Publications by authors named "Angela Dirks"

In addition to their extended lifespans, slow-aging growth hormone receptor/binding protein gene-disrupted (knockout) (GHR-KO) mice are hypoinsulinemic and highly sensitive to the action of insulin. It has been proposed that this insulin sensitivity is important for their longevity and increased healthspan. We tested whether this insulin sensitivity of the GHR-KO mouse is necessary for its retarded aging by abrogating that sensitivity with a transgenic alteration that improves development and secretory function of pancreatic β-cells by expressing Igf-1 under the rat insulin promoter 1 (RIP::IGF-1).

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The high mortality rate due to ovarian cancer (OVCA) is attributed to the lack of an effective early detection method. Because of the nonspecificity of symptoms at early stage, most of the OVCA cases are detected at late stages. This makes the access to women with early-stage disease problematic and presents a barrier to development and validation of tests for detection of early stage of OVCA in humans.

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Antitumor antibodies are associated with tumors in human cancers. There is relatively little information on the timing and progression of antibody response to tumors. The objective of the study was to determine if spontaneous ovarian cancer in the egg-laying hen is associated with antitumor antibodies.

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Article Synopsis
  • Animal models, particularly laying hens, are crucial for studying the development of spontaneous ovarian cancer due to their similarity to human tumors.
  • This study utilized transvaginal sonography to successfully detect ovarian tumors in laying hens, with findings consistent across imaging, anatomy, and histology.
  • The research indicates that sonography not only identifies tumor presence but also allows for ongoing monitoring of ovarian changes over time, making it a valuable tool in cancer research.
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