ArtWorks Evaluation Final Report

This summary provides an overview of the Final Evaluation Report for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation's (PHF) Special Initiative, ArtWorks. The Evaluation has been undertaken by DHA and the Institute for Cultural Practices, University of Manchester

Effects of Elicitor Induced Host Plant Resistance on Lepidopteran Insecticide Efficacy

Soybean looper (SBL), Chrysodeixis includens (Walker), is an important defoliating Lepidopteran pest of southern U.S. soybean and utilizes other agronomic crops and weeds as hosts. With increasing resistance to insecticides, alternative control strategies such as induced host plant resistance were evaluated against SBL. Jasmonic acid (JA) is an elicitor of host plant resistance, and was selected to determine its fit in an IPM plan for SBL. JA was applied to the top of meridic SBL diet and fed to SBL; no effects were found. JA applied as an exogenous elicitor to cotton, sweet potato, okra, cowpea, and soybean did result in differences. Less leaf area was consumed on all JA treated hosts aside from sweet potato, where SBL larvae consumed 10% less leaf area from control plants. Larval weight was reduced on all JA hosts except cowpea. To assess impacts of JA induction on insecticide efficacy, larvae were fed induced or uninduced host plant tissue for seven days and then transferred to diet incorporated with or without methoxyfenozide. The number of days to adult emergence was longer on JA treated cotton (1.8) and soybean (0.9), while shorter on sweet potato (1.1). However, JA treatment to host plants did not affect methoxyfenozide efficacy. Another pesticide that may induce plants is the herbicide, glyphosate. Glyphosate was applied to glyphosate resistant soybeans in the field, and in the greenhouse to glyphosate resistant cotton, Palmer amaranth, and soybeans to test induction effects on SBL survival, weight gain, and defoliation. Life table studies revealed non-induced Palmer amaranth could be an alternative host for SBL. However, consumption was half the leaf area and pupal weights were lower than larvae placed on soybean. vii A glyphosate diet overlay bioassay revealed SBL neonates had lower weights after seven days than those that fed on control diet and SBL 3rd instars were not affected. On foliage from glyphosate treated host plants after 7 days, SBL third instar weights were similar across treatments. On cotton, SBL consumed more leaf area on glyphosate treated leaves than on non-treated leaves but on soybean, consumed less leaf area of glyphosate treated vs non-treated leaves

The effects of acidified pepsin on porcine vocal fold tissue: Developing a porcine model of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease

Approximately 7.5 million Americans are affected by a voice disorder. In the last year, 7.2% of people missed one or more days of work due to a voice problem. For professional voice users, such as teachers, the rate increases to 20% and an annual cost of $2.5 billion. Voice disorders are complex and multi-faceted, as well as difficult to diagnose and treat. Prospective animal studies are necessary to study the pathophysiology of voice disorders, optimize our understanding of laryngeal pathology, and improve treatment outcomes. The pig provides a unique opportunity to test hypotheses relating to laryngeal disease because porcine vocal folds are most similar to human vocal folds from a structural, biochemical, neuromuscular, and cellular perspective. By utilizing the pig as a model of laryngeal disease, research involving basic, translational, and clinical questions can be investigated through collaborations with experts in the field. This dissertation will present ex vivo and in vivo data utilizing pig tissue to study a common voice disorder, laryngopharyngeal reflux. Ex vivo pig tissue was challenged with acidified pepsin in different electrolyte environments to test the innate defense mechanisms of the vocal fold epithelium. From there, an in vivo pig model was designed to mimic the clinical situation of human LPR more closely by challenging healthy, uninjured laryngeal epithelia with acidified pepsin. The data suggests that healthy vocal folds are able to defend effectively against reflux challenges. Future plans are to utilize a similar model to investigate other common laryngeal diseases that afflict the human population as well as therapeutic interventions to these disorders

Modeling chronic bladder pain in male and female mice: Exploring the chronicity of repeated cyclophosphamide injections.

Millions of people in the United States are afflicted with chronic bladder pain syndromes including interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) and chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). IC/BPS and CP/CPPS patients suffer from generalized pelvic pain, frequent urination with a decrease in urine volume, a constant urge to urinate, and psychological comorbidities in the absence of infection. The etiology is undetermined and treatments are limited. To better understand the mechanisms of IC/BPS and CP/CPPS, many animal models have been developed. In one such model, rodents are injected with cyclophosphamide (CYP), a chemotherapeutic drug that causes cystitis. We are exploring how long the behavioral and physiological effects of this model last. In our experiments, male and female mice were injected with 100mg/kg of CYP every other day for five days. In order to understand the model’s physiological impacts, we measured the urinary frequency and volume, body weight, and bladder weight before CYP administration, and again one and seven days following the final administration. Furthermore, we assessed the changes in referred bladder pain across these time points using von Frey filaments. Lastly, histological analysis was performed to determine the effects that the injections had on the morphology of the bladder tissue. Our results suggest that repeated CYP injections are inducing disease-like symptoms for at least seven days. Therefore, we can successfully model and characterize bladder pain syndromes in male and female mice for a long period of time in hopes of one day reducing suffering within the patient population

Intermittent Antibiotic Treatment Accelerated the Development of Colitis in IL-10 Knockout Mice

Many epidemiological studies suggest an association between antibiotic exposure and the development of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. However, the majority of these studies are observational and still the question remains, “Does the specific antibiotic administration regimen play a role in the development of colitis?” This study aimed to compare the possible effects of continuous and intermittent antibiotic exposure on the development of colitis using a colitis-susceptible IL-10 knockout [IL-10–/–] mouse model

Toward Automation of the Supine Pressor Test for Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia leads to increased risk of morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus. Most previous studies have largely neglected mechanical compression of the left renal vein by the gravid uterus as a potential mechanism. In this study, we first used a murine model to investigate the pathophysiology of left renal vein constriction. The results indicate that prolonged renal vein stenosis after 14 days can cause renal necrosis and an increase in blood pressure (BP) of roughly 30 mmHg. The second part of this study aimed to automate a diagnostic tool, known as the supine pressor test (SPT), to enable pregnant women to assess their preeclampsia development risk. A positive SPT has been previously defined as an increase of at least 20 mmHg in diastolic BP when switching between left lateral recumbent and supine positions. The results from this study established a baseline BP increase between the two body positions in nonpregnant women and demonstrated the feasibility of an autonomous SPT in pregnant women. Our results demonstrate that there is a baseline increase in BP of roughly 10-14 mmHg and that pregnant women can autonomously perform the SPT. Overall, this work in both rodents and humans suggests that (1) stenosis of the left renal vein in mice leads to elevation in BP and acute renal failure, (2) nonpregnant women experience a baseline increase in BP when they shift from left lateral recumbent to supine position, and (3) the SPT can be automated and used autonomously

What the people said: Findings from the regional Roundtables of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project

This paper summarises key findings from the six community regional Roundtables that were undertaken as part of the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project. The six community regional Roundtables were held in different locations across the country. Common themes emerging included the need for self-determination and local leadership, the need to consider the social determinants of health, the need to address trauma, the role and impact of incarceration and justice issues and the need for culture and identity to be strengthened

Phylogenetic determinants of toxin gene distribution in genomes of Brevibacillus laterosporus

Brevibacillus laterosporus is a globally ubiquitous, spore forming bacterium, strains of which have shown toxic activity against invertebrates and microbes and several have been patented due to their commercial potential. Relatively little is known about this bacterium. Here, we examined the genomes of six published and five newly determined genomes of B. laterosporus, with an emphasis on the relationships between known and putative toxin encoding genes, as well as the phylogenetic relationships between strains. Phylogenetically, strain relationships are similar using average nucleotide identity (ANI) values and multi-gene approaches, although PacBio sequencing revealed multiple copies of the 16S rDNA gene which lessened utility at the strain level. Based on ANI values, the New Zealand isolates were distant from other isolates and may represent a new species. While all of the genomes examined shared some putative toxicity or virulence related proteins, many specific genes were only present in a subset of strains

Site-specific iron substitution in STA-28, a large pore aluminophosphate zeotype prepared using 1,10-phenanthrolines as framework-bound templates

Funding: UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant Number(s): EP/N50936X/1, EP/S016201/1, EP/S016147/1); The Royal Society (Grant Number(s): INF\R2\192052).An AlPO4 zeotype has been prepared using the aromatic diamine 1,10‐phenanthroline and some of its methylated analogues as templates. In each case the two template N atoms bind to a specific framework Al site to expand its coordination to the unusual octahedral AlO4N2 environment. Furthermore, using this framework‐bound template, Fe atoms can be included selectively at this site in the framework by direct synthesis, as confirmed by annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy and Rietveld refinement. Calcination removes the organic molecules to give large pore framework solids, with BET surface areas up to 540 m2 g‐1 and two perpendicular sets of channels that intersect to give pore space connected by 12‐ring openings along all crystallographic directions.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe