Digital Commons Network^™

Changes In Neural Activation Between Pre-Release And Post-Release Mouth Brooding Astatotilapia Burtoni Females, Victoria Oanh Huynh

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Stem Cell Factor In Combination With Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Reduces Cerebral Capillary Thrombosis In A Mouse Model Of Cadasil, Suning Ping, Xuecheng Qiu, Maria E. Gonzalez-Toledo, Xiaoyun Liu, Li Ru Zhao

Faculty Publications

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leucoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a cerebral small vascular disease caused by NOTCH3 mutation-induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) degeneration, leading to ischemic stroke and vascular dementia. Our previous study has demonstrated that repeated treatment with a combination of stem cell factor (SCF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) reduces VSMC degeneration and cerebral endothelial cell (EC) damage and improves cognitive function in a mouse model of CADASIL (TgNotch3R90C). This study aimed to determine whether cerebral thrombosis occurs in TgNotch3R90C mice and whether repeated SCF+G-CSF treatment reduces cerebral thrombosis in TgNotch3R90C mice. Using the approaches …

P62 As A Therapeutic Target For Inhibition Of Autophagy In Prostate Cancer, Lei Wang, Donghern Kim, James T.F. Wise, Xianglin Shi, Zhuo Zhang, Robert S. Dipaola

Faculty Publications

Background: To test the hypothesis that p62 is an optimal target for autophagy inhibition and Verteporfin, a clinically available drug approved by FDA to treat macular degeneration that inhibits autophagy by targeting p62 protein, can be developed clinically to improve therapy for advanced prostate cancer. Methods: Forced expression of p62 in PC-3 cells and normal prostate epithelial cells, RWPE-1 and PZ-HPV7, were carried out by transfection of these cells with pcDNA3.1/p62 or p62 shRNA plasmid. Autophagosomes and autophagic flux were measured by transfection of tandem fluorescence protein mCherry-GFP-LC3 construct. Apoptosis was measured by Annexin V/PI staining. Tumorigenesis was measured by …

Coupled Effects Of Oil Spill And Hurricane On Saltmarsh Terrestrial Arthropods, Wokil Bam, Linda M. Hooper-Bui, Rachel M. Strecker, Puspa L. Adhikari, Edward B. Overton

Faculty Publications

Terrestrial arthropods play an important role in saltmarsh ecosystems, mainly affecting the saltmarsh’s primary production as the main consumers of terrestrial primary production and decomposition. Some of these arthropods, including selected insects and spiders, can be used as ecological indicators of overall marsh environmental health, as they are differentially sensitive to ecological stressors, such as land loss, erosion, oil spills, and tropical storms. In the present study, we used terrestrial arthropods collected from seven (three lightly-oiled, four heavily-oiled) sites in Barataria Bay and from three unoiled reference sites in Delacroix, Louisiana, to determine the impacts of the distribution and re-distribution …

Emerging Roles For The Nucleolus 2017, Susan J. Baserga, Patrick J. Dimario

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Genomic-Enabled Prediction Kernel Models With Random Intercepts For Multi-Environment Trials, Jaime Cuevas, Italo Granato, Roberto Fritsche-Neto, Osval A. Montesinos-Lopez, Juan Burgueño, Massaine Bandeira Sousa, José Crossa

Faculty Publications

In this study, we compared the prediction accuracy of the main genotypic effect model (MM) without G×E interactions, the multi-environment single variance G×E deviation model (MDs), and the multienvironment environment-specific variance G×E deviation model (MDe) where the random genetic effects of the lines are modeled with the markers (or pedigree). With the objective of further modeling the genetic residual of the lines, we incorporated the random intercepts of the lines (l) and generated another three models. Each of these 6 models were fitted with a linear kernel method (Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Predictor, GB) and a Gaussian Kernel (GK) method. …

Defining A Species: A Look At The Relationship Of Papio And Theropithecus Using Alu Elements, Paulina Gonzalez-Quiroga

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Infection Kinetics Of Rickettsia Asemboensis And Interaction With Rickettsia Felis Within The Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides Felis), Sabrina Magdalena Camille Valdes

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Lavender Scare Of New Orleans, Laura Tracy

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Inhibition Of Carboxyltransferase From Escherichia Coli By Oxadiazolopyrazines, Margaret Mccarron

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

An Inexhaustible Source Of Magic: How Fanfiction Turned One World Into A Thousand, Taylor Pernini

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

3d Modeling And Animation Of The Temporomandibular Joint (Tmj) Of A Human Male With Implications For The Study Of Tmj Dysfunction, Breigh Sonnier

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Insufficient Dha Intake In Pregnant And Lactating Women Of Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Further Nutrition Education Needed, Zoe Wilhelm

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Young Alu Elements In The Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri) Lineage For Use As Species-Indicative Molecular Markers, Michael W. Denham

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Efficacy Of Compound X (Bedoukian Research, Inc.) On Reducing Fecal Egg Count In Lambs, Mary M. France

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Adolescents' Attitude Toward, Intention To Consume, And Self-Reported Consumption Of Whole Grain Foods, Amy Lynn Queret-Mitchell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to examine Louisiana high school students’ perceptions towards consuming whole grain food products. The findings of this study are presented by objectives in the following sections. There is an obesity epidemic in America. Despite the wealth of information, this issue continues to have a negative impact on many adolescents particularly those of low socio-economic status in America. A possible cause for this problem is that adolescents may not have been taught to select the proper foods for consumption. However, this research shows that adolescents who consume whole grain food products have significantly lower …

Development, Acceptability, And Emotional Responses Of Low-Sodium Roasted Peanuts And Flavored Spreads, Kairy Dharali Pujols Martinez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of developing acceptable low-sodium products by using a salt-replacement technique, an oil-in-water emulsion system, and health benefit information to improve consumers’ awareness of low-sodium diets. Three experiments were conducted: (I) Sensory characteristics and optimization of low-sodium roasted peanuts by substitution of NaCl with KCl, and addition of glycine (Gly) as a bitterness blocker; (II) Rejection threshold (RjT) of KCl added to low-sodium roasted peanuts using a 2AC-test; (III) Development of acceptable low-sodium and sodium-free spreads by flavor modification and their use on turkey salad sandwiches. In study I, results showed …

Differences In The Electrophysiological Properties Of Mouse Somatosensory Layer 2/3 Neurons In Vivo And Slice Stem From Intrinsic Sources Rather Than A Network-Generated High Conductance State, Fernando R. Fernandez, Bahar Rahsepar, John A. White

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Alternative Forage-Based Pasture Systems For Maximizing Profitability In Grass-Fed Beef Production, Zachary Turnage

LSU Master's Theses

Two alternative forage-based pasture systems in the United States Gulf Coast region were analyzed for maximizing profitability in grass-fed beef production over a two-year period from 2016 to 2017. The pasture systems varied upon forage types, forage combinations, and different degrees of management complexities used in grass-fed beef production. Forty-eight fall-weaned steers were assigned to eight groups of six steers each and randomly selected into different pasture systems. Two years of experimental data from the LSU AgCenter Iberia Research Station in Jeanerette, Louisiana, was reported to derive and compare cost and return estimates for each system. A representative farm approach …

Role Of Mucin 19 In The Respiratory Tract, Kaitlin Mcbride

LSU Master's Theses

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a negative sense, single stranded RNA virus belonging to the Pneumoviridae family, and represents an important pathogen that causes severe respiratory disease worldwide. There is currently no vaccine against HMPV, so it is important to study the aspects of the immune response induced by HMPV. Because infiltration of mucus is a hallmark of HMPV infection, it is warranted to study the role of mucus in the disease process. Mucin proteins make up the major component of mucus and can be found within the airway and lungs. Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated a high upregulation of …

Emmanuel Levinas And The Meaning Of Ecological Responsibility, Joe Matthew Larios

LSU Master's Theses

Recent work in eco-phenomenology has often tried to find a way to situate Emmanuel Levinas’s ethical philosophy in a way that would be productive for environmental ethical concerns. This has often proved difficult due to the anthropocentrism of Levinas’s philosophy and the sometimes inconsistent interpretations of what the face of the Other signifies and whether it should be understood as perceptually present to the one who “sees” it in any way. This, combined with a general lack of engagement with Levinas’s writings on politics, has often made an ecological interpretation of Levinas difficult or awkward.

In this thesis, I try …

Analysis Of Marine Sediment By Chemical Signatures And Loss-On Ignition To Discover Evidence Of Ancient Maya Activities At Site 74, Paynes Creek Salt Works, Belize, Kobi Weaver

LSU Master's Theses

In this thesis, archaeological sediment chemistry, loss-on ignition and microscopic analysis of marine sediment are used to study Site 74 of the Paynes Creek Salt Works in southern Belize. Site 74 was once an ancient Maya salt work. Due to sea-level rise, sea water and mangrove peat now cover the site. Sediment from the site was exported under permit to the Louisiana State University Laboratory. I prepared and delivered the samples to the Louisiana State University Agricultural Chemistry Laboratory for inductively coupled plasma- atomic emission spectroscopy testing (ICP-AES). ICP-AES measured the amount of 20 elements in the sediment. Maps showing …

Characterizing The Physiological Role Of Inward Rectifier Potassium (Kir) Channels In Tick Salivary Gland Function, Zhilin Li

LSU Master's Theses

The tick salivary gland is a critical tissue that enables blood feeding, maintenance of the ionic gradients, and facilitates pathogen transmission. Therefore, the broad objective of this investigation was to leverage pharmacological approaches to investigate the role of potassium ion channels to salivary gland function of Amblyomma americanum in an effort to identify a tractable target site for therapeutic development.

Data collected in Chapter 2 clearly illustrated that the A. americanum salivary gland is reliant upon inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels for fluid secretion, which was similar to previous work performed by our laboratory on Drosophila salivary gland. Therefore, the …

Transmission Potential Of Rickettsia Felis Through Cutaneous Inoculation Of Infectious Flea Feces, Kelsey Porter Legendre

LSU Master's Theses

Rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever, is an emerging pathogen of the transitional group Rickettsiae and an important cause of febrile illness in Africa. Since the organism’s original discovery in the early 1990s, much research has been directed towards elucidating transmission mechanisms within the believed primary host and reservoir, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). However, while a growing number of human cases are being reported throughout the world, a definitive transmission mechanism from arthropod host to vertebrate host resulting in clinical disease has not been found. Several possible mechanisms, including bite of infected arthropods …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Assessment Of Cationic Polypeptoids Toward Gene Delivery And Development Of Air Stable N-Substituted N-Thiocarboxyanhydrides, Jessica Michelle Simpson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Peptoids are a class of peptidomimetic polymers, which have attracted much attention over the years. Due to their structural similarity to peptides, this group of polymers affords good biocompatibility making them of interest for biomedical applications. This dissertation is largely about the design, synthesis, and characterization of cationic polypeptoids for biological applications, particularly nonviral gene delivery. The dissertation will also cover the development, characterization, and polymerization behavior of a new, air stable N-thiocarboxyanhydride (NTA) monomer.

Introducing functionality, such as small biomolecules and organic compounds can provide distinctive properties to the polymers. Chapter 1 introduces gene therapy and concepts pertinent …

An Analysis Of Alu Elements In Baboons, Cody James Steely

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Transposable elements compose a large portion of mammalian genomes and are estimated to make up anywhere from ~45% - ~70% of the human genome. Alu elements are primate-specific retrotransposons that are found in high copy number (> 1 million copies) and are spread throughout the genome. These elements are the most commonly repeated sequence in the human genome and have contributed to a number of disease states in humans. Alu elements are useful markers for population genetics and phylogenetics and have proven valuable in understanding difficult to determine relationships between species and within populations.

Baboons (genus Papio) are spread throughout …

Evolution Of Alu Elements In The Saimiri And Papio Lineages Of Primates, Jasmine Nicole Brown Baker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Alu elements are approximately 300 base pair (bp) primate specific non- autonomous retrotransposons. Alu elements, a short interspersed element (SINE), account for high copy numbers in all primate genomes. Numerous Alu element subfamilies have undergone varying degrees of activity and amplification within primates. Identification of these subfamilies has proved to be very informative in elucidating phylogenies and as phylogenomic markers. Squirrel monkeys, genus Saimiri, are one of the most well-known neotropical primates and the second most commonly used laboratory monkey. Squirrel monkey species diverged approximately 1.5 million years ago and are native to South America. Despite being well-known, there …

Ethnicity, Climate, And House Types As Mortality Factors In The New Orleans' 1878 Yellow Fever Outbreak, Gabriele Richardson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The following study is first a demonstration that even incomplete health data from 1878 New Orleans’ yellow fever outbreak can be used with modern epidemiological methods and achieve useful and revealing results. Accordingly, this research examines three possible associations between New Orleans’ population exposed to yellow fever and the environment they lived in, using 4,755 yellow fever cases, derived from the New Orleans Board of Health report, Cemetery Burial records, Hospital, Asylum, and prison registers, and New Orleans obituaries. The first relationship addresses the vulnerability to yellow fever for people born in Italy, France, Great Britain, and the German Empire, …

5-Lipoxygenase (5-Lox)-5-Lipoxygenase Activating Protein (Flap)-Nanodisc Complex: A Model For The 5-Lox-Flap Interaction, Erin Elizabeth Schexnaydre

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Leukotrienes (LT) are lipid mediators of the inflammatory response that play important roles in diseases such as asthma and atherosclerosis. Leukotriene A4 (LTA₄) is synthesized from arachidonic acid (AA) by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) with the help of 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP), a trimeric nuclear transmembrane protein. Exactly how 5-LOX and FLAP interact is not well understood, however FLAP is essential for the production of leukotrienes in vivo. I used nanodiscs (NDs), engineered membrane systems, as a tool to study the 5-LOX-FLAP interaction. FLAP was incorporated into NDs with a phospholipid composition to mimic of the nuclear membrane. Structural features …

Characterizing The Phylogenetic Specialism-Generalism Spectrum Of Mammal Parasites, A. W. Park, M. J. Farrell, J. P. Schmidt, S. Huang, T. A. Dallas, P. Pappalardo, J. M. Drake, P. R. Stephens, R. Poulin, C. L. Nunn, T. J. Davies

Faculty Publications

© 2018 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved. The distribution of parasites across mammalian hosts is complex and represents a differential ability or opportunity to infect different host species. Here, we take a macroecological approach to investigate factors influencing why some parasites show a tendency to infect species widely distributed in the host phylogeny (phylogenetic generalism) while others infect only closely related hosts. Using a database on over 1400 parasite species that have been documented to infect up to 69 terrestrialmammal host species,we characterize the phylogenetic generalism of parasites using standard effect sizes for three metrics: …