Digital Commons Network^™

Fibroblast Growth Factor 9 Regulation By Micrornas Controls Lung Development And Links Dicer1 Loss To The Pathogenesis Of Pleuropulmonary Blastoma, Yongjun Yin, Angela M. Castro, Marrit Hoekstra, Thomas J. Yan, Ajay C. Kanakamedala, Louis P. Dehner, D. Ashley Hill, David M. Ornitz

Pathology Faculty Publications

Pleuropulmonary Blastoma (PPB) is the primary neoplastic manifestation of a pediatric cancer predisposition syndrome that is associated with several diseases including cystic nephroma, Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, medulloblastoma, and ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor. The primary pathology of PPB, epithelial cysts with stromal hyperplasia and risk for progression to a complex primitive sarcoma, is associated with familial heterozygosity and lesion-associated epithelial loss-of-heterozygosity of DICER1. It has been hypothesized that loss of heterozygosity of DICER1 in lung epithelium is a non-cell autonomous etiology of PPB and a critical pathway that regulates lung development; however, there are no known direct targets of epithelial …

Utah State University Commencement, 2015 – Main Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

128^th Annual Commencement of Utah State University.

The Cross-Generational Effects Of Invertebrate Predators (Chaoborus Sp.) On Prey (Daphnia Ambigua), Jennifer Nguyen

2015 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

There is new evidence that environmental stressors can induce phenotypic changes that persist for several generations. These ‘transgenerational’ effects can be studied through the interplay between freshwater species of zooplankton and their predators. The transgenerational effects of invertebrate predator cues on the expression of life history traits in water fleas (Daphnia ambigua) were tested and analyzed. Daphnia were reared in the presence and absence of predator cues for X generations. An additional treatment received exposure to predators for the first generation only. The results show that predator cues caused increased reproductive outputs but no influence on the size of individuals …

Algorithmic Information Theory Applications In Bright Field Microscopy And Epithelial Pattern Formation, Hamid Mohamadlou

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The incredible patterns of multicellular organisms emerge as a result of the operation of Gene Regulatory Networks (GRN) that work during development. Understanding how GRNs produce these complex multicellular patterns is a significant challenge in biology. The primary goal of this dissertation is to employ Algorithmic Information Theory (AIT), also known as Kolmogorov complexity, to unravel the information complexity of GRNs and the resultant multicellular patterns. To obtain a better understanding of Kolmogorov complexity performance, first we study an application in cell image segmentation.

There are an estimated 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes in the human genome. The sheer size of the …

Genetic Population Structure And Dynamics Of Nearctic Bering Cisco And Applied Mixed-Stock Analysis Of The Yukon River Commercial Fishery, Ora L. Russ

Theses and Dissertations

Bering cisco (Coregonus laurettae) are anadromous salmonids with only three known spawning populations located in the Yukon, Kuskokwim, and Susitna river drainages, respectively in Alaska. Bering cisco are actively harvested in both subsistence and commercial fisheries in Alaska. The work presented herein was a genetic study conducted on Bering cisco with three main objectives: 1) to develop genetic markers for Bering cisco; 2) to evaluate the population structure of the Yukon, Kuskokwim, and Susitna spawning aggregations and 3) to use genetic mixed-stock analysis to estimate the contributions of baseline cisco populations to the Yukon Delta commercial harvest during 2010, 2011, …

Shorebird Migratory Stopover Responses To Local And Regional Change: Habitat Decisions In A Vanishing Landscape, Caitlyn Gillespie

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the consequences of anthropogenic change for migratory species is challenging because although they have evolved to cope with environmental uncertainty, migrants still rely on predictable relationships within and among habitats to make informed decisions. Calidris shorebirds rely on ephemeral wetlands during northward migration through mid-continental North America, where favorable habitat conditions are annually and regionally unpredictable and increasingly altered by land-use change. During spring 2013 and 2014, we assessed Calidris habitat use in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) and the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) at both local and landscape scales. Although anthropogenic change has altered the wetland landscape in both …

Selection Methods For Genetically-Modified T Cells: In Support Of Translational Therapy, David Rushworth

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

T cells are blood cells which organize the immune system of the host. These cells are necessary for the host to respond appropriately to threats from foreign organisms and cancerous growth. However, in the case of certain infections and cancer, T cells are unable to respond appropriately to a threat and establish immunity. This leads to disease when the infection or cancer is not sufficiently eliminated. On the other hand, T cells can lack tolerance for healthy tissue and perceive healthy tissue as infected. The ensuing over-reactive immune response also leads to disease. A delicate balance must exist between immunity …

The Contribution Of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge In Conservation Of Enguserosambu Community Forest, Tanzania, Agnes Sirima

All Dissertations

Community managed forests constitute a significant proportion of the world's forests, however, little is known regarding their condition or the details of how they are managed. Documented benefits of community managed forest include poverty alleviation and in some places a decrease in the rate of deforestation. Although some community based forests do not satisfy the IUCN definition of a protected areas, they provide valuable long term sustainability of forest products and many are also rich in biodiversity and support landscape conservation strategies. Forests are also home to many cultures including the indigenous people. Indigenous communities surrounding forest areas and other …

Greater Sage-Grouse Seasonal Habitat Models, Response To Juniper Reduction And Effects Of Capture Behavior On Vital Rates, In Northwest Utah, Avery Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) is a species of conservation concern in Utah and across their range throughout the western US and southern Canada. Sage-grouse decline is primarily a result of declines in sagebrush habitat on which sage-grouse depend for winter, summer, nesting, and brood habitat. Detailed site-specific knowledge of sage-grouse ecology and distribution in needed to effectively conserve the species. To expand knowledge of local populations within the West Box Elder Sage Grouse Management Area (SGMA) in NW Utah and gain insights into the effectiveness of vegetation treatments intended to benefit sage-grouse, I radio marked and …

Site-Based And Nonsite Archaeological Survey: A Comparison Of Two Survey Methods In The City Of Rocks, Idaho, Patrick Reed Mcdonald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Archaeology in the western United States frequently employs pedestrian survey of the ground surface to locate and identify archaeological sites. Proponents of alternative survey techniques suggest that site-based survey may be inherently flawed and will not accurately detect, document, or account for artifacts located outside of site boundaries. Site-based survey identifies artifacts, and then searches the area more intensively in an attempt to identify a spatial break in artifact presence. Nonsite approaches utilize point plotting of all discovered artifacts in order to quantitatively identify relationships between artifacts. Quantitative analysis removes a level of researcher bias from the interpretation of past …

Analysis Of Anacardic Acid On The Surface Of Pelargonium × Hortorum Using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorptoin Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging., Bryan Edward Wessel 1989-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The biosynthetic pathway leading to the production of anacardic acids (AnAcs) in glandular trichomes on the surface of geranium plants remains unclear. Anacardic acids are salicylic acid derivatives known to possess various medicinal benefits. Gene silencing techniques, such as RNA interference, could be useful in determining specific enzymes involved in the synthesis of AnAcs. However, it is first necessary to develop methodologies to image AnAcs. In this project, both fluorescence (FL) and mass spectral imaging (MSI) were tested. Our results indicate that cellular imaging of AnAcs, via FL, is not suitable because the spectral ranges of absorption and emission of …

Fabrication Of Multibore Carbon Nanopipettes Using A Template-Based Nanomanufacturing Process, Ayomipo Arowosola

Theses

Currently, cancer accounts for nearly 1 of every 4 deaths in the United States which rates it as the second most common cause of death in the US, exceeded only by heart diseases. The detection, prevention and treatment of these death-causing diseases have necessitated and led to the development of novel tools for interfacing with single live cells –intracellular cell physiology. A major challenge, preventing the realization of effective and efficient intracellular physiology, is the lack of minimally invasive, nanoscale electrodes capable of probing cells without causing cell damage or death. Previous studies have succeeded in fabricating single nanoscale electrodes …

Umcur 2015 Program Pdf

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The original program includes the general schedule as well as individual poster and presentation schedules and abstracts.

Targeting Human Central Nervous System Protein Kinases: An Isoform Selective P38Αmapk Inhibitor That Attenuates Disease Progression In Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Models, Saktimayee M. Roy, Valerie L. Grum-Tokars, James P. Schavocky, Faisal Saeed, Agnieszka Staniszewski, Andrew F. Teich, Ottavio Arancio, Adam D. Bachstetter, Scott J. Webster, Linda J. Van Eldik, George Minasov, Wayne F. Anderson, Jeffrey C. Pelletier, D. Martin Watterson

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

The first kinase inhibitor drug approval in 2001 initiated a remarkable decade of tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs for oncology indications, but a void exists for serine/threonine protein kinase inhibitor drugs and central nervous system indications. Stress kinases are of special interest in neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders due to their involvement in synaptic dysfunction and complex disease susceptibility. Clinical and preclinical evidence implicates the stress related kinase p38αMAPK as a potential neurotherapeutic target, but isoform selective p38αMAPK inhibitor candidates are lacking and the mixed kinase inhibitor drugs that are promising in peripheral tissue disease indications have limitations for neurologic indications. Therefore, …

Filamin A Phosphorylation By Akt Promotes Cell Migration In Response To Arsenic, Lingzhi Li, Yongju Lu, Paul M. Stemmer, Fei Chen

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

We had previously reported that trivalent arsenic (As³⁺), a well-known environmental carcinogen, induces phosphorylation of several putative Akt substrates. In the present report, we characterized one of these substrates by immunoprecipitation and proteomics analysis. The results indicate that a cytoskeleton remodeling protein, filamin A, with a molecular weight around 280 kDa, is phosphorylated by Akt in HEK-293 cells treated with As³⁺, which was also confirmed in human bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B cells. Additional biochemical and biological studies revealed that serine 2152 (S2152) of filamin A is phosphorylated by activated Akt in the cells treated with …

Magnetic Manipulation And Multimodal Imaging For Single Cell Direct Mechanosensing, Robert L. Wilson

Open Access Theses

The study of internal mechanics of single cells is paramount to understand mechanisms of mechanoregulation. External loading and cell-mediated force generation result in changes in cell shape, rheology, and the deformation of subcellular structures such as the nucleus. Moreover, alterations in the processes that regulate these responses have been further correlated to specific pathologies. Cellular deformation is often studied through application of forces in the environment of the cell, relying on strain and stress transfer through focal adhesions and the cytoskeletal system. However, the transfer of these external forces to internal mechanics can introduce uncertainties in the interpretation of subcellular …

Distinguishing The Neches River Rose Mallow, Hibiscus Dasycalyx, From Its Congeners Using Dna Sequence Data And Niche Modeling Methods, Melody P. Sain

Biology Theses

The accurate identification of species that are in need of protection is one of the most essential challenges of conservation biology (Lovich and Gibbons, 1997). When deciding if a species needs conservation protection, there are two main scientific concerns that must be addressed: (1) determining if the taxonomic standing of the target species is upheld (i.e., if it is a real, rare species) and (2) deciding where the target species occurs or is likely to occur. In this study we used an integrative approach combining ecological niche modeling and molecular genetics to understand the taxonomy of a federally threatened Hibiscus …

Exploring The Physiological Role Of Vibrio Fischeri Pepn, Sally L. Cello

Master's Theses

The primary contributor to Vibrio fischeri aminopeptidase activity is aminopeptidase N, PepN. Colonization assays revealed the pepN mutant strain to be deficient at forming dense aggregates and populating the host’s light organ compared to wildtype within the first 12 hours of colonization; however the mutant competed normally at 24 hours. To address the role of PepN in colonization initiation and establish additional phenotypes for the pepN mutant strain, stress response and other physiological assays were employed. Marked differences were found between pepN mutant and wildtype strain in response to salinity, acidity, and antibiotic tolerance. This study has provided a foundation …

Identification Of A New Fatty Acid Catabolic Pathway During Heterotrophic Growth In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Clayton Mccuiston

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

A Reproducible Approach To High-Throughput Biological Data Acquisition And Integration, Daniela Börnigen, Yo Sup Moon, Gholamali Rahnavard, Levi Waldron, Lauren Mciver, Afrah Shafquat, Eric A. Franzosa, Larissa Miropolsky, Christopher Sweeney, Xochitl C. Morgan, Wendy S. Garrett, Curtis Huttenhower

Publications and Research

Modern biological research requires rapid, complex, and reproducible integration of multiple experimental results generated both internally and externally (e.g., from public repositories). Although large systematic meta-analyses are among the most effective approaches both for clinical biomarker discovery and for computational inference of biomolecular mechanisms, identifying, acquiring, and integrating relevant experimental results from multiple sources for a given study can be time-consuming and error-prone. To enable efficient and reproducible integration of diverse experimental results, we developed a novel approach for standardized acquisition and analysis of high-throughput and heterogeneous biological data. This allowed, first, novel biomolecular network reconstruction in human prostate cancer, …

2015 Community Of Scholars Day, Lesley University

Community of Scholars Day—Programs

Session schedule for Community of Scholars Day 2015 - "Together We Are Lesley University." Event took place March 26, 2015.

Inhibition Of Shp2/Ptpn11 Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase By Nsc-87877, Nsc-117199 And Their Analogs, Jie Wu, Nicholas J. Lawrence, Said M. Sebti, Harshani R. Lawrence

USF Patents

Compounds and associated methods for inhibiting a protein tyrosine phosphatase. By a combination of experimental and virtual screenings of the NCI Diversity Set chemical library, NSC-87877 and NSC-117199 have been identified as Shp2 PTP inhibitors. Significantly, NSC-87877 is active in cell-based assays and has no detectable off-target effects in the EGF-stimulated Erk 1/2 activation pathway. Additionally, a number of analogs of NSC-117199 have been produced. These analogs exhibit enhanced protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibition and are found to be potent and/or selective inhibitors of Shp1 and/or Shp2 protein tyrosine phosphatases.

Mentoring Undergraduates Via Organic Synthesis, Steven L. Castle

Journal of Undergraduate Research

This report summarizes the results that were generated under the auspices of the mentoring environment in my laboratory from January 2013 to the present. A total of eight undergraduates participated in the mentoring environment during this period.

Applying Gps And Accelerometers To The Study Of African Savanna (Loxodonta Africana) And Asian Elephant (Elephas Maximus) Welfare In Zoos, Matthew Robert Holdgate

Dissertations and Theses

African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are a focus of welfare research in zoos due to their high intelligence, complex social structure, and sheer size. Due to these challenges, some argue that zoos are inherently incapable of providing appropriate care for elephants, while others believe that zoos can fulfill the needs of these species with improved husbandry. There is a general consensus from both within and outside of zoos, however, that zoos must improve their elephant programs or cease exhibiting these animals altogether. Now more than ever, applied research on zoo elephant welfare is needed to …

P-06 The Transgenerational Effect Of Substance Use Between Students, Parents & Grandparents, Subira Brown

Honors Scholars & Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium Programs

Using a survey conducted among college students at Andrews University, this study focused on substance use and sexual behaviors of students and the presence of familial substance use problems. Analysis indicated a significant association between substance use problems of fathers and their children’s substance use. There was a stronger statistical association between father’s substance use problems and male children’s alcohol use. In addition there was a significant relationship between grandparents substance use and youth sexual behavior for both genders. There is a need for further analysis of the study.

Linear Models For S-Shaped Growth Curves, Alok Kumar Shukla, Subhash Kumar Yadav, Vishwas Tiwari

Journal of Statistics Applications & Probability

The S-shaped or sigmoidal models have two important members as Logistic model and Gompertz model. These models are very useful in studies of medical science, actuarial science and biological sciences. The proposed linear models are the alternative of Logistic model and Gompertz model respectively. Linear models satisfy the property of best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) and removed the problem of nonlinear least squares estimation mentioned by Ratkowsky (1983, 1989) and Bates & Watts (1980). The goodness of fit for the proposed linear models have been verified with the help of several published data sets.

Inference Of Progressively Censored Data From The Generalized Exponential Distribution, M. A. W. Mahmoud, N. M. Yhiea, M. Moshref, N. M. Mohamed

Journal of Statistics Applications & Probability

In this paper, we derive approximate moments of progressively type-II right censored order statistics from the generalized exponential distribution . Also, using these moments to derive the best linear unbiased estimates and maximum likelihood estimates of the location and scale parameters from the generalized exponential distribution. In addition, we use Monte-Carlo simulation method to obtain the mean square error of the best linear unbiased estimates and maximum likelihood estimates and make comparison between them. Finally, we will present numerical example to illustrate the inference procedures developed in this distribution.

Blood Money: The Commodification Of Menstrual Education In The United States, Meghan Radosevic

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

girl’s first menstrual cycle is often considered the first step of the seemingly ritualistic passage into womanhood. However, most girls within the United States who experience menarche fail to view it as a rite of passage, and instead see it as an event they must endure rather than celebrate. Menstruation is a mystifying process for young girls, and the mystification is intensified through the lack of open conversations between pre- and post-menarcheal females. While pedagogical strategies in period education have evolved over time, the one constant within menstrual education is silence. This thesis aims to write into the silence surrounding …

March 2015 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Belief About Nicotine Selectively Modulates Value And Reward Prediction Error Signals In Smokers, Xiaosi Gu, Terry Lohrenz, Ramiro Salas, Philip R. Baldwin, Alireza Soltani

Dartmouth Scholarship

Little is known about how prior beliefs impact biophysically described processes in the presence of neuroactive drugs, which presents a profound challenge to the understanding of the mechanisms and treatments of addiction. We engineered smokers' prior beliefs about the presence of nicotine in a cigarette smoked before a functional magnetic resonance imaging session where subjects carried out a sequential choice task. Using a model-based approach, we show that smokers' beliefs about nicotine specifically modulated learning signals (value and reward prediction error) defined by a computational model of mesolimbic dopamine systems. Belief of "no nicotine in cigarette" (compared with "nicotine in …