Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Mechanisms Of Pkg1-Α Activation By Synthetic Peptides, Connor Cronin

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinases (PKG’s) are essential signaling macromolecules which play a pivotal role in vascular physiology and smooth muscle tone regulation. As principle downstream effectors of the secondary messenger cyclic 3’, 5’-guanosine-monophosphate (cGMP), PKG isoforms are expressed in high levels in all types of smooth muscle cells. The broad range of cellular functions effected by PKG include platelet aggregation, hypertrophy, apoptosis, neuronal plasticity, gene expression, differentiation, vasorelaxation, vascular remodeling, calcium homeostasis, and cardiac function. Recently, a newly characterized helical switch domain within the alpha isoform of PKG (PKG1-α) has led to the development of S1.1, a novel cGMP-independent peptide …

Effects Of Imatinib Mesylate On Urinary Bladder Function And Inflammatory Mediators In Mice With Cyclophosphamide-Induced Cystitis, Megan Elizabeth Perkins

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a condition of lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction, characterized by 6 ≤ weeks of LUT symptoms and pelvic pain or discomfort, with other discernable causes excluded. Few treatments exist and more therapeutic targets are needed. Progress is further compounded by the unknown etiology of IC/BPS.

A subpopulation of interstitial cells has been recently identified in the urinary bladder detrusor muscle and lamina propria (LP) and many express the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα). Functionally, LP interstitial cells are theorized to act as intermediary sensors, transducing signals from the urothelium to the detrusor and/or …

Systems Approaches For Gene And Drug Discovery In Alzheimer’S Disease, Jeffrey Brabec

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder affecting all tissues and cell types of brain leading to emotional dysregulation and cognitive dysfunction. From genome-wide association studies (GWAS), to date we have identified forty-two genome-wide significant genes for AD that influence overall disease risk or endophenotypes, including neuroimaging and gene expression profiles. Nevertheless, the currently known AD genes do not account for a significant proportion of the heritability of disease risk, implying the existence of many weak-effect variants in potentially thousands of genes as drivers of AD outcomes. This genetic architecture, composed of many small effects, is partly due to …

Seeding Coexistence: Understanding The Potential For Seed System Pluralism Through A Mixed-Methods Research Study Of Vermont Growers, Carina Isbell

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Visions for the future of the global agri-food system are often polarizing. Facing such issues as climate change, social and political unrest, and decreasing biodiversity, communities are increasingly facing critical decisions relating to how food systems can transform to better meet the needs of society and the environment. Seeds – an often-overlooked input that, throughout history, have encapsulated agri-food system paradigms as well as hope for how they might be changed – sit at the nexus of many of these decisions. In the last half-century, increasing privatization and industrialization across the agricultural sector have profoundly transformed seed systems globally. In …

Genetic Ablation Of Kir2.1 Channels And Its Effects On Micturition In Conscious Mice, Ryan Thomas Shields

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Detrusor muscle overactivity in the bladder wall is the hallmark symptom of overactive bladder syndrome and the principal target of therapy that seeks to reduce incontinence and urinary urgency. However, these interventions typically fail to alleviate long-term detrusor overactivity and simply mask the underlying pathology while also potentially introducing undesirable side effects that disrupt quality of life. One alternative mechanism driving of overactive bladder is attributed to ischemia within the bladder, which is subject to enormous swings in pressure and tension on its vasculature restricting blood flow. This observation, coupled with the fact that healthy vascular tissue within the bladder …

Copepods As A Model System For Exploring The Impacts Of Climate Change On Marine Ectotherms, Lauren Ashlock

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Marine ecosystems provide essential habitat to ecologically and economically impactful species and provide humans with a wealth of ecosystem services. With climate change, marine ecosystems are increasing in mean temperature and temperature variability. Marine ectotherms are vulnerable to this change and are important sentinels of warming, as their internal physiology is dependent on the external thermal environment.

Copepods are marine ectotherms that play a critical role in trophic transfer and nutrient cycling. Importantly, copepods are relatively short-lived, allowing them to track ocean change as it happens. Together, these qualities make copepods a reliable model for understanding the impacts of global …

Characterization Of Tau Disease-Associated Mutation, R5l, On Microtubule Bound Tau Behavoir And Function, Alisa Cario

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Proper coordination of the neuronal cytoskeleton is necessary for the health of the nervous system. Regulation of the microtubule cytoskeleton is achieved, in part, through microtubule associated proteins (MAPs). MAP-Tau, an intrinsically disordered protein highly expressed in axons, functions in signaling cascades, regulation of motor motility, as well as the direct regulation of microtubule dynamics. Tau misregulation and mutations are linked to a class of neurodegenerative diseases called Tauopathies, characterized by the aggregation of Tau. These include progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), Pick's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Many of the disease-associated mutations in Tau are found in the microtubule-binding domain, in …

Investigating Routes Of Pollinator Exposure To Pesticides, Jessica Cole

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to minimize the negative impact of harmful pests. However, the use of pesticides also has non-target effects on beneficial insects such pollinators. In addition to the direct harm to pollinators foraging on crops during pesticide application, pesticides are also frequently utilized in non-agricultural settings, and can drift to non-target areas via the wind and water. Plants growing in such contaminated soils may absorb pesticides and express them in their flowers, specifically the pollen and nectar upon which pollinators rely. This is particularly important because encouraging wildflower growth alongside fields is a common strategy to …

Alternative Splicing Regulates The Innate Immune Response To Viral Infection, Luke A. White

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne RNA virus that infects humans and livestock in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian peninsula, causing disease ranging from a mild flu-like illness to liver damage, blindness, hemorrhagic fever, death, and, especially in livestock animals, high rates of abortive pregnancies. There is no approved vaccine for RVFV, and as a disease with a high rate of spread that causes severe illness, it is listed as a Category A pathogen by the USA CDC. A better understanding of RVFV’s molecular virology will be instrumental to combating RVFV as climate change causes its mosquito host …

Targeting The Bcl6 Transcription Factor In Ovarian Cancer, Harrison H. Parent

Honors Theses and Capstones

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common reproductive malignancies for women in the United States, as well as one of the deadliest. Many deaths attributed to ovarian cancer, as well as cancer generally, are due to metastasis of the original tumor to different tissues throughout the body. The BCL6 transcription factor has been identified to play a key role in the metastasis of these tumors, as well as the invasion of these cancer cells through mesothelial cell layers, which contributes to ovarian cancer’s unique metastatic behavior. In an attempt to target these metastases and prevent mesothelial penetration, drugs were …

Investigating The Main Protease (Mpro) Of Sars-Cov-2 As A Potential Drug Target, Valerie Giovina Pascetta

Honors Theses and Capstones

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed the lives of roughly 6.2 million people worldwide as of May 2022. The virus’s main protease (M^pro ) has been identified as an attractive drug target due to the critical role it plays in the viral life cycle. The roughly 34 kDa M^pro cleaves functional viral polypeptides out of two long polyproteins at conserved cut sites, allowing them to fulfill their role in processes like transcription and replication. Here, we have studied the enzymatic activity …

Screening Ocean Samples From Georgia For The Presence Of Msx And Dermo Using Pcr And Qpcr Methods, Olivia Michelle Williams

Honors Theses and Capstones

This Senior Thesis project aimed to be able to screen samples that came in from a PhD student in Georgia for the presence of two oyster diseases, MSX and Dermo. This study was done using PCR followed by visualizing on E-gels for initial presence of disease. These were then followed by qPCR and visualization on Criterion gels. These Criterion gels were able to be analyzed in order to calculate the pg/uL of MSX and Dermo in the original ocean samples. Since the samples were sent in over the course of February-August ‘21 the presence over time was also able to …

Finding The Best Predictors For Foot Traffic In Us Seafood Restaurants, Isabel Paige Beaulieu

Honors Theses and Capstones

COVID-19 caused state and nation-wide lockdowns, which altered human foot traffic, especially in restaurants. The seafood sector in particular suffered greatly as there was an increase in illegal fishing, it is made up of perishable goods, it is seasonal in some places, and imports and exports were slowed. Foot traffic data is useful for business owners to have to know how much to order, how many employees to schedule, etc. One issue is that the data is very expensive, hard to get, and not available until months after it is recorded. Our goal is to not only find covariates that …

Quantifying Genomic Diversity And Growth In Iowa Bluegill, Jeremy Raymond Abels

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) is one of the most fished species in Iowa. However, after an initial stocking event, lakes rarely receive additional stockings owing to a high rate of natural reproduction. For this reason, the genetic diversity of Bluegill populations remains understudied in the context of fisheries and natural resource management. Additionally, the extent to which genetics influences the growth rate of Bluegill on a population level has not yet been extensively examined. The goal of this study was to understand the diversity of Iowa’s Bluegill population and to determine if there is a genetic association with growth …

Soil Organic Carbon Accumulation In Restored Native Prairies Over Time, Samrin Shahnaz

Honors Program Theses

With the recent focus on the causes and effects of climate change, the relationship between agriculture and climate change has become an important concern. Conventional farming maximizes crop production at the expense of ecosystem services like soil carbon storage. As the human population grows, it is vital to develop practices that balance crop production and ecosystem services.

We investigated organic carbon accumulation in restored prairie soil over the course of a decade. Our goal was to determine how organic carbon levels and soil bulk density changed over time, and how that change was influenced by species diversity and soil depth. …

The Development Of A Photographic Atlas Of Plant Adaptations For Pollination, Bethany Van Dusseldorp

Honors Program Theses

Plants have biotic, abiotic, or both biotic and abiotic adaptations for pollination, depending on how they are structured and the attraction between the plant and pollinator. The main focus for this project was biotic adaptations for pollination, and how various plants are specifically structured for the insect, bird, or mammal to pick up the pollen and carry it to the next plant. Documentation, using image/focus stacking and macro photography, was done of the structures of various plants from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Botanical Center to support the reason for why plants are structured the way they are. While …

Developing Methods To Assess The Role Of Lumbricus Terrestris On Seed Predation In Prairie Restoration, Jacey R. Meier

Honors Program Theses

Tallgrass prairie used to cover Iowa and much of the midwest, but now only a small percentage of it remains. Many prairie restoration efforts are in place to revitalize Iowa’s former prairie landscape. Native prairie seed that is genetically diverse and regionally appropriate is expensive, and only 5-10% of the seeds planted germinate into seedlings. Ungerminated seed loss can occur many ways, one being due to seed predation. The common earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris, is a seed predator that has been observed to be present at prairie restoration sites by its numerous middens. The goal was to develop methods that would …

Evaluating Novel Combinations Of Polyamine Targeting Therapeutics In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Sai Preethi Nakkina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Pancreatic cancer overall has a poor five-year survival rate of less than 8%. Well-tolerated regimens and immune cell infiltration to promote anti-cancer treatments are major challenges. Studies described herein leveraged testing different combinations/doses of polyamine targeting inhibitors to further understand the impact of targeting key polyamine pathway mediators in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Placebo controls were compared to groups treated with difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, a polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase), different polyamine transport inhibitors, and compound combinations in strategies for polyamine blockage therapy (PBT). Informatic analyses showed that the dysregulation of key polyamine pathway mediators are associated with poor patient …

How Do They Do It? Using Omics Approaches To Explore Metabolic Responses Associated With Hypoxia And Exercise Tolerance In The Deepest Diving Pinniped, Elizabeth R. Piotrowski

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Marine mammals such as northern elephant seals (NES) routinely experience hypoxemia and ischemia-reperfusion events to many tissues during deep dives with no apparent adverse effects. Adaptations to diving include increased antioxidants and elevated oxygen storage capacity associated with high hemoprotein content in blood and muscle. Despite experiencing decreased oxygen tensions during diving, NES likely rely on the mobilization of large lipids stores and catabolism of fatty acids to provide energy to exercising muscle while diving. To identify potential regulatory mechanisms that may underly hypoxia and exercise tolerance in diving mammals, this study used system-wide approaches to characterize changes in genes …

The Role Of Rad51 In Trichomonas Vaginalis, Dominique Hall

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Drug resistance to the current treatments on the market is on the rise, therefore there is strong interest in understanding what could be causing the resistance, how resistance could be spreading through the population, and finding some possible new drug targets. One protein of interest is Radiation Sensitive Protein 51 (Rad51). It is a protein that is involved in homologous recombination as well as other processes such as DNA damage repair. While Trichomonas vaginalis traditionally has been known to replicate via binary fission, a modified form of closed mitosis, there is some evidence that meiosis, or at least some form …

Analysis Of Expression Patterns Of Brassinosteroid-Responsive Genes In Arabidopsis Root Using Single-Cell Rna Sequencing Datasets, Thanaporn Wongkham

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Brassinosteroid (BR) plays a complex role in root growth and development by regulating the expression of downstream target genes through the BR signaling pathway. In this scRNA-seq study of Arabidopsis roots, tissue- and developmental-specific roles of BR were identified. Atrichoblast, an epidermal cell that develops into a non-hair cell, displayed the highest enrichment of BR-induced genes in the elongation and maturation zones among all cell types. Trajectory analysis revealed distinct expression patterns of BR biosynthesis and signaling genes between atrichoblasts and trichoblasts. Atrichoblasts exhibited higher expression levels of BR biosynthesis genes (DET2 and ROT3) and BR signaling genes (BRI1 and …

Identification And Application In Plant Of Plant Growth-Promoting Endophytic Bacteria, Kanchana Sitlaothaworn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Seventy-eight endophytic bacteria isolated from 15 plant samples in Thailand including 50 isolates from sugarcane root samples obtained from 6 Provinces and 28 isolates from stems and leaves of healthy plants in Kanchanaburi Province, were identified and evaluated for plant growth promoting capability using rice as a plant model. They were identified as Gluconacetobacter (37 isolates), Pantoea (14 isolates), Burkholderia (2 isolates), Pseudomonas (4 isolates), Priestia (4 isolates), Enterobacter (2 isolates), Acinetobacter (2 isolates), Novosphingobium (2 isolates), Curtobacterium (2 isolates), and each of Nguyenibacter, Aureimonas, Bacillus, Peribacillus, Sphingobium, Staphylococcus, Brevibacillus, Aneurinibacillus, and Pseudarthrobacter based on their phenotypic characteristics and 16S …

Antiproliferative Agents From Mushroom Phellinus Sp., Kulrut Pichayaphinyo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In this study, Phellinus powdered (600 g) was extracted with methanol and DI water. The methanolic crude extract of the mushroom was partitioned with hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol respectively. All crude extracts were evaluated antiproliferative activity against lung cancer (A549) and neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cell lines by MTT assay. It was found that the dichloromethane extract (CDE) exhibited the strongest antiproliferative activity with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 132.4 and 106.87 µg/mL against human lung cancer and neuroblastoma cell lines, respectively. The ethyl acetate extract (CEE) exhibited moderate antiproliferative activity with IC50 values of 138.64 and >250 …

Effect Of Genipin Cross-Linking On Properties Of Chitosan Based Bio-Composite Film, Patthrare Inthamat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Active packaging from chitosan film incorporated with astaxanthin is limited commercial application in the food industry due to its high moisture permeability and poor tensile strength. To overcome these problems, crosslinking of the film with genipin and heat curing to improve film properties were proposed. Firstly, the effects of genipin concentration on the physical, moisture barrier and mechanical properties of chitosan films incorporated with astaxanthin were investigated. Chitosan film was prepared by mixing chitosan in 2% (w/w) lactic acid. The chitosan was incorporated with astaxanthin at 0 and 1% (w/w of chitosan) (marked as CS and CA or CSA) and …

Foam-Mat-Freeze Dried Clove Essential Oil Nanoemulsion For Inhibition Of Spoilage Microorganisms In Whiteleg Shrimp Litopenaeus Vannamei, Puncharat Pilong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research developed foam-mat freeze-dried clove essential oil nanoemulsion (FFD-CN) for inhibiting food spoilage microorganisms. This research comprised three parts. Firstly, the fabrication of clove essential oil nanoemulsion (CN) was optimized. The characteristics including particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), Zeta-potential, and viscosity of the fabricated nanoemulsions were observed. The optimal CN having a droplet size of 30.76 nm, PDI of 0.179, Zeta-potential of -50.01 mV, and viscosity of 7.81 cP was achieved at 1% v/v clove oil and 3% v/v Tween® 80 concentration and 10,000 psi operating pressure. The CN exhibited stability against particle aggregation and phase separation throughout storage. …

Development Of Chromatographic Methods For Geographical Indication In Thai Pineapples, Worakan Chutakool

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Geographical indication (GI), or its equivalent intellectual property tools, is widely used in many countries, including Thailand, to identify specific properties and uniqueness of a product that are related to its production origin. In the case of agricultural products, geographical location, weather, and soil nutrients affect their properties such as flavor and texture. In this study, a chemical method was conducted to attempt to distinguish pineapples based on their origins. This was done by collecting chemical profiles from carotenoids by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Thereafter, these chemical data were later processed by chemometric analysis to classify …

Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects Of Auricularia Polytricha Extracts On Bisphenol A (Bpa)-Induced Microglial Cell Activation And Reduction Of Hippocampal Cell Damage, Chanin Sillapachaiyaporn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, it has been reported that BPA can activate neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is a brain pathology that involves the high levels of pro-inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). An excessive TNF-α expression could result in neuronal cell death and subsequently lead to neurodegeneration. Auricularia polytricha (AP) is an edible mushroom with several medicinal properties. Herein, the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of AP extracts against BPA-induced BV2 microglial inflammation were investigated. Hexane (APH) and ethanol (APE) extracts of AP inhibited BPA-induced neuroinflammation in BV2 cells by reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. …

Development Of High Protein Beverage From Hydrolyzed Egg White, Nuntorn Charoensak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The primary objective of this study was to examine the impact of enzymatic treatment on pasteurized egg white protein (EWP) and assess its influence on various physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity. Our findings revealed that the addition of SDAY10 enzymes led to a significant increase in lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) parameters. Furthermore, higher concentrations of the enzyme resulted in a considerable reduction in pH, viscosity, and volume mean diameter (D4,3) of EWP protein compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the application of SDAY10 enzyme (0.1-0.3% w/v) for EWP hydrolysis exhibited a noteworthy enhancement in antioxidant activity (measured by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays) compared to lower enzyme concentrations. Notably, the 0.3% concentration of SDAY10 exhibited the highest release of amino acids during in vitro digestion and received the highest sensory evaluation score. Consequently, employing SDAY10 enzymes at a concentration of 0.3% w/v for EWP hydrolysis demonstrates significant potential for improving the physical properties of EWP and enhancing antioxidant activity. However, it is imperative to investigate the sensory evaluation with regards to the bitterness of the product developed using such enzymes.

Effects Of Heat And Uv-C Curing On Properties Of Soy Protein Film, Tanjina Akter

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study aimed to investigate the effects of heat curing and UV-C curing on properties of soy protein film. Both the heat and UV-C treatments were applied to either film-forming solution or pre-formed film. In the first part, film-forming solution or pre-formed film was cured at 60, 70, or 80°C for 2, 4, or 6 h. Heat curing had no effect on film thickness (p>0.05), but it did improve tensile strength of the films. Pre-formed film cured at 70°C for 4 h exhibited the highest tensile strength (3.49 MPa), which was 1.8 times higher than the control. Increasing Raman …

Exploring Flavor Enhancer Metabolites Of Chaya Leaves Cnidoscolus Spp., Nuti Hutasingh

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Umami, described as brothy and meat-like flavor, is one of the key factors in the successful savory food product development. It acts as a taste enhancer and improves overall acceptability. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the most common synthetic compound added to savory providing umami taste. Many consumers, however, have a negative attitude toward this substance. Thus, natural ingredients providing umami taste as a substitute for MSG could be beneficial for commercial purposes. Chaya (Cnidoscolus spp.) is a fast-growing and drought-resistant plant whose leaves have been widely used as a dried umami seasoning. However, the key umami substances in the leaves …