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Articles 1 - 17 of 17
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Endothelial Interleukin-17 Receptor D (Il17rd) Promotes Western Diet-Induced Aortic Myeloid Cell Infiltration, Shivangi Pande
Endothelial Interleukin-17 Receptor D (Il17rd) Promotes Western Diet-Induced Aortic Myeloid Cell Infiltration, Shivangi Pande
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Interleukin-17 (IL17) family is a group of cytokines implicated in the etiology of several inflammatory diseases. Interleukin-17 receptor D (IL17RD), also known as Sef (similar expression to fibroblast growth factor), belonging to the family of IL17 receptors, has been shown to modulate IL17A-associated inflammatory phenotypes. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that IL17RD promotes endothelial cell activation and consequent monocyte adhesion. We utilized primary human aortic endothelial cells and demonstrated that RNAi targeting of IL17RD suppressed transcript levels by 83% compared to non-targeted controls. Further, RNAi knockdown of IL17RD decreased the adhesion of THP-1 cells …
Biophysical Factors Impacting Sea Lice Settlement And Survival, Eleanor R. Glahn
Biophysical Factors Impacting Sea Lice Settlement And Survival, Eleanor R. Glahn
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) aquaculture production in Maine is a valuable contributor to the economy, the expansion of which has been challenged by the parasitic salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis. As planktonic organisms, the life of the salmon louse is primarily dictated by the physical conditions of the environment: the temperature for development time, salinity for survival, and current velocity for transport. Salmon lice are obligate parasites for whom the successful infection of a suitable host is critical to completion of their life cycle. However, little is understood about the effects of current velocity on infection success. Hydrodynamic …
Weaving An Interdisciplinary Microbiome Career Using Threads From Different Ecosystems, Sarah Hosler
Weaving An Interdisciplinary Microbiome Career Using Threads From Different Ecosystems, Sarah Hosler
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Animals have trillions of microorganisms living in or on many body sites, these communities of microorganisms are called microbiomes. Microbiomes are typically host-specific, and a lot of information about the host can be determined from investigating them. Microbiome research has many real-world applications, and this thesis utilizes the One Health perspective, which acknowledges the connection of humans, animals, and environments, and emphasizes the need for collaborative, interdisciplinary research. The first interdisciplinary project is an investigation into the bacteria in wild and cultured Atlantic deep-sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus larvae. Adults in hatcheries can be induced to spawn, but the last two …
Retroviral Infection Dynamics In Maine's Wild Turkeys, Stephanie A. Shea
Retroviral Infection Dynamics In Maine's Wild Turkeys, Stephanie A. Shea
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Widespread wild turkey reintroductions in the late 1900s have led to increases in population density and geographic distribution across North America. This rapid population expansion has put them into proximity with closely-related wild and domestic avian species, increasing the risks of pathogen transmission. Lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) is an avian oncogenic retrovirus detected in wild turkeys in 2009, and previously known to infect domestic turkeys. Following its initial detection, surveys reported variable LPDV prevalence across eastern North America with most wild turkeys being asymptomatic, however diagnostic cases revealed 10% mortality of LPDV-infected individuals. Given its recent detection, little is known …
Deciphering The Perpetual Fight Between Virus And Host: Utilizing Bioinformatics To Elucidate The Host's Genetic Mechanisms That Influence Jc Polyomavirus Infection, Michael P. Wilczek
Deciphering The Perpetual Fight Between Virus And Host: Utilizing Bioinformatics To Elucidate The Host's Genetic Mechanisms That Influence Jc Polyomavirus Infection, Michael P. Wilczek
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) is a human-specific pathogen that infects 50-80% of the population, and can cause a deadly, demyelinating disease, known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). In most of the population, JCPyV persistently infects the kidneys but during immunosuppression, it can reactivate and spread to the central nervous system (CNS), causing PML. In the CNS, JCPyV targets two cell types, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Due to the hallmark pathology of oligodendrocyte lysis observed in disease, oligodendrocytes were thought to be the main cell type involved during JCPyV infection. However, recent evidence suggests that astrocytes are targeted by the virus and act …
Lexicographic Sensitivity Functions For Nonsmooth Models In Mathematical Biology, Matthew D. Ackley
Lexicographic Sensitivity Functions For Nonsmooth Models In Mathematical Biology, Matthew D. Ackley
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) may be used to model a wide variety of real-world phenomena in biology and engineering. Classical sensitivity theory is well-established and concerns itself with quantifying the responsiveness of such models to changes in parameter values. By performing a sensitivity analysis, a variety of insights can be gained into a model (and hence, the real-world system that it represents); in particular, the information gained can uncover a system's most important aspects, for use in design, control or optimization of the system. However, while the results of such analysis are desirable, the approach that classical theory …
Biophysical And Stable Isotopic Profiles Of The Salmon Louse Lepeophtheirus Salmonis (Krøyer, 1837), Emma Taccardi
Biophysical And Stable Isotopic Profiles Of The Salmon Louse Lepeophtheirus Salmonis (Krøyer, 1837), Emma Taccardi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis is a parasitic copepod that infects wild and farmed salmonids throughout the northern hemisphere. L. salmonis represents the largest economic hurdle of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) industry, with an estimated annual cost of nearly $1 billion globally due to production losses and anti-parasitic control measures. Salmon farming in Maine has existed for decades and is a critical economic driver, yet the region is underrepresented in global sea lice research. The aim of this work was to examine parasites in the context of animal trophic transfer and characterize physiological condition by quantifying the …
Identification Of Chromatin Regulators Perturbed In Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cell Aging, Eraj S. Khokhar
Identification Of Chromatin Regulators Perturbed In Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cell Aging, Eraj S. Khokhar
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As lifespan is increasing globally, there is a critical need to identify strategies to extend healthspan and prevent chronic diseases into older age. The long-term goal of my research is to identify novel strategies to ameliorate aging-induced decline in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function. HSCs give rise to all mature blood and immune cells. With age, HSCs undergo defects in their differentiation ability which correlates with a decline in immune function. Comprehensive knowledge of gene regulatory and epigenetic mechanisms underlying this defect is a barrier to developing therapies to ameliorate aging-associated decline in HSC function. Therefore, my project focuses on …
Intravital Imaging In A Zebrafish Model Elucidates Interactions Between Mucosal Immunity And Pathogenic Fungi, Linda S. Archambault
Intravital Imaging In A Zebrafish Model Elucidates Interactions Between Mucosal Immunity And Pathogenic Fungi, Linda S. Archambault
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Candida yeasts are common commensals that can cause mucosal disease and life-threatening systemic infections. While many of the components required for defense against Candida albicans infection are well established, questions remain about how various host cells at mucosal sites assess threats and coordinate defenses to prevent normally commensal organisms from becoming pathogenic. Using two Candida species, C. albicans and C. parapsilosis, which differ in their abilities to damage epithelial tissues, we used traditional methods (pathogen CFU, host survival, and host cytokine expression) combined with high-resolution intravital imaging of transparent zebrafish larvae to illuminate host-pathogen interactions at the cellular level …
The Infection Dynamics Of Sea Lice On Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) In Cobscook Bay, Maine, Usa, Catherine Anne Frederick
The Infection Dynamics Of Sea Lice On Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) In Cobscook Bay, Maine, Usa, Catherine Anne Frederick
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Sea lice (Lepeophtheirus and Caligus spp) are parasitic copepods that infect the external surfaces of fish hosts. Salmon lice (L. salmonis) outbreaks are commonly reported by operations in Canada, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States and are a primary concern in aquaculture because of their fish health and economic impacts. When farmed fish mortalities and treatments are accounted for, annual losses from sea louse infestations exceed $300,000,000 (Costello 2009). Farms experiencing sea lice infections risk on-site re-infection and transmission to wild populations and other farms that are hydrographically connected. In Maine, Atlantic salmon farms are located in the northeast, …
Host Mediated Mechanisms Of Fungal Cell Spread In A Transparent Zebrafish Infection Model, Allison Scherer
Host Mediated Mechanisms Of Fungal Cell Spread In A Transparent Zebrafish Infection Model, Allison Scherer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Innate immunity has developed elegant processes for the detection and clearance of invasive fungal pathogens. Disseminated candidiasis is of significant concern for those with suppressed immune systems or indwelling medical equipment, and mortality in these groups approaches 70%. Poor patient outcomes have spurred the need to understand how this non-motile pathogen spreads in the host. Technical limitations have previously hindered our ability to visualize the role of innate immunity and host tissue barriers in the spread of C. albicans in vivo. Using the zebrafish model to overcome these limitations, we have examined three potential host-mediated mechanisms of dissemination: movement …
The Effect Of Wild Blueberry Anthocyanins And Phenolic Acids On Innate Immunity: The Compliment System, Vasiliki Papakotsi
The Effect Of Wild Blueberry Anthocyanins And Phenolic Acids On Innate Immunity: The Compliment System, Vasiliki Papakotsi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Ingestion of berries containing polyphenols is associated with lower risk of inflammatory, metabolic, cardiovascular and degenerative diseases. Diet has been shown to modulate the activation of the complement system, a set of over 50 proteins present in the circulation and tissues that reacts in response to damage or microbial encounter and is critical for the maintenance of homeostasis. Imbalanced activation is tightly correlated with inflammation and various pathologies. Wild blueberries are a rich source of anthocyanins and phenolic acids, which can be found in plasma shortly after consumption. Given the involvement of both complement and polyphenols in the modulation of …
Investigating Present-Day Health Issues Of The American Lobster (Homarus Americanus), Deborah A. Bouchard
Investigating Present-Day Health Issues Of The American Lobster (Homarus Americanus), Deborah A. Bouchard
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The American lobster, Homarus americanus, H. Milne Edwards, 1837, supports the most economically valuable fishery along the North Atlantic coast of North America. A collapse in lobster populations in Southern New England (SNE) has coincided with increasing ocean temperatures and emerging diseases. This research investigated the etiologies of limp lobster disease (LLD) and epizootic shell disease (ESD), two diseases that continue to cause significant mortality in natural lobster populations. Mortality from LLD is associated with the bacteria Photobacterium indicum and is more intense in impounded lobsters. To more clearly define the community ecology of this suspected opportunistic pathogen, the microbial …
Expression Profiling Of Non-Coding Rna By Environmental Interactions In Innate Immunity, Jacob R. Longfellow
Expression Profiling Of Non-Coding Rna By Environmental Interactions In Innate Immunity, Jacob R. Longfellow
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects 30,000 people in the United States and currently has no cure. Although CF affects all of the body’s systems, it is largely characterized as a lung disease. CF is caused by a mutation in both copies of the gene for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). A mutation in the CFTR gene leads to improper movement of chloride ions and water into the airways, which dysregulates the airway surface liquid volume and composition. Individuals with CF are prone to lung infections due to inefficient bacterial clearance and by the age of …
Dynamic Host-Pathogen Interactions Result In Fungal Epitope Unmasking, Alex Hopke
Dynamic Host-Pathogen Interactions Result In Fungal Epitope Unmasking, Alex Hopke
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Molecular camouflage is used by a diverse set of pathogens to disguise their identity and avoid recognition by protective host receptors. The opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is a good example, as it masks the inflammatory component β-glucan in its cell wall to evade detection by the immune receptor Dectin-1. Interestingly, it has been seen that β-glucan becomes unmasked during infection in vivo, though the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Exposure levels of this epitope may be important, as Dectin-1 mediates protection from some strains of C. albicans and alterations in the organization and composition of the Candida cell wall …
Autoimmunity, Immune Deficiency And Cancer: Multiple Roles Of The Protein Tyrosine Phosphate Shp-1, Melissa J. Joliat
Autoimmunity, Immune Deficiency And Cancer: Multiple Roles Of The Protein Tyrosine Phosphate Shp-1, Melissa J. Joliat
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
One of a large number of mutant mice used in immunological research, the "motheaten" mouse was the first model of a specific protein tyrosine phosphatase deficiency. Mice carrying one of two allelic mutations at the "motheaten" locus have severe systemic autoimmunity and immune dysfunction as a result of mutations in the hematopoietic-cell phosphatase (Hcph) gene, which encodes the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1. Studies using "motheaten" (me/me) and "viable motheaten" (mev/mev) mice have increased the understanding of numerous signaling pathways in immune and hematopoietic cells. A number of studies on SHP-1 function …
Distribution And Impact Of The Oyster Parasite Bonamia Ostreae In Maine, And Its Detection Using Dna Probes, Ryan Carnegie
Distribution And Impact Of The Oyster Parasite Bonamia Ostreae In Maine, And Its Detection Using Dna Probes, Ryan Carnegie
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Health management efforts in Maine related to the flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) parasite Bonamia ostreae are limited by a lack of knowledge of the parasite’s distribution and impact in both wild and cultured populations. This information would be more readily obtainable with improved diagnostic tools. The objectives of this dissertation were to design sensitive and specific DNA probes for detection of B. ostreae; to assess the prevalence and intensity of parasite infections in wild oyster populations in Maine; and to evaluate growth and mortality of cultured oysters in the Damariscotta River, where B. ostreae is enzootic. A polymerase …