Publications by authors named "Jessica Schenck"

Article Synopsis
  • * A study using murine models showed that the presence of the Nef protein in HIV increases neuroinflammation and damages brain structures compared to Nef-deficient strains.
  • * Findings suggest that Nef plays a key role in worsening neuronal injury and may guide future research on HAND mechanisms and treatments.
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HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are a spectrum of cognitive impairments that continue to affect approximately half of all HIV-positive individuals despite effective viral suppression through antiretroviral therapy (ART). White matter pathologies have persisted in the ART era, and the degree of white matter damage correlates with the degree of neurocognitive impairment in patients with HAND. The HIV protein Nef has been implicated in HAND pathogenesis, but its effect on white matter damage has not been well characterized.

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Type 2 uterine fibroids are challenging to resect surgically as ≥ 50% volume of myoma lies within the myometrium. A hysteroscopic approach for ablating fibroids is minimally-invasive, but places a considerable burden on the operator to accurately place the ablation applicator within the target. We investigated the sensitivity of transcervical microwave ablation outcome with respect to position of the ablation applicator within 1 - 3 cm type 2 fibroids.

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Background: Persons living with HIV (PLWH) are at an increased risk of myocardial dysfunction and metabolic disturbances represent one of several potential contributing factors. Adiponectin is an adipokine that enhances insulin sensitivity with potential cardioprotective effects. We therefore investigated the relationship between myocardial fibrosis, adiponectin, and related metabolic parameters to better understand the pathophysiologic mechanisms of myocardial injury in PLWH.

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Article Synopsis
  • Astrocytes play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of myelin in the central nervous system (CNS), as demonstrated by experiments that showed their ablation affects myelination.
  • Transient removal of GFAP+ astrocytes in young mice led to fewer mature oligodendrocytes and poor myelin formation, while prolonged removal resulted in compromised myelin structure.
  • In adults, astrocyte loss caused rapid myelin degradation, and this effect was linked to increased glutamate levels, suggesting astrocytes are key players in preventing demyelinating diseases like Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO).
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Article Synopsis
  • Recent advancements in methodology allow the use of molecular markers for analyzing fungal communities semi-quantitatively, emphasizing the need for accurate primers.
  • The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region is frequently targeted for fungal analysis, and three new primers (fITS7, gITS7, and fITS9) have been developed to improve the amplification of the fungal ITS2 region.
  • Compared to the commonly used ITS1f primer, the new primers produce shorter amplicons, reduce bias against species with longer sequences, and capture a more diverse range of fungal communities.
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