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1. Symposia and Oral Abstracts

   https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icz003  

   Dunham, Noah T.; McNamara, Allison; Hieronymus, Tobin L.; Shapiro, Liza J.; Young, Jesse W. (February 2019, Integrative and Comparative Biology)

   Primates' near exclusive use of diagonal sequence gaits has been hypothesized to enhance stability on arboreal substrates. To assess how primate gait kinematics vary in complex arboreal environments, we filmed eight species of free-ranging primates (Ateles, Lagothrix, Alouatta, Pithecia, Callicebus, Saimiri, Saguinus, and Cebuella) at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Ecuador, and quantified the diameter and orientation of locomotor substrates using remote sensors (n = 858 strides). Five of the species used primarily diagonal sequence, diagonal couplet (DSDC) gaits. Callicebus frequently used lateral sequence gaits (i.e., ~50% of strides). Saguinus and Cebuella most frequently used asymmetrical gaits. We examined the effects of substrate diameter and orientation on duty factor and interlimb phasing, controlling for speed via ANCOVA. Ateles increased limb phase on inclines (p=0.04), Lagothrix had greater duty factors on inclines (p=0.002), Callicebus exhibited greater duty factors (p=0.04) and lower limb phase values on declines (p=0.001), and both Saimiri and Saguinus displayed an inverse relationship between limb phase and substrate diameter (p=0.05, p=0.03, respectively). This study confirms the ubiquity of diagonal sequence gaits in free-ranging primates and at least partially supports predicted biomechanical adjustments to promote stability including: increased duty factor on nonhorizontal substrates, increased limb phase on inclines, and decreased limb phase on declines. Other species-specific kinematic adjustments to substrate variation are likely related to body size and ecological variation but require further investigation. 

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2. Symposia and Oral Abstracts

   https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icab001  

   Allen, Jonathan D (February 2021, Integrative and Comparative Biology)

   The recruitment of new individuals into marine habitats is a critical determinant of community structure, yet much of our understanding of the ecology of marine invertebrate embryos and larvae remains rudimentary. One fundamental assumption of most life histories, that one egg yields one offspring, has been demonstrated to be false under a number of conditions and in a number of taxa. In this talk, our understanding of the production of multiple offspring from a single egg, referred to as polyembryony or cloning, will be re-examined for ophiuroid echinoderms. New insights into the mechanisms, induction and frequency of larval cloning will be provided for the brittlestars, in which larval cloning has been described, but few details have been reported. In particular, new data and a new mode of larval cloning will be described for the daisy brittlestar, Ophiopholis aculeata. Preliminary data will also be presented on the ecological consequences of cloning for brittlestars, focused on the potential costs of clone production on larval size, development time and survival to metamorphosis. 

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3. Impact of Nystatin Oral Rinse on Salivary and Supragingival Microbial Community among Adults with Oral Candidiasis

   https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11061497  

   Zhang, Lanxin; Manning, Samantha; Wu, Tong Tong; Zeng, Yan; Lee, Aaron; Wu, Yan; Paster, Bruce J.; Chen, George; Fiscella, Kevin; Xiao, Jin (June 2023, Microorganisms)

   This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Nystatin oral rinse on salivary and supragingival microbiota in adults with oral candidiasis and identify predictive factors related to individuals’ responses to Nystatin. The trial involved twenty participants who used 600,000 International Units/application of Nystatin oral rinse for seven days, four times a day, and were followed up at one week and three months after the rinse. The salivary and plaque microbiome of the participants were assessed via 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. Overall, salivary and plaque microbiomes remained stable. However, among the participants (53 percent) who responded to Nystatin rinse (defined as free of oral Candida albicans post treatment), Veillonella emerged as a core genus alongside Streptococcus and Actinomyces in supragingival plaque at the 3-month follow-up. Furthermore, statistical models were fit to identify predictive factors of Nystatin rinse success (elimination of C. albicans) or failure (remaining C. albicans). The results revealed that an increased level of salivary Interferon (IFN)-γ-inducible protein (IP-10), also known as C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), was an indicator of a failure of responding to Nystatin rinse. Future clinical trials are warranted to comprehensively assess the impact of antifungal treatment on the oral flora. 

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4. Metagenomic analysis examines oral microbiome changes and interplay with immune response following prenatal total oral rehabilitation

   https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-023-03997-9  

   Wu, Tong Tong; Sohn, Michael; Manning, Samantha; Beblavy, Robert; Gill, Steven; Quataert, Sally; Vasani, Shruti; Jang, Hoonji; Zeng, Yan; Bruno, Jennifer; et al (December 2023, Journal of Translational Medicine)

   Abstract BackgroundSuboptimal maternal oral health during pregnancy is potentially associated with adverse birth outcomes and increased dental caries risks in children. This study aimed to assess the oral microbiome and immune response following an innovative clinical regimen, Prenatal Total Oral Rehabilitation (PTOR), that fully restores women’s oral health to a “disease-free status” before delivery. MethodsThis prospective cohort study assessed 15 pregnant women at baseline and 3 follow-up visits (1 week, 2 weeks, and 2 months) after receiving PTOR. The salivary and supragingival plaque microbiomes were analyzed using metagenomic sequencing. Multiplexed Luminex cytokine assays were performed to examine immune response following PTOR. The association between salivary immune markers and oral microbiome was further examined. ResultsPTOR was associated with a reduction of periodontal pathogens in plaque, for instance, a lower relative abundance ofTannerella forsythiaandTreponema denticolaat 2 weeks compared to the baseline (p < 0.05). The alpha diversity of plaque microbial community was significantly reduced at the 1-week follow-up (p < 0.05). Furthermore, we observed significant changes in theActinomyces defective-associated carbohydrate degradation pathway andStreptococcus Gordonii-associated fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. Two immune markers related to adverse birth outcomes significantly differed between baseline and follow-up. ITAC, negatively correlated with preeclampsia severity, significantly increased at 1-week follow-up; MCP-1, positively correlated with gestational age, was elevated at 1-week follow-up. Association modeling between immune markers and microbiome further revealed specific oral microorganisms that are potentially correlated with the host immune response. ConclusionsPTOR is associated with alteration of the oral microbiome and immune response among a cohort of underserved US pregnant women. Future randomized clinical trials are warranted to comprehensively assess the impact of PTOR on maternal oral flora, birth outcomes, and their offspring’s oral health. 

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5. Oral Abstracts: European Glia Meeting 2021

   https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.24035  

   Hines, JH (July 2021, Glia)

   Oral Presentation Title: Evolution of the oligodendrocyte cell type and adaptive myelination phenotype (S10-03) 

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