Life Sciences Commons^™

Photoluminescence Switching In Quantum Dots Connected With Fluorinated And Hydrogenated Photochromic Molecules, Ephraiem S. Sarabamoun, Jonathan M. Bietsch, Pramod Aryal, Amelia G. Reid, Maurice Curran, Grayson Johnson, Esther H. R. Tsai, Charles W. Machan, Guijun Wang, Joshua J. Choi

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

We investigate switching of photoluminescence (PL) from PbS quantum dots (QDs) crosslinked with two different types of photochromic diarylethene molecules, 4,4'-(1-cyclopentene-1,2-diyl)bis[5-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acid] (1H) and 4,4'-(1-perfluorocyclopentene-1,2-diyl)bis[5-methyl-2-thiophenecarboxylic acid] (2F). Our results show that the QDs crosslinked with the hydrogenated molecule (1H) exhibit a greater amount of switching in photoluminescence intensity compared to QDs crosslinked with the fluorinated molecule (2F). With a combination of differential pulse voltammetry and density functional theory, we attribute the different amount of PL switching to the different energy levels between 1H and 2F molecules which result in different potential barrier …

Myokine Probdnf-P75ntr Signaling In Skeletal Muscle Injury And Sterile Inflammation, Katherine Aby

Dissertations and Theses

Originally discovered in the brain, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to be expressed and released from skeletal muscle as a myokine. However, the function of myokine BDNF is not fully understood. Of interest to this study is the function of the BDNF precursor proBDNF in skeletal muscle. We first show that skeletal muscle expresses unique BDNF splice variants compared to the brain, and at the protein level, skeletal muscle expresses significantly more proBDNF than mature BDNF under basal conditions. Consistent with this, expression of major protein convertases in skeletal muscle were significantly lower. The role of myokine proBDNF …

A Conservation Model: Costa Rican Conservation Strategies Effectively Preserve Their Threatened Primates, Ryan Belmont

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The wildlife of Costa Rica has experienced various anthropogenic threats over the last century including climate change and agricultural expansion. The mantled howler monkey (Alloutta palliata), Central American spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), white-faced capuchin (Cebus imitator), and the Central American squirrel monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) are Costa Rica’s native primates that face several anthropogenic threats such as deforestation for agriculture and climate change. In response to increased threats to its four native species of non-human primates, Costa Rica has implemented effective governmental conservation tactics such as the Payments for Environmental Services program, ecotourism …

Characterization Of A Pathological Tau Point Mutation, E342v, Implicated In Frontotemporal Dementia, Liam Clancy

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is classified as a Tauopathy, a group of heterogenous neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the abnormal functioning of a microtubule associated protein (MAP), Tau. Microtubules, an integral cytoskeletal component in neurons, are thought to be stabilized by Tau. In disease states such as FTD, a reduction in binding affinity of Tau for the microtubule is believed to lead to intraneural Tau deposition and aggregation, which subsequently causes microtubule instability. Consequently, neuronal health is compromised and an array of brain functions decline creating the symptomology seen in FTD. However, it is now known that Tau has a myriad of …

Biodistribution Comparison Of Fentanyl And Morphine Following Acute And Repeated Expsoure, Rosamond M. Goodson

Theses and Dissertations

The ongoing opioid crisis constitutes a dire public health threat that has resulted in staggering loss of life. In 2021, opioids were implicated in over 75% of the approximately 107,000 deaths attributed to drug overdose (CDC), and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and its analogues are key drivers of the surge in opioid fatalities in recent years. Although fentanyl is a μ opioid receptor agonist, it has several distinct attributes compared to other drugs in this category, such as morphine. These include enhanced lipophilicity, heightened potency to induce respiratory depression, more rapid entry into the central nervous system, reduced sensitivity …

Quantum Dots' Toxicity: A Multi-Level Investigation On The Impact Of Quantum Dots On The Actin Cytoskeleton, Nhi Le

MSU Graduate Theses

Quantum dots (QDs) are fluorescence nanomaterials with unique optical and physical properties. As such, they are highly sought after for their potential use in several biomedical and industrial applications. Despite their vast potential, recent studies have suggested that quantum dots are toxic to cells. Yet, the mechanism of quantum dots’ toxicity remains unclear. As such, my thesis aims to comprehensively examine the mechanism of quantum dots’ toxicity, emphasizing how quantum dots disrupt the actin cytoskeleton. In this study, I used RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry to investigate the influence of CdSe/ZnS QDs on the transcriptomic proteomic level of Saccharomyces cerevisiae …

The Biobehavioral Effects Of Embryonic Exposure To Neural Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In Zebrafish, Dalton J. Anderson

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this research is to improve understanding of the neurodevelopmental effects of embryonic exposure to elevated inflammation and oxidative stress induced by the antipyretic drug acetaminophen (APAP). Our study was the first to examine the interactive effects of APAP and inflammation in zebrafish embryos and how the treatments affect brain development and larval behavior. Experimental groups of zebrafish larvae were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammation, APAP, or LPS + APAP and larval behavior was analyzed using Ethovision automated behavioral tracking software. We also measured changes in whole-brain Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3B) and GSK3B phosphorylation, …

Assessing Stormwater Management Pond Water Quality, Function, And The Potential Biotic Effects To Receiving Waters, Mitchell Elstone

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The use of stormwater management ponds (SWMPs) has been increasing over the past five decades. However, an in-depth understanding of the daily performance of SWMPs and functionality during cold periods is limited. This is in part because mandated monitoring is relatively infrequent, and the assumption that SWMPs are inactive between storm events and during the winter. The goals of this research were to better understand daily stormwater (SW) characteristics, the performance of SWMPs based on current forms of evaluation and assess the potential for SWMP effluent to impact downstream biota. Influent and effluent samples from two SWMPs were collected daily …

Production Of Vp3-Only Aav2 Vlp In E. Coli, Chengyu Fu

Theses and Dissertations

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a widely used vector for gene therapy. However, few studies have focused on producing AAV-based virus-like particles (VLP) in E. coli. This project aimed to express VP3 of AAV2 or co-express VP3 of AAV2 with other proteins, such as E. coli chaperones and/or assembly-activating protein (AAP) in E. coli under different expression conditions and explore the potential to produce VP3-only VLP of AAV2 in situ in E. coli. The constructed plasmid pET15ΔHis-VP3 was used to express VP3 under different conditions. The results demonstrated that most expressed VP3 was in inclusion bodies in all tested conditions. Although …

Determination Of Genetic Variation In Opioid-Resistant Hospice Patients Using A Pharmacogenomics Approach, Daniel Bianculli

Theses and Dissertations

Managing pain requires a delicate balance between the advantages of opioid analgesia and the possible adverse effects. This balance becomes even more difficult in hospice and palliative care environments where dosage regimens are frequently ambiguous. Some hospice patients experience opioid resistance, in which opioids no longer produce an analgesic effect on a patient. Evidence-based analyses frequently omit this vulnerable population, resulting in a need for concrete procedures. The emergence of pharmacogenomic analysis and personalized treatment presents a solution to this problem by using each patient's genomic data to interpret opiate dosing. This pharmacogenomic study aimed to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) …

Joint Problem-Solving Orientation, Mutual Value Recognition, And Performance In Fluid Teamwork Environments, Michaela Kerrissey, Zhanna Novikov

Journal Articles

INTRODUCTION: Joint problem-solving orientation (JPS) has been identified as a factor that promotes performance in fluid teamwork, but research on this factor remains nascent. This study pushes the frontier of understanding about JPS in fluid teamwork environments by applying the concept to within-organization work and exploring its relationships with performance, mutual value recognition (MVR), and expertise variety (EV).

METHODS: This is a longitudinal, survey-based field study within a large United States healthcare organization

RESULTS: Our results affirm a moderated mediation model wherein JPS enhances performance, both directly and through MVR; EV serves as a moderator in the JPS-MVR relationship. JPS …

Our Community Legacy: What Oakville Will Our Children And Grandchildren Inherit, Lisa Kohler, Peter Schuler, Marsha Smith, Sundus Hussain, John Helliker, Herbert Sinnock, Caroline Holmes, Jonathan Mcneice, Trisha Henderson, Taline Mcphedran, Michael Salem

Publications and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modeling For The Spring Ephemeral Herb Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) In Eastern North America, Velan Manivannan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The spring ephemeral plant Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) has a widespread native range in North America, spanning much of the eastern United States and Canada. While its current NatureServe conservation status is designated as ‘secure’ (NatureServe, 2023), its status as a spring ephemeral places it at a heightened risk for climate change-induced phenological mismatch with advancing forest canopy closure. Additionally, under continued anthropogenic climate change, Bloodroot may also experience range shifts or contractions as the edges of its present range warm past physiological thresholds. To determine the potential for range shifts and contractions under future warming, I generated a …

Role Of Urban Parks In Carbon Sequestration– A Case Study Of Safari Park, Karachi, Pakistan, Amna Bano, Minzah Shehzad, Hasnain Kazmi, Jamshaid Iqbal

Journal of Bioresource Management

Urban parks besides their recreational use can be the potential source of climate mitigation through carbon sequestration. Present study aims to identify the carbon sequestration potential of Safari Park which is by far the largest public park of Karachi established in 1970 covering an area of 0.72 km². A total of 153 individual trees belonging to 25 species and 14 families were included in the study. Five dominant species with highest Important Value Index (IVI) were Cocos nucifera (14.62 %), Azadirachta indica (14.21 %), Guaiacum officinale (9.93 %), Washington robusta (9.31 %) and Delonix regia (7.11 %). The …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Assessing Medication Compliance And The Usage Of Complementary Therapies Effecting Hba1c Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Neelam Nasruddin

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic illness. It remains to be a major public health matter and a financial burden on the medical system worldwide. This condition can be managed and better treatment strategies and compliance can reduce the risk of complications. In 2022, there will be around 33,000,000 new cases of diabetes worldwide, with 26.7% of the adults in Pakistan being affected, predicts the (International Diabetes Federation, 2022). However, it is observed that most individuals turn to complementary and alternative methods (CAM)/Traditional medicine because of the rising cost of therapy, adverse effects of anti-diabetic medications, and accessibility concerns.
Purpose: …

Ethnobotanical Study Of Antihemorrhagic Plants In The Skikda Region (North East Of Algeria), Nabila Souilah, Hamdi Bendif, Abdelkrim Benaradj, Abdelouaheb Belaid, Scherazad Mekious

Journal of Bioresource Management

Our survey was carried out at the level of 17 Municipalities of the Province of Skikda. Questionnaire sheets were distributed to 55 herbalists and 350 locale population (informants). The processing of survey data with the local population shows us that women (52 %) have more knowledge of phytotherapy compared to men (48 %) with a fairly high level of education. For the herbalists, we found that most are men (85.45 %) aged between 31-40 years (29.09 %) and 41-50 years (25.45 %), and with level of university study (36.36 %). On the other hand, 52.73 % of herbalists said they …

Aversion Properties Of Retrorsine, Retrorsine Nitrogen Oxide And Frosted Senecio Latifolius, Leendert D. Snyman

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Two pilot trials, investigating the aversive properties of retrorsine and retrorsine nitrogen oxide and that of frosted Senecio latifolius, were executed. Retrorsine and retrorsine-NO (the toxic principles of Senecio retrorsus), unlke sceleratine-NO (the toxic principle of another hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid containing plant, namely S. latifolius), were not capable of establishing aversion when given to a sheep. Frosted S. latifolius given to a sheep also did not induce aversion. However, a sheep averted to S. latifolius (non-frosted) refused eating frosted S. latifolius.

Sceleratin Nitrogen Oxide As Aversive Agent In Conditioning Livestock To Avoid Senecio Latifolius, Leendert D. Snyman

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Sceleratine nitrogen oxide, when administered together with a dichloromethane extract of Senecio latifolius, successfully conditioned cattle and sheep to avoid milled freeze dried S. latifolius mixed with maize meal. This treatment was effectively applied in conditioning steers to refuse eating S. latifolius grown in pots.

Perceptions Regarding Drinking Water Quality And Its Effects On Human And Animal Health Among Plain-Sect Community Members, Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Parmveer Singh, Sharmistha Basak

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

The quality of drinking water can affect human and animal health, and plain-sect populations may be more susceptible than other rural populations due to their use of traditional farm management practices and their reliance on well water. Therefore, an interdisciplinary team conducted a pilot study to understand the status of existing drinking water quality, community perceptions regarding causes of water deterioration, its associated effect on human and animal health, and solutions to address such challenges. The study included water testing and a focus group discussion with plain-sect community members. The findings revealed that participants perceived the drinking water quality as …

The Potential Of Stem Cell Therapy In Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: A Review, Sorina Amarculesei, Ava O'Meara Cushen, Cathy Brougham

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. There are currently 2.8 million people living with Multiple Sclerosis worldwide, including 9000 people in Ireland, with a prevalence of 193 per 100,000 people. Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include sensory loss, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, spasticity, depression, optic neuritis, gait ataxia, diplopia, and loss of bladder control. Currently, there is no standardised treatment or cure for Multiple Sclerosis with many strategies focusing on symptoms. Stem cells have emerged as promising approaches for Multiple Sclerosis therapeutics. Clinical trials primarily focus on mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies for Multiple Sclerosis. Furthermore, …

Melittin: A Natural Component Of Honeybee Venom As A Potential Anti-Cancer Therapy, Niamh Donnellan, Anne M. Friel

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide and while chemotherapy is the main approach there are many negative associations in current treatment procedures. These include lack of selectivity, side effects and drug resistance. The hallmarks of cancer are a fundamental concept which aids the development of new means to treat human cancers through the understanding of the acquisition of these hallmarks from cells.

Melittin is a major peptide component of bee venom which has shown to be efficacious as an anticancer agent in preclinical and animal models. Melittin has many biological functions including pore formation in the phospholipid bilayer …

Corrigendum To "Ssr-Based Molecular Diagnosis For Taiwan Tea Cultivars And Its Application In Identifying Cultivar Composition Of The Processed Tea"

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

No abstract provided.

Acknowledgment Of Reviewers

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

No abstract provided.

Application Of The Us Food And Drug Administration’S Sentinel Routine Querying Tools To The Taiwan Sentinel Data Model-Formatted National Health Insurance Research Database, Fang-Ju Lin, Ling-Ya Huang, Chi-Chuan Wang, Sengwee Toh

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Sentinel System is a leading distributed data network for drug safety surveillance in the world. The National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan was converted into the Taiwan Sentinel Data Model (TSDM) based on the Sentinel Common Data Model (SCDM) version 6.0.2. The goal of this study was to investigate the feasibility of applying the same study designs, analytic choices, and analytic tools as used by the U.S. Sentinel System to examine the same drug-outcome associations in the TSDM-formatted NHIRD. Four known drug-outcome associations previously examined by the U.S. Sentinel System were selected …

Isolation Of Glp-1 Enhancing Indolizidine Alkaloids From Boehmeria Formosana, Ching-Yi Lu, Zheng-Ying Huang, Meng-Chin Chen, Hui-Kang Liu, Shoei-Sheng Lee, Chia-Chuan Chang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Boehmeria formosana, with its related species, demonstrates anti-glycemic effect, inhibition of HBV production, anti-cancer activities, etc. Some indolizidine alkaloids from the same genus are bioactive but sensitive to light. To overcome this problem and obtain more phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids, isolation was performed in darkness, yielding 10 new indolizidine alkaloids and 17 known compounds. Among them, seven enhanced glucagon-like receptor 1 (GLP-1) activity at 50 mM, especially 14 and 6 (3.5- and 2.3-fold than the negative control). This procedure yielded bioactive indolizidine alkaloids with novel structures.

An Integrated Strategy To Evaluate Active Substances Of Astragali Radix-Carthami Flos Combination On The Treatment Of Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Based On Tqsm Polypharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics, Qiang Zeng, Chang Li, Shouchao Xu, Yu He

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

As a classic herb pair, Astragali Radix-Carthami Flos (AR-CF) has revealed good biological activity in the treatment of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CI/RI), which remained to be further clarified together with the underlying efficacy related compounds for material basis. In this study, the nine formulations were obtained by L₉(3⁴) orthogonal array design of four active fractions (saponin and flavonoid extracted from AR, safflower yellow and safflower red extracted from CF). The concentrations of eleven components and the levels of four biochemical indicators in rat plasma were continuously detected after intragastric administration of nine formulations, respectively. The collected …

Cryptocaryone Induces Apoptosis In Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells By Inhibiting Aerobic Glycolysis Through Akt And C-Src Signaling Pathways, Chen-Lin Yu, Yu-Wei Lai, Jih-Jung Chen, Jie-Jen Lee, Tsung-Hsien Chou, Chen-Chen Huang, Shih-Chia Liu, Guang-Wei Chen, Chung‐Hsin Tsai, Shih-Wei Wang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer, with the second highest mortality rate in all cancer. Energy reprogramming is one of the hallmarks of cancer, and emerging evidence showed that targeting glycolysis is a promising strategy for HCC treatment. Cryptocaryone has been shown to display promising anti-cancer activity against numerous types of cancer. Previous study also indicated that cryptocaryone induces cytotoxicity by inhibiting glucose transport in cancer cells, but the detailed mechanism still needs to be elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the anti-cancer effect and glycolytic metabolism of cryptocaryone in human …

Dehulled Adlay (Coix Lachryma-Jobi L.) Ameliorates Hepatic Gluconeogenesis And Steatosis In Streptozotocin/High-Fat Diet-Induced Diabetic Rats, Shing-Hwa Liu, Wan-Hsin Wu, Huei-Ping Tzeng, Wenchang Chiang, Meng-Tsan Chiang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L.) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with various biological activities. We investigated the anti-diabetic effects of different parts of adlay seeds, including polished adlay (PA), adlay bran (AB) and dehulled adlay (DA) in a streptozotocin (STZ)/high fat diet (HFD) diabetic rat model (DM). DM rats supplemented with or without PA (43%), AB (3%), or DA (46%) diet for 8 weeks. The plasma glucose and insulin levels and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were increased in DM group; among the three adlay diets, DA has the best effects attenuating all of these alterations in DM …

Biological And Clinical Significance Of The Age-Rage Axis In The Aggressiveness And Prognosis Of Prostate Cancer, Shih-Hong Khoo, Pei-Ru Wu, Kun-Tu Yeh, Shih-Lan Hsu, Chi-Hao Wu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Dietary factors and chronic hyperglycemia are linked to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and prostate cancer (PCa) risk. The activation of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) acts as a bridge between various RAGE ligands and certain malignancies. This study showed that the interaction of AGEs and RAGE promoted PCa cell proliferation, invasion, and autophagy-mediated survival in response to chemotherapeutic agents. RAGE-overexpressed PCa cells underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition and showed increased cancer stem cell-like properties. In mouse xenograft models, RAGE-overexpressed cells showed more substantial tumorigenic capacity than parental cells, whereas RAGE knockdown decreased tumorigenicity. The clinical data validated a …