Publications by authors named "Burdon T"
Article Synopsis
- Wildlife biodiversity helps keep ecosystems healthy and strong.
- Scientists study this diversity to learn more about life and how it started.
- Due to the rapid loss of various species, immediate action is needed from conservationists, and new techniques like stem cell technologies could help protect animal diversity.
Article Synopsis
- The p75NTR neurotrophin receptor plays both helpful and harmful roles in nerve cell survival, but studying its effects has been complicated by the presence of different forms in mouse models.* -
- Researchers created a mutant rat that completely lacks the p75NTR protein using advanced genetic techniques, allowing for a clearer understanding of its function.* -
- These p75NTR-deficient rats are healthy and show no major brain structure changes, indicating that p75NTR is not essential for normal growth, but they offer a valuable model for exploring p75NTR's role in injury and repair processes.*
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on understanding the surface molecules of bovine alveolar macrophages (AMs) that protect against pathogens like Mycobacterium bovis, responsible for bovine tuberculosis.
- Researchers used flow cytometry to analyze bronchoalveolar lavage samples from calves, revealing specific expression patterns of various immune cell molecules on bovine AMs.
- The findings identified two distinct subsets of bovine AMs based on CD163 expression, with implications for their roles in immune response during infections.
Background: Quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) is a rare congenital anomaly characterized by the presence of four cusps instead of the usual three. It is estimated to occur in less than 0.05% of the population, with Type A (four equal-sized leaflets) accounting for roughly 30% of QAV subtypes.
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- Recent evidence challenges the previous belief that MeCP2 contributes to heterochromatin formation through liquid-liquid phase separation.
- Studies show that MeCP2 localization occurs independently of heterochromatin organization, as MeCP2 foci remain intact even when heterochromatin is disrupted.
- The research also indicates that animal models, especially mice, are not typical, as most mammals, including humans, show a diffuse distribution of MeCP2, which is influenced mainly by global DNA methylation rather than the formation of condensates.
Background Cardiovascular procedural treatments were deferred at scale during the COVID-19 pandemic, with unclear impact on patients presenting with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Methods and Results In a retrospective cohort study of all patients diagnosed with NSTEMI in the US Veterans Affairs Healthcare System from January 1, 2019 to October 30, 2022 (n=67 125), procedural treatments and outcomes were compared between the prepandemic period and 6 unique pandemic phases: (1) acute phase, (2) community spread, (3) first peak, (4) post vaccine, (5) second peak, and (6) recovery. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to assess the association between pandemic phases and 30-day mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Women and racial/ethnic minority groups have been shown to experience poor outcomes after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). One potential reason is the rare inclusion of these populations in initial phases of device development. The objective of this systematic review is to understand enrollment and outcome reporting by sex and race/ethnicity in industry-funded EVAR device development trials.
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- Infectious diseases in farmed and wild animals threaten food security and human health, highlighting the importance of understanding how macrophages interact with pathogens for better disease management.* -
- Researchers demonstrated that porcine pluripotent stem cell-derived macrophages (PSCdMs) can be cultured in the lab, showing key characteristics of natural macrophages and being susceptible to significant pig pathogens like PRRSV and ASFV.* -
- The ability to genetically modify these PSCs and PSCdMs opens new avenues for studying macrophage biology and host-pathogen dynamics, offering a promising and ethical platform for research in livestock health.*
Article Synopsis
- Ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction (VIDD) is a serious condition resulting from mechanical ventilation, caused by signaling pathways leading to diaphragm muscle atrophy and weakness.
- A clinical trial is testing the FDA-approved JAK inhibitor Tofacitinib to see if it can prevent VIDD in patients undergoing esophagectomy, comparing its effects with a placebo.
- If the trial shows that JAK inhibition can effectively prevent VIDD in humans, it could lead to further studies aimed at improving intensive care unit outcomes, such as reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation and lowering mortality rates.
Article Synopsis
- The Apelin receptor (APLNR) is important for the initial production of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from pluripotent stem cells, as shown by its expression in specific mesodermal cells during differentiation.
- Deleting Aplnr from mouse embryonic stem cells impaired the generation of HSPCs, indicating that APLNR signaling is crucial for their formation.
- However, while APLNR activation initially aids HSPC generation, it must be downregulated for the long-term maintenance of these stem cells, as excessive signaling promotes myeloid differentiation instead.
Article Synopsis
- Hypoxanthine is crucial for regulating oocyte maturation and early embryonic development.
- The enzyme HPRT recycles hypoxanthine to support nucleotide synthesis and metabolite production.
- A deficiency in HPRT in rats leads to disrupted embryonic development and infertility in females.
A Stem Cell Reporter for Investigating Pluripotency and Self-Renewal in the Rat.
Stem Cell Reports
January 2020
Article Synopsis
- - Rat embryonic stem cells (rESCs) can differentiate into all tissue types and are a promising alternative to mouse embryonic stem cells for researching pluripotency and self-renewal.
- - Scientists developed a reporter gene (EGFP) to monitor the expression of the key pluripotency marker gene Rex1 in rats, though its insertion disrupted Rex1 expression without harming cell or rat viability.
- - The Rex1-EGFP reporter effectively responded to self-renewal and differentiation signals, highlighting the importance of β-catenin/LEF1 signaling and helping to identify distinct cell types within rESC cultures.
Article Synopsis
- X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a crucial process in mammals that silences one of the X chromosomes in females, using various mechanisms and models to study it more effectively.
- This study developed a new protocol for differentiating rat embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to investigate XCI, allowing researchers to bypass the limitations of using mouse ESCs.
- Findings reveal that differentiating rat ESCs show appropriate gene regulation and that RNF12 is key for activating Xist, suggesting it plays a significant role in initiating XCI in rats, paving the way for further research in this area.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers created genetically modified rats lacking certain macrophages through a method called homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells.
- The absence of these macrophages led to significant losses in various types of immune and support cells throughout the body, impacting development in unique ways compared to previous studies in mice.
- Although the rats showed delayed growth and some health issues, such as infertility and skeletal abnormalities, the brain appeared largely unaffected despite the lack of microglia, highlighting the complex roles of CSF1R signaling and macrophages in bodily functions.
The cytokine leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) promotes self-renewal of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) through activation of the transcription factor Stat3. However, the contribution of other ancillary pathways stimulated by LIF in ESCs, such as the MAPK and PI3K pathways, is less well understood. We show here that naive-type mouse ESCs express high levels of a novel effector of the MAPK and PI3K pathways.
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- The laboratory rat has been a key model in biomedical research for over a century, appreciated for its relevant physiological, genetic, and behavioral traits that help study human disorders like hypertension and obesity.
- Despite its advantages, the development of genetic engineering techniques for rats has traditionally lagged behind those for mice, limiting research progress.
- Recent advancements in stem cell biology and the CRISPR/Cas gene editing system have revitalized rat research, allowing for efficient and targeted genetic modifications, paving the way for new research opportunities.
Several modern learning frameworks (eg, cognitive apprenticeship, anchored instruction, and situated cognition) posit the utility of nontraditional methods for effective experiential learning. Thus, development of novel educational tools emphasizing the cognitive framework of operative sequences may be of benefit to surgical trainees. We propose the development and global deployment of an effective, mobile cognitive cardiac surgical simulator.
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- * There is often a disregard for the sex of chicken embryos in experiments, which can lead to incorrect conclusions and wasted resources.
- * A new real-time chicken sexing assay has been developed to determine the sex of embryos during in ovo procedures, improving resource efficiency and experimental accuracy.
Article Synopsis
- Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND) results from mutations in the HPRT gene, which is vital for recycling purine nucleotides, leading to neurological issues.
- Researchers created HPRT knock-out rats to explore the effects of this mutation on brain function, finding them viable and fertile but with notable metabolic changes in brain biochemistry.
- Analysis showed decreased dopamine levels in these rats, reflecting similar deficits in humans with LND, suggesting this model could help further understand the disease's impact on neural function and behavior.
Background: It is speculated that, in operative environments, real-time visualization of the trainee's viewpoint by the instructor may improve performance and teaching efficacy. We hypothesized that introduction of a wearable surgical visualization system allowing the instructor to visualize otherwise "blind" areas in the operative field could improve trainee performance in a simulated operative setting.
Methods: A total of 11 surgery residents (4 in general surgery training and 7 in an integrated 6-year cardiothoracic surgery program) participated in the study.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to characterize health status outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a self-expanding bioprosthesis among patients at extreme surgical risk and to identify pre-procedural patient characteristics associated with a poor outcome.
Background: For many patients considering TAVR, improvement in quality of life may be of even greater importance than prolonged survival.
Methods: Patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis who were considered to be at prohibitive risk for surgical aortic valve replacement were enrolled in the single-arm CoreValve U.
Article Synopsis
- Rats are commonly used in biomedical research, and the recent development of true pluripotent rat embryonic stem cell lines opens up new possibilities for genetic engineering in scientific studies.* -
- Improvements in the stability of rat embryonic stem cell cultures will enhance their application and effectiveness in research.* -
- The text presents a straightforward protocol for maintaining germ line competent rat ES cells and suggests using small molecule inhibitors to enhance self-renewal and assess differentiation potential.*
Objective: "Field dependence" is used in cognitive psychology to describe an individual's tendency to be visually distracted by the surrounding environment. Notwithstanding the role of field dependence in contexts in which spatial judgment is important, such as piloting an aircraft, to date, studies linking field dependence to surgical skills have been limited. We evaluated whether field dependence correlates with an ability to anticipate appropriate needle angles in a simulated setting.
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- Stabilization of β-catenin in embryonic stem cells (ESC) promotes self-renewal in naïve-type mouse ESCs when GSK3 activity is inhibited, but induces differentiation in more advanced primed-type ESCs.
- Rat ESCs displayed similar growth and stability in the presence of a MEK inhibitor alone, unlike mouse ESCs, which required additional GSK3 inhibition to avoid differentiation.
- The study reveals that β-catenin signaling is crucial for regulating self-renewal of rat ESCs in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting the need to carefully manage this signaling pathway for maintaining pluripotency.