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The Effects Of Fluoride On Macrophage Thp-1 Cell Apoptosis, Jessica Heims

Honors Program Theses

Fluoride is an earthly mineral that occurs naturally both in the sedimentary earth as well as in the human body. The main biological function of fluoride in the human body is to enhance bone structure, as well as prevent the decay of teeth. This mineral has been used by dentists and public health officials to artificially introduce an extra layer of protection through the means of fluoride-enriched public water supplies and toothpastes. By using extra levels of fluoride, dentists have been able to help patients prevent future cavities and dental diseases. Although most dentists highly encourage strategic consumption of these …

Factors Driving The Compositional Diversity Of Apis Mellifera Bee Venom From A Corymbia Calophylla (Marri) Ecosystem, Southwestern Australia, Daniela Scaccabarozzi, Kenneth Dods, Thao T. Le, Joel P. A. Gummer, Michele Lussu, Lynne Milne, Tristan Campbell, Ben Pan Wafujian, Colin Priddis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Bee venom (BV) is the most valuable product harvested from honeybees ($30 - $300 USD per gram) but marginally produced in apiculture. Though widely studied and used in alternative medicine, recent efforts in BV research have focused on its therapeutic and cosmetic applications, for the treatment of degenerative and infectious diseases. The protein and peptide composition of BV is integral to its bioactivity, yet little research has investigated the ecological factors influencing the qualitative and quantitative variations in the BV composition. Bee venom from Apis mellifera ligustica (Apidae), collected over one flowering season of Corymbia calophylla (Myrtaceae; marri) was characterized …

The Relationship Between Autoimmunity And Polyautoimmunity, David Schon

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Autoimmune disease refers to a systemic immune response by the body against its own healthy tissue and cells. This results in various non-specific and systemic inflammatory processes that evolve into more than 100 individual diseases. Numerous biological similarities exist between the different pathophysiological pathways, including biochemical cascades and inflammasome mediators. This paper aims to investigate whether contracting one form of autoimmune disease can lead to the development of polyautoimmunity and multiple autoimmune syndrome. Scientists have identified chronic levels of high stress as a contributor to higher levels of C-reactive protein and several immune modulating interleukins, which can lead to both …

Rapamycin And Metformin In Treating Covid-19, Avrohom Karp

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has spread rapidly, resulting in a global pandemic. There is a great need for an effective drug cocktail therapy to combat Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a major cause of death due to COVID-19. The two drugs examined are metformin, an antidiabetic medication, and rapamycin. Rapamycin is often prescribed for transplant patients as it has an immunosuppressive effect. The aim of the investigation was to determine the efficacy of metformin and rapamycin in treating COVID-19, and to examine what an effective protocol would look like. These two drugs both inhibit mTOR and can reduce the body’s auto-immune …

Predator Scent And Presence Alter Mammal Assemblages In The Missouri Ozarks, Usa, Cara Jean Yocom-Russell

Masters Theses

"Species that are vulnerable to predation exhibit a host of behavioral and physiological adaptations toward the avoidance of this outcome: Heightened awareness of surroundings through visual, olfactory, and auditory senses are common ways in which these species avoid detection by predators. While links between direct predator-prey relationships are well established, less is known about how predators can shape overall community structure or the populations of secondary or less frequently consumed prey items. As humans expand into rural areas, the frequency of wildlife conflicts rises. In response, humans look to prevent these events with a variety of methods. One such method …

Investigating The Protective Effects Of Intestinal Gaba[Subscript A] Receptor Activation On An Animal Model Of Multiple Sclerosis, Hannah M. Kohl

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, produced by neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) and by some species of intestinal bacteria. GABAA receptors are found not only in the CNS, but also in T cells and within the intestines. Past studies have indicated that GABA can have an anti-inflammatory effect and production of GABA by gut bacteria decreases in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We examined whether administration of a positive allosteric GABAA receptor modulator, farnesol, ameliorates the progression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of MS and whether those effects correlated with a decrease …

Alpha-Single Chains Of Collagen Type Vi Inhibit The Fibrogenic Effects Of Triple Helical Collagen Vi In Hepatic Stellate Cells, Christian Freise, Hyunho Lee, Christopher Chronowski, Doug Chan, Jessica Cziomer, Martin Rühl, Tarkan Dagdelen, Maik Lösekann, Ulrike Erben, Andre Catic, Werner Tegge, Detlef Schuppan, Rajan Somasundaram, Ergun Sahin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The interaction of extracellular matrix (ECM) components with hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is thought to perpetuate fibrosis by stimulating signaling pathways that drive HSC activation, survival and proliferation. Consequently, disrupting the interaction between ECM and HSCs is considered a therapeutical avenue although respective targets and underlying mechanisms remain to be established. Here we have interrogated the interaction between type VI collagen (CVI) and HSCs based on the observation that CVI is 10-fold upregulated during fibrosis, closely associates with HSCs in vivo and promotes cell proliferation and cell survival in cancer cell lines. We exposed primary rat HSCs and a rat …

Molecular Studies On The Interactions Between Biomphalaria Snails And Schistosoma Mansoni, Lijun Lu

Biology ETDs

Biomphalaria snails serve as vectors for Schistosoma mansoni, a trematode causing human schistosomiasis. Control of Schistosoma mansoni involves chemotherapy of affected people, but new control methods built on improved understanding of schistosome-snail interactions are needed. My dissertation applies molecular and bioinformatics approaches to understand such interactions. Chapter 1 shows that significant differences exist among Biomphalaria species in Africa with respect to their ability to support schistosome development. Chapters 2 and 3 reveal the transcriptional responses of Biomphalaria glabrata susceptible (SUS) or resistant (RES) to Schistosoma mansoni. Chapter 2 identifies a new family of snail immune factors, the AIG …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Education In Healthcare And Stem, Jessica Hallett, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Articles

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic halted face-to-face classes in most schools, colleges, and universities worldwide, necessitating virtual instruction. This reformation of academics impacted every field of study, especially those students in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and in the realm of healthcare science education. Ranging from middle/high school to undergraduate and graduate programs, STEM degrees entail rigorous curricula integrating extensive lectures on theoretical topics, and laboratory exercises to apply those concepts in a practical setting. Likewise, healthcare education involves hands-on, clinical lab components working on patients, guided by supervisors. The guidelines developed by the …

Mechanisms By Which Mnte-2-Pyp Suppresses Prostate Cancer Cell Growth, Yuxiang Zhu

Theses & Dissertations

Prostate cancer patients are often treated with radiotherapy. MnTE-2-PyP, is a superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimic and a known radioprotector of normal tissues. Our recent work demonstrates that MnTE-2-PyP also inhibits prostate cancer progression with radiotherapy; however, the mechanisms remain unclear. In this thesis, we identified that MnTE-2-PyP-induced intracellular H2O2 levels are critical in inhibiting growth of prostate cancer cells. We found that MnTE-2-PyP induced protein oxidations in PC3 cells and one major group of oxidized protein targets were involved in energy metabolism. The oxidative phosphorylation rates were significantly enhanced in both PC3 and LNCaP cells with MnTE-2-PyP treatment, but mitochondrial …

The Decision Maker: Understanding The Role Of Ifrd1 In Urothelial Plasticity And Regeneration, Bisiayo Erionmwon Fashemi

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The bladder urothelium forms a highly specialized watertight barrier to urinary wastes. The urothelium offers an unusual example of tissue regeneration: although urothelial cells do not rapidly turn over under physiological conditions, they have an impressive capacity to regenerate tissue upon injury. Even more remarkable, depending on the modality of injury (sterile, infectious) there appear to be two distinctive modes of urothelial regeneration. We have previously shown that in response to a urinary tract infection (UTI), the urothelial stem cell niche becomes activated and induces rapid restoration of the urothelium, whereas, regeneration following sterile injury does not involve stem cell …

Editorial Board

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Snake Fungal Disease Caused By Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola In East Texas, Alan Lizarraga

Biology Theses

Fungal pathogens and resultant disease are credited with the decline of many species across all branches of the tree of life. Fungal diseases such as Snake Fungal Disease (SFD), primarily caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), have been strongly associated with the cause of the decrease/disappearance of many snake populations in North America. To date SFD in the wild has been described as far southwest as central Louisiana. Due to similar conditions and the proximity of East Texas to central Louisiana, a survey of local snake populations provided crucial information about the spread and presence of this emerging pathogen. …

Ultracontinuous Single Haplotype Genome Assemblies For The Domestic Cat (Felis Catus) And Asian Leopard Cat (Prionailurus Bengalensis), Kevin R. Bredemeyer, Andrew J. Harris, Gang Li, Le Zhao, Nicole M. Foley, Melody E. Roelke-Parker, Stephen James O'Brien, Leslie A. Lyons, Wesley C. Warren, William J. Murphy

Biology Faculty Articles

In addition to including one of the most popular companion animals, species from the cat family Felidae serve as a powerful system for genetic analysis of inherited and infectious disease, as well as for the study of phenotypic evolution and speciation. Previous diploid-based genome assemblies for the domestic cat have served as the primary reference for genomic studies within the cat family. However, these versions suffered from poor resolution of complex and highly repetitive regions, with substantial amounts of unplaced sequence that is polymorphic or copy number variable. We sequenced the genome of a female F1 Bengal hybrid cat, the …

Impact Of Endangered Animal Protection Rights, Policies, And Practices On Zoonotic Disease Spread, Daniella Fedak-Lengel

Honors Projects

Building on field research in Costa Rica and Belize, this honors project analyzes environmental and endangered animal protection policies, rights, and practices in Central America and the Caribbean, and assesses the impact of veterinary science and biological research and practice, particularly conservation biology, on animal welfare concerns. Informed by the recent surge in awareness regarding zoonoses and zoonotic disease transmission, prevention and control, resulting from the current global pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, the project assesses the need for new and innovative types of collaboration, particularly involving conservation biologists, environmental scientists, public health experts, law and policy makers, and global trade and …

Birds Ruffled By Big-City Lights, Lauren E. Nadler

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Tunel Apoptotic Cell Detection In Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (Sctld): Evaluation Of Potential And Improvements, E. Murphy Mcdonald

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a highly lethal coral disease that has caused a dramatic loss of coral tissue along the Florida Reef Tract and throughout the Wider Caribbean. This study seeks to understand whether programmed cell death (apoptosis) is involved in the pathology of the highly virulent SCTLD tissue loss lesion. Tissues from diseased colonies of Pseudodiploria strigosa collected in 2018 and 2020 were stained using the terminal deoxyribonucleotidyltransferase (TdT) mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay to visualize areas of programmed cell death. The archived tissue samples collected in 2018 exhibited a significantly higher degree of …

Detecting Snake Fungal Disease (Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola) In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Manuel Zavala

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging diseases such as Snake Fungal Disease (SFD) caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo) have caused population declines in various snake species in the United States which play a crucial role in the ecosystem as a natural pest control. This fungus targets the scales as a medium to thrive on which can lead to facial disfiguration and respiratory infections. We examined snakes to see if SFD was present in the LRGV and if other fungal species pose a threat to the various snake species population. The data for this study consisted of 14 live snakes captured in …

Pathology Findings And Correlation With Body Condition Index In Stranded Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) In The Northeastern Pacific And Hawaii From 2004 To 2013, Stephen A. Raverty, Judy St. Leger, Dawn P. Noren, Kathy Burek Huntington, David S. Rotstein, Francis M.D. Gulland,, Deborah A. Duffield, Multiple Additional Authors

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding health and mortality in killer whales (Orcinus orca) is crucial for management and conservation actions. We reviewed pathology reports from 53 animals that stranded in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii between 2004 and 2013 and used data from 35 animals that stranded from 2001 to 2017 to assess association with morphometrics, blubber thickness, body condition and cause of death. Of the 53 cases, cause of death was determined for 22 (42%) and nine additional animals demonstrated findings of significant importance for population health. Causes of calf mortalities included infectious disease, nutritional, and congenital malformations. Mortalities in sub-adults were …

Hormonal Responses To Seasonal Thermal And Ecological Stressors In Japanese Macaques (Macaca Fuscata), Lilianne Nelson

Masters Theses

Relative to most primate species, Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) experience extreme seasonal variation in thermal and ecological stressors that can impact energetic demands. To cope with these environmental changes, levels of metabolic hormones, such as cortisol and triiodothyronine, fluctuate to facilitate energetic adjustments. While previous research in primates has investigated thermal and ecological stressors individually, a combined assessment of these stressors alongside hormone levels can provide a more holistic understanding of the relationship between a primate’s thermoregulation, energetic balance, and stress. The goals of this study were to determine the effects of season, temperature and ecological stress on …

The Effects Of White-Nose Syndrome On Cave-Dwelling Bats During Their Pre-Hibernation Season In Eastern Nebraska, Maggie Bockart

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is currently the leading cause of death to North American bats and was first documented in the United States in 2006 on the East Coast. Infection with the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) causes bats to arise from hibernation with unnecessary frequency, leading to depletion of fat reserves that are imperative for extended periods of torpor. In October 2014, biologists surveyed the activity levels of bats at Fontenelle Forest in eastern Nebraska using acoustic detectors and determined what species of bats were present and their relative abundance before being exposed to WNS. By returning to the …

Estimation Of Transmission Dynamics Of Covid-19 In India: The Influential Saturated Incidence Rate, - Tanvi, Rajiv Aggarwal, Ashutosh Rajput

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

A non-linear SEIR mathematical model for coronavirus disease in India has been proposed, by incorporating the saturated incidence rate on the occurrence of new infections. In the model, the threshold quantity known as the reproduction number is evaluated which determines the stability of disease-free equilibrium and the endemic equilibrium points. The disease-free equilibrium point becomes globally asymptotically stable when the corresponding reproduction number is less than unity, whereas, if it is greater than unity then the endemic equilibrium point comes into existence, which is locally asymptotically stable under certain restrictions on the parameters value in the model. The impact of …

Dynamical Behavior Of An Eco-Epidemiological Model Incorporating Prey Refuge And Prey Harvesting, Dawit Melese, Ousman Muhye, Subrata K. Sahu

Applications and Applied Mathematics: An International Journal (AAM)

In this paper an eco-epidemiological model incorporating a prey refuge and prey harvesting with disease in the prey-population is considered. Predators are assumed to consume both the susceptible and infected prey at different rates. The positivity and boundedness of the solution of the system are discussed. The existence and stability of the biologically feasible equilibrium points are investigated. Numerical simulations are performed to support our analytical findings.

Drivers Of Rickettsial Pathogen Transmission And Spillover In Local Tick Populations In Southeastern Virginia, Alexandra Cumbie

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Cases of spotted fever group rickettsiosis are becoming more prevalent in the United States. In Virginia, there are three human-biting ticks which are largely responsible for the spread of rickettsial pathogens and the increase in disease cases. These species include Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, and Amblyomma maculatum; all of which are vectors of rickettsial agents to vertebrate hosts. These species are sympatric as adults and have the potential to share large and small mammal hosts. Their interactions on and off host and their associated rickettsiae were the focus of this dissertation work. Amblyomma americanum is the vector …

Fibroblast Heterogeneity In Pancreatic Cancer Immunity, Josephine Darpolor

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Fibroblasts are a unique cell type defined by their mesenchymal phenotype and exclusion from epithelial, immune, and endothelial cell subsets. Although well studied in wound healing, cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are incredibly heterogeneous, leading to contradictions as to the roles CAFs play in the tumor microenvironment (TME). CAFs were thought to be a barrier to treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, general stromal targeting strategies have largely failed in the clinic likely due to the heterogeneity of CAFs in the TME. Therefore, our groups and others have worked to unravel the heterogeneity of CAFs in PDAC. In the works …

Scale‐Dependent Effects Of Host Patch Traits On Species Composition In A Stickleback Parasite Metacommunity, Daniel I. Bolnick, Emlyn J. Resetarits, Kimberly Ballare, Yoel E. Stuart, William E. Stutz

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

A core goal of ecology is to understand the abiotic and biotic variables that regulate species distributions and community composition. A major obstacle is that the rules governing species distributions can change with spatial scale. Here, we illustrate this point using data from a spatially nested metacommunity of parasites infecting a metapopulation of threespine stickleback fish from 34 lakes on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Like most parasite metacommunities, the composition of stickleback parasites differs among host individuals within each host population, and differs between host populations. The distribution of each parasite taxon depends, to varying degrees, on individual host traits …

Development Of Novel Methodology For The Molecular Differentiation Of Cryptosporidium Parvum Gp60 Subtypes Via High Resolution Melting Analysis, Jennifer K. O'Leary, Liam Blake, Gerard D. Corcoran, Roy D. Sleator, Brigid Lucey

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Cryptosporidium species subtypes are generally identified via DNA sequencing of the gp60 gene tandem repeat motif region. Due to the immunogenic nature of its glycoprotein products, gp60 is subject to host selective pressures, genetic recombination and evolutionary processes that drive extensive polymorphism at this locus. The elucidation of the polymorphic nature of this gene has led to the current mainstay in Cryptosporidium subtyping nomenclature.

This study aimed to develop a real-time polymerase chain reaction based method utilising a post-PCR application, high resolution melting (HRM) analysis, in conjunction with the abovementioned gp60 nomenclature system, in order to differentiate between Cryptosporidium parvum …

Carbapenemase Screening In An Irish Tertiary Referral Hospital: Best Practice, Or Can We Do Better?, Sinéad Fahy, J. A. O'Connor, D. O'Brien, L. Fitzpatrick, M. O'Connor, J. Crowley, M. Bernard, Roy D. Sleator, Brigid Lucey

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Initially, United States Centre of Disease Control (CDC) recommended culture-based CPE screens; using broth enrichment in tryptone soy broth (TSB), followed by culture onto MacConkey agar with a carbapenem disc. However, this protocol is both time consuming (approx. 48hrs) and labour intensive, making it impractical for routine screening, particularly in a busy hospital laboratory [10]. Some improvements have been observed using commercially available culture plates, particularly in terms of decreased turnaround times (approx. 24hrs) and increased sensitivity/specificity for CPE producers; mSuperCarba (CHROMagar) media, for example has shown an increased sensitivity rate of 83% compared to 69% for MacConkey culture with …

Evaluation Of The Xpert Carba-R Nxg Assay For Detection Of Carbapenemase Genes In A Global Challenge Set Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Isolates, Fred C. Tenover, Christian M. Gill, Tomefa E. Asempa, Isabella A. Tickler, Caitlin M. Dela Cruz, David P. Nicolau

Biology Faculty Publications

The growing prevalence and diversity of carbapenemase producers among carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) isolates warrants an expansion of detection capabilities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the commercially available Xpert Carba-R (Carba-R) and the research-use-only Xpert Carba-R NxG (Carba-R NxG) in a global collection of P. aeruginosa. The challenge set included 123 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from 12 countries. Isolates were previously categorized via PCR or whole-genome sequencing. Carbapenemase classes tested include VIM, IMP, NDM, SPM, KPC, and GES. Non-carbapenemase (non-CP)-harboring isolates were also tested (negative control). Isolates were tested using the Carba-R NxG and …

Challenges Facing Young Scientists In Academia And Industry In The United States From The Lens Of A Millennial Academic, Joseph R. Clark

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Rising to the challenge: Pictured from left to right: Salma L. Nuñez, Albert Reyes and Lisandra Santiago-Capeles, Ph.D. The challenges that young scientists face in academia and industry in the United States are discussed. Prof. Joseph Clark provides insight about how social media, funding, diversity, natural disasters, COVID-19 and student loan debt are impacting young scientists. A discussion of strategies to meet these challenges and support young scientists are presented.