Digital Commons Network^™

Internalized Racism: A Theoretical Model, William Glen Fisher

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

Internalized racism exists, we can observe and measure the effect it has on people. It manifests from both the psychological and sociological factors that form a person’s racial self-image. As Campón and Carter (2015) state: “less attention to date has been given to … how racial minority groups appropriate (i.e., take in) racial beliefs.” (p.498). In this dissertation, I explore how internalized racism forms. Further, I propose a new theoretical model integrating two concepts, the racialized self and racialized experiences. Racism is found at different levels, within the self through the racialized self, it highlights how People of Color view …

Welcome To The Fruit Farm: How Queer Farmers Are Shaping The Agroecology Of The Future, Alessandra Del Brocco

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

The question of sustainability has many different facets, but one of the most urgent issues is that of sustainable agriculture. Decades of agricultural policy demanded farmers go big or get out, more colloquially known as the government directive of the 20^th century to farm “fencerow to fencerow”. In the 21^st century, we now face a near-critical consolidation of farmland and decline in the overall number of farmers. If sustainability calls for a resilient, diversified agrisystem, how can we change direction at this point in the trajectory?

In this study, I demonstrate how queer farmers make valuable contributions to …

Emerging Chromatin Regulators In Response To Heavy Metal Exposure, Wesley Saintilnord

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Environmental exposure to heavy metals poses significant threats to human health as they are associated with various developmental and chronic pathologies such as reproductive defects and cancers. Despite their profound risks, a comprehensive understanding of their disease-causing mechanisms is lacking. Most studies point to reactive oxygen species-induced DNA damage; however, their mutagenic potential is relatively weak suggesting the involvement of alternative mechanisms. One important, yet underexplored mechanism, is their ability to rewire the epigenome via DNA methylation and histone variant incorporation, leading to aberrant gene regulatory networks.

This study investigates the epigenetic mechanisms targeted by two ubiquitous heavy metals with …

“You Said Burnout? Whew, Chile!” A Multigenerational Collaborative Autoethnography On The Complexities Of Burnout And Care Among Black Women Researching Substance Use, Natalie Malone, Kaylee A. Palomino, Valerie P.A. Verty, Mona K.M. Goggins, Jasmine K. Jester, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Paris Wheeler, Jardin Dogan-Dixon, Mekaila Keeling, Kendall A. Mccleod, India Mccray, Zoe A. Sigola, Jovonna D. Atkinson, Candice N. Hargons, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Researchers and participants who are members of minoritized populations experience negative psychosocial and wellness outcomes like burnout. Burnout may manifest uniquely for Black women in academia conducting research with Black women participants navigating similar sociocultural contexts. Objectives: This article qualitatively interprets our experiences as 15 Black women scholar-practitioners at a midwestern university conducting community-engaged research. We discuss our experiences of care and burnout while working to reduce opioid use disparities among Black women community members as we simultaneously navigate multilevel challenges in academia. Design: We employ collaborative autoethnography, an autobiographical writing method, using a Black feminist framework and intersectionality …

A Gis Tool For Optimal Forage Species Selection, David B. Hannaway, Christopher Daly, Michael D. Halbleib, Linda Brewer, Sophie Baur, Chelsea Clark, Emilie Krecklow, Scott Bassett

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To determine appropriate forage species for US ecoregions, geographic information technologies (GIS) are being used to create climatic and soil factor maps. Excel spreadsheets and RStudio are used to create response functions of forage species to minimum and maximum temperature, annual precipitation, soil pH, soil salinity, and salinity. National forage data and expert opinion will evaluate quantitative tolerances, seasonal yield profiles, and pollinator suitability. These maps and agronomic and livestock use information will be shared with forage specialists and farmers to provide alternatives for improved perenniality, increased diversity, and system circularity. Future work will include development and evaluation of climate …

Effect Of On-Duty Resistance Training On Neuromuscular Function In Structural Firefighters, Jamal L. Thruston

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Participation in on-duty exercise is critical to enhance firefighter safety and readiness. However, these sessions are often interrupted with emergency responses and require firefighters to work in a fatigued state that may increase injury risk. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the impact of on-duty resistance training on neuromuscular function. A sample of 18 firefighters (Age: 38.8±8.0yr; Body fat: 24.9±7.0%) completed 3 testing sessions, separated by at least 72 hr to compare the effects of circuit (CT) versus heavy resistance training (HRT) fatigue on neuromuscular function. During Session 1, anthropometrics and familiarization trials of balance and neuromuscular …

Movement Behavior And Metapopulation Connectivity Of Stream Salamanders In Response To Disturbance Events, Kathryn M. Greene

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Metapopulations are shaped by the dispersal between populations in a landscape. Disturbance events can disrupt this connectivity resulting in local population extinction. For my dissertation, I used a combination of empirical and theoretical techniques to examine dispersal in response to disturbance and assessed it’s population-level consequences. My research used capture-mark-recapture sampling techniques to evaluate stream salamander movement in response to (1) a supraseasonal drought and (2) mountaintop-removal-mining (MTR) and valley-filling (VF) and (3) agent-based simulation modeling to evaluate population extinction risk in response to varying dispersal and mortality rates.

First, I evaluated the effects of a supraseasonal drought, a severe …

Eliciting The Effect Free Roaming Cats Have On Native Hawaiian Wildlife Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Erin Salano

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

This study measured the concentration of the stable isotopes Carbon and Nitrogen within the tissues of free-roaming and indoor cats on the Hawai’ian islands. This study aimed to determine whether cats are consuming more human provisioned or wild food sources and whether their diet is having a negative impact on endemic species; with a focus on assessing impacts on conserved bird populations. We hypothesized that human provisioned food sources have higher levels of carbon due to the amount of corn fillers within them, while wild food sources are more Nitrogen rich. We found that indoor and feral cats sampled from …

Navigating Asynchronous Online Learning: The Impacts Of Active Learning And Assigned Group Work On Student Motivation, Belonging, And Inclusion, Shea Elisabeth Carr

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Motivation, belonging, and inclusion are all critical factors for student success but can be difficult to support in asynchronous online courses. Active learning and required group work have been shown to increase student motivation in in-person and synchronous online courses, but little is known about their impact in online asynchronous settings. This dissertation aimed to 1) evaluate the effect of active learning on student motivation in an online asynchronous setting and 2) evaluate the impact of assigned group work on student motivation and perceptions of belonging and inclusion within the context of an online, asynchronous physiology laboratory course. It was …

Elucidating The Effect Of Jak/Stat Signaling On Initiation Of Individualization, Sepideh Dadkhah

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

The JAK/STAT pathway is renowned for its involvement in diverse cellular processes, yet its precise role in the later events of spermiogenesis needs to be clarified. Spermiogenesis unfolds in the testis, where synchronized spermatid development occurs within two somatic cyst cells before being released into the seminal vesicle. Prior to this release, spermatid bundles undergo individualization, where F-actin investment cones accumulate at the nuclei of elongated spermatids and move down the length of the interconnected cysts, stripping away excess organelles and cytoplasm, resulting in individual spermatids that are then coiled and released into the testis lumen. Individualization depends on JAK/STAT …

Co-Divergence Of Lemur Hosts And Gut Microbiomes Across Multiple Evolutionary Scales, Mariah E. Donohue

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

This dissertation bridges micro- and macroevolutionary approaches to understand the co-diversification of animal hosts and their gut microbiomes at different evolutionary timescales. I examined these dynamics using wild lemurs, a diverse Primate clade endemic to the island of Madagascar.

First, I tested the relative effects of host phylogenetic relationships, diet, and habitat in shaping the gut microbiome through deep evolutionary time and across distinct microbial kingdoms. I designed a natural experiment sampling feces from rainforest and dry forest lemur communities with similar phylogenetic assemblages and considerable variation in dietary strategy. Then, I amplified and sequenced two metabarcoding genes, the V4 …

The Evolution Of The Metazoan Circadian Molecular Mechanism And The Conservation Of Canonical Circadian Elements, Olivia Waldridge

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

The temporal organization of biological activities through circadian rhythms is pivotal for the survival of organisms. Significant progress has been made in understanding the molecular foundations of animal circadian clocks through the characterization of key components such as Clock, Bmal1/Cycle(Cyc), Period (Per), Timeless, and Cryptochrome (Cry) in several model organisms. To determine the universality of this conservation, we investigated the sequences of these genes and their paralogs across 46 animal species that encompass multiple phyla in the metazoan kingdom to resolve the relative timing of duplication and loss events that have diversified core clock components in the metazoan kingdom. Using …

Reproductive Isolation And Gene Flow Across Space, Time And Genomes In Neodiprion Lecontei And N. Pinetum, Ashleigh Nicole Glover

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

To explain biodiversity, evolutionary biologists must understand how independent lineages arise via the evolution of reproductive isolation during the speciation process. Hybridizing taxa provide an excellent opportunity to investigate the evolution of reproductive isolating barriers and genomic divergence, thereby enhancing our understanding of speciation. However, hybridization between diverging taxa can vary across geographic space, the genome, and time. Thus, understanding the factors that promote or inhibit hybridization can provide insight into the biotic, environmental, and genetic causes of divergence and gene flow. Importantly, the mechanisms responsible for generating variation in hybridization dynamics and the consequences of such hybridization remains unknown …

The Cancer-Associated Secretory Phenotype: A New Frontier In Targeted Therapeutics, Xiaochao Tan, Guan-Yu Xiao, Priyam Banerjee, Shike Wang, Jonathan M. Kurie

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Oncogenic mutations activate secretory programs that drive tumor progression and represent therapeutic targets. The clinical relevance of CASPs is underscored by their prevalence, their linkages to specific genetic and epigenetic contexts, the proven efficacy of secretory blockade in preclinical models, and the availability of assays to identify vulnerable patient populations.

Carfilzomib-Loaded Ternary Polypeptide Nanoparticles Stabilized By Polycationic Complexation, Preye Mike Agbana, Ji Eun Park, Piotr G. Rychahou, Kyung-Bo Kim, Younsoo Bae

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Carfilzomib (CFZ) is a second-generation proteasome inhibitor showing great efficacy in multiple myeloma treatment, yet its clinical applications for other diseases such as solid cancers are limited due to low aqueous solubility and poor biostability. Ternary polypeptide nanoparticles (tPNPs) are drug carriers that we previ- ously reported to overcome these pharmaceutical limitations by entrapping CFZ in the core of the nanopar- ticles and protecting the drugs from degradation in biological media. However, preclinical studies revealed that tPNPs would require further improvement in particle stability to suppress initial burst drug release and thus achieve prolonged inhibition of proteasome activity with CFZ …

Cd8+ T Cell Metabolic Flexibility Elicited By Cd28-Ars2 Axis- Driven Alternative Splicing Of Pkm Supports Antitumor Immunity, G. Aaron Holling, Colin A. Chavel, Anand P. Sharda, Mackenzie M. Lieberman, Caitlin M. James, Shivana M. Lightman, Jason H. Tong, Guanxi Qiao, Tiffany R. Emmons, Thejaswini Giridharan, Shengqi Hou, Andrew M. Intlekofer, Richard M. Higashi, Teresa W. M. Fan, Andrew N. Lane, Kevin H. Eng, Brahm H. Segal, Elizabeth A. Repasky, Kevin P. Lee, Scott H. Olejniczak

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Metabolic flexibility has emerged as a critical determinant of CD8+ T-cell antitumor activity, yet the mechanisms driving the metabolic flexibility of T cells have not been determined. In this study, we investigated the influence of the nuclear cap-binding complex (CBC) adaptor protein ARS2 on mature T cells. In doing so, we discovered a novel signaling axis that endows activated CD8+ T cells with flexibility of glucose catabolism. ARS2 upregulation driven by CD28 signaling reinforced splicing factor recruitment to pre-mRNAs and affected approximately one-third of T-cell activation-induced alternative splicing events. Among these effects, the CD28-ARS2 axis suppressed the expression of the …

Effect Of Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress On Regulatory T Cell Manufacturing For Clinical Application In Transplantation: Results From A Pilot Study, Roberto Gedaly, Gabriel Orozco, Lillie J. Lewis, Deepa Valvi, Fanny Chapelin, Aman Khurana, Giovanna E. Hidalgo, Aaron Shmookler, Aashutosh Tripathi, Cuiping Zhang, Joseph B. Zwischenberger, Francesc Marti

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The manufacturing process of regulatory T (Treg) cells for clinical application begins with the positive selection of CD25⁺ cells using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION)-conjugated anti-CD25 antibodies (spCD25) and immunomagnetic cell separation technology. Our findings revealed that the interaction of spCD25 with its cell target induced the internalization of the complex spCD25–interleukin-2 receptor. Accumulation of intracellular spCD25 triggered oxidative stress, causing delayed Treg expansion and temporary reduction in suppressor activity. This activation delay hindered the efficient generation of clinically competent cells. During this early phase, Treg cells exhibited elevated mitochondrial superoxide and lipid peroxidation levels, with a concomitant decrease …

Abnormal Regulation Of Mitochondrial Sphingolipids During Aging And Alzheimer’S Disease, Simone M. Crivelli, Zainuddin Quadri, Ahmed Elsherbini, Hemendra J. Vekaria, Patrick G. Sullivan, Wenbo Zhi, Pilar Martinez-Martinez, Stefka D. Spassieva, Erhard Bieberich

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

During pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mitochondria suffer alterations that lead to low energy production and reactive oxygen species formation. However, the mechanism of impaired mitochondria homeostasis in AD is not fully understood. We hypothesized that abnormal sphingolipid metabolism in mitochondria could be one of the contributing factors to mitochondrial dysfunction. Synaptic and non-synaptic mitochondria were isolated from 5xFAD and wild type (WT) mice at 3 and 7 months using Ficoll gradient ultracentrifugation, and their function was analyzed using Seahorse assay. Additionally, mitochondria were ana- lyzed using mass spectrometry for proteomics and sphingolipidomics analyses. Sphingolipid levels were also determined in …

The Carboxy Terminus Causes Interfacial Assembly Of Oleate Hydratase On A Membrane Bilayer, Christopher D. Radka, Christy R. Grace, Hale S. Hasdemir, Yupeng Li, Carlos C. Rodriguez, Patrick Rodrigues, Michael L. Oldham, M. Zuhaib Qayyum, Aaron Pitre, William J. Maccain, Ravi C. Kalathur, Emad Tajkhorshid, Charles O. Rock

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The soluble flavoprotein oleate hydratase (OhyA) hydrates the 9-cis double bond of unsaturated fatty acids. OhyA sub- strates are embedded in membrane bilayers; OhyA must remove the fatty acid from the bilayer and enclose it in the active site. Here, we show that the positively charged helix- turn-helix motif in the carboxy terminus (CTD) is responsible for interacting with the negatively charged phosphatidylgly- cerol (PG) bilayer. Super-resolution microscopy of Staphylo- coccus aureus cells expressing green fluorescent protein fused to OhyA or the CTD sequence shows subcellular localization along the cellular boundary, indicating OhyA is membrane- associated and the CTD sequence …

Cognitive Decline, Aβ Pathology, And Blood–Brain Barrier Function In Aged 5xfad Mice, Geetika Nehra, Sasivimon Promsan, Ruedeemars Yubolphan, Wijitra Chumboatong, Pornpun Vivithanaporn, Bryan J. Maloney, Anusorn Lungkaphin, Bjoern Bauer, Anika M. S. Hartz

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) develop blood–brain barrier dysfunction to varying degrees. How aging impacts Aβ pathology, blood–brain barrier function, and cognitive decline in AD remains largely unknown. In this study, we used 5xFAD mice to investigate changes in Aβ levels, barrier function, and cognitive decline over time.

Methods

5xFAD and wild-type (WT) mice were aged between 9.5 and 15.5 months and tested for spatial learning and reference memory with the Morris Water Maze (MWM). After behavior testing, mice were implanted with acute cranial windows and intravenously injected with fluorescent-labeled dextrans to assess their in vivo distribution in the …

Extended Conformations Of Bifurcating Electron Transfer Flavoprotein Constitute Up To Half The Population, Possibly Mediating Conformational Change, Sharique A. Khan, Alan Hicks, Wellington C. Leite, James Byrnes, Biswajit Gorai, Maria-Andrea Mroginski, Hugh O'Neill, Anne-Francis Miller

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Electron transfer bifurcation enables biological systems to drive unfavourable (endergonic) electron transfer by coupling it to favourable (exergonic) transfer of a second electron. In electron transfer flavoproteins (ETFs), a domain-scale conformational change is believed to sever the favourable pathway after a single electron has used it, thereby preventing the energy dissipation that would accompany exergonic transfer of the second electron. To understand the conformation change that participates in turnover, we have deployed small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and computational techniques to characterize the bifurcating ETF from Acidaminococcus fermentans (AfeETF). SANS data reveal an overall radius of gyration (Rg) of 30.1 ± …

Strategies For Improving The Performance Of Prediction Models For Response To Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy In Cancer, Tiantian Zeng, Jason Z. Zhang, Arnold Stromberg, Jin Chen, Chi Wang

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy holds promise for bringing long-lasting clinical gains for the treatment of cancer. However, studies show that only a fraction of patients respond to the treatment. In this regard, it is valu- able to develop gene expression signatures based on RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data and machine learning meth- ods to predict a patient’s response to the ICB therapy, which contributes to more personalized treatment strategy and better management of cancer patients. However, due to the limited sample size of ICB trials with RNAseq data available and the vast number of candidate gene expression features, it is …

Machine-Learning-Assisted Design Of Deep Eutectic Solvents Based On Uncovered Hydrogen Bond Patterns, Usman Lame Abbas, Yuxuan Zhang, Joseph Tapia, Md Selim, Jin Chen, Jian Shi, Qing Shao

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Non-ionic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are non-ionic designer solvents with various applications in catalysis, extraction, carbon capture, and pharmaceuticals. However, discovering new DES candidates is challenging due to a lack of efficient tools that accurately predict DES formation. The search for DES relies heavily on intuition or trial-and-error processes, leading to low success rates or missed opportuni- ties. Recognizing that hydrogen bonds (HBs) play a central role in DES formation, we aim to identify HB features that distinguish DES from non-DES systems and use them to develop machine learning (ML) models to discover new DES systems. We first analyze the …

Tyrp1 Is The Mendelian Determinant Of The Axolotl (Ambystoma Mexicanum) Copper Mutant, Raissa F. Cecil, Lloyd Strohl, Maddie K. Thomas, James L. Schwartz, Nataliya Timoshevskaya, Jeramiah J. Smith, S. Randal Voss

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Several dozen Mendelian mutants have been discovered in axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) populations, including several that affect pigmentation. Four recessive mutants have been described in the scientific literature and genes for three of these have been identified. Here we describe and genetically dissect copper, a mutant with an albino-like phenotype known only from the pet trade. We performed a cross segregating copper and wildtype color phenotypes and used bulked segregant RNA-Seq to identify a region on chromosome 6 that was enriched for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the color phenotypes. This region included Tyrosinase-like Protein 1 (Tyrp1), a melanin synthesis protein that …

Vaginal Lactobacillus Fatty Acid Response Mechanisms Reveal A Metabolite-Targeted Strategy For Bacterial Vaginosis Treatment, Paul C. Blainey, Seth M. Bloom, Douglas S. Kwon

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a common syndrome characterized by Lactobacillus-deficient vaginal microbiota, is associated with adverse health outcomes. BV often recurs after standard antibiotic therapy in part because antibiotics promote microbiota dominance by Lactobacillus iners instead of Lactobacillus crispatus, which has more beneficial health associations. Strategies to promote L. crispatus and inhibit L. iners are thus needed. We show that oleic acid (OA) and similar long-chain fatty acids simultaneously inhibit L. iners and enhance L. crispatus growth. These phenotypes require OA-inducible genes conserved in L. crispatus and related lactobacilli, including an oleate hydratase (ohyA) and putative fatty acid efflux pump (farE). …

Oxidative Stress Alters Mitochondrial Homeostasis In Isolated Brain Capillaries, Gopal V. Velmurugan, Hemendra J. Vekaria, Anika M. S. Hartz, Björn Bauer, William Brad Hubbard

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background

Neurovascular deficits and blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction are major hallmarks of brain trauma and neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress is a prominent contributor to neurovascular unit (NVU) dysfunction and can propagate BBB disruption. Oxidative damage results in an imbalance of mitochondrial homeostasis, which can further drive functional impairment of brain capillaries. To this end, we developed a method to track mitochondrial-related changes after oxidative stress in the context of neurovascular pathophysiology as a critical endophenotype of neurodegenerative diseases.

Methods

To study brain capillary-specific mitochondrial function and dynamics in response to oxidative stress, we developed an ex vivo model in which …

Elevated Free Cholesterol Levels Due To Impaired Reverse Cholesterol Transport Are A Risk Factor For Polymicrobial Sepsis In Mice, Qian Wang, Ling Guo, Dan Hao, Misa Ito, Chieko Mineo, Philip W. Shaul, Xiang-An Li

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Dysregulated lipid metabolism is commonly observed in septic patients, but how it contributes to sepsis remains largely unknown. Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is crucial for regulating cholesterol metabolism in circulation. During RCT, high-density lipoprotein collects cholesterol from peripheral tissues and transports it to the liver’s scavenger receptor BI (SR- BI), where SR-BI mediates the uptake of cholesteryl esters (CEs) from high-density lipoprotein for excretion via bile. In this study, we utilized AlbCreSR-BIfl/fl mice, a model with impaired RCT, to investigate the impact of RCT on sepsis. We found that AlbCreSR-BIfl/fl mice were significantly more susceptible to cecal ligation and puncture …

Nudcl2 Is Required For Cytokinesis By Stabilizing Rcc2 With Hsp90 At The Midbody, Xiaoyang Xu, Yuliang Huang, Feng Yang, Xiaoxia Sun, Rijin Lin, Jiaxing Feng, Mingyang Yang, Jiaqi Shao, Xiaoqi Liu, Tianhua Zhou, Shanshan Xie, Yuehong Yang

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Cytokinesis is required for faithful division of cytoplasmic components and duplicated nuclei into two daughter cells. Midbody, a protein-dense organelle that forms at the intercellular bridge, is indispensable for success- ful cytokinesis. However, the regulatory mechanism of cytokinesis at the midbody still remains elusive. Here, we unveil a critical role for NudC-like protein 2 (NudCL2), a co-chaperone of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), in cytokinesis regulation by stabilizing regulator of chromosome condensation 2 (RCC2) at the midbody in mam- malian cells. NudCL2 localizes at the midbody, and its downregulation results in cytokinesis failure, multinu- cleation, and midbody disorganization. Using iTRAQ-based …

Rnf20 Contributes To Epigenetic Immunosuppression Through Cdk9- Dependent Lsd1 Stabilization, Bo Dong, Xinzhao Wang, Xiang Song, Jianlin Wang, Xia Liu, Zhiyong Yu, Yongkun Zhou, Jiong Deng, Yadi Wu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Cyclin- dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) plays a critical role in transcription initiation and is essential for maintaining gene silencing at heterochromatic loci. Inhibition of CDK9 increases sensitivity to immunotherapy, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We now report that RNF20 stabilizes LSD1 via K29-mediated ubiquitination, which is dependent on CDK9- mediated phosphorylation. This CDK9- and RNF20- dependent LSD1 stabilization is necessary for the demethylation of histone H3K4, then subsequent repression of endogenous retrovirus, and an interferon response, leading to epigenetic immunosuppression. Moreover, we found that loss of RNF20 sensitizes cancer cells to the immune checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD- 1 in vivo …

Putting Biomonitors To Work: Native Moss As A Screening Tool For Solid Waste Incineration, Sarah Jovan, Eleonore Jacobson, Jason M. Unrine, Nasser Jalili‑Jahani, Bruce Mccune

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Solid waste incineration (SWI) can release numerous air pollutants although the geographic reach of emissions is not routinely monitored. While many studies use moss and lichens for biomonitoring trace elements, including around SWIs, few investigate the complex, multi-element footprint expected from SWI emissions. This study develops using native moss as a screening tool for SWI while also informing community concerns about an aging incinerator in rural Oregon, USA. Trained community volunteers helped collect 36 composite samples of epiphytic moss (Orthotrichum s.l.) along a 32-km transect from the SWI. We used ICP-MS to measure 40 elements in moss, including 14 rare …