Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of World Trade Center Particulate Matter From September 11, 2001 On Biochemical Pathways Associated With Apoptosis And Cell Viability, Eric Tobias

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The dust that resulted from the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers on September 11th, 2001 contained organic and inorganic compounds. The survivors and first responders were breathing these compounds while fleeing and rescuing others. Some of the particles that were inhaled were small enough to affect the alveolar region of the lungs. This study looks at the effect that World Trade Center dust has on MRC-5 human lung fibroblasts. Cell viability is observed over time using an alamarBlue® assay. Previous studies have shown that MRC-5 cells that are exposed to WTC dust lose viability after 24 hours …

A Promising Novel Method Targeting Prosthetic Joint Infections, Shanice Otieno

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Approximately 1-2% of patients have complications due to bacterial infection. Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the three bacteria responsible for approximately 75% of biofilm-related infections. These three microorganisms can adhere to stainless steel and orthopedic screws. Biofilms are produced by an accumulation of bacteria which can attach to a surface, accumulate and form an extracellular polymeric substance.

Green tea extracts from plant Camellia sinensis have long been studied for their antimicrobial effect on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Polyphenols found in green tea, specifically epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG), are the most important component in targeting biofilm. However, this compound can …

The Antimicrobial Activity Of Lipophilic Green Tea Polyphenols On S. Mutans And The Eskape Pathogens, Mathew Milad Abtahi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Dental caries, or cavities, is a highly prevalent disease affecting societies of different economic and geographic status across the globe. This disease is caused by dental decay by bacteria fermenting the carbohydrates in food and producing acid end-products that dissolve the enamel. Though there are a few different bacteria that can cause cavities, Streptococcus mutans is the main etiological cause of dental caries. The earliest stages of cavity formation are typically marked with biofilm development, in which the thick slime layer confers bacteria greater adherence to the enamel surface, the ability to adapt to more adverse conditions, and quorum sensing …

Do Density And Food Availability Influence Survivorship And Reproduction In The Freshwater Bivalve, Sphaerium Simile?, Lauren O’Neil

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The small freshwater bivalve Sphaerium simile, like most “fingernail clams” (Sphaeriidae), does not exhibit a planktonic larval stage but instead offspring are brooded inside the valves of the parent. The species is generally regarded as reproductively specialized, or relatively “K” selected along the r‐K continuum. Multiple offspring can develop simultaneously, but brooding siblings are commonly at different developmental stages. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the relative success of brooding offspring and adults in different adult densities and feeding regimes. A controlled laboratory experiment examined four treatment groups, with adult density and feeding frequency as independent variables. There were two …

Increased Levels Of Oxidative Stress In Human Fibroblast Lung Cell Cultures And The Loss Of Mitochonndrial Function Due To Exposure To Particulate Matter From September 11, 2001, Lara Seder

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Not only did over 2,753 individuals perish on the morning of September 11, 2001, many have suffered from mental and physical illnesses ever since. Thousands of individuals experienced breathing complications, asthma and lung cancer. Clinical trials on cancer, including a patient who was exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) dust, have seen a decrease in the progression of tumor growth with the use of oral nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). NADH is naturally occurring within a cell’s mitochondria and aids in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy of the cell. NADH is an anti-aging, energy enhancing substance that …

The Role Of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi In Urban Brownfield Soils, Jennifer Rosalia Balacco

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

AMF are symbionts to a majority of terrestrial plants and can improve plant nutrient uptake, water relations, and stress tolerance. This study evaluated the effects of AMF in heavy metal contaminated soils via a growth chamber experiment to determine the interactions between soil and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affecting plant growth. Rye grass was grown in two contaminated soils from Liberty State Park, an urban brownfield, and one non-contaminated commercial soil, to which half of the treatments received AMF inoculum. Dried plant biomass, root:shoot ratio, and soil phosphatase activity were measured at the completion of the experiment. Soil contamination was …

The Expression Of Icer Under The Control Of The Ovarian Cyp19a1 Promoter In Zebrafish Ovaries Danio Rerio, James Reilly

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Infertility, according to the World Health Organization, is defined as the failure to conceive after twelve months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. A recent study measuring the prevalence of female infertility estimated that 48.5 million women were affected globally (World Health Organization). To even begin to understand infertility is a colossal undertaking. Before we can hope to cure this disorder in humans we must first understand its pathogenesis in animal models. For this purpose, a study will be undertaken in zebrafish, Danio rerio, a popular model organism for reproductive studies (Segner, 2009). Based on a previous study in mouse models …

Green Tea Polyphenol Egcg-S As An Antimicrobial Agent, Theresa Renee Aponte

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In recent years, a growing concern in the medical field has been the ability to treat infectious diseases. The microorganisms that cause these diseases have developed invasive mechanisms that elude possible treatments and increase their virulence. Some virulent factors that have been observed in microorganisms are biofilm and endospore formation. Development of new antimicrobial agents are needed to combat these microorganisms.

Green tea from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, has many health benefits, such as anti-bacterial, anti-spore, anti-cariogenic and anti-viral properties. Epigallocatechin-3- gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant catechin and contributes to these effects. Due to the instability of EGCG, …

Establishing A Method To Detect Fragile X Cgg Repeats Within The Fmr1 Gene Of Embryo Trophectoderm Biopsies, Jenna Bedard

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is an X-linked disorder characterized by a CGG trinucleotide repeat located within the 5’ untranslated region of the Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 gene (FMR1). The FMR1 gene is further categorized into classifications of protein function such as normal, intermediate, premutation or full mutation depending on the number of CGG repeats present²³. A normal FMR1 gene exhibits anywhere between 5 and 44 repeats. An allele in intermediate range displays 45-54 repeats. A premutation allele occurs when 55-200 CGG repeats are present and levels of the FMR1 gene product, Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP) …

Guided-Inquiry In Biochemistry Laboratory Course Improves Lab Math Skills, Grishma Deven Patel

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Biochemistry graduates pursuing research-related careers must master basic quantitative skills. Laboratory courses present students opportunities to practice lab math skills such as dilution and solution calculations. Employers and researchers have reported inadequate math skills among bioscience graduates and there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of laboratory teaching approaches in increasing students’ lab math skills. In this threeyear study, we examined the impact of guided-inquiry learning on students’ ability to perform laboratory calculations required for experimental design. An upper-level undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course was divided into sections taught using an inquiry approach where students design their own experiments or …

Is The Trail-Following Behavior Of Juvenile Physa Acuta Influenced By Kinship And Familiarity?, Tiana Bonventre

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Trail-following behavior is exhibited by many species ranging from insects to gastropods. In gastropods, this behavior serves many functions such as the facilitation of movement, homing, mate and conspecific location, organization, aggregation, and protection. Kin recognition is also a behavior that is exhibited by a wide variety of species including both vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Kin recognition serves many functions including social interactions and status, discrimination, which can lead to outcrossing, and cooperative behaviors that can increase the likelihood of survival. Familiarity with individuals may also contribute to survival through protection and enhanced cooperation. Kin recognition can involve familiarity in …

A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Extinct And Extant Pan-Alcidae (Charadriiformes: Aves), Alexandria A. Digiacomo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Pan-Alcidae is a clade of birds consisting of the crown-clade Alcidae and the extinct Mancallinae. They include 24 extant species, 1 recently extinct species, and a fossil record extending as far back as the Eocene. All extinct and extant Pan-alcid diversity exhibit an exclusively Holarctic distribution with the majority of extant diversity found in the Pacific. The relationships of the Pan-Alcidae have been a long-standing subject of debate. Early systematic hypotheses placed Pan-Alcidae as close relatives of various water birds, however modern phylogenetic hypotheses have supported their placement within Charadriiformes. Their exact placement within Charadriiformes has yielded multiple hypotheses with …

Novel Bryophyte Auxin Conjugate Amidohydrolases From Physcomitrella Patens And Marchantia Polymorpha And Their Role In The Evolution Of Auxin Metabolism, Stephanie Lyn Kurdach

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Auxin (indole-3-acetic acid) was the first phytohormone to be discovered, and today is still regarded as one of the most widely understood plant hormones. Auxin has the ability to stimulate, promote, delay, or inhibit many of a plant’s physiological processes. The concentration of the hormone within in a plant is critical; low concentrations of IAA positively impact plants’ physiological processes, but high concentrations of IAA are inhibitory and toxic to plants. For this reason, auxin metabolism must be tightly regulated. Plants can regulate their endogenous concentration of auxin via conjugation to sugars, amino acids, or peptides. Indole-3-acetic acid is active …

The Non-Additive Effect Of Food And Wine In The Spanish Diet On Total Antioxidant Capacity Of The Spanish Mediterranean Diet, Carol Majkrzak

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

With an increase in mortality rates related to obesity, cardiovascular disease, heart disease, and other related diseases, a greater understanding of the Mediterranean diet may be important to dietary treatment of these illnesses and comorbidities. While the foods in the Mediterranean diet have been studied in depth for their great health benefits, the potential role of wine in this diet is under examined. Interest in wine and its health benefits has increased within the past decade. While wine is a common component of the Mediterranean diet, very few studies have looked at the possible effects and outcomes of consuming wine …

Evidence Of Pogo Transposable Elements In The Atlantic Bay Nettle (Chrysaora Chesapeakei) Genome, Jonathan C. Medina

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The Atlantic Bay Nettle, Chrysaora chesapeakei, is a Scyphozoan found commonly in the bays and brackish waters of estuaries of the eastern United States. Research has shown that there has been a significant increase in jellyfish populations over the past decade, likely the result of factors such as global climate change, eutrophication, overfishing, and the explosive growth of hardened surfaces for polyp attachment.

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that are widespread and conserved throughout the biological world. Although TEs often comprise a large portion of eukaryotic genomes, their exact function is uncertain but they may provide a mechanism …

Elucidation Of Substrate Binding To Photolyase From Sulfolobus Solfataricus Using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry, Amanda Rose Kuerzi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

DNA photolyase is a DNA repair enzyme commonly found across the kingdom of life. Binding studies for the hyperthermophilic photolyase derived from Sulfolobus solfataricus (SsPL) may serve to illuminate how DNA photolyase can adapt over a large temperature range. In the first section of this study, the thermodynamics of substrate binding for SsPL in a choline chloride buffer were determined using isothermal titration calorimetry. Using the Counter-Ion Condensation Concept as a model, ionic strength studies were performed to separate the binding interactions into electrostatic, and nonelectrostatic components. The electrostatic interactions do not appear to make a significant contribution to the …

Behavioral Response Of Adult And Larval Wood Frogs (Lithobates Sylvaticus) To A Common Road De-Icer, Nacl, Dylan Jones

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Amphibians are highly vulnerable to aquatic pollutants. Due to the permeability of their skin and their aquatic larval stages, pollutants are easily absorbed into the body, which can have adverse effects on performance, survival, and fitness. This has prompted research on how environmental pollutants affect amphibian populations, especially road deicers such as sodium chloride (NaCl). Elevated NaCl can have a negative physiological impact on both adult and larval stages of amphibians, leading to reduced breeding success, morphological abnormalities, and even mortality. However, less is known about the behavioral responses of adults and especially larval amphibians to increased environmental salinity. Earlier …

The Study And Analysis Of Historic Allegheny Woodrat (Neotoma Magister) Sites, Elizabeth Grietzer

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) once ranged throughout most of the eastern United States, however in recent years their populations have experienced dramatic declines. Several mutually inclusive hypotheses may explain the decline of the woodrat populations, including habitat fragmentation and disturbance, decreased food availability, and increased exposure to the deadly raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis). Select historic locations were evaluated for habitat characteristics, the prevalence of raccoon roundworm and the presence of predators and competitors, in order to evaluate the impacts of each of the three hypotheses. The results indicated that raccoon roundworm and decreased hard mast availability are the main drivers …

A Population Characterization Of Allegheny Woodrats (Neotoma Magister) In The Hudson River Palisades Of New Jersey, Amanda Menasion

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister) are an endangered species within New Jersey, with a limited number of individuals found within one small area of suitable habitat along the Hudson River Palisades. There are very little detailed datum on the number of woodrats living at this location, however new conservation measures are being instituted to sustain this last remaining population in New Jersey. To gather additional data on the extent of the population of woodrats at this location, wildlife camera monitoring was conducted in two-week intervals at 10 separate locations that appeared to have satisfactory habitat for the woodrats but had not …

An Assessment Of Daily Plain Water Intake Level And Its Association With Total Energy Intake Among College Students, Maria Alanazi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Water is an essential nutrient for humans with several vital roles including maintaining body functions, temperature and preventing dehydration. Nevertheless, many population groups in the United States do not drink the recommended amount of water on a daily basis. The literature notes that drinking water is associated with better dietary practices including reduced sugar-sweetened beverages consumption, but few studies investigated the impact of drinking water on the total energy (calories) intake. In this study, an assessment of the intake of both plain water (pure water) and total water (water from pure water, beverages, and foods) is performed, and the intake …

Mercury Contamination In Benthic Biota And Sediments Within The New York Bight Wind Energy Area, Jordan Francis Gilruth

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Aquatic ecosystems are showing increasing evidence of contamination by persistent, toxic substances, including metals such as mercury. Mercury (Hg) is truly an unusual element, having no essential biological function. Its unique physical properties have been utilized for various industrial and commercial purposes. This has led to serious exposure to this known neurotoxin. Additionally, the deposition and effluents of mercury in air, water, and soil have impacted food chain dynamics. The potential of bioaccumulation and biomagnification of Hg within aquatic ecosystems can have serious negative implication on ecosystem functions and services. Furthermore, understanding the difference between those pathways can provide a …

The Stability Of Tea Polyphenols As A Food Additive And Its Effect On Streptococcus Mutans, Chia-Liang Huang

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Dental caries is one of the most concerning chronic diseases, Streptococcus mutans is one the most prominent contributing bacterium. S. mutans metabolizes sugar in processed foods to demineralize the tooth’s surface leading to tooth caries. This study focuses on whether green tea polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and/or its modifications, palmitoyl-epigallocatechin gallate (P-EGCG) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate-stearate (EGCG-S), can reduce the number of S. mutans in different concentrations of sucrose. A colony forming unit assay was utilized to test viability. Results suggested that the tea polyphenols were efficient in inhibiting S. mutans up to 5 grams of sucrose per 100ml of artificial saliva …

Green Tea Polyphenols As Potential Food Additives, Danxia Shi

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

As time has progressed, companies have increasingly produced foods for longer term storage. This has led to an increased use of food preservatives in processed foods. People have now come to expect many foods to have a significantly longer shelf life, and this is a matter of government concern for public health due to foodborne contaminations. Foodborne illnesses have become a common problem caused by bacteria (i.e. Escherichia coli). Finding an effective natural preservative source might be better received by the public and alleviate some health concerns over chemical sources. The most important active ingredient found in green tea is …

Evaluating The Success And Monitoring The Usage Of Wildlife Crossing Structures In Bedminster, Nj, Nicole Heather Bergen

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Expanding road networks are detrimental to the populations of many reptile and amphibian species. The fragmenting of the landscape creates barriers, separating the populations of native organisms from the necessary resources. Wildlife crossing structures can be beneficial in aiding the movement of amphibians and reptiles across previously installed wildlife crossing culvert in Bedminster, New Jersey. The wildlife crossing culverts are located underneath River Road, which forms a barrier between the woods on one side of the road and the ponds on the other side. We used a combination of wildlife cameras and pitfall traps to determine the usage and success …

Benefits Of A Nutrition Education Program On A Community Of Developmentally Disabled Adults, Rory Kathleen Coleman

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The number of adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities in the United States is increasing; this population is underserved and underfunded, especially in the area of nutrition education. Health concerns for adults with developmental disabilities include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and disordered eating, all of which could be alleviated or prevented with proper nutritional care and education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a nutrition education program in a community of developmentally disabled adults. The intervention took place in an adult day center in Bergen County, New Jersey, where a group of adults with …

Impacts Of Drainage Basin Characteristics On Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Upper Passaic River, Michael J. Levinson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Increase in development throughout the Northern Piedmont region of New Jersey since the 1970’s has greatly degraded much of the natural environment throughout the state. Certain regulations are currently in place to reduce this development’s impact on New Jersey’s streams at a local (riparian) scale, however it may also be important to examine these impacts at a regional (drainage basin) scale. We examined the aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages at seven sites along the Upper Passaic River of New Jersey to assess their ecological health and compare to the corresponding drainage basin characteristics at each site. The sites ranged in location from …