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Recolonization Of Mollusc Assemblages In Mangrove Plantations Damaged By Typhoon Chan-Hom In The Philippines, Severino G. Salmo Iii, Ian R. Tibbetts, Norman C. Duke

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

We investigated the effects of a catastrophic typhoon on mollusc assemblages of damaged mangrove plantations of different ages. Molluscs were sampled from infaunal, epifaunal and arboreal assemblages of mangrove stands in Lingayen Gulf, northwest Philippines, and compared with assemblages of un-impacted areas. Prior to the occurrence of the typhoon, there were clear shifts in the species diversity (H’) and composition of mollusc assemblages with stand age of mangrove forests. This was observed in species composition through the succession in dominance from pioneer to seral or putative climax species, and assemblage type (as arboreal, epifaunal and infaunal). However, severe damage to …

Effects Of Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract On Helicobacter Pylori Induced Gastritis In Vitro And In Vivo Studies, Nattida Noonak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) releases virulence factors to gastric epithelial cells causing an imbalance between aggressive factors and protective factors leading to gastritis inflammation. Gardenia jasminoides (G. jasminoides) fruit extract contains geniposide as a major bioactive compound that possesses anti-inflammatory effects. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of G. jasminoides fruit extract on gastric inflammation and protective mechanisms in H. pylori-induced gastritis. In an in vitro experiment, we demonstrated that G. jasminoides fruit extract could inhibit growth of H. pylori using disk diffusion method. The result showed that the inhibition zone was observed at geniposide ≥ 0.16 mg/disc. …

Cultivation In Long-Term Simulated Microgravity Is Detrimental To Biofilm Formation Ability And Pyocyanin Production Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pa14 Wild Type, Δflgk, And Δpela, Linda M. Vu , '19

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

Pseudomonas aeruginosa can attach to surfaces and form aggregates known as biofilms. It has been previously found that P. aeruginosa cultivated in space form thicker and structurally different biofilms than those grown in Earth gravity. The purpose of our study was to investigate how microgravity, simulated in a laboratory setting, would influence the biofilm formation abilities of P. aeruginosa PA14 wild type strain as well as mutants ΔflgK and ΔpelA. While ΔflgK is defective in the initialization of biofilm formation, ΔpelA is hindered in biofilm growth and maintenance. The bacteria were cultivated in a High …

Major Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Literary Review Of Cellular Immunotherapy In Alzheimer’S, Parkinson’S, And Huntington’S Diseases, Kimberly Sprenger

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

This thesis paper will focus on the most prominent applications in recent research of immunotherapy in neurodegenerative diseases (specifically Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Huntington’s Disease) with a focus on the cellular level on inflammatory pathways (such as, but not limited to: NFkB, JNK and anti-inflammatory pathways such as NRf2) present in the human body.

The literary analysis will begin with a basic overview of some of the major homeostatic pathways present in cellular organelles within the human body (such as the Unfolded Protein Response/UPR, present in the endoplasmic reticulum of eukaryotes) and how they normally act within a healthy …

Working Memory And Attention As Predictors Of Processing Speed In Elementary School Students: A Developmental Study, Monih Alshehri

Dissertations

Problem

Many studies suggest that Processing Speed (PS), Attention, and Working Memory (WM) are major cognitive functions that collaborate to achieve a coherent cognitive system. The aim of the current study was to improve the conception of how these cognitive functions interrelate. The study addressed two main questions: the first, whether PS can be predicted by WM (visual, verbal, and the central executive) and attention of elementary students in first and fifth grade; the second, whether there are gender differences in the rate of change in WM and PS from first to fifth grade.

Method

The participants were taken from …

A New Process For Integrating Foreign Physicians Into American Healthcare, Rachel J. Cruz Nieves

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

The United States of America is a nation with a population of 328 million (US census Bureau). The latest reports by the American Association of Medical Colleges shows, however, that only 860,939 licensed and practicing physicians serve this large population. These numbers articulate a ratio of one doctor for every 381 patients. By comparison, Cuba has an average of 591 physicians per 100,000 people, which translates to 169 people per physician. These proportions illustrate how the United States is lagging behind on providing the American population with sufficient physicians to meet their medical needs. While this on its own is …

The Theological Significance Of The Relations Of Freedom And Time In The Sciences And Humanities: An Evaluation Of The Contributions Of David Bohm And Pauli Pylkko, Michael F. Younker

Dissertations

The concepts of freedom and time underlay all other philosophical and theological questions. This dissertation addresses the natures and relations of freedom and time and their impact upon theological reflection, primarily through the works of the philosopher of science, David Bohm and the philosopher of the humanities, Pauli Pylkkö. These two representatives come from the two competing cultures of the sciences and humanities, which illustrate the deep philosophical conflict that has emerged between these cultures concerning the natures of freedom and time. Specifically, the paradigmatic contributions of Albert Einstein's four-dimensional 'timeless space-time' (with timeless freedom) alongside Bohm, on the one …

Effect Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treatment On The Metabolites Of Human Leukemia Cells, Dehui Xu, Ning Ning, Yujing Xu, Bingchuan Wang, Qingjie Cui, Zhijie Liu, Xiaohua Wang, Dingxin Liu, Hailan Chen, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

Background

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a typically fatal malignancy and new drug and treatment need to be developed for a better survival outcome. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel technology, which has been widely applied in biomedicine, especially in various of cancer treatment. However, the changes in cell metabolism after CAP treatment of leukemia cells have been rarely studied.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the metabolite profiling of plasma treatment on leukemia cells based on Gas Chromatography Tandem Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (GC-TOFMS). Simultaneously, we conducted a series of bioinformatics analysis of metabolites and metabolic pathways with significant …

When The Inhuman Becomes Human: An Examination Of The Musical Portrayal Of The Robot In Twenty-First Century Science-Fiction Cinema Through An Analysis Of The Film Scores Of Automata, Ex Machina, And The Machine, Rebecca Ann O'Brien

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Science fiction film has been telling stories about artificial anthropomorphic robots and androids for almost a hundred years, spawning films, such as Metropolis (1927), Ghost in the Shell (1951), and Blade Runner (1982). Each of these science-fiction films was complemented by a musical score that helped to create an onscreen world dominated by a dystopian view of the future. Influenced by the generations of prior science-fiction films, Automata (2014), The Machine (2013), and Ex Machina (2015) are all concerned with the same narrative in which humanity is in decline while artificial robots are rising up and experiencing life in a …

Girl Time: An Enrichment Program Fostering Social And Emotional Well-Being Among Kindergarten Girls, Irene A. Opuka

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Early identification and intervention are essential in meeting the unique needs of all children and families (Bagdi & Vacca, 2005). In addition to studying the growth of separate emotions and their importance for mature development, researchers have discovered that early-childhood years are a key time for developing capacity to control and regulate emotions (Nuttall, Romero, & Kalesnik, 1999). Schools are designed to promote emotional well-being, and GIRL TIME could be viewed as part of a responsive and collaborative approach to a child-centered service continuum that includes promotion, prevention, and intervention. Effective social-emotional-behavioral interventions have been found to change the balance …

Sleep, Communicative Ability, And Diet As Predictors Of Aggression In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rafat Omar

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Aggression is a common behavioral issue in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Aggression is often treated with evidence-based behavioral treatments, such as applied behavioral analysis and functional communication training. Another form of intervention that has grown in popularity is to alter the child’s diet. The most popular dietary intervention, the autism diet, has been used as a form of behavior management by parents and guardians for children diagnosed with ASD to address aggressive behavior; however, its use has not been strongly supported by research. The authors proposed that a more beneficial way of understanding aggression in ASD is to …

Exploring Relationships Between Parenting Style, Perceived Stress, Coping Efficacy And Coping Strategies In Foster Parents, Jason Coleman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Removing a youth from the care of their biological family can place them at heightened risk for behavioral, emotional, social, and academic problems, and contribute to parenting stress. Foster caregivers with a high burden level may be impeded in their ability to function effectively. Our study investigated relationships between foster parent stress, coping efficacy, coping strategies, and parenting style to identify effective coping strategies in 178 foster parents. Current foster parents completed self-report measures assessing parenting styles, Coping Self Efficacy Scale (CSE), Brief COPE, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results indicated foster parents with more than three years of experience …

The Effect Of Social Problem-Solving, Health Anxiety, And Psychological Distress On Breast Cancer Genetic Testing Decisions In A Sample Of Healthy Women, Alexandria Muench

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women in the United States, with hereditary breast cancers accounting for approximately 10% of the diagnoses. Nevertheless, women can decrease their risk by obtaining genetic testing and are often referred for the test if one or more of their relatives has been diagnosed with breast cancer and has the BRCA/BRCA2 cancer mutation. The purpose of the current study was to examine predictors of healthy women’s (ages 18 to 35) hypothetical decisions about genetic testing and prophylactic treatments for the BRCA1/BRCA2 genetic mutations by measuring social problem solving (SPS) variables, health anxiety, …

Comparison Of The Executive Function Profiles Of Child And Adolescent Groups Diagnosed With Adhd And Matched Controls, Jenna Inglese

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study examined teacher ratings of the executive capacities of child and adolescent groups of ADHD-diagnosed students and matched controls. Teacher ratings of each clinical group were compared with the teacher ratings of a group of matched nonclinical peers, then the teacher ratings of the child and the adolescent clinical groups were compared. The data for both clinical groups and their respective matched control groups were part of the data collected during the standardization of the McCloskey Executive Functions Scale – Teacher Report Form (MEFS-TR). It was hypothesized that when compared to their matched control groups, teacher ratings of …

Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques To Improve Socialization Skills For High School Students With High Functioning Autism, Erika D. Wood

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The literature on the use of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) suggests that it is a well researched and evidenced-based viable intervention in teaching and improving social skills for children with high functioning autism (HFA). Autism is a prevalent diagnosis for children and adolescents as school settings struggle with how to provide effective interventions and support to address students’ deficits with communication and social skills. Students with HFA may not have difficulty with verbal language skills; however, there is the expectation of being able to navigate social relationships, use social communication and be aware of social cues and rules which are …

Protein Engineering Approaches For Antibody Fragments: Directed Evolution And Rational Design Approaches, Merve Arslan, Di̇lara Karadağ, Si̇bel Kalyoncu

Turkish Journal of Biology

The number of therapeutic antibodies in preclinical, clinical, or approved phases has been increasing exponentially, mostly due to their known successes. Development of antibody engineering methods has substantially hastened the development of therapeutic antibodies. A variety of protein engineering techniques can be applied to antibodies to improve their affinity and/or biophysical properties such as solubility and stability. Antibody fragments (where all or some parts of constant regions are eliminated while the essential antigen binding region is preserved) are more suitable for protein engineering techniques because there are many in vitro screening technologies available for antibody fragments but not full-length antibodies. …

Comparison Of Indigo Carmine Decolorization By Pseudomonas Aeruginosa And Crude Laccase Enzyme From Funalia Trogii, Fi̇li̇z Boran, Emre Bi̇rhanli, Özfer Yeşi̇lada, Eli̇f Özbey

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of incubation time, temperature, initial pH, and dye concentration on the indigo carmine decolorization activity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145 and some factors on the decolorization potential of crude laccase enzyme obtained from Funalia trogii ATCC 200800 were comparatively investigated. This bacterium showed effective decolorization activity at all agitation and temperature values. Indigo carmine was greatly decolorized by P. aeruginosa at all pH values except pH 10. A decrease in decolorization activity occurred with increasing dye concentration, but this bacterium effectively decolorized the dye within 24 h. The decolorization process was through microbial metabolism, not biosorption. No decolorization …

Morphophysiological And Biochemical Response Of Mungbean [Vigna Radiata (L.) Wilczek] Varieties At Different Developmental Stages Under Drought Stress, Pooja Bangar, Ashok Chaudhury, Bhavana Tiwari, Sanjay Kumar, Ratna Kumari, Kangila Venkataramana Bhat

Turkish Journal of Biology

The present study was conducted to assess the morphophysiological and biochemical responses during different developmental stages in mungbean varieties subjected to drought stress, and to screen the varieties for drought tolerance. A field experiment was performed according to a completely randomized design on 25 mungbean varieties with 3 replicates per variety. Stress treatment was applied at 3 levels: control (no stress), vegetative stage (25 days after sowing), and reproductive stage (35 days after sowing). According to combined analysis of variance, there were significant effects from drought stress on relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), protein and proline content …

Development Of Antimicrobial Gelatin Films With Boron Derivatives, Sanem Argin, Merve Güleri̇m, Fi̇kretti̇n Şahi̇n

Turkish Journal of Biology

Food packaging technology has been advancing to provide safe and high quality food products and to minimize food waste. Moreover, there is a dire need to replace plastic materials in order to reduce environmental pollution. The aim of this study was to prepare biodegradable antimicrobial packaging films from gelatin. Boric acid, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate, and sodium pentaborate were incorporated as the antimicrobial agents. Films containing boric acid and its salts showed antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as antifungal and anticandidal effects against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. The mechanical strength of the films was mostly …

Prediction And Expression Analysis Of G Protein-Coupled Receptors In The Laboratory Stick Insect, Carausius Morosus, Burçi̇n Duan Şahbaz, Necla Bi̇rgül İyi̇son

Turkish Journal of Biology

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are 7-transmembrane proteins that transduce various extracellular signals into intracellular pathways. They are the major target of neuropeptides, which regulate the development, feeding behavior, mating behavior, circadian rhythm, and many other physiological functions of insects. In the present study, we performed RNA sequencing and de novo transcriptome assembly to uncover the GPCRs expressed in the stick insect Carausius morosus. The transcript assemblies were predicted for the presence of 7-transmembrane GPCR domains. As a result, 430 putative GPCR transcripts were obtained and 43 of these revealed full-length sequences with highly significant similarity to known GPCR sequences in …

Establishment Of Human Trabecular Meshwork Cell Cultures Usingnontransplantable Corneoscleral Rims, Kosala Dinuka Waduthanthri, Carlo Montemagno, Si̇bel Çeti̇nel

Turkish Journal of Biology

Human trabecular meshwork (hTM) cell isolation in academic settings utilizes the motile nature of these cells, allowing them to migrate away from the explant and proliferate on distal regions of the culture substrate. Corneoscleral rims used for transplantation are a potential source of explants for the establishment of hTM cell cultures. However, cell isolation and the initiation of primary cell cultures from ocular tissues stored in Optisol-GS medium for an extended period of time (>6 days) has proven difficult, since Optisol-GS remarkably reduces cell viability and cellularity. Therefore, explants obtained from ocular tissues stored in Optisol-GS do not often …

Contribution Of Hepatitis B Virus X Protein-Induced Aberrant Microrna Expression To Hepatocellular Carcinoma Pathogenesis, Zhiyuan Wei, Xiaohe Shen, Bing Ni, Gaoxing Luo, Yi Tian, Yi Sun

Turkish Journal of Biology

The hepatitis B virus-encoded X (HBX) protein plays important roles in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Previous studies have demonstrated that HBX can induce alterations in the expression of numerous microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in the carcinogenesis of various tumors. However, the global profile of liver miRNA changes induced by HBX has not been characterized. In this study, we conducted a miRNA microarray analysis to investigate the influence of HBX on the expression of total miRNAs in liver in relation to HCC. Comparative analysis of the data from human normal liver cells (L02) and human HCC cells (HepG2), with or without HBX, identified …

Systematic Analysis Of The Frequently Amplified 2p15-P16.1 Locus Reveals Papolg As A Potential Proto-Oncogene In Follicular And Transformed Follicular Lymphoma, Deni̇z Kurşun, Can Küçük

Turkish Journal of Biology

Transformed follicular lymphoma (tFL) originates from histological transformation of follicular lymphoma (FL), which is the most common indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. High-resolution genomic copy-number analysis previously identified frequent amplification of the 2p15-p16.1 locus in FL and tFL cases. The genes (i.e. BCL11A, PAPOLG, PUS10, and USP34) in this amplified locus have not been systematically investigated to date in terms of their role in FL pathogenesis or transformation to tFL. Here we investigated the relationship between amplification and expression of genes in 2p15-p16.1 as well as their expression after histological transformation. NCBI GEO SNP array and gene expression profile (GEP) data of …

Overexpression Of A Fusion Defensin Gene From Radish And Fenugreek Improves Resistance Against Leaf Spot Diseases Caused By Cercospora Arachidicola And Phaeoisariopsis Personata In Peanut, Madhu Bala, Thankappan Radhakrishnan, Abhay Kumar, Gyan Prakash Mishra, Jentilal Ramjibhai Dobraia, Pulugurtha Bharadwaja Kirti

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Key Actors In Cancer Therapy: Epigenetic Modifiers, Remzi̇ Okan Akar, Seli̇n Selvi̇, Engi̇n Ulukaya, Nazlihan Aztopal

Turkish Journal of Biology

Epigenetic reprogramming plays a crucial role in the tumorigenicity and maintenance of tumor-specific gene expression that especially occurs through DNA methylation and/or histone modifications. It has well-defined mechanisms. It is known that alterations in the DNA methylation pattern and/or the loss of specific histone acetylation/methylation markers are related to several hallmarks of cancer, such as drug resistance, stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and metastasis. It has also recently been highlighted that epigenetic alterations are critical for the regulation of the stemlike properties of cancer cells (tumor-initiating cells; cancer stem cells). Cancer stem cells are thought to be responsible for the recurrence of …

Characterization Of Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Mucolipidosis Type Ii (I-Cell Disease), Sevi̇l Köse, Fati̇ma Aerts Kaya, Bülent Bariş Kuşkonmaz, Fahri̇ye Duygu Çeti̇nkaya

Turkish Journal of Biology

Mucolipidosis type II (ML-II, I-cell disease) is a fatal inherited lysosomal storage disease caused by a deficiency of the enzyme N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphotransferase. A characteristic skeletal phenotype is one of the many clinical manifestations of ML-II. Since the mechanisms underlying these skeletal defects in ML-II are not completely understood, we hypothesized that a defect in osteogenic differentiation of ML-II bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) might be responsible for this skeletal phenotype. Here, we assessed and characterized the cellular phenotype of BM-MSCs from a ML-II patient before (BBMT) and after BM transplantation (ABMT), and we compared the results with BM-MSCs from a …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Keratin 14 Is A Novel Interaction Partner Of Keratinocyte Differentiation Regulator:Receptor-Interacting Protein Kinase 4, Ceren Sümer, Asi̇ye Büşra Boz Er, Tuba Di̇nçer

Turkish Journal of Biology

The epidermis, the outer layer of the skin, is formed by stratified keratinocyte layers. The self-renewal of the epidermis is provided by sustained proliferation and differentiation of the keratinocyte stem cells localized to the basal layer of the epidermis. Receptorinteracting protein kinase 4 (RIPK4) is an important regulator of keratinocyte differentiation, mutations of which are associated with congenital ectodermal malformations. In an attempt to identify the molecular basis of RIPK4's function, we applied yeast two-hybrid screen (Y2H) and found basal layer-specific keratin filament component keratin 14 (KRT14) as a novel RIPK4-interacting partner. During keratinocyte differentiation, layer-specific keratin composition is tightly …

A Magnetic Affinity Approach To Identify Plant Gaba-Binding Proteins, Jie Zou, Jingzhe Guo, Shisheng Li

Turkish Journal of Biology

In plants, GABA plays a critical role in sexual plant reproduction; however, GABA receptors and the associated detailed signaling mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Our experiments show that the proposed technique is reliable and convenient for probing GABA-binding proteins and could be applicable in similar projects by covalently immobilizing the free carboxylic group of GABA on magnetic beads (SiMAG-Carboxyl). New probes produced by covalently immobilizing the free carboxylic group of GABA on magnetic beads (SiMAG-Carboxyl) can obtain useful information on GABA receptors in plants.