Publications by authors named "D Ensminger"

Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) repairs peroxidized membranes by reducing oxidized phospholipids, and by replacing oxidized sn-2 fatty acyl groups through hydrolysis/reacylation by its phospholipase A (aiPLA) and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase activities. Prdx6 is highly expressed in the lung, and intact lungs and cells null for Prdx6 or with single-point mutations that inactivate either Prdx6-peroxidase or aiPLA activity alone exhibit decreased viability, increased lipid peroxidation, and incomplete repair when exposed to paraquat, hyperoxia, or organic peroxides. Ferroptosis is form of cell death driven by the accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxides.

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  • Olive ridley sea turtles exhibit two nesting behaviors: solitary nesting and mass nesting called "arribadas," which offers benefits like better mate finding and predator avoidance.
  • A study revealed that turtles nesting in arribadas were larger, had higher thyroid hormone levels, and showed enriched metabolic processes related to energy use and antioxidant defense.
  • However, arribada nesters also experienced higher oxidative stress indicated by increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, suggesting a trade-off between the fitness benefits of mass nesting and associated physiological costs.
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Disordered sleep promotes inflammation in brain and peripheral tissues, but the mechanisms that regulate these responses are poorly understood. One hypothesis is that activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) from sleep loss elevates blood pressure to promote vascular sheer stress leading to inflammation. As catecholamines produced from SNS activation can directly regulate inflammation, we pharmacologically altered blood pressure using an alternative approach-manipulation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS).

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  • * The study focused on eastern fence lizards to see if increased maternal glucocorticoids influenced offspring behaviors in the presence of invasive fire ants, finding limited effects at hatching but observable changes in anti-predator behaviors by 10 days of age.
  • * Results indicated that while maternal treatment impacted behaviors, it didn't affect early-life survival, highlighting the complexity of how both historical and current environmental pressures shape these adaptive traits.
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Background: The neuroendocrine stress response allows vertebrates to cope with stressors via the activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which ultimately results in the secretion of glucocorticoids (GCs). Glucocorticoids have pleiotropic effects on behavior and physiology, and might influence telomere length dynamics. During a stress event, GCs mobilize energy towards survival mechanisms rather than to telomere maintenance.

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