant doses. We show that melanoma induction by ultraviolet A (320–400 nm) requires the presence of melanin pigment and is associated with oxidative DNA damage within melanocytes. In contrast, ultraviolet B radiation (280–320 nm) initiates melanoma in a pigment-independent manner associated with direct ultraviolet B DNA damage. Thus, we identified two ultraviolet wavelength-dependent pathways for the induction of …

Muscle Contraction Duration And Fibre Recruitment Influence Blood Flow And Vo2 Independent Of Contractile Work During Steady-State Exercise In Humans, Jennifer C. Richards, Anne R. Crecelius, Brett S. Kirby, Dennis G. Larson, Frank A. Dinenno

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

We tested the hypothesis that, among conditions of matched contractile work, shorter contraction durations and greater muscle fibre recruitment result in augmented skeletal muscle blood flow and oxygen consumption (O2) during steady-state exercise in humans. To do so, we measured forearm blood flow (FBF; Doppler ultrasound) during 4 minutes of rhythmic handgrip exercise in 24 healthy young adults and calculated forearm O2 via blood samples obtained from a catheter placed in retrograde fashion into a deep vein draining the forearm muscle. In Protocol 1 (n = 11), subjects performed rhythmic isometric handgrip exercise at mild and moderate intensities under conditions …

The Effect Of Mechanical Force On Gene Expression Of Human Bladder Smooth Muscle Cells, Christopher A. Callan

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

The purpose of this project is to define, at the molecular level, the process by which gene expression of the extracellular matrix is regulated by mechanical forces in the Human Bladder Smooth Muscle cells (BSMCs). The goal is to first localize several functionally distinct transmembrane proteins; Sarcoglycans (α, β, γ, δ and ε), cytoskeletal proteins Vimentin, and Desmin to verify their presence in the cultured BSMCs using fluorescent-labeled antibodies specific for each protein. The sarcoglycans are primarily responsible for transferring intracellular force generated by the interaction of actin and myosin while the extracellular proteins are responsible for linking the cells …

Roles Of Resveratrol And Genistein In Invasion And Metastasis Of Breast Cancer, Brittany Wolfe

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer is a cellular disease characterized by the exploitation of several cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, motility, and invasion. Effective treatment is available for non-invasive breast cancer at diagnosis, leading to a very high survival rate compared to the low survival rate for those where the breast cancer has spread. Thus, identifying effective therapies and preventative agents is imperative to successfully treat breast cancer. Since diet compromises a large component of the risk factors for breast cancer, it would be beneficial to examine dietary compounds that could potentially play a beneficial role in inhibiting cancer …

Does Initial Shunt Type For The Norwood Procedure Affect Echocardiographic Measures Of Cardiac Size And Function During Infancy?: The Single Vventricle Reconstruction Trial., Peter C. Frommelt, Lin T. Guey, L Luann Minich, Majeed Bhat, Tim J. Bradley, Steve D. Colan, Greg Ensing, Jessica Gorentz, Haleh Heydarian, J Blaine John, Wyman W. Lai, Jami C. Levine, William T. Mahle, Stephen G. Miller, Richard G. Ohye, Gail D. Pearson, Girish S. Shirali, Pierre C. Wong, Meryl S. Cohen, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: The Pediatric Heart Network trial comparing outcomes in 549 infants with single right ventricle undergoing a Norwood procedure randomized to modified Blalock-Taussig shunt or right ventricle-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS) found better 1-year transplant-free survival in those who received RVPAS. We sought to compare the impact of shunt type on echocardiographic indices of cardiac size and function up to 14 months of age.

METHODS AND RESULTS: A core laboratory measured indices of cardiac size and function from protocol exams: early after Norwood procedure (age 22.5 ± 13.4 days), before stage II procedure (age 4.8 ± 1.8 months), and at 14 …

Risk Factors Associated With Acl Injuries In Females, Kiersten Young, Lindsey Eberman

Symposium 2012

No abstract provided.

Can Slap Lesions Be Clinically Diagnosed?, Eric Bales

Symposium 2012

No abstract provided.

Digital And Clinical Refractometers Are Valid Instruments For The Measure Of Hydration Status, A. J. Niemann, S. W. Yeargin, L. E. Eberman, H. M. Mata, H. A. Adams, D. J. Dziedzicki

Symposium 2012

Although some instruments have been validated for clinical measure of hydration status, new and currently invalid instruments are available for purchase and clinical use. Athletic trainers commonly use these instruments to assess hydration status for weight checks and body mass loss charts due to their ease of use. However, the validity of these popular instruments has not yet been established.

Integrin Activation By A Cold Atmospheric Plasma Jet, Olga Volotskova, Mary Ann Stepp, Michael Keidar

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

Current breakthrough research on cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) demonstrates that CAP has great potential in various areas, including medicine and biology, thus providing a new tool for living tissue treatment. In this paper, we explore potential mechanisms by which CAP alters cell migration and influences cell adhesion. We focus on the study of CAP interaction with fibroblasts and corneal epithelial cells. The data show that fibroblasts and corneal epithelial cells have different thresholds (treatment times) required to achieve maximum inhibition of cell migration. Both cell types reduced their migration rates by ~30–40% after CAP compared to control cells. Also, the …

An Integrated Bioinformatics And Computational Biology Approach Identifies New Bh3-Only Protein Candidates, Robert G. Hawley, Yuzhong Chen, Irene Riz, Chen Zeng

Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications

FoxD4L1 is a forkhead transcription factor that expands the neural ectoderm by down-regulating genes that promote the onset of neural differentiation and up-regulating genes that maintain proliferative neural precursors in an immature state. We previously demonstrated that binding of Grg4 to an Eh-1 motif enhances the ability of FoxD4L1 to down-regulate target neural genes but does not account for all of its repressive activity. Herein we analyzed the protein sequence for additional interaction motifs and secondary structure. Eight conserved motifs were identified in the C-terminal region of fish and frog proteins. Extending the analysis to mammals identified a high scoring …

Combining Electrospun Polydioxanone Scaffolds, Schwann Cells, And Matrigel To Improve Functional Recovery After A Complete Spinal Cord Transection In Rats, Ashok Kannan

Theses and Dissertations

Spinal cord injury (SCI) has presented itself as a multifaceted pathology that is largely inhibitory to regeneration, and therefore to functional recovery, even though spinal cord neurons have been found to be innately regenerative. Thus, having identified the key players in the inhibition of this innate regeneration, SCI researchers have focused on two major types of approaches: (1) blocking inhibitory cues and (2) promoting innate regeneration. Schwann cells (SCs) have long been shown to promote and enhance functional recovery after SCI through providing supplemental myelination and trophic and tropic factors to regenerating axons, though singular approaches rarely address the complex …

Eye Size At Birth In Prosimian Primates: Life History Correlates And Growth Patterns, Joshua R. Cummings, Magdalena N. Muchlinski, E. Christopher Kirk, Susan J. Rehorek, Valerie B. Deleon, Timothy D. Smith

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Primates have large eyes relative to head size, which profoundly influence the ontogenetic emergence of facial form. However, growth of the primate eye is only understood in a narrow taxonomic perspective, with information biased toward anthropoids.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We measured eye and bony orbit size in perinatal prosimian primates (17 strepsirrhine taxa and Tarsius syrichta) to infer the extent of prenatal as compared to postnatal eye growth. In addition, multiple linear regression was used to detect relationships of relative eye and orbit diameter to life history variables. ANOVA was used to determine if eye size differed according to activity …

Genetic Analysis Of Chromosomal Regions Affecting Sperm Mobility In The Chicken (Gallus Gallus Domesticus), Sharath Chandra Munnaluri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project is focused on determining the contributions of particular genetic loci to low sperm mobility in the chicken. Sperm mobility has been shown to be a major determinant of male fertility in broiler breeders. A whole genome SNP scan identified chromosomal regions (QTLs) that control sperm mobility. I used microsatellites from 4 chromosomal regions ( 15.151 on chromosome 6, 12.435 on chromosome Z, 12.341 on chromosome Z, and 17.214 on chromosome Z) to determine the association of these regions with sperm mobility in experimental lines divergently selected for mobility phenotype. Determination of the genetics underlying sperm mobility will identify …

Regulation Of Protein Degradation In The Heart By Amp-Activated Protein Kinase, Kedryn K. Baskin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The degradation of proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome system is essential for cellular homeostasis in the heart. An important regulator of metabolic homeostasis is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). During nutrient deprivation, AMPK is activated and intracellular proteolysis is enhanced through the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Whether AMPK plays a role in protein degradation through the UPS in the heart is not known. Here I present data in support of the hypothesis that AMPK transcriptionally regulates key players in the UPS, which, under extreme conditions can be detrimental to the heart. The ubiquitin ligases MAFbx /Atrogin-1 and MuRF1, key regulators of …

Regulation Of Protein Degradation In The Heart By Amp-Activated Protein Kinase, Kedryn K. Baskin, Kedryn K. Baskin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The degradation of proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome system is essential for cellular homeostasis in the heart. An important regulator of metabolic homeostasis is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). During nutrient deprivation, AMPK is activated and intracellular proteolysis is enhanced through the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Whether AMPK plays a role in protein degradation through the UPS in the heart is not known. Here I present data in support of the hypothesis that AMPK transcriptionally regulates key players in the UPS, which, under extreme conditions can be detrimental to the heart. The ubiquitin ligases MAFbx /Atrogin-1 and MuRF1, key regulators of …

Short-Term Estrogen-Depletion-Related Changes In Anatomic Variation Of Time-Dependent Material Properties, And Evidence Of Secondary Remodeling Of Ovine Compact Bone, Ryan Allen, Kathleen De Guzman

Biomedical Engineering

Recognized as the most common type of bone disease in humans, osteoporosis poses a major health threat to roughly 28 million Americans [1]. In women, the leading cause of osteoporosis is known to be a drop in estrogen during the time of menopause. Thus, it becomes essential to acquire a better understanding of postmenopausal osteoporosis, as many individuals desire a longer lifetime and an improved quality of life for the elderly. To further current knowledge of postmenopausal osteoporosis and help develop methods of overcoming it, it is important to find an appropriate animal model.

In this study, pretreated ovine compact …

Characterization Of The Vasotocin Receptor Subtype 4 (Vt4r) In The Brain And Pituitary Gland Of The Chicken, Gallus Gallus, Rajamani Selvam

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the distribution of the vasotocin subtype four receptor (VT4R) in brain and pituitary gland of the chicken, Gallus gallus. The anterior pituitary cell types associated with the VT4R were also determined. Two polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbit against a cocktail of peptides, 15 amino acids from the amino terminal region and 17 amino acids from the carboxy terminal region of VT4R receptor. The antibody was validated utilizing the Western blot and immunocytochemistry. A single band at 47KDa utilizing membrane protein extracts of chicken brain and pituitary tissues was shown for the VT4R antibody. A peptide …

What Is The Role Of Free Radical Scavengers In Acute Stroke?, Muhammad Faisal Wadiwala, Ambreen Sonawalla, Ayeesha Kamran Kamal

Section of Neurology

No abstract provided.

Early Developmental Outcome In Children With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome And Related Anomalies: The Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial., Jane W. Newburger, Lynn A. Sleeper, David C. Bellinger, Caren S. Goldberg, Sarah Tabbutt, Minmin Lu, Kathleen A. Mussatto, Ismee A. Williams, Kathryn E. Gustafson, Seema Mital, Nancy Pike, Erica Sood, William T. Mahle, David S. Cooper, Carolyn Dunbar-Masterson, Catherine Dent Krawczeski, Alan Lewis, Shaji C. Menon, Victoria L. Pemberton, Chitra Ravishankar, Teresa W. Atz, Richard G. Ohye, J William Gaynor, Pediatric Heart Network Investigators, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Survivors of the Norwood procedure may experience neurodevelopmental impairment. Clinical trials to improve outcomes have focused primarily on methods of vital organ support during cardiopulmonary bypass.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial of the Norwood procedure with modified Blalock-Taussig shunt versus right-ventricle-to-pulmonary-artery shunt, 14-month neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed by use of the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. We used multivariable regression to identify risk factors for adverse outcome. Among 373 transplant-free survivors, 321 (86%) returned at age 14.3 ± 1.1 (mean ± SD) months. Mean …

Inhibition Of Injury-Induced Cell Proliferation In The Dentate Gyrus Impairs Cognitive Recovery Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Teresa Daniels

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces a robust cellular proliferative response among neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/NPCs) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. This proliferative effect is thought to contribute to the innate cognitive recovery observed following TBI. Inhibition of hippocampal neurogenesis impairs cognitive function. Furthermore, enhancement of injury-induced hippocampal neurogenesis via intraventricular administration of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) improves cognitive function in animals following TBI. In this experiment, we investigated the direct association between injury-induced hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive recovery utilizing an antimitotic agent, arabinofuranosyl cytidine (Ara-C). In this study, adult rats received a moderate lateral fluid percussion injury …

The Effect Of Minocycline Treatment On Cell Proliferation And Neurogenesis In The Hippocampus In Young And Aged Brains Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Ashley Harvin

Theses and Dissertations

Following traumatic brain injury, there is an enhanced cell proliferative and neurogenic response in the young adult hippocampus, which may be associated with innate cognitive recovery. However, in the aged brain, an increased level of inflammatory cell responses was observed following injury concomitant to decreased hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive recovery in the aging population. This suggests that excessive inflammation produced in the injured aging brain has a detrimental effect on neurogenesis and cognitive function. In this study, we examined the effect of anti-inflammatory treatment with minocycline on cell proliferation and generation of new neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) of …

The Role Of Sulfatide In The Development And Maintenance Of The Nodal And Paranodal Domains In The Peripheral Nervous System, Heather Herman

Theses and Dissertations

Sulfatide is a galactolipid and a major lipid component of the myelin sheath. Its production is catalyzed by the enzyme cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST). To determine the functions of sulfatide, the gene encoding CST was genetically disrupted resulting in mice incapable of sulfatide synthesis. Using these mice, it has been shown in the central nervous system (CNS) that sulfatide is essential for normal myelin synthesis and stability even though the onset of myelination is not impaired. Additionally, proper initial clustering of paranodal proteins and cluster maintenance of nodal proteins is impaired suggesting that paranodal domains are important for long-term node stability. …

Natural Reward Experience Alters Ampa And Nmda Receptor Distribution And Function In The Nucleus Accumbens, Kyle K. Pitchers, Susanne Schmid, Andrea R. Di Sebastiano, Xu Wang, Steven R. Laviolette, Michael N. Lehman, Lique M. Coolen

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Natural reward and drugs of abuse converge upon the mesolimbic system which mediates motivation and reward behaviors. Drugs induce neural adaptations in this system, including transcriptional, morphological, and synaptic changes, which contribute to the development and expression of drug-related memories and addiction. Previously, it has been reported that sexual experience in male rats, a natural reward behavior, induces similar neuroplasticity in the mesolimbic system and affects natural reward and drug-related behavior. The current study determined whether sexual experience causes long-lasting changes in mating, or ionotropic glutamate receptor trafficking or function in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), following 3 different reward abstinence …

T-Scores In African American Women, Catherine Meyer, Brooke L. Griffin, Kathy Komperda, Jill Borchert

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Many older bone densitometer (DXA) machines are programmed to calculate T-scores for African- American patients using peak African-American bone mass as reference standard.

This presents a problem because most data regarding fracture risk has been derived using Caucasian data (Binkley 2002). If the T-score for an African-American woman is calculated using a race-adjusted reference, the same absolute bone density will yield a lower T-score for an African- American than for a Caucasian woman. For this reason, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry has recommended that T-scores for all women, regardless of ethnicity, be calculated from Caucasian reference standards (ISCD 2007).

Endocrine Complications In Patients Of Beta Thalassemia Major In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, Amina Adil, Zain A. Sobani, Abdul Jabbar, Salman N Adil, Safia Awan

Section of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To determine the major endocrine complications present in patients of Thalassemia major presenting to a tertiary care center in Karachi, Pakistan.

METHODS: Records of all thallasemia major patients at a Haematology Department in a tertiary care hospital of Karachi were retrospectively reviewed from May to August 2009 with specific focus on endocrine data and investigations. The patients' data was recorded in a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS v.17, frequencies and percentages along with corresponding 95% confidence interval were computed.

RESULTS: Our data revealed that a significantly small percentage of those under care received regular endocrine follow-up. Male hypo-gonadal abnormalities …