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Skeletal Muscle Regeneration And The Role Of Sirtuin 1, Brian T. Bennett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The main objective of this master's thesis project was to elucidate the role of the deacetylase Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) in skeletal muscle regeneration. We developed two specific aims to accomplish this task, which involved separate studies in order to study the effects of Sirt1 in multiple models of regeneration. The results from these studies may potentially lead to the development of novel therapies to treat various clinical conditions which require muscle regeneration.;Specific aim 1 utilized resveratrol, a Sirt1 activator, as a supplement to improve muscle regeneration following a period of disuse in aged animals. Aged Fisher 344 x Brown Norway …

Effectiveness Of A Theory Based Comprehensive Sexual Education Program At A Baltimore City High School, Darlene Hinds

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background Sexual activity among adolescents can have lifelong consequences including teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS), reported 13.8% of high school students grades 9-12 admitted to having intercourse with four or more people and 34.2% report being sexually active (CDC, 2010b). Baltimore City has disproportionately high rates related to teen pregnancy, chlamydia and gonorrhea when compared to national statistics. In 2006, the rate of teen births among girls ages 15-19 in Baltimore City was 66.4 per 1,000, compared to Maryland's teen birth rate of 34.4 per 1,000 (Maryland Department of Health and Mental …

Network Dynamics, Synchronization, And Self-Propelled Particles In Chemical Systems, Hua Ke

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neural networks are a class of biological networks of great importance. They are a key component of the central nervous system that coordinates body functions. The exploration of the detailed mechanism of biological neural networks remains extremely active. Inspired by the structure of biological neural networks, artificial neural networks have been designed to solve a variety of problems in pattern recognition, prediction, optimization and control. However, few studies have been reported that explore the dynamics of biological neural networks using chemical systems. As part of this thesis, an experimentally trainable network based on the photosensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction is developed, where …

A Study Of Determinants Of Coping In Childhood Cancer Survivors, Lea Helene Mallett

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this research were to (1) determine the association between time since the completion of cancer treatment and the type of stressor (cancer-related versus non-cancer-related) identified; (2) determine whether the stressor identified (cancer-related or non-cancer-related) and strategies utilized to cope with that stressor change over time; (3) determine whether type of cancer and treatment are associated with specific coping strategies, and (4) determine if family characteristics (household structure, median household income, and presence of siblings) impact the endorsement and efficacy of coping strategies utilized to cope with a stressor.;BACKGROUND: Cancer alters children's lives in many ways, beginning …

From Cellular Transport To Synthetic Biomimetic Transport Using Carbon Nanotube - Actin Hybrid Assemblies, Zahra Ronaghi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One of the many interesting materials that have emerged in the field of nanotechnology in the last quarter century is Carbon Nanotube (CNT). CNTs have been explored in a broad range of fields from electronic devices and biosensors, to bioimaging and tissue engineering. However, as stand-alone materials CNTs have limited capabilities in the field of biology and medicine unless they are combined with biological agents. Due to the similarity in diameters, CNTs can be combined with biomolecules such as enzymes, antibodies, antigens, DNA, etc. These "hybrid" assemblies will combine the properties of the CNTs with the recognition characteristics and functions …

Effect Of Electron Beam Radiation On Microbial Inactivation, Radio-Resistance And Nutritional Quality Of Food, Adiam Tsegai Tesfai

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A non-thermal food processing method, Electron beam radiation efficiently inactivates foodborne pathogens. However, foodborne pathogens may develop resistance in response to sublethal stresses. Thus it is important to study the response of food microorganisms to e-beam and understand the mechanism underlying their survival abilities. The overall objective of this study was to examine the inactivation of foodborne microorganisms by electron beam radiation at sublethal levels, understand the radio-resistance development to this processing method and also to determine the effects of e-beam on chemical changes of nutrients in infant formula.;Four independent studies are included in this dissertation, in the first study, …

Inter-Seasonal Movements In Tri-State Greater Sage-Grouse: Implications For State-Centric Conservation Plans, Jan S. Reinhart, Terry Messmer, Todd Black

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) designated greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) as a candidate species to receive protection under the Endangered Species Act in 2010. Several states in the western United States have developed management plans to mitigate the listing factors identified by the USFWS. However, sage-grouse populations inhabit sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems that may transcend multiple state boundaries. If sage-grouse inter-seasonal movements encompass habitats in multiple states and if state-centric wildlife management strategies differ, species conservation may be further complicated. Additionally, if these populations are located in peripheral state boundary areas, they may also receive …

'We The Peoples': The Global Origins Of Constitutional Preambles, Tom Ginsburg, Nick Foti, Daniel Rockmore

Coase-Sandor Institute for Law & Economics Research Paper Series

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Hydride-Based Silica And Diamond Hydride Stationary Phases, Nima C. Parmar

Master's Theses

Aqueous normal phase chromatography possesses characteristics of both normal phase (NP) and also reverse phase (RP) chromatography. It can retain polar as well as non-polar compounds by carefully selecting the concentration ratio of organic solvent to water in the mobile phase. Silica hydride columns contain only a small percentage of silanol groups which are polar in nature and have an effect on the separation process. Diamond hydride columns consist of a small amount (~2%) of carbon chemically bonded to a silica hydride surface.

This research work characterized both hydride-based silica and diamond hydride stationary phases under isocratic and gradient conditions. …

Ecotourism As A Tool For Conservation Of Coast Redwoods In Santa Cruz County, California, Chandana Rao

Master's Theses

According to the World Tourism Organization, ecotourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry, generating $300 billion in annual revenue. Ecotourism aims to control the damaging effects of conventional mass tourism and tries to overcome tourism's environmental and socio-cultural challenges. In an ideal situation, ecotourism can help conserve fragile biodiversity, build ties between parks and communities, and increase awareness of environmental issues; it also includes a profit impetus for businesses.

This research was conducted to evaluate the potential for developing ecotourism as a conservation tool in the four redwoods state parks of Santa Cruz County. The study assessed …

Natural Recovery Of Second-Growth Coast Redwood Stands In The Santa Cruz Mountains, Jeffrey M. Sinclair

Master's Theses

The natural recovery of coast redwood forests following a logging event is not fully understood. Recent studies, in the redwood central range, have found that un-restored and unmanaged second-growth forest stands can begin to recover and exhibit characteristics of old-growth stands within 100 years or less. The goal of this study was to determine if redwood stands in their southern range are recovering naturally. A total of 160 sample plots were selected randomly within old-growth and second-growth study sites. The data collected included stand density, tree size structure, canopy cover, species diversity, and species composition. Special habitat features were analyzed …

A Girlhood Of Myth, Dreams, And Trauma: Redefining The Asian North American Female Bildungsroman, Danielle Brianna Crawford

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the use of myth, dreams, and historical trauma within the genre of the Asian North American female bildungsroman. In an attempt to redefine the contested genre of the ethnic bildungsroman, this study analyzes three novels by Asian American and Asian Canadian female authors: Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's When the Rainbow Goddess Wept (1991), Joy Kogawa's Obasan (1981), and Lan Cao's Monkey Bridge (1997). Each of these novels is an ethnic bildungsroman that highlights the identity formation of a female protagonist in the midst of historical trauma. This study focuses on the ways in which these texts resist the …

Immobilization Of Rhodococcus Erythropolis As A Potential Treatment For Atherosclerosis, Srikanth Darbha

Master's Theses

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and isprimarily due to hypercholesterolemia. The novel approach of combatting atherosclerosis presented in this research entails delivery of microencapsulated Rhodococcus erythropolis immobilized in biodegradable alginate-based microcapsules and utilizing the bacterium's cholesterol oxidase enzyme pathway to degrade cholesterol from intermediate-stage arterial plaque. The bacterial growth medium was optimized using Taguchi design methods to enable growth characterizations hindered by biosurfactant by-product. Methodologies for extraction and quantification of biosurfactant and cholesterol were developed and conducted simultaneous to bacterial growth assessment. Bacteria were encapsulated using atomization (850±50 μm) and inkjet bioprinting (32±5 …

An Ecological Assessment Of Insect Diversity At Organic Central Coast Vegetable Farms On Two Spatial Scales, Emily Musgrave

Master's Theses

Modern industrial agriculture is the principal cause of anthropogenic land use changes for terrestrial ecosystems. Approximately 40% of the planet's land surface, or half of the habitable area, is now composed of agricultural landscapes. The simplification and industrialization of agriculture are the biggest drivers of global biodiversity loss, especially on Californian's Central Coast. Diversified organic agriculture, however, may offer some refuge for non-crop species. In this study we analyzed insect and plant biodiversity on and adjacent to organic vegetable farms on the Central Coast of California at two spatial scales, the landscape-scale and a smaller within-farm scale. At the landscape-scale, …

Patent Variation: Discerning Diversity Among Patent Functions, Jessica Silbey

Faculty Scholarship

This Article describes and analyzes qualitative interview data collected over a five-year period. The goal of the interviews was to explore the roles of intellectual property (“IP”) in IP rich fields. Interviews were with diverse actors in a wide-range of industries: film, book publishing, visual arts, internet commerce, biology, engineering, chemistry, computer science. The data described and analyzed in this Article focuses on the specific question about the diverse functioning of patents in the subset of interviewees who are scientists and engineers, their lawyers and business partners. The Article proceeds in two parts. Part I describes the empirical dimension of …

A Transition Program: Students' Experiences And Perspectives, Donna Marie Burns

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this study was to investigate student perceptions of participation in a transition program the summer before their ninth grade year. Studies have shown that students who have an unsuccessful transition from middle school to high school are more likely to fail ninth grade, which may ultimately lead to dropping out of high school. However, the implementation of a transition program may help ease this transition and provide the student with the tools necessary to acclimate to the changes of the high school and be successful.

A purposive sample was comprised of eight students who participated in the …

Encountering Eucharistic Presence Within A Postmodern Context: A Dialogue Among Chauvet, Schmemann And Zizioulas, Jason Gary Delvitto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Roman Catholic and the Orthodox Churches, as well as other Christian communities, are faced with the challenges of postmodern thought, which calls into question some of the foundational theological and philosophical constructs through which Christianity has articulated the mystery of Eucharistic presence. Louis-Marie Chauvet, Alexander Schmemann and John Zizioulas, the interlocutors presented in this dissertation, recognize that for centuries, Eucharistic theology has been shaped within a metaphysical/Scholastic framework which confines, in many respects, the experiential/relational aspects of the divine/human dynamic as mediated in the Eucharistic celebration. An appeal for a paradigmatic shift is made evident in their respective works …

Analysis Strategies For Bioactive, Polar Fatty Amides In Complex Samples, Erin Blaine Divito

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bioactive lipids are known to exert physiological effects and interact with neuroreceptors. Little is known about the bioregulation of primary fatty acid amides, though N-acyl glycines are thought to be their anabolic precursors. Chapter 1 details the current metabolic, physiological, and receptor interactions of primary fatty acid amides and their related congeners and reviews current strategies for isolation and detection. Chapter 2 outlines mass spectrometry collision induced fragmentation assignments pertaining to method development of multiple reaction monitoring detection of these species. Chromatographic separation methods of fatty acyls, with a focus on primary fatty acid amides and N-acyl glycines, are outlined …

Methylation Patterns And Phenotypes Of The R-Stippled Derivatives Lines, Kara D. Dragone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Paramutation occurs between trans-alleles with homologous sequences resulting in a heritable change in gene expression, where epigenetic information from one allele is passed to the other. In maize, the paramutagenic r1 allele, R-stippled, silences the paramutable allele, R-r:standard, following paramutation. The R-r:standard allele is known to show increased methylation following paramutation. The R-stippled allele, which is composed of the four genes, Sc, Nc1, Nc2 and Nc3, becomes less paramutagenic as genes are lost. Sc alone is not paramutagenic. I hypothesized that the R-stippled derivative containing two genes would be less methylated at cytosine residues than the four-copy allele, particularly in …

Endometriosis Of The Lung: Report Of A Case And Literature Review, Haidong Huang, Chen Li, Paul Zarogoulidis, Kaid Darwiche, Nikolaos Machairiotis, Lixin Yang, Michael Simoff, Eduardo Celis, Tiejun Zhao, Konstantinos Zarogoulidis, Nikolaos Katsikogiannis, Wolfgang Hohenforst-Schmidt, Qiang Li

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

This paper reports a case of endometriosis of the lung in a 29-year-old woman with long-term periodic catamenial hemoptysis. A chest computed tomography image obtained during menstruation revealed a radiographic opaque lesion in the lingular segment of the left superior lobe. During bronchoscopy, bleeding in the mucosa of the distal bronchus of the lingular segment of the left superior lobe was observed. Histopathology subsequent to an exploratory thoracotomy confirmed the diagnosis of endometriosis of the left lung. The 2-year follow-up after lingular lobectomy of the left superior lobe showed no recurrence or complications.

Targeting And Killing Of Glioblastoma With Activated T Cells Armed With Bispecific Antibodies, Ian M. Zitron, Archana Thakur, Oxana Norkina, Geoffrey R. Barger, Lawrence G. Lum, Sandeep Mittal

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Since most glioblastomas express both wild-type EGFR and EGFRvIII as well as HER2/neu, they are excellent targets for activated T cells (ATC) armed with bispecific antibodies (BiAbs) that target EGFR and HER2.

Methods

ATC were generated from PBMC activated for 14 days with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody in the presence of interleukin-2 and armed with chemically heteroconjugated anti-CD3×anti-HER2/neu (HER2Bi) and/or anti-CD3×anti-EGFR (EGFRBi). HER2Bi- and/or EGFRBi-armed ATC were examined for in vitro cytotoxicity using MTT and ⁵¹Cr-release assays against malignant glioma lines (U87MG, U118MG, and U251MG) and primary glioblastoma lines.

Results

EGFRBi-armed ATC killed up to 85% of U87, …

Hyperglycemia Induces Differential Change In Oxidative Stress At Gene Expression And Functional Levels In Huvec And Hmvec, Hemang Patel, Juan Chen, Kumuda C. Das, Mahendra Kavdia

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Endothelial dysfunction precedes pathogenesis of vascular complications in diabetes. In recent years, the mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction were investigated to outline strategies for its treatment. However, the therapies for dysfunctional endothelium resulted in multiple clinical trial failures and remain elusive. There is a need for defining hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction with both generic and specific dysfunctional changes in endothelial cells (EC) using a systems approach. In this study, we investigated hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction in HUVEC and HMVEC. We investigated hyperglycemia-induced functional changes (superoxide (O₂‾), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production and mitochondrial membrane polarization) …

Proalgazyme Subfraction Improves The Lipoprotein Profile Of Hypercholesterolemic Hamsters, While Inhibiting Production Of Betaine, Carnitine, And Choline Metabolites, Andreea Geamanu, Arvind Goja, Nadia Saadat, Pramod Khosla, Smiti V. Gupta

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Previously, we reported that ProAlgaZyme (PAZ) and its biologically active fraction improved plasma lipids in hypercholesterolemic hamsters, by significantly increasing the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) while reducing non-HDL cholesterol and the ratio of total cholesterol/HDL-C. Moreover, hepatic mRNA expression of genes involved in HDL/reverse cholesterol transport were significantly increased, while cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) expression was partially inhibited. In the current study, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of the biologically active fraction of PAZ (BaP) on the plasma lipid and plasma metabolomic profiles in diet induced hypercholesterolemic hamsters.

Methods

Fifty male Golden Syrian hamsters were fed …

The Mononuclear Metal Center Of Type-I Dihydroorotase From Aquifex Aeolicus, Brian Fp Edwards, Roshini Fernando, Philip D. Martin, Edward Grimley, Melissa Cordes, Asmita Vaishnav, Joseph S. Brunzelle, Hedeel Evans, David R. Evans

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Dihydroorotase (DHO) is a zinc metalloenzyme, although the number of active site zinc ions has been controversial. E. coli DHO was initially thought to have a mononuclear metal center, but the subsequent X-ray structure clearly showed two zinc ions, α and β, at the catalytic site. Aquifex aeolicus DHO, is a dodecamer comprised of six DHO and six aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATC) subunits. The isolated DHO monomer, which lacks catalytic activity, has an intact α-site and conserved β-site ligands, but the geometry of the second metal binding site is completely disrupted. However, the putative β-site is restored when the …

Disulfide By Design 2.0: A Web-Based Tool For Disulfide Engineering In Proteins, Douglas B. Craig, Alan A. Dombkowski

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Disulfide engineering is an important biotechnological tool that has advanced a wide range of research. The introduction of novel disulfide bonds into proteins has been used extensively to improve protein stability, modify functional characteristics, and to assist in the study of protein dynamics. Successful use of this technology is greatly enhanced by software that can predict pairs of residues that will likely form a disulfide bond if mutated to cysteines.

Results

We had previously developed and distributed software for this purpose: Disulfide by Design (DbD). The original DbD program has been widely used; however, it has a number …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Zero, One And Two Dimensional Metallic And Ceramic Nanostructures, Seyram Gbordzoe

Theses

Nanostructured materials are of great interest because the properties of a material at the nanoscale may differ significantly from the properties of the same material in the bulk form. This has led to a lot of new applications for nanomaterials owing to their unique physical, chemical, electrical, optical and magnetic properties. The present work reports on the synthesis and characterization of zero, one, and two dimensional nanostructured materials. Nanostructured materials in the present study were all grown using a pulsed laser deposition technique. Gold (Au) nanodots (zero-dimensional nanostructure) were grown on silicon (Si) substrates and subsequently used in the growth …

Influence Of Mechanical Cues And The Extracellular Matrix On Cell Migration Patterns And The Proliferation Rates Of Cells, Tara Shane Alger

Wayne State University Theses

The mechanical environment of a cell and its tissue can impact multiple biological processes including development, wound healing, and metastasis. Specific cellular behaviors influenced by the mechanical microenvironment include differentiation, morphology, apoptosis, migration, and proliferation. In this thesis I have focused specifically on the effect of environmental stiffness and applied mechanical forces on cellular migration and proliferation, respectively. Using two different applications, both tailored to evaluate the mechanical forces alone on cellular behavior, I attempted to simulate the mechanical composition of the in vivo tissue microenvironments in vitro using polyacrylamide hydrogels. To test whether cells maintain a mechanical memory for …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Biodegradable Poly(Vinyl Esters) With Hdac Inhibitory Activity, Kyle Lawrence Horton

Wayne State University Theses

HDAC inhibitors are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. HDAC inhibitors are used in combination with Oct4 to generate induced pluripotent stem cells. I hypothesized that polyesters based on simple aliphatic HDAC inhibitors like valproic acid (VPA) and phenylbutyric acid (PBA) can serve as alternatives to existing polyester biomaterials with improved anti-inflammatory properties and as scaffolds for generation of iPSCs when used in combination with layer-by-layer thin films delivering reprogramming transcription factors. Vinyl ester of phenylbutyric acid (VEPA) and vinyl ester of valproic acid (VEVA) were synthesized from their carboxylic acid precursors using an iridium complex catalyst at yields as high …

Role Of Phosphoylation Of The Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Proteasome In Oxidative Stress Response And Regulation Of Homoserine Kinase (Thrb) In Corynebacterium Glutamicum, Heather Baun

Wayne State University Theses

Part 1:

One-third of the world's population is infected with the latent form of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. M. tuberculosis must be able to control this latent even in response to nitrosative and oxidative stress conferred by the host. It is not well known how M. tuberculosis controls this state.

One possibility for this control is through its eleven eukaryotic-like serine/threonine protein kinases. Our lab has focused research on two eukaryotic-like ser/thr protein kinases, PknA and PknB. It has been found that PknA expression may affect the stability or the assembly of the proteasome complex, which is essential for M. tuberculosis to …

Spliceosomal Prp24 Unwinds A Minimal U2/U6 Complex From Yeast, Chandani Manoja Warnasooriya

Wayne State University Theses

Splicing plays a major role in eukaryotic gene expression by processing pre-mRNA to form mature mRNA. Pre-mRNAs undergo splicing to remove introns, non–protein coding regions, and religate exons, protein coding regions. This process is catalyzed by the spliceosome, which consists of five small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs: U1, U2, U4, U5 and U6) and numerous protein factors. Proper assembly of spliceosomal components is critical for function, and thus, defects in assembly can be lethal. Several spliceosomal proteins facilitate structural rearrangements important for spliceosomal assembly and function. Prp24 is an essential factor in U6 snRNP assembly, and it has been proposed …