Life Sciences Commons^™

Improving Dna Quality Using Ffpe Tissues For Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization To Find Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (Snps) In Melanoma, Keerti Potluri

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Important classes of benign and malignant neoplasms are composed of melanocytic cells which produce a pigment called melanin. Benign nevi, which are non-malignant melanocytic lesions, can sometimes give rise to malignant melanoma. Melanoma can be a lethal melanocytic neoplasm, a deadly and aggressive form of skin cancer. Finding prognostic or diagnostic markers can be very useful to reduce the deaths caused by melanoma. Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH), a cytogenetic technique, analyzes the whole genome or chromosome for detecting genetic aberrations/variations such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a cancer. formalin fixed paraffin embedded FFPE tissues are usually taken from …

Immunotherapy For Human Breast Cancer, Nasrah Ali Al Kamal

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Al Kamal, Nasrah. M.S. Program of Microbiology and Immunology, Wright State University, 2015.Immunotherapy for Human Breast Cancer. The study focuses on the methodologies that are used in breast cancer therapy. The review finds major evolutions of these methods and the influence they have made on the increased survival rates in cancer patients. There is also a projection of the processes that are involved in the therapy practices and the way the protocols have been improved over time. The various stages of cancer treatment project the various aspects of better performance articulations in the therapy sector. There is also reference to …

Differential Effects Of The Ahr On Immunoglobulin Gene Expression In Human B Cells, Naga Lakshmi Kaulini Burra

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2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a potent and persistent environmental toxin known to inhibit immunoglobulin (Ig) gene expression in various animal models. TCDD is thought to modulate gene expression through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and thereby a subsequent alteration in gene expression. The AhR is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. The mouse 3'Ig heavy chain regulatory region (3'IghRR) is a sensitive transcriptional target of TCDD that may mediate, in an AhR-dependent manner, the inhibitory effect of TCDD on Ig expression. Human B cells could also be a sensitive target of TCDD. The current study focuses on determining the …

The Role Of Nkcc2a On The Nervous System Activity, Kavya Annu

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The NKCC2A is a splice variant of the Na+K+2Cl- co-transporter 2 (Slc12a1), which is abundantly expressed in macula densa and in the apical membrane of the tubular cells in the kidney. Most of our knowledge regarding NKCC2 function is limited to the kidney, the organ where NKCC2 is abundantly expressed. However, recent studies have demonstrated that NKCC2 is also expressed in extra-renal tissues. This study was designed to determine if NKCC2A, a splice variant of NKCC2 has an impact on behavior and nervous system activity of mice. To these ends, we used mice (wild type, WT), lacking a single or …

Effect Of Somatostatin On Voltage-Gated Calcium Influx In Isolated Neonatal Rat Carotid Body Type I Cells, Eric J. Dunn

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Somatostatin (SST) is a neuropeptide hormone that regulates the release of secondary hormones. Evidence suggests SST plays a neuromodulatory role due to its distribution throughout the central nervous system. Interestingly, SST has been suggested to affect the carotid body, the small peripheral chemoreceptors that regulate breathing. It has been shown that the peripheral chemoreflex sensitivity to CO2 and hypoxia is reduced by SST in humans (Pedersen et al., 1999; Pandit et al., 2014). SST has also been found to inhibit whole cell Ca2+ currents recorded from adult rat carotid body type I cells (e Silva & Lewis, 1995), but the …

Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Performance In A Water Radial Arm Maze (Wram) Task, Saline Hughes

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Sleep deprivation causes many adverse effects on work performance. Many experiments in both human and rodent models reveal detriments that sleep deprivation has on learning and memory, including performance in a water radial arm maze (WRAM) task. This study utilizes the modified multiple platform method (MMPM) of sleep deprivation; rats were sleep deprived in order to study memory errors they may make during the WRAM task. The findings indicate that 6 hours of sleep deprivation for 2 five-day week periods did not affect performance in the WRAM task except on the initial day compared to the large platform group. The …

Determining The Role Of The Ahr In Immunoglobulin Expression And Class Switch Recombination, Bassam Fawaz Kashgari

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The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated cytosolic transcription factor that regulates xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes. It mediates the toxicity of various environmental chemicals such as 2,3,7,8-tetracholorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). TCDD inhibits the differentiation of B cells into antibody-secreting cells and inhibits immunoglobulin (Ig) expression in various animal models. We have previously determined that TCDD-induced inhibition of the mouse Ig heavy chain gene (mo-Igh) is AhR-dependent. This inhibition may be mediated by binding of the AhR to dioxin response elements (DREs) within the 3'Igh regulatory region (3'IghRR) and inhibition of 3'IghRR activity, a significant transcriptional regulator of Ig expression. However, there are structural …

Purification Of Recombinant Δ Np63 Α And Characterization Of Peptide Binding, Amal Abdulah Albati

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δ NP63α, the primary p63 isoform of the p53 transcription factor family, is a proto-oncogene implicated in non-melanoma skin cancers. Expressed in the basal layer of the epidermis, δ NP63α promotes cell survival and proliferation. Inhibition of this protein could potentially be beneficial in non-melanoma skin cancer patients. The first goal of this project was the purification of recombinant δ NP63α in Escherichia Coli. Recombinant δ NP63α was expressed as GST-δ NP63α followed by GST cleavage using GST trap affinity column chromatography yielding pure δ NP63α The second objective of this project was to test the binding capabilities of peptides …

Analysis Of Chromatin Accessiblity Of The Human C-Myc Replication Origin, Tu Thien Danh

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The best characterized eukaryote replication model is of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Replication origins of S.cerevisiae are 100 to 200 bp in size and contain an essential 11-bp autonomous replicating sequence (ARS) consensus sequence (ACS). The origin recognition complex (ORC) binds to the ACS in order to recruit additional replication factors (Cdt1, Cdc6, MCM, Cdc45) and together they form the pre-replication complex (pre-RC).

Unlike budding yeast, the mammalian cells contain dispersed replication origins in which multiple elements distributed over large distances act as replication start sites. Mammalian DNA replication origins, such as the c-myc origin, contain a DNA unwinding …

Factors Determining The Effects Of Human Interaction On The Cortisol Levels Of Shelter Dogs, Regina M. Willen

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Dogs admitted to animal shelters experience psychological stressors resulting in elevated plasma cortisol. We previously found 30 min of human interaction reduced this response. The present study further characterized this effect, with the aim of developing a practical means of reducing stress of shelter dogs. We found that a second day of 30 min of petting reduced cortisol levels as effectively as the first. Further, 15 min of this interaction was as effective as 30 min. During petting, signs of excitation (vocalizations) and anxiety (panting) as well as escaped attempts were reduced, and social solicitation (tail-wagging) increased. However, cortisol levels …

The Effect Of Scalp Tissue On Current Shunting During Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (Tdcs), Mark Patrick Jackson

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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has been used to treat various mental and neurological illnesses. Rodent models have been used to examine physiological changes in the brain after tDCS, as well as to develop safety standards. However, most animal tDCS studies implant an electrode on the brain, potentially altering the path of current during stimulation. Additionally, no studies have been completed specifically examining maximum safe anodal tDCS limits, and a pilot study conducted to determine an electrode montage to examine biological changes of learning and memory from anodal tDCS indicated brain lesion was occurring before a commonly cited lesion threshold …

Differences In Fecal Metabolite Profiles From Geographically Distinct Populations Of Adolescents, Jessica Moncivaiz

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Microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract have a variety of functions within the human body. They participate in protection of the host from pathogens, aid in immune system development and regulation, and carry out a variety of metabolic functions. This study focuses on the ability of gut microbiota to create metabolites through the degradation of food products. Using 1H NMR on fecal water extracts, I compared the metabolite profiles of two geographically distinct cohorts: healthy adolescents from Egypt (n=28) and healthy adolescents from the United States (n=14). Multivariate statistical analyses of binned NMR data confirmed that samples separated into groups corresponding …

Effects Of Agricultural Land Use On Stream Fish Communities In Ohio, Usa, Blythe Hazellief

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Ohio is a state dominated by agricultural land use. Such land use may directly alter stream waters and instream habitat, which may, in turn, affect fish communities. To examine the effects of agricultural land use on Ohio stream fish communities, I analyzed data compiled by the Ohio EPA, spanning 15 years and including 2,474 statewide sites. For 253 of these sites, I derived land use profiles from the 2011 USGS National Land Cover Database. While habitat quality was not correlated with agriculture, nutrient concentrations, alkalinity and total dissolved solids were positively correlated with agricultural land use within the catchment. Fish …

Vertical Distribution Of Wetland Plant Roots And Their Associated Bacteria In Groundwater-Fed Wetlands, Jennifer Diane Bailey

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As part of the effort to understand the community structure of bacteria and archaea in groundwater fed wetlands, the vertical distribution of plant root density and species presence was studied in correlation with the change in associated bacterial and archaeal communities. Three sampling sites at a local groundwater fed wetland were selected based on surface plant community structure: Site 1 was dominated by Carex stricta, site 2 was dominated by Eleocharis erythropoda, and site 3 was dominated by a 50/50 mix of C. stricta and E. erythropoda. Core samples at 4 depths down to 1.2 m were taken to collect …

Limitations Of Host Plant Use In Two Andean Altinote (Nymphalidae, Heliconiinea, Acraeini), Butterflies, From A Tritrophic Perspective, Karen M. Pedersen

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Despite the clear advantages of generalist feeding, many insect herbivores feed on a relatively small number of available host plants with in phylogenetically restricted groups. To better understand patterns of host plant use I used the sister species Altinote stratonice and Altinote dicaeus and their overlapping but distinct host plant range. I measured physiological effects of plants by using development time, pupal mass, and survival. To determine the importance of enemies I quantified rates of parasitism and rates of predation. Finally I measured host plant frequency, and host plant abundance. I found that survival of A. dicaeus and A. stratonice …

Silver Nanoparticles Inhibit The Binding And Replication Of Dengue Virus, Kelley J. Williams

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Dengue is an emerging hemorrhagic fever virus and widely considered the most important arbovirus in the world. The CDC and the World Health Organization estimates Dengue virus (DENV) infects 50-400 million people annually in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. More than 500 thousand of these will develop severe infection and approximately 22 thousand will lead to death. Dengue virus (DENV) is a positive-sense RNA virus that exists in 4 antigenic serotypes. An immunological phenomenon called antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) leaves a DENV victim vulnerable to increased risk of subsequent infections. Secondary infections with DENV are known to increase …

Logging Debris Protects Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum) Seedlings From White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Herbivory In Wolf-Occupied Forest, Ari Erin Sullivan

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White-tailed deer are a species of great economic and ecological concern. Foresters sometimes leave logging debris known as slash on the forest floor with the intent to protect seedlings from deer herbivory and promote forest regeneration. I examined the effects of slash on rates of deer browsing on sugar maple seedlings in a forest of northern Wisconsin and measured deer foraging behavior using giving-up density and vigilance rates by employing trail cameras. Rates of browsed stems were almost twice as high in the open as within and adjacent to slash. These findings underscore the usefulness of slash for mitigating the …

Metabolic Characterization Of Mpnst Cell Lines, Christopher A. Waker

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Malignant transformation is the process by which cells develop cancer properties. While many causes for malignant transformation are known (i.e. common genetic mutations and/or exposure to toxins or viruses), the basic requirements that allow a cell to stay alive with altered nutrient and energy requirements are just now being studied. In some tumor types malignant cells undergo changes that result in metabolic differences compared to normal cells. These can include defects in mitophagy resulting in an accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria and/or a metabolic switch resulting in increased glycolysis, termed the Warburg effect. Increased tumor growth and metastasis have also been …

Developing Proteomic And Cytokine Biomarkers For Vulvodynia, Ashvin Iyer

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Vulvodynia is a chronic, heterogeneous, and multifactorial disease. This condition may affect up to 18 percent of the female population including Caucasians, African Americans, Africans and Hispanics particularly those sexually active at child bearing age. The etiology of this condition is complex and multifactorial and it is frequently accompanied by physical disabilities, psychological distress and sexual dysfunction. Clinically, vulvodynia can be generalized or localized and pain can be provoked or unprovoked. Patients may also describe vulvar paresthesias or dysesthesias that may last hours. The International Society for the Study of Vulvar Disease (ISSVD) recognizes vulvar pain related to a specific …

Role Of Angiotensin Ii Type 1a Receptors On Renal And Urinary Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (Ace2) And Neprilysin (Nep) In The Two-Kidney One-Clip (2k1c) Model Of Renovascular Hypertension, Laale F. Alawi

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Activation of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) and increased formation of angiotensin (Ang) II contribute to the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Ang II, the major biologically active peptide of RAS, acts mainly as a vasoconstrictor through binding to the Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R), which leads to increased blood pressure, fluid retention, and aldosterone secretion. The actions of Ang II are antagonized by its conversion to the vasodilator Ang (1-7), partly generated by the action of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and/or neprilysin (NEP). The metalloprotease ADAM17 has a crucial role in the shedding of renal ACE2 …

Na+/K+ Pump And Cl--Coupled Na+ And K+ Co-Transporters In Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts Lacking The Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Tsc1 And Tsc2 Genes., Jasser Ali S. Alzhrani

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The tuberous sclerosis complex 1 and 2 (TSC1 and TSC2) genes and their products hamartin and tuberin, respectively, are involved in several regulatory cellular mechanisms, including the mTOR pathway that is important for proliferation, cell migration, and protein synthesis. In addition, it has been suggested that this pathway plays a role in regulating Na+-K+-2Cl- and K+-Cl- cotransporters (NKCC and KCC, respectively) [41, 42, 43]. Therefore, the TSC1 and TSC2 genes are expected to play a significant role in regulating cell volume, and K+ and Cl- homeostasis. This study tests the hypothesis that the TSC1 and TSC2 genes, which control cell …

Expression Of Aquaporins In Mouse Choroid Plexus And Ependymal Cells, Pankaj Patyal

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The choroid plexuses (CPs) are highly vascularized epithelial structures lying in the brain ventricles, forming the blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier. CPs are composed of a monolayer of cuboidal epithelial cells, derived from ependymal cells (EPCs), joined by tight junctions, and surrounding a core of fenestrated capillaries. Choroid plexus epithelial cells (CPECs) secrete most of the CSF through poorly understood mechanisms that involve aquaporins (AQPs) and various solute transport proteins like the Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter 1 (NKCC1). It is thought that the concerted action of these membrane proteins directs the transepithelial movement of solutes and water across CPECs. Net water movement across …

Effect Of Progesterone, Terbutaline And Leptin On The Function Of Alveolar Type Ii Cells, Shamili Sammohi

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The "surfactant" produced by type II pneumonocytes is deficient in term and preterm infants born and diagnosed with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone or betamethasone are clinically used as the primary line of treatment to stimulate the production of surfactant. The steroidal hormone, progesterone appears to play a role in the fetal lung development and also appears to increase the expression of inflammatory markers in both term and preterm infants. However, the impact of progesterone on surfactant production remains unknown. Like progesterone, the tocolytic drug terbutaline has also been implicated in phosphatidylcholine production in the pneumonocytes of …

Correlations Between Sensory Encoding And Central Morphology Of Muscle Proprioceptors In The Rat, Hanna Marie Gabriel

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Until now, observations regarding the central morphology and organization of Ia, group II and Ib Golgi tendon organ afferents have been confined to the cat model. As the use of rodents in the study of the development and organization of segmental spinal cord circuitry increases, a complete account of the peripheral encoding and central connectivity of rodent muscle proprioceptors is necessary. The data presented in this study establish the central morphology and spatial distribution of 12 (4 of each class) functionally phenotyped muscle proprioceptor afferents in the rat by intracellular labeling with Neurobiotin. Each afferent type showed a characteristic central …

Sensorimotor Analysis Of Oxaliplatin Treated Rats, Krystyna Blanka Wieczerzak

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There is currently no direct evidence that chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) necessarily explains the sensorimotor deficits seen in 90% patients treated with oxaliplatin (OX). Some patients develop sensory symptoms without CIPN. Our laboratory reported abnormal signaling from IA afferents in OX treated rats with no evidence of neuropathy. We hypothesized that in the absence of CIPN, the behavioral disability is associated with impaired sensory encoding in OX treated rats. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sensorimotor abilities of OX treated rats. The battery of behavioral tests was designed to address proprioception and sensorimotor integration. In the …

The Impact Of Hsv-1 Infection On Cell Viability, Morphology, And Cd Markers Expression By Unpolarized And Cytokine-Polarized J774a.1 Mouse Macrophages, Sarah Saad Alsharif

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Macrophages play an important role in the immune system, particularly in neutralizing pathogens via phagocytosis and the production of multiple cytokines and chemokines that control infection after exposure to specific stimuli. Macrophages exhibit two different phenotypes, M1 and M2. This study evaluated the role of Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS)1 and SOCS3 on Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) infection of polarized macrophages, cell viability, cell morphology, and the expression of cell surface CD markers. I hypothesized that J774A.1 murine macrophages cells in the naive state (M0), and M1 and M2 phenotypes would display differences in CD markers CD80,CD163, and CD200R, cell …

Identification And Quantification Of The Collagen Type I, Iii And V In Rabbit Patellar Tendons, Mahesh Chandra Kodali

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Tendon injuries pose a great clinical challenge to orthopedic surgeons. Over 200,000 patients undergo tendon repair every year in the United States alone. The role of progression of a tendon injury is multifactorial as a lot of factors come into play during and after the injury at various phases of healing process. There is a still a vast requirement for thorough elucidation and understanding of the pathophysiology and the factors involved in the progression of tendon injury. Although the degenerative role of several MMPs and ADAMTs have been reported, yet there is very less information on the actual role and …

Distinguishing Melanocytic Nevi From Melanoma By Dna Copy Number Changes: Array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization As A Research Tool, Ahmed Ibrahim Mahas

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Skin melanocytes can give rise to different benign and malignant neoplasms. Discrimination of an early melanoma from an unusual/atypical benign nevus can represent a significant challenge. However, previous studies have shown that in contrast to benign nevi, melanoma demonstrates pervasive chromosomal aberrations. This substantial difference between melanoma and benign nevi formed the idea of exploiting this difference to discriminate between melanoma and benign nevi. Array-comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) is an approach that can be used on DNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues to assess the entire genome for the presence of changes in DNA copy number. In this study, …

Inhibition Of Nectin-1 And Herpes Virus Entry Mediator (Hvem) Using Monoclonal Antibodies Decreases Hsv-1 Entry Into Neuro-2a Cells, Erica Marie Rinehart

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This study examines the effects of blocking the nectin-1 and Herpes Virus Entry Mediator (HVEM) receptors on Neuro-2a (N2a) cells in order to prevent HSV-1 infection. These two receptors have been identified as a primary and secondary mode of entry for HSV-1. Since there was some debate about the correct serum level to be used in growth media for healthy N2a cells, three concentrations (2%, 5%, 10%) were used to examine relative growth and neurite development, in addition to examining possible differences in infectivity levels in all other experiments. There was a difference in general morphology, with neurite abundance and …

Profiling Fatty Acid Composition Of Brown Adipose Tissue, White Adipose Tissue And Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue Of Healthy And Diet-Induced Obese Mice, Urszula Osinska Warncke

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Bone marrow adipose tissue (MAT) contains a fat depot of unknown function. Characterization of this tissue in healthy and pathophysiological conditions may be an important step in order to understand MAT contribution to development of osteoporosis and perhaps to develop means to improve bone health by manipulation with a phenotype of MAT. Here we demonstrate that MAT, brown adipose tissue (BAT), and white adipose tissue (WAT) derived from healthy mice differ in fatty acid and phospholipid composition. The profile of MAT changed to resemble a less-metabolically active tissue upon metabolic impairment as seen in diet-induced obesity. Additionally, PPARγ activation alters …