Digital Commons Network^™

Caffeine And Progression Of Parkinson Disease: A Deleterious Interaction With Creatine., David K. Simon, Cai Wu, Barbara C. Tilley, Anne-Marie Wills, Michael J. Aminoff, Jacquelyn Bainbridge, Robert A. Hauser, Jay S. Schneider, Saloni Sharma, Carlos Singer, Caroline M. Tanner, Daniel Truong, Pei Shieen Wong

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Increased caffeine intake is associated with a lower risk of Parkinson disease (PD) and is neuroprotective in mouse models of PD. However, in a previous study, an exploratory analysis suggested that, in patients taking creatine, caffeine intake was associated with a faster rate of progression. In the current study, we investigated the association of caffeine with the rate of progression of PD and the interaction of this association with creatine intake.

METHODS: Data were analyzed from a large phase 3 placebo-controlled clinical study of creatine as a potentially disease-modifying agent in PD. Subjects were recruited for this study from …

Vibrational Spectroscopic Studies To Elucidate The Structure Of Water At Biological Interfaces, Bahar Bahrani, Luke O'Neill, Hugh Byrne

Articles

In biological systems, water takes up to 80% of the volume inside a cell. This water solubilizes the biological macromolecules such as the DNA, proteins and lipids. Recent advancements have shown that the water at the interface of a lipid membrane is structured, as five layers of structured water have been found at this solvent cage. Steady state Raman spectroscopy of water in lipids was performed in an attempt to elucidate the structure of water at the biological interface. Deuterium oxide (heavy water) was employed to hydrate lipid biomolecules. The heavier deuterium atom shifts the molecular vibrations and renders them …

Using Life History Trade-Offs To Understand Core-Transient Structuring Of A Small Mammal Community, Sarah R. Supp, David N. Koons, S.K. Morgan Ernest

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

An emerging conceptual framework suggests that communities are composed of two main groups of species through time: core species that are temporally persistent, and transient species that are temporally intermittent. Core and transient species have been shown to differ in spatiotemporal turnover, diversity patterns, and importantly, survival strategies targeted at local versus regional habitat use. While the core-transient framework has typically been a site-specific designation for species, we suggest that if core and transient species have local versus regional survival strategies across sites, and consistently differ in population-level spatial structure and gene flow, they may also typically exhibit different life-history …

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors To Treat Municipal Wastewater At Ambient Temperatures, Matthew D. Seib

Dissertations (1934 -)

Anaerobic biotechnology is viewed as a sustainable alternative to aerobic biotechnology for municipal wastewater recovery. However, anaerobic processes have not been successful in cold climates. Past examples have not been able to meet low organic effluent concentrations, or have failed due to biomass washout resulting from low temperature operation and short hydraulic residence time. Recently, the anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) has been shown to achieve low effluent organic concentrations and maintain stable anaerobic biomass. However, shortcomings have included high energy demands for membrane operation and poor understanding of microbial community structures within AnMBRs. This dissertation describes efforts to improve AnMBRs …

Mixed Valent Metal Pincer Complexes And Reactivity Of Metal Complexes Of Extended Pincer Ligands, Jeewantha Sampath Hewage

Dissertations (1934 -)

Historically, the study of mixed valence complexes has been critical for advancing our understanding of electron transfer processes in biological and abiological systems. The recent use of mixed valence complexes in electrochromic materials, and the promise of their use in future technological or molecular electronic applications, has spurred further interest in this class of compound. Previous studies by our research group have shown that gallium(III) or tricarbonylrhenium(I) complexes of pincer-type ligands with diarylamido anchors and either pyrazol-1-yl (pz) or diarylphosphino (PAr2) flanking donors are electroactive species with quasi reversible ligand-centered oxidations. Moreover, the one-electron oxidized derivative with pz flankers, [Ga(L)(L+)]2+ …

The Word Became Flesh: An Exploratory Essay On Jesus’S Particularity And Nonhuman Animals, Andy Alexis-Baker

Dissertations (1934 -)

In this exploratory work I argue that Jesus’s particularity as a Jewish, male human is essential for developing Christian theology about nonhuman animals. The Gospel of John says that the Word became “flesh” not that the Word became “human.” By using flesh, John’s Gospel connects the Incarnation to the Jewish notion of all animals. The Gospel almost always uses flesh in a wider sense than meaning human. The Bread of Life discourse makes this explicit when Jesus compares his flesh to “meat,” offending his hearers because they see themselves as above other animals. Other animals are killable and consumable; humans …

S-Nitrosothiols: Electronic Structure And Substituent Effects, Matthew Flister

Dissertations (1934 -)

S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are biologically important molecules involved in the storage and transport of nitric oxide (NO) and account for much of its signaling activity in living organisms. RSNOs have significant impact on NO signaling through, S-nitrosation, a major post-translational modification of proteins. These unstable thiol derivatives readily undergo homolytic dissociation of the S–N bond to release NO. RSNOs have potential therapeutic applications as NO donors, although the development of novel RSNOs has been slow due to the complex electronic structure of the –SNO group. A specific focus on the impact of the –R group on RSNO properties via substituent effect …

Ligand Frameworks For Transition-Metal Complexes That Model Metalloenzyme Active, Denan Wang

Dissertations (1934 -)

Advances in the field of biomimetic inorganic chemistry require the design of sophisticated ligand frameworks that reflect the amazing complexity of metalloenzyme active sites. For instance, most active sites feature extensive hydrogen-bonding interactions between ligands bound to the metal center (the “first” coordination sphere) and nearby units in the outer (or “second”) sphere. Since these interactions modify the structural and electronic properties of the active sites, a number of inorganic chemists have sought to design ligands that permit outer-sphere functional groups to interact with first-sphere donors. This dissertation describes our contribution to these broader efforts to model the second coordination …

A Neurobiological Pathway That Mediates Stress-Induced Drug Use, Oliver Vranjkovic

Dissertations (1934 -)

Cocaine addiction represents a tremendous health and financial burden on our society and the high rate of relapse to cocaine use in abstinent addicts represents a major barrier to effective therapy. Thus, understanding the factors that contribute to relapse and the underlying neurobiological processes is important for guiding the development of treatment for addiction. Stressful life events often trigger drug use in recovering addicts. The contribution of stress to drug use is problematic due to the unpredictable and often uncontrollable nature of stress. A growing literature indicates that norepinephrine and corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in the brain play key roles …

Biomechanical Characerization And Evaluation Of Conservative Clubfoot Correction, Tamara Loren Cohen

Dissertations (1934 -)

Congential talipes equinovarus, or clubfoot, affects approximately 200,000 newborns worldwide each year and presents with equinovarus of the hindfoot, as well as cavus and adduction of the midfoot. In addition to bone malformation and displacement, soft tissue contractures encapsulate the medial and posterior aspects of the affected foot. The Ponseti method is a conservative treatment that progressively repositions the clubfoot through weekly casting, followed by bracing. Concerns exist regarding the variability in outcomes, resistance to treatment, and risk of relapse, which occur in approximately 10% of the population. Potential factors contributing to variability and resistant clubfoot include cast material performance, …

The Effect Of International Adoption As An Orphan Care Method In Uganda, Amy N. Bergey

Selected Honors Theses

International adoption has been gaining popularity since the end of the twentieth century (Selman, 2002). Throughout this increase in international adoptions, the focus has drifted away from its original goal of providing homes that are in the best interest of the children (Graff, 2008). It has become more common for international adoption agencies to conduct international adoptions as a profitable business strategy, as international adoptive parents pay an average of $40,000 for a child (MGLSD, 2012; Graff, 2008). While this is not always the case, corruption is prevalent in the system and can endanger children to trafficking and illegal adoptions …

Self-Compassion As A Predictor Of Loneliness: The Relationship Between Self-Evaluation Processes And Perceptions Of Social Connection, Taylor A. Lyon

Selected Honors Theses

Loneliness is a common and painful experience related to a multitude of negative health outcomes. The current study examined the relationship between measures of self-compassion and measures of loneliness in order to explore whether a self-compassionate mindset might alleviate feelings of social isolation. Because prior research has indicated a relationship between self-evaluation processes and perceptions of social connectedness, the study was conducted with the hypothesis that there would be a negative correlation between self-compassion and loneliness constructs. The sample consisted of 198 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 25 at a small Christian university in the Southeast U. …

What Can Inactivity (In Its Various Forms) Reveal About Affective States In Non-Human Animals? A Review, C Fureix, Rk Meagher

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Captive/domestic animals are often described as inactive, with the implicit or explicit implication that this high level of inactivity is a welfare problem. Conversely, not being inactive enough may also indicate or cause poor welfare. In humans, too much inactivity can certainly be associated with either negative or positive affective states. In non-human animals, however, the affective states associated with elevated or suppressed levels of inactivity are still not well understood. Part of the complexity is due to the fact that there are many different forms of inactivity, each likely associated with very different affective states. This paper has two …

Role Of Annexin A6 In Cancer (Review), Houbao Qi, Shuqing Liu, Chunmei Guo, Jiasheng Wang, Frederick T. Greenaway, Ming Zhong Sun

Chemistry

Annexin A6 (AnxA6) is a member of a conserved superfamily of Ca2+-dependent membrane-binding annexin proteins. It participates in membrane and cytoskeleton organization, cholesterol homeostasis, membrane trafficking, cell adhesion and signal transduction. The expression levels of AnxA6 are closely associated with melanoma, cervical cancer, epithelial carcinoma, breast cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, large-cell lymphoma and myeloma. AnxA6 exhibits dual functions in cancer, acting either as a tumor suppressor or promoter, depending on the type of cancer and the degree of malignancy. In several types of cancer, AnxA6 acts via Ras, Ras/MAPK and/or FAK/PI3K signaling pathways …

Increased Expression Of Napdh Oxidase 4 In Systemic Sclerosis Dermal Fibroblasts: Regulation By Transforming Growth Factor Β., Sonsoles Piera-Velazquez, Alma Makul, Sergio A. Jimenez

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by severe and often progressive fibrosis of the skin and multiple internal organs. The mechanisms responsible for these alterations remain obscure, although excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated oxidative stress has been implicated. NOX-4 is 1 of 7 isoforms of NADPH oxidase responsible for the generation of ROS. The purpose of this study was to examine NOX-4 expression in skin and cultured dermal fibroblasts from SSc patients and to examine its regulation by transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1).

METHODS: NOX-4 was assessed in normal and SSc skin by immunohistologic analysis and in normal and SSc …

Rose Stem Girdler [Agrilus Cuprescens], Diane Alston

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides information on the rose stem girdler, a common cane-boring beetle of raspberry and blackberry plants in northern Utah. It includes a description, host plants, life history, monitoring and thresholds, and management strategies.

Soil Moisture Measurement And Sensors For Irrigation Management, Tiffany Maughan, L. Niel Allen, Dan Drost

All Current Publications

This fact sheet introduces several soil water monitoring options that, when used correctly, can help growers avoid over and under watering.

Collection Procedure For Submitting Pcr Samples To Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory For Avian Influenza Testing In Turkeys, Chickens, And Game Birds, David D. Frame, Arnaud Van Wettere

All Current Publications

This fact sheets gives information on collecting procedures for PCR samples to be sent to the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, for avian influenza testing of turkeys, chickens, and game birds. It includes needed supplies, how to collect samples, and how to ship the samples.

19th Annual Scientific Meeting Of The Institute Of Cardiovascular Science And Medicine And The 10th Across The Strait Scientific Conference On Cardiovascular Science

Journal of the Hong Kong College of Cardiology

No abstract provided.

Efficacy Of Oral Anticoagulation In Stroke Prevention Among Sinus-Rhythm Patients Who Lack Left Atrial Mechanical Contraction After Cryoablation, José Martínez-Comendador, Javier Gualis, José Miguel Marcos-Vidal, Jonnatan Buber, Carlos Esteban Martín, Jesús Gomez-Plana, Miguel Angel Rodríguez, Ignacio Iglesias-Garriz, David Alonso, Carlos Soria, Eva Higuera Miguélez, Mario Castaño

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

The customary recommendation is that oral anticoagulation be withdrawn a few months after cryoablation for atrial fibrillation, independently of left atrial mechanical contraction in patients in sinus rhythm. Recently, a 5-fold increase in stroke has been described in sinus-rhythm patients who lack atrial mechanical contraction. One aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral anticoagulation in preventing postoperative stroke in such patients.

This prospective study divided 154 sinus-rhythm patients into 2 groups, depending on the presence (108 patients) or absence (46 patients) of left atrial mechanical contraction at 6 months after surgery, and monitored them annually for …

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

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Cissus Quadrangularis Linn. Stem Ethanolic Extract Liberates Reactive Oxygen Species And Induces Mitochondria Mediated Apoptosis In Kb Cells, Saba Sheikh, Sahabjada Siddiqui, Anupam Dhasmana, Ejazul Haque, Mohammed Kamil, Mohtashim Lohani, Mohammad Arshad, Snober Shabnam Mir

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Cissus quadrangularis Linn. (CQ) commonly known as Hadjod (Family: Vitaceae) is usually distributed in India and Sri Lanka and contains several bioactive compounds responsible for various metabolic and physiologic effects.

Objective: In this study, the biological effects of CQ ethanolic extract were evaluated by in vitro and supported by in silico analysis on KB oral epidermoid cancer cell line.

Materials and methods: Anti-cancer potential of ethanolic extract of CQ stem against KB oral epidermoid cancer cells was evaluated in terms of morphological analysis, nuclei staining, liberation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and …

Differential Expression Of The Chemosensory Transcriptome In Two Populations Of The Stemborer Sesamia Nonagrioides, Nicolas Glaser, Aurore Gallot, Fabrice Legeai, Myriam Harry, Laure Kaiser, Bruno Le Ru, Paul André Calatayud, Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Among the proposed mechanisms of local adaptation to different ecological environments, transcriptional changes may play an important role. In this study, we investigated whether such variability occurred within the chemosensory organs of a herbivorous insect, for which chemosensation guides most of its host preferences. A European and an African population of the noctuid Sesamia nonagrioides that display significant differences in their ecological preferences were collected on Zea mays and Typha domingensis, respectively. RNAseq were used between the two populations for digital expression profiling of chemosensory organs from larval antennae and palps. Preliminary data on adult female antennae and ovipositors were …

Quantifying Cross-Scatter Contamination In Biplane Fluoroscopy Motion Analysis Systems, Janelle A. Cross, Ben Mchenry, Taly Gilat-Schmidt

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Biplane fluoroscopy is used for dynamic in vivo three-dimensional motion analysis of various joints of the body. Cross-scatter between the two fluoroscopy systems may limit tracking accuracy. This study measured the magnitude and effects of cross-scatter in biplane fluoroscopic images. Four cylindrical phantoms of 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-in. diameter were imaged at varying kVp levels to determine the cross-scatter fraction and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Monte Carlo simulations quantified the effect of the gantry angle on the cross-scatter fraction. A cadaver foot with implanted beads was also imaged. The effect of cross-scatter on marker-based tracking accuracy was investigated. Results demonstrated …

When Biopharma Meets Software: Bioinformatics At The Patent Office, Saurabh Vishnubhakat, Arti K. Rai

Faculty Scholarship

Scholars have spilled much ink questioning patent quality. Complaints encompass concern about incoming applications, examination by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), and the USPTO’s ultimate output. The literature and some empirical data also suggest, however, that applications, examination, and output may differ considerably based on technology. Most notably, although definitions of patent quality are contested, quality in the biopharmaceutical industry is often considered substantially higher than that in information and communications technology (ICT) industries.

This Article presents the first empirical examination of what happens when the two fields are combined. Specifically, it analyzes the creation and early history …

Examining The Sources Of Teacher Efficacy And How The Context Of Teaching Contributes To Teacher Efficacy, Leah Selbie

Theses and Dissertations

Early education researchers posited that a student’s background was the primary factor in academic achievement and there was little that teachers could do to overcome this source (Coleman, Campbell, Hobson, McPartland, Mood, Winefield & York, 1966). In response to this bleak outlook in education, researchers have searched for factors that can make a difference in student achievement, regardless of home environment. Selfefficacy, which “refers to beliefs in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments,” (Bandura, 1997, p. 3), has been an important concept in educational research for teachers (Pajares, 1992). Schacter and …

Farm-To-Hospital Research Findings Point To Opportunities For Extension, Brian Raison

Journal of Extension

Extension has a history of local foods programming around farm to institution. But connections with hospitals, an industry sector with significant potential for increased local food purchasing, appear limited. Hospital outreach could provide inroads for patient and employee education around healthy eating. But does Extension know how to engage healthcare foodservice? Do hospital foodservice directors have knowledge of Extension? This article focuses on intersections at which Extension can approach hospitals to help improve health and the economy through local foods. It is based on findings excerpted from a comprehensive Ohio hospital foodservice director study (n=155) conducted in late 2014.

Kinematics And Hydrodynamics Of Cephalopod Turning Performance In Routine Swimming And Predatory Attacks, Rachel A. Jastrebsky

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Steady rectilinear swimming has received considerable attention in aquatic animal locomotion studies. Unsteady swimming movements, however, represent a large portion of many aquatic animals’ locomotive repertoire and have not been examined extensively. This study incorporates kinematic analyses of routine turning performance of brief squid Lolliguncula brevis and dwarf cuttlefish Sepia bandensis (Chapter 2), 3D velocimetry techniques to examine hydrodynamic turning performance of L. brevis (Chapter 3) and kinematic analyses of turning performance of L. brevis during predatory attacks on shrimp and fish prey (Chapter 4).

Both L. brevis and S. bandensis demonstrated high maneuverability, having the lowest measures of length-specific …

Groundwater Thresholds For Root Decomposition And The Relation To Barrier Island Ecological State Changes, Matthew Lee Smith

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Barrier islands off the eastern shore of Virginia exhibit distinct habitats that abruptly transition between periodically brackish/freshwater marshes, wooded swales, and sparsely vegetated dunes. There is strong evidence that the plant communities and ecosystem processes occurring in each habitat are primarily influenced by nutrient availability and the distance between two of the three free surfaces: land and freshwater. At the Virginia Coast Reserve-Long Term Ecological Research Site in Virginia, USA, thresholds to belowground decomposition rates were identified by measuring decay of native roots and rhizomes at 32 elevations in relation to mean annual groundwater levels (-0.356 – 1.937 m). Negative …

Dna Repair Deficiency In Huntington's Disease Fibroblasts And Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Peter Anthony Mollica

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Mutant huntingtin protein (mhtt)– the protein responsible for cellular dysfunction in Huntington’s disease (HD) –is a product of an expanded trinucleotide repeat (TNR) cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) sequence in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The pathology of HD has been extensively researched; however, the mechanism by which the disease-causing TNR expansions occur in somatic cells remains elusive. Interestingly, HD has often been referred to a ‘DNA repair disease’, even though DNA repair dysfunction in situ has not been identified. We hypothesized that presence of the mhtt protein affects the expression of DNA repair genes used to address DNA repair, ultimately …