Digital Commons Network^™

Exercise And Patient Populations: A Community-Based Exercise Intervention On Cancer And Type 2 Diabetes, Cynthia Villalobos

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cancer and diabetes are the second and seventh leading causes of death in the United States, respectively (Kochanek et al., 2017). When including prediabetes and the entire cancer continuum, both diseases affect over 150 million individuals in the United States each year (Bullard et al., 2018; Siegel et al., 2019). Furthermore, there exists an alarming rise in patients presenting with both type 2 diabetes and obesity-related cancers concurrently, as both diseases share similar risk factors (Vigneri et al., 2009). An aging adult population, physical inactivity and unhealthy eating habits are continuing to rise, and the prevalence of individuals with obesity-related …

Transcriptome Analysis For Novel Peptide In Breeding Gland Of Hymenochirus Boettgeri, Minjin Ko

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The primary goal of the project was to find nucleotide sequences potentially encoding a pheromone from the breeding gland of Hymenochirus boettgeri. The reasons in searching for the sequence of a pheromone were to better understand the organism and to use the information for application in reproduction of other species. Due to climate change and rampant deforestation, such as in Africa’s Congo Basin, many amphibian species are being threatened. With these increasing threats, a viable option for the future may be breeding in captivity for the amphibian species. Pheromone characterization from the breeding gland of Hymenochirus boettgeri may help with …

Characterization Of The Roles Of Ppp1r15a (Gadd34) And Ppp1r15b (Crep) In Er Stress-Induced Apoptosis In Vivo, Danielle Hicks

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Failure to balance synthesis, folding and degradation of secreted proteins results in the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, termed ER stress. Cells respond to ER stress by activating a signaling pathway known as the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR induces phosphorylation of eIF2α to attenuate global protein translation, allowing the ER to clear misfolded proteins. Opposing this function, eIF2α phosphatases contain a catalytic subunit, Protein Phosphatase 1, and either of two homologous scaffolding subunits, GADD34 and CReP. Inhibition of eIF2α phosphatases has been shown to prolong UPR signaling and promote survival in many cells types and …

A Trio Of Sigma Factors Control Hormogonium Development In Nostoc Punctiforme, Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cyanobacteria are prokaryotes capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, and for many species, nitrogen fixation, giving cyanobacteria an important role in global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Furthermore, multicellular filamentous cyanobacteria are developmentally complex, capable of differentiation into different cell types, including cells capable of nitrogen fixation and cells for motility, making them an ideal platform for studying development, as well as for practical use in biotechnology. Understanding how developmental programmes are activated require an understanding of the role of alternative sigma factors, which are required for transcriptional activation in bacteria. In order to investigate the gene regulatory network and to determine the …

Development And Characterization Of Ldv Peptide Targeted Nanocarriers For Paclitaxel Delivery: A Comparative Study Of Micelles, Liposomes And Solid Lipid Nanoparticles, Poonam Dattani

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Nanocarriers have been established as delivery vehicles to target cancer tumors. However, premature drug leakage is one of the major reasons for inefficient drug delivery of nanocarriers to the tumor. Drug diffusion out of the nanocarriers or destabilization of drug loaded nanocarriers by physiological interactions with blood cells, serum proteins, and cell membranes upon systemic administration contribute to premature drug release. In this study, targeted micelles, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of similar composition were prepared and characterized to compare physicochemical characteristics, in vitro stability, in vitro release rates in release media and in vivo performance. Peptide Amphiphiles (PAs) …

The Impact Of Social And Cognitive Variables On Communication Competence, Griffin Cheek

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

College students are increasingly engaged in watching online videos and using social media. Therefore, researchers should attempt to better understand how these variables as well as other social and cognitive variables, affect the communication competence of students. The researcher administered a questionnaire to 392 college students from a private medium-sized West Coast university using various modified scales examining student-to-student confirmation, social support through social media, online video viewing, self-esteem, personal reports of public speaking anxiety, and communication competence. Student-to-student confirmation and online video viewing were measured using new sets of scales developed by the researcher. The data from the surveys …

Knob-Socket Investigation Of Stability And Specificity In Alpha-Helical Secondary And Quaternary Packing Structure, Taylor Renee Rabara

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The novel knob-socket (KS) model provides a construct to interpret and analyze the direct contributions of amino acid residues to the stability in α-helical protein structures. Based on residue preferences derived from a set of protein structures, the KS construct characterizes intra- and inter-helical packing into regular patterns of simple motifs. The KS model was used in the de novo design of an α-helical homodimer, KSα1.1. Using site-directed mutagenesis, KSα1.1 point mutants were designed to selectively increase and decrease stability by relating KS propensities with changes to α-helical structure. This study suggests that the sockets from the KS Model can …

Approaches To The Search Of Platinum Anticancer Agents: Derivatizing Current Drugs And Incorporating Hdac Inhibition, Chao Feng

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Platinum-based anticancer drugs, such as cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin, have been approved for clinical use worldwide for decades. Despite their enormous success, their widespread application is hindered by either cross-resistance or toxic side effects, including nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. The need to overcome these drawbacks has stimulated the search for new platinum-based drugs.

This dissertation will start with the accidental discovery of cisplatin, followed by an introduction of other platinum-based anticancer agents, including the action mechanism, general structures, and development history. Picoplatin is a newer generation of platinum-based anticancer agent. The bulky 2-methylpyridine as a non-leaving group on picoplatin could reduce …

Investigating The Effect Of Rutaecarpine On The Benzo[A]Pyrene-Induced Dna Damage In Vitro, You Li

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), is one of the most potent mutagens and carcinogens known. It requires metabolic activation through cytochrome P450 (CYP)1A1 to yield the ultimate carcinogenic metabolite, benzo[a]pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE). BPDE can bind to DNA and form predominantly covalent (+) trans adducts at the N2 position of guanine causing DNA damage. Rutaecarpine (RTC) is an herbal medicine that has been used to treat several diseases such as headache, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, amenorrhea, and anti-inflammation. It has also been reported as a potent inducer of CYP enzymes, including CYP1A1, and CYP1A2. The mechanisms underlying up-regulation of CYP1A1 by RTC is dependent on aryl …

Dialogue During Team Problem Solving Using Visual Representation Boundary Objects: A Case Study, Julie Marie Webb

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Organizations benefit from the knowledge held by individual members as well as knowledge that is shared among those members. In order for knowledge to co-develop between members, and to spread, organizations must provide opportunities for members to collaborate. Organizational teams sometimes require assistance with interpersonal communication, establishing consensus, and sharing knowledge when collaborating. Group facilitators can offer guidance and intervene when teams need support. In addition, teams can find support through the use of visual representation boundary objects (VRBOs) to build trust, improve communication, increase cooperation, and share ideas. This study explores how knowledge is shared between team members and …

The Effects Of Listening To Motivational Music On Performance Of Knee Extension And Flexion In Healthy Adults, Alexander Lesser

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether listening to motivational music prior to performing leg extensions and flexions effected peak torque performance. Participants included 23 adults between the ages 18 and 48 years. Participants engaged in three sets of leg extensions and flexions utilizing a Cybex Humac NORM system following a warm-up period consisting of listening to either researcher-selected music, self-selected music, and in silence. Two one-way ANOVAs comparing participants’ data showed significant results in leg flexions performed following warm-up while listening to self-selected music. Significant results were not achieved for leg extensions yet a similar trend was …

Visual Feedback In Voice Therapy For Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Rachel Brooke Convey

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson ’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects one’s movement. As the disease develops, individuals begin to present with symptoms that include but are not limited to bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, and hypokinetic dysarthria. These symptoms affect a person’s entire body, including his/her voice. The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) program for treating individuals with PD is supported by over twenty-five years of research. It is considered a safe, non-invasive method to improve vocal loudness and speech clarity in individuals with PD. However, simply because LSVT is effective in its current state, it does not mean that the …

Disrupting The Prison-To-Prison Pipeline: Doing Restorative Identity Work With Offender-Labeled Youth, Jahmon Londre Gibbs

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to addresses how the existence of counterspaces influences the psychological well-being of offender-labeled youth transitioning back into society. A counterspace has been defined as a social setting where two or more individuals come together to challenge deficit notions. No longer is recidivism solely being placed on offender-labeled youth that reside within juvenile correctional facilities, therefore the need for innovative programs that help develop resistance narratives and promote reengagement with the educational system are needed. In this 12-week qualitative ethnographic study the two concepts of restorative practices and narrative identity work are blended …

Effects Of Eye Tracking During Infancy On Social Ambiguity And Emotional Distress, Gabriela Hernandez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between early eye tracking and later non-suicidal self-injury, and whether this relationship was negatively impacted by distress and impulsivity, and conversely alleviated by emotional regulation and problem solving abilities. Briggs-Gowan et al. (2001) found that young children with recurrent and comorbid externalizing and internalizing problems have the most impairment; they exhibit greater difficulty with emotional stability, and require greater utilization of mental health services. Little research has focused on the relationship between eye tracking in early infancy and suicidal self-injurious (NSSI) behavior in early childhood. Multiple regression analysis was used …

Molecular Changes To The Rat Renal Cotransporters Pept1 And Pept2 Due To Ageing, Othman A. Alghamdi, Nicola King, Nicholas M. Andronicos, Graham L. Jones, Belal Chami, Paul K. Witting, Pierre D.J. Moens

School of Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Perioperative Oxidative Stress: The Unseen Enemy, Jia L. Stevens, Martin Feelisch, Daniel S. Martin

Peninsula Medical School

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential for cellular signaling and physiological function. An imbalance between ROS production and antioxidant protection results in a state of oxidative stress (OS), which is associated with perturbations in reduction/oxidation (redox) regulation, cellular dysfunction, organ failure, and disease. The pathophysiology of OS is closely interlinked with inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and, in the case of surgery, ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). Perioperative OS is a complex response that involves patient, surgical, and anesthetic factors. The magnitude of tissue injury inflicted by the surgery affects the degree of OS, and both duration and nature of the anesthetic procedure applied …

Naxdmutations Cause A Novel Neurodegenerative Disorder Exacerbated By Febrile Illnesses, Bergen Nj Van, Y Guo, J Rankin, N Paczia, J Becker-Kettern, Ls Kremer, A Pyle, J Conrotte, Cj Ellaway, P Procopis, K Prelog, T Homfray, J Baptista, E Baple, M Wakeling, S Massey, Dp Kay, A Shukla, Km Girisha, Les Lewis, Sd Santra, R Power, P Daubeney, J Montoya, E Ruiz-Pesini, R Kovacs-Nagy, M Pritsch, U Ahting, Dr Thorburn, H Prokisch, R Taylor, J Christodoulou, C Linster, S Ellard, H Hakonarson

Peninsula Medical School

Physical stress, including high temperatures, may damage the central metabolic nicotinamide nucleotide cofactors [NAD(P)H], generating toxic derivatives [NAD(P)HX]. The highly conserved enzyme NAD(P)HX dehydratase (NAXD) is essential for intracellular repair of NAD(P)HX. Here we present a series of infants and children who suffered episodes of febrile illness-induced neurodegeneration or cardiac failure and early death. Whole-exome or whole-genome sequencing identified recessive NAXD variants in each case. Variants were predicted to be potentially deleterious through in silico analysis. Reverse-transcription PCR confirmed altered splicing in one case. Subject fibroblasts showed highly elevated concentrations of the damaged cofactors SNADHX, R-NADHX and cyclic NADHX. NADHX …

Dna Methylation Profiling To Predict Recurrence Risk In Meningioma: Development And Validation Of A Nomogram To Optimize Clinical Management, F Nassiri, Y Mamatjan, S Suppiah, Jetan H. Badhiwala, Sheila Mansouri, Shirin Karimi, Olli Saarela, L Poisson, Irina Gepfner-Tuma, Jens Schittenhelm, Ho Keung Ng, H Noushmehr, Patrick Harter, Peter Baumgarten, Michael Weller, Matthias Preusser, C Herold-Mende, M Tatagiba, G Tabatabai, F Sahm, Deimling A Von, Kenneth D. Aldape, Karolyn Au, Jill Barnhartz-Sloan, Wenya Linda Bi, Priscilla K. Brastianos, Nicholas Butowski, Carlos Carlotti, Michael D. Cusimano, Francesco Dimeco, Katharine Drummond, Ian F. Dunn, Evanthia Galanis, Caterina Giannini, Roland Goldbrunner, Brent Griffith, Rintaro Hashizume, C. Oliver Hanemann, C Herold-Mende, Craig Horbinski, Raymond Y. Huang

Peninsula Medical School

Abstract Background Variability in standard-of-care classifications precludes accurate predictions of early tumor recurrence for individual patients with meningioma, limiting the appropriate selection of patients who would benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy to delay recurrence. We aimed to develop an individualized prediction model of early recurrence risk combining clinical and molecular factors in meningioma. Methods DNA methylation profiles of clinically annotated tumor samples across multiple institutions were used to develop a methylome model of 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). Subsequently, a 5-year meningioma recurrence score was generated using a nomogram that integrated the methylome model with established prognostic clinical factors. Performance of both …

Neurological Effects Of Glucocerebrosidase Gene Mutations, S. Mullin, D. Hughes, A. Mehta, A. H.V. Schapira

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Mitochondrial Integrity In Neurodegeneration, Katrina Cowan, Oleg Anichtchik, Shouqing Luo

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Mitochondria In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Fang Lin, Shou Qing Luo

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Teasing Apart The Impact Of Illness And Iq On Functional Neuroimaging Findings In Schizophrenia, S Graham, Tm Oh, V Manning, J Jiang, Ib Yeh, S Kang, Pj Mckenna

Peninsula Medical School

Schizophrenia is a major psychiatric disorder associated with cognitive impairment. Functional brain imaging (fMRI) studies of schizophrenia patients reveal a complex pattern of brain differences in the prefrontal cortex. Both decreased (hypofrontality) and increased (hyperfrontality) activity have been reported in patients – inconsistencies that this paper argues could be explained by differences in IQ between patients and healthy controls. This study demonstrates a novel method to tease apart IQ and schizophrenia effects on brain activity. Twelve schizophrenia patients were matched to twelve healthy controls matched to patients’ estimated (premorbid) IQ before their illness, and twelve healthy controls matched to patients’ …

Going To Extremes: The Goldilocks/Lagom Principle And Data Distribution, Henry J. Leese, Thozhukat Sathyapalan, Victoria Allgar, Daniel R. Brison, Roger Sturmey

Peninsula Medical School

Numerical data in biology and medicine are commonly presented as mean or median with error or confidence limits, to the exclusion of individual values. Analysis of our own and others’ data indicates that this practice risks excluding ‘Goldilocks’ effects in which a biological variable falls within a range between ‘too much’ and ‘too little’ with a region between where its function is ‘just right’; a concept captured by the Swedish term ‘Lagom’. This was confirmed by a narrative search of the literature using the PubMed database, which revealed numerous relationships of biological and clinical phenomena of the Goldilocks/Lagom form including …

How Data Science Can Advance Mental Health Research, Tc Russ, E Woelbert, Kas Davis, Jd Hafferty, Et Al

Peninsula Medical School

Accessibility of powerful computers and availability of so-called big data from a variety of sources means that data science approaches are becoming pervasive. However, their application in mental health research is often considered to be at an earlier stage than in other areas despite the complexity of mental health and illness making such a sophisticated approach particularly suitable. In this Perspective, we discuss current and potential applications of data science in mental health research using the UK Clinical Research Collaboration classification: underpinning research; aetiology; detection and diagnosis; treatment development; treatment evaluation; disease management; and health services research. We demonstrate that …