GABAergic Inhibition of Brainstem Neurons Involved in Breathing Regulation is Disrupted in Rett Syndrome

GABA is the prominent inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and defects in the GABA system are attributable to several genetic diseases including Rett Syndrome (RTT). People with RTT show characteristic breathing disorders, suggesting a link with defects in the GABA system. Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) are CO2 chemosensitive and play a role in breathing regulation. We conducted experiments to find out if activation of a novel group of dorsomedial LC GABAergic neurons causes instantaneous firing rate changes in LC neurons. Spike train recordings with cross-correlation analysis suggests that the dmLC neurons made monosynaptic and oligosynaptic connections with the LC neurons. The GABAergic inhibition appeared to have major effects on medullary respiratory neurons, as our results showed that THIP, the extrasynaptic GABA receptor agonist, suppressed excitations in these cells. The results from these experiments provide new evidence for the GABAergic inhibition of brainstem neurons involved in breathing control

Examining the Current Role of Out-Of-State Buyers in the Tri-Cities Within the Confines of Residential Real Estate

We are seeing an influx of out-of-state buyers into Tennessee, and the Tri-Cities area specifically. As a major emerging housing market in the US, the Tri-Cities is being inundated by people from all states and walks of life seeking a better life in Appalachia. Although the reasons vary by person, many agree that political alignment, taxation levels, and the quietness of this area lends itself to population growth. While most members of the housing industry have noticed this uptick in out-of-state buyers, few have taken the time to analyze their own records or review the empirical evidence that is present from the past 24-36 months to see where opportunities lie. Through cooperation with a local real estate attorney, I have obtained records that have been scrubbed of personal details for academic research. Using that information I have run some tests for proportions and changes from 2020 to 2021 to determine the major hot-spot states and regions from which people are moving to Tennessee. After analyzing this data, I have then compared it to input from two real estate agents in the Tri-Cities area regarding what they believe are the largest motivating factors for these out-of-state buyers. I have concluded that the West Coast Region (and California in particular) are showing the most decisive and conclusive increases in Tennessee home buying. Overall out-of-state buyers are quickly becoming a large demographic of our market, with a statistically significant 7.56% difference in proportion from just last year to this year (2021)

Determining the fate and transport of the acrylamide monomer (Amd) in soil and groundwater systems

Acrylamide (AMD) is a known animal and suspected human carcinogen and is used to produce polyacrylamide (PAM), which has been proposed as a technology for seepage control in unlined water delivery canals. Previous studies have not quantified the fate and transport of AMD in soil and groundwater systems. In this study, batch experiments and soil column tests (with and without microbial degradation) were conducted on three materials (control sand, gravelly sand and loam soil) to determine the Kd, retardation factor, the form of the sorption isotherm, and determine microbial degradation rates. Soil core tests from samples collected in canals were also conducted to simulate field-scale transport. A numerical model (HYDRUS-2D) was used to simulate a canal environment using the fate and transport parameters of AMD obtained in the laboratory. Results indicate a Freundlich-type sorption isotherm for AMD in the loam soil and a linear isotherm for the sandy material. Sorption values were 0--2.4% in all tests. Results for the soil column tests show that AMD is conservative in all three types of material tested. The bacteria column tests indicated that AMD was quickly degraded (half lives were less than 3 hours), though half lives for the canal column tests were longer (∼31 hours). Numerical modeling shows that AMD would not be detectable 25 meters from the canal, as long as initial AMD concentration is less than 6.65 ppb. Using PAM at concentrations of less than 13 ppm would inhibit detectable contamination of canal water

ANALYZING SLAB HOLES IN SUBDUCTION ZONES AND THEIR IMPACTS THROUGH NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS

Subduction zones form as higher density oceanic lithosphere is forced beneath an over-riding, lower density, continental or oceanic plate; a process driven by contrasts in buoyancy throughout this system. We seek to explore subduction zones in which the subducting lithosphere is discontinuous after passing through the trench, forming a slab gap. The main research objective is to determine the effect of slab gaps on surface topography in a subduction-related orogen and asthenospheric flow into the mantle wedge using two and three-dimensional numerical mechanical models. We obtain results from 24+ models that suggest a connection between slab gaps/holes and the magnitude and trend of topography produced during the first several million years of subduction. Two-dimensional models suggest there may be flow into slab gaps and tears, affecting mantle flow around the slab and producing less topography in the orogen. Three-dimensional models suggest the opposite is true, with larger slab gaps/holes producing less surface topography above the gap. The three-dimensional models also suggest that subduction-related orogens may have associated curvature above regions where slab gaps are present. This work shows new ways to test for the potential slab gaps/holes in subduction zones by looking at flow fields, surface topography, and orogenic/slab curvature

Comparative genomics reveals Cyclospora cayetanensis possesses coccidia-like metabolism and invasion components but unique surface antigens

Assessment of the completeness of sequenced Toxoplasma gondii, Eimeria tenella and Cyclospora cayetanensis genomes based on core eukaryotic protein-encoding genes search using BUSCO. (DOCX 14 kb

Terror management theory: A theoretical perspective on orgination, maintenance, and research

Research suggests that humans engage in several worldview defense mechanisms to shield against the terror associated with an awareness of mortality (Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986). To mitigate anxiety, people strongly adhere to their cultural worldviews that allow them to boost their self-esteem. This self-esteem fosters a sense of immortality because the world is considered a \u27just place that will not harm someone that is living in adherence to cultural guidelines (Rosenblatt, Greenberg, Solomon, Pyszczynski, & Lyon, 1989). This paper provides a theoretical background for Terror Management Theory including its philosophical origination, the primary tenets of the theory, and the experimental methods used to manipulate death awareness

The complete mitochondrial genome of the foodborne parasitic pathogen Cyclospora cayetanensis

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a human-specific coccidian parasite responsible for several food and water-related outbreaks around the world, including the most recent ones involving over 900 persons in 2013 and 2014 outbreaks in the USA. Multicopy organellar DNA such as mitochondrion genomes have been particularly informative for detection and genetic traceback analysis in other parasites. We sequenced the C. cayetanensis genomic DNA obtained from stool samples from patients infected with Cyclospora in Nepal using the Illumina MiSeq platform. By bioinformatically filtering out the metagenomic reads of non-coccidian origin sequences and concentrating the reads by targeted alignment, we were able to obtain contigs containing Eimeria-like mitochondrial, apicoplastic and some chromosomal genomic fragments. A mitochondrial genomic sequence was assembled and confirmed by cloning and sequencing targeted PCR products amplified from Cyclospora DNA using primers based on our draft assembly sequence. The results show that the C. cayetanensis mitochondrion genome is 6274 bp in length, with 33% GC content, and likely exists in concatemeric arrays as in Eimeria mitochondrial genomes. Phylogenetic analysis of the C. cayetanensis mitochondrial genome places this organism in a tight cluster with Eimeria species. The mitochondrial genome of C. cayetanensis contains three protein coding genes, cytochrome (cytb), cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 3 (cox3), in addition to 14 large subunit (LSU) and nine small subunit (SSU) fragmented rRNA genes

Enhancing an international perspective in public health teaching through formalized university partnerships

Teaching in the field of public health needs to employ a global perspective to account for the fact that public health problems and solutions have global determinants and implications as well. International university partnerships can promote such a perspective through the strengthening of cooperation, exchange, and communication between academic institutions across national boundaries. As an example for such an academic network in the field of public health, we introduce the International Public Health Partnership - a collaboration between a university in Germany and universities in India, Turkey, and Nigeria. Formed in 2005, it facilitated the exchange of information, fostered discussion about the transferability of public health concepts, contributed to the structural development of the universities involved, and promoted an intercultural dialog through a combination of local and distance learning activities. Although well accepted by students and staff, different obstacles were encountered; these included limited external funding, scarce own financial, time and personnel resources, and diverging regulations and structures of degree programs at the partnership sites. In the present article, we share several lessons that we learned during our joint collaboration and provide recommendations for other universities that are involved in partnerships with institutions of higher education or are interested to initiate such collaborations