Alien Registration- Lowery, Freda B. (Brunswick, Cumberland County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/31539/thumbnail.jp

MG-132, an inhibitor of proteasomes and calpains, induced inhibition of oocyte maturation and aneuploidy in mouse oocytes

BACKGROUND: Although chromosome missegregation during oocyte maturation (OM) is a significant contributor to human morbidity and mortality, very little is known about the causes and mechanisms of aneuploidy. Several investigators have proposed that temporal perturbations during OM predispose oocytes to aberrant chromosome segregation. One approach for testing this proposal is to temporarily inhibit the activity of protein proteolysis during OM. We used the reversible proteasome inhibitor MG-132 to transiently perturb the temporal sequence of events during OM and subsequently analyzed mouse metaphase II (MII) for cytogenetic abnormalities. The transient inhibition of proteasome activity by MG-132 resulted in elevated levels of oocytes containing extra chromatids and chromosomes. RESULTS: The transient inhibition of proteasome-mediated proteolysis during OM by MG-132 resulted in dose-response delays during OM and elevated levels of aneuploid MII oocytes. Oocytes exposed in vitro to MG-132 exhibited greater delays during metaphase I (MI) as demonstrated by significantly (p < 0.01) higher levels of MI arrested oocytes and lower frequencies of premature sister chromatid separation in MII oocytes. Furthermore, the proportions of MII oocytes containing single chromatids and extra chromosomes significantly (p < 0.01) increased with MG-132 dosage. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the MG-132-induced transient delay of proteasomal activity during mouse OM in vitro predisposed oocytes to abnormal chromosome segregation. Although these findings support a relationship between disturbed proteasomal activity and chromosome segregation, considerable additional data are needed to further investigate the roles of proteasome-mediated proteolysis and other potential molecular mechanisms on chromosome segregation during OM

Comparison of Best Management Practice Adoption Between Virginia\u27s Chesapeake Bay Basin and Southern Rivers Watersheds

Producers in two regions of Virginia (Chesapeake Bay basin and Southern Rivers region) were surveyed to compare farming practices and agricultural best management practice (BMP) adoption. Objectives were to assess farming operations and determine the extent of cost-share and non-cost-share BMP implementation and gain insight into the impact of selected socioeconomic factors on the BMP adoption. Although farming characteristics and producer attitudes toward pollution and water quality were similar, BMP implementation differed between the two regions. Differences in BMP implementation may be due to a more focused, longer-term NPS pollution control educational effort in the Bay basin

Accuracy of a Web-based System for Monitoring Chronic Wounds

This study evaluated the accuracy of a store-and-forward telemedicine system for assessing the status of chronic wounds, including those surgically repaired. Digital photos and other patient and wound data were collected by a nurse using a laptop and transmitted via the Internet to a database, which organized and posted the data onto a web page for access by the telemedicine physician. Two Veterans' Affairs (VA) medical centers and two specialties (plastic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation) participated in the study. Study patients included inpatients and outpatients with pressure ulcers of stage II, III, or IV, plus outpatients with diabetic foot ulcers or venous stasis ulcers. All patients were assessed both in-person (the "gold standard") and with the telemedicine system using yes/no responses and a 5-point scale, respectively, on four diagnostic questions concerning wound healing and infection, based on AHCPR guidelines. A total of 70 patients were enrolled, with data collected on 430 visits: up to 6 visits per wound. Percentage agreement for all visits ranged from 67.1 for "not healing" to 88.8 for "cellulitis present." Sensitivity ranged from 0.32 for cellulitis to 0.63 for necrosis; and specificity ranged from 0.80 for necrosis to 0.91 for cellulitis. Although agreement of the telemedicine system was not high, it was not significantly less than interphysician agreement on in-person assessments. A relatively inexpensive store-and-forward telemedicine system for monitoring the status of chronic wounds has the potential to improve access to specialty care for patients who are not currently receiving routine monitoring by specialized nurses or physicians.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/63181/1/153056203766437471.pd

Loss of BMPR2 Expression in Skeletal Progenitor Cells Reduces Age-Related Bone Loss

Osteoporosis is a disease of low bone mineral density (BMD) that affects 10 million Americans with an additional 34 million at risk for developing the disease. Current FDA-approved therapies for osteoporosis involve anti-resorptive agents but many patients would benefit from augmenting bone formation as well as inhibiting bone loss. We recently reported that targeted deletion of the type 2 BMP receptor BMPR2 using Prx1-Cre in skeletal progenitor cells in mice leads to dramatically increased bone mass and bone formation rate by ten weeks of age in the absence of changes in osteoclast function (Lowery et al 2015). In the present study, we examined the age-related impact of Bmpr2 deletion and found that, consistent with our previous results, both male and female Bmpr2-cKO mice exhibit high bone mass when compared to control mice at 55 weeks of age. We also found that the age-related decline in bone mass from 15 weeks to 55 weeks of age in Bmpr2-cKO mice is reduced approximately three-fold compared to control mice, with male and female Bmpr2-cKO mice losing on average only 18% and 27%, respectively, while male and female control mice lost 55% and 77%, respectively, over the same time span. High bone mass in aged Bmpr2-cKO mice is associated with elevated serum levels of the bone formation marker Procollagen Type I N-terminal Propeptide (P1NP). In contrast, serum levels of the bone resorption marker Collagen Type I C-telopeptide (CTx) are unchanged in Bmpr2-cKO mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that loss of Bmpr2 in skeletal progenitor cells causes a sustained imbalance in bone formation vs. bone resorption and results in high bone mass in the aging skeleton. Our findings suggest that strategies aimed at controlling signaling through BMPR2 have the potential to impact bone mass in the aging adult skeleton

Changes in Mortality Related to Traumatic Brain Injuries in the Seychelles from 1989 to 2018.

Introduction: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are a significant source of disability and mortality, which disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries. The Republic of Seychelles is a country in the African region that has experienced rapid socio-economic development and one in which all deaths and the age distribution of the population have been enumerated for the past few decades. The aim of this study was to investigate TBI-related mortality changes in the Republic of Seychelles during 1989-2018. Methods: All TBI-related deaths were ascertained using the national Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System. Age- and sex-standardised mortality rates (per 100,000 person-years) were standardised to the age distribution of the World Health Organisation standard population. Results: The 30-year age-standardised TBI-related mortality rates were 22.6 (95% CI 19.9, 25.2) in males and 4.0 (95% CI 2.9, 5.1) in females. Road traffic collisions were the leading contributor to TBI-related mortality [10.0 (95% CI 8.2, 11.8) in males and 2.7 (95% CI 1.8, 3.6) in females, P &gt; 0.05]. TBI-related mortality was most frequent at age 20-39 years in males (8.0) and at age 0-19 in females (1.4). Comparing 2004-2018 vs. 1989-2003, the age-standardised mortality rates changed in males/females by -20%/-11% (all cause mortality), -24%/+39.4% (TBIs) and +1%/+34.8% (road traffic injury-related TBI). Conclusion: TBI-related mortality rates were much higher in males but decreased over time. Road traffic collisions were the single greatest contributor to TBI mortality, emphasising the importance of road safety measures

Semantic Annotation of Mutable Data

Electronic annotation of scientific data is very similar to annotation of documents. Both types of annotation amplify the original object, add related knowledge to it, and dispute or support assertions in it. In each case, annotation is a framework for discourse about the original object, and, in each case, an annotation needs to clearly identify its scope and its own terminology. However, electronic annotation of data differs from annotation of documents: the content of the annotations, including expectations and supporting evidence, is more often shared among members of networks. Any consequent actions taken by the holders of the annotated data could be shared as well. But even those current annotation systems that admit data as their subject often make it difficult or impossible to annotate at fine-enough granularity to use the results in this way for data quality control. We address these kinds of issues by offering simple extensions to an existing annotation ontology and describe how the results support an interest-based distribution of annotations. We are using the result to design and deploy a platform that supports annotation services overlaid on networks of distributed data, with particular application to data quality control. Our initial instance supports a set of natural science collection metadata services. An important application is the support for data quality control and provision of missing data. A previous proof of concept demonstrated such use based on data annotations modeled with XML-Schema

Associations Between Community Nutrition Environments and Early Care and Education Classroom Nutrition Practices

Poor child diet is influenced by nutrition environments surrounding schools and homes; influence of these environments on Early Care and Education (ECE) settings is not understood. The purpose of this study was to determine associations between community nutrition environments and ECE classroom nutrition practices, by ECE context [Head Starts, community-based childcare (CBCs), and family child care homes (FCCHs)]. Conclusions: Contrary to studies in residential areas and schools, nutrition environments were not related to nutrition practices in ECEs. This suggests that ECEs may serve as protective microenvironments supporting health for children more vulnerable to the health environments of their nearby residing communities. Supporting health practices for ECEs may be achieved most effectively through within-center intervention and policy