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Neuroprotective Effects Of (-)-Epigallocatechin 3-O-Gallate (Egcg) On L-Methyl-4- Phenyl-L,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine (Mptp) And Hydrogen Peroxide (H2o2) Stressed Pc 12 Cells, Elizabeth M. Appert

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Despite the fact that Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, much of its etiology and pathogenesis remains to be discovered. The main pathological feature of PD is the progressive death of specific dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the brain. Oxidative stress induced cell death has been hypothesized as one mechanism responsible for PD pathogenesis.

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a reactive oxygen species (ROS) that has been implicated in PD as a by-product of dopamine (DA) degradation. 1 -methyl-4-phenyl- 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been shown to produce a Parkinsonian syndrome via an oxidative stress induced …

Crispr/Cas9 As A Gene Editing Tool To Delete The Transcriptional Repressor Inducible Camp Early Repressor From The Zebrafish Genome, Madhumalini Gnanasekar

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Genome editing has become an important tool in identifying the specific function and role of a gene in an organism. With the advent of genome editing using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/ CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems, editing a gene has become much easier and less expensive. This CRISPR/Cas9 system uses a small 20 nucleotide long guided RNA (gRNA), which along with Cas9 will bind to the target site and cleave it. In this research, CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to knock out the inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) promoter sequence in zebra fish. ICER has anti-proliferative activity and acts as …

Habitat Characteristics Of Wildlife Crossing Hotspots In Northern New Jersey, Kelly M. Triece

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Habitat fragmentation results when a landscape is broken apart due to urbanization. Fragmentation can result in a decrease in habitat size, and an increase in habitat patches which can then become increasingly isolated. Fragmentation may also be caused by human roadway and vehicle traffic, which degrades surrounding habitats, barricades wildlife movement, reduces the viability of wildlife populations and changes animal population networks. Fragmentation caused by roads often results in wildlife road mortality as animals traverse the roadway to obtain food, to mate or seek other resources. In order for conservation of wildlife populations to take place, it is essential to …

Are New Jersey Birds Involved In The Enzootic Cycle Of Lyme Disease?, Heather Kopsco

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Birds are well-established in cycles of zoonotic diseases, generally as hosts of an infected arthropod vector such as a mosquito or tick. Since the 1980s, research in both the United States and Europe has focused on their role in the ecology of Lyme disease and its causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, since they are fed upon by larval and nymphal ticks and can transport them and their associated diseases geographically during migrations. Further, research has shown that a number of avian species exhibit reservoir competency for B. burgdorferi which demonstrates that birds are involved in the enzootic cycles of the disease …

Do Arthropod Prey Alter Behavior When Exposed To Different Combinations Of Sensory Cues From Predators?, Kelly I. Pniewski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

How animals respond to predatory threats is influenced by the kinds of sensory cues from predators they are able to detect. Because sensory information is transduced through the environment, both that and the animal’s physiology may determine how animals are capable of reacting and are important variables when considering their behavioral responses. In this study I tested the effects of visual, chemical and seismic predator cues on how prey react to predatory threat. Four species of arthropod prey animals were tested; German cockroaches, Blatella germanica (Blattodea: Blattellidae), House crickets, Acheta domesticus (Orthoptera: Gryllinae), Pill bugs, Armadillidium vulgare (Oniscidea: Armadillidiidae), and …

The Relationship Between Ectomycorrhizae And Metal Contamination In An Urban Brownfield, Jessica Marta Evans

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examined ectomycorrhizal and plant relationships in contaminated soil in situ to determine the interactions between these three factors. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) were identified by physical morphotyping followed by sequencing of ribosomal DNA. Plant productivity was assessed through Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements taken from May through August of 2012 and 2013. Changes in EMF community composition and plant productivity were observed based on their position on the metal contamination gradient. While EMF composition changed depending on the level of metal contamination, none of the ectomycorrhizal species consistently outcompeted other species in the highly contaminated environments. Cenococcum geophilum was …

Sequencing The Plasmid In Synechococcus Sp. Iu 625 And Identification Of Stress Responsive Genes, Anna Slusarczyk

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Cyanobacteria increased their attention after the breakthrough that they are responsible for the development of Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms (FHAB). Cyanotoxins created by cyanobacteria impact aquatic biota and humans. Synechococcus sp. IU 625 [SIU 625) is one of the cyanobacteria that are blamable for the production of algal blooms. Due to its uncomplicatedness to culture, it has been used as a potential environmental pollution indicator, especially for heavy metal contamination.

Many EPA targeted metals such as Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu etc. have been considered. In this study, large plasmid was under investigation. Plasmid isolation of 5. IU 625 …

The Effects Of Transfusion On Blood Composition And Characteristics After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Christopher Keith Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Transfusion has been associated with increased morbidity and short- and longterm mortality after cardiac surgery. However, the physiological effects of transfusion in this setting are poorly described. This study aimed to examine the effects of transfusion on blood composition and characteristics after cardiac surgery.

1,134 patients underwent an isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery with no post-operative complications. Of these, 407 (35.8%) patients received a transfusion. Propensity-matching was used to generate a balanced cohort of 636 patients. 26 variables from standard blood tests were retrospectively collected. A repeated measures analysis of variance test was used to examine how these variables …

Effects Of Ph On Glia Proliferation And Apoptosis, Jodie Lee Kunkel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the highest-grade glioma and the most malignant form of astrocytoma (Brat and Mapstone, 2003; Hjelmeland and others). Diagnosis of GBM carries a prognosis of less than 14 months after diagnosis, despite surgical intervention, radiation, and chemotherapy (Hjelmeland and others). Unfortunately, the prognosis of GBM has remained unchanged over the last thirty years, even with abundant resources devoted to research (Barres, 2008). GBM tumors have a low intracellular pH that results in increased levels of proliferation and decreased levels of apoptosis. As a result, astrocytes, the cell type responsible for GBM, have been cultured and evaluated to …

Behavioral Response Of N. Spring Peepers (Pseudacris Crucifer) To A Common Road De-Icer, Nacl, Kara Lindstrom

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Amphibians are highly susceptible to environmental degradation in the form of pollution and are therefore considered an indicator for pollutants. Amphibian populations have been on the decline in recent years and possible causes have been subject of much recent research. One possible contributor to the decline is the effect of the use of road de-icing salts on the availability of viable habitat choices. Road salt, primarily NaCl, is one of the leading contributors of chloride in aquatic environments in northern climates. Salt from road run-off has the ability to affect amphibians directly by causing a reduction in offspring fitness, resulting …

Analysis Of Herbicide Treatment Effectiveness On Common Reed (Phragmites Australis) Of Delaware Bay Salt Marshes, Laura Rosa Ruggeri

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Management of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud., or common reed, an invasive species within the Delaware Bay, U.S. has been ongoing since 1994 as part of the Estuary Enhancement Program (EEP) for Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG). Phragmites is known to alter the habitat by creating a monoculture, increasing sediment trapping, and decreasing water circulation resulting in decreased biodiversity. Herbicide treatment at EEP Phragmites-dominated sites began as a means to mitigate for loss of nekton species resulting from operations of the Hope Creek-Salem Generating Station once-through cooling system. Using ArcGIS, effectiveness of herbicide treatment was compared at two of …

Antioxidant Effects Of Selenium Upon Exposure To Zinc And World Trade Center Particulate Matter In Prokaryotic And Eukaryotic Systems, Jagruti Patel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The antitoxic effect of selenium on zinc has been evaluated in different levels of living organisms. The growth was observed under various concentrations of zinc chloride as well as zinc chloride (ZnCl₂)/Selenium dioxide (SeO₂) using direct count and turbidity method while morphology and DNA is studied by performing DAPI stain. In prokaryotic Synechococcus sp. IU 625 (SIU 625), the growth was very similar to the control at the concentrations of lOmg/L, but reduced at 25mg/L while 50mg/L ZnCl₂ was lethal dosage and hence inhibited the growth completely. Morphological study indicated that the cells become longer …

Learning And Phototaxis In Belostoma Flumineum, Kaitlin Ann Garvey

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Learning allows organisms to adjust their behavior to adapt to a changing environment. The premise of this study was to investigate the capacity for learning in the giant waterbug, Belostoma flumineum Say (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae). As part of these experiments, I was able to identify an apparent directional phototaxis and to use it as motivation in an operant conditioning study. Belostoma flumineum and has been observed to exhibit negative directional phototaxis. The first two parts of this study suggest that B. flumineum has a statistically significant preference for shadowed over illuminated areas, as well as a preference for black substrate over …