Life Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Structure-Activity Relationship Of Various Seh Inhibitors In Promoting Brown Adipogenesis, Sue Lim Choi

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Background: Brown adipose tissue has emerged as a novel target for obesity prevention and treatment due to its responsibility for heat production. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a cytosolic enzyme that degrades epoxy fatty acids (EpFAs) (lipid signaling molecules) into inactive diols. Potent sEH inhibitors (sEHIs) are beneficial for many chronic diseases as they stabilize endogenous EpFAs by blocking the degradation. Our preliminary results have shown that trans-4- [4-(3-adamantan-1-yl-ureido)-cyclohexyloxy]-benzoic acid (t-AUCB), a potent sEH inhibitor, dose-dependently promotes brown adipogenesis.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the structure and activity relationship of various sEHIs with different sub-structures of …

Ultramicrobacteria Genome Database Project, Abdullah A. Salim, Tien Tran, Andrew Putt, Terry C. Hazen

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Ultramicrobacteria (UMB) are a largely uncultured, globally abundant, and metabolically active group of bacteria. UMB have cell diameters ≤0.3μm, cell volumes ≤0.1 μm3, and small streamlined genomes. Recent findings indicate that UMB aid in bioremediation and nutrient cycling, but future investigations and comprehension of current findings are skewed by highly variable nomenclature and a lack of databases for functional, genomic, geochemical, or spatial data specific to candidate UMB. We aim to develop a user-friendly open-access database of various UMB candidates linked to an open-access online map where researchers can gather genomic, spatial, and geochemical data. Our comprehensive review of literature …

Volume 15, Number 2 (Fall/Winter 2019), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Volume 14, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2018), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Design And Development Of A Quartz Crystal Microbalance Immunosensor For Exosomes, Wesley Cox

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Pkm2 Influences The Metabolic Fate Of Butyrate In Colorectal Cancer Cells, Megan Louise Pence

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Adult Caregiver Health Literacy And Child Body Mass Index Outcomes In A Childhood Obesity Intervention Program, Natalie Renee Cross

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Volume 14, Number 2 (Fall/Winter 2018), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Investigating The Regulation Of Indole-3-Acetic Acid Production By The Plant Associated Microbe Pantoea Sp. Yr343, Kasey Noel Estenson

Doctoral Dissertations

The auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) plays a central role in plant growth and development and many plant-associated microbes produce IAA. Several IAA biosynthetic pathways have been identified in microbes which use the precursor tryptophan. Pantoea sp. YR343, which was isolated from the Populus deltoides rhizosphere, is a robust plant root colonizer that produces IAA. Using genomic and metabolomics analyses, we predicted that the indole-3-pyruvate (IPA) pathway is the major pathway in Pantoea sp. YR343 for IAA production. To better understand IAA biosynthesis and the effects of IAA exposure on cell physiology, we performed proteomics on Pantoea sp. YR343 grown in …

Histomonas Elisa, Jessica L Martinez

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Histomonas meleagridis is a protozoan parasite of avians and is the causative agent in Histomonosis, commonly known as Blackhead Disease. Current methods for diagnosing the presence of H. meleagridis are limited to parasite culture or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to amplify target DNA. This project aims to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for faster and more sensitive diagnosis of Histomonas infections. Cultures of H. meleagridis parasites were purified, and surface antigens were extracted using a spectrum of chemical solutions. The various antigen solutions were subjected to an ELISA, with serum from birds immunized for H. meleagridis as positive controls. …

Social Status Modulates Restraint- Induced Neural Activity In Brain Regions Controlling Stress Vulnerability , Sahba Seddighi, Matthew A. Cooper

Haslam Scholars Projects

Understanding the cellular mechanisms that control resistance and vulnerability to stress is an important step toward identifying novel targets for the prevention and treatment of stress-related mental illness. Dominant and subordinate animals have been shown to exhibit different behavioral and physiological responses to stress, with dominants often showing stress resistance and subordinates often showing stress vulnerability. We have previously found that dominant hamsters exhibit reduced social avoidance following social defeat stress compared to subordinate hamsters, although the extent to which stress resistance in dominants generalizes to non-social stressors is unknown. In this study, dominant, subordinate, and control male Syrian hamsters …

Using The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus As A Model System To Assess Tolerance And Withdrawal To Alcohol, Jonathan Houghton Lindsay

Doctoral Dissertations

Alcohol abuse induces many disorders including depression, metabolic syndrome, and sleep disturbances. The strong link between alcohol abuse and sleep problems, along with the close connection between sleep and circadian rhythms, led us to investigate ethanol’s effects on the circadian clock. Previous work has shown that acute ethanol blocks photic phase shifts in vivo and glutamatergic phase shifts in vitro. However, neural systems become tolerant to ethanol across different timeframes. Despite both ethanol tolerance and ethanol withdrawal syndrome being listed as criteria for developing alcohol use disorders, little is known about how ethanol tolerance and withdrawal induced hyperexcitability develop and …

Effect Of Ultrasonication On The Physicochemical Properties Of Sorghum Kafirin And Evaluation Of Its Anti-Inflammatory Properties In Vitro, Andrew Cullen Sullivan

Masters Theses

Sorghum is one of the hardiest, most drought resistent cereal grains known to exist, providing the bulk of nutritional content for many semi-arid regions and developing countries throughout Africa and southwestern Asia. It contains dense nutritional value, but due to inhibition factors within the grain, much of these nutrients are indigestible. Access to these nutrients, which have shown to contain high contents of bioactive molecules linked to the decrease of prevalence of chronic disease, must then be facilitated before consumption. In sorghum, these molecules could include complex carbohydrates, proteins and polyphenols. The overall objective of this study was to determine …

Volume 13, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2017), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Effects Of Nicotine On The Cyp6a8 Gene Promoter Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Leslie M. Stroud

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Raised Surface On Lower Extremity Kinematics, Kinetics, And Muscle Activation During A Sidecut In Recreational Female Softball Players, Lauren Elizabeth Schroeder

Masters Theses

Noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common sports-related injury. “High-risk” dynamic movements, such as a sidecut, have been associated with increasing the risk of noncontact ACL injury. Certain biomechanical abnormalities, specifically at the hip and knee, and neuromuscular abnormalities, such as unbalanced quadriceps-to-hamstrings activation ratios and certain activation patterns prior to initial contact and after initial contact, have also been associated with an increased likelihood of noncontact ACL injuries occurring. Approximately 78% of all NCAA Division I softball game-day injuries are classified as noncontact where there is no direct contact to a player. Internal derangement of the knee …

Volume 13, Number 2 (Fall/Winter 2017), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Whole Genome Sequencing As A Tool For Identifying Phenotypic Properties And Underlying Genetic Mechanisms In Staphylococcus Pseudintermedius, Matthew C. Riley

Doctoral Dissertations

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a Gram-positive bacterial opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with dermal infections in canines, but capable of causing serious disease in other species. Reports of human infections caused by S. pseudintermedius along with an increase in resistance to multiple antibiotics highlights the importance of this organism. Whole genome sequencing can allow large scale investigation of genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic properties that contribute to the expansion of successful S. pseudintermedius clonal lineages.

The increase in multidrug and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) may result from horizontal transfer of genetic material between bacterial isolates, yet is thought to be rare in Staphylococci …

Intercanine Distance Used As A Measure To Rule Out Biters In Bite Mark Forensics, Alana Joy Scudiere Ohana

Masters Theses

The science of identification by bite mark analysis has recently been called into serious question. (Reesu and Brown 2016) Human dentition is truly variable, but often not unique. When animal bites are considered, a proper ID of the perpetrator is nearly impossible. Primary distortion (when the bite is made) and secondary distortion (during decomposition or healing) both further disrupt landmarks that might be used for identification. (Sheasby and MacDonald 2001) Using only ink marks and intercanine distance on live subjects, this study attempts to determine maximum distortion possible for a variety of bite mark locations on skin. (Pretty and Sweet …

Follicular Dynamics In Insulin Resistant Mares, Julio Cesar Prado

Masters Theses

Obesity and insulin resistance have been linked to prolonged interovulatory period, aberrations in the estrous cycle, and continuous reproductive activity during the non-breeding season. EMS has been determined to influence the intrafollicular environment of mare ovaries. In humans, insulin resistance has been linked to polycystic ovaries as part of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). A study was conducted to determine 1) the impact of insulin resistance on follicle growth and size at ovulation, and 2) whether predicted ovulatory follicles respond to hCG administration in Insulin-resistant (IR) mares. Mares were selected for the study based on insulin sensitivity and separated into an …

Farm-To-Preschool In East Tennessee: Evaluation Of A Small-Scale Farmer’S Market At A Childcare Center On Household Fruit And Vegetable Availability And Preschoolers’ Consumption Of Fruits And Vegetables, Jade Morgan Parry

Masters Theses

Background: Most preschool-aged children do not consume an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables (F&V). Accessibility to F&V and parental influence are important factors in determining fruit and vegetable consumption in preschool-aged children. The incorporation of farmer’s markets at childcare centers as part of a farm-to-preschool program provides an opportunity to increase access to F&V and engage parents in supporting positive changes in their children’s dietary behaviors. Gaps in the farm-to-preschool literature include a lack of well-designed intervention trials that include a control group and rigorous evaluation tools.

Methods: This was a pilot study with a quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test …

Improving Aedes Mosquito Surveillance And La Crosse Virus Screening In Eastern Tennessee, Cassandra Urquhart

Masters Theses

La Crosse virus (LACV), transmitted by infected Aedes triseriatus, Ae. albopictus, and Ae. japonicus mosquitoes is the leading cause of pediatric arboviral encephalitis. Severe cases of LAC encephalitis occur in individuals 16-years-old or younger and may cause permanent neurological damage or fatality. No vaccines exist making mosquito control and disease prevention crucial to public health. Effective screening and surveillance practices are key components to these goals. While a number of standard mosquito surveillance methods exist, continuous testing and improved understanding of vector biology to determine the best ways to implement these methods is important. Additionally, the current standard …

Volume 12, Number 1 (Spring/Summer 2016), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Cognitive Functioning Of Drumming And Rhythm Therapy For Neurological Disorders, Logan James Deyo

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Identifying Genetic Factors In Streptococcus Uberis That Enable Evasion Of The Host Immune Response, Alexis Christine Burnham

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Expansion, Characterization, Differentiation, And Visualization Of Mc 3t3-E1 Preosteoblast Cells: An In Vitro Model To Study Bone Healing And Stem Cell-Mediated Regeneration, Jakob T. Samsel, Madhu Dhar, Austin Bow, Tom Masi

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

The Causative Agents Of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever: Do They Have A Common Ancestor?, Mark B. Schneider

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Volume 12, Number 2 (Fall/Winter 2016), Ut Institute Of Agriculture

Tennessee Land, Life and Science Magazine

Issue Highlights:

• The four pillars of the Institute of Agriculture
• Alumna forges partnership amid Waldo Canyon fire
• Fishery biologists revive a river

Health Assessment Of Two Reintroduced Populations Of American Martens (Martes Americana) In Michigan, Maria Catherine Spriggs

Doctoral Dissertations

The American marten (Martes americana) was extirpated from Michigan during the early-20th century due to loss of vast areas of mature conifer forest and unregulated trapping. The species was reintroduced into the Upper Peninsula (UP) and Northern Lower Peninsula (NLP) during the mid-20th century. While the American marten population in the UP has grown and is doing well, the population in the NLP has been less successful. The reasons for the limited success of the NLP population are unknown, but may include lack of suitable habitat, limited reproductive success, poor genetic diversity, disease, or negative environmental impacts. American …

Brown And Beige Adipocytes: Effects Of Inflammation And Nutritional Intervention, Jiyoung Bae

Doctoral Dissertations

Recent findings of brown adipocytes and brown-like or beige adipocytes, capable of dissipating energy as heat, in adult humans have promised new hope for obesity treatment and prevention. Understanding of the regulation of brown and beige adipocytes will provide novel strategies to reach the goal. Pattern recognition receptors (PRR) are responsible for inflammation in adipose tissue, which leads to adipose dysfunction and obesity associated chronic diseases. It has been shown that PRR activation induces inflammation, leading to insulin resistance in white adipocytes and white adipose tissue (WAT). However, the roles of PRR activation in brown adipocytes and brown adipose tissue …