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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Understanding Neonicotinoid Related Immunosuppression: A Potential For Beneficial Bacterial Intervention, John A. Chmiel
Understanding Neonicotinoid Related Immunosuppression: A Potential For Beneficial Bacterial Intervention, John A. Chmiel
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
The use of neonicotinoid pesticides has been implicated in the recent decrease of honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations. In this thesis, a Drosophila melanogaster model was used to characterize immune impairment associated with imidacloprid (neonicotinoid) exposure and test the ability of beneficial bacteria (lactobacilli) to alleviate these harmful effects. The experiments outlined in chapters 2 and 3 demonstrate that imidacloprid alters the gut microbiota by exploiting the cooperation between gut immune pathways. The pesticide reduces expression of Duox via dysregulation of the immune deficiency pathway resulting in decreased hydrogen peroxide production. This contributes to the microbiota changes but …
Maternal Nicotine Exposure Induces Congenital Heart Defects In The Offspring Of Mice, Elizabeth Greco
Maternal Nicotine Exposure Induces Congenital Heart Defects In The Offspring Of Mice, Elizabeth Greco
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Congenital heart defects are the most prevalent birth defect, and maternal cigarette smoking is a known risk factor. Nicotine replacement therapies are recommended to pregnant women who smoke to aid in smoking cessation, as this alternative is thought to be much safer compared to cigarette smoking. However, these products contain nicotine, and the safety of nicotine on the developing heart is not well known. In this thesis, a mouse model was used to test the hypothesis that maternal nicotine exposure (MNE) during pregnancy leads to congenital heart defects and coronary artery defects in the offspring of mice. MNE resulted in …