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Role Of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Kinase In Western-Type Diet-Induced Cardiac Outcomes Under Basal And Ischemic Conditions, Mary Wingard Dec 2021

Role Of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Kinase In Western-Type Diet-Induced Cardiac Outcomes Under Basal And Ischemic Conditions, Mary Wingard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM), a serine/threonine kinase, plays a role in DNA damage repair, redox sensing, and metabolism. In the heart, ATM contributes significantly in the myocardial infarction (MI)-induced cardiac remodeling with effects on fibrosis, hypertrophy, apoptosis and inflammation. This study investigates the role of ATM deficiency in 14 weeks Western-type diet (WD)-induced cardiac outcomes prior to and 1-day post-MI in a sex-specific manner using wild-type (WT) and ATM heterozygous knockout (hKO) mice. In male mice, ATM deficiency induced rapid body weight gain and preload-associated dysfunction, while WT mice displayed afterload-associated dysfunction 14 weeks post-WD. Myocyte apoptosis and hypertrophy were …


Effects Of Maternal And Neonatal Hypoxia On The Future Life History Of Daphnia Magna, Rachael Lowman Dec 2021

Effects Of Maternal And Neonatal Hypoxia On The Future Life History Of Daphnia Magna, Rachael Lowman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Early exposure to hypoxia is related to a variety of physiological and metabolic changes that have lasting effects on organisms’ physiology and life history. We measured the effects of maternal and embryonic mild, intermittent hypoxia on the life history of four clones of microcrustacean Daphnia magna, an emerging model organism for the studies of senescence and longevity. Daphnia individuals were produced parthenogenically, maintained in individual vials, and fed standard algal concentration daily. The cohort consisted of 189 individuals. We measured body size at first reproduction, fecundity (including late-life fecundity peak), offspring sex ratio, and longevity. We found no effect …


Trained Immunity Enhances The Immune Response And Maintains Microbiome Diversity In Aging And Sepsis, P. Spencer Gill Dec 2021

Trained Immunity Enhances The Immune Response And Maintains Microbiome Diversity In Aging And Sepsis, P. Spencer Gill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The global population is rapidly aging. It is estimated that over the next thirty years, the number of individuals >60 years of age will increase by over a billion, and the number of individuals over age 80 may increase by 300 million. As humans age, our immune system becomes progressively weaker through a process called immune senescence. This age-related decrease in immune function increases susceptibility to infection and chronic diseases. Sepsis is a leading cause of death worldwide. Over the past two decades, there has been an increased incidence of sepsis which is due, in part, to our aging population …


Lipidomic Analysis Of Various Developmental Stages Of Physcomitrium Patens, Deepshila Gautam Dec 2021

Lipidomic Analysis Of Various Developmental Stages Of Physcomitrium Patens, Deepshila Gautam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lipids maintain fluidity of the cell membrane during the lifetime of all organisms. The moss Physcomitrium patens, an early land plant, enters reproductive phase under cold (15°C) conditions relative to its gametophytes (22°C). Thus, we hypothesized that their lipid content and composition would be distinct. Using ESI-MS/MS, we showed that the content and acyl composition of 11 lipid classes varied during development. Galactolipids were abundant in gametophytes but insignificant in sporophytes; among phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine was predominant in both phases. Although, sporophytes contained around five-fold less lipids than the gametophyte, their phosphatidic acid content, which accumulates during stress, was 18-fold …


Distinguishing Mustela From Neogale (Mustelidae) Through Both A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Skull And Tooth Morphology, Ronald W. Peery Dec 2021

Distinguishing Mustela From Neogale (Mustelidae) Through Both A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Skull And Tooth Morphology, Ronald W. Peery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weasels and mink (Mustela and Neogale) can be difficult to distinguish osteologically due to similarities in morphology, thus suggesting the need for an accurate tool in distinguishing among taxa. This study utilized a combination of character state and stepwise discriminant function (DFA) analyses to examine potential distinguishing features of skull and tooth morphology. Measurements and ratios were collected from all 18 extant musteline species, as well as the extinct Neovison macrodon, Mustela rexroadensis, Mustela meltoni, Mustela gazini, and Mustela jacksoni. Unidentified musteline specimens from the Gray Fossil Site were also included. Results of …


Genital Chlamydia Infection Is Influenced By The Female Sex Hormones Estrogen And Progesterone In Vivo, Amy Gail Gravitte Dec 2021

Genital Chlamydia Infection Is Influenced By The Female Sex Hormones Estrogen And Progesterone In Vivo, Amy Gail Gravitte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the United States and worldwide. It often goes unnoticed due to lack of symptoms and left untreated it can ascend the female genital tract to cause sequelae like pelvic inflammatory disease and irreversible tubal infertility. In reproductive-aged women, female sex hormones estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and are influenced by hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy. E2 and P4 influence genital Chlamydia infection in women and mice, but these multifactorial interactions are not entirely mapped out. The complex interplay of E2 and P4 with …


The Influence Of Incubation Conditions On Oxygen Consumption During The Development Of Pantherophis Guttatus, Celeste Gallardo Aug 2021

The Influence Of Incubation Conditions On Oxygen Consumption During The Development Of Pantherophis Guttatus, Celeste Gallardo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The flexible shell of some oviparous reptiles has led to differences in nutrient mobilization and water relations when compared to their rigid-shelled counterparts. Flexible-shelled eggs gain more water during development, and because of the shell structure, yolk calcium content is higher than that of eggshells. When water availability is altered for reptiles with flexible-shelled eggs, differences in both energy and nutrient utilization are observed. This study was designed to determine the baseline metabolic rate during development for the snake, Pantherophis guttatus under normal conditions, and to observe how changes in eggshell calcium and water availability impact embryonic oxygen consumption. Eggshell …


Gabaergic-Related Pathology In The Anterior Cingulate Cortex Of Postmortem Human Brain Tissue In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gethien Andrew Aug 2021

Gabaergic-Related Pathology In The Anterior Cingulate Cortex Of Postmortem Human Brain Tissue In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gethien Andrew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is part of the cognitive and emotional brain circuitry that mediates social interaction. Imbalances between inhibitory, GABAergic neurons, and excitatory, glutamatergic neurons, in this region are essential to brain circuity during social responses and are thought to be involved with behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Enriched cell populations of glutamatergic neurons, obtained through laser capture microdissection, were used for gene expression studies of GABAergic receptors (GABRA1, GABRA4, and GABBR1). Additionally, proteins that impact GABAergic synapses (Spinophilin, CPLX1, mTOR, IGF1R, PSD95, PARP1) were investigated using Western Blotting with punchdissected homogenate brain tissue from ACC …


Characterization Of Sabp2-Interacting Proteins (Sip) 428: An Nad+-Dependent Deacetylase Enzyme In Plant Abiotic Stress Signaling, Oviavo Nohoesu Aug 2021

Characterization Of Sabp2-Interacting Proteins (Sip) 428: An Nad+-Dependent Deacetylase Enzyme In Plant Abiotic Stress Signaling, Oviavo Nohoesu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abiotic stress leads to a change in the water content of plants. Salinity and osmotic stress affect both the morphology and physiology of plants. Plants have therefore responded to these environmental changes by adapting and tolerating them. The SABP2-interacting proteins (SIP) 428-silenced RNAi transgenic tobacco lines were subjected to various abiotic stresses (salinity, osmotic, and drought). The effect of SIP428-silencing on the tobacco plants subjected to these abiotic stresses was monitored. The results from the root growth data show that the sip428-silenced lines exhibit enhanced tolerance to the stressors compared to the wild-type plants. Interestingly, results of the relative chlorophyll …


Neuroinflammation, Peripheral Inflammation And Gut Microbiome Profiles In Male Mice From Two Proposed Mouse Models Of Social Behavior Deficits, Sarah Parkinson Aug 2021

Neuroinflammation, Peripheral Inflammation And Gut Microbiome Profiles In Male Mice From Two Proposed Mouse Models Of Social Behavior Deficits, Sarah Parkinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by social deficits and repetitive actions. A communication pathway exists between the brain and gut called the gut-brain axis. It is thought that gut bacteria can secrete signaling molecules, triggering inflammation across the body. These studies attempt to determine if markers are expressed in two mouse models of ASD behaviors, BTBR and a valproic acid model. Immunohistochemistry of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 from male mouse brain tissue showed no microglial activation in any group. Cytokine analysis did exhibit an increase in interleukin 1 (IL-1) in male adult mice only. …


A Thematic Analysis Of The Attitudes And Perceptions Of Faculty Towards Inclusion Of Interprofessional Education In Healthcare Curriculum, Jitendra Singh, Tracy Eisenschenk Jul 2021

A Thematic Analysis Of The Attitudes And Perceptions Of Faculty Towards Inclusion Of Interprofessional Education In Healthcare Curriculum, Jitendra Singh, Tracy Eisenschenk

International Journal of Health Sciences Education

This qualitative study aimed to explore attitudes and perceptions of faculty towards inclusion of interprofessional education (IPE) in healthcare curriculum. Efforts were made to explore faculty members’ definition of IPE, significance of including IPE in content and curriculum and resources available to implement such initiatives in healthcare education programs. Further, challenges faced while including IPE in curriculum were also explored. Face to face semi structured interviews were conducted, and a six-step thematic analysis framework was utilized to analyze the collected data. Further, four dimension criteria was utilized to establish the rigor of the study. Eleven participants across undergraduate and graduate …


Sarcopenia Screening By Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Rdns) In The United States (U.S.), Madison Marcom May 2021

Sarcopenia Screening By Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Rdns) In The United States (U.S.), Madison Marcom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sarcopenia is a disease of muscle wasting primarily seen in older adults. Although this term was first coined over three decades ago, there is a lack of consensus on a definition, screening criteria, and treatment protocol for sarcopenia. The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) in the United States (U.S.) screen for sarcopenia. Study participants were recruited through a randomized email list and included RDNs throughout the U.S. Respondents completed a survey questioning knowledge of sarcopenia, screening tools and company protocols in place, and the need and desire for sarcopenia education. Data revealed …


Vitamin B12 Deficiency Does Not Stimulate Amyloid-Beta Toxicity In A Ceanorhabditis Elegans Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Opeyemi F. Showemimo May 2021

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Does Not Stimulate Amyloid-Beta Toxicity In A Ceanorhabditis Elegans Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Opeyemi F. Showemimo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is symptomized by amyloid-beta plaques in the brain and accounts for more than 65 percent of dementia cases. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency can result in similar cognitive impairment and roughly 15% of the elderly are vitamin B12 deficient. Vitamin B12 deficiency results in the accumulation of toxic methylmalonic acid and homocysteine. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a strong risk factor for AD. To test if vitamin B12 deficiency stimulates amyloid-beta toxicity, Caenorhabditis elegans expressing amyloid-beta in muscle were fed either vitamin B12-deficient OP50-1 or vitamin B12-rich HT115(DE3) E. coli bacteria. Increased amyloid-beta toxicity was found in worms fed the …


Not All Pollinator Gardens Are Created Equally: Determining Factors Pertinent To Improving Pollinator Garden Effectiveness, Travis Watson May 2021

Not All Pollinator Gardens Are Created Equally: Determining Factors Pertinent To Improving Pollinator Garden Effectiveness, Travis Watson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing evidence documenting the decline of insect populations, resulting from increasing human disturbances has resulted in efforts to establish pollinator gardens to provide additional resources for insect populations. However, our understanding of biotic and abiotic garden characteristics important for attracting and sustaining pollinator diversity is limited. Here, we evaluated 17 pollinator gardens to evaluate the effect of five biotic and three abiotic garden characteristics on pollinator species richness, abundance, and proportional representation of four pollinator functional groups. Plant species richness positively influenced pollinator richness and negatively influenced flower visitation. Bombus proportional abundance responded to several variables (distance to vegetation, plant …


Effects Of Respiratory Perturbations On Aging And Healthspan In Daphnia Magna, Millicent Nkiruka Ekwudo May 2021

Effects Of Respiratory Perturbations On Aging And Healthspan In Daphnia Magna, Millicent Nkiruka Ekwudo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aging is a degenerative process characterized by a decline in physiological functions and cellular activities. Environmental and pharmacological interventions affecting longevity pathways have been extensively studied in model organisms. This study investigated the effect of chronic mild intermittent hypoxia (4 mg O2/L) or mild mitochondrial uncoupling with three doses of 0 (control), 0.1, 1, and 5 μM of 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP), on life history and gene expression in four clones of Daphnia magna. Interestingly, clones from intermittent ponds displayed better tolerance to hypoxia and DNP. Although neither treatments extended longevity, hypoxia increased fecundity and body size, and decreased food consumption and …


Reaction Pathways Initiated By One-Electron Oxidation Of Guanine: Reaction Pathways Leading To Stable End Products, Zach Cutright May 2021

Reaction Pathways Initiated By One-Electron Oxidation Of Guanine: Reaction Pathways Leading To Stable End Products, Zach Cutright

Undergraduate Honors Theses

8-hydroxyguanine (8-oxoG) is one of the most important products resulting from the oxidation of guanine in DNA. 8-oxoG is known as a biomarker of oxidative stress such as lung cancer. 2,5-diamino-4H-imidazol-4-one (Iz) and its hydrolysis product 2,2-diamino-4-[(2-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-amino]-2,5-dihydrooxazol-5-one (Oz) are also important products of oxidation of guanine in DNA. Recently, novel types of dimer intermediates related to 8-oxoG and Iz have been identified in our research lab. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), LC-MS, and NMR coupled with educated hypotheses, it is possible to identify the products, X1 and X2, resulting from the oxidation of guanine and decipher the mechanisms leading …


Synthetic Viral Pyrogen Induces Behavioral Fever In Plethodon Glutinosus Salamanders, Nicholas Britt May 2021

Synthetic Viral Pyrogen Induces Behavioral Fever In Plethodon Glutinosus Salamanders, Nicholas Britt

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Behavioral fever is an essential coping mechanism across ectothermic phyla to aid in combating pathogenic threats. Ectotherms lack internal temperature regulation associated with fever in endotherms; thus, ectotherms can exhibit a behavioral fever response when immunocompromised to thermoregulate by moving to warmer locations. The salamander order Caudata, tend to be keystone species in their resident ecosystems through their role as secondary consumers of invertebrates to maintain the food chain. With growing interest about ecology and conservation of salamanders as species diversity declines, this study was designed to determine if salamanders use their environment to take advantage of behavioral fever. The …


Partial Expression Of The Vbss Gene In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479 And In-Silico Analysis Of The Vbs Gene Cluster In Various Microorganisms, Afreen Siddiqui May 2021

Partial Expression Of The Vbss Gene In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479 And In-Silico Analysis Of The Vbs Gene Cluster In Various Microorganisms, Afreen Siddiqui

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Iron is extremely important for many organisms. Despite its abundancy, it exists in insoluble forms that makes its usability difficult. Some organisms secrete siderophores, low molecular weight compounds, that can chelate iron and convert it into usable forms for cells. One such organism, Rhizobium leguminosarum, is a nitrogen fixing symbiont proteobacteria that infects leguminous plants. The genome of Rhizobium leguminosarum ATCC 14479, which infects the red clover, Trifoli pratense, has previously been completely sequenced in our lab. Our lab has identified several genes in this strain involved in the biosynthesis of a siderophore, vicibactin. The protein product of one of …


Composition, Diversity, Abundance, And Spatial Variation In The Floral Nectar Mycobiome Of Rhododendron Catawbiense And Lobelia Cardinalis, Ayesha Khan May 2021

Composition, Diversity, Abundance, And Spatial Variation In The Floral Nectar Mycobiome Of Rhododendron Catawbiense And Lobelia Cardinalis, Ayesha Khan

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Plant nectar microbiome, primarily consisting of fungi and bacteria, can qualitatively and quantitively alter the floral rewards by exploiting the chemical composition of the nectar which can thus impact plant-pollinator interactions, and ultimately affect plant reproductive success. Evidence suggests that changes in the microenvironmental conditions across various spatial gradients can induce changes in the floral nectar microbiome, which can account for microbial variation not only across plant species, but also within. Furthermore, nectar microbiome is also contingent on the pollinator systems and nectar quality. In this study, we used Rhododendron catawbiense (bee-pollinated; highly toxic nectar) and Lobelia cardinalis (hummingbird-pollinated; mildly …