Digital Commons Network^™

The Protumorigenic Role Of Caspase-8 In Neuroblastoma, Devin Drew Twitchell

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Neuroblastoma (NB), the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, accounts for 15% of cancer-related deaths in pediatric patients. Caspase-8 (casp8), a proapoptotic protein, is silenced in approximately, 50-70% of neuroblastoma patient samples. Loss of casp8 has been suggested to increase NB metastasis and correlated, in some studies, with advanced-stage NB. Furthermore, decreased casp8 expression may facilitate neuroblastoma tumorigenesis by protecting cells from cell death mediated by either integrins or chemotherapeutics. Paradoxically, casp8 expression is maintained in 30-50% of NB patient samples giving rise to the possibility that casp8 may provide selective advantages for NB tumorigenesis. Caspase-8 is shown to …

Don't Give Your Kid That Shot!: The Public Health Threat Posed By Anti-Vaccine Speech And Why Such Speech Is Not Guaranteed Full Protection Under The First Amendment, Amanda C. Naprawa

Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal

The article argues that antivaccination speech poses a significant threat to public health, and the law should be utilized to regulate such speech to prevent the spread of preventable diseases and protect vulnerable populations through herd immunity. While the First Amendment protects free speech, legal measures such as the FTC regulating false advertising and potential vaccine disparagement statutes can be effective tools in curbing harmful misinformation. The article emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that respects individual rights while safeguarding community health, supported by scientific consensus on vaccine safety and legal precedents like Jacobson v. Massachusetts.

Investigating The Relationship Between Non-Vascular Epiphytes And Age Structures Within Phorophytes On Quercus Robur And Pinus Sylvestris, At Dundreggan, Scotland, Jessica Jaffa

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The focus of this research project was to analyse the effects of different age structures within the host phorophyte on non-vascular epiphytes in a fragmented, semi-natural forest stand in Dundreggan. Two tree species were investigated Pinus sylvestris, Scots pine and Quercus robur, oak, analysing the effect a specific tree has on epiphyte abundance and diversity. Such research is important to understand the relationship epiphytes have with different tree species, focusing on patterns of epiphytic distribution at different spatial scales, which can be later implemented into management techniques. Epiphytic functional groups were stratified vertically within the tree in three height zones, …

Nitric Oxide Mediated Vasodilation: Effects Of Inhibition Of The Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain, Euan Gunn

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Background and purpose Nitric oxide (NO) has been well documented as a potent, endogenous vasodilator. The effects of NO within the pulmonary and systemic vasculature have been investigated to some degree but the mechanisms behind its regulation are not fully understood. Mitochondria have been shown to regulate potassium channels that are important in the regulation of vascular tone. This study aims to observe the effects of mitochondrial inhibition of the electron transport chain at different complexes and within different vascular tissues to further elucidate this system. Experimental approach I examined the effects of mitochondrial transport chain inhibitors rotenone (inhibition at …

Visitor Effects On Zoo Animals, Camille Sade

The Plymouth Student Scientist

It is extremely useful to know if the presence of visitors has an effect on zoo animals and what that might be (Hosey, 2000). The three foremost reasons for this being, firstly, as an instrument to ensure welfare, secondly to apply the insight when providing a positive ‘zoo experience’ for guests and lastly, so that any research conducted within a zoo can be accurately assessed (Hosey, 2005). When confronted with the knowledge that approximately 26 billion animals, covering ten thousand species, are held in captivity (Mason, 2010) it becomes especially important. The first studies performed in order to appreciate this …

The Effect Of The Probiotic Pediococcus Acidilactici On The Gut Microbiota Ecology Of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss Walbaum) Analysed Using Dgge, Alice Anderson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract heavily influences the health, growth and survival of fish. Probiotics have proved effective in improving fish productivity in aquaculture. Research suggests that probiotics, supplemented in the feed, may elicit these benefits by altering the ecology of the gastrointestinal microbiota. The probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici has been successfully used for terrestrial animals and humans but its use in aquatic organisms has been less researched. In the present study, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) were fed a diet that contained Ped. Acidilactici, or a control diet. Analysis of the posterior digesta bacteria, using a non-culture dependant technique, …

The Habitat Preferences Of Web Building Spiders, Nicola Glover

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Habitat selection is an important decision to make by most species as consequences such as loss of fitness or even death can result if wrong choices are made. Web building spiders are ubiquitous species, and can be found in almost any type of environment from alpine forests to desert terrains. Factors influencing their choice of habitat is, however, still relatively unknown and has been observed to differ between populations, species and even individuals. This review will outline the main factors influencing the habitat selection of web building spiders, as well as potential constraints that may prohibit colonisation. Spiders are important …

Expression Of Protease-Activated Receptor 3 In The Trigeminal And Dorsal Root Ganglion Of Adult Rats Using Immunohistochemistry, Joshua Press

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) have been implicated in a variety of human physiological and pathophysiological processes, including; nociception, neuroinflammation, neuroprotective and neurodegenerative pathways (Peters and Henry, 2009; Adams et al. 2011). PAR3 was discovered as a second thrombin receptor in 1997, and since then few papers have been published which assess its expression in the nervous system (Ishihara et al. 1997). This paper investigates the expression of PAR3 in sensory neurons of the trigeminal ganglion (TG) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) of naïve adult rats. Immunohistochemistry showed PAR3 to be strongly expressed in non-neuronal cells of both the TG and DRG. …

The Dorsal Organ: What Is It And What Is It For?, Stuart Robertson

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Scientific literature concerning the development of arthropods, in particular crustaceans, is littered with references to structures that have been given the name ‘dorsal organ’. However, the majority of these structures although homologous in name seem to differ, to varying degrees, in their structure or function. The two main references to a dorsal organ concern either the cuticular or sensory dorsal organ found externally on post-embryonic crustaceans, predominantly worked on by Laverack (1988, 1990, 1992), or the embryonic dorsal organ (Fioroni, 1980) particularly well documented in the Peracarida (Strömberg, 1972; Meschenmoser, 1989; Martin & Laverack, 1992) but also documented within the …

The Effects Of Focus Of Attention When Imitating A Professional Darts Player, Matthew Goodhead

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This current study investigates the effects of imitating a video of a professional darts player. Participants were asked to focus on, and then replicate either internal or external factors of a professional darts player’s throw. Contrary to previous research, it was found that participants performed best in the control condition, followed by the internal condition, with the external condition provoking the worst score in study 1. However, when instructions were changed in study 2, the control condition performed better than the external condition, followed by the internal condition: the differences in scores were shown to be significant by a one-way …

The Effect Cognitive Load Has On Eye Blinking, Hayley Ledger

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The present study investigates the theory that blink rate decreases as cognitive load increases. 30 subjects participated in one of two experiments, containing four conditions: Condition A involved four blank screens, B was the presentation of one object, C involved the presentation of 24 household objects paired with congruent audio files and D was similar but objects were paired with incongruent audio files. Experiment two differed from experiment one by including longer audio files. The results were that blink rate significantly differed across the conditions in both experiments, p<.05. Condition A produced a significantly higher blink rate in both experiments, p<.05. Findings showed that manipulation of the lowest cognitive load produced the highest blink rate which supports existing research.

The Therapeutic Effects Of Honey, Annie Knight

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Honey has been used as a traditional folk medicine since ancient times, both externally on wounds to the epidermis and internally for respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections (Mandal et al., 2010; Lusby et al., 2005; Kwakman et al., 2010; Ayaad et al., 2010). Honey has a proven anti-microbial effect, and due to an increasing level of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, new research is looking into the clinical application of honey as an alternative to conventional antibiotics. Most research analyses honey for application as a wound dressing, as it has several mechanisms that aid in the healing process other than an …

Possible Preventive Obesity Measures For Consideration In Labrador Retrievers Canis Lupus Familiaris According To Veterinarian And Owner Opinions, Sophie Bannister

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Canine obesity is a persistent and ever-increasing chronic disease. This research investigated possible new and improved preventive obesity measures specific to the Labrador retriever dog breed. Quantitative analysis of questionnaire responses from 128 Labrador retriever owners and 46 veterinarians was used. Owners were asked to score the body condition of their Labrador retrievers using a series of pictograms ranging from 1-5 to establish body levels. Biological and environmental factors of the dogs were investigated to determine their effects on predisposition to body weight levels. The colour of the Labrador (Chi: χ² = 10.964; d.f. = 4; P<0.027) and the breed (Chi: χ² = 11.073; d.f. = 2; P<0.004) were associated with the dogs' levels of obesity whereas the Labrador's field/role (Chi: χ² = 3.240; d.f. = 2; P<0.198) was not. Comparison of veterinarians' opinions on such factors regarded coat colour (Chi: χ² = 1.22581; d.f. = 2; P>0.542) and breed …

Osmotic Regulation Of The Amphipod Gammarus Chevreuxi (Sexton, 1912), Sam Houston

The Plymouth Student Scientist

This study investigated osmotic regulation in the amphipod, Gammarus chevreuxi, and is the first publication of this organism’s osmotic regulatory curves. Unlike most estuarine amphipods studied to date which are hyperosmotic regulators, G. chevreuxi is a hyper-hyposmotic regulator. The hyperosmotic gradient maintained by G. chevreuxi in dilute media is very low (~120mmol.L-1), which has been interpreted as evidence of freshwater ancestry among the Crustacea. Salinity acclimation did not appear to affect heart rate or pleopod beat frequency. The gill cells responsible for ion uptake appeared to be smaller in high salinities or distorted. The apical membrane in concentrated media shows …

Key Factors That Influence Breeding Performance In Raptors, James Paviour

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Breeding performance is a broad term, the definition of which varies throughout the literature. In raptor species it is frequently used as an expression that refers to the total number of nestlings that adults can raise to a prescribed age per breeding attempt, however it has also been defined in terms of clutch size, hatching success, and nestling quality (Steenhoff and Newton 2007). Assessing the breeding performance of raptors (combined with assessment of adult survival rates) is crucial to understanding the health and condition of populations and the degree to which they are likely to persist in a given habitat …

A Critical Evaluation Of The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum: An Example Of Things To Come?, Philip Martin, Stephen Grimes, Hayley Manners, Malcolm Hart

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), arguably the most dramatic hyperthermal event recorded to date, occurred approximately 55 million years ago (Ma). During this event thousands of petagrams of carbon were released into the atmosphere and hydrosphere affecting the climate, ocean chemistry and marine and terrestrial ecosystems. With a duration of approximately 100,000 years (though possibly as long as 170,000 years) and global temperature increases of between 4- 8°C, terrestrial and marine faunal turnover occurred including mammalian dispersal, rapid evolutionary and ecological change and transient diversification. The PETM, therefore, offers a valuable insight into shifts in the climate regime and the …

A Study Evaluating What Best Inspires Visitor Behaviour And Attitude Changes In Zoos, With A Small Botanical Garden Comparison: Addressing Zoos' Educational And Subsequent Conservation Values, Sophie Lancaster

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The planet is currently under intense stress, though unsustainable consumption carries on rising at an exponential rate. One explanation for this is ignorance, especially within developed nations. Governments and industry are under extensive pressure to increase awareness, if we are to achieve a sustainable future and prevent the loss of the natural world. Zoos with their high visitation numbers have a significant role to play in educating the public, which they declare as a main goal. This study focuses on how zoos can better achieve this educational and subsequent conservation goal by looking into what learning techniques at Dartmoor Zoo …

Triclosan Enriches For Dehalococcoides-Like Chloroflexi In Anaerobic Soil At Environmentally Relevant Concentrations, Patrick J. Mcnamara, Mark J. Krzmarzick

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent that is discharged to soils with land-applied wastewater biosolids, is persistent under anaerobic conditions, and yet its impact on anaerobic microbial communities in soils is largely unknown. We hypothesized that triclosan enriches for Dehalococcoides-like Chloroflexi because these bacteria respire organochlorides and are likely less sensitive, relative to other bacteria, to the antimicrobial effects of triclosan. Triplicate anaerobic soil microcosms were seeded with agricultural soil, which was not previously exposed to triclosan, and were amended with 1 mg kg⁻¹ of triclosan. Triplicate control microcosms did not receive triclosan, and the experiment was run for …

Do Hell And Exclusivism Make Procreation Morally Impermissible? A Reply To Kenneth Himma, Shawn Bawulski

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

The Apocalyptic Science Fiction Of Jacques Spitz, Arthur B. Evans

Global Language Studies Faculty publications

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Community-Based Accumulation Of Home Medications (Caches) Found At Death Scenes In Davidson County, Tennessee, Carrie E. Plummer

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction: Stockpiling of unused medications by community-dwelling individuals results in Community-based ACcumulation of Home mEdicationS (CACHES). CACHES place the individual, health care and justice system, and ecosystem at risk for adverse outcomes including: a) diversion of prescription medications by friends and family, b) pediatric poisonings, c) adverse drug events, d) increased criminal justice system costs related to prescription drug abuse, e) increased health care costs, and f) pollution of local water supplies via improper medication disposal. This study explores the relationship among individual risk factors (gender, race, age, comorbid conditions), geographical location, health care risk factors (number of prescribers and …

Waveform Library For Chinch Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Blissidae): Characterization Of Electrical Penetration Graph Waveforms At Multiple Input Impedances, Elaine A. Backus, Murugesan Rangasamy, Mitchell Stamm, Heather J. Mcauslane, Ron Cherry

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Electrical penetration graph (EPG) monitoring has been used extensively to elucidate mechanisms of resistance in plants to insect herbivores with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Characterization of waveforms produced by insects during stylet probing is essential to the application of this technology. In the studies described herein, a four-channel Backus and Bennett AC-DC monitor was used to characterize EPG waveforms produced by adults of two economically important chinch bug species: southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, feeding on St. Augustinegrass, and western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber, feeding on buffalograss. This is only the third time a heteropterans species has been recorded by …

Polarimetric Radar Observations Of Biological Scatterers In Hurricanes Irene (2011) And Sandy (2012), Matthew S. Van Den Broeke

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Biological scatterers, consisting of birds and insects, may become trapped near the circulation center of tropical cyclones, particularly if a well-developed eyewall is present. These scatterers may be observed using weather radar, where they may appear to the radar operator as areas of light precipitation. Polarimetric radar characteristics of these scatterers, informed by additional observations of known bioscatter, include a combination of very high differential reflectivity (3–7.9 dB) and very low copolar correlation coefficient (0.3–0.8). Polarimetric radar observations of bioscatter are presented for Hurricane Irene (2011) and Hurricane Sandy (2012). In these storms, the bioscatter signature first appeared at the …

Rate Of Shattercane × Sorghum Hybridization In Situ, Jared J. Schmidt, Jeffrey F. Pedersen, Mark L. Bernards, John L. Lindquist

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cultivated sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench subsp. bicolor] can interbreed with a feral weedy relative shattercane [S. bicolor nothosubsp. drummondii (Steud.) de Wet ex Davidse]. Traits introduced from cultivated sorghum could contribute to the invasiveness of a shattercane population. An experiment was conducted to determine the potential for pollenmediated gene flow from grain sorghum to shattercane. Shattercane with juicy midrib (dd) was planted in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] fields during 2 yr in concentric arcs at varying distances from a 0.39 ha sorghum pollen source with dry midrib (DD). The arcs …

Nanowell-Trapped Charged Ligand-Bearing Nanoparticle Surfaces – A Novel Method Of Enhancing Flow-Resistant Cell Adhesion, Phat L. Tran, Jessica R. Gamboa, Katherine E. Mccracken, Mark R. Riley, Marvin J. Slepian, Jeong-Yeal Yoon

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Assuring cell adhesion to an underlying biomaterial surface is vital in implant device design and tissue engineering, particularly under circumstances where cells are subjected to potential detachment from overriding fl uid fl ow. Cell–substrate adhesion is a highly regulated process involving the interplay of mechanical properties, surface topographic features, electrostatic charge, and biochemical mechanisms. At the nanoscale level, the physical properties of the underlying substrate are of particular importance in cell adhesion. Conventionally, natural, pro-adhesive, and often thrombogenic, protein biomaterials are frequently utilized to facilitate adhesion. In the present study, nanofabrication techniques are utilized to enhance the biological functionality of …

Impact Of Measurement Scale On Infiltration And Phosphorus Leaching In Ozark Floodplains, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox, Daniel E. Storm, Brian E. Haggard, Chad J. Penn, Todd Halihan

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Increased nutrient loads have resulted in several adverse impacts on surface water quality, including excessive algal growth, fish kills, and drinking water taste and odor issues across the United States and especially in the Ozark ecoregion of northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas. The significance of this problem has been highlighted by litigation, with one case even reaching the U.S. Supreme Court (Arkansas et al. v. Oklahoma et al., 503 U.S. 91) which required the upstream state to meet downstream water quality standards. The overarching objective of this line of research was to characterize phosphorus leaching to alluvial aquifers in the …

Finite Element Modeling Of Phosphorus Leaching Through Floodplain Soils Dominated By Preferential Flow Pathways, Ryan P. Freiberger, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Phosphorus is a critical nutrient in soils, providing both positive and negative effects to different systems. While optimum crop growth requires a range of P above 0.2 mg/L, preventing surface water enrichment generally requires P to be below 0.03 mg/L. Proper application and control of phosphorus is important to increase farming efficiency and to protect freshwater systems from toxic algal growth. While the movement of phosphorus through many soil types has been well-documented, the presence of highly conductive, gravel outcrops and macropores in soil can have a significant, poorly-documented effect on phosphorus movement. In the Ozark ecoregion, for example, the …

Application Of Isothermal Calorimetry To The Study Of Phosphorus Sorption Onto Soils In A Flow-Through System, Chad J. Penn, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The degree, mechanisms, and kinetics of phosphorus (P) sorption onto soils can have a significant influence on leaching losses of P from soil. The objectives of this study were to measure the impact of retention time (RT) on P sorption in a flow-through system intended to simulate downward movement of a P solution through two different riparian soils, and determine if isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) can provide useful information reflective of flow-through results. Topsoil from two riparian/alluvial soils was sampled and characterized for P concentrations and parameters related to P sorption. Flow-through P sorption experiments were conducted in order to …

A Morphological Analysis Of A Hybrid Swarm Of Native Ulmus Rubra And Introduced U. Pumila (Ulmaceae) In Southeastern Nebraska, Christian Elowsky, Ingrid E. Jordon-Thaden, Robert B. Kaul

Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications

The parental species and hybrid swarm of native Ulmus rubra Muhl. and the introduced, naturalized and weedy U. pumila L. were investigated in a 65-km transect in Lancaster, Saunders, and Butler counties in Nebraska. Thirty-two trees of U. rubra, 32 of U. pumila, and 50 of the hybrid swarm were sampled for leaves and buds and subsampled for flowers and fruits. Leaves were measured for petiole length, blade length, width, primary and secondary teeth per cm, number of secondary teeth per primary tooth, and texture. Buds were scored for color and distribution of trichomes. Flowers were sampled for stamen counts …

Identifying And Managing Mountain Beaver Damage To Forest Resources, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Donivan Sphar, Osu Extension Forester Ahrens

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This publication describes techniques landowners and land managers can use to mitigate damage caused by mountain beavers.

The mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) is a medium-sized rodent that is found throughout the Pacific Northwest, specifically the western regions of Oregon, Washington, northern California, and British Columbia. Mountain beavers are seldom seen, because of their subterranean lifestyle, but can cause considerable damage to forest regeneration. They primarily cause damage by clipping seedlings and small saplings, but they also girdle large saplings and trees and undermine the roots of large, mature trees.

Several management strategies are available to control mountain beaver …