Characterizing Cytoplasmic Maturation and Improving Competence of Bovine In Vitro Matured Oocytes

As the necessity to improve in vitro embryo production efficiency is ever increasing, so too is the prerequisite obligation to improve oocyte competence. The ability of an oocyte to successfully produce a viable embryo requires that it both completes meiotic maturation and synchronously achieves cytoplasmic competence; an encompassing term that refers to the oocytes correct accumulation and storage of mRNAs, proteins and factors as well as the development and reorganization of organelles and the cytoskeleton. The current research was designed to analyze those methods that go into oocyte collection and pre-maturation handling to determine if there are ways to ensure the cohort of oocytes being placed in in vitro maturation (IVM) are those with the highest potential to develop. It was found that collection during different phases of the follicular wave had negligible effects on oocyte competence. However oocytes collected from growing follicles had increased ability to respond to calcium release signals compared to those recovered from atretic follicles, which was found to be important for embryo production rates. Oocytes retrieved from post-mortem ovaries exhibited irregular gene expression in immature oocytes, but expression patterns were more similar to ovum pick-up (OPU) oocytes following IVM. However, oocytes that were recovered following super-stimulation, while initially similar in gene expression to other recovery methods, displayed a dramatic increase in the level of gene transcripts present in mature oocytes. Looking only at OPU oocytes, incubation in meiotic delay was not only irreversible in some oocytes but was also only mildly successful at improving cytoplasmic maturation dynamics. Further, mitochondrial abnormalities in both distribution (projects 1, 2 and 4) and shape (project 4) were frequent. This suggests that recovering oocytes prematurely arrests mitochondrial development, which may be a major factor in low embryo production rates. Current research found that oocyte pre-incubation is unnecessary, and that oocytes recovered from post-mortem ovaries are likely of the greatest developmental competence. When recovering oocytes by OPU, timing is unimportant but super-stimulation causes irregular gene expression, the long-term effect of which is yet to be established

Development Of An Electronic Future-Thinking Task: A Pilot Study

In this study, an electronic version of the future-thinking task was created in order to make the task less time consuming to administer and score. The electronic version of the future-thinking task was constructed by aggregating domains for future events based on the future-thinking and worry literature. We hypothesized that we would replicate the original future-thinking task’s previous relational findings with anxiety and depression; specifically undergraduate students (n =19) were recruited to test the effectiveness of this new future-thinking task in relation to the original task and measures of anxiety and depression. The measures used were the CES-D for depression, ASI-3 for anxiety sensitivity, and positive and negative mood scales. The results partially replicated previous findings with the original task. The electronic positive future-thinking task significantly predicted CES-D scores and the electronic negative future-thinking task significantly predicted ASI-3 scores. However, the researchers did not replicate the findings for the original task. The original positive future-thinking task did not predict CES-D scores and the original negative future-thinking task did not predict ASI-3 scores. Findings for future development and research for this task are discussed

Muslim Politics & Democracy - An Analysis of the Arab Spring

The Arab Spring was a phenomenon that shocked the international community. Starting with Tunisia in December of 2010, the citizens of Egypt, Libya, and Iran all voiced dissatisfaction with their governing leaders within the same period. The massive protests and demonstrations that broke out would soon prove to be different from the protests that occurred in the 1970s. What the world witnessed from December 2010 to February 2011 were calls for the resignation of authoritarian leaders and a new democratic government. The calls symbolized a new wave of potential Muslim democracies that would test the U.S. theory of liberal democracy. Today, Muslim democracies in the Arab world are marginal due to a lack of sustainability. Further, the development of these countries democratic transitions could determine the future of Muslim democracies in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. The chain reaction of events in the Arab Spring showed the world that the citizens were ready to regain control over their countries. After decades of being under authoritarian regimes, why did the uprisings occur at that time and what implications did they have on the future of Muslim democracies? This research question is explored in three chapters that examine and analyze the potential answers. The chapters draw upon theory, scholarly writings, and international news sources. The Arab Spring is continuing to develop in the MENA region, which makes credible international news sources crucial to this analysis. The theoretical composition of this thesis includes the discussions of revolution, liberal democracy, Islam and secularism. The results of this methodology present essential factors that will be imperative to the sustainability of future Muslim democracies. The factors include pre-existing conditions, political Islam, foreign intervention, the military’s role, Islamic political organizations, secularism and a transformation in political culture. The conclusion asserts these factors have contributed to the occurrence of the uprisings and further will act as the determinants of sustainability for future Muslim democracies in MENA region. In addition to the events of the Arab Spring providing new implications that test the compatibility of Islam and liberal democracy

HIV-infected cells are major inducers of plasmacytoid dendritic cell interferon production, maturation, and migration

AbstractPlasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC), natural type-1 interferon (IFN) producing cells, could play a role in the innate anti-HIV immune response. Previous reports indicated that PDC IFN production is induced by HIV. Our results show a more robust IFN induction when purified PDC (>95%) were exposed to HIV-infected cells. This effect was not observed with non-viable cells, DNA, and RNA extracted from infected cells, and viral proteins. The response was blocked by anti-CD4 and neutralizing anti-gp120 antibodies as well as soluble CD4. IFN induction by HIV-infected cells was also prevented by low-dose chloroquine, which inhibits endosomal acidification. PDC IFN release resulted in reduced HIV production by infected CD4+ cells, supporting an anti-HIV activity of PDC. Stimulated CD4+ cells induced PDC activation and maturation; markers for PDC migration (CCR7) were enhanced by HIV-infected CD4+ cells only. This latter finding could explain the decline in circulating PDC in HIV-infected individuals

Episodic Positive Future-Thinking: Anxiety, Depression, And Hopelessness

Episodic future-thinking is the ability to project oneself into the future to pre-experience a personal future event. Research suggests that episodic future-thinking may be involved in the cognitive deficits associated with psychopathology such as anxiety, depression, and hopelessness and suicidal thoughts or behaviors. The majority of research has focused on simulation future-thinking as it pertains to psychopathology. However, little attention has been given to the relationship between other types of future-thinking (prediction, planning) and goal setting and psychopathology. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to pilot an electronic episodic future-thinking task that included three types of episodic future-thinking, with aspects of goal setting included, and to examine the predictive 'anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. It was hypothesized that prediction positive future-thinking and beliefs about goals (i.e., likelihood and importance ratings) would be negatively associated with anxiety, but that simulation and planning will have no relationship. It was also hypothesized that all types of future-thinking and beliefs about goals would be negatively related to depression and hopelessness. Surprisingly, the results did not support the hypotheses. The findings and areas for future development and research are discussed

The effect of plant nitrogen levels on insect herbivory in northern Michigan sand dunes

General EcologyNitrogen is a limiting factor for plant and animal growth. Some herbivores have illustrated dietary preferences in regard to nitrogen, choosing some foodstuffs over others in order to get the highest possible levels of nitrogen in their diet. Nitrogen is especially low in particular environments, including the sand dunes at Sturgeon Bay of Lake Michigan, which may make selective feeding of herbivores there more common. Nitrogen levels in plants on dunes have been shown to increase with distance from shore, as moisture and amount of vegetation increase. At Sturgeon Bay, we tested the ideas both of increasing nitrogen with increasing distance from shore and the idea that herbivory increases at higher nitrogen levels, with insects showing a preference for the more nutritious plants. We looked at the dune grass Ammophila, analyzing percent nitrogen and amount of herbivory at 6 distances from shore, ranging from 0 to 125 m. We found that nitrogen levels did increase at increasing distances from shore, but there was no significant relationship between herbivory and nitrogen levels. There was a slight trend which appeared in graphs of increasing herbivory on the dune grass at increasing distance from shore. Further research is suggested on this relationship.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/61514/1/Dengate_Clune_Foster_Kiel_2008_GE.pd

The Vehicle, Spring 2007

Table of Contents She Might Just Take You for GrantedRebecca M. Griffithpage 1 ShwagDarius Juttipage 2 In LoveAmanda Vealepage 9 SubmissiveSarah Ellerpage 10 Wedding SongRebecca M. Griffithpage 11 Why No Ladies and Gentlemen, My Shit Never StinksJacob Fosterpage 13 Death of an English MajorLindsey Durbinpage 14 Summer\u27s PerfumeRebecca M. Griffithpage 15 Gigavolt and ChrisEric Schumacherpage 16 UntitledKris Jonespage 22 Ode to the MuseGreg Harrellpage 23 TenderAmanda Vealepage 24 When the Muses HeaveElizabeth Hoodpage 25 Depression LiftingAmanda Vealepage 26 Red SwordAndrew Deckerpage 27 Warring IdeologyMargaret B. Hamperpage 29 ConfessionGreg Harrellpage 34 A Glass PuzzleBrittany Morganpage 35 Hey MaJacob Fosterpage 36 As July Faded AwayRebecca M. Griffithpage 37 About the LeftoversGina LoBiancopage 38 Me, Myself & ILindsey Durbinpage 39 Iced Parking LotRebecca M. Griffithpage 41 About the Authors Art Submissions Mike\u27s Revelation and MikeSean Walkercovers UntitledChad Navelpage 9 Morning in Tintern AbbeyCarrie Muellerpage 12 WestminsterCarrie Muellerpage 21 A Fighting ChanceOsha Rudduckpage 22 Rooftop SunsetJennifer O\u27Neilpage 25 EIU IVCarrie Muellerpage 28 MandolinOsha Rudduckpage 38 EIU IIICarrie Muellerpage 42https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1087/thumbnail.jp

Feasibility of Harbor-wide Barrier Systems: Preliminary Analysis for Boston Harbor

The aim of this study is to provide the City of Boston with a preliminary assessment of the feasibilities and potential benefits, costs, and environmental impacts of three harborwide barrier configurations. While this study is not comprehensive, and there are many ways that further research could refine and extend its findings, those findings were clear enough to justify making recommendations for next steps. The authors recommend that the City continue to focus its climate resilience strategy for the next several decades on the shore-based multi-layered approach described in Climate Ready Boston. Shore-based solutions would provide flood management more quickly at a lower cost, offer several key advantages over a harbor-wide barrier, and provide more flexibility in adapting and responding to changing conditions, technological innovations, and new information about global sea level rise. These shore-based solutions would be needed in any case over the next few decades to manage coastal flooding during the design and construction period of a harbor-wide barrier if a decision was made to build one in the future

Genome sequences of four cluster P mycobacteriophages

Four bacteriophages infecting Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 (three belonging to subcluster P1 and one belonging to subcluster P2) were isolated from soil and sequenced. All four phages are similar in the left arm of their genomes, but the P2 phage differs in the right arm. All four genomes contain features of temperate phages