Assessing the Role of the Microbiome, Parasite Infections, and Movement in Avian Health

Avian health encompasses the physical, physiological, and behavioral well-being of birds. Assessing avian health is not only important for the conservation and management of wild birds and the recreational economy, but also for the management of infectious diseases that threaten public health and agriculture. Birds, comprising approximately 10,000 species and an estimated 50 billion individuals worldwide, are known to be involved in the spread of pathogens, some of which are zoonotic (from animals to humans), such as avian influenza and West Nile viruses. Individual measures of avian health may include physical measurements (e.g., body mass, wing length), pathogen infection status, the host-associated microbial community (the microbiome), and behavior (e.g., movement, migratory status). In particular, the microbiome is known to play diverse functional roles in individuals, including in immune function, growth, and physiology, however little is known about the relationships between the microbiome, pathogen infection, and fitness in wild birds. Here, we sought to evaluate indicators of avian health and the factors that drive them by (1) defining the “core” microbiome of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), (2) demonstrating the utility of microbiome data for pathogen detection in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica), (3) identifying predictors of parasite infection intensity and relationships with the microbiome in Maine waterfowl, and (4) examining whether trait variation (plumage coloration) predicts potential indicators of avian health (pathogen infection, microbiome, movement), and whether these health indicators affect reproductive success in barn owls (Tyto alba). We collected cloacal swabs from multiple wild bird species to characterize the cloacal bacterial microbiome through 16S rRNA sequencing. We also collected biological samples for the detection and/or quantification of pathogen infections: a cloacal swab in nutrient broth for Salmonella (barn swallows) and whole blood for avian haemosporidian parasite (all others). We recorded host ecological data (all species), as well as movement and/or reproductive data (barn owls only) and conducted statistical analyses to identify potential drivers of pathogen infection, microbiome diversity and composition, movement and/or fitness. We found that although six taxa were identified as part of the core cloacal microbiome of mallard ducks, they were not universally prominent across three represented flyways (Obj. 1). Rather, sampling location was found to significantly influence the bacterial microbiome alpha diversity (Chao1; χ2 = 71.218, p = 3.43e-16) of mallards. We also detected Salmonella in 23.1% (25) barn swallow samples and found a significant relationship between the presence of Salmonella and microbiome alpha diversity in swallows (Obj. 2). Location was the primary driver for avian haemosporidian parasite infection intensity in Maine waterfowl, followed by age (Obj. 3). While we found no consistent relationship between parasite infection and the avian microbiome across duck species, we did observe a significant relationship between parasite infection intensity and microbiome composition (beta diversity) using the weighted UniFrac measure (F = 3.02, p = 0.013). Finally, we found no relationship between plumage coloration and indicators of avian health in barn owls (Obj. 4). However, female owl movement, as reflected by home range area, was inversely related to measures of reproductive success (clutch size and fledge success. Furthermore, microbiome alpha diversity was significantly correlated with Julian laying date, such that individuals with higher microbiome diversity laid their eggs earlier, thereby potentially enhancing their reproductive potential. Collectively, this thesis evaluates multiple indicators of avian health, including the microbiome diversity, parasite infections, and movement ecology, and provides valuable insight into the ecological drivers and dynamics of host-microbe interactions

Spag17 Deficiency Impairs Neuronal Cell Differentiation in Developing Brain

The development of the nervous system is a multi-level, time-sensitive process that relies heavily on cell differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms that control brain development remain poorly understood. We generated a knockout (KO) mouse for the cilia associated gene Spag17. These animals develop hydrocephalus and enlarged ventricles consistent with the role of Spag17 in the motility of ependymal cilia. However, other phenotypes that cannot be explained by this role were also present. Recently, a mutation in Spag17 has been associated with brain malformations and severe intellectual disability in humans. Therefore, we hypothesized that Spag17 plays a crucial role in nervous system development. To investigate this possibility, we first characterized the spatiotemporal expression of Spag17 in the developing brain by using Beta-galactosidase staining and immunohistochemistry. Results showed Spag17 expression in the spinal cord in embryonic E11. By E11.5-12.5 the expression extends to the rhombic lip from the developing hindbrain, as well as to the forebrain and midbrain regions. E14.5-15.5 embryos exhibit an intense expression in the developing ventricles as well as the cerebellum. From E17.5 to birth (P0), the gene is more broadly expressed. We then used a global Spag17 KO mouse model to characterize the function of Spag17 during brain development. Immunohistochemical studies performed in brain sections from E15.5 and P0 time points showed increased expression of the neural progenitor marker Nestin, and reduced expression of mature neuron marker NeuN, increasing positive trend with the young neuron marker Tuj1. Altogether, these findings reveal that Spag17 has a unique spatiotemporal distribution and may be critical for the maturation of neural progenitor cells

How Does the Brain Predict Who\u27s Speaking?

While sitting in a noisy environment you may have trouble understanding your conversation partner. However, listening to a familiar voice of a friend may be easier compared to listening to an unfamiliar voice. Past research studies support this phenomenon with evidence of stronger speech-evoked brain activity while listening to a familiar speaker. Additionally, previous studies have developed the concept of the Predictive Coding Theory. This theory states that the brain predicts what will occur in its sensory environment based on its internal representations of the world. The incoming sensory inputs update the predictions. There has been an emphasis on the physiological evidence of neurocognitive processing in this theory. One in which is dominated by top-down processing, and the other uses sensory sampling. In this study, we claim that gamma band oscillations use sensory sampling and beta band oscillations use top-down processing and predicting. However, there is no evidence on what neural substrates are involved while tracking a speaker’s identity in noise. Our goals were to investigate the cortical oscillations produced and their location in the brain when there is a speaker identity cue versus no cue. We measured cortical EEG data of 13 normal-hearing participants in speech-in-noise. The speaker identity cues increased beta band oscillations in the inferior frontal gyrus region of the left hemisphere. However, without a speaker identity cue, greater gamma band oscillations were found in the supratemporal gyrus in both hemispheres. The results had significant differences amongst both conditions. With these results, we support the Predictive Coding Theory and the physiological evidence of cortical oscillations. While the brain tracks a familiar voice in noisy environments it uses predictive top-down processing indicated by beta waves. However, if the brain cannot predict the speaker, then sampling of auditory features occurs, indicated through gamma oscillations. This allows the brain to be open to all potential voices

Traditional osteotomy versus distraction osteogenesis: articulation changes in Cantonese patients with cleft palate

Also available in print.Thesis (B.Sc)--University of Hong Kong, 2006."A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Speech and Hearing Sciences), The University of Hong Kong, June 30, 2006."published_or_final_versionSpeech and Hearing SciencesBachelorBachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science

Reading-through be-longing: towards a methodology for political sciences otherwise

Inspired by critical feminist, decolonial, and narrative approaches, this paper invites political sciences scholars to engage in different forms of knowledges (unlearning Western-centrism by centering Asia), (collective) methodology, and data collection (centering stories). We offer a pathway to political sciences otherwise, i.e., “as if people matter” and propose reading-through as a methodology for open-ended sensemaking at the service of pluriversal co-existence, prioritizing life in/and dignity over mastery or singular truths and fact-finding. Reading-through encompasses diverse practices of meeting, co-reading, and co-writing, including exchanging thoughts on fictional/scientific stories in a “live” epistolary process paper. To articulate the substantive purchase of reading-through, we engage a selection of novels—Szabo’s The Door, Faye’s Small Country, Thúy’s Ru, and, especially Lee’s Pachinko, a woman-centered multigenerational story on the Korean and wider (north)East Asian colonial/diasporic experience in the twentieth century—and revisit the political sciences theme of belonging as be-longing otherwise. Rather than offering a definitive blueprint for Political Sciences otherwise, this paper seeks a deeper understanding of how method and methodology are an integral, co-constitutive part of our capacity to fundamentally rethink learned disciplinary conventions towards scholarship “as if people matter.

A Review of the Effectiveness of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine at Alleviating Pregnancy-Related Pain

Globally, more than a quarter of pregnant patients experience low back pain (LBP) during pregnancy with additional complaints of pelvic girdle pain (PGP) and other somatic dysfunctions. Though the standard of care for LBP in pregnancy is often analgesics, concerns about potential side effects that may cause lasting harm to the fetus may preclude pregnant patients from taking pain medications. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) is a nonpharmacologic treatment option that is routinely used for LBP in non-pregnant patients. Given the low risk of adverse effects, OMM may prove to be beneficial for pregnant patients suffering from LBP or PGP

Photocrosslinked Bioreducible Polymeric Nanoparticles for Enhanced Systemic siRNA Delivery as Cancer Therapy

Clinical translation of polymer‐based nanocarriers for systemic delivery of RNA has been limited due to poor colloidal stability in the blood stream and intracellular delivery of the RNA to the cytosol. To address these limitations, this study reports a new strategy incorporating photocrosslinking of bioreducible nanoparticles for improved stability extracellularly and rapid release of RNA intracellularly. In this design, the polymeric nanocarriers contain ester bonds for hydrolytic degradation and disulfide bonds for environmentally triggered small interfering RNA (siRNA) release in the cytosol. These photocrosslinked bioreducible nanoparticles (XbNPs) have a shielded surface charge, reduced adsorption of serum proteins, and enable superior siRNA‐mediated knockdown in both glioma and melanoma cells in high‐serum conditions compared to non‐crosslinked formulations. Mechanistically, XbNPs promote cellular uptake and the presence of secondary and tertiary amines enables efficient endosomal escape. Following systemic administration, XbNPs facilitate targeting of cancer cells and tissue‐mediated siRNA delivery beyond the liver, unlike conventional nanoparticle‐based delivery. These attributes of XbNPs facilitate robust siRNA‐mediated knockdown in vivo in melanoma tumors colonized in the lungs following systemic administration. Thus, biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles, via photocrosslinking, demonstrate extended colloidal stability and efficient delivery of RNA therapeutics under physiological conditions, and thereby potentially advance systemic delivery technologies for nucleic acid‐based therapeutics

Income and Its Effects On Health Literacy: A Study Between a Student-Run Free Clinic and a Family Medicine Office

More than 1/3 of people nationwide (80+ million) have limited health literacy, which contributes to poor health outcomes and lifestyle choices. Health literacy is defined as the understanding and application of words, numbers & documents (i.e., medication labels, medical forms). The Rowan Community Health Center (RCHC), located in Lindenwold NJ, is a student-run clinic that wanted to assess the health literacy of our patients in order to further provide better care. RCHC provides cost-free primary care services regardless of income, insurance, or legal status. To assess health literacy, RCHC used the New Vital Signs (NVS) literacy assessment tool to investigate if there is a difference in health literacy between non-insured patients at RCHC and insured patients a Rowan Family Medicine (FM) office in Hammonton, NJ. The NVS tool, which was a score ranging from 0 to 6, was administered to 45 participants. Data was stored in Qualtrics and analyzed in SPSS. Data showed a significantly higher prevalence of limited literacy (NVS score ≤3) compared to adequate literacy (score ≤4) among male patients (p=0.046) and patients below the poverty line (p=0.036). This showed that both gender and socioeconomic factors correlate with health literacy in our patient populations at RCHC and Family Medicine office. Health literacy extends universally and should not be neglected when interacting with patients. RCHC plans to use this data to mend the health literacy gap by creating a future literacy course as a potential intervention for basic health literacy

Skeletal Protection and Promotion of Microbiome Diversity by Dietary Boosting of the Endogenous Antioxidant Response

There is an unmet need for interventions with better compliance that prevent the adverse effects of sex steroid deficiency on the musculoskeletal system. We identified a blueberry cultivar (Montgomerym [Mont]) that added to the diet protects female mice from musculoskeletal loss and body weight changes induced by ovariectomy. Mont, but not other blueberries, increased the endogenous antioxidant response by bypassing the traditional antioxidant transcription factor Nrf2 and without activating estrogen receptor canonical signaling. Remarkably, Mont did not protect the male skeleton from androgen-induced bone loss. Moreover, Mont increased the variety of bacterial communities in the gut microbiome (α-diversity) more in female than in male mice; shifted the phylogenetic relatedness of bacterial communities (β-diversity) further in females than males; and increased the prevalence of the taxon Ruminococcus1 in females but not males. Therefore, this nonpharmacologic intervention (i) protects from estrogen but not androgen deficiency; (ii) preserves bone, skeletal muscle, and body composition; (iii) elicits antioxidant defense responses independently of classical antioxidant/estrogenic signaling; and (iv) increases gut microbiome diversity toward a healthier signature. These findings highlight the impact of nutrition on musculoskeletal and gut microbiome homeostasis and support the precision medicine principle of tailoring dietary interventions to patient individualities, like sex.Fil: Sato, Amy Y.. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Estados Unidos. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Pellegrini, Gretel Gisela. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Inmunología, Genética y Metabolismo; ArgentinaFil: Cregor, Meloney. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Estados Unidos. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: McAndrews, Kevin. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Choi, Roy B. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Maiz, Maria. Purdue University; Estados UnidosFil: Johnson, Olivia. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: McCabe, Linda D.. Purdue University; Estados UnidosFil: McCabe, George P.. Purdue University; Estados UnidosFil: Ferruzzi, Mario G.. North Carolina State University; Estados UnidosFil: Lila, Mary Ann. North Carolina State University; Estados UnidosFil: Peacock, Munro. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Burr, David B.. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Nakatsu, Cindy H.. Purdue University; Estados UnidosFil: Weaver, Connie M.. Purdue University; Estados UnidosFil: Bellido, Teresita. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Estados Unidos. Indiana University. School of Medicine; Estados Unido

The effect of ultra-thin graphite on the morphology and physical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer composites

[EN] Composites of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and ultra-thin graphite (UTG) with concentrations ranging from 0.5 wt.% to 3 wt.% were prepared using a solution compounding strategy. Substantial reinforcing effects with increased loadings are achieved. Compared to neat TPU, values for storage modulus and shear viscosity are enhanced by 300% and 150%, respectively, for UTG concentrations of 3 wt.%. Additionally, an enhancement of thermal properties is accomplished. The crystallization temperature and thermal stability increased by 30 C and 10 C, respectively, compared to neat TPU. Furthermore, the use of oxidized UTG (UTGO) with its added functional oxygen groups suggests the presence of chemical interactions between UTG and TPU, which additionally impact on the thermal properties of the corresponding composites. Controlling the oxidation degree, thus offers further possibilities to obtain composites with tailored properties. The presented approach is straightforward, leads to homogeneous TPU-UTG composites with improved materials properties and is especially suitable for commercial UTG materials and further up-scaled production.This research was supported by IMPIVA under Project (IMIDIP/2010/58), Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN) under Project MAT2010-15026, CSIC under Project 201080E124, and the Government of Aragon (DGA) and the European Social Fund (ESF) under Project DGA-ESF-T66 CNN. M.C. thanks MICINN and ESF for her Grant No. BES-2008-003503. Authors thank Merquinsa S.L. (Barcelona, Spain) and Avanzare S.L. (La Rioja, Spain) for kindly providing polyurethane and ultra-thin graphite samples, respectively.Menes, O.; Cano, M.; Benedito, A.; Giménez Torres, E.; Castell, P.; Maser, WK.; Benito, AM. (2012). The effect of ultra-thin graphite on the morphology and physical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer composites. Composites Science and Technology. 72(13):1595-1601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2012.06.016S15951601721