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Dna Extraction And Species Determination Of Historic Museum Pelt Samples, Selin Ates May 2025

Dna Extraction And Species Determination Of Historic Museum Pelt Samples, Selin Ates

Student Theses

The identity of the fur covering the sculpture named Object in the Museum of Modern Art has remained a mystery since its creation in 1936 by Meret Oppenheim. DNA testing can possibly provide an answer, but to preserve the integrity of the sculpture, only a very small piece of the fur can be sampled. Prior to testing Object, testing using museum samples was performed to determine whether DNA of a sufficient quantity and quality can be extracted and sequenced. Several DNA extraction and sample washing methods were tested to examine the effects on the DNA of museum pelts aged …


Effects Of Altered Somatosensory Input On Gait Kinetics And Kinematics Via Different Footwear In Individuals With Chronic Post-Stroke Hemiparesis, Daniela Casillas, Lesley Ruiz May 2025

Effects Of Altered Somatosensory Input On Gait Kinetics And Kinematics Via Different Footwear In Individuals With Chronic Post-Stroke Hemiparesis, Daniela Casillas, Lesley Ruiz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose/Hypothesis: Individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis walk with significant asymmetries, leading to slow, effortful walking, and a high risk of falls. One contributing factor is altered sensation on the plantar surface. Studies examining altered somatosensory input via insoles, vibration and other tactile stimuli observed improvements in hemiparesis gait. This study investigates whether altering somatosensory input through different footwear can affect kinetics, kinematics and muscle activity during walking post-stroke. We hypothesized the barefoot conditions would have increased dorsiflexion (heel-strike, swing), increased plantarflexion during toe-off, increased muscle activity and kinetics, compared to memory foam conditions.

Participants: 13 individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis (4F/9M, …


G-Quadruplex Stabilizer Cx-5461 Effectively Combines With Radiotherapy To Target Α-Thalassemia/Mental Retardation X-Linked-Deficient Malignant Glioma, Sharvari Dharmaiah, Prit Benny Malgulwar, William E Johnson, Brandon A Chen, Vladislav Sharin, Benjamin T Whitfield, Christian Alvarez, Vasudev Tadimeti, Ahsan S Farooqi, Jason T Huse May 2025

G-Quadruplex Stabilizer Cx-5461 Effectively Combines With Radiotherapy To Target Α-Thalassemia/Mental Retardation X-Linked-Deficient Malignant Glioma, Sharvari Dharmaiah, Prit Benny Malgulwar, William E Johnson, Brandon A Chen, Vladislav Sharin, Benjamin T Whitfield, Christian Alvarez, Vasudev Tadimeti, Ahsan S Farooqi, Jason T Huse

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Inactivation of α-thalassemia/mental retardation X-linked (ATRX) represents a defining molecular feature in large subsets of malignant glioma. ATRX deficiency gives rise to abnormal G-quadruplex (G4) DNA secondary structures, enhancing replication stress and genomic instability. Building on earlier work, we evaluated the extent to which pharmacological G4 stabilization selectively enhances DNA damage and cell death in ATRX-deficient preclinical glioma models.

Methods: Using the G4 stabilizer CX-5461, we treated patient-derived glioma stem cells (GSCs) in vitro and GSC flank and intracranial murine xenografts in vivo to evaluate efficacy as both a single agent and in combination with ionizing radiation (IR), the …


Assessing The Effects Of Streptozotocin-Induced Hyperglycemia On Amyloid Beta Accumulation And Cognitive Behavior In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease-Related Pathology, Andrew Adonay Ortiz May 2025

Assessing The Effects Of Streptozotocin-Induced Hyperglycemia On Amyloid Beta Accumulation And Cognitive Behavior In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease-Related Pathology, Andrew Adonay Ortiz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible and devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive synaptic, dendritic, glial, and neuronal loss, collectively leading to impairments in learning, memory, and deterioration of cognitive and behavioral functions. AD is the most common form of dementia accounting for 60-80% of all cases. AD affects approximately 7 million Americans and is the 6th leading cause of death in the US. Furthermore, by 2050, the US is projected to spend over $1.1 trillion on AD-related treatments. Pathological hallmarks of AD include beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and chronic neuroinflammation, which can promote and exacerbate both …


The Lung Cancer Autochthonous Model Gene Expression Database Enables Cross-Study Comparisons Of The Transcriptomic Landscapes Across Mouse Models, Ling Cai, Fangjiang Wu, Qinbo Zhou, Ying Gao, Bo Yao, Ralph J Deberardinis, George K Acquaah-Mensah, Vassilis Aidinis, Jennifer E Beane, Shyam Biswal, Ting Chen, Carla P Concepcion-Crisol, Barbara M Grüner, Deshui Jia, Robert A Jones, Jonathan M Kurie, Min Gyu Lee, Per Lindahl, Yonathan Lissanu, Corina Lorz, David Macpherson, Rosanna Martinelli, Pawel K Mazur, Sarah A Mazzilli, Shinji Mii, Herwig P Moll, Roger A Moorehead, Edward E Morrisey, Sheng Rong Ng, Matthew G Oser, Arun R Pandiri, Charles A Powell, Giorgio Ramadori, Mirentxu Santos, Eric L Snyder, Rocio Sotillo, Kang-Yi Su, Tetsuro Taki, Kekoa Taparra, Phuoc T Tran, Yifeng Xia, J Edward Van Veen, Monte M Winslow, Guanghua Xiao, Charles M Rudin, Trudy G Oliver, Yang Xie, John D Minna May 2025

The Lung Cancer Autochthonous Model Gene Expression Database Enables Cross-Study Comparisons Of The Transcriptomic Landscapes Across Mouse Models, Ling Cai, Fangjiang Wu, Qinbo Zhou, Ying Gao, Bo Yao, Ralph J Deberardinis, George K Acquaah-Mensah, Vassilis Aidinis, Jennifer E Beane, Shyam Biswal, Ting Chen, Carla P Concepcion-Crisol, Barbara M Grüner, Deshui Jia, Robert A Jones, Jonathan M Kurie, Min Gyu Lee, Per Lindahl, Yonathan Lissanu, Corina Lorz, David Macpherson, Rosanna Martinelli, Pawel K Mazur, Sarah A Mazzilli, Shinji Mii, Herwig P Moll, Roger A Moorehead, Edward E Morrisey, Sheng Rong Ng, Matthew G Oser, Arun R Pandiri, Charles A Powell, Giorgio Ramadori, Mirentxu Santos, Eric L Snyder, Rocio Sotillo, Kang-Yi Su, Tetsuro Taki, Kekoa Taparra, Phuoc T Tran, Yifeng Xia, J Edward Van Veen, Monte M Winslow, Guanghua Xiao, Charles M Rudin, Trudy G Oliver, Yang Xie, John D Minna

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer mortality, exhibits diverse histological subtypes and genetic complexities. Numerous preclinical mouse models have been developed to study lung cancer, but data from these models are disparate, siloed, and difficult to compare in a centralized fashion. In this study, we established the Lung Cancer Autochthonous Model Gene Expression Database (LCAMGDB), an extensive repository of 1,354 samples from 77 transcriptomic datasets covering 974 samples from genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), 368 samples from carcinogen-induced models, and 12 samples from a spontaneous model. Meticulous curation and collaboration with data depositors produced a robust and comprehensive database, …


Parents Perceived First Aid Skills In Dealing With The Ingested Poisoning Products, Saudi Arabia, A Cross-Sectional Study, Maher Hassan Nahari, Bsaim Abdulsalam Altirkistani, Athoub Nasser Kadasa, Saleh Salah Alilwani Et.Al. May 2025

Parents Perceived First Aid Skills In Dealing With The Ingested Poisoning Products, Saudi Arabia, A Cross-Sectional Study, Maher Hassan Nahari, Bsaim Abdulsalam Altirkistani, Athoub Nasser Kadasa, Saleh Salah Alilwani Et.Al.

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Introduction: Toxins are substances that can lead to harmful effects when introduced to the body. Accidental poisonings remain a critical concern for pediatric health, so understanding the nature of toxins and the potential risks associated with them is a fundamental aspect of child safety. Parents' knowledge and attitudes towards toxins and poisoning incidents significantly influence the outcomes of accidental exposures. Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study conducted across various regions of Saudi Arabia in March 2024. Participants were selected by convenience sampling. A total of 1,997 participants took the self-administered questionnaire. Results: The majority of the participants are married …


Identifying Alternatively Spliced Events And Exons Between Blood Cell Types, Jessica Holder May 2025

Identifying Alternatively Spliced Events And Exons Between Blood Cell Types, Jessica Holder

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Transcript isoforms arising from alternative splicing events can contribute to the development of a cell’s identity and function and overall protein diversity. Peripheral blood is a useful model to study and evaluate computational methods for alternative splicing detection due to its abundant data across various sequencing protocols. The alternative splicing events across different blood cell types have not been completely identified and detecting alternative splicing through short read sequencing is still a challenging problem. Here, we propose to integrate multiple bulk RNA-seq datasets of purified blood cells using a novel integration method to identify the cell-type specific alternative splicing events …


Dysregulation Of Vitamin D Receptor And Cyp450 Metabolism Enzymes May Explain Oral Cancer Responsiveness, Dustin Hunsaker May 2025

Dysregulation Of Vitamin D Receptor And Cyp450 Metabolism Enzymes May Explain Oral Cancer Responsiveness, Dustin Hunsaker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many health benefits are associated with Vitamin D (VitD), although deficiency is associated with poor health outcomes and increased risk for cancer development. For example, many tissue specific enzymes are involved in VitD metabolism, and mutations or deletions within Vitamin D receptor (VDR) genes are known to increase cancer risk by altering their functions or bioavailability, although less is known about these phenomena in oral cancers. Using well characterized, commercially available oral cell lines (OKF4, HGF-1, SCC4, SCC9, SCC15, SCC25, CAL27), mRNA expression of P450 cytochrome VitD metabolic enzymes and receptor genes by qPCR revealed differential results. One oral cancer …


Detection And Quantification Of Total Airborne Fungi And Coccidioides Species In Environmental Samples, Theresa T. Roehr May 2025

Detection And Quantification Of Total Airborne Fungi And Coccidioides Species In Environmental Samples, Theresa T. Roehr

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Fungal exposure can cause acute and chronic illnesses or exacerbate existing illnesses. Some fungi are opportunistic pathogens and can lead to serious systemic fungal infections. In 2020, more than 150 million cases of severe fungal infections were reported globally resulting in an estimated 1.7 million deaths. Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, is classified as a serious fungal infection caused by the fungi Coccidioides immitis and C. posadasii. These particular fungi are prevalent in the soil of the Southwestern United States, including Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2024, there were a total of 269 cases of Valley fever reported in Nevada, and …


Torque Efficacy Of Cadmus Bracket Design Using Clear Aligners, Joseph Soderberg May 2025

Torque Efficacy Of Cadmus Bracket Design Using Clear Aligners, Joseph Soderberg

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Clear aligner therapy (CAT) is an alternative option for clinicians to use for orthodontic treatment as opposed to fixed appliances. Many patients prefer clear aligner therapy due to its esthetic looks, removability, ease of oral hygiene, and comfort. Clear aligner companies boast to clinicians that it can be used more efficiently and effectively than fixed appliances in many orthodontic cases. Although these claims have been made, there is a lack of evidence to prove that clear aligner therapy is more efficient or effective. This research will focus on torque control. This project is designed around a new, pre-manufactured attachment …


Emerging Adult Gamers: Nutritional Insights On Dietary Intake, Physical Well-Being, And Occupational Performance, Justine Dualan Tuason May 2025

Emerging Adult Gamers: Nutritional Insights On Dietary Intake, Physical Well-Being, And Occupational Performance, Justine Dualan Tuason

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study aimed to gather insights from Emerging Adult (EA) gamers (between 18 and 24) regarding their nutritional literacy, dietary patterns, and its potential impacts on their occupational performance and physical well-being. There is a need to gather gamers' perspectives to identify the specific facilitators and barriers regarding their ability to discern appropriate dietary choices, as it provides more information regarding preventative and client-centered measures for future healthcare professionals. Occupational Therapists (OTs) are uniquely equipped to address this population's needs, as the profession's holistic principles allow for a well-rounded and sustainable approach. Additionally, growing emphasis is placed on preventative rather …


Investigating The Influence Of Environmental Stressors To Exopolysaccharide Production In Soil Cyanobacteria: Genomic And Physiological Perspectives, Benjy Sedano-Herrera May 2025

Investigating The Influence Of Environmental Stressors To Exopolysaccharide Production In Soil Cyanobacteria: Genomic And Physiological Perspectives, Benjy Sedano-Herrera

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microbes with essential roles in Earth’s ecosystems. The secretion of long–chain polysaccharides, known as exopolysaccharides (EPS), is a key trait facilitating cyanobacterial adaptation to diverse ecosystems. Genomics studies have shown that aquatic cyanobacteria harbor multiple gene copies encoding EPS export proteins, likely conferring a selective advantage in lakes or oceans. In addition, physiological experiments showed that nutrient limitation in aquatic habitats influences EPS production, affecting cyanobacterial fitness. However, whether terrestrial cyanobacteria also harbor multiple EPS-related genes and how nutrient limitation impacts their EPS production is not well understood.In the first chapter of my thesis, we investigated the …


Core Temperature While Swimming In Warm Open Water With And Without A Wetsuit, Katsiaryna Afanasyeva May 2025

Core Temperature While Swimming In Warm Open Water With And Without A Wetsuit, Katsiaryna Afanasyeva

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Triathlon is a popular sport which attract participants from all over the world. In general, triathlon is a safe sport with risk of death being about 1.74 deaths per 100,000 participants (Harris et al., 2017). The swimming portion of the race can be dangerous, posing particular risks due to open water conditions and the physical demands of the event. This study investigated the effects of wetsuit use on core temperature in warm open-water swimming (27.9–28.3°C). Four experienced triathletes (2 males, 2 females; age 49.50 ± 7.83 years) completed two 700-meter open-water swims at a submaximal pace—once wearing their personal full-sleeve …


The Roles Of Oprf In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms, Erin K. Cassin May 2025

The Roles Of Oprf In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms, Erin K. Cassin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many bacteria form multicellular communities known as biofilms. Biofilms contain bacterial cells and a protective extracellular biofilm matrix. This matrix contains exopolysaccharides, extracellular DNA (eDNA), membrane vesicles, and proteins. The matrix proteins are far less characterized than other extracellular biofilm components. In biofilms formed by the model organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the protein OprF is abundant in the cellular outer membrane and the extracellular matrix. In my dissertation research, I have presented data supporting the hypothesis that the OprF protein significantly affects P. aeruginosa biofilms. By examining various strain backgrounds and the nutrient-dependent effects of glucose and sodium chloride, I demonstrate …


The Effects Of Blood Flow Restriction And Body Weight Support Treadmill Walking On Electromyographic Activity In Lower Limb Muscles, Cyanea Davies May 2025

The Effects Of Blood Flow Restriction And Body Weight Support Treadmill Walking On Electromyographic Activity In Lower Limb Muscles, Cyanea Davies

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Blood flow restriction (BFR) is an emerging rehabilitation modality shown to enhance muscle activation and elicit strength gains comparable to high-intensity training at lower loads (Cognetti et al.,2019). Body weight support (BWS) treadmill walking is another modality that has gained popularity due to the effect it has on lowering muscle activation with increasing support levels (Jensen et al.,2016). However, to date no research has looked at electromyographic (EMG) activity utilizing both modalities concurrently. This study investigated if stride frequency (SF) and muscle activity of the rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GA) would be influenced …


Oral Prevalence Of Selenomonas Noxia Differs Among Orthodontic Patients Compared To Non-Orthodontic Controls: A Retrospective Biorepository Analysis, Kyle Hodges May 2025

Oral Prevalence Of Selenomonas Noxia Differs Among Orthodontic Patients Compared To Non-Orthodontic Controls: A Retrospective Biorepository Analysis, Kyle Hodges

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: The introduction of fixed orthodontic brackets in orthodontic therapy has the potential to significantly alter the oral microbial flora. Most orthodontic research has focused on cariogenic pathogens, while some evidence has demonstrated an increase in many known periodontal pathogens. However, little is known about the prevalence of the gram-negative periodontal pathogen, Selenomonas noxia (SN) among these patients.Methods: Using an existing saliva biorepository, n=208 samples from adult and pediatric orthodontic and non-orthodontic patients were identified and screened for the presence of SN using qPCR and validated primers. Results: In the pediatric study sample (n=89) 36% tested positive for the presence …


Cover-Crop Effects On Near-Surface Soil Physical Properties,Infiltration, And Nematodes Over Time In The Lower Mississippiriver Valley, Cooper Fanning, Kristofor R. Brye, Mike Daniels, Trenton L. Roberts, Sam Fernandes, Lisa Wood May 2025

Cover-Crop Effects On Near-Surface Soil Physical Properties,Infiltration, And Nematodes Over Time In The Lower Mississippiriver Valley, Cooper Fanning, Kristofor R. Brye, Mike Daniels, Trenton L. Roberts, Sam Fernandes, Lisa Wood

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Human population growth and climate change are stressors that continue to put pressure on current agricultural production systems. Cover crops (CC) as a means to improve soil health remain widely underused, particularly in the Lower Mississippi River Valley. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of CC on the change over time in near-surface bulk density, aggregate stability, total infiltration and steady-state infiltration rate, and nematode populations in eastern Arkansas. Averaged across depth, bulk density did not change over time under a no cover crop (NCC) treatment, but increased approximately 0.03 g cm-3 over time under CC. …


Hsp70 Chaperones, Ssa1 And Ssa2, Limit Poly(A) Binding Protein Aggregation, Hannah E. Buchholz, Sean A. Martin, Jane E. Dorweiler, Claire M. Radtke, Adam S. Knier, Natalia B. Beans, Anita L. Manogaran May 2025

Hsp70 Chaperones, Ssa1 And Ssa2, Limit Poly(A) Binding Protein Aggregation, Hannah E. Buchholz, Sean A. Martin, Jane E. Dorweiler, Claire M. Radtke, Adam S. Knier, Natalia B. Beans, Anita L. Manogaran

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Molecular chaperones play a central role in maintaining protein homeostasis. The highly conserved Hsp70 family of chaperones have major functions in folding of nascent peptides, protein refolding, and protein aggregate disassembly. In yeast, loss of two Hsp70 proteins, Ssa1 and Ssa2, is associated with decreased cellular growth and shortened lifespan. While heterologous or mutant temperature-sensitive proteins form anomalous large cytoplasmic inclusions in ssa1Δssa2Δ strains, it is unclear how endogenous wild-type proteins behave and are regulated in the presence of limiting Hsp70s. Using the wild-type yeast Poly A binding protein (Pab1), which is involved in mRNA binding and forms stress granules …


Pfas Levels In Hair: Comparing Us Populations To Global Trends, Ashef Ameer May 2025

Pfas Levels In Hair: Comparing Us Populations To Global Trends, Ashef Ameer

Student Theses

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that raise significant toxicological concerns due to their environmental persistence and potential health hazards. This research examines the presence and concentration of selected PFAS compounds in human hair samples from volunteers in New York, comparing these results with global trends found in peer-reviewed research. Hair was selected as the biological matrix for its non-invasive collection method, ability to reflect exposure, and long-term chemical stability. For analysis, a validated LCMS/ MS technique was utilized to analyze hair samples (n = 27) for three compounds: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluoroheptanoic acid …


Recent Advances In The Utilization Of Cellulose From Food Processing Byproducts For The Generation Of Aerogels, Jaspreet Kaur, Ali Ubeyitogullari May 2025

Recent Advances In The Utilization Of Cellulose From Food Processing Byproducts For The Generation Of Aerogels, Jaspreet Kaur, Ali Ubeyitogullari

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aerogels have garnered significant attention from the scientific community due to their extraordinary properties, including low density, high porosity, low thermal conductivity, and large surface area. These properties make them interesting candidates for diverse applications such as thermal insulation, drug delivery, catalysis, fillers, tissue engineering, and biosensors. However, the production of conventional aerogels is often constrained by environmental issues, the high cost of raw materials, and energy-intensive fabrication methods. In contrast, cellulose aerogels have emerged as promising sustainable materials with the potential to transform various low-cost waste products into high-value biomaterials. Food-processing byproducts provide numerous untapped opportunities for the generation …


Immunotherapy With Nebulized Pattern Recognition Receptor Agonists Restores Severe Immune Paralysis And Improves Outcomes In Mice With Influenza-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis, Jezreel Pantaleón García, Sebastian Wurster, Nathaniel D Albert, Uddalak Bharadwaj, Keerthi Bhoda, Vikram K Kulkarni, Mbaya Ntita, Paris Rodríguez Carstens, Madeleine Burch-Eapen, Daniela Covarrubias López, Jania Foncerrada Lizaola, Katherine E Larsen, Lauren M Matula, Seyed J Moghaddam, Yongxing Wang, Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis, Scott E Evans May 2025

Immunotherapy With Nebulized Pattern Recognition Receptor Agonists Restores Severe Immune Paralysis And Improves Outcomes In Mice With Influenza-Associated Pulmonary Aspergillosis, Jezreel Pantaleón García, Sebastian Wurster, Nathaniel D Albert, Uddalak Bharadwaj, Keerthi Bhoda, Vikram K Kulkarni, Mbaya Ntita, Paris Rodríguez Carstens, Madeleine Burch-Eapen, Daniela Covarrubias López, Jania Foncerrada Lizaola, Katherine E Larsen, Lauren M Matula, Seyed J Moghaddam, Yongxing Wang, Dimitrios P Kontoyiannis, Scott E Evans

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) is a potentially deadly superinfection in patients with influenza pneumonia, especially those with severe disease, underlying immunosuppression, corticosteroid therapy, or requiring intensive care support. Given the high mortality of IAPA, adjunct immunomodulatory strategies remain a critical unmet need. Previously, the desensitization of pattern recognition pathways has been described as a hallmark of IAPA pathogenesis and a predictor of mortality in IAPA patients. Therefore, we studied the impact of nebulized Toll-like receptor 2/6/9 agonists Pam2 CSK4 (Pam2) and CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) on infection outcomes and pulmonary immunopathology in a corticosteroid-immunosuppressed murine IAPA model. Mice with IAPA receiving …


Genetic, Transcriptomic, And Epigenomic Insights Into Sjögren's Disease: An Integrative Network Investigation And Immune Diseases Comparison, Nitesh Enduru, Astrid M Manuel, Zhongming Zhao May 2025

Genetic, Transcriptomic, And Epigenomic Insights Into Sjögren's Disease: An Integrative Network Investigation And Immune Diseases Comparison, Nitesh Enduru, Astrid M Manuel, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Sjögren's disease (SjD) is a systemic autoimmune disorder primarily causing dry eyes and mouth. It frequently overlaps with other autoimmune diseases (AIDs), including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the genetic basis of SjD remains underexplored, limiting our understanding of its connections to other immune-mediated conditions. In this study, we aimed to identify gene networks associated with SjD through the integration of genetic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic data. We further compared the genetic factors of SjD with other immune-mediated diseases. We analyzed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics, DNA methylation, and transcriptomic data using our in-house network-based methods, …


Biochar Suppresses Growth, Pupation And Eclosion Success Of A Specialist (Manduca Sexta) And A Generalist (Spodoptera Frugiperda) Insect Herbivore, Nischal Wagle, Soumya Unnikrishnan, Satinderpal Kaur, Engil Pereira, Rupesh Kariyat May 2025

Biochar Suppresses Growth, Pupation And Eclosion Success Of A Specialist (Manduca Sexta) And A Generalist (Spodoptera Frugiperda) Insect Herbivore, Nischal Wagle, Soumya Unnikrishnan, Satinderpal Kaur, Engil Pereira, Rupesh Kariyat

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made by the pyrolysis of organic material from agricultural and forestry waste. While biochar is well documented for altering soil physicochemical conditions, few studies have investigated its possible effects on the management of arthropod pests. Tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW) are specialist and generalist insect herbivores respectively, that can cause significant defoliation in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In this study, we examined whether walnut shell biochar can affect growth and development of these herbivores. Specifically, we investigated how biochar influences parameters such as mass gain, length of pupation, pupal mass, …


Ogg1s326c Variant Frequent In Human Populations Facilitates Inflammatory Responses Due To Its Extended Interaction With Dna Substrate, Jinling Han, Meichen Zhang, Jiakun Ge, Zhihua Ji, Jianyi Zhao, Yinchao Hu, Chunshuang Li, Yaoyao Xue, Xining Li, Haiwang Zhao, Zixu Cui, Miaomiao Tian, Xu Zheng, Dapeng Wang, Jing Wang, Min Wei, Zsolt Radak, Yusaku Nakabeppu, Istvan Boldogh, Xueqing Ba May 2025

Ogg1s326c Variant Frequent In Human Populations Facilitates Inflammatory Responses Due To Its Extended Interaction With Dna Substrate, Jinling Han, Meichen Zhang, Jiakun Ge, Zhihua Ji, Jianyi Zhao, Yinchao Hu, Chunshuang Li, Yaoyao Xue, Xining Li, Haiwang Zhao, Zixu Cui, Miaomiao Tian, Xu Zheng, Dapeng Wang, Jing Wang, Min Wei, Zsolt Radak, Yusaku Nakabeppu, Istvan Boldogh, Xueqing Ba

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

8-oxoguanine (8-oxoGua) is one of the most frequent forms of oxidative DNA base lesions, repaired by 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) via base excision repair (BER) pathway to maintain genome fidelity. The human allelic variant hOGG1S326C, prevalent in Caucasians and Asians, has been regarded as a susceptibility factor for various diseases, yet its pathogenic mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that Ogg1S326C/S326C mice exhibit increased and sustained airway inflammation compared with wild-type (WT) Ogg1S326/S326 mice. Mechanistically, in response to inflammatory stimulation, OGG1S326C undergoes reactive oxygen species-induced dimerization, which impairs its base excision function, but …


Common Challenges Faced By Early-Career Researchers In Latin American And Small U.S. Universities, Daniela Cejas, Fatima Rodriguez Acosta, Juan Rivera-Correa May 2025

Common Challenges Faced By Early-Career Researchers In Latin American And Small U.S. Universities, Daniela Cejas, Fatima Rodriguez Acosta, Juan Rivera-Correa

Publications and Research

Early-career researchers from Spanish-speaking Latin American countries and small U.S. universities are underrepresented in international scientific databases. They have geographical importance, infectious disease endemicity, and exceptional researchers in microbiology, but these factors do not translate to representation in high-impact scientific publications. Many reasons could be involved, including financial burdens such as the inability to pay article processing charges. Additional teaching, institutional, and service responsibilities also highly influence their research productivity. Despite this, they are expected to publish high-impact articles, and their career development highly depends on it. There is an opportunity for global peer collaboration to tackle this inequity and …


Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Refractive Errors And Spectacle Wear Among Children In Sana’A: A Cross-Sectional Study, Tariek Aldoais, Zakarya Rageh, Khaled Al-Hemyari, Saleh Altheeb, Abdulmogni Al-Barrag, Mahfouth Bamashmus May 2025

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Regarding Refractive Errors And Spectacle Wear Among Children In Sana’A: A Cross-Sectional Study, Tariek Aldoais, Zakarya Rageh, Khaled Al-Hemyari, Saleh Altheeb, Abdulmogni Al-Barrag, Mahfouth Bamashmus

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Background: Understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding refractive errors and spectacle use is essential for promoting eye health and effective vision correction, especially in children.

Objective: This study assessed the demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices of participants concerning refractive errors and spectacle use, focusing on correlations influencing these factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 228 participants analyzed demographic data, duration of glasses use, and responses to a structured questionnaire on KAP related to refractive errors and spectacles.

Results: Among participants, 53.1% were female, and 45.2% were aged 8–13 years. Glasses use for 1–3 years was reported by …


Phosphomimetic Substitution Of Serine Residue Ser260 With Aspartate Suggests Regulation Of Activity Of Human Cytosolic Malate Dehydrogenase By Phosphorylation, Charles Pelagalli '25, Luke Tischio, Kathleen Cornely May 2025

Phosphomimetic Substitution Of Serine Residue Ser260 With Aspartate Suggests Regulation Of Activity Of Human Cytosolic Malate Dehydrogenase By Phosphorylation, Charles Pelagalli '25, Luke Tischio, Kathleen Cornely

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Human cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (MDH1) is a key enzyme involved in the malate-aspartate shuttle of eukaryotic cells, and which catalyzes the reaction of oxaloacetate to malate. As MDH1 is responsible for maintaining redox homeostasis by regeneration of NAD+ for glycolysis, its regulation is of particular interest in pharmaceutical applications, specifically in treating cancer cells that proliferate quickly and hence rely greatly on glycolysis. While the regulation of MDH1 by the phosphorylation of key residues has been previously documented, work still remains in identifying the specific residues involved in regulation of the enzyme by phosphorylation. In this study, we used …


In The Quest For New Horizons: Evaluating Novel Therapeutic Approaches For Tuberculosis Treatment, Selassie Mawuko, Aminata Traore, Bibi-Sakeena Khemraj, Anna Steto, Richa Gupta May 2025

In The Quest For New Horizons: Evaluating Novel Therapeutic Approaches For Tuberculosis Treatment, Selassie Mawuko, Aminata Traore, Bibi-Sakeena Khemraj, Anna Steto, Richa Gupta

Publications and Research

Tuberculosis (TB) in humans, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a significant global health concern, resulting in high disease burden and mortality each year which together make it the world’s topmost infectious killer. The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in recent decades has further exacerbated the present situation and warrants an urgent need to develop and investigate innovative treatment regimes. This study aims to assess the therapeutic potential of newly identified drug candidates, namely Bedaquiline, Delamanid, and Linezolid, in treating MDR-TB. We adopted a consolidated and integrated approach encompassing a thorough literature review, empirical experimental studies, multiple sequence alignments, and …


Achievement Goals And Burnout In Pre-Health Profession Undergraduate Students, Jamie Jensen, Hunter Nelson, Grant Rousseau, Kenneth Harrington, Isaiah Aduse-Poku, Alexis Call, Tanner Brown May 2025

Achievement Goals And Burnout In Pre-Health Profession Undergraduate Students, Jamie Jensen, Hunter Nelson, Grant Rousseau, Kenneth Harrington, Isaiah Aduse-Poku, Alexis Call, Tanner Brown

ScholarsArchive Data

These are survey results of BYU undergraduates who are enrolled in pre-health programs. We assessed their Achievement Goal Orientations and their feelings of Burnout.


Neurodevelopmental And Environmental Mechanisms Of Invasion, Proliferation, And Tumor Cell Fate Specification In Glioblastoma, Bianca Lynn Myers May 2025

Neurodevelopmental And Environmental Mechanisms Of Invasion, Proliferation, And Tumor Cell Fate Specification In Glioblastoma, Bianca Lynn Myers

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most aggressive primary brain tumors, and despite over 50 years of research efforts, the median survival remains at 14 months post-diagnosis. The current standard of care consists of maximal surgical resection radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy using temozolomide. However, the highly proliferative and invasive nature of GBM cells renders total resection nearly impossible as tumor cells invade the surrounding healthy tissue. The molecular and environmental drivers of these tumorigenic phenotypes are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the neurodevelopmental transcription factor ASCL1 enhances tumor cell proliferation and invasion while activating the expression of a neural stem cell …