Life Sciences Commons^™

The Transmission Of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Kunjal Patel, Aleesha Thomas

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

The existence of Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC) has recently been found to have correlations with the Human Papillomavirus. HPV-associated OPSCC exhibits a unique method of infection and transmission and has made this branch an emerging disease in the recent decade. This systematic review of the literature was conducted to further explore research into Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Cancer (OPSCC). Commonly referred to as “throat cancer”, this growth originates in the oropharynx. Symptoms of this condition include sore throat, lumps in the neck, and difficulty with swallowing. OPSCC has many variants but has shown a strong association with Human Papillomavirus (HPV), …

A Brief Overview Of Triple A Syndrome, Jamaal Khan

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Triple A Syndrome, also known as AAA Syndrome, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by any mutation in the AAAS gene on chromosome 12q13, whose main function is to code for the WD-repeat family regulatory protein, ALADIN. It typically occurs as a group of diseases that are characterized by alacrima, Addison's disease, and achalasia. Alacrima can be defined by a decrease in the amount of tears produced while achalasia is nerve damage in the esophagus that can cause difficulty swallowing. Lastly, Addison's disease is the insufficient production of cortisol and aldosterone produced by the adrenal cortex. There is no …

Functional Influence Of 14-3-3 (Ywha) Proteins In Mammals, Elizabeth Barley, Santanu De

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

The 14-3-3 (YWHA) proteins are homologous, ubiquitous, and conserved in most organisms ranging from plants to animals and play important roles in regulating key cellular events such as cell signaling, development, apoptosis, etc. These proteins consist of seven isoforms in mammals, termed under Greek alphabetization: beta (β), gamma (γ), epsilon (ε), eta (η), tau/theta (τ), sigma (σ), and zeta (ζ). Each of these isoforms can interact with a plethora of binding partners and has been shown to serve a distinct role in molecular crosstalk, biological processes, and disease susceptibility. Protein 14-3-3 isoforms are scaffolding proteins capable of forming homodimers and …

Tunel Apoptotic Cell Detection In Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (Sctld): Evaluation Of Potential And Improvements, E. Murphy Mcdonald

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a highly lethal coral disease that has caused a dramatic loss of coral tissue along the Florida Reef Tract and throughout the Wider Caribbean. This study seeks to understand whether programmed cell death (apoptosis) is involved in the pathology of the highly virulent SCTLD tissue loss lesion. Tissues from diseased colonies of Pseudodiploria strigosa collected in 2018 and 2020 were stained using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyltransferase (TdT) mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay to visualize areas of programmed cell death. The archived tissue samples collected in 2018 exhibited a significantly higher degree of …

Expression And Localization Of The 14-3-3 (Ywha) Protein Family Within Mammals, Neha Kumrah, Santanu De

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

The 14-3-3 (YWHA) are a family of homologous, acidic, and highly conserved proteins expressed abundantly and ubiquitously in a wide array of organisms ranging from plants to animals, including humans, which regulate important cellular events. Within mammals, seven isoforms of 14-3-3 exist: β, γ, ε, ζ, η, τ, and σ (stratifin), each of which is encoded by a unique gene. Studies have shown similar expression patterns among mammalian species. The 14-3-3 proteins are commonly expressed and have proven to play critical roles in proper cellular localization, function, and homeostatic regulation. Numerous researchers have investigated the expression and localization patterns of …

Comparative Study Of The Effects Of Light On Photophore Ultrastructure From Two Families Of Deep-Sea Decapod Crustaceans: Oplophoridae And Sergestidae, Jamie E. Sickles

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Counterillumination, the mechanism by which pelagic species produce bioluminescence to replace the light blocked by their bodies to hide their silhouettes, has been known for over 100 years. However, little is known about how these animals are able to so precisely replicate the intensity of downwelling light. The recent discovery of opsins in photophores (Bracken-Grissom et al. 2020) suggests that these autogenic organs (i.e. non-bacterial) may be sensitive to light, in addition to their function of emitting visible light. The study presented here is 1) the first ultrastructural assessment of photophores in species Systellaspis debilis, Janicella spinicauda, Parasergestes armatus, …

Nuclear Genome Size Diversity Of Marine Invertebrate Taxa Using Flow Cytometric Analysis, Kyle Roebuck

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Genomic analysis provides a substantial amount of information on evolutionary history, novel genes, transcriptomic expression and regulation in response to environmental stimuli, how efficiently organisms utilize their genome, and directional genome evolution. Genome size analysis serves as the first step in the sequencing process, because sequencing and annotation costs are directly correlated with genome size. Invertebrates represent the vast majority of faunal diversity on the planet, and, to a greater extent, the marine environment, although they are vastly understudied when compared to vertebrate genomes. Flow cytometry is a widely used, reliable, and accurate means of estimating genome sizes and has …

Image Enhancement Of Cancerous Tissue In Mammography Images, Richard Thomas Richardson

CCE Theses and Dissertations

This research presents a framework for enhancing and analyzing time-sequenced mammographic images for detection of cancerous tissue, specifically designed to assist radiologists and physicians with the detection of breast cancer. By using computer aided diagnosis (CAD) systems as a tool to help in the detection of breast cancer in computed tomography (CT) mammography images, previous CT mammography images will enhance the interpretation of the next series of images. The first stage of this dissertation applies image subtraction to images from the same patient over time. Image types are defined as temporal subtraction, dual-energy subtraction, and Digital Database for Screening Mammography …

Evolutionary Genomics And Adaptive Evolution Of The Hedgehog Gene Family (Shh, Ihh And Dhh) In Vertebrates, Joana Pereira, Warren E. Johnson, Stephen J. O'Brien, Erich D. Jarvis, Guojie Zhang, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Vitor Vasconcelos, Agostinho Antunes

Biology Faculty Articles

The Hedgehog (Hh) gene family codes for a class of secreted proteins composed of two active domains that act as signalling molecules during embryo development, namely for the development of the nervous and skeletal systems and the formation of the testis cord. While only one Hh gene is found typically in invertebrate genomes, most vertebrates species have three (Sonic hedgehog – Shh; Indian hedgehog – Ihh; and Desert hedgehog – Dhh), each with different expression patterns and functions, which likely helped promote the increasing complexity of vertebrates and their successful diversification. In this study, we …

Progress Of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy For Neural And Retinal Diseases, Tsz Kin Ng, Veronica R. Fortino, Daniel Pelaez, Herman S. Cheung

Biology Faculty Articles

Complex circuitry and limited regenerative power make central nervous system (CNS) disorders the most challenging and difficult for functional repair. With elusive disease mechanisms, traditional surgical and medical interventions merely slow down the progression of the neurodegenerative diseases. However, the number of neurons still diminishes in many patients. Recently, stem cell therapy has been proposed as a viable option. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a widely-studied human adult stem cell population, have been discovered for more than 20 years. MSCs have been found all over the body and can be conveniently obtained from different accessible tissues: bone marrow, blood, and adipose …

Protein 14-3-3 (Ywha) Isoforms And Their Roles In Regulating Mouse Oocyte Maturation, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Books and Book Chapters

The 14-3-3 (YWHA) is a highly conserved, ubiquitously expressed protein family regulating important cellular processes including cell cycle. This work, for the first time, explored the differential expression and roles of 14-3-3 isoforms during mouse oocyte maturation.

All seven mammalian 14-3-3 isoforms were identified in mouse eggs and ovarian follicular cells including oocytes, by Western blotting. Immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of all 14-3-3 isoforms in oocytes, eggs and ovarian follicles with characteristic similarities and differences in their distributions.

Mammalian oocytes are arrested at meiosis prophase I by an inhibitory phosphorylation on Cyclin-Dependent Kinase I (CDK1), released by …

Cellular Life Beyond An Individual’S Death, Emily Schmitt

CAHSS Intellectual Conversations

One of the most famous examples of cell lines surviving long after a person has died comes from a tumor found in the body of Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in 1950. The study of approximately 50 million tons of her cells, which would conservatively equal the amount of cells in one billion people, has resulted in nearly 11,000 patents, including the polio vaccine. These cells have become a focus of public attention since Rebecca Skloot’s 2010 book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This talk will discuss what happens to cells once they leave our bodies, …

Evidence For The Requirement Of 14-3-3eta (Ywhah) In Meiotic Spindle Assembly During Mouse Oocyte Maturation, Santanu De, Douglas Kline

Biology Faculty Articles

Background

The 14-3-3 (YWHA) proteins are central mediators in various cellular signaling pathways regulating development and growth, including cell cycle regulation. We previously reported that all seven mammalian 14-3-3 isoforms are expressed in mouse oocytes and eggs and that, 14-3-3η (YWHAH) accumulates and co-localizes in the region of meiotic spindle in mouse eggs matured in vivo. Therefore, we investigated the role of 14-3-3η in spindle formation during mouse oocyte maturation.

Results

Examination of oocytes matured in vitro demonstrated that 14-3-3η accumulates in both meiosis I and II spindles. To explore if 14-3-3η interacts directly with α-tubulin in meiotic spindles, …

The Principal Genetic Determinants For Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma In China Involve The Hla Class I Antigen Recognition Groove, Minzhong Tang, J. A. Lautenberger, Xiaojiang Gao, Efe Sezgin, Sher L. Hendrickson, Jennifer L. Troyer, Victor A. David, Li Guan, Carl Mcintosh, Xiuchan Guo, Yuming Zheng, Jian Liao, Hong Deng, Michael Malasky, Bailey Kessing, Cheryl Winkler, Mary Carrington, Guy De The, Yi Zeng, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy facilitated by Epstein-Barr Virus infection. Here we resolve the major genetic influences for NPC incidence using a genome-wide association study (GWAS), independent cohort replication, and high-resolution molecular HLA class I gene typing including 4,055 study participants from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangdong province of southern China. We detect and replicate strong association signals involving SNPs, HLA alleles, and amino acid (aa) variants across the major histocompatibility complex-HLA-A, HLA –B, and HLA -C class I genes (P_{HLA-A-aa-site-62}= 7.4×10⁻²⁹; P _{HLA-B-aa-site-116}= 6.5×10⁻¹⁹; P _{HLA-C-aa-site-156} = 6.8×10 …

Expression Of 14-3-3 Protein Isoforms In Mouse Oocytes, Eggs And Ovarian Follicular Development, Santanu De, Jennifer Marcinkiewicz, Srinivasan Vijayaraghavan, Douglas Kline

Biology Faculty Articles

Background

The 14-3-3 (YWHA) proteins are a highly conserved, ubiquitously expressed family of proteins. Seven mammalian isoforms of 14-3-3 are known (β, γ, ε, ζ, η, τ and, σ). These proteins associate with many intracellular proteins involved in a variety of cellular processes including regulation of the cell cycle, metabolism and protein trafficking. We are particularly interested in the role of 14-3-3 in meiosis in mammalian eggs and the role 14-3-3 proteins may play in ovarian function. Therefore, we examined the expression of 14-3-3 proteins in mouse oocyte and egg extracts by Western blotting after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, viewed fixed …

Genetic Polymorphisms Of Cyp2e1, Gstp1, Nqo1 And Mpo And The Risk Of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma In A Han Chinese Population Of Southern China, Xiuchan Guo, Yi Zeng, Hong Deng, Jian Liao, Yuming Zheng, Ji Li, Bailey Kessing, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Background

Southern China is a major area for endemic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Genetic factors as well as environmental factors play a role in development of NPC. To investigate the roles of previously described carcinogen metabolism gene variants for NPC susceptibility in a Han Chinese population, we conducted a case-control study in two independent study population groups afflicted with NPC in Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces of southern China.

Methods

Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CYP2E1-rs2031920, CYP2E1-rs6413432, GSTP1-rs947894, MPO-rs2333227 and NQO1-rs1800566 were genotyped by PCR-based RFLP, sequencing and TaqMan assay in 358 NPC cases and 629 …

Genetic Factors Leading To Chronic Epstein–Barr Virus Infection And Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma In South East China: Study Design, Methods And Feasibility, Xiu Chan Guo, Kevin Scott, Yan Liu, Michael Dean, Victor David, George W. Nelson, Randall C. Johnson, Holli H. Dilks, J. A. Lautenberger, Bailey Kessing, Janice S. Martenson, Li Guan, Shan Sun, Hong Deng, Yuming Zheng, Guy De The, Jian Liao, Yi Zeng, Stephen J. O'Brien, Cheryl Winkler

Biology Faculty Articles

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a complex disease caused by a combination of Epstein-Barr virus chronic infection, the environment and host genes in a multi-step process of carcinogenesis. The identity of genetic factors involved in the development of chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection and NPC remains elusive, however. Here, we describe a two-phase, population-based, case-control study of Han Chinese from Guangxi province, where the NPC incidence rate rises to a high of 25-50 per 100,000 individuals. Phase I, powered to detect single gene associations, enrolled 984 subjects to determine feasibility, to develop infrastructure and logistics and to determine error rates in sample …

Taking A Cat Map: Genome Analysis By Supercomputer, Jose V. Lopez

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Conserved Chromosomal Positions Of Dual Domains Of The Ets Protooncogene In Cats, Mice, And Humans, Dennis K. Watson, Mary J. Mcwilliams-Smith, Christine Kozak, Roger Reeves, John Gearheart, Michael F. Nunn, William Nash, John R. Fowle Iii, Peter Duesberg, Takis S. Papas, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

The mammalian protooncogene homologue of the avian v-ets sequence from the E26 retrovirus consists of two sequentially distinct domains located on different chromosomes. Using somatic cell hybrid panels, we have mapped the mammalian homologue of the 5' v-ets-domain to chromosome 11 (ETS1) in man, to chromosome 9 (Ets-1) in mouse, and to chromosome D1 (ETS1) in the domestic cat. The mammalian homologue of the 3' v-ets domain was similarly mapped to human chromosome 21 (ETS2), to mouse chromosome 16 (Ets-2), and to feline chromosome C2 (ETS2). …

The Ets Sequence From The Transforming Gene Of Avian Erythroblastosis Virus, E26, Has Unique Domains On Human Chromosomes 11 And 21: Both Loci Are Transcriptionally Active, Dennis K. Watson, Mary J. Mcwilliams-Smith, M. F. Nunn, Peter Duesberg, Stephen J. O'Brien, Takis S. Papas

Biology Faculty Articles

Human DNA segments homologous to the ets region from the transforming gene of avian erythroblastosis virus, E26, were molecularly cloned and shown to be closely related to the viral equivalent by hybridization and partial sequence analysis. The transforming gene of E26 has a tripartite origin with the structure ∆gag [1.2 kilobases (kb) from the viral gag gene]-myb(0.9 kb from the chicken myb gene)-ets (1.6 kb from the chicken ets gene). Human ets DNA is located on two distinct human chromosomes. The human ets-1 locus on chromosome 11 encodes a single mRNA of 6.8 kb; the second locus, …

Analysis Of Multiple Isoenzyme Expression Among Twenty-Two Species Of Mycoplasma And Acholeplasma, Stephen J. O'Brien, Janice M. Simonson, Marion W. Grabowski, Michael F. Barile

Biology Faculty Articles

Crude extracts of triple-cloned, purified cultures of 22 species of Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma were examined for expression of 21 isozyme systems routinely used to type mammalian cells. Nine previously described enzymes (purine nucleoside phosphorylase, adenylate kinase, dipeptidase, esterase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose phosphate isomerase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and superoxide dismutase) and three enzymes not previously reported in mycoplasma (triose phosphate isomerase, inorganic pyrophosphatase, and acid phosphatase) were detected in some or all of the species examined. These findings provide new information on the enzymatic expressions of these organisms. Three of the isozyme systems (superoxide dismutase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) …