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A comparative study was made between normal and unisexual S. mansoni infections to investigate interrelations between male and female parasites. Unisexual infections were successfully maintained in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata and in MF1 mice for a period of one year. Male S. mansoni from unisexual infections were of comparable size to males from bisexual infections, but females in the absence of males failed to grow beyond 49 days post-infection in the mouse and remained sexually immature over a period of one year in isolation. While bisexual infections in the mouse demonstrated hypochromic, microcytic anaemia with haemorrhage and portal hypertension as a result of pathogenesis associated with deposition of eggs in the host liver, the anaemia found in unisexual male infections was mild and developed late in infection. Unisexual female infections appeared to be comparatively non-pathogenic. A study of the nutritional interrelationship between male and female S. mansoni by SDS PAGE electrophoresis of protein components, revealed no major differences between the sexes. A particular protein under investigation (molecular wt. 66kDa) previously thought to be male-specific, was detected in all stages of S. mansoni under study, indicating that no major transfer of nutrients from male to female S. mansoni is occurring. Evidence was presented for the role of chemical messengers in relation to worm pairing and female reproductive morphogenesis. Results from staggered unisexual infections indicated possible release of chemicals from male worms which stimulated partial growth and vitellogenesis in unpaired females in vivo. Ecdy-steroids were detected in tissue extracts of male and female S. mansoni from bisexual and unisexual infections and their possible involvement in schistosome development is discussed. Investigation into the antiparasitic effects of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporin A (CsA) showed the drug to be highly antischistosomal both therapeutically and prophylactically. Evidence from in vitro skin penetration of CsA-treated mouse skin suggests that the skin represents a major site of parasite attrition. The potential of CsA and other cyclosporin analogues for use in the prevention and treatment of human schistosomiasis is discussed.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2009. / Principal faculty advisor: James G. Richards, College of Health Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.

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Though the biomechanics of level walking have been studied extensively, the adaptations required for cross-slope locomotion are still largely unknown despite being a common terrain characteristic. The goals of this thesis were to determine (1) ground reaction forces (GRF) and moments (GRM), (2) lower-limb kinematics, and (3) lower-limb joint reaction forces (JRF) and moments (JRM) during level and cross-slope walking. Statistical analyses were made across limbs (down-slope (DS) and up-slope (US)) and across slope condition (level (0°) and cross-slope (6°)) (2X2 ANOVA). Ten healthy male volunteers performed several barefoot walking trials. The lower-limbs responded asymmetrically to the cross-slope condition by substantially changing (1) the medio-lateral GRF, (2) the sagittal and frontal plane kinematics as well as step-width, and (3) the medio-lateral JRF and frontal plane JRM. The modest cross-slope induced important asymmetrical changes in locomotor patterns and may represent a substantial physical obstacle to populations with restricted mobility.

The purpose of the study was to identify the lower limb kinematic adaptations made in normal gait to accommodate to static transverse slopes. Five male subjects were asked to walk along a platform at 0%, 5% and 10% slope. Kinematic data for the ankle, knee and hip were collected at 60Hz using the Ultratrak RTM (Polhemus Inc., Burlington, VT, USA) electromagnetic tracking system. Results indicated that significant (p < 0.05) joint angle changes occurred in both the uphill (UH) and downhill (DH) lower limbs. The adaptations served as compensatory changes to functionally shorten the UH limb and lengthen the DH limb.

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