Writing in Conservation Biology: Searching for an Interdisciplinary Rhetoric

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/88135/1/samraj.pd

Siglec receptors impact mammalian lifespan by modulating oxidative stress.

Aging is a multifactorial process that includes the lifelong accumulation of molecular damage, leading to age-related frailty, disability and disease, and eventually death. In this study, we report evidence of a significant correlation between the number of genes encoding the immunomodulatory CD33-related sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like receptors (CD33rSiglecs) and maximum lifespan in mammals. In keeping with this, we show that mice lacking Siglec-E, the main member of the CD33rSiglec family, exhibit reduced survival. Removal of Siglec-E causes the development of exaggerated signs of aging at the molecular, structural, and cognitive level. We found that accelerated aging was related both to an unbalanced ROS metabolism, and to a secondary impairment in detoxification of reactive molecules, ultimately leading to increased damage to cellular DNA, proteins, and lipids. Taken together, our data suggest that CD33rSiglecs co-evolved in mammals to achieve a better management of oxidative stress during inflammation, which in turn reduces molecular damage and extends lifespan

THEISM AND ATHEISM:JUSTIFIED BELIEF-DECISIONS FOR OR AGAINST THE CONCEPT OF GOD

In earnest, the debate between theism and atheism is related to the essence of God--the de renecessity of God,and not the mere in re existence of God. The de re necessity of God is an abstraction conjectured from the de dicto necessity for Godinferredfrom the contingency of the universe. As long as the universe exists, the de re necessity or essence of God will be debated. Causal necessity of the universe establishes the de dicto necessity for God, however, the attempt to stop the infinite regression or the chain of causation, postulates the de re necessity or noncontingent existence of God. Beliefs related to God are belief-decisions – decisions for or against the essence of God. Questions and concerns related to conscious life necessitate such beliefs. So the meaning of religious beliefs is not tied up with establishing the veracity of their truth, but with the relevance of the questions that make such beliefs necessary. While a good question can make millions think, a good answer can make millions debate its truth. When theists argue for the existence of God, theyargue for the existence of an existing being, and not for the existence of a non-existing being. However, if atheists argue the non-existence of God, then they cannot argue for the non-existence of an existing being, nor argue for the non-existence of a non-existing being. So what theists and atheists accept or reject is related to the existence or non-existence of a non-contingent being. However, an atheist is an atheist not because of the presence of theists, nor is a theist a theist because of the presence of atheists. Both theists and atheists address the same questions that necessitate decisions for or against the concept of God.&nbsp

Periyar and Prominent Figures who paved the way for Human Emancipation

Dravidam is the social movement, created by the greatest leader Periyar, that is meant as ‘People Centred Movement’. This movement has sown a seed for a complete freedom from any sort of slavery. This also disseminates rationalism among the oppressions by whipping the darkness from their minds. It emancipates the hardships of women and flourishes the flower of honour, to them. By eradicating Castism, one is able to be vigilant towards equality. Man enslaved man in the guise of religion and to demolish this flith through the teaching “Love is the Source of life”. Education makes a poor illiterate to become a historical important person. It is the language ‘Tamil’ that proves to be the base in equality argumentation when compared to all other languages. Dravidam reveals and clarifies that “Tamilans” do not depent on anyother favour to withstand. Not only rectifying the mistakes in the history, but also makes the people to have a correct view and also to get their previlges and rights, is the focus of Dravidam. Thanthai Periyar, stand as a successful leader to lead Tamilians in the correct Path. This paper focuses on the above and to bring the effects of the movement ant its followers

An Anthropological Perspective of Thangarbachan's Sithamparathil Oru Appasaamy

Anthropology is the study of human heritage. Anthropological study helps one to understand a society's physical forms, customs, dress, speech, religion etc. In particular it is the study of human beings. Shortly Anthropos+Logia is anthropolgy. In short, it means studying people. Anthropology simply means that there are two people in particular, their character, mind and behavior will be different. In comparison, one may be steeped in devotion, one may be of the opinion that there is no God, one may be fixed in caste, and another may hold the theory that everyone has the same blood. In particular, cultural anthropology sees the world through traditional ways and studies the knowledge and values of a society since ancient times and questions, Are the next generations following their ancestors? Based on this, this article aims to find out the artistic creations that deal with the practice of human activities, especially in movies

The concept of the Christian ministry in the life and teaching of St. Paul

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/2052/thumbnail.jp

Alterations in bile acid homeostasis and drug metabolism in germ-free mice

"We may be born 100% human but will die 90% bacterial--a truly complex organism!" (Goodacre, 2007). This statement reflects the fact that there are 10 times more bacterial cells in the human body compared to the number of human cells, and there are 100 times more genes in the human microbiome compared to the number of genes in the human genome. Gut bacteria and host communicate with each other and collectively determine many aspects of host physiology such as bile acid (BA) and drug metabolism. Gut bacteria varies significantly between individuals and therefore, may be responsible for the inter-individual differences in BA concentrations and drug responses. There are a number of diseases such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disorder, and autism, that have been associated with an abnormal bloom in certain gut bacteria or a decrease in the diversity of gut bacteria. Therefore, modulating gut bacteria by probiotics, prebiotics, and by fecal transplantation have become viable therapeutic strategies. Alterations of gut bacteria in diseases or the therapeutic modulation of gut bacteria has the potential to alter host BA signaling and drug responses. Germ-free (GF) mice provide an excellent model system for understanding the functions of gut bacteria. The overall goal of this dissertation is to expand the understanding of the role of gut bacteria in regulating host BA homeostasis and hepatic drug metabolism. In Specific Aim 1, I determined the changes in BA homeostasis and BA signaling in GF mice. BAs are amphipathic cholesterol metabolites that are synthesized in liver and secreted into bile. Gut bacteria metabolize primary BAs to secondary BAs. The majority of BAs are reabsorbed from the intestine, effluxed into the portal vein and return to the liver. Therefore, the BA profile in the host is the result of the host hepatic enzyme activity and the gut bacterial enzyme activity. The BA profile is important because, BAs act like hormones and regulate host physiology by activating the BA receptors, namely the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor (TGR5). The BA profiles of both male and female GF mice are markedly altered compared to conventional (CV) mice. GF mice have an increase in total BAs in all the tissue compartments analyzed and decreased total fecal excretion of BAs compared to CV mice. This could be due to slower intestinal propulsion rates and increased BA reabsorption from the intestines. The dominant BAs in GF mice are taurine conjugated α and β muricholic acids (Tα+β MCA). There is an increase in both ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and MCAs and in the proportion of taurine conjugated BAs and these BAs result in a more hydrophilic BA pool in GF mice. UDCA which was previously considered to be a secondary BA that is synthesized by gut bacteria increases in GF mice. Biotransformation experiments in vitro demonstrated that UDCA can be synthesized from CDCA by enzymes present in hepatic microsomes isolated from both GF and CV mice. This explains why UDCA is increased in GF mice, and is evidence that UDCA is a primary BA synthesized by hepatic enzymes in mice. The altered BA profile in GF mice results in the activation of TGR5 signaling. Therefore, GF mice display all the characteristics of TGR5 activation, such as increased gallbladder size, increased serum GLP-1 levels, and increased mRNA of type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (D2), the enzyme which increases energy expenditure as heat in brown adipose tissue. In Specific aim 2, I determined alterations in the mRNA of drug metabolizing enzymes in livers of GF mice by RNA-Seq. Gene expression of a many hepatic Phase-1 and Phase-2 enzymes was altered in the absence of gut bacteria. Based on this study, I was able to generate of a list of genes in the liver that are altered by gut bacteria. Among these genes are Cyp2b10 and Cyp3a11 as their mRNAs were decreased in GF mice. In order to test the functional consequences, GF and CV mice were treated with the anesthetic pentobarbital and I observed that GF mice sleep longer than CV mice suggesting that pentobarbital metabolism is slower in GF mice. These observations strongly suggest that gut bacteria play an important role in regulating drug metabolizing enzymes in the liver. Drug metabolizing enzymes with decreased mRNA levels in GF mice are probably increased in CV mice to help biotransform chemicals formed by gut bacteria. In contrast, drug metabolizing enzymes with increased mRNA levels in GF mice are likely enzymes whose function normally can be performed by the gut bacterial enzymes, and therefore in the absence of gut bacteria, are induced in the liver. In conclusion, this dissertation work has provided a detailed roadmap of alterations in BA composition, BA signaling, and expression of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes in the absence of gut bacteria and will help to understand how to alter gut bacteria in a beneficial way

Transience of Simple Random Walks With Linear Entropy Growth

Using the technique of evolving sets, we explore the connection between entropy growth and transience for simple random walks on connected infinite graphs with bounded degree. In particular we show that for a simple random walk starting at a vertex $x_0$, if the entropy after $n$ steps, $E_n$ is at least $Cn$ where the $C$ is independent of $x_0$, then the random walk is transient. We also give an example which demonstrates that the condition of $C$ being independent of $x_0$ is necessary.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

The Various Clinical Presentations of Acute Flaccid Myelitis and Initial Treatment Responses

Background Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) is a neurological disorder primarily affecting children, characterized by sudden muscle weakness or paralysis due to inflammation in the spinal cord\u27s anterior horn cells. Often associated with viral infections, particularly enterovirus D68, AFM presents with variable symptoms and requires specific MRI findings for diagnosis. The CDC began tracking AFM in 2014, noting a biannual spike in cases during late summer, which aligns with an uptick in cases observed this past summer at our tertiary care children\u27s hospital. In 2023, the U.S. reported 18 AFM cases, including three in Texas. Treatment options include intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), high-dose steroids, and plasmapheresis, although there is no definitive evidence supporting the superiority of any treatment. A recent study indicated that most patients experience some level of impairment 12 months post-diagnosis, highlighting the need for effective management and improved understanding of AFM’s long-term impact. Summary of Cases Patient 1: A 3-year-old girl with no prior medical issues presented in late summer with left upper extremity weakness following a 5-day history of respiratory symptoms. MRI revealed signs consistent with AFM, and the patient tested positive for rhinovirus/enterovirus. She received high dose methylprednisone for five days and physical therapy. By discharge, her strength had improved significantly, with her left hand reaching 4/5 strength. Patient 2: A 2-year-old girl, admitted to the PICU in early fall with sudden onset paralysis, experienced rapid loss of movement in all four extremities. Despite normal MRI findings, her spinal cord MRI showed edema from the skull base to T4. She tested positive for multiple respiratory viruses. She was intubated for eight days and treated with steroids and IVIG. After two weeks, she showed gradual improvement in muscle function and was transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Patient 3: A 2-year-old girl presented in early fall with ascending paralysis, starting with fever and cough. She had difficulty with facial movements and minimal strength in her extremities. MRI of the spinal cord showed mild T2 hyperintensity from C2 to C7. She was intubated for respiratory support and treated with steroids and IVIG. Despite no significant improvement, she underwent plasmapheresis, which had to be stopped due to hypotension. She remained intubated, continuing physical and occupational therapy. Conclusions This case series highlights the diverse clinical presentations and responses to treatment observed in AFM cases at a tertiary children’s hospital. The patients’ outcomes varied significantly, underscoring the heterogeneous nature of AFM. With no standardized treatment protocol, clinicians must tailor management to each case. While steroids, IVIG, and plasmapheresis are commonly used, none have been proven more effective than the others. This uncertainty emphasizes the need for further research to establish evidence-based guidelines. A multidisciplinary approach involving healthcare providers, researchers, and families is critical for optimizing care and improving long-term outcomes. Future studies should focus on larger patient cohorts to better understand AFM’s clinical course and evaluate treatment efficacy

Tailored broad-spectrum emission in hybrid aggregation induced emission (AIE)-MOFs: boosting white light efficiency in electrospun Janus microfibers

Advances in energy-efficient lighting and display technologies demand innovative materials with tailored broad-spectrum emission properties. Hybrid aggregation-induced emission metal-organic frameworks (AIE-MOFs) offer a promising avenue, combining unique characteristics of organic and inorganic components to yield enhanced luminescence efficiency and robust material stability. The study introduces a spectrum of D (donor)-A (acceptor) type AIE-active ligands into MOFs, enabling tunable emission across the visible spectrum, thus underscoring the versatility of these hybridized MOF materials. The emission properties of AIE-MOFs are further harnessed by integrating them into polymer matrices, resulting in high-performance electrospun fibers with tunable emission. A significant achievement involves the fabrication of Janus-type white light-emitting AIE-MOF fiber composites via side-by-side electrospinning, accomplishing a high quantum yield of 58%, which doubled the performance of homogeneous fibers. Complementing the experimental findings, micro-Raman and nano-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are employed as local spectroscopic probes, affording a deeper understanding of the material properties and the mechanisms contributing to enhance light emission. In the understanding, this study presents an unconventional implementation of hybrid AIE-MOFs in Janus-type structures for white light emission. It significantly improves the efficiency of white light sources in optoelectronics, charting a promising direction for future research in the emergent AIE-MOF field