Effects Of Global Dna Methylation Changes On Neurobehavior In Zebrafish, 2015 University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Effects Of Global Dna Methylation Changes On Neurobehavior In Zebrafish, Matthew Christopher Pickens
Theses and Dissertations
A number of environmental neurotoxicants modulate DNA methylation, but its influence on neurobehavior remains unclear. The laboratory has established that low-level developmental methylmercury exposure induces neurobehavioral deficits; the current results demonstrate that it also induces global DNA hypomethylation. DNA methyltransferase 1-mutant zebrafish (exhibit ~70% reduction in enzymatic activity) were used to assess the role of DNA hypomethylation on behavior. Several neurobehavioral assays including the C-start escape, circadian rhythm, basic locomotion and visual-motor response (VMR) were also performed. There was a significant difference in VMR between the wild type and mutant animals. Other behavior assays revealed no significant difference, primarily due …
Leptin Regulates The Expression Of Autophagy-Related Genes In Chickens, 2015 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Leptin Regulates The Expression Of Autophagy-Related Genes In Chickens, Peter Olawale Ishola
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Autophagy or cellular self-digestion, a lysosomal degradation pathway that is conserved from yeast to human, plays a key role in recycling cellular constituents, including damaged organelles. It also plays a pivotal role in the adaptation of cells to a plethora of distinct stressors including starvation. Autophagy has been extensively studied in mammals and yeast, but little is known in avian species. Thus, the major objective of the present study was to determine the effects of leptin on autophagy-related genes in chicken hypothalamus, muscle and liver. Leptin is an adipocytokine that is mostly produced by white adipose cells in mammals (as …
Transcriptomics Of Chicken Primordial Germ Cells, 2015 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Transcriptomics Of Chicken Primordial Germ Cells, Nhung Thi Nguyen
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs) are derived from extraembryonic tissue of the embryo and first appear at stage X of development. They enter the bloodstream and migrate to the genital ridge, unite with somatic tissue to form a developing gonad, and then differentiate to sperm or ova (Fujimoto et al., 1976). Understanding molecular features of both male and female PGCs not only clarify the differentiation mechanism of such cells toward different germ lines, but will also help in selecting for highly productive types of commercial chicken. Most previous studies focused on the location of PGCs (Eyal-Giladi et al., 1981; Swift …
Response Of Bacterial Cells To Fluctuating Environment, 2015 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Response Of Bacterial Cells To Fluctuating Environment, Sudip Nepal
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
We have studied morphological and genomic variations occurring in a mesophilic bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) in a wide range of continuous and fluctuating hydrostatic pressures. For all the studies here the temperature is maintained at 37◦C, the optimal growth tem- perature of E. coli at atmospheric pressure. Cell division is inhibited at high hydrostatic pressures resulting in an increase of cell length. The increase of cell-length depends on the extent and duration of the stress applied on bacterial cells. We have studied the effect of high pressure stress in three different conditions – (i) Wild-type cells (almost no genetic …
Characterization Of Embryonic Stem Cell-Differentiated Cells As Mesenchymal Stem Cells, 2015 University of Southern Mississippi
Characterization Of Embryonic Stem Cell-Differentiated Cells As Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Rachael N. Kuehn
Honors Theses
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs), due to their ability to differentiate into different cell types while still maintaining a high proliferation capacity, have been considered as a potential cell source in regenerative medicine. However, current ESC differentiation methods are low yielding and create heterogeneous cell populations. If transplanted in the human body, differentiated ESCs could be rejected by the immune system, form tumors, or may not function normally within the human body. On the other hand, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a type of adult stem cell typically derived from bone marrow, have proved to be excellent candidates in clinical applications due …
Problem Solving Skill And Obesity In Children, 2015 Eleanor Mann School of Nursing
Problem Solving Skill And Obesity In Children, Caitlin R. Spano
The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses
Abstract:
Introduction: Childhood obesity is a problem that leads to many serious health effects including early maturation, decreased quality of life and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. In 2012, over one third of children were considered obese (Childhood Obesity Facts 2015). Efforts have been made to reduce this number but they have not been fully successful (Nutrition Standards for School Meals 2015, Prevalence of Childhood obesity in the United States 2011-2012 2015). What other factors are causing kids to choose foods that lead to weight gain.
Literature Review: In research regarding psychological motivations of overeating, there has been a correlation …
The Effect Of Leucine Supplementation On Mitochondrial Biogenesis And Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis In Rats Fed A High-Fat Diet, 2015 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
The Effect Of Leucine Supplementation On Mitochondrial Biogenesis And Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis In Rats Fed A High-Fat Diet, David M. Skinner
Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses
This study aims to illuminate interaction between leucine supplementation and mitochondrial proteins concerned with synthesis and biogenesis. We hypothesized that supplementation with leucine will attenuate the weight gain of the high fat diet in comparison with the normal chow group, by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and content. We conducted a laboratory experiment using Western Blotting techniques to determine protein expression. Proteins of interest in this study include PGC-1α, COX-IV, TUFM, TFAM, and mtIF2. The findings from the research show a main effect of an increase in the expression of PGC-1 α in high fat diets. There was no difference in the …
Defining The Molecular Networks Necessary For Thymus Fate And Organogenesis, 2015 The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston
Defining The Molecular Networks Necessary For Thymus Fate And Organogenesis, Kaitlin A. Reeh
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
The thymus and parathyroid (PT) glands originate from endodermal progenitors in the bilateral third pharyngeal pouches (3rd pps). By E11.5 during mouse development, cells committed to the thymus lineage express Foxn1 whereas PT-fated cells express Gcm2. While these transcription factors are required for organ-specific differentiation, the exact molecular mechanisms that specify endodermal progenitors to either the thymus or parathyroid lineage are not well defined. Tbx1 is initially expressed throughout the 3rd pp endoderm, as it is required for segmentation of the pharyngeal apparatus, but is downregulated in the thymus-fated domain by E10.5. Despite the widely held notion …
Compounds Released From Biomass Deconstruction: Understanding Their Effect On Cellulose Enzyme Hydrolysis And Their Biological Activity, 2015 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Compounds Released From Biomass Deconstruction: Understanding Their Effect On Cellulose Enzyme Hydrolysis And Their Biological Activity, Angele Djioleu
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The effect of compounds produced during biomass pretreatment on cellulolytic enzyme was investigated. Liquid prehydrolyzates were prepared by pretreating switchgrass using 24 combinations of temperature, time, and sulfuric acid concentration based on a full factorial design. Temperature was varied from 140°C to 180°C; time ranged from 10 to 40 min; and the sulfuric acid concentrations were 0.5% or 1% (v/v). Identified products in the prehydrolyzates included xylose, glucose, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural, acetic acid, formic acid, and phenolic compounds at concentration ranging from 0 to 21.4 g/L. Pretreatment conditions significantly affected the concentrations of compounds detected in prehydrolyzates. When assayed in …
Dancing Through Life: Molecular Dynamics Simulations And Network-Centric Modeling Of Allosteric Mechanisms In Hsp70 And Hsp110 Chaperone Proteins, 2015 Chapman University
Dancing Through Life: Molecular Dynamics Simulations And Network-Centric Modeling Of Allosteric Mechanisms In Hsp70 And Hsp110 Chaperone Proteins, Gabrielle Stetz, Gennady M. Verkhivker
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
Hsp70 and Hsp110 chaperones play an important role in regulating cellular processes that involve protein folding and stabilization, which are essential for the integrity of signaling networks. Although many aspects of allosteric regulatory mechanisms in Hsp70 and Hsp110 chaperones have been extensively studied and significantly advanced in recent experimental studies, the atomistic picture of signal propagation and energetics of dynamics-based communication still remain unresolved. In this work, we have combined molecular dynamics simulations and protein stability analysis of the chaperone structures with the network modeling of residue interaction networks to characterize molecular determinants of allosteric mechanisms. We have shown that …
Endothelin-B Receptor Activation In Astrocytes Regulates The Rate Of Oligodendrocyte Regeneration During Remyelination., 2015 George Washington University
Endothelin-B Receptor Activation In Astrocytes Regulates The Rate Of Oligodendrocyte Regeneration During Remyelination., Timothy R. Hammond, Brian Mcellin, Paul D Morton, Matthew Raymond, Jeff Dupree, Vittorio Gallo
Medicine Faculty Publications
Reactive astrogliosis is an essential and ubiquitous response to CNS injury, but in some cases, aberrant activation of astrocytes and their release of inhibitory signaling molecules can impair endogenous neural repair processes. Our lab previously identified a secreted intercellular signaling molecule, called endothelin-1 (ET-1), which is expressed at high levels by reactive astrocytes in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions and limits repair by delaying oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) maturation. However, as ET receptors are widely expressed on neural cells, the cell- and receptor-specific mechanisms of OPC inhibition by ET-1 action remain undefined. Using pharmacological approaches and cell-specific endothelin receptor (EDNR) ablation, …
Hepatic Nutrient And Hormonal Regulation Of The Pancreatic-Derived Factor (Pander) Promoter, 2015 University of South Florida
Hepatic Nutrient And Hormonal Regulation Of The Pancreatic-Derived Factor (Pander) Promoter, Whitney Ratliff
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
PANcreatic-DERived factor (PANDER, FAM3B) has been shown to regulate glycemic levels via interactions with both pancreatic islets and the liver. Although PANDER is predominantly expressed from the endocrine pancreas, recent work has provided sufficient evidence that the liver may also be an additional tissue source of PANDER production. At physiological levels, PANDER is capable of disrupting insulin signaling and promoting increased hepatic glucose production. As shown in some animal models, strong expression of PANDER, induced by viral delivery within the liver, induces hepatic steatosis. However, no studies to date have explicitly characterized the transcriptional regulation of PANDER from the liver. …
The Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 (Trpm2) Channel Contributes To Beta-Amyloid Oligomer-Related Neurotoxicity And Memory Impairment, 2015 Western University
The Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 (Trpm2) Channel Contributes To Beta-Amyloid Oligomer-Related Neurotoxicity And Memory Impairment, Valeriy G. Ostapchenko, Megan Chen, Monica S. Guzman, Yu-Feng Xie, Natalie Lavine, Jue Fan, Flavio H. Beraldo, Amanda C. Martyn, Jillian C. Belrose, Yasuo Mori, John F. Macdonald, Vania F. Prado, Marco A. M. Prado, Michael F. Jackson
Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications
In Alzheimer's disease, accumulation of soluble oligomers of beta-amyloid peptide is known to be highly toxic, causing disturbances in synaptic activity and neuronal death. Multiple studies relate these effects to increased oxidative stress and aberrant activity of calcium-permeable cation channels leading to calcium imbalance. The transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) channel, a Ca2+-permeable nonselective cation channel activated by oxidative stress, has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, and more recently in amyloid-induced toxicity. Here we show that the function of TRPM2 is augmented by treatment of cultured neurons with beta-amyloid oligomers. Aged APP/PS1 Alzheimer's mouse model showed increased levels of …
Age-Associated Methylation Suppresses Spry1, Leading To A Failure Of Re-Quiescence And Loss Of The Reserve Stem Cell Pool In Elderly Muscle., 2015 George Washington University
Age-Associated Methylation Suppresses Spry1, Leading To A Failure Of Re-Quiescence And Loss Of The Reserve Stem Cell Pool In Elderly Muscle., Anne Bigot, William J Duddy, Zamalou G Ouandaogo, Elisa Negroni, Virginie Mariot, Svetlana Ghimbovschi, Brennan Harmon, Aurore Wielgosik, Camille Loiseau, Joseph Devaney, Julie Dumonceaux, Gillian Butler-Browne, Vincent Mouly, Stéphanie Duguez
Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications
The molecular mechanisms by which aging affects stem cell number and function are poorly understood. Murine data have implicated cellular senescence in the loss of muscle stem cells with aging. Here, using human cells and by carrying out experiments within a strictly pre-senescent division count, we demonstrate an impaired capacity for stem cell self-renewal in elderly muscle. We link aging to an increased methylation of the SPRY1 gene, a known regulator of muscle stem cell quiescence. Replenishment of the reserve cell pool was modulated experimentally by demethylation or siRNA knockdown of SPRY1. We propose that suppression of SPRY1 by age-associated …
The Role Of Endothelin 3 In Melanoma Progression And Metastasis, 2015 Florida International University
The Role Of Endothelin 3 In Melanoma Progression And Metastasis, Nikeisha L. Chin
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Endothelin receptor b (Ednrb) and its ligand Endothelin 3 (Edn3) have been implicated in melanoma. Several studies have shown an upregulation of EDNRB and EDN3 at both the protein and mRNA levels, as melanoma becomes more aggressive. This study investigated the putative role played by Edn3 over-expression in melanoma progression and angiogenesis in vivo. We crossed Tg(Grm1)Epv transgenic mice that aberrantly express metabotropic glutamate receptor1 under the Dopachrome tautomerase promoter, leading to spontaneous melanocytic lesions in the ears and tails that do not metastasize, with transgenics that overexpress Edn3 under the Keratin 5 promoter ( …
The Chemopreventive Effect Of Polymethoxyflavones: Targeting The Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells, 2015 University of Massachusetts Amherst
The Chemopreventive Effect Of Polymethoxyflavones: Targeting The Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells, Fei Xu
Doctoral Dissertations
Among all the cancers, the death rate of colorectal cancer is one of the highest. Evidence from both murine xenograft model and human trials have shown cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for the initiation, metastasis and recurrence of multiple cancers therefore targeting colorectal CSCs would be a promising chemo-preventive/ therapeutic strategy. Polymethoxyflavones including nobiletin (NBT) and 5-demethylatednobiletin (5DN) are exclusively found in citrus peels and have been shown to have anti-cancer effects. Our previous studies in the biotransformation and tissue distribution of NBT and 5DN have shown that in order to fuller evaluate the biological impact of those two …
How To Build A Spinal Cord: Exploring Radial Glial Proliferation And Their Contribution To Embryonic Neurogenesis, 2015 University of Massachusetts Amherst
How To Build A Spinal Cord: Exploring Radial Glial Proliferation And Their Contribution To Embryonic Neurogenesis, Kimberly A. Johnson
Doctoral Dissertations
During embryonic neural development, the concerted actions of neural stem cells (NSCs) populate and pattern the tissues that will give rise to the brain and spinal cord. This heterogeneous NSC population initially consists of neuroepithelial cells, which will generate the first neurons present in the central nervous system (CNS) prior to transitioning into radial glial cells. Classically, radial glial cells are known to play a wide range of roles during CNS development, from maintaining neuronal homeostasis, as a scaffold for neuronal migration, and as a permissive growth substrate for directed axon pathfinding. Recently, radial glial cells have been proposed to …
Characterization Of The Role Of Intrinsic And Extrinsic Factors During Murine Endoderm Development, 2015 University of Massachusetts Amherst
Characterization Of The Role Of Intrinsic And Extrinsic Factors During Murine Endoderm Development, Siyeon Rhee
Doctoral Dissertations
Yin Yang1 (YY1) is a ubiquitously expressed factor that plays multiple roles in early mouse development. We have found that an essential role of YY1 in the visceral endoderm (VE) of the yolk sac is the maintenance of VEGF. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that paracrine signals downstream of VEGF support the VE, assessed by maintenance of HNF4α. Because the VE is essential for yolk sac development, and thus for embryonic survival, we used an inducible-knockout strategy to demonstrate that YY1 is essential in the definitive endoderm (DE) for invasion of hepatoblasts into the surrounding mesenchyme. By E14.5 YY1-/- livers are …
Uncovering New Roles For The Cell Surface Protease Adam13 In Neural Crest Migration, 2015 University of Massachusetts Amherst
Uncovering New Roles For The Cell Surface Protease Adam13 In Neural Crest Migration, Genevieve Abbruzzese
Doctoral Dissertations
ADAMs are a family of transmembrane metalloproteases that control cell behavior by cleaving both cell adhesion and signaling molecules. They play a variety of roles in diverse tissue types during development and can affect cell processes such as migration, differentiation, growth and survival. In the embryo, several ADAMs have proven to be integral components of the cranial of neural crest (CNC), which is a multipotent population of cells that gives rise to multiple structures of the face and head. These cells are highly motile and undergo a large-scale migration throughout the embryo that is essential for proper craniofacial development. The …
The Investigation Of Rhodiola Crenulata Root Extract Effects On Obesity Associated Inflammation And The Antineoplastic Mechanism In Breast Cancer Cells, 2015 University of Massachusetts Amherst
The Investigation Of Rhodiola Crenulata Root Extract Effects On Obesity Associated Inflammation And The Antineoplastic Mechanism In Breast Cancer Cells, Lotfi M. Bassa
Doctoral Dissertations
Obesity and breast cancer are two disease models that directly affect the United States population, as more than 35% of the adult population is obese [8], and more than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in the United States per year [34]. Several diseases are associated with obesity including, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, increased inflammation and increased cancer risk [9,10]. Therefore it essential to understand the risks associated with obesity as well as to investigate possible preventive and/or therapeutic treatment strategies. Rhodiola crenulata is a Tibetan plant that has been used in Eastern traditional medicine to relieve depression, …