Bostonia. Volume 6

Founded in 1900, Bostonia magazine is Boston University's main alumni publication, which covers alumni and student life, as well as university activities, events, and programs

Angiogenic Effect of Bioactive Borate Glass Microfibers and Beads in the Hairless Mouse

The purpose of this project was to investigate the angiogenic mechanism of bioactive borate glass for soft tissue repair in a \u27hairless\u27 SKH1 mouse model. Subcutaneous microvascular responses to bioactive glass microfibers (45S5, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu) and bioactive glass beads (13-93, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu) were assessed via: noninvasive imaging of skin microvasculature; histomorphometry of microvascular densities; and quantitative PCR measurements of mRNA expression of VEGF and FGF-2 cytokines. Live imaging via dorsal skin windows showed the formation at two weeks of a halo-like structure infused with microvessels surrounding implanted borate-based 13-93B3 and 13-93B3Cu glass beads, a response not observed with silicate-based 13-93 glass beads. Quantitative histomorphometry of tissues implanted with plugs of 45S5, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu glass microfibers revealed microvascular densities that were 1.6-, 2.3-, and 2.7-times higher, respectively, than the sham control values whereas 13-93, 13-93B3, and 13-93B3Cu glass beads caused the microvascular density to increase 1.3-, 1.6-, and 2.5-fold, respectively, relative to sham controls. Quantitative PCR measurements indicate a marginally significant increased expression of VEGF mRNA in tissues with 13-93B3Cu glass beads, an outcome that supported the hypothesis that copper-doped borate glass could promote VEGF expression followed by angiogenesis for enhanced wound healing

Using airborne LiDAR Survey to explore historic-era archaeological landscapes of Montserrat in the eastern Caribbean

This article describes what appears to be the first archaeological application of airborne LiDAR survey to historic-era landscapes in the Caribbean archipelago, on the island of Montserrat. LiDAR is proving invaluable in extending the reach of traditional pedestrian survey into less favorable areas, such as those covered by dense neotropical forest and by ashfall from the past two decades of active eruptions by the Soufrière Hills volcano, and to sites in localities that are inaccessible on account of volcanic dangers. Emphasis is placed on two aspects of the research: first, the importance of ongoing, real-time interaction between the LiDAR analyst and the archaeological team in the field; and second, the advantages of exploiting the full potential of the three-dimensional LiDAR point cloud data for purposes of the visualization of archaeological sites and features

Effects of 17β-Estradiol Exposure on Gamete Development and Viability in Freshwater Unionids

Evidence of a functional role for vertebrate steroids has been demonstrated in a number of invertebrate species, including molluscs. This knowledge has generated interest into the possibility of invertebrate endocrine disruption due to exposure to both exogenous steroid hormones and xenobiotics which can mimic the action of these compounds. Exposure to the natural vertebrate estrogen, 17β-estradiol (E2), for example, has been shown to induce accelerated gamete development in multiple mollusc species. Little information exists, however, for freshwater mussels, a group of exceptional conservation interest. Here, Daniel Sovic, Raoman Lanno, Dr. Kody Kuehnl, and G. Thomas Watters report the findings of two field studies on gametogenesis (Elliptio complanata, Pleurobema clava) as they relate to seasonal estrogenicity of extracts from Polar Organic Compound Integrative Samplers (POCIS) as determined using the Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) assay. In order to investigate effects of E2 exposure on gamete maturation and viability in freshwater mussels, Elliptio insulsa were dosed at one of three exposure levels. Effects on ova and sperm development were determined on biopsies collected 10 days and 6 months post-exposure and biopsy-generated data were compared with histological sections of vicera collected immediately following final biopsy collection. Comparisons of data collected via biopsy and traditional histological techniques provided data to evaluate the potential for utilizing non-lethal biopsy sampling to assess Unionid gametogenesis.https://fuse.franklin.edu/forum-2013/1022/thumbnail.jp

Sequential CCR5-Tropic HIV-1 Reactivation from Distinct Cellular Reservoirs following Perturbation of Elite Control

Background HIV Elite Controllers may reveal insights into virus persistence given they harbour small reservoir sizes, akin to HIV non-controllers treated early with combination antiretroviral therapy. Both groups of patients represent the most promising candidates for interventions aimed at sustained remission or ‘cure’. Analytic treatment interruption (ATI) in the latter group leads to stochastic rebound of virus, though it is unclear whether loss of elite control is also associated with similar rebound characteristics. Methods We studied three discrete periods of virus rebound during myeloma related immune disruption over 2.5 years in an elite controller who previously underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the absence of any antiretroviral therapy. Single genome sequencing of the V1-V4 region of env in PBMC and plasma was performed and phylogenies reconstructed. Average pairwise distance (APD) was calculated and non-parametric methods used to assess compartmentalisation. Coreceptor usage was predicted based on genotypic algorithms. Results 122 single genome sequences were obtained (median 26 sequences per rebound). The initial rebounding plasma env sequences following ASCT represented two distinct lineages, and clustered with proviral DNA sequences isolated prior to ASCT. One of the lineages was monophyletic, possibly indicating reactivation from clonally expanded cells. The second rebound occurred 470 days after spontaneous control of the first rebound and was phylogenetically distinct from the first, confirmed by compartmentalisation analysis, with a different cellular origin rather than ongoing replication. By contrast, third rebound viruses clustered with second rebound viruses, with evidence for ongoing evolution that was associated with lymphopenia and myeloma progression. Following ASCT a shift in tropism from CXCR4-tropic viruses to a CCR5-tropic population was observed to persist through to the third rebound. Conclusions Our data highlight similarities in the viral reservoir between elite and non-controllers undergoing ATI following allogeneic transplantation. The lack of propagation of CXCR4 using viruses following transplantation warrants further study

Freshwater Mussels as Biological Indicators

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is a devastating rhabdovirus affecting freshwater fishes worldwide. In 2005, a new genotype of VHSV (IVb) was discovered in Lake St. Clair and has consequently spread throughout the Laurentian Great Lakes. While it is widely known that freshwater fishes are hosts and transmitters of VHSV, little is known about the ability of invertebrates to take up and carry the virus. Our (Vera Kazaniwskyj, Y. Zhang, G. Thomas Watters, Dr. Kody Kuehnl, and Barbara Wolfe) objective in this study was to investigate the ability of freshwater mussels to accumulate and transmit VHSV by using two commonly occurring freshwater mussel species (Corbicula fluminea and Amblema plicata) and to assess the efficacy of freshwater mussels as bioindicators of viral presence. Experiments used inoculations of 100 and 200 Tissue Culture Infective Dose units of VHSV. Mussel tissues were tested for VHS at 72h, 120h, and 168h post-exposure using rt-PCR. Initial results indicate that freshwater mussels have the ability to harbor the VHS virus, especially when inoculated with high doses, and thus can serve as valuable indicators of viral presence. These results also indicate mussels are not likely to maintain VHS long term within their tissues, and are therefore not likely vectors of the disease.https://fuse.franklin.edu/forum-2013/1021/thumbnail.jp

The Magnetic Field in Taurus Probed by Infrared Polarization

We present maps of the plane-of-sky magnetic field within two regions of the Taurus molecular cloud: one in the dense core L1495/B213 filament, the other in a diffuse region to the west. The field is measured from the polarization of background starlight seen through the cloud. In total, we measured 287 high-quality near-infrared polarization vectors in these regions. In L1495/B213, the percent polarization increases with column density up to Av ~ 9 mag, the limits of our data. The Radiative Torques model for grain alignment can explain this behavior, but models that invoke turbulence are inconsistent with the data. We also combine our data with published optical and near-infrared polarization measurements in Taurus. Using this large sample, we estimate the strength of the plane-of-sky component of the magnetic field in nine subregions. This estimation is done with two different techniques that use the observed dispersion in polarization angles. Our values range from 5-82 microgauss and tend to be higher in denser regions. In all subregions, the critical index of the mass-to-magnetic flux ratio is sub-unity, implying that Taurus is magnetically supported on large scales (~2 pc). Within the region observed, the B213 filament makes a sharp turn to the north and the direction of the magnetic field also takes a sharp turn, switching from being perpendicular to the filament to becoming parallel. This behavior can be understood if we are observing the rim of a bubble. We argue that it has resulted from a supernova remnant associated with a recently discovered nearby gamma-ray pulsar.Comment: Accepted into the Astrophysical Journal. 20 pages in emulateapj format including 10 figures and 4 table

The U.S. market for imported wildlife not listed in the CITES multilateral treaty

Published December 2022The international wildlife trade presents severe conservation and environmental security risks, yet no international regulatory framework exists to monitor the trade of species not listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). We explored the composition and dynamics of internationally regulated versus nonregulated trade, with a focus on importations of wild-caught terrestrial vertebrates entering the United States from 2009 to 2018. We used 10 years of species-level trade records of the numbers of live, wild-caught animals imported to the United States and data on International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates of extinction risk to determine whether there were differences in the diversity, abundance, and risk to extinction among imports of CITES-listed versus unlisted species. We found 3.6 times the number of unlisted species in U.S. imports compared with CITESlisted species (1366 vs. 378 species). The CITES-listed species were more likely to face reported conservation threats relative to unlisted species (71.7% vs. 27.5%). However, 376 unlisted species faced conversation threats, 297 species had unknown population trends, and 139 species were without an evaluation by the IUCN. Unlisted species appearing for the first time in records were imported 5.5 times more often relative to CITES-listed species. Unlisted reptiles had the largest rate of entry, averaging 53 unique species appearing in imports for the first time per year. Overall trade quantities were approximately 11 times larger for imports of unlisted species relative to imports of CITES-listed species. Countries that were top exporters of CITES-listed species were mostly different from exporters of unlisted species. Because of the vulnerabilities of unlisted, traded species entering the United States and increasing global demand, we strongly recommend governments adapt their policies to monitor and report on the trade of all wildlife.Freyja Watters, Oliver Stringham, Chris R. Shepherd, Phillip Casse

Pulsar Results with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

The launch of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has heralded a new era in the study of gamma-ray pulsars. The population of confirmed gamma-ray pulsars has gone from 6-7 to more than 60, and the superb sensitivity of the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on Fermi has allowed the detailed study of their spectra and light curves. Twenty-four of these pulsars were discovered in blind searches of the gamma-ray data, and twenty-one of these are, at present, radio quiet, despite deep radio follow-up observations. In addition, millisecond pulsars have been confirmed as a class of gamma-ray emitters, both individually and collectively in globular clusters. Recently, radio searches in the direction of LAT sources with no likely counterparts have been highly productive, leading to the discovery of a large number of new millisecond pulsars. Taken together, these discoveries promise a great improvement in the understanding of the gamma-ray emission properties and Galactic population of pulsars. We summarize some of the results stemming from these newly-detected pulsars and their timing and multi-wavelength follow-up observations.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, to appear in Proceedings of ICREA Workshop on The High-Energy Emission from Pulsars and their Systems, Sant Cugat, Spain, 2010 April 12-16 (Springer

Field Studies of Crater Gradation in Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum Using the Mars Exploration Rovers

The Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity investigated numerous craters since landing in Gusev crater (14.569degS, 175.473degE) and Meridiani Planum (1.946degS, 354.473degE) over the first 400 sols of their missions [1-4]. Craters at both sites are simple structures and vary in size and preservation state. Comparing observed and expected pristine morphology and using process-specific gradational signatures around terrestrial craters as a template [5-7] allows distinguishing gradation processes whose relative importance fundamentally differs from those responsible for most crater modification on the Earth