Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) to study the behavioral impacts of early bisphenol F exposure reveals decreased swim speed, increased distance between fish, and increased freezing behaviors

The widespread use of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been a source of concern because of their various effects on the endocrine system. These effects include metabolic disorders, complications in reproductive health, hormone-related cancers, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Of particular concern is bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic compound commonly found in consumer products such as water bottles, thermal receipt paper, and epoxy resins used in processed food packaging. Previous studies have shown that BPA can mimic estrogen through a variety of mechanisms and thus elicit an endocrine response. Some manufacturers have responded by removing BPA from their products; however, studies using a replacement compound bisphenol S have reported it to be just as, if not more, dangerous. The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae as a model organism allows for the effects of bisphenol exposure to be rapidly quantified through a simple behavioral assay. In studies involving bisphenol exposure, the use of zebrafish has demonstrated reproductive, developmental, endocrine, and behavioral effects. The study of bisphenol F, yet another endocrine disruptor that has become a replacement for BPA in consumer products, is highly important to public safety

The Impact of Judaism on Social Reform

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay\u27s first paragraph. Judaism marked the beginning of a revolutionary idea that laid the groundwork for social reform: humans have the ability and therefore the responsibility to stop injustices in the world. The Jews were the first to decide that it was their responsibility as the Chosen People to fight against inequality in the world. This mentality revolutionized social reform and brought it into existence as a way for human beings to positively shape their world. The ideas laid by the Jews continued to impact people for centuries and are especially relevant in the modern world

The Impact of Judaism on Social Reform

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay\u27s first paragraph. Judaism marked the beginning of a revolutionary idea that laid the groundwork for social reform: humans have the ability and therefore the responsibility to stop injustices in the world. The Jews were the first to decide that it was their responsibility as the Chosen People to fight against inequality in the world. This mentality revolutionized social reform and brought it into existence as a way for human beings to positively shape their world. The ideas laid by the Jews continued to impact people for centuries and are especially relevant in the modern world

Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) to study the behavioral impacts of early bisphenol F exposure reveals decreased swim speed, increased distance between fish, and increased freezing behaviors

The widespread use of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been a source of concern because of their various effects on the endocrine system. These effects include metabolic disorders, complications in reproductive health, hormone-related cancers, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Of particular concern is bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic compound commonly found in consumer products such as water bottles, thermal receipt paper, and epoxy resins used in processed food packaging. Previous studies have shown that BPA can mimic estrogen through a variety of mechanisms and thus elicit an endocrine response. Some manufacturers have responded by removing BPA from their products; however, studies using a replacement compound bisphenol S have reported it to be just as, if not more, dangerous. The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae as a model organism allows for the effects of bisphenol exposure to be rapidly quantified through a simple behavioral assay. In studies involving bisphenol exposure, the use of zebrafish has demonstrated reproductive, developmental, endocrine, and behavioral effects. The study of bisphenol F, yet another endocrine disruptor that has become a replacement for BPA in consumer products, is highly important to public safety

Parasite-Mediated Disruptive Selection in a Natural \u3ci\u3eDaphnia\u3c/i\u3e Population

Background: A mismatch has emerged between models and data of host-parasite evolution. Theory readily predicts that parasites can promote host diversity through mechanisms such as disruptive selection. Yet, despite these predictions, empirical evidence for parasite-mediated increases in host diversity remains surprisingly scant. Results: Here, we document parasite-mediated disruptive selection on a natural Daphnia population during a parasite epidemic. The mean susceptibility of clones collected from the population before and after the epidemic did not differ, but clonal variance and broad-sense heritability of post-epidemic clones were significantly greater, indicating disruptive selection and rapid evolution. A maximum likelihood method that we developed for detecting selection on natural populations also suggests disruptive selection during the epidemic: the distribution of susceptibilities in the population shifted from unimodal prior to the epidemic to bimodal after the epidemic. Interestingly, this same bimodal distribution was retained after a generation of sexual reproduction. Conclusion: These results provide rare empirical support for parasite-driven increases in host genetic diversity, and suggest that this increase can occur rapidly

Parasite-mediated disruptive selection in a natural Daphnia population

© 2008 Duffy et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/8/80DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-8-80Background. A mismatch has emerged between models and data of host-parasite evolution. Theory readily predicts that parasites can promote host diversity through mechanisms such as disruptive selection. Yet, despite these predictions, empirical evidence for parasite-mediated increases in host diversity remains surprisingly scant. Results. Here, we document parasite-mediated disruptive selection on a natural Daphnia population during a parasite epidemic. The mean susceptibility of clones collected from the population before and after the epidemic did not differ, but clonal variance and broad-sense heritability of post-epidemic clones were significantly greater, indicating disruptive selection and rapid evolution. A maximum likelihood method that we developed for detecting selection on natural populations also suggests disruptive selection during the epidemic: the distribution of susceptibilities in the population shifted from unimodal prior to the epidemic to bimodal after the epidemic. Interestingly, this same bimodal distribution was retained after a generation of sexual reproduction. Conclusion. These results provide rare empirical support for parasite-driven increases in host genetic diversity, and suggest that this increase can occur rapidly

The Burr Fall 2011 Issue 2

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The association between pulmonary artery enlargement and mortality in an Emergency Department population undergoing computed tomography pulmonary angiography

Abstract Findings of an enlarged pulmonary artery diameter (PAd) and increased pulmonary artery to ascending aorta ratio (PA:AA) on contrast‐enhanced computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) are associated with increased mortality in particular groups of patients with cardiopulmonary disease. However, the frequency and prognostic significance of these incidental findings has not been studied in unselected patients evaluated in the Emergency Department (ED). This study aims to determine the prevalence and associated prognosis of enlarged pulmonary artery measurements in an ED cohort. We measured PA and AA diameters on 990 CTPA studies performed in the ED. An enlarged PA diameter was defined as >27 mm in females and >29 mm in males, while an increased PA:AA was defined as >0.9. Poisson regression was performed to calculate prevalence ratios for relevant comorbidities, and multivariable Cox regression was performed to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for mortality of patients with enlarged pulmonary artery measurements. An enlarged PAd was observed in 27.9% of 990 patients and was more commonly observed in older patients and in patients with obesity or heart failure. Conversely, PA:AA was increased in 34.2% of subjects, and was more common in younger patients and those with peripheral vascular disease or obesity. After controlling for age, sex, and comorbidities, both enlarged PAd (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.00–1.68, p = 0.05) and PA:AA (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.31–2.22 p < 0.01) were independently associated with mortality. In sum, enlarged PAd and increased PA:AA are common in patients undergoing CTPAs in the ED setting and both are independently associated with mortality