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The Effects Of Ethanol Exposure On Glucose And Lactate Levels In Crayfish, Mackenzie Kirwan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of the project is to investigate and determine the effects of sunlight exposure and hormone levels. The circadian rhyth, which is heavily influenced by sunlight, not only affects the amount of sleep someone achieves, but is also related to behavior and mood, and heavily relies on the body’s hormones for proper regulation. The hormones that are prevelant to the circadian rhythm, and which will be studied in this experiment are cortisol, serotonin and melatonin. In this experiment, these three hormones will be extracted prior to alterations of light exposure. Animal test subjects will then undergo treatment of light …

Saccharomyces Arboricola And Its Hybrids’ Propensity For Sake Production: Interspecific Hybrids Reveal Increased Fermentation Abilities And A Mosaic Metabolic Profile, Matthew J. Winans, Yuki Yamamoto, Yuki Fujimaru, Yuki Kusaba, Jennifer E G Gallagher, Hiroshi Kitagaki

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The use of interspecific hybrids during the industrial fermentation process has been well established, positioning the frontier of advancement in brewing to capitalize on the potential of Saccharomyces hybridization. Interspecific yeast hybrids used in modern monoculture inoculations benefit from a wide range of volatile metabolites that broaden the organoleptic complexity. This is the first report of sake brewing by Saccharomyces arboricola and its hybrids. S. arboricola x S. cerevisiae direct-mating generated cryotolerant interspecific hybrids which increased yields of ethanol and ethyl hexanoate compared to parental strains, important flavor attributes of fine Japanese ginjo sake rice wine. Hierarchical clustering heatmapping with …

The Affective Disturbance Of Ethanol Withdrawal On C57bl/6j And C57bl/6nj Mice, Eric L. Levasseur

Honors College

The C57BL/6 (B6) mouse is the most commonly used inbred mouse strain in biomedical research. While the B6 mouse originated at The Jackson Laboratory, a number of separate breeding colonies are now maintained at various sites, resulting in genetic drift that has led to the emergence of both genotypic and phenotypic differences among these colonies. Two distinct substrains of B6 mice, C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6NJ (B6N), have been shown to differ on several addiction-related phenotypes, such as ethanol preference and locomotor responses to psychostimulants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess possible differences in depression- and anxiety-like behaviors …

Role Of Micrornas In Impaired Gut Permeability Following Ethanol And Burn Injury, Niya Latrice Morris

Dissertations

Every year there are nearly 500,000 reported burn injuries in the United States; half of which occur under the influence of alcohol. Clinical studies have shown that burn patients who are intoxicated at the time of injury have a worse prognosis; including increased risk of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and sepsis. The etiology behind these pathological consequences of ethanol and burn injury remains to be elucidated. The Gut-lymph hypothesis of MODS theorizes that trauma (e.g. ethanol and burn injury) results in a redistribution of blood flow to protect more vital organs which leads to ischemia/hypoxia (diminished oxygen delivery) in …

Ethanol-Induced Stress Response Of Staphylococcus Aureus, Jasmine M. Pando, Richard F. Pfeltz, Jesus A. Cuaron, Vijayaraj Nagarajan, Mukti N. Mishra, Nathaniel J. Torres, Mohamed O. Elasri, Brian J. Wilkinson, John E. Gustafson

Faculty Publications

Transcriptional profiles of 2 unrelated clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates were analyzed following 10% (v/v) ethanol challenge (15 min), which arrested growth but did not reduce viability. Ethanol-induced stress (EIS) resulted in differential gene expression of 1091 genes, 600 common to both strains, of which 291 were upregulated. With the exception of the downregulation of genes involved with osmotic stress functions, EIS resulted in the upregulation of genes that contribute to stress response networks, notably those altered by oxidative stress, protein quality control in general, and heat shock in particular. In addition, genes involved with …

Microglial Activation Immediately After Ethanol Withdrawal And 1 Week After Ethanol Withdrawal In Female C3h Mice, Sarah Holbrook

Honors College

Alcohol abuse is the fourth leading cause of preventable death in the United States (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [NIAAA], 2016). Alcohol affects us on a molecular, biological, and even societal level. Liver damage, cancer, and drunk driving accidents are only a few adverse consequences of alcohol abuse. Studies have also shown that alcohol abuse can damage the brain, in part by activating the central nervous system’s immune system, leading to inflammation and demyelination. This damage may lead to alcohol-related psychiatric disorders, motor impairment, and cognitive disabilities. Studies have also shown that females tend to exhibit more damage …

Two Adjacent Phenylalanines In The Nmda Receptor Glun2a Subunit M3 Domain Interactively Regulate Alcohol Sensitivity And Ion Channel Gating, Hong Ren, Yulin Zhao, Man Wu, Donard S. Dwyer, Robert W. Peoples

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is a key target of ethanol action in the central nervous system. Alcohol inhibition of NMDA receptor function involves small clusters of residues in the third and fourth membrane-associated (M) domains. Previous results from this laboratory have shown that two adjacent positions in the M3 domain, F636 and F637, can powerfully regulate alcohol sensitivity and ion channel gating. In this study, we report that these positions interact with one another in the regulation of both NMDA receptor gating and alcohol action. Using dual mutant cycle analysis, we detected interactions among various substitution mutants at these …

Alcohol Discrimination And Preferences In Two Species Of Nectar-Feeding Primate, Samuel R. Gochman, Michael B. Brown, Nathaniel J. Dominy

Dartmouth Scholarship

Recent reports suggest that dietary ethanol, or alcohol, is a supplemental source of calories for some primates. For example, slow lorises (Nycticebus coucang) consume fermented nectars with a mean alcohol concentration of 0.6% (range: 0.0–3.8%). A similar behaviour is hypothesized for aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis) based on a single point mutation (A294V) in the gene that encodes alcohol dehydrogenase class IV (ADH4), the first enzyme to catabolize alcohol during digestion. The mutation increases catalytic efficiency 40-fold and may confer a selective advantage to aye-ayes that consume the nectar of Ravenala madagascariensis. It is uncertain, however, whether alcohol exists in this nectar …

Analysis Of Alternative Storage Conditions For Dna Recovery From Field Samples, Alison Schutt, Emily Stricklin, Britta Ten Haken, Joseph Tolsma, Laurie Furlong, Sara S. Tolsma

Northwestern Review

As ecologists increasingly employ molecular methods, they find that tried and true preservation solutions (e.g. ethanol or formalin) may not be optimal when samples are targeted for genetic analyses. Before traveling to remote sample sites, researchers need to consider which preservation methods are likely to yield the largest quantity and highest quality of DNA based on their travel times and field conditions. They also need to consider whether they will have access to preservatives at remote sites and whether those preservatives can be safely transported. To determine which preservation methods would most reliably preserve tissue for genetic analysis under a …

Winter Rye As A Bioenergy Feedstock: Impact Of Crop Maturity On Composition, Biological Solubilization And Potential Revenue, Xiongjun Shao, Kay Dimarco, Tom L. Richard, Lee R. Lynd

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background:

Winter annual crops such as winter rye (Secale cereale L) can produce biomass feedstock on seasonally fallow land that continues to provide high-value food and feed from summer annuals such as corn and soybeans. As energy double crops, winter grasses are likely to be harvested while still immature and thus structurally different from the fully senesced plant material typically used for biofuels. This study investigates the dynamic trends in biomass yield, composition, and biological solubilization over the course of a spring harvest season.

Results:

The water soluble fraction decreased with increasing maturity while total carbohydrate content stayed …

Different Sites Of Alcohol Action In The Nmda Receptor Glun2a And Glun2b Subunits, Yulin Zhao, Hong Ren, Donard S. Dwyer, Robert W. Peoples

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The NMDA receptor is a major target of alcohol action in the CNS, and recent behavioral and cellular studies have pointed to the importance of the GluN2B subunit in alcohol action. We and others have previously characterized four amino acid positions in the third and fourth membrane-associated (M) domains of the NMDA receptor GluN2A subunit that influence both ion channel gating and alcohol sensitivity. In this study, we found that substitution mutations at two of the four corresponding positions in the GluN2B subunit, F637 and G826, influence ethanol sensitivity and ion channel gating. Because position 826 contains a glycine residue …

Effects Of Ketamine On Alcohol-Withdrawal Induced Behavioral Depression, Christie Edwards

Honors College

The focus of this experiment was to test the possible anti-depressant effects of ketamine in a novel model of alcohol withdrawal-induced depression in mice. In this model, inbred mice show long-term strain-dependent reductions in locomotor (running wheel) activity after chronic intermittent ethanol exposure via vapor chambers. Since wheel-running is rewarding and has antidepressant effects, we believe that reduced locomotion following ethanol withdrawal may reflect a depression-like syndrome resembling that seen in many abstinent alcoholics. Nevertheless, in a previous experiment we were unable to reverse this locomotor deficit using Desipramine, a norepinephrine-selective reuptake inhibitor with behavioral activating properties. Since low-dose ketamine …

Genetic Engineering, A Hope For Sustainable Biofuel Production: Review, Sudip Paudel, Michael A. Menze

Michael Menze

The use of recently developed genetic engineering tools in combination with organisms that have the potential to produce precursors for the production of biodiesel, promises a sustainable and environment friendly energy source. Enhanced lipid production in wild type and/or genetically engineered organisms can offer sufficient raw material for industrial transesterification of plant-based triglycerides. Bio-diesel, produced with the help of genetically modified organisms, might be one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels and to mitigate various environmental hazards.

Genetic Engineering, A Hope For Sustainable Biofuel Production : Review., Sudip Paudel, Michael Menze

Faculty Scholarship

The use of recently developed genetic engineering tools in combination with organisms that have the potential to produce precursors for the production of biodiesel, promises a sustainable and environment friendly energy source. Enhanced lipid production in wild type and/or genetically engineered organisms can offer sufficient raw material for industrial transesterification of plant-based triglycerides. Bio-diesel, produced with the help of genetically modified organisms, might be one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels and to mitigate various environmental hazards.

Genetic Engineering, A Hope For Sustainable Biofuel Production: Review, Sudip Paudel, Michael A. Menze

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The use of recently developed genetic engineering tools in combination with organisms that have the potential to produce precursors for the production of biodiesel, promises a sustainable and environment friendly energy source. Enhanced lipid production in wild type and/or genetically engineered organisms can offer sufficient raw material for industrial transesterification of plant-based triglycerides. Bio-diesel, produced with the help of genetically modified organisms, might be one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels and to mitigate various environmental hazards.

Impacts Of An Ethanol-Blended Fuel Release On Groundwater And Fate Of Produced Methane: Simulation Of Field Observations, Kevin P. Feris

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

[1] In a field experiment at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) designed to mimic the impact of a small-volume release of E10 (10% ethanol and 90% conventional gasoline), two plumes were created by injecting extracted groundwater spiked with benzene, toluene, and o-xylene, abbreviated BToX (no-ethanol lane) and BToX plus ethanol (with-ethanol lane) for 283 days. We developed a reactive transport model to understand processes controlling the fate of ethanol and BToX. The model was calibrated to the extensive field data set and accounted for concentrations of sulfate, iron, acetate, and methane along with …

The Effects Of Selected Drugs On The Memory Recall Of Sleep Deprived Mice, Jenn Pauldurai

Senior Research Projects

Humans often make use of the neurotransmission altering effects of drugs such as caffeine, ephedrine, and ethanol. These drugs induce changes in memory and learning ability, specifically when used for sleep deprivation. English white mice (Mus musculus) have been shown to exhibit similar cognitive changes when administered drugs while sleep deprived. A sample of 20 mice was divided into three experimental groups (each group receiving a different drug) and one control group. Maze-testing demonstrated that mice performance decreased with sleep deprivation (Treatment-1) but all groups returned to baseline performance when injected (IP) with selected drugs (Treatment-2), regardless of …

The Effects Of Harvest Regime, Irrigation, And Salinity On Stem Lignocellulosic Concentrations In Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.), Adam Harvey Warnke

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Rapid consumption of crude oil reserves has made it necessary to find methods of processing a renewable and sustainable feedstock for conversion into ethanol. Lignocellulosic feedstocks are promising because they are typically environmentally friendly and can meet the high-yield potential necessary for ethanol production. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has promise as a feedstock for ethanol production because of its high biomass yields, perennial-habit, relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and other co-products. This study focused on the effects of harvest regime, irrigation, and salinity on stem lignocellulosic concentrations in alfalfa for ethanol production during the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons in …

Aphrodisiac Activity And Curative Effects Of Pedalium Murex (L) Against Ethanol Induced Infertility In Male Rats, Gunasekaran Balamurugan, P. Muralidharan, Satyanarayana Polapala

Turkish Journal of Biology

It has been suggested that chronic ethanol exposure may result in testicular damage and infertility in males. Petroleum ether extract of Pedalium murex, family Pedaliaceae (PEPM), is evaluated in this study for its ability to increase aphrodisiac activity and to cure ethanol induced germ cell damage and infertility in male rat models. Doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg of PEPM showed a significant increase (P < 0.01, P < 0.001) in mating and mounting behaviour. The effect on fertility factors such as total body weight, percentage of pregnancy, litter size were also significantly increased (P < 0.01) in comparison with the ethanol-treated group. Significant increases in sperm motility and count were observed in PEPM-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01; P < 0.001) as compared with the ethanol-treated group. Similarly, reductions in the percentage of abnormal sperm were noted in animals treated with PEPM 400 mg/kg. The effects of PEPM on total protein, total cholesterol and testosterone were satisfactory, the levels being increased significantly for protein (P < 0.05), cholesterol (P < 0.01) and testosterone (P < 0.05) by 400 mg/kg PEPM. Microtome sections of the testes of animals treated with 400 mg/kg PEPM exhibited restoration and recovery of germinal cells and the luminal spermatozoa and were comparable with the control group animals. These effects of PEPM make this natural herb ideal as an aphrodisiac and a potent fertility enhancing drug.

Contribution Of Candida Albicans To The Synthesis Of The Volatile Organic Compound Ethanol In Putrefied Bodies, Chelsey Mozingo

Honors Theses

This experiment sought to determine if Candida albicans contributed to the production of the volatile organic compound ethanol in decomposing beef livers. The results this experiment proved to be inconclusive. This experiment showed no correlation between the amount the presence of Candida albicans and the production of the volatile organic compound ethanol based on the standard addition method. This may be indicative that VOC analysis is not an appropriate method for determining time of death based on a quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds. However, the experimental design most likely needs be altered to accommodate a more accurate method of …

Effects Of Ethanol On The Toxicity And Metabolism Of Acetonitrile And Acrylonitrile, Nancy Ochoa-Garza

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study examined the effects of ethanol on the toxicities and metabolism of two aliphatic nitriles: acetonitrile and acrylonitrile (one unsaturated and one saturated aliphatic nitrile, respectively) in male Sprague-Dawley rats at four different time intervals. Toxicity signs were apparent in all animals given the nitrile dosage, but those treated with ethanol dosages showed signs of toxicity earlier than those treated with glucose dosages. Both of the nitrites were metabolized to cyanide and thiocyanate. The concentration levels of each metabolite was apparent at 2 and 3 g/kg ethanol dosage for acetonitrile and 3 and 4.5 g/kg ethanol dosage for acrylonitrile …

Production Of Ethanol From Beet Molasses By Ca-Alginate Immobilized Yeast Cells In A Packed-Bed Bioreactor, Yekta Göksungur, Neşe Zorlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

The continuous production of ethanol from beet molasses by Ca-alginate immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a packed-bed bioreactor was investigated. The temperature was maintained at 30°C and the dilution rate was 0.22 h^{-1}. Maximum ethanol (4.62%), theoretical yield (82.9%) and volumetric productivity (10.16 gl^{-1}h^{-1}) were obtained from the beet molasses medium containing 10.90% total sugar with 2.0-2.4 mm diameter beads prepared from 2% (w/v) sodium alginate solution. At higher substrate concentrations, substrate was recirculated through the packed-bed bioreactor to increase yields and to decrease residual sugar content. The bioreactor system was operated at a constant dilution rate of 0.22 h^{-1} for …

Morphological Study Of Gastric Lesions Developing In The Rat Under Several Damaging Conditions: Modifications Induced By Pretreatment With Zinc Acexamate, M. Luisa Bravo, Ginés Escolar, Carmen Navarro, Ramón Fontarnau, Oriol Bulbena

Scanning Microscopy

Lesions developing in the gastric mucosa of the rat after exposure to different gastric damaging agents (100 mg/kg aspirin, and 70% or 100% ethanol) were assessed by scanning electron microscopy. The severity of the lesions was quantified according to morphological criteria. Modifications in the severity of these lesions induced by pretreatment with zinc acexamate were also analyzed. The scanning electron microscope revealed that with the exception of absolute ethanol, which caused distinctive morphological features, lesions found under the different experimental agents shared a common pattern of progression. Ultrastructural lesions on surface epithelial cells preceded further alterations of parietal cells. After …

Effect Of Biotin Limitation On The Conversion Of Xylose To Ethanol And Xylitol By Pachysolen Tannophilus And Candida Guilliermondii, Hung Lee, Audrey L. Atkin, Maria F.S. Barbosa, Delbert R. Dorscheid, Henry Schneider

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The relative amount of ethanol and xylitol accumulated in aerobic batch cultures of Pachysolen tannophilus and Candida guilliermondii on D-xylose depended on the extent of limitation by biotin. In high biotin media P. tannophilus favored ethanol production over that of xylitol while C. guilliermondii favored xylitol formation. However, as the extent of biotin limitation increased, the ratio of ethanol to xylitol produced by both organisms increased. The results are of interest in efforts to control such ratios.