Ontogeny of myosin isoform expression and prehensile function in the tail of the gray short-tailed opossum ( Monodelphis domestica)

Terrestrial opossums use their semiprehensile tail for grasping nesting materials as opposed to arboreal maneuvering. We relate the development of this adaptive behavior with ontogenetic changes in myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression from 21 days to adulthood. Monodelphis domestica is expected to demonstrate a progressive ability to flex the distal tail up to age 7 mo, when it should exhibit routine nest construction. We hypothesize that juvenile stages (3-7 mo) will be characterized by retention of the neonatal isoform (MHC-Neo), along with predominant expression of fast MHC-2X and -2B, which will transition into greater MHC-1β and -2A isoform content as development progresses. This hypothesis was tested using Q-PCR to quantify and compare gene expression of each isoform with its protein content determined by gel electrophoresis and densitometry. These data were correlated with nesting activity in an age-matched sample of each age group studied. Shifts in regulation of MHC gene transcripts matched well with isoform expression. Notably, mRNA for MHC-Neo and -2B decrease, resulting in little-to-no isoform translation after age 7 mo, whereas mRNA for MHC-1β and -2A increase, and this corresponds with subtle increases in content for these isoforms into late adulthood. Despite the tail remaining intrinsically fast-contracting, a critical growth period for isoform transition is observed between 7 and 13 mo, correlating primarily with use of the tail during nesting activities. Functional transitions in MHC isoforms and fiber type properties may be associated with muscle tuning repetitive nest remodeling tasks requiring sustained contractions of the caudal flexors. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Little is understood about skeletal muscle development as it pertains to tail prehensility in mammals. This study uses an integrative approach of relating both MHC gene and protein expression with behavioral and morphometric changes to reveal a predominant fast MHC expression with subtle isoform transitions in caudal muscle across ontogeny. The functional shifts observed are most notably correlated with increased tail grasping for nesting activities

The medical student

The Medical Student was published from 1888-1921 by the students of Boston University School of Medicine

The medical student

The Medical Student was published from 1888-1921 by the students of Boston University School of Medicine

Marginalized Mountaineers: an intimate ethnographic look in the lives of LGTBQ West Virginians

West Virginia was founded on the root cultures of multiple ethnic backgrounds. Many of those immigrant populations came for work in the coal, railroad, or glass industries. These populations brought with them rich folklore and folklife that was shared, adapted, and slowly morphed into an amalgamation of practices and shared beliefs that formed the Appalachian identity in West Virginia. I intend to show the diversity of our root cultures in West Virginia Native American, Scotts-Irish, English/Welsh, German Swiss, Eastern European, Italian, Spanish and African American. Within these ethnic identities lived a another identity whose desires were outlawed and persecuted. People with same sex attractions have existed as long as recorded history has and yet it hasn\u27t been until the last thirty years that they\u27ve been safe to be open about their queer identities. In the Appalachian hills of West Virginia the evolution of living out and proud came much slower. Many Fabulachians, as they\u27ve been dubbed by queer Appalachian scholars, waited until college to come out in the relative liberal bastion of university towns. My project is a look into the lives of the Fabulachian men and women I have come to know, study, and love over the course of ten years. Only two factors bound these men and women together; the place they call home and their sexual orientations. The common thread that tangles them together to form a community was woven from need and cultivated out of the human need for sanctuary and connection. A sense of place is a strong foundation of the Appalachian identity for the LGTBQ community this must also include safe space within that place which could only be formed through strength in numbers. Safe space was found within the company of others like themselves

Appalachian Witchlore

Although Witchcraft has been traditionally thought of as mostly a feminine pursuit, Appalachian witchlore showcases many examples of breaking those gender expectations. In the tales collected by Ruth Anne Musick, Gerald Milnes, and Patrick Gainer, both genders equally demonstrate a knowledge of folk-magic practices. Following an examination of the varying tales surrounding Appalachian witchlore, similar themes emerged which can be attributed to, in part, the unique environment cultivated in the region. Commentary on gender, identity, and cultural fears as seen through the lens of the region are on display in these tales. One such example, the common fear of the outsider, is a central theme. Another cultural value of the region, a strong sense of community heightened by the helping hand of one’s neighbor, are present in these tales. Witches can gain magical control through the acquisition of possessions, often through the willingness to lend a helping hand. In this presentation we wish to explore the ways in which Appalachian beliefs of witchcraft and magic have prevailed through the years. A current turn show’s Appalachian communities following American trends of holistic medicine and folk remedies. However, anecdotal evidence would suggest that the Appalachian community may not have ever stopped practicing folk magic of this kind. Also we wish to explore the ways in which wise women and men used their cures and crafts to their entrepreneurial advantage. Usually these characters were marginalized women within their societies