Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons^™

Neuronal And Glial Expression Of Glun2c And Glun2d Nmda Receptor Subunit Mrna In Different Regions Of The Mouse Forebrain, Hassan Alsaad

Theses & Dissertations

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are a subtype of glutamate receptors that are widely expressed in the brain, where they mediate critical functions. While the actions of the predominate GluN2 NMDAR subunits, GluN2A and GluN2B are relatively well understood, the function of GluN2C and GluN2D in the telencephalon is largely unknown. To better understand the possible role of GluN2C and GluN2D subunits, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization together with multiple cell markers to define the distribution and type of cells expressing GluN2C and GluN2D mRNA. Also, a GluN2C-KO mouse was used as a negative control.

GluN2C mRNA expression was only found …

Behavioral Insights Into Nociceptor Function: A Systematic Approach To Understanding Postsurgical And Neuropathic Pain Mechanisms In Rats, Max Odem

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Postsurgical and neuropathic pain are each clinically common, and often associated with ongoing pain. Ongoing pain has been linked to ongoing activity (OA) in human C-fiber nociceptors. Preclinical studies using rodent neuropathic models have concentrated on allodynia driven by OA generated in non-nociceptive Aβ fibers, but little attention has been paid to postsurgical pain in sham controls or to C-fiber nociceptor OA promoting ongoing pain.

Operant assays that reveal negative motivational and cognitive aspects of voluntary pain-related behavior may be particularly sensitive to pain-related alterations. In the mechanical conflict (MC) test, rodents can freely choose to escape from a brightly …

Comparisons Between Movement Onset Identification Methods Used In Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Test, Junshi Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aimed to explore the usefulness of using force derivatives for onset detection in the isometric mid-thigh pull test. First, we examined applications of three differential calculus principles, first and second derivative, and curvature using visual detection as a reference under different baseline conditions. Second, we compared the best derivative method to a threshold-based method using visual detection as a reference. Results of our first investigation showed trivial differences between many differential calculus methods and visual detection. However, statistical differences exceeding a trivial effect was observed when instantaneous force and rate of force develop were examined. Through the first …

The Role Of Tumor Suppressor Dear1 In The Acquisition Of Mammary Stem/Progenitor Cell Properties, Uyen Le

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in America. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), one of the earliest pre-invasive forms of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), has a 30-50% risk of progressing to IDC. Understanding the mechanisms regulating progression from DCIS to IDC would help identify biomarkers to stratify patients at higher risk of progression or metastasis. Cumulative literature suggests the earliest phase of dissemination from the primary tumor is driven by the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program. DEAR1 is a tumor suppressor gene which is mutated, undergoes loss of heterozygosity in breast cancer, and is downregulated in DCIS …

The Interplay Between Polarity Regulators, Calcium, And The Actin Cytoskeleton During Tip Growth, Carlisle Bascom Jr

Doctoral Dissertations

Plant cell growth is a meticulously regulated process whereby the cell wall is selectively loosened to allow for turgor-pressure driven expansion. The rate of expansion must equal delivery of new material, or the cell will lyse. In many plant cells, this process happens diffusely around the cell. However, a number of plant cells have anisotropic shapes that require exquisite spatial control of secretion. One simple example of anisotropic patterning is tip growth; highly polarized cell expansion utilized by pollen tubes, root hairs, and moss protonemata. Investigating the role various molecules have in tip growth sheds light on how plant cells …

Effect Of Estrogen And Glucocorticoid Signaling On Th2 Cells – Implications For Severe Asthma, Meerah Vijeyakumaran

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

T helper (Th2) cells are increased in asthma and mediate allergic inflammation through production of type 2 cytokines (interleukin-4, -5 and -13). One pathway to activate Th2 cells is through chemoattractant-homologous receptor expressed on Th2 cells (CRTh2), a receptor for prostaglandin D₂ (PGD₂). Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the main treatment for allergic disease, due to their ability to suppress type 2 cytokine production and induce apoptosis. Incidence and severity of asthma is greater in women than men, which may be related to sex-specific efficacy of GCs. Recently, our laboratory found that severe asthmatic women had more circulating Th2 …

The Role Of Developmental Timing Regulators In Progenitor Proliferation And Cell Fate Specification During Mammalian Neurogenesis, Jennifer S. Romer-Seibert

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Developmental timing is a key aspect of tissue and organ formation in which distinct cell types are generated through a series of steps from common progenitors. These progenitors undergo specific changes in gene expression that signifies both a distinct progenitor type and developmental time point that thereby specifies a particular cell fate at that stage of development. The nervous system is an important setting for understanding developmental timing because different cell types are produced in a certain order and the switch from stem cells to progenitors requires precise timing and regulation. Notable examples of such regulatory molecules include the RNA-binding …

Inhibition Of Ribosome Biogenesis Through Genetic And Chemical Approaches, Leonid Anikin

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

In order to maintain the ability to generate proteins, proliferating cells must continuously generate ribosomes, designating up to 80% of their energy to ribosome biogenesis (RBG). RBG involves transcription of rDNA by RNA polymerases I (Pol I) and III (Pol III), expression of approximately 80 ribosomal proteins, and assembly of these components in a process referred to as ribosome maturation. During maturation, the Pol I transcribed 47S pre-rRNA undergoes a number of processing events, while simultaneously interacting with processing factors and ribosomal proteins that drive pre-ribosome assembly. Inhibition of RBG has become one of the pursued targets for cancer therapy …

Insight Into Translational Activation In Yeast Mitochondria, Julia Lynn Jones

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Mitochondrial function depends on over a thousand proteins, of which the majority are nuclear DNA-encoded and approximately one percent are mitochondrial DNA-encoded. The mitochondrial DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains eight protein-encoding genes, seven of which are required for proper function of the respiratory complexes and one encodes a ribosomal protein. The bigenomic nature of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes requires coordinated expression and regulation from both the nuclear and the mitochondrial genomes. It is currently unclear how this regulatory network operates. However, it is thought that nuclear genome-encoded messengers localized to the mitochondria aid in this coordination.

A family of proteins …

Computational Analysis Of Genomic Variants Affecting Predicted Microrna:Target Interactions In Prostate Cancer., Angélica Paola Hernández Pérez

KGI Theses and Dissertations

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer of men in the United States and is third only to lung and colon as a cause of cancer death. Clinical behavior of the disease is variable and the combination of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and Gleason score staging are currently the best available molecular and pathology tools to predict outcomes. Cancer biology research establishes microRNAs (miRNAs) as key molecular components in both normal and pathological states. Thus, elucidating miRNAs perturbed by genomic alterations will expand our understanding of the molecular taxonomy of PCa with the aim to complement current practices in …

Developmental Exposure To Xenoestrogens: Effects On The Mouse Mammary Gland Development And Response To Estrogen, Durga Kolla

Masters Theses

Humans experience ubiquitous exposures to estrogenic environmental chemicals from food, personal care products, and other industrial and consumer goods. Bisphenol A (BPA), a well-studied xenoestrogen, is known to alter development of estrogen-sensitive organs including the brain, reproductive tract, and mammary gland. Bisphenol S (BPS), which has a similar chemical structure to BPA, is also used in many consumer products, but its effects on estrogen-sensitive organs in mammals has not been thoroughly examined. In our study, pregnant CD-1 mice were orally exposed to BPS or ethinyl estradiol (EE2, a positive control for estrogenicity) from gestational day 9 through postnatal day (PND) …

Loss Of Marv1 Promotes Chop Signaling In Mouse Liver, Shad Anthony Mitchell

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a term used to define a set of metabolic diseases: obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), hyperlipidemia, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and nonalcoholic hepatosteatosis (NASH). Those with MetS have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Current drug treatments for MetS treat the individual pathologies associated with the diseases, rather than directly targeting MetS as a whole. We hypothesize that the inhibition of a ubiquitous lipid transporter known as ARV1 can improve pathologies associated with MetS. To test this hypothesis, we utilized liver tissue from mARV1 knockout mice fed a high-fat diet and examined …

Biological Soil Crusts In A Northeastern Pine Barren: Composition And Ecological Effects, Jessica Gilbert

Honors Theses

Biological soil crusts (BSCs), otherwise known as cryptogamic soil crusts, biocrusts, or cyanobacterial crusts, are soil aggregations hosting diverse biotic communities. They are composed of cyanobacteria and algae, and generally have a covering of moss and/or lichen. BSCs are typically found in arid to semi-arid regions throughout the world, and are integral soil stabilizers, moisture retainers, and nitrogen fixers in these communities. Along with these factors, BSCs are able to impact germination and establishment of plants, either as an accompanying influence, or direct result of those listed above. BSCs have yet to be formally described in the inland northeastern United …

Light-Induced Expression Of A Blue Coral Protein In An Industrial Fungus, Lindsay Tomczak

Honors Theses

The ultimate goal of this research project is to improve the growth and structural characteristics of an Ecovative Design LLC (Green Island, NY) production strain to produce commercial biomaterials for packaging. These biomaterials are produced from renewable resources and can be easily broken down after they fulfill their purpose, unlike the commonly used materials today (such as Styrofoam). In an effort to quantify the light-reactivity of the fungus, a codon-optimized DNA sequence coding a blue chromoprotein was introduced and utilized as a visual reporter gene. Transcriptional controlling sequences were identified from orthologs to specific light-regulated genes and were combined with …

Schistosomiasis In The Wild: A Transcriptomics Perspective On Field-Derived Biomphalaria Pfeifferi And Schistosoma Mansoni, And Their Interactions, Sarah K. Buddenborg

Biology ETDs

Schistosomiasis, caused by trematodes in the genus Schistosoma, is a widespread neglected tropical disease with the species S. mansoni infecting over 100 million people. We aimed to better understand the snail host and parasite responses during intramolluscan stages of infection by performing dual RNA-Seq on field-collected snails with natural infections from western Kenya. We collected uninfected Biomphalaria pfeifferi, B. pfeifferi with a patent cercariae-producing S. mansoni infection, and B. pfeifferi exposed to field-collected S. mansoni at 1 and 3d (days post infection).

We first created a high-quality B. pfeifferi transcriptome to identify the snail response to S. mansoni infection. …

Morphological Comparison Of Fourth-Instar Larvae From Various Populations Of Wyeomyia Smithii, Kendra D. Moore

Honors College Theses

Populations of pitcher plant mosquitoes, Wyeomyia smithii, have exhibited recent shifts in blood-feeding behavior, likely in response to changes in climate and food availability. A comparison of various morphological structures in fourth-instar larvae was conducted to investigate the hypothesis that geographic and temporal dietary differences are reflected in changes in organismal size.

Relationship Between Perceived And Actual Exertion And Enjoyment Of Exercise In Individuals With Autism, Nicole Fiscella

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Fiscella, N.A., Moran, T.E., Wigglesworth, J.K., and McKay, C.A. Relationship between Perceived and Actual Exertion and Enjoyment of Exercise in Individuals with Autism. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived exertion, actual exertion and enjoyment of exercise in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Methods: A total of 16 participants (12 males and 4 females) between the ages of 5 and 38 who were diagnosed with ASD participated in the study. The intervention lasted 10 weeks and consisted of participation in one of James Madison University’s Overcoming Barriers hour long physical activity programs. Heart …

Literature Review And Proposal: Yoga As Group Exercise Involving Oxytocin Release For Positive Mood Improvement, Rachel Fenton

Honors Projects

A literature review discusses yoga and health involving oxytocin creates the premise for a proposal combining the knowledge of yoga and its health benefits along with oxytocin's potential involvement during group exercise, yoga specifically. The proposed study's results of oxytocin measures and questionnaires have the potential to develop an understanding of the possible impacts of yoga on mood, particularly relationships between group exercise and yoga, which may help develop forms of group exercise or implement group yoga to assist or replace treatment for stress-caused or stress-related disorders.

Different Methodologies To Characterize And Diagnose Sickle Cell Disease In Both Developed And Developing Nations, Mohammed Alharbi

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that causes the RBC to become sickle shaped due to a mutation in the β-globin gene encoding the protein hemoglobin. This disease causes reduced oxygen carrying capacity of RBC resulting in painful crisis, hemolytic anemia, and infection susceptibility. SCD affects around 100,000 individuals in USA alone and 14 million people globally. SCD affected individuals have high mortality rates. Early detection and constant monitoring of this disease is essential. The following review focuses on various methodologies that have emerged in the diagnosis of SCD. Also, low cost methods that can be easily …

Changes In Hepatic Extracellular Matrix During The Development Of Cancer-Cachexia In Mice, Kyle Turner

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

CHANGES IN HEPATIC EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER-CACHEXIA IN MICE

Turner K.W.¹, Rosa-Caldwell M.E.¹, Brown J.L.¹, Lee D.E.¹, Perry R.A.¹, Haynie W.A.¹ Washington T.A.¹, Wiggs M.P.², Greene N.P.¹: ¹University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas; ²Univeristy of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, Texas

BACKGROUND: Cancer is one of the most widespread and deadly diseases in recent history. Cancer-cachexia is a systemic, metabolic disorder that greatly disrupts the patient’s energy balance, causing uncontrollable weight and, specifically, skeletal muscle loss. This cancer-induced cachexia is …

Identification And Utility Of Dna In Exosomes, Paul Kurywchak

Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)

Cancer-associated mortality has been declining for two decades but remains a significant public health problem, especially when patients initially present with advanced disease. Early detection methods have improved survival rates but remain unavailable for a majority of cancers due to a lack of sensitive biomarkers or numerous limitations associated with current diagnosis strategies. Approaches to develop “liquid biopsies” by detecting tumor cells or DNA in the blood have led to several breakthroughs and create the potential for non-invasive, routine assessment of diseases status. However, these biomarkers are rare and currently difficult to isolate, especially in the early stages of disease. …

A Cytotoxic Evaluation Of A Chalcone Derivative Library On A549 Cells, Mary Elaine Kuo

Undergraduate Theses

Chalcones, a precursor to flavonoids, are chemical compounds found naturally in plants. The chalcones’ structure consists of a ketone bridge attached to two aromatic rings. Varying substituents on the aromatic rings allow for different affects, including anti-cancer properties. As a Michael acceptor, chalcones interact with pathways that cause inhibition of the initiation, promotion, and progression of cancer tumors. We have screened 32 compounds for growth inhibition in lung cells that vary the flexibility and confirmation of the 3 carbon bridge between the two aromatic rings as well as the effects of electronic modifications to the aromatic ring. We have found …

Paclitaxel Enhances Oncolytic Potential Of Herpes Simplex Virus Type-1 In Cancer Cells, Misagh Naderi

LSU Master's Theses

Taxanes are spindle poisons that bind to and stabilize microtubules resulting in mitotic arrest. Herpes simplex Typ-1 (HSV-1) virions utilize the microtubular network for intracellular transport during both virus entry and virus egress from infected cells. It has been reported previously that taxanes may synergize with oncolytic herpes simplex viruses in the treatment of experimental prostate and breast tumors in mice. Other reports have indicated that taxanes may inhibit viral replication in infected cells. In this study the previously characterized Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (OSVP), which was constructed in Kousoulas lab was used in conjugation with paclitaxel (taxol) …

Assay Of The Reverse Osmosis Purified Water In The Life Science Building At Bowling Green State University, Ohio, Nicholas Mendenhall, Scott O. Rogers, Neocles B. Leontis

Honors Projects

Contaminated water sources can cause problems for scientific research and result in costly delays and failures of experiments. At Bowling Green State University, the reverse osmosis supply circulating in the Life Sciences Building has been measurably contaminated for nearly three years, corresponding to a change in servicing of the system. While servicing has been accelerated, the contamination in the system remains. The focus of this research was to identify the species of bacteria and fungi growing inside of the water system so that it might alert those servicing the system, and to begin to eliminate the contamination. Reverse osmosis water …

Mechanisms And Potential Therapy On Disrupted Blood Pressure Circadian Rhythm In Diabetes, Tianfei Hou

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Arterial blood pressure (BP) undergoes a 24-hour oscillation that peaks in the active day and reaches a nadir at night during sleep in humans. Reduced nocturnal BP fall (also known as non-dipper) is the most common disruption of BP circadian rhythm and is associated with increased risk of untoward cardiovascular events and target organ injury. Up to 75% of diabetic patients are non-dippers. However, the mechanisms underlying diabetes associated non-dipping BP are largely unknown. To address this important question, we generated a novel diabetic db/db-mPer2^Luc mouse model (db/db-mPer2^Luc) that allows quantitatively measuring of mPER2 protein oscillation …

Copepod Distribution In Relation To Environmental Parameters On Diel And Tidal Time Scales In Mission Bay, San Diego, California, Joy Renee Shapiro

Theses

The vertical distribution of copepods in estuaries is known to vary in relation to environmental factors. However, the relationships between environmental conditions (e.g., tides, hydrography) and copepod distributions are not well understood. This project examined connections between environmental parameters and copepod distribution in Mission Bay, San Diego, California. Copepods (adults, juveniles, and nauplii) were collected every two hours over a diel cycle at three sites across the bay. A plankton pump was used to draw ~2 m³ of water from each of two depths - just below the surface and just above the bottom. Copepods were retained in a …

Lorcaserin As A Potential Opioid-Sparing Adjunct, Kumiko M. Lippold

Theses and Dissertations

Opioids, such as oxycodone, morphine, and fentanyl, are commonly used medications in the treatment of moderate to severe pain. In spite of their efficacious analgesic properties, their increased prescribing rates by physicians and inherent abuse-related effects have led to the ongoing opioid epidemic. Their clinical utility is limited by the risk of adverse dose-dependent side effects, such as constipation and respiratory depression, and the development of tolerance and dependence. Opioid-sparing adjunctive therapies are sought to address these issues by reducing the dose of opioid needed to achieve analgesia through alternative non-opioidergic mechanisms and as a result, reduce the incidence of …

Modeling Canopy Effect In The Great Lakes Cladophora Model, Ankita Bakshi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Cladophora glomerata is a filamentous green alga native to the Great Lakes. However, its nuisance growth in phosphorus rich waters negatively affects the lakes’ aesthetic and water quality. The Great Lakes Cladophora Model (GLCM) v1, developed in 1982, was the first mechanistic model to simulate Cladophora growth basing phosphorus availability and environmental conditions followed by Cladophora Growth Model and GLCM v2. In this study, the light and temperature mediation factors for Cladophora net growth are revised as a necessary step prior to the development of a self-shading algorithm. The concept of a fixed-value, maximum achievable biomass (carrying capacity) employed in …

The Fatigue-Associated Changes In Estimates Of Persistent Inward Current In Human Motor Neurons, Chris Compton

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Neuromuscular fatigue is associated with reduced supraspinal drive. Similarly, intracortical facilitation and muscle activation are reduced following concussion. Both fatigue and mild traumatic brain injury are associated with increased noradrenergic and serotonergic activity in animal models. Given that monoaminergic-dependent persistent inward currents (PIC) set spinal motor neuron (MN) gain, we speculate that PIC will increase during fatigue to compensate for supraspinal hypoexcitability and that this will be more pronounced in people with concussion. Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to assess spinal MN excitability during fatigue in people with concussion and healthy controls. 20 participants (10 concussion, average age …

Coloration, Camouflage, And Sexual Dichromatism In The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus Oreganus), Jefferson Brooks

All Master's Theses

In some viperid snakes, natural selection has shaped coloration and patterning to match local habitats, and for males to show greater warning coloration than females due to a less sedentary lifestyle. The Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) is likely the most abundant ambush predator in eastern Washington, yet little is known about its color variation, how color patterns interact with their habitats, and if male and female snakes show differences in patterning or color. To explore how snake color might interact with the colors of their environment, I used standardized digital photography to record both snake and substrate coloration. …