Digital Commons Network^™

Non-Canonical Axonal Insulin Receptor Signaling Drives Aversive Olfactory Learning, Du Cheng

Student Theses and Dissertations

Animals rely on their flexible nervous systems to learn to navigate the changing environment around them. One important function of the nervous system is to form associative memories. A simple model of associative learning is provided by nematode C. elegans, which can form memories of different types of odor stimuli through its simple yet sophisticated nervous system. C. elegans uses its sensory neurons to detect and navigate towards the odors of its food source - edible bacteria. Thus, it is crucial for worms to form memories between odors and availably of food. The volatile chemical butanone is a common product …

Interactions Between Microbial, Neuronal, And Immune Cells In The Digestive System, Fanny Matheis

Student Theses and Dissertations

The intestine is the largest continuous environmental interface of the body. As such, it exerts homeostatic tissue functions, including digestion, sensing and absorption of nutrients, and excretion of waste products. In performing these roles, the intestine faces the unique challenge of remaining tolerant to harmless or beneficial diet- and microbederived stimuli, while simultaneously protecting against pathogen invasion. To tackle these challenges, the intestine houses both the body's largest immune compartment, as well as a vast neuronal network, the enteric nervous system (ENS). In concert with the commensal intestinal microbiota, the enteric immune and nervous systems communicate with one another, and …

Finding Common Ground: The Common Marmoset As A Model To Accessing And Providing Insight Into The Social Brain, Margaret Fabiszak

Student Theses and Dissertations

Utilizing the immense strengths of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) as a model organism, we executed three efforts with the common goal of revealing key insights into dissecting the social brain. First, we examined the hypothesis that there is a neural, functional architecture underlying face processing. Faces form a unique category of stimuli that bridge visual perception and social cognition. They are processed in dedicated areas of cortex, face patches, which are organized into an interconnected network. While insight into neurons within face patches has been explored through extracellular electrophysiology, the functional architecture of local ensembles of cells has remained …

Transcriptional Regulation Of The Metabolic Response To Therapy In Leukemia, Robert Thomas Williams

Student Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cells are under constant stress due to their uncontrolled growth, oncogenic signaling, and the metabolic insufficiencies of their microenvironments. Under various stresses, cells activate the integrated stress response (ISR), a transcriptional program to restore cellular homeostasis. Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) acts as the master transcriptional regulator of the ISR by promoting the transcription of genes that mitigate stress or promote cell death if the stress remains unresolved. Despite being the common mediator of various stress response and metabolic pathways, ATF4 generates tailored transcriptional outputs to distinct cellular stresses by cooperating with other transcriptional machinery. The precise mechanisms by …

The Identification Of A Leptin Dependent Neural Pathway Regulating Adipose Tissue Innervation, Putianqi Wang

Student Theses and Dissertations

Leptin, secreted by the adipose tissue, is an afferent signal of a negative feedback loop that regulates body weight balance through its effects on feeding and energy expenditure. Mutations in the leptin gene or its cognate receptor result in severe obesity in both human and mice. My thesis work revealed a leptin-dependent, plastic pathway spanning the central to peripheral nervous system that is responsible for regulating energy homeostasis in mice. Leptin deficient (ob/ob) mice accumulate excessive fat mass due to increased food intake, and decreased energy expenditure partially as a result of defective fat utilization. Chronic leptin delivery to ob/ob …

Unraveling The Interaction Between Beige Adipocytes And The Sympathetic Nervous System, Jingyi Chi

Student Theses and Dissertations

Obesity affects more than one in three adults in the United States and is a significant risk factor for a constellation of chronic diseases. The crucial role of adipose tissue in energy balance has driven great interest in investigating this tissue as a target for treatment of obesity and its sequelae. While white adipocytes store excess energy, thermogenic brown and beige adipocytes convert lipids and glucose into heat, thereby increasing energy expenditure. Unlike classical brown adipocytes which are thermogenic under basal conditions, inducible brown adipocytes, commonly known as beige adipocytes, reside in white adipose depots and need to be activated …

Noggin Transport In A Model Human Epiblast, Tiên Phan-Everson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Using self-organizing human models of gastrulation, the Brivanlou/Siggia labs previously showed that (i) BMP4 initiates the cascade of events leading to gastrulation; (ii) BMP4 signal-reception is restricted to the basolateral domain; and (iii) in a human-specific manner, BMP4 directly induces the expression of NOGGIN. In this work, I interrogate the interplay of the morphogen/inhibitor pair BMP4/NOGGIN within our model of the polarized human embryonic disc. Here, I report the surprising discovery that in human epiblasts, NOGGIN and BMP4 were selectively secreted into opposite sides of the polarized epithelium, effectively segregating the ligand and its inhibitor into distinct extracellular spaces. Moreover, …

Chemical Tools For Exploring Metabolite Interactions With Nuclear Receptors And Beyond, Taku Tsukidate

Student Theses and Dissertations

The identification and functional characterization of specific metabolite–protein interactions remains a major challenge in chemical biology and drug development. The functionalization of native metabolites and synthetic small molecules with bio-orthogonal detection tags (alkyne, azide, and others) has afforded chemical reporters for the biochemical analysis of metabolically labelled proteins, whereas functionalization with photo-crosslinkers enables non-covalent metabolite–protein interactions to be captured. While we and many others have employed this approach to different metabolites and synthetic ligands, the installation of bio-orthogonal detection tags and photo-crosslinkers to more complex and diverse small molecules can be challenging and limiting. In this regard, activity-based protein profiling …

Linker Histone Medicated Regulation Of Mitotic Chromosome Compaction And Individualization, Pavan Choppakatla

Student Theses and Dissertations

Mitotic chromosomes are scaled to the cell size to ensure effective chromosome segregation. Recent studies have shown how condensins and DNA topoisomerase II organize the mitotic chromosome. However, the regulation of these factors in maintaining proper chromosome size in different cell types remains a mystery. Here, I investigated the role of the linker histone variant H1.8 in regulating mitotic chromosome structure. I showed that H1.8 suppresses binding of condensins and topo II to mitotic chromatin in Xenopus egg extracts. Using an in vitro reconstitution system, I showed that H1.8 inhibits binding of purified condensins and topo II to nucleosome arrays. …

Pathogenic Characterization And Therapeutic Development For Fiblrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Solomon N. Levin

Student Theses and Dissertations

Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLC) is a rare liver cancer that primarily affects adolescents and young adults. There are no known successful systemic chemotherapies for this disease, and thus, surgery is the only potential path to a cure in patients with FLC. Once the disease has grown or metastasized to a point where surgery is no longer an option, a patient's chance for survival approaches zero. There is a recurrent genetic deletion in FLC cells, which has been found in almost all FLC tumor samples sequenced to date, but not in normal liver tissue from the same patients. The deletion encompasses …

Deciphering Cancer Metabolic Dependencies In The Tumor Microenvironment, Xiphias Ge Zhu

Student Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cells face substantial pressure within the tumor microenvironment. Physical constraints and nutrient limitations in the tumor prevent excessive cell proliferation, while other cell types such as stromal and immune cells can compete with or kill cancer cells. To overcome these restrictions, cancer cells often possess oncogenic mutations or amplifications to divide rapidly but can also rewire their metabolism in adaptation to the environmental challenge. The metabolism of cancer cells exhibit high plasticity as many metabolic pathways and enzymes are redundant. This allows for cancer cells to adapt to the changing nutritional and intercellular context of the tumor. Though metabolic …

A Translational Approach To Modeling Unique Aspects Of Germ Cell Development During Self-Organization Of The Primate Embryo, Rohan R. Soman

Student Theses and Dissertations

The specification of germ cells during embryonic development is vital not only for the development of an organism, but quite literally for the survival and propagation of its entire species. Recent work has demonstrated that several aspects of human primordial germ cell (hPGC) development are specific to primates, necessitating model systems and in vivo validation that is also species specific. In this work, a synthesis of in vitro and in vivo techniques is used to investigate hPGC specification within a human embryonic stem cell model of a gastrulating embryo known as a gastruloid. An hPGC transcriptomic signature that indicates migratory …

La Fantascienza Italiana Dalla Prospettiva Degli Studi Sulla Traduzione E Postcoloniali, Simone Brioni Dr.

Department of English Faculty Publications

A partire dai più recenti studi sulla fantascienza e sulla circolazione dei testi in contesti letterari diversi, l’articolo presenta un’analisi della produzione di fantascienza italiana dalla prospettiva degli studi sulla traduzione e postcoloniali. A lungo considerate come semplici imitazioni dei modelli inglesi e statunitensi, tali produzioni spesso le adattano e ripensano creativamente. Investigare le complesse relazioni intertestuali da cui emerge la fantascienza può permettere di comprendere come l’altro e l’altrove sono stati immaginati e rappresentati in Italia.

The Kanza 2021, Pittsburg State University

The Kanza, 1910-2023

The Kanza 2021 is Published by Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas.

Medicine@Yale January/February 2021 Volume 16, Issue 1, Yale School Of Medicine Office Of Communications

Medicine@Yale - development newsletter

Medicine@Yale : advancing biomedical science, education and health care was a print and online newsletter which published news about academics, research and philanthropy for alumni, donors, faculty, students and the general public. It was initially published 6 times a year and then changed to a quarterly schedule. The first issue came out June/Jul. 2005. The final issue was published in May/June 2022, vol. 17, issue 1. Published by Yale School of Medicine, Office of Communications.

Targeted Helping In Rodents: Sex Differences And The Role Of The Insula In Empathic Behavior, Stewart Shelby Cox

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Empathy, the capacity for shared emotional valence with others, allows for cooperativity and social bonding between individuals. The evolutionary basis of the empathic behaviors observed across numerous species can be described using the Perception Action Model (PAM), in which shared affect can promote an action that eliminates the distress of both the "Target" and, by extension, the "Observer". However, clinical studies indicate empathy is dysregulated in neuropsychiatric disorders like autism and addiction, which makes the elucidation of underlying behavioral, affective, and neurobiological variables of empathy paramount. We first introduce and validate a novel model of targeted helping, in which rats …

The Effect Of Proprietary And Attribution Claims On Data Sharing During Infectious Disease Emergencies, Sam Halabi, Michelle Rourke, Rebecca Katz

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Confronting Problematic Legal Fictions In Gestational Surrogacy, Ayesha Rasheed

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Moratoria In Scientific Research: A Review, Valerie Bonham

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

When Disparities Become Deadly: Spatial Differences In Pm2.5 Levels Within The City Of Pomona, California, Pauline Bekkers

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis discusses the disparities in particulate matter concentrations between different neighborhoods in the city of Pomona, California, and explores the historical, political and social factors that have shaped these spatial patterns. I argue that urban growth patterns in Pomona, which are historically marked by race and class segregation as a consequence of past discriminatory housing practices, have led to the disproportionate concentrations of air pollutants in low-income, Latino communities in South Pomona.

Due to the absence of a local air quality monitoring system, there is a lack of information about and understanding of how poor air quality may be …

2021 Commencement Program, Morehead State University. Registrar's Office.

Morehead State Commencement Programs

2021 commencement programs of Morehead State University.

A Survey Of And Site Treatment Plan For The Belle Creek Mounds Archeological Site, 21gd0072, In Goodhue County, Minnesota, Alexander T. Anton

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Prairie Island Indian Community (PIIC) recently purchased property, on which a portion of a prominent archeological site, encompassing 67 formerly documented burial mounds, resides. In order to better protect the burial mounds and other culturally significant material on the site, as well as on sites residing on the remainder of their new property, the PIIC enlisted the support of Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Earth Science, Archeology, Resources, and Terrestrial Hazards (EARTH) Systems Research Laboratory in developing a site treatment plan. Developing a useful site treatment plan necessitated conducting a geoarcheological survey of a portion of the archeological site, known …

Investigation Of Fluorescence In Selected Mammals Of Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Terry L. Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The adaptive value of fluorescence among the vertebrates has been studied most in fishes and birds, and only a few observations have been published regarding fluorescence in the pelage of mammals. Recently, reports of fluorescence in some marsupials, the platypus, and in flying squirrels have become available. We report the occurrence of fluorescent properties in some mammals from Arkansas. Most carnivores, bats, and rodents did not exhibit the property when viewed under UV light. However, opossums, rabbits, a weasel, muskrats, and moles showed substantial UV response, and a few other mammals showed minor fluorescence. Colors fluoresced included pink, green, and …

Morphology Of Rathke’S Glands In The Alligator Snapping Turtle, Macrochelys Temminckii (Chelonia: Chelydridae), Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I examined the morphology of Rathke’s glands (RG) in the Alligator Snapping Turtle, Macrochelys temminckii, using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. This species possesses 4 pairs of RG (i.e., an axillary and three inframarginals) that are embedded beneath marginal bones and are named primarily according to the anatomical location of their orifices. These holocrine-type, exocrine, integumentary glands are anatomically and ultrastructurally similar to one another. Each gland contains a single and highly vascularized secretory lobule, which is bounded by a thick tunic of asymmetrically-arranged striated muscle bundles. Two types of secretory vacuoles were identified within the holocrine cells …

Energy Content Of Seeds Of Palmer’S Pigweed (Amaranthus Palmeri) In The Diet Of Scaled Quail (Callipepla Squamata) In Southeastern New Mexico, John L. Hunt, Matthew E. Grilliot, Troy L. Best, Isaac C. Castillo, Paige E. Eddington, Faith A. Johnson, Tyneshia L. Kilgore, Jacob H. Courson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Palmer’s pigweed (Amaranthus palmeri) is a common grassland plant that occurs across much of North America. It is often considered a weed but is an important source of food for many game birds. We analyzed the energy content of seeds of Palmer’s pigweed obtained from the crops of scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub habitat in Eddy and Lea counties, New Mexico. Seeds were dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture and then analyzed for gross caloric value (i.e., energy content) in an oxygen bomb calorimeter. Energy content of seeds of Palmer’s …

Distribution And History Of The Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea Ajaja) In Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Grace Wills, Karen Rowe

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Roseatte Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a rare bird in Arkansas and was not reported from the state until 1959, when it was seen in southwestern Arkansas. By use of online sources for citizen science, we elucidate the history of occurrence and present analysis of seasonal distribution of this bird in Arkansas. Individuals arrive in Arkansas as early as April, observations peak in August, and the birds may remain to late October when colder weather promotes southward migration. Most observations are of a few birds, but a maximum of 128 has been counted at one location and time. …

History, Distribution, And Reproduction By The Swallow-Tailed Kite (Elanoides Forficatus) In Arkansas, Grace Wills, C. Renn Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) is a rare bird in Arkansas, and its historical populations are believed to have declined over much of the last century due to loss of bottomland hardwood forests and associated wetlands. However, sightings have increased in the recent 2 decades. By use of online sources for citizen science, we elucidate the current distribution of this bird in Arkansas, and comment on the status of reproduction. Swallow-tailed Kites arrive in Arkansas as early as March and remain to mid-September, but numbers of reported sightings have a bimodal occurrence with peaks in May and August.

Bird Usage Of Black Marasmius Fibers As Nest Material, Haris Rana, Shayla Smithson, Jack Jackson, Ragupathy Kannan

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Black Marasmius fungal fibers have been frequently observed in neotropical bird nests. We tested to determine if superior tensile strength and temperature moderation contributes to why these fibers are preferred by some species over other available nesting materials. Marasmius fibers from nests of Yellow-olive Flycatchers (Tolmomyias sulphurescens) were compared to grass fibers from a Yellow-tailed Oriole (Icterus mesomelas) nest from the same area in Belize, Central America. We measured tensile strengths by a universal strength tester which stretched the fibers to their breaking point. We also used HOBO data loggers to compare the temperature differential between …

Instructions To Authors, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Get The Wiggles Out: Sensory Paths A Motor-Based Intervention To Decrease Out-Of-Seat Events In Preschool Children With Special Needs., Teresa Ludwig

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Sensory Paths are sensory motor-based interventions that will provide opportunities for teachers to incorporate structured movement into the natural classroom routine, such as before circle time, to help the children in their classes be ready for learning by increasing attention and decreasing out of seat events.

This single subject A-B-A design project, rooted in the Ecology of Human Performance framework, explored providing structured sensory motor-based opportunities prior to circle time throughout the classroom day to decrease interfering behaviors in the classroom, such as out of seat behaviors and improve attention during circle time.

The results indicate that the Sensory Paths …