Digital Commons Network^™

Somatic Embryogenesis And Encapsulation Of Immature Bulblets Of An Ornamental Species, Grape Hyacinths (Muscari Armeniacum Leichtlin Ex Baker), Bahti̇yar Buhara Yücesan, Feri̇de Çi̇çek, Ekrem Gürel

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

An efficient in vitro regeneration system was developed for the ornamental Muscari armeniacum on Linsmaier and Skoog basal medium (LS) supplemented with benzyladenine (BA) at varying concentrations (0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/L) alone or in combination with 0.5 mg/L alpha-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The highest mean number of direct somatic embryo formations was observed on LS medium containing 2.0 mg/L BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA, with a mean of 7.9 somatic embryos per explant after 10 weeks of culture. Green nodular calli induced on LS medium containing 5.0 mg/L BA alone or in combination with 0.5 mg/L NAA were transferred …

Development And Evaluation Of Plga-S-S-Peg Micelles Coencapsulating Curcumin Difluorinated And Paclitaxel For Synergistic Therapeutic Efficacy, Lakshmi Deepika Cheemalakonda

Wayne State University Theses

ABSTRACT

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF PLGA-S-S-PEG MICELLES COENCAPSULATING CURCUMIN DIFLUORINATED AND PACLITAXEL FOR SYNERGISTIC THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY

by

LAKSHMI DEEPIKA CHEEMALAKONDA

August 2014

Advisor: Dr. Joshua Reineke Major: Pharmaceutical Sciences Degree: Master of Science

Solid tumors like pancreatic tumor has unique property of forming a dense desmoplastic layer around the tumor cells making it difficult for the drug to transport across this layer. Multi drug resistance is also one of the major limitation of chemotherapy. Therefore the aim of this project was to make PLGA-SS-PEG micelles encapsulating CDF and paclitaxel for synergistic cancer therapy. CDF was found to have 16-fold better …

Tmprss2-Erg Regulation Of Androgen Biosynthetic Enzyme Expression, Dht Synthesis, And Androgen Receptor Activation In Prostate Cancer, Katelyn Ann Powell

Wayne State University Dissertations

Intratumoral androgen synthesis in prostate cancer (PCa) contributes to the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Several enzymes responsible for androgen biosynthesis have been shown to be overexpressed in CRPC, thus, contributing to CRPC in a castrated environment. Although intratumoral androgen synthesis is thought to contribute to the development and progression of CRPC, currently little is known regarding the regulation of androgen biosynthetic enzyme gene expression in PCa. The TMPRSS2-ERG transcription factor has been shown to be present in primary PCa tumors as well as CRPC tumors. The hypothesis was investigated that TMPRSS2-ERG fusions regulate androgen biosynthetic enzyme (ABE) gene …

The Impact Of Culture & Ethnicity On The Counseling Process: Perspectives Of Genetic Counselors From Minority Ethnic Groups, Brittanie Morris

Theses and Dissertations

In the genetic counseling profession, discussions about cross-cultural counseling and cultural competence emphasize the importance of patient culture as well as counselor culture in a counseling session. A culturally competent counselor should be aware of the influence of her own cultural values on interactions with patients and peers (Weil, 2000; & Uhlmann, Schuette, & Yashar, 2011). Focusing specifically on counselors from cultural/ethnic minorities, this mixed-methods study sought to empirically evaluate the influence of a counselor's cultural values and ethnic identity on the genetic counseling process. 162 genetic counselors, 58 of whom self-identified as being from an ethnic minority group, completed …

Interaction Of Isoflavones And Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue Seed Extract On Vasoactivity Of Bovine Mesenteric Vasculature, Yang Jia

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Endophyte-infected tall fescue produces many ergot alkaloids, which have been shown to be vasoconstrictive in various vessel types of bovine. On the other hand, substantial evidence has been reported on the vasodilative effects of formononetin and biochanin A in different vessel types in humans and rats. So, a study was conducted using mesenteric vasculature collected from heifers shortly after slaughter. After 2-h incubation with formononetin (F), biochanin A (B), or an ergovaline-containing tall fescue seed extract (EXT) and their combinations, vessels were mounted in a multi-myograph to determine their ergotamine-induced contractility. Results indicated that F and B at 1 × …

Leaf Morphology And Shoot Regeneration Of In Vitro Cultured Explants From Species Of The Solanum Peruvianum S.L. Complex, Carlos Trujillo-Moya, Rosa Peiró, Carmina Gisbert

Turkish Journal of Botany

We studied leaf morphology in in vitro plants of species segregated from the Solanum peruvianum L. s.l. complex: S. arcanum Peralta, S. corneliomulleri J.F.Macbr., S. huaylasense Peralta, and S. peruvianum L. s.str. In these species, the regeneration ability from root and leaf explants cultured in vitro in 2 organogenic media (SIM-1 and SIM-2) was also evaluated in a total of 16 accessions. These species can be differentiated by the number of leaflets, leaflet dentation of the in vitro cultured plants, and leaf area (for S. arcanum). Regarding regeneration, intraspecific and interspecific variability was observed. The accession LA-2185 of S. arcanum …

Molecular Studies On The Anti-Tumor Effects Of Metal-Based Complexes: Involvement Of The Ubiquitin-Proteasome And Apoptotic Pathways, Sara M. Schmitt

Wayne State University Dissertations

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is crucial to normal cellular function, and as such, has been extensively investigated as a potential target for cancer therapeutics. Many compounds have been tested for their proteasome inhibitory ability, including various small peptide aldehydes, and, following the success of cisplatin, several metal-containing complexes. The efficacy of these compounds in preclinical studies ultimately resulted in the development and approval of the first-in-class proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, the use of which, unfortunately, has been hindered by toxicity and resistance. These limitations have led to a massive push toward designing and developing new, less toxic proteasome inhibitors for clinical use. …

Matriptase Mediated C-Met Signaling In Breast Cancer, Gina Lynn Zoratti

Wayne State University Dissertations

MATRIPTASE MEDIATED c-MET SIGNALING IN CRITICAL FOR BREAST CANCER PROGRESSION

by

GINA ZORATTI

Historically proteases have been associated with tumor progression and metastasis through degradation of the basement membrane. However, in recent years these enzymes have also been shown to play key roles in the activation of growth factors and cytokines, thereby activating pro-oncogenic signaling pathways. Matriptase (MT-SP1, ST14) is an epithelia-specific pericellular protease which has received considerable attention in recent years spurred by the consistent dysregulation of the protease in human epithelial tumors including breast cancer. We have performed both functional and mechanistic studies of matriptase in breast cancer …

Treatment With 24-Epibrassinolide Mitigates Nacl-Induced Toxicity By Enhancing Carbohydrate Metabolism, Osmolyte Accumulation, And Antioxidant Activity In Pisum Sativum, Muhammad Adnan Shahid, Rashad Mukhtar Balal, Muhammad Aslam Pervez, Francisco Garcia-Sanchez, Vicente Gimeno, Tahira Abbas, Neil Scott Mattson, Atif Riaz

Turkish Journal of Botany

A pot culture study was performed to evaluate the differences between salt-stressed pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants of tolerant (Climax and Samarina Zard) and sensitive (Ambassidar and PF-400) genotypes, and to determine whether treatment with 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) could enhance the accumulation of osmolytes and antioxidant activity and thereby induce tolerance in salt-stressed plants. Three-week-old seedlings were subjected to +NaCl (5 dS m^-1) and -NaCl conditions (0 dS m^-1). After 4 days of salt stress, the plants were sprayed with Milli-Q water or EBL (0.125 mg L^-1). The plants were sampled at 32 days after sowing and at the final maturity …

The Interactions Between Jak/Stat Signaling Ligands In Drosophila Melanogaster, Qian Chen

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

The development of multi-cellular organisms requires extensive cell-cell communication to coordinate cell functions. However, only a handful of signaling pathways have emerged to mediate all the intercellular communications; therefore, each of them is under an array of regulations to achieve signaling specificity and diversity. One such signaling pathway is the Janus Kinase/ Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway, which is the primary signaling cascade responding to a variety of cytokines and growth factors in mammals and involved in many developmental processes. This signaling pathway is highly conserved between mammals and Drosophila, …

So, You Want To Use Next Generation Sequencing In Marine Systems? Insight From The Pan Pacific Advanced Studies Institute, D. A. Willette, F. W. Allendorf, P. H. Barber, D. J. Barshis, K. E. Carpenter, E. D. Crandall, W. A. Cresko, I. Fernandez-Silva, M. V. Matz, E. Meyer, M. D. Santos, L. W. Seeb, J. E. Seeb

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The emerging field of next-generation sequencing (NGS) is rapidly expanding capabilities for cutting edge genomic research, with applications that can help meet marine conservation challenges of food security, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Navigating the use of these tools, however, is complex at best. Furthermore, applications of marine genomic questions are limited in developing nations where both marine biodiversity and threats to marine biodiversity are most concentrated. This is particularly true in Southeast Asia. The first Pan-Pacific Advanced Studies Institute (PacASI) entitled "Genomic Applications to Marine Science and Resource Management in Southeast Asia" was held in July 2012 in Dumaguete, …

Effects Of Different Genotypes And Gamma Ray Doses On Haploidization Using Irradiated Pollen Technique In Squash, Gökhan Baktemur, Namik Kemal Yücel, Hatira Taşkin, Songül Çömlekçi̇oğlu, Saadet Büyükalaca

Turkish Journal of Biology

Fourteen genotypes and 3 different gamma ray doses were tested to develop an efficient haploidization protocol in squash. For this purpose, male flowers collected 1 day before anthesis were irradiated with 150, 200, and 300 Gy gamma ray doses, and female flowers were pollinated with the irradiated pollens the next day. In the first year of the study, 1858 embryos were obtained from 219 fruits. While 1358 of these were found in fruits irradiated with a 150 Gy gamma dose, the remaining 500 embryos were found in fruits irradiated with 200 Gy. From fruits irradiated with 150 and 200 Gy …

Biodegradation Of The Synthetic Pyrethroid Insecticide Α-Cypermethrin By Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Og2, Özlem Gür, Murat Özdal, Ömer Faruk Algur

Turkish Journal of Biology

A novel gram-negative bacterium, OG2, was isolated from the body microflora of cockroaches (Blatta orientalis). Based on morphological, biochemical, and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, the isolated strain OG2 was identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. This bacterial strain was screened for its alpha-cypermethrin-degrading potential with minimal salt medium (MSM). The alpha-cypermethrin degradation and utilization ability of the isolated organism was verified. Bacterial growth was measured by optical density in the presence of the pesticide at different concentrations (50-200 mg/L). S. maltophilia OG2 utilized alpha-cypermethrin as the sole carbon source for growth, and alpha-cypermethrin degradation increased when MSM was supplemented with glucose. …

The Role Of Abc Transporters In Anticancer Drug Transport, Serhan Karvar

Turkish Journal of Biology

The main clinical problem in cancer treatment is the development of multidrug resistance. Tumors can be intrinsically drug-resistant or develop resistance to chemotherapy. Multidrug resistance can develop by diverse mechanisms including decreased rate of drug uptake, increased drug efflux, alterations in drug metabolism, mutation of drug targets, activation of DNA repair mechanisms, and evasion of apoptosis. The use of modern genomic, proteomic, bioinformatic, and systems biology approaches has resulted in a substantial increase in our ability to identify molecular mechanisms that are involved in multidrug resistance in cancer and to find drugs that may block or reverse the development of …

Activity Of 3\Beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Associated With Progesterone Production In Bovine Granulosa Cells Cultured Under Different Concentrations Of Serum, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I, And Gonadotropin, Özkan Şi̇mşek, Monika Mihm

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Three-\beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3\beta-HSD) is the enzyme responsible for progesterone production. This study aimed to determine whether 3\beta-HSD activity can be shown to reflect progesterone production by granulosa cells cultured under different serum conditions and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentrations. Large bovine follicles were dissected from abattoir ovaries to recover granulosa cells. Cells were washed, stained for viability, and plated for 48 h in basic medium with or without 5% foetal calf serum (FCS). Subsequently, cells were exposed to FSH (1 ng/mL), LH (10 or 100 ng/mL), or FSH (1 ng/mL) + …

Introduction: Tickling The Palate. Gastronomy In Irish Literature And Culture, Eamon Maher, Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire

Books/Chapters

There has been a gradual but noticeable growth in scholarship concerning food globally, particularly in the last decade. One of the longest running and most inf luential forces behind this phenomenon is the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery (1981–present) which was originally founded and co-chaired by Alan Davidson, pre-eminent food historian, diplomat, and author of The Oxford Companion to Food, and Dr Theodore Zeldin, the celebrated social historian of France. This spawned a dedicated publishing house, Prospect Books, which published the conference proceedings and also the journal Petits Propos Culinaires (PPC), now approaching its 100th issue.

The Effects Of Lh On Progesterone Production By Cell Subpopulations Isolated From Early And Late Luteal Phase Goat Corpora Lutea, Hakan Kalender, Şevket Arikan, Özkan Şi̇mşek

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of this study was to investigate the complementary effects of luteinizing hormone (LH) on cell subpopulations. Corpora lutea were collected on days 5 and 15 of the cycle. The luteal tissues were treated with collagenase for cell dissociation. Percoll density-gradient centrifugation was performed to separate cells into 2 distinct subpopulations. Luteal cells (5 × 104 cells/well) were cultured with and without 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol (22R-HC, 10 µg/mL) and LH (10 and 100 ng/mL) alone, and also with 22R-HC (10 µg/mL) plus LH (10 and 100 ng/mL), in a serum-free culture medium for 6 days of incubation. Untreated cells isolated from …

The Anti-Inflammatory Effects Of Vitamin D And Exercise, Laura Ann Forney

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Elevated inflammation is associated with several chronic diseases, including obesity. Exercise is an established effective treatment of this condition by decreasing adiposity and independently regulating inflammatory pathways. The potential for vitamin D to confer anti-inflammatory benefits has been explored in cell culture studies, but few have explored its action at the whole body level. PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between inflammatory markers in trained and untrained individuals with vitamin D levels either above or below a suggested optimal concentration. METHODS: College-aged females (N = 63), both trained and untrained, reported to the lab four times: to assess body size and …

Palatable Foods For A Methionine Restricted Diet, Gabriela Melissa Crespo Gutierrez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Protein oxidation results in loss of tryptophan, oxidation of cysteine to cysteic acid, oxidation of methionine to methionine sulfoxide and ultimately to methionine sulfone. Methionine sulfoxide has been shown to be completely unavailable to mammalian cells and promote improved insulin sensitivity, lifespan extension, weight loss induction and reduce tumor growth in rat studies. Casein was oxidized with ozone or hydrogen peroxide to reduce the cysteine and methionine levels for use in sulfur amino acid restricted diets. Casein was isoelectrically precipitated from skim milk and oxidized with hydrogen peroxide at various pH levels, from 2.5–11. Two strong oxidizers were used: hydrogen …

Use Of Irf-3 And/Or Irf-7 Knockout Mice To Study Viral Pathogenesis: Lessons From A Murine Retrovirus-Induced Aids Model, Megan A. O'Connor, William R. Green

Dartmouth Scholarship

Interferon regulatory factor (IRF) regulation of the type I interferon response has not been extensively explored in murine retroviral infections. IRF-3(-/-) and select IRF-3/7(-/-) mice were resistant to LP-BM5-induced pathogenesis. However, further analyses strongly suggested that resistance could be attributed to strain 129-specific contamination of the known retrovirus resistance gene Fv1. Therefore, caution should be taken when interpreting phenotypes observed in these knockout mice, as strain 129-derived genetic polymorphisms may explain observed differences.

"Effects Of A Specific Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist In A Rat Glaucoma Model", Maha Alfaidi

Honors Theses

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of a specific nicotinic ACh agonist, PNU-282987, on the loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in a rat glaucoma model. A time-dependent study using 2 mM PNU-282987 was performed to determine the neuroprotective effect in the vertebrate retina.

METHODS: Hypertonic saline solution (2M NaCl) was injected into the episcleral vein of the rat’s eye to reduce the numbers of RGCs and mimic the effect of glaucoma. In one set of studies, PNU-282987 was applied to the right eye of each experimental animal as eye drops in combination with the NaCl …

Enseñanza De Las Ciencias Y Contextos Culturales: Un Testimonio De Vida, William W. Cobern, Adela Molina-Andrade, Gonzalo Peñaloza-J.

Scientific Literacy and Cultural Studies Project

William W. Cobern es PhD en Educación en Ciencias, de la Universidad de Colorado Boulder. En la actualidad es profesor en la Western Michigan University. Su trabajo ha girado en torno a la relación entre cultura tradicional y enseñanza-aprendizaje de las ciencias. Por varios años trabajó en Nigeria y desarrolló propuestas de formación de profesores y de programas educativos dirigidos a grupos nómadas. A partir de su experiencia propuso su concepto de “visión del mundo”, que es tanto un marco teórico como metodológico para entender y abordar el vínculo entre ciencia y cultura. Su trabajo ha motivado investigaciones en diferentes …

The Envenoming Pandemic And The Misguided Views Of Snakes: Developing Sustainable Relationships Between Native Poisonous Snakes Of India And The Citizens Of Maharashtra Through The Use Of The Irula Model., Destiny Villanueva

Animal Science

Due to its vast population and general negative consensus regarding snakes, India is notorious for having more snakebite incidents than any other country. Snakes are simultaneously revered and feared in Indian religion and culture. This stigma is perpetuated through propaganda, family beliefs, and innate fears of snakes.These stigmas are more pronounced within rural areas, such as the region of Mahad within the state of Maharshtra. Envenoming is endemic in these areas, and others like them. The World Health Organization identified envenoming as one of the most neglected tropical diseases of the 21st century (Nature India, 2013). Additionally, both nonvenomous and …

2012-2013 Hccp Year-End Summary, Kristen S. Cloutier

Year-end Summaries

No abstract provided.

The City In Mind: Environmental Literacy And Adaptation In Nineteenth-Century British Literature, Adam Edward Watkins

Open Access Dissertations

This dissertation argues that a new paradigm of selfhood emerged in nineteenth-century British literature, one that recognized the individual will and environmental influence not as antithetical but as dialectical forces in the formation of the self. The concept of an externally negotiated subject challenges both the inward and socially determined conceptions of self that have dominated the relevant criticism. Informed by empiricist, associationist, and evolutionary theories of the mind, the portrayals of subject-formation in this study highlight the radical changes occurring in the human environment in nineteenth-century, which catalyzed the conception of a malleable yet self-forming subject. Along with the …

Effects Of Dip-Coated Films On The Properties Of Implantable Intracortical Microelectrodes, Salah Sommakia

Open Access Dissertations

The successful clinical use of implantable intracortical microelectrodes (ICMs) to treat certain types of deafness, blindness, and paralysis is limited by a reactive tissue response (RTR) of the brain. This RTR culminates in the formation of a tight glial scar and a loss of neuronal density around implanted ICMs, and is accompanied by a decrease in signal to noise ratio and an increase in impedance. While no comprehensive mechanistic understanding of the underlying biology is currently agreed upon in the field, a general consensus exists around a highly volatile acute RTR phase. During this acute phase, the electrical properties of …

The Localism Movement: Shared And Emergent Values, Nancy B. Kurland, Sara Jane Mccaffrey, Douglas H. Hill

Journal of Environmental Sustainability

Localism, a movement to encourage consumers and businesses to purchase from locally owned, independent businesses rather than national corporations, has grown rapidly in the past decade. With several national, federated organizations and popular “buy local” campaigns, the localism movement has the potential to affect buying patterns, marketing, and distribution in American business. Yet localism remains understudied by researchers. This article, based on data from 38 interviews with localism leaders, identifies four of the movement’s priorities: independent ownership, local buying, local sourcing, and pragmatic partnering. In addition, we analyze the movement’s emerging values, including responsibility to workers and to the natural …

Centrosomal Kinase Nek2 Cooperates With Oncogenic Pathways To Promote Metastasis, T K. Das, Dibyendu Dana, Suneeta S. Paroly, S. K. Perumal, S. Singh, H. Jhun, J. Pendse, R. L. Cagan, T. T. Talele, Sanjai Kumar

Publications and Research

Centrosomal kinase Nek2 is overexpressed in different cancers, yet how it contributes toward tumorigenesis remains poorly understood. dNek2 overexpression in a Drosophila melanogaster model led to upregulation of Drosophila Wnt ortholog wingless (Wg), and alteration of cell migration markers—Rho1, Rac1 and E-cadherin (Ecad)—resulting in changes in cell shape and tissue morphogenesis. dNek2 overexpression cooperated with receptor tyrosine kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling to upregulate activated Akt, Diap1, Mmp1 and Wg protein to promote local invasion, distant seeding and metastasis. In tumor cell injection assays, dNek2 cooperated with Ras and Src signaling to promote aggressive colonization of tumors into different …

Aspergillosis Of Pseudopterogorgia Americana: Increased Host Range Of Aspergillus Sydowii From The Wider Caribbean, Garriet W. Smith

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Reports of gorgonian diseases have been increasing in the past few years,but, with the exception of Gorgonia spp., the etiological agents responsible are generally unknown. In the summer of 1999, populations of Pseudopterogorgia americana were observed with lesions and galls, somewhat similar to Aspergillus sydowii infections on Gorgonia ventalina, in Bermuda. Surveys of three sites were made, repeated the following two years, and compared with sites in the Bahamas. Microscopic observations of affected tissue and subsequent pure culture studies indicated the pathogen was also A. sydowii. Over half of the colonies at the Bahamas site were affected, but …

Osmotic Stress, Not Aldose Reductase Activity, Directly Induces Growth Factors And Mapk Signaling Changes During Sugar Cataract Formation, Peng Zhang, Kuiyi Xing, James Randazzo, Karen Blessing, Marjorie F. Lou, Peter Kador

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

In sugar cataract formation in rats, aldose reductase (AR) actitvity is not only linked to lenticular sorbitol (diabetic) or galactitol (galactosemic) formation but also to signal transduction changes, cytotoxic signals and activation of apoptosis. Using both in vitro and in vivo techniques, the interrelationship between AR activity, polyol (sorbitol and galactitol) formation, osmotic stress, growth factor induction, and cell signaling changes have been investigated. For in vitro studies, lenses from Sprague Dawley rats were cultured for up to 48 hrs in TC-199-bicarbonate media containing either 30 mM fructose (control), or 30 mM glucose or galctose with/without the aldose reductase inhibitors …