Understanding the interactions between neural and musculoskeletal systems is key to identifying mechanisms of functional failure. Mammalian swallowing is a complex, poorly understood motor process. Lesion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, a sensory…
The ability of humans and animals to localize the source of a sound in a complex acoustic environment facilitates communication and survival. Two cues are used for sound localization at horizontal planes, interaural time and level differences (ITD …
The ability to detect a silent gap within a sound is critical for accurate speech perception, and gap detection has been shown to have an extended developmental trajectory. In certain conditions, the detectability of the gap decreases as the gap is…
Animal models have significantly contributed to understanding the pathophysiology of chronic subjective tinnitus. They are useful because they control etiology, which in humans is heterogeneous; employ random group assignment; and often use methods…
Arboreal environments present considerable biomechanical challenges for animals moving and foraging among substrates varying in diameter, orientation, and compliance. Most studies of quadrupedal gait kinematics in primates and other arboreal mammals…
Bowhead whales are among the longest-lived mammals with an extreme lifespan of about 211 years. During the first 25 years of their lives, rib bones increase in mineral density and the medulla transitions from compact to trabecular bone. Molecular …
Rickets is a common bone disease worldwide that is associated with disturbances in calcium and phos- phate homeostasis and can lead to short stature and joint deformities. Rickets can be diagnosed based on history and physical examination,…
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease highlighted by a marked loss of dopaminergic cell loss and motor disturbances. Currently, there are no drugs that slow the progression of the disease. A myriad of factors have been…
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease worldwide behind Alzheimer’s disease. One prominent feature of PD is the marked loss of dopaminergic and motor dysfunction. Currently, there are no therapies to…
All mammals undergo weaning from milk to solid food. This process requires substantial changes to mammalian oropharyngeal function. The coordination of swallowing and respiration is a crucial component of maintaining airway function throughout…
The development of knockin mice with Cre recombinase expressed under the control of the promoter for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) has allowed experimental manipulation of cholinergic circuits. However, currently available ChAT(Cre) mouse lines…
The intercollicular region, which lies between the inferior and superior colliculi in the midbrain, contains neurons that respond to auditory, visual, and somatosensory stimuli. Golgi studies have been used to parse this region into three distinct…
Deleterious age-related changes in the central auditory nervous system have been referred to as central age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) or central presbycusis. Central ARHI is often assumed to be the consequence of peripheral ARHI. However, it…
PURPOSE: Transposable elements are known to remodel gene structure and provide a known source of genetic variation. Retrotransposon gag-like-3 (RTL3) is a mammalian retrotransposon-derived transcript (MART) whose function in the skeletal tissue is …
Ageing is a leading risk factor predisposing cartilage to osteoarthritis. However, little research has been conducted on the effect of ageing on the expression of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs). RNA from young and old chondrocytes from …
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent joint degenerative disease leading to irreversible structural and functional changes in the joint and is a major cause of disability and reduced life expectancy in ageing population. Despite the high …
OBJECTIVE: Lysosomes are the major catabolic organelle of the cell and regulate the macromolecular and organelle turnover and programmed cell death. Here, we investigated the lysosome dysfunction in cartilage and its role in chondrocytes apoptosis…
Mitochondrial function is impaired in osteoarthritis (OA) but its impact on cartilage catabolism is not fully understood. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction-induced activation of catabolic response in …
Accumulating evidence suggests that inflammation has a key role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Nitric oxide (NO) has been established as one of the major inflammatory mediators in OA and drives many pathological changes during the…
Joint inflammation is a key player in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Imperatorin, a plant-derived small molecule has been reported to have anti-inflammatory properties; however, its effect on chondrocytes is not known. Here, we investigated…
The order Cetacea (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) evolved from terrestrial artiodactyls (even‐toed ungulates) around 50 million years ago. This transition from land to water occurred over an evolutionarily short period of less than 10 million years…
Swallowing in mammals requires the precise coordination of multiple oropharyngeal structures, including the palatopharyngeal arch. During a typical swallow, the activity of the palatopharyngeus muscle produces pharyngeal shortening to assist in…
