Digital Commons Network^™

Characterization Of The Replication Of Coxsackievirus B3 With A Mutationally Disrupted Cre(2c) And The Use Of Creatinine-Hydrochloride As An Antibacterial Agent, Shane E. Smithee

Theses & Dissertations

Following natural or experimental infection, and in cell culture, coxsackie B virus (CVB) RNA can persist for weeks in the absence of CPE yet with detectable viral RNA. Earlier studies in our laboratory demonstrated that this persistence produced viral RNA with up to 49 nucleotide deletions at the 5’ genomic terminus, partially degrading the cloverleaf (or domain I), an RNA structure that is required for efficient viral replication. A cis-acting replication element (CRE) in the 2C protein coding region [CRE(2C)] templates the addition of two uridine residues to the virus-encoded RNA replication primer, VPg, prior to genomic replication. Because …

Role Of The C-Terminus Of The Catalytic Subunit Of Translesion Synthesis Polymerase Ζ (Zeta) In Uv-Induced Mutagensis, Hollie M. Siebler

Theses & Dissertations

Cellular DNA is under constant attack by endogenous and exogenous DNA damaging agents that threaten genome integrity. Unrepaired DNA lesions often stall replicative DNA polymerases and are bypassed by translesion synthesis (TLS) to prevent replication fork collapse. TLS mechanisms are lesion- and species-specific, with prominent roles of specialized DNA polymerases with relaxed active sites. After incorporation of nucleotide(s) across from the lesion, the distorted primer termini are typically extended by DNA polymerase ζ (Pol ζ). As a result, Pol ζ is responsible for most DNA damage-induced mutations. Mechanisms of sequential polymerase switches and regulation of Pol ζ access to DNA …

Characteristics Of Exocytosis And Endocytosis In Photoreceptors, Karlene M. Cork

Theses & Dissertations

Photoreceptors signal changes in light intensity to downstream retinal neurons through the exocytosis of glutamate-containing synaptic vesicles. The maintenance of the vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis process is essential for ongoing synaptic signaling. This study investigated the properties of exocytosis and endocytosis in photoreceptors and their role in ongoing neurotransmission.

I used electrophysiology and imaging techniques to study the properties of vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis in photoreceptors. First, we examined baseline release in photoreceptors that occurs in the absence of depolarizing stimulation. We measured mEPSCs in whole cell patch clamp recordings from horizontal cells. After inhibiting Ca²⁺ influx and efflux …

Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Many health disparities among individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are due to obesity-associated diseases. Several causes of obesity have been discovered, but few risk factors are known. In the general public, low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with obesity.

Objective: Examine the relationship between SES and body mass index (BMI) among people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Design: A secondary analysis of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys dataset. The psychiatric group (N=480) included individuals with symptoms of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Those reporting no symptoms were controls (N=5,161). Childhood SES variables included mother and father education and profession, …

Characterization And Target Identification Of Non-Toxic Ikkβ Inhibitors For Anticancer Therapy, Elizabeth Blowers

Theses & Dissertations

IKKβ is a key kinase in the canonical NF-κB pathway. Transient activation of IKKβ is required for normal immune response while sustained activation has been implicated in cancer. To date, no IKKβ inhibitor has been approved for clinical use as a chemotherapeutic, likely due to unexpected toxicities associated with blocking the transient activation of IKKβ. We hypothesized that an IKKβ inhibitor that allows transient activation of IKKβ, but not sustained activation of IKKβ, could inhibit cancer growth without inducing toxicity.

As such, we identified a small molecule inhibitor, 13-197, that allows the transient activation of IKKβ but not the sustained …

Development Of Hypoxia Trapping Enhanced Bb2r-Targeted Radiopharmaceutics For Prostate Cancer, Zhengyuan Zhou

Theses & Dissertations

The Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor (BB2r) has been investigated as a diagnostic and therapeutic target for prostate and other cancers due to the high expression level on neoplastic relative to normal tissues. A variety of BB2r-targeted agents have been developed utilizing the bombesin(BBN) peptide, which has shown nanomolar binding affinity to human BB2r. However, as with most of the low-molecular weight, receptor-targeted drugs, a major challenge to clinical translation of BB2r-targeted agents is the low retention at the tumor site due to intrinsically high diffusion and efflux rates. Our laboratory seeks to address this deficiency by developing synthetic approaches to selectively …

Occupational Exposure To Isoflurane Anesthetic Gas In The Research Environment, Andrea R. Mulvenon

Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation is a compilation of studies related to the halogenated anesthetic gas isoflurane. Historically, halogenated anesthetic gases have been used in the health care industry. In 1977 the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued a recommended exposure limit (REL) of two parts per million (ppm) averaged over one hour of exposure for halogenated anesthetic gases (NIOSH 1977). The purpose of the standard was to protect healthcare workers from exposure to halothane, methoxyflurane, and chloroform. However, isoflurane only became available after the NIOSH REL was adopted. Therefore, the NIOSH REL is not directly applicable to isoflurane. Moreover, …

Association Between Adverse Events In Childhood And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: People with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die significantly earlier than members of the general public (16-18 years and 12-13 years, respectively). Diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke account for much of this discrepancy. People with mental illness often have difficulty losing weight despite intensive interventions. As a result, nurses caring for patients with mental illness need to monitor their weight diligently and implement individualized interventions to promote achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Because intensive interventions come with some risk and expense, programs must target individuals with the most potential to develop obesity. In …

Role Of Redox-Sensitive Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Lla In Angiotensin Ii Intra-Neuronal Signaling And Angiotensin Ll-Mediated Hypertension, Urmi Basu

Theses & Dissertations

Activation of renin-angiotensin system and elevated levels of circulating and brain angiotensin II (AngII) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuro-cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension and heart failure. In central neurons AngII increases generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which in turn regulates neuronal ion channels. Previous studies have demonstrated that ion channels can also be regulated by protein kinases, such as calcium /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) as a downstream mediator of AngII signaling. In the heart, CaMKIIδ undergoes oxidation upon AngII stimulation and increased pro-oxidant conditions. However, the exact mechanism by which AngII and ROS regulate CaMKIIα, …

Roles Of Serum Lycopene In The Prevalence And Mortality Of Metabolic Syndrome In The Adult Population, Guang-Ming Han

Theses & Dissertations

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic disorders, including increased fasting glucose, blood pressure, plasma triglyceride, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and abdominal obesity. It leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The growing prevalence of MetS is strongly related to the increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity. As an antioxidant, lycopene can reduce the risk of MetS. However, it is unclear whether lycopene has similar effects among overweight/obese individuals and whether lycopene can reduce the risk of mortality among individuals with MetS. The purpose of this study was to explore the roles of lycopene in the prevalence and …

Performance Analysis And Evaluation Of Divisible Load Theory And Dynamic Loop Scheduling Algorithms In Parallel And Distributed Environments, Mahadevan Balasubramaniam

Theses and Dissertations

High performance parallel and distributed computing systems are used to solve large, complex, and data parallel scientific applications that require enormous computational power. Data parallel workloads which require performing similar operations on different data objects, are present in a large number of scientific applications, such as N-body simulations and Monte Carlo simulations, and are expressed in the form of loops. Data parallel workloads that lack precedence constraints are called arbitrarily divisible workloads, and are amenable to easy parallelization. Load imbalance that arise from various sources such as application, algorithmic, and systemic characteristics during the execution of scientific applications degrades performance. …

Protein Therapy For The Treatment Of Vascular Calcification In Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease, Janice L. Cunningham

Theses and Dissertations

Premature death from cardiovascular disease is especially high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Vascular calcification is a potent risk factor for developing cardiac-related morbidity and mortality and is especially prominent within the CKD population. Deficiencies in serum levels of fetuin-A as well as inadequate production of matrix Gla protein (MGP) correlate inversely with the extent of vascular calcification and time spent on dialysis. Fetuin-A is a well-known systematic regulator of bone metabolism and MGP is a local antagonist of bone forming proteins. To meet the clinical need of at-risk patients prone to cardiac-related mortality. We propose a targeted …

Investigations Of The Stability Of Pyrolysis Oil During High Temperature Treatment, Laibao Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Pyrolysis oil is produced from biomass when a feedstock is rapidly heated in a non-oxidizing environment during a short residence time. While pyrolysis oil is inexpensive, major issues prevent the facile use of this oil product ‘as produced’. Principally, since the rapid condensation results in a product not in thermodynamic equilibrium, the oil components continue to react until equilibrium is reached. Understanding how and why these reactions—including polymerization—occur in pyrolysis oil is important in designing treatments to stabilize or transform pyrolysis oil before further upgrading. Physical and chemical changes in pyrolysis oils are investigated as a function of temperature and …

Climate-Related Meteorological And Hydrological Regimes And Their Influence On Recruitment Of Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia Patronus) In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Guillermo Sanchez-Rubio, Harriet Perry

Faculty Publications

Abundances of Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) are heavily influenced by physical and biological processes that affect refuge and food availability. This study identified specific decadal and interannual responses in the recruitment of Gulf menhaden to local meteorological and hydrological regimes imposed by the coupling of Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) phases and by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. Numbers of age-0 menhaden in fishery-independent surveys and numbers and proportions of Gulf menhaden ages 1–6 in commercial purse-seine landings in the northern GOM were used to investigate …

Role Of Hippo-Yap Signaling In Mitosis And Prostate Cancer, Lin Zhang

Theses & Dissertations

The Hippo pathway controls organ size and tumorigenesis by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting apoptosis. KIBRA [kidney and brain expressed protein] is an upstream regulator of the Hippo-YAP signaling. The role KIBRA plays in mitosis has not been established. We show that KIBRA activates the Aurora kinases during mitosis and KIBRA promotes the phosphorylation of large tumor suppressor 2 by activating Aurora-A. We further show that knockdown of KIBRA causes mitotic abnormalities, including defects of spindle and centrosome formation and chromosome misalignment. The transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif is a downstream effector of the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway. In the …

Psychiatric Comorbidities And Bmi: An Exploratory Analysis, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Individuals with most forms of mental illness have higher rates of obesity than members of the general public putting them at an increased risk for many physical health problems that reduce both quality of life and life expectancy. The presence of multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes in other mental health measures such as disability and sobriety and is proposed as a risk factor for elevated BMI (body mass index) in this study.

Objective: Determine if multiple psychiatric comorbidities are associated with elevated BMI and, if so, which combinations are linked with the greatest …

Role Of Macrophages In Muscle Transfection With Pdna/Pluronic Formulation, Vivek Mahajan

Theses & Dissertations

Non-ionic amphiphilic block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO), Pluronics, arranged in a tri-block structure PEO-PPO-PEO, have raised a considerable interest in skeletal muscle Gene Therapy. Previous studies have demonstrated that co-administration of Pluronics with naked plasmid DNA (pDNA) by direct i.m. injection enhanced transgene expression not only in muscle but also in distal lymphoid organs (spleen and lymph nodes) and this response was strain-dependent; not observed in athymic (BALB/c nu/nu) mouse; suggesting a role of immune cells in gene transfer to skeletal muscles. Therefore, we first evaluated the role of inflammation and inflammatory cells, on muscle …

Disseminated Histiocytoses Biomarkers Beyond Brafv600e: Frequent Expression Of Pd-L1., Nurija Bilalovic, Juan P. Palazzo, Ryan P Bender, Jeffrey Swensen, Sherri Z Millis, Semir Vranic, Daniel Von Hoff, Robert J Arceci, Zoran Gatalica

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

The histiocytoses are rare tumors characterized by the primary accumulation and tissue infiltration of histiocytes and dendritic cells. Identification of the activating BRAFV600E mutation in Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) cases provided the basis for the treatment with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors, but additional treatment options are needed. Twenty-four cases of neoplastic histiocytic diseases [11 extrapulmonary LCH, 4 ECD, 4 extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), 3 follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS), 1 histiocytic sarcoma (HS) and 1 blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN)] were analyzed using immunohistochemical and mutational analysis in search of biomarkers for targeted therapy. BRAF …

Overview Of The Role Of Duplex Ultrasound For Treatment And Surveillance Of Peripheral Arterial Disease, John H. Fish Iii, Peter Klein-Weigel, Gustav Fraedrich

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Imaging strategies for preinterventional planning in symptomatic peripheral artery disease have employed various modalities ranging from duplex ultrasound to noninvasive angiography with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MRA). These methods have classically been compared to the gold standard of digital subtraction angiography and are reviewed here in detail through the work of relevant published studies and meta-analyses between 1996 and 2014. In particular, we focus on the diagnostic performance, reproducibility and cost-effectiveness of these aforementioned modalities with respect to mapping the lower extremity arterial tree for planning vascular intervention and surveillance. The data presented suggests comparable sensitivity and specificity …

Characterization Of Lipoxygenase (Lox) Gene Family And Snp Validation In Relation To Aflatoxin Resistance In Maize (Zea Mays L.), Oluwaseun Felix Ogunola

Theses and Dissertations

An efficient approach to combat the accumulation of aflatoxin is the development of germplasm resistant to infection and spread of A. flavus in maize, one of the most important cereal grains in the world. Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are a group enzymes that catalyze oxygenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). LOX derived oxilipins play critical roles in plant defense against pathogens such as A. flavus. The objectives of this study were to report sequence diversity and expression patterns for all LOX genes, and map their effect on aflatoxin accumulation via linkage and association mapping. Genes GRMZM2G102760 (ZmLOX 5) and GRMZM2G104843 (ZmLOX 8) …

Lgr5 Activates Tgfβ Signaling And Suppresses Metastasis In Colon Cancer, Xiaolin Zhou

Theses & Dissertations

Metastasis is the major cause of death in colorectal cancer patients, mainly due to the ineffectiveness of current therapies once metastases begin to form. Further insight into the biology of colorectal cancer metastasis is, therefore, essential in order to gain a greater understanding of this process and ultimately to develop better cancer therapies to prevent or target metastasis. LGR5 is leucine-rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and was discovered as a marker for proliferating adult stem cells in the small intestine. LGR5 and its homologs LGR4 and LGR6 are receptors of R-spondins (RSPOs), which are secreted agonists of canonical …

Functional Characterization Of The Roles Of Endocytic Recycling Regulator Ehd1 Using In Vivo And In Vitro Analyses, Priyanka Arya

Theses & Dissertations

Endocytic recycling is a fundamental cellular process that allows the precise regulation of the membrane components and receptors at the cell surface. Recent studies have established that the C-terminal Eps15 homology domain-containing (EHD) proteins function as key regulators of this process. Four highly-conserved members of the EHD protein family in mammals, EHD1-EHD4, play shared as well as unique roles in endocytic trafficking. Studies presented here demonstrate a critical role of EHD1 in the normal ocular development in mice. Ehd1 knockout mice generated in our laboratory displayed gross ocular phenotypes including the anophthalmia, microphthalmia, and congenital cataracts. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) …

When Ideas Migrate: A Postcolonial Perspective On Biomodd [Lba2], Ds Maranan, Acj Vermeulen

School of Art, Design and Architecture

Biomodd is a global series of art installations in which computer technology and ecology converge. Computer networks built from upcycled computer components are provided with living internal ecosystems. In a symbiotic exchange, plants and algae live alongside electronics and use the latter’s waste heat to thrive. Sensors and robotics provide additional interaction possibilities with the organisms. The first version of the project was completed in the US, while the second version was built in the Philippines. Using a postcolonial stance, we reflect on the challenges involved in translating the project from one context to another. We focus on issues related …

The Effect Of Oxygen On Bile Resistance In Listeria Monocytogenes, Morgan Layne Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative anaerobe that is the causative agent of the disease listeriosis and is responsible for nearly 20% of all food-related deaths in the United States. The ability of this bacterium to cause infections is proposed to correlate to its ability to resist the bactericidal properties of bile acids found in bile. Bile resistance mechanisms have exhibited increased activity under anaerobic conditions. Therefore, we hypothesized that limited oxygen could enhance the bile resistance of L. monocytogenes. Upon survival analysis, viability for virulent strains F2365, EGD-e, and 10403S increased upon 10% porcine bile extract under anaerobic conditions. …

The Gastrointestinal Tract Microbiota Of The Obligate Bamboo Foragers, The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca) And The Red Panda (Ailurus Fulgens), Candace Lareine Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Previously, the exact phylogenetic relationship between the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) has been unclear, but with the advent of molecular sequencing technologies, these two animals are now known to be distantly related. Although taxonomically distinct, these two panda species have several things in common, primarily their almost exclusively bamboo diet, but also their similar physical adaptations to their diet and their sympatry in some locations. What was unknown was if their similarities also extended to their gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota. Using next-generation 16S rRNA parallel sequencing technologies, we uncovered several factors that impact bacterial …

The Impact Of Pyruvate Oxidase (Spxb) On The Release Of The Toxin Pneumolysin In Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Joseph Colby Bryant

Theses and Dissertations

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a major human pathogen and commensal organism of the nasopharynx. A major virulence factor of the pneumococcus is the cholesterol dependent, pore forming cytolysin pneumolysin. This toxin acts extracellularly, but the mechanism of release has not been well elucidated. Despite being a catalase negative organism, the pneumococcus produces up to millimolar concentrations of hydrogen peroxide through the activity of pyruvate oxidase. In all strains analyzed, deletion of the pyruvate oxidase gene yielded a significant reduction in the amount of PLY observed in the supernatant via western blot. A single strain, WU2 was also observed to have …

The Southern Vowel Shift In The Speech Of Women From Mississippi, Whitney Leigh Knight

Theses and Dissertations

Though previous research has documented the Southern Vowel Shift (SVS) in Alabama and Tennessee, none has focused on Mississippi. Also, the majority of research has focused on European-Americans. In this study, data was collected from women from northern and central Mississippi, with central residents evenly recruited from urban and rural areas. Of these, 15 were European-American and 19 were African-American. Participants read a word list including target vowels in the b_d frame. F1, F2, and vector length were analyzed to determine to what extent participants exhibited the SVS and Back Vowel Fronting. For the SVS, there were effects such that …

Postemergence Control Of Palmer Amaranth With Mesotrione-Based Herbicide Mixtures And The Impact Of Lactofen And Planting Date On The Growth, Development, And Yield Of Indeterminate Soybean, Joseph Paul Mangialardi

Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted in 2013 and 2014 to evaluate the postemergence control of Palmer amaranth [Amaranthus palmeri (S.) Wats.] with mesotrione alone and in mixtures with fomesafen and/or glyphosate and to evaluate the impact of lactofen and planting date on growth, development, and yield of indeterminate soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Studies included a greenhouse evaluation of different rates of mesotrione on the control of 5- and 10-cm Palmer amaranth and field studies evaluating the control of 5- to 10-cm Palmer amaranth with three rates of mesotrione applied alone and in mixtures with fomesafen and/or glyphosate. Lactofen studies include a …

Prediction Of Driving Torque And Direct Withdrawal Capacity Of Screws In Particleboard, Onder Tor

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated effects of pilot-hole diameter, screw penetration depth depth, embedded screw orientation, magnitude of pushing-down force and turning speed on screw driving torques in particleboard (PB) and predicted screw driving torques for two PB clamped together. In addition, effects of material mechanical properties such as shear and tensile strength on screw direct withdrawal loads in PB were investigated and a model to predict screw direct withdrawal load capacity was developed. Furthermore, effects of screw driving torques on clamping pressure between two particleboards were investigated. It was concluded in general that stripping torques (STT) per thread for driving screws …

Comparative Evaluation Of Three Different Methodologies For Determining Embryo Temperature In Broiler Hatching Eggs During Incubation, Opeyemi Christiana Olojede

Theses and Dissertations

Temperature is the most important among several factors that are needed for optimum avian embryonic development during incubation. Previous studies have implied that incubation temperature may have an impact on chick quality and post hatch performance. The use and accuracy of different methodologies for the estimation of embryonic temperature and eggshell conductance values during incubation were determined in three trials. Results suggested that air cell temperature using transponders may be used for the estimation of embryo temperature from 12 through 19 days of incubation and the subsequent calculation of eggshell conductance and specific eggshell conductance values. A final trial was …