Anatomical Sciences

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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/5291

The department has strong research in biological anthropology, reproductive biology and neuroanatomy. Comparative anatomy, comparative histology, growth, regulation and histology of the gastrointestinal tract, joint structure and innervation and connective tissue research are other foci of research.

Anatomical Sciences is part of the School of Medical Sciences.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 465

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2,000 Year old β-thalassemia case in Sardinia suggests malaria was endemic by the Roman period
(Wiley, 2017) Viganó, C.; Haas, C.; Rühli, F.J.; Bouwman, A.
Objectives: The island of Sardinia has one of the highest incidence rates of β-thalassemia in Europe due to its long history of endemic malaria, which, according to historical records, was introduced around 2,600 years ago by the Punics and only became endemic around the Middle Ages. In particular, the cod39 mutation is responsible for more than 95% of all β-thalassemia cases observed on the island. Debates surround the origin of the mutation. Some argue that its presence in the Western Mediterranean reflects the migration of people away from Sardinia, others that it reflects the colonization of the island by the Punics who might have carried the disease allele. The aim of this study was to investigate β-globin mutations, including cod39, using ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis, to better understand the history and origin of β-thalassemia and malaria in Sardinia. Materials and Methods: PCR analysis followed by sequencing were used to investigate the presence of β-thalassemia mutations in 19 individuals from three different Roman and Punic necropolises in Sardinia. Results: The cod39 mutation was identified in one male individual buried in a necropolis from the Punic/Roman period. Further analyses have shown that his mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Ychromosome haplogroups were U5a and I2a1a1, respectively, indicating the individual was probably of Sardinian origin. Conclusions: This is the earliest documented case of b-thalassemia in Sardinia to date. The presence of such a pathogenic mutation and its persistence until present day indicates that malaria was likely endemic on the island by the Roman period, earlier than the historical sources suggest.
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A comparative study of sperm production in two species of Australian arid zone rodents (Pseudomys australis, Notomys alexis) with marked differences in testis size
(Journals of Reproduction Fertility Ltd, 2001) Peirce, E.; Breed, W.
The plains rat, Pseudomys australis, and the spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis, show marked differences in the size of their testes and in the number of spermatozoa within the epididymides. In the present study, the dynamics of sperm production and the duration of sperm transit along the male excurrent ducts were compared between these two species. The durations of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium, spermatogenesis and sperm transit were determined by tracking cells using autoradiography after [(3)H]thymidine incorporation. Daily sperm production was determined from counts of testicular spermatids after homogenization and further estimates of sperm transit were obtained by dividing sperm reserves within the various regions of the extratesticular ducts by the daily sperm production of the attached testis. In the plains rat, the mean duration of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium was 11.2 days, the duration of spermatogenesis was 45 days, daily sperm production was 2.6 x 10(7) spermatozoa per gram of testis and epididymal transit of spermatozoa took approximately 9 days (caput 0.8 days; corpus 1.5 days; cauda 6.5 days). In contrast, in the hopping mouse, the mean duration of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium was 14 days, the duration of spermatogenesis was 56 days and daily sperm production per gram of testis was < 1.0 x 10(7). Epididymal transit of spermatozoa was completed in about 4 days (caput + corpus < 1 day; cauda 3 days); however, spermatozoa may be stored for an additional 1.5-2.0 days in the vas deferens. These results indicate that, in addition to small testes, the hopping mouse shows a low efficiency of sperm production, a relatively long duration of spermatogenesis and rapid passage of spermatozoa through the epididymis, all of which contribute to low epididymal sperm counts. These data are considered in relation to interspecific differences in sperm competition.
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A long-term toxicology study on pigs fed a combined genetically modified (GM) soy and GM maize diet
(Journal of Organic Systems, 2013) Carman, J.; Vlieger, H.; Ver Steeg, L.; Sneller, V.; Robinson, G.; Clinch-Jones, C.; Haynes, J.; Edwards, J.
A significant number of genetically modified (GM) crops have been approved to enter human food and animal feed since 1996, including crops containing several GM genes 'stacked' into the one plant. We randomised and fed isowean pigs (N=168) either a mixed GM soy and GM corn (maize) diet (N=84) or an equivalent non-GM diet (N=84) in a longterm toxicology study of 22.7 weeks (the normal lifespan of a commercial pig from weaning to slaughter). Equal numbers of male and female pigs were present in each group. The GM corn contained double and triple-stacked varieties. Feed intake, weight gain, mortality and blood biochemistry were measured. Organ weights and pathology were determined post-mortem. There were no differences between pigs fed the GM and non-GM diets for feed intake, weight gain, mortality, and routine blood biochemistry measurements. The GM diet was associated with gastric and uterine differences in pigs. GM-fed pigs had uteri that were 25% heavier than non-GM fed pigs (p=0.025). GM-fed pigs had a higher rate of severe stomach inflammation with a rate of 32% of GM-fed pigs compared to 12% of non-GM-fed pigs (p=0.004). The severe stomach inflammation was worse in GM-fed males compared to non-GM fed males by a factor of 4.0 (p=0.041), and GM-fed females compared to non-GM fed females by a factor of 2.2 (p=0.034).
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A morphometric analysis of the septal nuclei in schizophrenia and affective disorders: reduced neuronal density in the lateral septal nucleus in bipolar disorder
(Dr Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag, 2011) Brisch, R.; Bertstein, H.; Dobrowolny, H.; Krell, D.; Stauch, R.; Trubner, K.; Steiner, J.; Ghabriel, M.; Bielau, H.; Wolf, R.; Winter, J.; Kropf, S.; Gos, T.; Bogerts, B.
The septal nuclei are assumed to play a significant role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and affective disorders. The aim of this study was to morphometrically characterize the septal nuclei in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, when compared with healthy control subjects. We analyzed the septal nuclei by determining the density and size of the neurons in postmortem brains in 17 patients with schizophrenia, 8 patients with bipolar disorder, 7 patients with major depressive disorder, and 14 control subjects matched for age and gender. There was a significant reduction in the neuronal density, but not in the mean cross-sectional area, in the lateral septal nucleus (P = 0.013) in patients with bipolar disorder when compared with control subjects. There were no significant changes in the neuronal density of the septal nuclei of the medial and lateral cell groups in patients with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder when compared with control subjects. There was a significant negative correlation between neuronal density in the lateral septal nucleus and disease duration in patients with major depressive disorder (P = 0.037, r = −0.9). The histopathological abnormality of the decreased neuronal density in the lateral septal nucleus, which is an important limbic region involved in emotions, might be a neuropathological correlate of bipolar disorder.
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A narrow time-window for access to the brain by exogenous protein after immunological targeting of a blood-brain barrier antigen
(Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science, 2004) Ghabriel, M.; Lu, J.; Tadros, R.; Hermanis, G.
The endothelial barrier antigen (EBA) is a membrane protein expressed by endothelial cells of the rat blood–brain barrier (BBB). A previous short-term non-recovery study demonstrated that immunological targeting of EBA by intravenous administration of a monoclonal antibody (anti-EBA) led to acute opening of the BBB to exogenous and endogenous tracers. The aims of the present study were to determine whether opening of the BBB was reversible and compatible with survival, and whether a “therapeutic window” existed. A single intravenous injection of one of three doses (high, medium and low) of anti-EBA was used. Animals were allowed to survive for periods ranging from 17 min to 4 days. The tracer horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was administered intravenously 10 min before perfusion fixation, and its distribution was assessed in Vibratome sections of the brain and spinal cord. Leakage of HRP into the central nervous system was dose- and time-dependent. The medium dose produced incipient HRP leakage at 17 min and widespread pronounced leakage at 30 min. Progressive reduction in HRP permeability occurred from 45 min to 2 h, with barrier restoration by 3 h. At all subsequent time intervals (6 h–4 days) the BBB remained impermeable to HRP. The low and high doses produced less and greater HRP leakage, respectively, but restoration of the barrier still occurred at 3 h. The high dose, however, produced a number of deaths. Animals treated with an isotype control antibody showed no HRP leakage at comparable time intervals. The results indicated that (1) this model was compatible with survival, (2) opening of the BBB was monophasic and transient, occurring during a narrow “time-window”, and (3) the barrier, once reconstituted, maintained its integrity.
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A new rig for standardized craniofacial photography put to the test
(Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004) Stephan, C.; Clement, J.; Owen, C.; Dobrostanski, T.; Owen, A.
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A pedigree analysis including persons with several degrees of separation and qualitative data
(World Scientific Publishing, 2011) Pearce, C.; Henneberg, M.; 1st International Symposium on Mathematical and Computational Biology (BIOMAT 2010) (24 Jul 2010 - 29 Jul 2010 : Rio de Janeiro, Brazil); Mondaini, R.
One application of genetic analysis that has received considerable attention involves the probable descent of present–day individuals from Thomas Jefferson by his slave, Sally Hemings. This analysis was made possible through the use of a rare Y chromosome. In this chapter we address the possible descent of present–day individuals from a prominent Australian statesman, Charles Cameron Kingston (1850–1908), by two partners, G. McCreanor and M.P. Holt. Despite the obvious parallel, the current problem would appear to be more complex because of the absence of a Y chromosome marker: Kingston and his wife were childless and DNA typing based on an exhumed bone of Kingston failed to produce a Y chromosome result. Further, only four loci of Kingston which gave results were common to the 17 for which typing was done for three putative descendants. The problem is both of some historical interest and an example of the complications when working from a split data set.
Open Access
A potential link between magnesium intake and diabetes in Indigenous Australians
(Australasian Med Publ Co Ltd, 2005) Longstreet, D.; Heath, D.; Vink, R.
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A preliminary palaeodemographic evaluation of the skeletal material from the necropolis of Ponte di Ferro, Paestum, Italy (6th-5thc. BC)
(1996) Henneberg, M.; Henneberg, R.
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A solution for the permanent storage of historical skeletal remains for research purposes: A South Australian precedent that keeps scientists and the church community happy
(Australian Archaeological Association Inc., 2004) Anson, T.; Henneberg, M.
Archaeological excavations in the mid-19th century cemetery of the Anglican Church of St. Mary's in Adelaide resulted in the recovery of 70 human skeletons. Following a period of time for osteological analyses. the remains were to be re-interred in the church cemetery. Osteological examinations revealed good preservation and a variety of pathologies. The re-burial of collections such as this effectively means that they are permanently lost to science. As a consequence efforts were made by the researchers to avoid the loss of the collection and negotiations with the Church led to the creation of a storage facility in the grounds of the Church. A 13,640-litre concrete rainwater tank was buried and modified internally to accommodate the skeletal collection. This approach was found to be both cost effective and ethically acceptable to all parties involved
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A strong neuroprotective effect of the autonomous Cterminal peptide of IGF-1 Ec (MGF) in brain ischemia
(Federation Amer Soc Exp Biol, 2005) Dluzniewska, J.; Sarnowska, A.; Beresewicz, M.; Johnson, I.; Srai, S.; Goldspink, G.; Gorecki, D.; Zablocka, B.
The ischemic stroke is the third leading cause of death in developed countries. The C-terminal peptide of mechano-growth factor (MGF), an alternatively spliced variant of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), was found to function independently from the rest of the molecule and showed a neuroprotective effect in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, in a gerbil model of transient brain ischemia, treatment with the synthetic MGF C-terminal peptide provided very significant protection to the vulnerable neurons. In the same model, ischemia evoked increased expression of endogenous MGF in the ischemia-resistant hippocampal neurons, suggesting that the endogenous MGF might have an important neuroprotective function. In an in vitro organotypic hippocampal culture model of neurodegeneration, the synthetic peptide was as potent as the full-length IGF-1 while its effect lasted significantly longer than that of recombinant IGF-1. While two peptides showed an additive effect, the neuroprotective action of the C-terminal MGF was independent from the IGF-1 receptor, indicating a new mode of action for this molecule. Although MGF is known for its regenerative capability in skeletal muscle, our findings demonstrate for the first time a neuroprotective role against ischemia for this specific IGF-1 isoform. Therefore, the C-terminal MGF peptide has a potential to be developed into a therapeutic modality for the prevention of neuronal damage.
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A Substance P Antagonist Improves Outcome in Female Sprague Dawley Rats Following Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury
(Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2012) Corrigan, F.; Leonard, A.; Ghabriel, M.; Van Den Heuvel, C.; Vink, R.
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A substance P antagonist increases aquaporin-4 expression and reduces oedema after traumatic brain injury
(IOS Press, 2005) Howard, C.; Donkin, J.; Ghabriel, M.; Blumbergs, P.; Vink, R.
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Aboriginal stature in South Australia: a 10,000-year history
(Polskie Towarzystwo Antropologiczne, 2006) Owen, T.; Henneberg, M.; Pate, D.
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Activation of cyclo-oxygenase-2 contributes to motor and cognitive dysfunction following diffuse traumatic brain injury in rats
(Blackwell Publishing Asia, 2001) Cernak, I.; O'Connor, C.; Vink, R.
1. Post-traumatic inflammation may play a significant role in the development of delayed secondary brain damage following traumatic brain injury. 2. During post-traumatic inflammation, metabolic products of arachidonic acid, known as prostanoids (prostaglandins and thromboxanes) are released and aggravate the injury process. Prostanoid synthesis is regulated by the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase (COX), which is present in at least two isoforms, COX-1 (the constitutive form) and COX-2 (the inducible form). 3. In the present study, we examine the temporal and spatial profiles of COX-2 expression and the effects of the COX-2 inhibitor nimesulide on motor and cognitive outcome following diffuse traumatic brain injury in rats. 4. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injured using the 2 m impact acceleration model of diffuse traumatic brain injury. At preselected time points after injury, animals were killed and the expression of COX-2 was measured in the cortex and hippocampus by western blotting techniques. 5. Increased expression of COX-2 was found in the cortex at 3 days and in the hippocampus as early as 3 h postinjury and this persisted for at least 12 days. 6. Administration of nimesulide (6 mg/kg, i.p.) at 30 min after injury and daily over a 10 day post-traumatic neurological assessment period resulted in a significant improvement compared with vehicle (2% dimethylsulphoxide diluted in isotonic saline)-treated controls in cognitive deficits, as assessed by the Barnes circular maze. There was also a significant improvement in motor dysfunction as assessed by the rotarod test on days 1 and 2 post-trauma compared with vehicle-treated controls. 7. These results implicate the involvement of COX-2 in cognitive and motor dysfunction following diffuse traumatic brain injury.
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Activity and behaviour of lactating echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus multiaculeatus) from hatching of egg to weaning of young
(C S I R O Publishing, 2009) Rismiller, P.; McKelvey, M.
Throughout their Australia-wide distribution, short-beaked echidnas breed during the winter months, i.e. June through early September. Actual duration of the female reproductive cycle, from attracting males and mating until weaning the young, can vary from 7 to 9 months depending on geographic location. Much of this variation is due to length of courtship and age of weaning the young. This paper presents data about the behaviour of free-ranging female echidnas on Kangaroo Island from egg laying through to weaning and compares it with findings from other areas. On Kangaroo Island, behaviour of lactating echidnas falls into two distinct phases: (1) while carrying the young in the pouch; and (2) after the young is placed in a nursery burrow. Females significantly increased both the number of hours active each day as well as the size of area utilised after the young was in the nursery. Although types of nursery burrows are similar throughout Australia, duration of use and frequency visited varies between geographic locations. A major difference is that Kangaroo Island echidnas are often active while carrying either the egg or the young in the pouch and echidnas in other regions remain in a burrow for extended periods.
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Administration of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) peptides for 3 days stimulates proliferation of the small intestinal epithelium in rats
(BMJ Publishing Group, 1995) Steeb, Corinna-Britta; Trahair, J. F.; Read, Leanna C.
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Age determination and growth in wild petrogale lateralis pearsoni and captive petrogale lateralis 'MacDonnell Ranges race'
(C S I R O Publishing, 2004) Jones, M.; Taggart, D.; Temple-Smith, P.
Accurate assessment of age is important for effective captive husbandry techniques and assists in understanding developmental processes, population dynamics, reproductive strategies and seasonal breeding. Using linear and non-linear regression, this study analysed the growth rate of the head and pes length of known-age, captive-born pouch young of the black-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale lateralis 'MacDonnell Ranges race'. Growth curves for head and pes length from the captive-born pouch young were then used to predict the age of pouch young of P. lateralis pearsoni using data collected from the field. Observations on the development of the eyes, ears and body of P.�lateralis 'MacDonnell Ranges race' were also recorded. Results showed that a non-linear growth model best described the head-length growth of captive-born pouch young (r2 = 99.5%), whereas logistic regression was the most accurate predictor of pes-length growth (r2 = 99.6%). No significant differences were found when the two growth models were applied to head and pes data from wild pouch young, suggesting that the growth models derived from captive animals can be used to accurately predict the age of pouch young in the wild. During a preliminary cross-fostering trial, we examined growth of the head and pes length in pouch young of P. lateralis 'MacDonnell Ranges race' that had been cross-fostered onto the teats of surrogate tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) mothers; comparisons were made to the growth rate of pouch young of the same race that had remained with their natural mothers.
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Age, but not severity of injury, mediates decline in executive function: validation of the rodent touchscreen paradigm for preclinical models of traumatic brain injury
(Elsevier, 2019) Arulsamy, A.; Corrigan, F.; Collins-Praino, L.E.
Increasingly, it is being recognised that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not just an acute event but instead results in ongoing neuronal injury that may lead to chronic impairments in multiple cognitive domains. Of these, deficits in executive function are one of the more common changes reported following TBI, and are a major predictor of well-being, social function and quality of life in individuals with a history of TBI. In order to fully understand the relationship between TBI and executive dysfunction, including brain mechanisms that may account for this, experimental models are clearly needed. However, to date, there have been a lack of preclinical studies systematically comparing the effect of injury severity on executive function, particularly at long-term timepoints post-injury. Furthermore, many previous studies have not used behavioural measures that are sensitive to the full range of executive function impairments that may manifest after injury, particularly in models of diffuse axonal injury (Lv et al.). The current study aimed to investigate the temporal profile, up to 12 months post-injury, of the evolution of executive dysfunction following different severities of injury in an experimental model of DAI. In order to do so, we utilised a rodent touchscreen paradigm to administer the 5 Choice- Continuous Performance Task (5C-CPT), an extension of the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRT). Interestingly, there were no differences in learning, motivation, attention, response time or impulsivity at 1 month, 6 months or 12 months post-injury in any of the TBI groups compared to sham, regardless of the initial severity of the injury. Instead, most of the effects on executive function seen at the 12 month timepoint appeared to be a result of ageing, not injury. As even the 12-month timepoint represents middle age in the rat, future studies will be needed to further probe these effects, in order to determine whether DAI may influence the presentation of executive dysfunction in older age.
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Age, diet and injury affect the survival of facial motoneurons
(Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, 2003) Aperghis, M.; Johnson, I.; Patel, N.; Khadir, A.; Cannon, J.; Goldspink, G.
Using the model of facial nerve avulsion, we have compared the effects of injury, age and diet on motoneuronal survival. One to four weeks after nerve avulsion, 50–75% motoneuron loss was quantified in ad libitum-fed rats aged 7 days (neonate), 6 months (adult) and 24 months (aging) at the time of injury. Evidence of apoptosis was found for neonatal rats at 3 days post-injury, but not for neonates examined 7 days or adult or aging rats examined 1 month after injury. Non-operated, ad libitum-fed rats showed no significant loss of facial motoneurons by 24 months. Surprisingly, non-operated rats whose food intake was restricted to 15 g standard rat chow per day from the age of 6 months lost 50% of their motoneurons by 24 months. Facial nerve avulsion of 24-month-old rats raised on this restricted diet did not result in any additional loss of motoneurons one month after injury. These results challenge the common view that aging results in neuronal loss and that dietary restriction is universally beneficial.

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