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Characterization Of Calcium Homeostasis Parameters In Trpv3 And Cav3.2 Double Null Mice, Aujan Mehregan

Masters Theses

In mammals, calcium influx is required for oocyte maturation and egg activation, as it supports the persistent calcium oscillations induced by fertilization. These oscillations are required for the initiation of embryo development. The molecular identities of the plasma membrane calcium-permeant channels that underlie calcium influx are not established. Among these channels, Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid, member 3 (TRPV3) allows divalent cations, namely strontium (Sr²⁺) and calcium (Ca²⁺) with high permeability, into cells, and its expression pattern seems to predict an essential role in the initiation of development. Another channel that was identified to be expressed in …

Regulation Of Katanin Activity On Microtubules, Madison A. Tyler

Masters Theses

The cytoskeleton is a dynamic network of microtubules constantly being reorganized to meet the spatiotemporal demands of the cell. Microtubules are organized into subcellular highways to control cell processes such as cell division, cargo transport, and neuronal development and maintenance. Reorganization of this intricate network is tightly regulated by various stabilizing and destabilizing microtubule-associated proteins that decorate the network. Katanin p60 is a microtubule destabilizing enzyme from the ATPases Associated with various Activities (AAA+) family. It can both sever and depolymerize microtubules. In order to sever microtubules, katanin recognizes the tubulin carboxy-terminal tails (CTTs) and hydrolyzes ATP. Using super-resolution microscopy …

Implications Of Pgrmc1 Regulation Of Kit Ligand Synthesis In The Hippocampus, Haley Woods

Masters Theses

The mammalian hippocampus is responsible for many crucial brain functions such as learning, memory, and neurogenesis in adults. Its degeneration is a pathology associated with the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. A variety of genes have been associated with both neuroprotection and neurogenesis in the brain, some of which include progesterone membrane component 1 (Pgrmc1) and kit ligand (KitL). Pgrmc1 is recognized for mediating hormonal functions in both the ovary and neuroendocrine regions such as the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV), but its functions in the hippocampus are not well known. Both Pgrmc1 and KitL share downstream targets, the most strongly …

Uncovering Tasselsheath3. A Genomic And Phenotypic Analysis Of A Maize Floral Mutant., Thompson Zhang

Masters Theses

In the modern era, maize has become the most successful crop grown in the United States. According to the USDA over 90 million acres of land are planted to corn and 96.2% of the U.S feed grain production is made up of the cereal. Part of the success of maize is due to its floral architecture, and its pollination technique in which the flower opens, exposing stamens containing pollen into the air. A unique organ called the lodicule functions as a release mechanism, forcing the flower to open. Lodicules from grasses and eudicot petals are homologous, yet there is little …

Use Of Different Ripening Inhibitors To Enhance Antimicrobial Activity Of Essential Oil Nanoemulsion, Victor Ryu

Masters Theses

The objective of this research was to study the impact of ripening inhibitor level and type on the formation, stability, and activity of antimicrobial thyme oil nanoemulsions formed by spontaneous emulsification. Oil-in-water antimicrobial nanoemulsions (10 wt%) were formed by titrating a mixture of essential oil, ripening inhibitor, and surfactant (Tween 80) into 5mM sodium citrate buffer (pH 3.5). Stable nanoemulsions containing small droplets (d < 70 nm) were formed. The antimicrobial activity of the nanoemulsions decreased with increasing ripening inhibitor concentration, which was attributed to a reduction in the amount of hydrophobic antimicrobial constituents transferred to the separated hydrophobic domain, mimicking bacterial cell membranes, by using dialysis and chromatography. The antimicrobial activity of the nanoemulsions also depended on the nature of the ripening inhibitor used: palm ≈ corn > canola > coconut which also depended on their ability to transfer hydrophobic antimicrobial constituents to the separated hydrophobic domain.

Effects Of Malformed Or Absent Valves To Lymphatic Fluid Transport And Lymphedema In Vivo In Mice, Akshay S. Pujari

Masters Theses

Lymph is primarily composed of fluid and proteins from the blood circulatory system that drain into the space surrounding cells, interstitial space. From the interstitial space, the fluid enters and circulates in the lymphatic system until it is delivered into the venous system. In contrast to the blood circulatory system, the lymphatic system lacks a central pumping organ dictating the predominant driving pressure and velocity of lymph. Transport of lymph via capillaries, pre-collecting and collecting lymphatic vessels relies on the synergy between pressure gradients, local tissue motion, valves and lymphatic vessel contractility. The direction of lymph transport is regulated by …

Extractable And Non-Extractable Polyphenols From Apples: Potential Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Makenzi Gennette

Masters Theses

With diet being such a huge factor in the development of diseases, emerging research has supported that apple consumption is a promising candidate for disease prevention due to the high phenolic content it possesses. These polyphenols can be found in two forms: extractable polyphenols (EP) and non-extractable polyphenols (NEP). Polyphenols have been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, but up until this point, most researchers focus on EP fractions, while NEP are neglected. After the EP extraction using acetone and acetic acid (99:1) from the Apple Boost powder, three additional extraction methods were conducted on the remaining powder …

Influence Of Biomimetic Chelating Packaging On Natural Antimicrobial Efficacy, Paul Castrale

Masters Theses

The iron chelating molecule, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is used in food applications for the preservation of oxidation prone ingredients. Research has suggested that EDTA is also capable of enhancing the antimicrobial effectiveness of various compounds including naturally-derived antimicrobials. With consumer demand for cleaner food labels, there remains an opportunity to introduce new chelating technology to replace synthetically-derived EDTA. Through photographting and chemical conversion, hydroxamic acid ligands were covalently bound to polypropylene films resulting in polypropylene-graft-poly(hydroxamic acid) (PP-g-PHA). The resulting films demonstrated an ability to chelate 64 nmol/cm² from an iron saturated environment or 163 nmol/cm …

Partial Craniofacial Cartilage Rescue In Ace/Fgf8 Mutants From Compensatory Signaling From The Ventricle Of Danio Rerio, Douglas A. Calenda Ii

Masters Theses

Examples of asymmetric organs are found throughout the animal kingdom. Whether it is superficial like the fiddler crab’s claw or within an organism like our visceral organs, asymmetries have repeatedly evolved in nature. However, the genetic and developmental origins for asymmetric organ development remain unclear, especially for superficially paired structures. Within zebrafish, a striking example of asymmetry occurs within the ace/fgf8 mutant. The pharyngeal cartilages of these mutants develop asymmetrically 35% of the time, with more cartilages developing on the left or right side of the head, but the origins of this asymmetry are unknown. A significant proportion of mutants …

Investigating Natural And Induced Biofilm Dispersion In Listeria Monocytogenes, Brett Boulden

Masters Theses

Dispersion is a natural part of a biofilm life cycle in many bacterial species. Dispersion occurs when bacteria revert from a stationary, sessile state to a free-swimming, planktonic state and are freed from a biofilm. Bacterial biofilms consist of proteins, polysaccharides, and extracellular DNA that together make up the extracellular polymeric substances. Surrounded by this mucus-like substance, sessile cells can be extremely difficult to eradicate as compared to the planktonic form of Listeria monocytogenes. Biofilms are robust due to increased surface adherence, inhibition of diffusion of harmful compounds, and increased genetic diversity that exists within a biofilm. As a …

Modelling Bird Migration With Motus Data And Bayesian State-Space Models, Justin Baldwin

Masters Theses

Bird migration is a poorly-known yet important phenomenon, as understanding movement patterns of birds can inform conservation strategies and public health policy for animal-borne diseases. Recent advances in wildlife tracking technology, in particular the Motus system, have allowed researchers to track even small flying birds and insects with radio transmitters that weigh fractions of a gram. This system relies on a community-based distributed sensor network that detects tagged animals as they move through the detection nodes on journeys that range from small local movements to intercontinental migrations. The quantity of data generated by the Motus system is unprecedented, is on …

The Role Of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake And Vitamin D In Elevated Systolic Blood Pressure, Amanda Abrams

Masters Theses

High sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake and poor vitamin D status have both been associated with increased risk of elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) in previous research. However, these associations have never been investigated in the same study population, leaving the question of a possible interaction uninvestigated. One potential mechanism for an interaction is that SSB intake may increase serum uric acid (UA) and UA may interfere with utilization of vitamin D. This study examined these relationships in a sample of men and women (n=2,875) aged 20-74 using data collected in the 2003-2006 NHANES survey. No statistically significant association was found …

Multiple Testing Correction With Repeated Correlated Outcomes: Applications To Epigenetics, Katie Leap

Masters Theses

Epigenetic changes (specifically DNA methylation) have been associated with adverse health outcomes; however, unlike genetic markers that are fixed over the lifetime of an individual, methylation can change. Given that there are a large number of methylation sites, measuring them repeatedly introduces multiple testing problems beyond those that exist in a static genetic context. Using simulations of epigenetic data, we considered different methods of controlling the false discovery rate. We considered several underlying associations between an exposure and methylation over time.

We found that testing each site with a linear mixed effects model and then controlling the false discovery rate …

Explicit Learning Of Phonotactic Patterns Disrupts Language Learning, Evan Hare

Masters Theses

Learning environment has been proposed to be a cause of age of acquisition effects in second language acquisition. Explicit learning in adults is linked to fast initial gains but poorer ultimate attainment whereas implicit learning in children requires more input but leads to greater proficiency in the long run. The current study used ERP measures to determine if explicit learning of a phonotactic pattern interferes with implicit learning of that same pattern in adults. Listeners were told to figure out the pattern of consonants that can go together in a word by listening to 16 CVCV nonsense words in which …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Climate On Bird Abundance Along Elevation Gradients In The Northern Appalachians, Timothy Duclos

Masters Theses

The stratification of bird species along elevational gradients is widely reported, with montane bird communities typically characterized by distinctive species occurring in relatively small and isolated populations; as such, these species are the subject of considerable interest to ecologists and conservationists. The stratification of species along elevation is largely attributed to compressed climatic zonation. Recent evidence that bird species are shifting up in elevation has fueled speculation that these species are tracking their climactic niches in response to climate change. However, there is also evidence plant communities are shifting in elevation, presenting a potential additional mechanism explaining changes observed in …

A Mixed-Methods Study On Female Landowner Estate Planning Objectives, Rebekah Zimmerer

Masters Theses

The majority of the forested land in New England is owned by private landowners, a large number of whom are at or above retirement age. In the coming decades these landowners are going to be making decisions about what happens to their land once they no longer own it. Female landowners specifically play a critical role in the long-term planning and decision-making process. Women generally have a longer life expectancy than men and assess their level of confidence and financial stability in ways that differ from men. This difference in perception influences the decisions they make about their land. Despite …

A Representational-Hierarchical Account: A New Theory Of False Memories, D. Merika Wilson

Masters Theses

Past research has supported a representational-hierarchical theory of memory and perception that extends the ventral visual stream into the medial temporal lobe. In this account, representations are organized in a hierarchical manner, such that structures located further anterior in the brain contain complex representations of whole objects and areas further posterior in the visual cortex contain representations of simple features. When conjunctive representations are compromised, an individual must rely on simple-feature representations to complete mnemonic and perceptual tasks. However, these simple-feature representations are susceptible to feature-level interference, which can cause false recognition of novel objects. The goal of the present …

Methylglyoxal Influences Development Of Caenorhabditis Elegans Via Heterochronic Pathway, Jiaying Wang

Masters Theses

Methylglyoxal is a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound, which is widely distributed in food products and beverages, and is particularly high in Manuka honey. In addition to its antibacterial effects, methylglyoxal is also known as a major precursor of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), that produces altered macromolecules (such as proteins and DNA), leading to abnormal physiological changes. However, the effects of methylglyoxal on development is unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the role of methylglyoxal in this aspect using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Treatment of methylglyoxal at 0.1 mM and 1 mM for 48 h significantly inhibited …

Evaluation Of Berry Extracts On Intestinal Digestive Enzymes And Sugar Transporters, Jungbae Ohrenberger

Masters Theses

T2DM is a chronic disease characterized by postprandial hyperglycemia. One of the therapeutic approaches to attenuate hyperglycemia is to inhibit intestinal ɑ-glucosidase enzyme and/or suppress glucose transporters that regulate intestinal glucose transporters such as SGLT1 & GLUT2. Berries rich in polyphenol antioxidants have various health benefits. Although the antidiabetic effects of various berry extracts or berry mixture in pre-clinical and clinical studies, the underlying pathways at the molecular level is still unclear. In this study, we investigated antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of selected berry extracts by determining free radical scavenging activates, Caco-2 intestinal ɑ-glucosidase activity, glucose uptake and the gene …

Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Reduces Fat Accumulation In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Jinning Liu

Masters Theses

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), also known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate, is a polyphenol that is most abundant in tea. It has been shown from many studies that consumption of EGCG can contribute to weight loss, however, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. To determine how EGCG acts to reduce fat, an organism model Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is introduced, which is a useful animal system in exploring crucial biological mechanisms that are readily applicable to humans. In this study, different strains were raised for two days on a diet with or without 100µM and 200µM EGCG treatment: N2 (i.e., wild …

Botswana’S Elephant-Back Safari Industry – Stress-Response In Working African Elephants And Analysis Of Their Post-Release Movements, Tanya Lama

Masters Theses

Understanding how African elephants (Loxodonta africana) respond to human interactions in ecotourism operations is critical to safeguarding animal and human welfare and sustaining wildlife ecotourism activities. We investigated the stress response of elephants to a variety of tourist activities over a 15-month period at Abu Camp in northern Botswana. We compared fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations across three elephant groups, including: eight elephants in an elephant-tourism operation (Abu herd), three elephants previously reintroduced back into the wild from the Abu herd, and wild elephants. There were no differences in FGM concentrations between the three groups of elephants. The highest observed …

A Magnetic Resonance Compatible Knee Extension Ergometer, Youssef Jaber

Masters Theses

The product of this thesis aims to enable the study of the biochemical and physical dynamics of the lower limbs at high levels of muscle tension and fast contraction speeds. This is accomplished in part by a magnetic resonance (MR) compatible ergometer designed to apply a load as a torque of up to 420 Nm acting against knee extension at speeds as high as 4.7 rad/s. The system can also be adapted to apply the load as a force of up to 1200 N acting against full leg extension. The ergometer is designed to enable the use of magnetic resonance …

Investigation Of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases In S. Homoeocarpa For Chlorothalonil Biotransformation, Robert Green

Masters Theses

Sclerotinia homoeocarpa (F.T. Bennett) is one of the most economically important pathogens on high amenity cool-season turfgrasses where it causes dollar spot. Due to decades of over-reliance and repeated chemical treatments, S. homoeocarpa has developed resistance and insensitivity to multiple classes of fungicides. To understand the genetic mechanisms of fungicide resistance, the whole genomes of two strains with varying resistance levels to fungicides, were sequenced. In unpublished data (Sang et al.), a RNA-sequencing analysis revealed three CYP450s that were validated to play a functional role in S. homoeocarpa’s resistance against different fungicide classes. We also identified CYP450 metabolic action …

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Of Wild Tomato Species During Fruit Development, Altynay Zhanayeva

Masters Theses

Fleshy fruits in different species can display large variation in color. A link between fruit color and seed dispersal success is suggested by previous studies showing that high intensity of fruit color increases the visitation rate in seed-dispersing birds. Wild tomato species (Solanum spp.) are excellent model organisms for research on genetic basis of differential fruit color development during the ripening process. Despite polymorphism in fruit color, all tomato species have yellow flowers due to accumulation of carotenoid pigments, which suggests that the carotenoid pathway is intact. Thus, regulatory changes controlling enzymes activity during fruit maturation are likely …

Investigating The Utilization Of Mushrooms In Beef-Based Products For Improved Health, Kristin Wong

Masters Theses

This research investigated the use of mushrooms in beef-based products as a means to reduce overall sodium and fat for food service applications. Initial product development used physical characterization analysis (color, moisture, texture, yield, fat, and sodium) to determine initial threshold of mushroom inclusion with minimal differences against an all-meat control. Additional physical analysis then investigated a variety of other factors (mushroom type, blanching, mushroom particle size, salt level, and meat/fat blend) to determine if there were other attributing ingredient characteristics that would yield statistical similarity to the all-meat control. Taco filling formulations with optimized ingredients were then fielded in …

Cdna Sequences Of The Caprine Gamma Delta T Cell Hybrid Co-Receptor And Pathogen Recognition Receptor Wc1 Multigene Family, Maria Solangi

Masters Theses

Workshop cluster 1 (WC1) molecules are exclusively expressed on the surface of gamma delta T cells and act as co-receptors and bind pathogens thus also functioning as pattern recognition receptors. The aim was to obtain cDNA evidence to support the recent caprine genome annotation of the WC1 multigene family conducted by a colleague. To get cDNA sequences three strategies were used. Strategy 'I' was used to obtain three clones that corresponded to WC1 SRCR domain d9 through the intracytoplasmic tail sequence. Strategy 'II' was used to obtain 6 clones. A PCR was conducted using SRCR domain b7 through the intracytoplasmic …

Sodium Reduction In Turkey Breast Meat By Using Sodium Anion Species, Janamkumar Pandya

Masters Theses

Research studies show that an average American consumes 3,400 to 4,500 mg/day of sodium in their diet against the dietary recommendation of 1,500 to 2,300 mg/day. The majority of this sodium comes from processed foods. Excess sodium in the diet can potentially cause health issues such as hypertension, heart attack, kidney failure, and bone problems. The objective of this study is to understand sodium diffusion in a protein model using turkey breast meat and determine the opportunities of its reduction by changing the process conditions and combining table salt with other sodium salts.

Since proteins are a complicated system and …

Factors Influencing Impact Of Biological Control Agents Of The Emerald Ash Borer, Theresa Murphy

Masters Theses

Agrilus planipennis, the emerald ash borer (EAB), is a destructive invasive forest pest decimating North American ash trees. Population-wide management of EAB focuses on biological control, with the introduction of four parasitic wasps; one egg parasitoid, Oobius agrili and three larval parasitoids- Spathius galinae, Spathius agrili and Tetrastichus planipennisi. This thesis examines some of the factors influencing the establishment of these larval biocontrol agents. Chapter 1 examines the relationship between woodpeckers and the parasitoids S. agrili and T. planipennisi. Both woodpeckers and these parasitoids attack the larval stage of EAB, which means their impacts overlap and …

An Adult Zebrafish Brain Atlas To Investigate Shh Mediated Cell-Cell Signaling In Neurogenic Zones, Alyssa P. Lutservitz

Masters Theses

Adult neurogenesis occurs in proliferative zones of the brain that contain neural progenitor cell populations capable of differentiating into specific cell types. However, we remain limited in our understanding of the signals that regulate neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in adults. Recently zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as an excellent model for studying the molecular mechanisms behind adult neurogenesis, because sixteen proliferative zones remain active in the adult brains. Thousands of fluorescent transgenic reporter lines have been generated in zebrafish that reveal gene expression patterns of cell-cell signaling systems, some of which may regulate neurogenesis in these …

A Novel Periplasmic Protein Involved In The Mannan Chain Elongation Step Of Lipomannan And Lipoarabinomannan Biosynthesis In Mycobacterium Smegmatis, Stephanie A. Ha

Masters Theses

Mycobacteria are atypical bacteria possessing unusual cell envelopes comprised of an outer membrane, covalently linked to an arabinogalacatan-peptidoglycan structure via waxy mycolic acids, in addition to the conventional inner membrane. This thick and highly impermeable cell envelope is a major deterrent to antibiotic treatment of clinically relevant mycobacterial pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which infects a third of the world’s population and kills millions each year. Thus, the regulation of mycobacterial cell envelope biosynthesis is of great interest for the development of more effective therapeutics for treating Mtb infections. Using the model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis (M. smegmatis …