Digital Commons Network^™

Genome-Wide Analysis Of The Omega-3 Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene Family In Gossypium, Olga P. Yurchenko, Sunjung Park, Daniel C. Ilut, Jay J. Inmon, Jon C. Millhollon, Zach Liechty, Justin T. Page, Matthew A. Jenks, Kent D. Chapman, Joshua A. Udall, Michael A. Gore, John M. Dyer

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

The majority of commercial cotton varieties planted worldwide are derived from Gossypium hirsutum, which is a naturally occurring allotetraploid produced by interspecific hybridization of A- and D-genome diploid progenitor species. While most cotton species are adapted to warm, semi-arid tropical and subtropical regions, and thus perform well in these geographical areas, cotton seedlings are sensitive to cold temperature, which can significantly reduce crop yields. One of the common biochemical responses of plants to cold temperatures is an increase in omega-3 fatty acids, which protects cellular function by maintaining membrane integrity. The purpose of our study was to identify …

Characterization Of The Rainbow Trout Spleen Transcriptome And Identification Of Immune-Related Genes, Ali Ali, Caird E. Rexroad, Gary H. Thorgaard, Jianbo Yao, Mohamed Salem

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Resistance against diseases affects profitability of rainbow trout. Limited information is available about functions and mechanisms of teleost immune pathways. Immunogenomics provides powerful tools to determine disease resistance genes/gene pathways and develop genetic markers for genomic selection. RNA-Seq sequencing of the rainbow trout spleen yielded 93,532,200 reads (100 bp). High quality reads were assembled into 43,047 contigs. 26,333 (61.17%) of the contigs had hits to the NR protein database and 7024 (16.32%) had hits to the KEGG database. Gene ontology showed significant percentages of transcripts assigned to binding (51%), signaling (7%), response to stimuli (9%) and receptor activity (4%) suggesting …

Automated Assessment Of Upper Extremity Movement Impairment Due To Stroke, Erienne V. Olesh, Sergiy Yakovenko, Valeriya Gritsenko

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Current diagnosis and treatment of movement impairment post-stroke is based on the subjective assessment of select movements by a trained clinical specialist. However, modern low-cost motion capture technology allows for the development of automated quantitative assessment of motor impairment. Such outcome measures are crucial for advancing post-stroke treatment methods. We sought to develop an automated method of measuring the quality of movement in clinically-relevant terms from low-cost motion capture. Unconstrained movements of upper extremity were performed by people with chronic hemiparesis and recorded by standard and low-cost motion capture systems. Quantitative scores derived from motion capture were compared to qualitative …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Bioactivity Of Carboxylic Acid-Functionalized Titanium Dioxide Nanobelts, Raymond F. Hamilton, Nianqiang Wu, Chengcheng Xiang, Ming Li, Feng Yang, Michael Wolfarth, Dale W. Porter, Andrij Holian

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Surface modification strategies to reduce engineered nanomaterial (ENM) bioactivity have been used successfully in carbon nanotubes. This study examined the toxicity and inflammatory potential for two surface modifications (humic acid and carboxylation) on titanium nanobelts (TNB).

Methods

The in vitro exposure models include C57BL/6 alveolar macrophages (AM) and transformed human THP-1 cells exposed to TNB for 24 hrs in culture. Cell death and NLRP3 inflammasome activation (IL-1β release) were monitored. Short term (4 and 24 hr) in vivo studies in C57BL/6, BALB/c and IL-1R null mice evaluated inflammation and cytokine release, and cytokine release from ex vivo cultured AM. …

Psp94, An Upstream Signaling Mediator Of Prostasin Found Highly Elevated In Ovarian Cancer, J-X Ma, B-X Yan, J Zhang, B-H Yang, Y Guo, H Riedel, M D. Mueller, S C. Remick, J J. Yu

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of cancer death as diagnosis is frequently delayed to an advanced stage. Effective biomarkers and screening strategies for early detection are urgently needed. In the current study, we identify PSP94 as a key upstream factor in mediating prostasin (a protein previously reported to be overexpressed in ovarian cancer) signaling that regulates prostasin expression and action in ovarian cancer cells. PSP94 is overexpressed in ovarian cancer cell lines and patients, and is significantly correlated with prostasin levels. Signaling pathway analysis demonstrated that both PSP94 and prostasin, as potential upstream regulators of the Lin28b/Let-7 pathway, regulate …

Matrilin-3 Chondrodysplasia Mutations Cause Attenuated Chondrogenesis, Premature Hypertrophy And Aberrant Response To Tgf-Β In Chondroprogenitor Cells, Chathuraka T. Jayasuriya, Fiona H. Zhou, Ming Pei, Zhengke Wang, Nicholas J. Lemme, Paul Haines, Qian Chen

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Studies have shown that mutations in the matrilin-3 gene (MATN3) are associated with multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED) and spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia (SEMD). We tested whether MATN3 mutations affect the differentiation of chondroprogenitor and/or mesenchymal stem cells, which are precursors to chondrocytes. ATDC5 chondroprogenitors stably expressing wild-type (WT) MATN3 underwent spontaneous chondrogenesis. Expression of chondrogenic markers collagen II and aggrecan was inhibited in chondroprogenitors carrying the MED or SEMD MATN3 mutations. Hypertrophic marker collagen X remained attenuated in WT MATN3 chondroprogenitors, whereas its expression was elevated in chondroprogenitors expressing the MED or SEMD mutant MATN3 gene suggesting that these mutations inhibit chondrogenesis …

Hitchhiking Of Host Biology By Beneficial Symbionts Enhances Transmission, Brittany M. Ott, Michael Cruciger, Andrew M. Dacks, Rita V M Rio

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Transmission plays a key role in the evolution of symbiosis. Mixed mode transmission combines horizontal and vertical mechanisms for symbiont acquisition. However, features that enable mixed transmission are poorly understood. Here, we determine the mechanistic basis for the recruitment of the beneficial bacterium, Aeromonas veronii by the leech, Hirudo verbana. We demonstrate that host mucosal secretions complement imperfect symbiont vertical transmission. First, we show that the A. veronii population within secretions originates from the host digestive tract and proliferates synchronously with shedding frequency, demonstrating the coupling of partner biology. Furthermore, leeches are attracted to these castings with oral contact …

Differential Responses Of Osteoblasts And Macrophages Upon Staphylococcus Aureus Infection, Therwa Hamza, Bingyun Li

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the primary causes of bone infections which are often chronic and difficult to eradicate. Bacteria like S. aureus may survive upon internalization in cells and may be responsible for chronic and recurrent infections. In this study, we compared the responses of a phagocytic cell (i.e. macrophage) to a non-phagocytic cell (i.e. osteoblast) upon S. aureus internalization.

Results

We found that upon internalization, S. aureus could survive for up to 5 and 7 days within macrophages and osteoblasts, respectively. Significantly more S. aureus was internalized in macrophages compared to osteoblasts and …

The Ser/Thr Phosphatase Pp2a Regulatory Subunit Widerborst Inhibits Notch Signaling, Anasua Bose, Adam T. Majot, Ashok P. Bidwai

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Drosophila Enhancer of split M8, an effector of Notch signaling, is regulated by protein kinase CK2. The phosphatase PP2A is thought to play an opposing (inhibitory) role, but the identity of the regulatory subunit was unknown. The studies described here reveal a role for the PP2A regulatory subunit widerborst (wdb) in three developmental contexts; the bristle, wing and the R8 photoreceptors of the eye. wdb overexpression elicits bristle and wing defects akin to reduced Notch signaling, whereas hypomorphic mutations in this PP2A subunit elicit opposite effects. We have also evaluated wdb functions using mutations in Notch and E(spl) that affect …

Combining Copd With Clinical, Pathological And Demographic Information Refines Prognosis And Treatment Response Prediction Of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Joseph Putilla, Nancy L. Guo

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Accurate assessment of a patient’s risk of recurrence and treatment response is an important prerequisite of personalized therapy in lung cancer. This study extends a previously described non-small cell lung cancer prognostic model by the addition of chemotherapy and co-morbidities through the use of linked SEER-Medicare data.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Data on 34,203 lung adenocarcinoma and 26,967 squamous cell lung carcinoma patients were used to determine the contribution of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to prognostication in 30 treatment combinations. A Cox model including COPD was estimated on 1,000 bootstrap samples, with the resulting model assessed on ROC, Brier Score, …

Inflammatory Cytokine Response To Exercise In Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Deficient Copd Patients ‘On’ Or ‘Off’ Augmentation Therapy, I Mark Olfert, Moh H. Malek, Tomas M L Eagan, Harrieth Wagner, Peter D. Wagner

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

There is still limited information on systemic inflammation in alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficient (AATD) COPD patients and what effect alpha-1-antitrypsin augmentation therapy and/or exercise might have on circulating inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that AATD COPD patients on augmentation therapy (AATD + AUG) would have lower circulating and skeletal muscle inflammatory cytokines compared to AATD COPD patients not receiving augmentation therapy (AATD-AUG) and/or the typical non-AATD (COPD) patient. We also hypothesized that cytokine response to exercise would be lower in AATD + AUG compared to AATD-AUG or COPD subjects.

Methods

Arterial and femoral venous concentration and skeletal muscle expression of TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β …

Regulation And Regulatory Role Of Wnt Signaling In Potentiating Fsh Action During Bovine Dominant Follicle Selection, P S P Gupta, Joseph K. Folger, Sandeep K. Rajput, Lihua Lv, Jianbo Yao, James J. Ireland, George W. Smith

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Follicular development occurs in wave like patterns in monotocous species such as cattle and humans and is regulated by a complex interaction of gonadotropins with local intrafollicular regulatory molecules. To further elucidate potential mechanisms controlling dominant follicle selection, granulosa cell RNA harvested from F1 (largest) and F2 (second largest) follicles isolated at predeviation (PD) and onset of diameter deviation (OD) stages of the first follicular wave was subjected to preliminary RNA transcriptome analysis. Expression of numerous WNT system components was observed. Hence experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that WNT signaling modulates FSH action on granulosa cells during follicular …

Use Of High Frequency Ultrasound To Monitor Cervical Lymph Node Alterations In Mic, Elyse L. Walk, Sarah Mclaughlin, James Coad, Scott A. Weed

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Cervical lymph node evaluation by clinical ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure used in diagnosing nodal status, and when combined with fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), provides an effective method to assess nodal pathologies. Development of high-frequency ultrasound (HF US) allows real-time monitoring of lymph node alterations in animal models. While HF US is frequently used in animal models of tumor biology, use of HF US for studying cervical lymph nodes alterations associated with murine models of head and neck cancer, or any other model of lymphadenopathy, is lacking. Here we utilize HF US to monitor cervical lymph nodes changes in mice …

Role Of H-Ras/Erk Signaling In Carbon Nanotube-Induced Neoplastic-Like Transformation Of Human Mesothelial Cells, Warangkana Lohcharoenkal, Liying Wang, Todd A. Stueckle, Jino Park, William Tse, Cerasela-Zoica Dinu, Yon Rojanasakul

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Rapid development and deployment of engineered nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in various commercial and biomedical applications have raised concerns about their potential adverse health effects, especially their long-term effects which have not been well addressed. We demonstrated here that prolonged exposure of human mesothelial cells to single-walled CNT (SWCNT) induced neoplastic-like transformation as indicated by anchorage-independent cell growth and increased cell invasiveness. Such transformation was associated with an up-regulation of H-Ras and activation of ERK1/2. Downregulation of H-Ras by siRNA or inactivation of ERK by chemical inhibitor effectively inhibited the aggressive phenotype of SWCNT-exposed cells. Integrin alpha V …

Multiple Mineralocorticoid Response Elements Localized In Different Introns Regulate Intermediate Conductance K+ (Kcnn4) Channel Expression In The Rat Distal Colon, Bryan O'Hara, Diego A. Rosa, Vazhaikkurichi M. Rajendran

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

An elevated plasma aldosterone and an increased expression of the intermediate conductance K+ (IK/Kcnn4) channels are linked in colon. This observation suggests that the expression of Kcnn4 gene is controlled through the action of aldosterone on its cognate receptor (i.e., mineralocorticoid receptor; MR). In order to establish this, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay to identify the MR response elements (MREs) in a region that spanned 20 kb upstream and 10 kb downstream of the presumed transcription start site (TSS) using chromatin from the colonic epithelial cells of normal and aldosterone-treated rats. MREs were immunoprecipitated in an approximately 5 kb …

Effect Of Fiber Length On Carbon Nanotube-Induced Fibrogenesis, Amruta Manke, Sudjit Luanpitpong, Chenbo Dong, Liying Wang, Xiaoqing He, Lori Battelli, Raymond Derk, Todd A. Stueckle, Dale W. Porter, Tina Sager, Honglei Gou, Cerasela Z. Dinu, Niaqinag Wu, Robert R. Mercer, Yon Rojanasakul

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Given their extremely small size and light weight, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be readily inhaled by human lungs resulting in increased rates of pulmonary disorders, particularly fibrosis. Although the fibrogenic potential of CNTs is well established, there is a lack of consensus regarding the contribution of physicochemical attributes of CNTs on the underlying fibrotic outcome. We designed an experimentally validated in vitro fibroblast culture model aimed at investigating the effect of fiber length on single-walled CNT (SWCNT)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The fibrogenic response to short and long SWCNTs was assessed via oxidative stress generation, collagen expression and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) …

Initial Characterization Of The Flge Hook High Molecular Weight Complex Of Borrelia Burgdorferi, Kelly A. Miller, Md A. Motaleb, Jun Liu, Bo Hu, Melissa J. Caimano, Michael R. Miller, Nyles W. Charon

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The spirochete periplasmic flagellum has many unique attributes. One unusual characteristic is the flagellar hook. This structure serves as a universal joint coupling rotation of the membrane-bound motor to the flagellar filament. The hook is comprised of about 120 FlgE monomers, and in most bacteria these structures readily dissociate to monomers (∼ 50 kDa) when treated with heat and detergent. However, in spirochetes the FlgE monomers form a large mass of over 250 kDa [referred to as a high molecular weight complex (HMWC)] that is stable to these and other denaturing conditions. In this communication, we examined specific aspects with …

Induction Of Stem-Like Cells With Malignant Properties By Chronic Exposure Of Human Lung Epithelial Cells To Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Sudjit Luanpitpong, Liying Wang, Vincent Castranova, Yon Rojanasakul

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) hold great promise to create new and better products for commercial and biomedical applications, but their long-term adverse health effects are a major concern. The objective of this study was to address human lung cancer risks associated with chronic pulmonary exposure to single-walled (SW) CNT through the fundamental understanding of cellular and molecular processes leading to carcinogenesis. We hypothesized that the acquisition of cancer stem cells (CSC), a subpopulation that drive tumor initiation and progression, may contribute to CNT carcinogenesis.

Methods

Non-tumorigenic human lung epithelial cells were chronically exposed to well-dispersed SWCNT for a period of …

Feasibility Of Intensity-Modulated And Image-Guided Radiotherapy For Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer, Nam P. Nguyen, Siyoung Jang, Jacqueline Vock, Vincent Vinh-Hung, Alexander Chi, Paul Vos, Judith Pugh, Richard A. Vo, Misty Ceizyk, Anand Desai, Lexie Smith-Raymond, The International Geriatric Radiotherapy Group

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background

In this study the feasibility of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and tomotherapy-based image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) for locally advanced esophageal cancer was assessed.

Methods

A retrospective study of ten patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who underwent concurrent chemotherapy with IMRT (1) and IGRT (9) was conducted. The gross tumor volume was treated to a median dose of 70 Gy (62.4-75 Gy).

Results

At a median follow-up of 14 months (1-39 months), three patients developed local failures, six patients developed distant metastases, and complications occurred in two patients (1 tracheoesophageal fistula, 1 esophageal stricture requiring repeated dilatations). No patients developed grade …

Prostasin May Contribute To Chemoresistance, Repress Cancer Cells In Ovarian Cancer, And Is Involved In The Signaling Pathways Of Casp/Pak2-P34/Actin, B-X Yan, J-X Ma, J Zhang, Y Guo, M D. Mueller, S C. Remick, J J. Yu

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of gynecologic cancers, largely due to the development of drug resistance in chemotherapy. Prostasin may have an essential role in the oncogenesis. In this study, we show that prostasin is decreased in an ovarian cancer drug-resistant cell line and in ovarian cancer patients with high levels of excision repair cross-complementing 1, a marker for chemoresistance. Our cell cultural model investigation demonstrates prostasin has important roles in the development of drug resistance and cancer cell survival. Forced overexpression of prostasin in ovarian cancer cells greatly induces cell death (resulting in 99% cell death in a drug-resistant …

Testing Disturbance Methods To Aid Interseeding Forbs In A Grass-Dominated Prairie Restoration In Northeast Indiana, Adam Thada

Master of Environmental Science (MES) Theses

Many tallgrass prairie restorations fail to match the level of biodiversity found in undisturbed prairie remnants. Restorations often become excessively dominated by warm-season grasses at the expense of forbs due to the lack of historical disturbance regimes. Interseeding new species often requires a disturbance mechanism to aid establishment of new plants. In April 2013, five native forb species were seeded into a restoration dominated by Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem). Two types of treatments were used in a factorial design: biomass removal by haying or burning, and application of a grass-specific herbicide. After one growing season, seedling counts of sown and …

Biodiversity Of Corticolous Macrolichens In A Selected Northeastern Indiana Forest And Implications For Conservation, Margaret L. (Gray) Kubina

Master of Environmental Science (MES) Theses

The hardwood forests of Indiana are experiencing a decline in oak (Quercus) regeneration. Most forests are undergoing sugar maple (Acer saccharum) replacement in the understory. This dynamic is of concern because of the potential decline in total species diversity in these forests. Lichens can be valuable indicators of forest health; however, they are not included in Indiana’s forest health monitoring program. An analysis of lichen biodiversity was conducted at Salamonie River State Forest (SRSF) in Wabash County, Indiana. The objectives of this study were to survey the current lichen biodiversity within SRSF in northeastern Indiana and …

Taylor University Catalog 2014-2015, Taylor University

Undergraduate Catalogs

The 2014-2015 academic catalog of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.

2014 Year In Review

Environmental Law at Maryland

No abstract provided.

Later School Start Times In Adolescence: Time For A Change, Paul Kelley, Clark Lee

Homeland Security Publications

This briefing paper summarizes the latest research on the subject of chronic sleep deprivation on education and health in adolescents, explores policy options to address this education and public health issue, and sets forth the recommendation that education start times be adjusted appropriately for U.S adolescents.

High Expectations: The Impact Of Perfectionism And Religiosity On Female Body Image, Meredith J. Gross

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

In 2010 the American Psychological Association (APA) developed a task force to research the sexualization of girls. The APA found that eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression were among the most prevalent mental health issues for women. The APA suggested that the trends of sexualization, mass media’s impact on culture, and the growing phenomenon of diets and weight loss supplements and medications helped to create unattainable ideas. These influences were found to have a significant relationship between women and dissatisfaction with their physical form. Because of the faith-based nature of the institution studied and the evidence that high levels of …

Picture Perfect: The Impact Of Spirituality And Media On Women's Sexuality, Diana Kim

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Media plays a large role in the sexualization of women. The increase in sexual socialization of media has brought the hookup culture to college campuses. Moreover, it has led to several negative consequences in healthy sexual and identity development in females. Understanding that sexual well-being is vital in one’s development, higher education professionals have begun to take note of this increasingly important issue affecting the larger student body. Although sexuality is difficult to navigate for any emerging adult, it seems particularly complex for women who follow a specific religion. More specifically, Christian women from faith-based institutions face cultural pressures from …

Boys To Men: A Phenomenological Study Of Men's Construction Of Masculinity At A Faith-Based University, Taylor Thomas Smythe

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

In a time when increasing ambiguity in gender roles has become the norm, young men experience difficulty in knowing what masculinity truly means. For those men who hold to a specific religious or spiritual tradition, navigating this path to manhood can seem even more complex. The present study examines the interrelationship of masculinity and spirituality as it pertains to the experiences of males at a faith-based college. The research questions of the current study highlight two areas: 1) men’s construction of masculinity and 2) men’s experiences of masculinity in light of their spirituality. The researcher used a qualitative phenomenological method …

Statelessness And Mass Expulsion In Sudan: A Reassessment Of The International Law, Mike Sanderson

Northwestern Journal of Human Rights

No abstract provided.

Stereoselective Synthesis Of An Omuralide Analogue Through A Lewis Acid Catalyzed Reaction Of An Aldehyde And An Oxazole, Doris Berman

Honors Thesis Collection

Lactacystin, or more specifically, its biologically active form, omuralide, is a known inhibitor of cell cycle progression in a number of cell lines. However, omuralide is also an inhibitor of the proteasome, an essential protease within eukaryotic cells. Because of the complexity of the available syntheses, development of selective analogs of omuralide has progressed slowly. Our research seeks to develop efficient and highly stereoselective syntheses of omuralide analogs via the metal catalyzed reaction of a chiral aldehyde with a protected oxazole.This catalysis has been accomplished with high stereoselectivity using a simple aluminum catalyst but the efficiency of this reaction has …