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Geometric And Proximity Based Substrate Targeting By Cullin-Ring Ligases, Jerry Li

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Homeostasis, the process of maintaining stable biochemical and biophysical conditions, is a fundamental facet of cellular viability. Biochemical homeostasis is critical to support the biological functions that sustain living organisms. Protein ubiquitylation is one of the primary cellular pathways that regulate protein homeostasis and turnover. Ubiquitylation is initiated through the conjugation of a small globular protein known as ubiquitin, onto a given substrate. There exists a myriad of cellular fates that ubiquitylated proteins may undergo, but the most widely studied pathway is protein degradation, whereby a ubiquitylated protein substrate is shunted to a large macromolecular protease known as the proteasome, …

Deciphering The Crl Code: Novel Mechanisms Of Canonical And Non-Canonical Ubiquitylation, Nicholas Wayne Purser

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Protein degradation is a fundamental process required for maintaining cellular homeostasis in eukaryotic organisms. In humans, distinct cell types exhibit unique proteomic landscapes that are dynamically balanced by the continual synthesis and degradation of proteins. The timely removal of damaged, misfolded, or old proteins is essential to permit new protein synthesis and to ensure proper cellular function.

Central to this regulatory network is ubiquitylation, a highly conserved posttranslational modification system that governs protein stability and function across all eukaryotic cells. Through the covalent attachment of ubiquitin molecules to protein substrates, this system modulates a broad range of biological processes, including …

Modeling The Mojave: A Multiphase, Mixed Methods Phenomenological Investigation Of Novice Understanding Of A Complex Ecological System, Nicole Juliana Thomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research explores early college science majors’ conceptions of the Mojave Desert ecosystem as a complex system. A multi-level, explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed to study college science majors’ understanding of the Mojave Desert ecosystem to better inform science pedagogy. The first level, the quantitative phase of the study, consisted of developing a mathematical representation of twelve ecosystem variables present within the Mojave Desert. The second level, the qualitative phase of the study, consisted of phenomenological semi-structured interviews with 23 early college science majors. The findings of this research suggest that the Mojave Desert operates as a complex, …

Fabrication Of Three-Dimensional Seaweed-Based Scaffolds And Evaluation Of Cell Attachment And Viability For Cultured Meat Applications, Srishti Tandon

Honors Scholar Theses

Global demand for animal protein is increasing rapidly, underscoring the need for sustainable meat production. Cultured meat is a promising alternative to traditional meat production techniques, but it requires optimization before it can be implemented on a large scale. Scaffolds are an important component for making cultured meat, as they provide structural support for cell attachment and mimic the texture of meat. Scaffolds need to be biocompatible, mechanically supportive, and biochemically active to promote proper cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. This project investigated brown seaweed extract (SWE) hydrogels as a scaffold for cultivated meat applications and compared their mechanical and …

Plant Preservation: The Contribution Of Bacteriophage And Transposons To Pathogenic Xanthomonas Evolution, And The Demographic And Reproductive Analysis Of Castilleja Parvula, Ciara A. Green

Theses and Dissertations

Plant preservation, whether through disease research or endemic extinction analyses, plays an important role in the relationship between humans and our surrounding environment. In these analyses, both the role of mobile elements in the evolution of pathogenic Xanthomonas sp. bacteria, and the demographic and reproductive analysis of Castilleja parvula, an imperiled alpine plant, are evaluated. Xanthomonas species are one of the top agricultural threats, and are known to evolve rapidly. Until now, the contributions of mobile elements and particularly bacteriophage have not been thoroughly evaluated. The contribution of these agricultural diseases to food insecurity and the devastation of crops that …

Teaming With Insects: Entomology For Grades 3-12, Natalie J. Carroll, Christian Y. Oseto, Timothy J. Gibb

Purdue University Press Books

Teaming With Insects: Entomology for Grades 3–12 is written for youth who enjoy learning about and studying science and nature. Insects have been around for millions of years and have evolved and adapted to many different habitats. Adaptations involving their anatomy, physiology, and behavior are what make insects so diverse and interesting. More than 1 million species of insects are known to scientists, and they believe there may be up to 40 million more we have yet to discover. Most people consider insects pests, and some insects do damage to homes, plants, crops, and stored foods. Others harm humans and …

Fundamental Hydraulics Principles For Agricultural Systems Management And Technology, Robert M. Stwalley Iii, Roger Tormoehlen

Purdue University Press Books

Hydraulic systems have spread throughout modern technology, particularly in mobile equipment. The exercises presented in Fundamental Hydraulic Principles for Agricultural Systems Management and Technology are designed for the second-generation Parker Hydraulic Trainer to provide a basic understanding of hydraulic components and systems for technology and engineering students. Readers will learn how hydraulic pumps function, how linear actuators and their control circuits work, and how hydraulic motors operate and are controlled. Readers are also provided with the opportunity to attempt more advanced exercises. Aligned with beginning technology-based experiential hydraulics courses, this book emphasizes familiarity with common hydraulic components and circuit diagrams, …

Method Development And Optimization For The Detection Of Synthetic Cannabinoids In Hair Using Lc-Msms, Linda K. Obeng

Student Theses

Synthetic cannabinoids represent one of the most prevalent and high-risk classes of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), continuously evolving in structure and potency. Their widespread presence in seized materials and toxicology casework underscores the growing need for reliable analytical methods capable of detecting these compounds in biological matrices. Hair offers several advantages for drug testing, including a long detection window, minimal invasiveness, and resistance to adulteration; however, detecting synthetic cannabinoids in hair remains challenging due to their low incorporation levels and structural diversity. This study focuses on the method development and optimization of an LC-MS/MS technique for the detection of selected …

Low-Dimensional Signatures Of Neuronal Activity Associated With Long-Term Operant Conditioning In Aplysia, Sara Vanaki, Nicholas O Gonzalez, Curtis L Neveu, Yuto Momohara, Behnaam Aazhang, John H Byrne

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which a behavior is reinforced by reward. Operant conditioning has multiple temporal domains, ranging from short-term, lasting a few minutes, to long-term, persisting for at least 24 h. The extent to which short- and long-term operant conditioning memories rely on shared or separate neural mechanisms is poorly understood. Voltage-sensitive dye (VSD) imaging has been used previously to record the activity of a large number of neurons simultaneously in the buccal ganglion to measure changes in neuronal activity during short-term operant conditioning. We examined neuronal activity using VSD 24 h after operant conditioning …

Enviromental Dna (Edna) Tools For Invasive Mosquitofish (Gambusia Affinis) Surveillance At The Shoshone Pupfish (Cyprinidon Nevadensis Shoshone) Refugium, Yusuf Olamilekan Umar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Spring-fed aquatic ecosystems of the North American Southwest and U.S. Great Basin hosts a plethora of endemic fish species due to the effects of hydrologic fragmentation that resulted from Pleistocene aridification. Threats to endemic fishes worldwide include human intentional or unintentional release of exotic species into their habitats. Early detection of invasive species, while corrective actions are still possible, is critical for management, yet traditional survey methods are often disruptive to sensitive ecosystems, costly, and limited in sensitivity. The recent development of environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches offers powerful alternatives for invasive species monitoring in aquatic systems. In this study, a …

Targeting Kinesin Family Member 20a Sensitizes Stem-Like Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells To Standard Chemotherapy, Yayoi Adachi, Weilong Chen, Cheng Zhang, Tao Wang, Nina Gildor, Rachel Shi, Haoyong Fu, Masashi Takeda, Qian Liang, Fangzhou Zhao, Hongyi Liu, Jun Fang, Jin Zhou, Hongwei Yao, Lianxin Hu, Shina Li, Lei Guo, Lin Xu, Ling Xie, Xian Chen, Chengheng Liao, Qing Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), being both aggressive and highly lethal, poses a major clinical challenge in terms of treatment. Its heterogeneity and lack of hormone receptors or HER2 expression further restrict the availability of targeted therapy. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), known to fuel TNBC malignancy, are now being exploited as a vulnerability for TNBC treatment. Here, we dissected the transcriptome of BCSCs and identified kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A) as a key regulator of BCSC survival and TNBC tumorigenesis. Genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of KIF20A impairs BCSC viability and tumor initiation and development in vitro and in vivo. …

Protocol For Isolation Of Lipid Droplets And Mitochondria From Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells For Lipidomic Analysis, Ran Zhao, Liang Zhang, Shuxin Dong, Kazuharu Kamachi, Saurabh Kumar Gupta, Hiroki Akiyama, Jalen Nguyen, G Lavender Hackman, Michael Andreeff, Alessia Lodi, Jo Ishizawa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles critical for lipid and energy homeostasis. LD dysregulation is implicated in various diseases, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which exhibits aberrant lipid metabolism and chemoresistance. Here, we describe an effective protocol for the co-isolation of LDs and mitochondria from lipid-deficient cell types, e.g., AML cells. We detail procedures for the isolation, quality verification, and results from mass spectrometry-based lipidomic analysis. This protocol enables the functional study of organellar lipidomic regulation in AML.

Investigation Of Mono-Allelic Rack1 Deletion Effects On Cell Growth And Pkc Mrna Expression, Ashen Quiambao

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The µ-opioid receptor is a primary target of clinically used opioids, and RACK1 regulates its transcription by physically interacting with MOR transcription regulator PCBP1 in the cytosol to prevent its nucleus translocation. Two mono-allelic RACK1 knockout cell lines named RACKA and RACKB were generated by the CRISPR-Cas9 technique using WT NMB neuroblastoma cells. As RACK1 also contains a PKC-binding domain, this study aims to evaluate the impacts of mono-allelic deletion on cell growth rates and PKC isoform expression. Although a slight decreased tendency of growth rate in RACKA and RACKB cells was observed when compared to that of WT NMB …

Elucidating The Role Of Pbaf Chromatin Remodeling Subunit Arid2 In B Cell Development, Rachel Paolini

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

B cells are key components of the adaptive immune system that mediate humoral immunity through the production of antigen-specific antibodies. The generation of functional B cells involves multiple stages of differentiation across distinct anatomical niches, requiring precise regulation of microenvironmental signals and intrinsic transcriptional networks. SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes have emerged as key regulators of B cell lineage commitment by modulating the accessibility of transcriptional programs required for differentiation and maturation. However, the specific roles of individual SWI/SNF subunits and distinct complexes within early B cell differentiation remain poorly understood. In this thesis, I investigated the function of Arid2, an …

Applied Research For Corn Production In Indiana, 2023, Daniel Quinn

Purdue University Press Books

The 2023 edition of Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana offers accessible, research-based tips for farmers who want to improve corn production practices by using applied field-research trials. Daniel Quinn and the Purdue University Corn Agronomy team reveal practical ways to boost yields, reduce costs, and improve sustainability on the farm. Their findings are derived from applied research trials across the state and relate to important topics such as planting practices, fertilizer use, crop nutrition, cover crops, and new technologies. Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana distills complex research into clear insights and supplies corn producers with effective …

Applied Research For Corn Production In Indiana, 2024, Daniel Quinn

Purdue University Press Books

The 2024 edition of Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana offers accessible, research-based tips for farmers who want to improve corn production practices by using applied field-research trials. Daniel Quinn and the Purdue University Corn Agronomy team reveal practical ways to boost yields, reduce costs, and improve sustainability on the farm. Their findings are derived from applied research trials across the state and relate to important topics such as planting practices, fertilizer use, crop nutrition, cover crops, and new technologies. Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana distills complex research into clear insights and supplies corn producers with effective …

Soil And Water Education For Grades 3-12, Natalie J. Carroll, Christian Y. Oseto, Timothy J. Gibb

Purdue University Press Books

Soil and Water Education for Grades 3–12 was written for youth who enjoy learning about science and two critical natural resources: soil and water. Level 1 introduces basic terms and concepts, and is intended for youth in grades 3–5. Activities focus on understanding important soil and water processes. Designed for students in grades 6–8, Level 2 offers readers more concrete examples of advanced soil and water concepts. The exercises in Level 3, which is geared toward grades 9–12, are divided into sections based on how readers might use the information they have learned, placing them in the shoes of homeowners, …

Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L) Flavonoids Are Hydrolyzed During Digestion And Their Bioaccessibility Is Under Stronger Genetic Control Than Raw Material Content, Michael P Dzakovich, Alvin L Tak, Elaine A Le, Rachel P Dang, Benjamin W Redan, Geoffrey A Dubrow

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

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Role Of Recreational Fisher Information In Fisheries Management, Rebecca M. Krogman, Stephen M. Taylor, Aaron J. Adams, Ross E. Boucek, Steven M. Lombardo, Chelsey A. Crandall, Susan F. Steffen, Alejandro Acosta, Eduardo Bone Moron, Sepp Haukebo, Kieran Hyder, Zachary M. Radford, Warren M. Potts

Books & book chapters

Fisheries managers work with the three components of fisheries—biota, environment, and people - to achieve recreational, stewardship, and socioeconomic goals. Although manipulation of biota and the aquatic environment remains popular (e.g. harvest regulation, protecting or enhancing habitats, and guarding water quality), the human dimension of fisheries must also be considered throughout the fisheries management process. Managers can and should engage fishers in a myriad of ways, from identification of problems to guidance on alternatives, and from measurement of change to evaluation of success. In this chapter, we review common fisheries management goals and objectives; detail information needs stemming from those …

Effects Of Supplemental Led Lighting And Biofertilizer On Yield And Fruit Quality Of Japanese Strawberry Cultivars In Indonesia, Reginawanti Hindersah, Febby Fitriyani, Kenji Endo, Masakazu Nakayama, Syariful Mubarok, Gita Bina Nugraha

Jurnal Kultivasi

Growing strawberries in soilless substrates in the greenhouse relies on fertilizers and supplemental light to boost yield and fruit quality. The research evaluated the properties of the biofertilizer and its effectiveness on the yield of Japanese strawberry cultivars Nanatsuboshi and KS-75 under controlled greenhouse conditions, with and without light-emitting diodes (LED) as supplemental light. The cell viability and plant-growth-promoting properties of a liquid consortium biofertilizer consisting of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and phosphate-solubilizing microbes, were characterized. Laboratory analysis confirmed the biofertilizer's composition, and a greenhouse experiment using a completely randomized design tested treatments of biofertilizer, LED, and their combination. The biofertilizer contained …

The Effect Of Phosphate Fertilizer And Organic Matter On Phosphorus Status, Ph, And Cabbage Yield In Andisols, Mahfud Arifin, Emma Trinurani Sofyan, Anni Yuniarti, Rina Devnita, Sastrika Anindita

Jurnal Kultivasi

Andisols are characterized by high phosphorus (P) retention, which often limits P availability for crops. This study aimed to analyze the independent and interactive effects of P fertilizer and organic matter (i.e. manure and rice straw compost) on P retention, total P, available P, P uptake, soil pH, and cabbage yield. This research was conducted in pot experiments in plastic house, applying P fertilizer (0, 90, 180, 270 kg ha-1) and organic matter (20 kg ha-1 of chicken, sheep, cow manures and rice straw compost) on Andisols planted with cabbage. The experiment used a factorial randomized design. The results showed …

Fruit Characteristics Of F1 Nil Sletr1-2 Vary With Parental Background, Imas Mintarsih, Anne Nuraini, Farida, Erni Suminar, Rika Meliansyah, Syariful Mubarok

Jurnal Kultivasi

The Sletr1-2 allele, which reduces ethylene sensitivity in tomatoes, offers a promising approach to extending fruit shelf life by slowing ripening-related metabolism. However, the trait’s success depends on compatibility with the recipient cultivar’s genetic background. This study evaluated fruit characteristics of F1 near-isogenic line (NIL) hybrids carrying Sletr1-2 in the commercial backgrounds ‘Costoluto’, ‘Oxheart’, and ‘Sart Roloise’. The field trial was carried out between May and August 2024 at the Experimental Station of Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia, following a randomized complete block design with eight biological replicates for each treatment. The results revealed that fruit characteristics of F1 NIL Sletr1-2 …

Protocols For Antioxidant Testing: A Mini Review Of Common Assays And Approaches, Abdulsalam Halboup, Sameer A. Alkubati

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Antioxidants play a pivotal role in mitigating damage caused by oxidative stress, which is implicated in aging, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and various chronic diseases. With the growing interest in natural and synthetic antioxidants across nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and food industries, the need for reliable, reproducible, and standardized testing methods has become increasingly urgent. This mini-review provides a structured overview of the most widely used antioxidant testing protocols, categorized into in vitro chemical-based assays (e.g., DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, metal chelation), cell-based assays (e.g., DCFH-DA for intracellular ROS detection), and in vivo biomarker-based models. Each method’s principle, experimental protocol, advantages, and limitations are critically …

Prevalence Of Giardia Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study In Basra Province, Iraq, Sarah Kamal Naser

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Giardiasis is a common parasite infection that is seen more frequently than any other parasitic infection worldwide. This infection is especially prevalent in tropical areas and in developing nations that have a poor standard of living and poor health conditions. The Giardia parasite is able to infect people of any gender, as it enters the body by the mouth, passes down the oesophagus, and finally reaches the stomach, where it is not negatively impacted by gastric acids. The goal of this study is to determine the extent to which patients who were treated at Al-Zubair General Hospital in Basra, Iraq, …

Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Of Psychotic-Like Experiences And Cannabis Use, Ethan Campbell

Psychology ETDs

As cannabis use has increased steadily over the past decade, there is critical need to evaluate early cannabis use as a potential risk factor for the development of psychosis. Neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying novelty salience could clarify how cannabis exposure may influence subclinical psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The present study leveraged dynamic functional connectivity and task-fMRI to assess the role of novelty processing in cannabis use and PLEs. A group of brain regions dynamically tied to the salience network while viewing short films were found to increase their activation as a function of stimulus novelty during a novelty bandit task. PLEs were …

Efficacy Of Oil And Gas Production Site Remediation In U.S. Arid/Semi-Arid Regions, Skye Ontiveros

Architecture and Planning ETDs

Oil and gas production (OGP) is expanding, paralleled by its polluting leaks and spills (LS), and outpaced by its waste. This raises the question: Does remediation of LS occur effectively when needed to protect the environment and public, particularly in major producing regions like arid/semi-arid regions (ASAR), which account for approximately 72% of US oil and 42% of gas production? To answer, a review of the eight largest national remedial laws, sourced from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), identified 14 OGP exemptions for remedial determinants (RDs): factors affecting remedial frequency and efficacy (e.g. LS monitoring and chemical disclosure). An …

Stress During Adolescence: A Characterization Of Anxiety-Like Behavior, And The Mrna Expression Of Neuroimmune Factors, Clock And Stress Genes In Corticolimbic Areas., Annette Fernandez Oropeza, Annette K. Fernandez Oropeza

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Adolescence represents a critical window of frontal cortex (FC) maturation and corticolimbic circuit refinement that supports stress and emotion regulation. Disruption of these processes by early-life insults such as prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) or adolescent stress increases vulnerability to anxiety and mood disorders, in part through circadian–immune dysregulation. The circadian transcription factor Bmal1 and the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) have emerged as key regulators of neuroimmune signaling and synaptic communication, yet their interactions across developmental risk contexts remain poorly understood. This dissertation examined the effects of mild adolescent isolation stress, with and without PAE, on anxiety-like behaviors and …

The Dynamic Interplay Between Monovalent Salts And Ribosomal Protein S1 In Regulating Rna G-Quadruplex Structure, Chloe M. Martin

Honors Theses

Many remarkable discoveries, especially in the last decade, have shown scientists just how important RNA is. In this study, the secondary structure of RNA, G-Quadruplexes, is the topic of interest and how they are affected by salts and S1 protein. To obtain the S1 protein it was transformed from E. Coli using a bacterial plasmid. The S1 protein was then purified from the bacteria through the use of many purification methods. The monovalent cationic salts used were LiCl and KCl which have different ionic radii size that contributes to the stability of RNA G-Quadruplexes. This stability was observed and affected …

A Halloween Decoration’S Scary Implications For Real Bats, Coralie Carlson

Capstones

This investigative article examines the online illegal trade of taxidermied bats and how the sales are threatening one particularly showy species: the painted woolly bat.

My OSINT research shows where the bats are still sold – from Amazon to independent websites offering bulk orders – and tracks the sellers and buyers, while weaving in the scientific and cultural history this little-known colorful bat and the conservationists’ race against time to protect them.

The very existence of the painted woolly bat is threatened by Americans who want to display the dead bats in their homes as spooky decorations. Researchers (including a …

Krasg12d Mutation Promotes Pancreatic Tumorigenesis By Suppressing Sirtuin Three Via The Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor Rcc1, Taoyi Mai, Mengwen Wang, Ya Qiu, Wenhua Lu, Hongyu Wu, Shuna Chen, Paul J Chiao, Peng Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

KRASG12D mutation is a prevalent gain-of-function mutation that drives pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis, but the underlying mechanisms that promote KRAS-induced cell proliferation and tumor formation remain elusive. To uncover the molecular pathways that facilitate KRASG12D-driven malignant transformation, we measured the transcriptomic alterations at various time points after induction of KRASG12D expression in human pancreatic normal epithelial cells. KEGG pathway enrichment of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed that the major DEGs were located in pathways that regulate nicotinate/nicotinamide metabolism, TNF signaling, and microRNAs associated with cancer. Among these molecular alterations, the NAD-dependent deacetylase gene SIRT3 was significantly down-regulated by KRASG12D. Conversely, …