Her research interests include human-computer interaction (specifically user-centered design), and the appropriateness of various evaluation techniques for ubicomp. She is a member of the

Secondary damage following primary spinal cord injury extends pathology beyond the site of initial trauma, and effective management is imperative for maximizing anatomical and functional recovery. Bisperoxovanadium compounds have proven neuroprotective effects in several central nervous system injury/disease models, however, no mechanism has been linked to such neuroprotection from bisperoxovanadium treatment following spinal trauma. The goal of this study was to assess acute bisperoxovanadium treatment effects on neuroprotection and functional recovery following cervical unilateral contusive spinal cord injury, and investigate a potential mechanism of the compound's action. Two experimental groups of rats were established to 1) assess twice-daily 7 day treatment of the compound, potassium bisperoxo (picolinato) vanadium, on long-term recovery of skilled forelimb activity using a novel food manipulation test, and neuroprotection 6 weeks following injury and 2) elucidate an acute mechanistic link for the action of the drug post-injury. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were performed to assess cellular signaling 1 day following SCI, and histochemistry and forelimb functional analysis were utilized to assess neuroprotection and recovery 6 weeks after injury. Bisperoxovanadium promoted significant neuroprotection through reduced motorneuron death, increased tissue sparing, and minimized cavity formation in rats. Enhanced forelimb functional ability during a treat-eating assessment was also observed. Additionally, bisperoxovanadium significantly enhanced downstream Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and reduced autophagic activity, suggesting inhibition of the phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten as a potential mechanism of bisperoxovanadium action following traumatic spinal cord injury. Overall, this study demonstrates the efficacy of a clinically applicable pharmacological therapy for rapid initiation of neuroprotection post-spinal cord injury, and sheds light on the signaling involved in its action.

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The Darién province in eastern Panama is one of the most unexplored and biodiverse regions in the world. The Chucantí Nature Reserve, in Serranía de Majé, consists of a diverse tropical cloud forest ecosystem. The aim of this research was to explore and study host associations of a tripartite system of bats, ectoparasitic flies on bats (Diptera, Streblidae), and ectoparasitic fungi (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) that use bat flies as hosts. We captured bats at Chucantí, screened each bat for presence of bat flies, and screened collected bat flies for presence of Laboulbeniales. We mistnetted for 68 mistnet hours and captured 227 bats representing 17 species. We captured Micronycteris schmidtorum, a species previously unreported in Darién. In addition, we encountered the rarely collected Platyrrhinus dorsalis, representing the westernmost report for this species. Of all captured bats, 148 carried bat flies (65%). The number of sampled bat flies was 437, representing 16 species. One species represents a new country record (Trichobius anducei) and five species represent first reports for Darién (Basilia anceps, Anatrichobius scorzai, Nycterophilia parnelli, T. johnsonae, T. parasiticus). All 74 bat fly species currently reported in Panama are presented in tabulated form. Of all screened bat flies, 30 bore Laboulbeniales fungi (7%). Based on both morphology and large ribosomal subunit (LSU) sequence data, we delimited 7 species of Laboulbeniales: Gloeandromyces nycteribiidarum (newly reported for Panama), G. pageanus, G. streblae, Nycteromyces streblidinus, and 3 undescribed species. Of the 30 infected flies, 21 were Trichobius joblingi. This species was the only host on which we observed double infections of Laboulbeniales.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the nasal planum was diagnosed in eight dogs between March 1988 and January 1994. Epistaxis, sneezing, and ulceration or swelling of the nasal planum were the most common presenting complaints. Although no evidence of metastasis was identified, the primary tumor in all cases was locally invasive with extensive involvement of underlying tissues. Advanced imaging procedures performed in three cases indicated that physical examination may underestimate the local extent of the neoplasm. Euthanasia was performed in six cases due to progressive neoplastic disease with worsening epistaxis and sneezing; the mean survival time in these cases was 5.4 months.

Retrogradely-transported neurotrophin signaling plays an important role in regulating neural circuit specificity. Here we investigated whether targeted delivery of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) to lumbar motoneurons (MNs) caudal to a thoracic (T10) contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) could modulate dendritic patterning and synapse formation of the lumbar MNs. In vitro, Adeno-associated virus serotype two overexpressing NT-3 (AAV-NT-3) induced NT-3 expression and neurite outgrowth in cultured spinal cord neurons. In vivo, targeted delivery of AAV-NT-3 into transiently demyelinated adult mouse sciatic nerves led to the retrograde transportation of NT-3 to the lumbar MNs, significantly attenuating SCI-induced lumbar MN dendritic atrophy. NT-3 enhanced sprouting and synaptic formation of descending serotonergic, dopaminergic, and propriospinal axons on lumbar MNs, parallel to improved behavioral recovery. Thus, retrogradely transported NT-3 stimulated remodeling of lumbar neural circuitry and synaptic connectivity remote to a thoracic SCI, supporting a role for retrograde transport of NT-3 as a potential therapeutic strategy for SCI.

A multicenter, retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate contrast radiographic findings in canine bacterial discospondylitis. Records and myelograms or epidurograms of 27 patients were obtained from five colleges of veterinary medicine. Fifteen cases (56%) were evaluated as having some degree of spinal cord compression. The majority (73.3%) of the cases had only soft tissue as the compressive mass. The median compression for all cases was 5% of the vertebral canal. No difference was noted for compression based on anatomical site (i.e., cervical versus thoracolumbar versus lumbosacral). No significant correlation between degree of lesion compression and clinical outcome was noted, but there was a trend toward increased mortality with greater compression. There was no correlation between the ambulatory status and the ultimate outcome. Three of the 15 (20%) cases showed vertebral subluxation. Results of this study indicate that static spinal cord compression is not a significant component of the neurological dysfunction associated with bacterial discospondylitis. Identification of vertebral subluxation in some patients may indicate a dynamic lesion that should be evaluated with stress radiography.

Following an initial mechanical insult, traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) induces a secondary wave of injury, resulting in a toxic lesion environment inhibitory to axonal regeneration. This review focuses on the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its application, in combination with other factors and cell transplantations, for repairing the injured spinal cord. As studies of recent decades strongly suggest that combinational treatment approaches hold the greatest therapeutic potential for the central nervous system (CNS) trauma, future directions of combinational therapies will also be discussed.