Digital Commons Network^™

Explorative Role Of Mir-216a/217 As A Tumor Suppressor In Pancreatic Cancer, Shreya Repakula, Nagabhishek Sirpu Natesh, Ramakanth C. Venkata, Surinder K. Batra, Satyanarayana Rachagani

Posters: 2022 Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a lethal malignancy with a 5-year survival rate of 10.8%. Gemcitabine, in combination with Abraxane and Folfirinox, are current treatments available for metastatic PC, however, all these therapies provided limited patient survival benefit, often resulting in high toxicity. Therefore, there is a need to identify novel therapeutic targets and combination therapies to combat this lethal cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have been shown to regulate PC proliferation and metastasis. Recently, miRNA therapies have shown promising results as a single miRNA is predicted to target more than 200 genes, involved in multiple pathways. The objective of this …

Tobacco-Derived Aldehydes, Platelets, And Thrombogenicity: Role Of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin-1., Andre D. Richardson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the world’s leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Conventional smoking of tobacco cigarettes is the number one risk factor for onset of CVD. Active cigarette users as well as those individuals who are exposed to second-hand cigarette smoke are at increased risk of CVD. Studies have shown that conventional smoking significantly increases a user’s risk of thrombosis, atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease, and coronary artery disease. Any of these diseases may trigger myocardial infarctions, stroke, or hypertension that may lead to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. New and emerging electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as electronic cigarettes …

Stromal Vascular Fraction Restores Vasodilatory Function By Reversing Mitochondrial Dysfunction And Oxidative Stress In Aging-Induced Coronary Microvascular Disease., Evan Paul Tracy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Coronary Microvascular Disease (CMD) presents in aging post-menopausal women with chronic angina due to microvascular hyperconstriction. The objective was to identify mechanisms of adipose stromal vascular fraction’s (SVF) restorative effects on vasodilation. We hypothesize aging-induced CMD is caused by a) abrogated flow-mediated dilation (FMD) due to loss of nitric oxide signaling and b) ROS-dependent βADR desensitization & internalization, reversible by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress with SVF. Methods: Coronary microvessels were isolated from female rats either young, old, or old with SVF tail-vein injection (OSVF). Pressure myography, RNA-sequencing, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and morphological analysis were performed to …

A Computational Model Of The Line-1 Retrotransposon Life Cycle And Visualization Of Metabolic Networks In 3-Dimensions., Michael D. Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational modeling of metabolic reactions and cellular systems is evolving as a tool for quantitative prediction of metabolic parameters and reaction pathway analysis. In this work, the basics of computational cell biology are presented as well as a summary of physical processes within the cell, and the algorithmic methods used to find time dependent solutions. Protein-protein and enzyme-substrate interactions are mathematically represented via mass action kinetics to construct sets of linear differential equations that describe reaction rates and formation of protein complexes. Using mass action methods, examples of reaction networks and their solutions are presented within the Virtual Cell simulation …

Bayesian Methodologies For Constrained Spaces., Siddhesh Kulkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to advances in technology, there is a presence of directional data in a wide variety of fields. Often distributions to model directional data are defined on manifold or constrained spaces. Regular statistical methods applied to data defined on special geometries can give misleading results, and this demands new statistical theory. This dissertation addresses two such problems and develops Bayesian methodologies to improve inference in these arenas. It consists of two projects: 1. A Bayesian Methodology for Estimation for Sparse Canonical Correlation, and 2. Bayesian Analysis of Finite Mixture Model for Spherical Data. In principle, it can be challenging to …

Barriers And Opportunities To Sustainable Urban Agriculture: The Case Of Louisville, Kentucky., Sait Sarr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the urban populations continue to increase, food insecurity will continue to affect urban residents as well, depriving them of access to abundant and nutritious food. This has captured the attention of many policymakers, urban planners, nonprofits, grassroots movements, and other stakeholders. As a result, there is growing interest in developing new sustainable strategies and policy measures that improve food security through the promotion of sustainable urban agriculture. More than 100,000 Louisville residents, of which 20% are from West Louisville, do not have access to adequate and nutritious foods, and are at a higher risk of developing health issues. West …

Effects Of Monovalent And Divalent Ions In Factor Xiii Activation And Crosslinking., Richard Laporca Lumata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Factor XIII (FXIII) is an emerging target for treating blood clotting and cardiovascular related diseases. FXIII can be activated non-proteolytically by the presence of elevated Ca²⁺ levels (2-100 mM) or proteolytically by thrombin-cleavage of the Activation Peptide along with low mM Ca²⁺. The studies herein utilized fluorescence to examine how monovalent and divalent ions influence the transglutaminase activity and conformation of FXIII. Monodansylcadaverine assays revealed that increasing ionic radius (Cs⁺ > K⁺ > Na⁺ > Li⁺) and increasing ionic strength (XCl^- levels and SO₄^2- > Cl^-) elevated FXIII-A transglutaminase activity. Intrinsic …

Unraveling Dna And Identity: A Humanistic Perspective On Epistemologies And Ethics Of Genetic Ancestry Testing., Eve Carlisle Polley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The advent of DNA ancestry testing motivated a burst of human activities that constitute a scientific-technological-industrial-personal-social movement of immense scale, infused with epistemological and ethical questions of great and important variety. This movement has motivated many discourses in the social sciences, with study subjects ranging from the language usage of geneticists, to moral conundrums faced by test-takers, to potential ramifications in global structures of political power. At the same time, and especially in recent decades, the discourses of the comparative humanities have included with increasing frequency and urgency research and theorization about concepts and consequences of human social identities, alongside …

Orphan Drugs: Designations, Approvals, And Prices In The Us, Hana Althobaiti

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Introduction. Rare disease drug approvals have accelerated significantly in recent years. Even with these advances, patients continue to face challenges in receiving treatment, with most rare diseases lacking any approved treatments. Moreover, even when a treatment is available, it does not always reach the patients who benefit from it.

Objectives. This dissertation assessed the characteristics of orphan drug designations and approvals and the factors associated with the time lag between orphan designation and approval in the US from 1983 to 2021. It also evaluated the treatment cost of orphan and non-orphan drugs and factors explaining the treatment cost of new …

Investigating The Role Of The Three N-Terminal Hamp Domains Of The Aer2 Chemoreceptor From Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Selina Anaya

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium and opportunistic human pathogen. It readily adapts to changing environmental conditions with the aid of 26 chemoreceptors that signal to four distinct chemosensory systems. The Aer2 chemoreceptor from P. aeruginosa is an O2 sensor implicated in stress responses, virulence and fine-tuning the chemotaxis (Che) system. Aer2 is the sole chemoreceptor of the Che2 chemosensory system, which forms complexes at the cell pole during stationary phase. Aer2 is soluble, yet membrane-associated and displays an unusual arrangement with its PAS sensing domain sandwiched between three N-terminal and two C-terminal HAMP domains. HAMP domains are widespread …

Investigating The Role Of The Three N-Terminal Hamp Domains Of The Aer2 Chemoreceptor From Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Selina Anaya

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous environmental bacterium and opportunistic human pathogen. It readily adapts to changing environmental conditions with the aid of 26 chemoreceptors that signal to four distinct chemosensory systems. The Aer2 chemoreceptor from P. aeruginosa is an O2 sensor implicated in stress responses, virulence and fine-tuning the chemotaxis (Che) system. Aer2 is the sole chemoreceptor of the Che2 chemosensory system, which forms complexes at the cell pole during stationary phase. Aer2 is soluble, yet membrane-associated and displays an unusual arrangement with its PAS sensing domain sandwiched between three N-terminal and two C-terminal HAMP domains. HAMP domains are widespread …

Integrin-Mediated Mechanotransduction Controls Activation Of Yap And Invasive Growth Of Breast Cancer, Xiaobo Wang

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Tumor extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness is correlated with the aggressiveness of breast cancer. Integrin-mediated adhesion and signaling are crucial for mammary tumorigenesis and tumor progression, in which focal adhesion kinase (FAK) - Src family kinases (SFKs) serves as a hub to relay the mechanical cues from the ECM. We have investigated the mechanisms through which integrin signaling controls mammary tumorigenesis and found that integrin-mediated mechanotransduction controls invasive growth of breast cancer cells in stiff matrices through activation of FAK and YAP. Mechanistic studies revealed that integrin signaling induces - via activation SFKs - tyrosine phosphorylation and inactivation of LATS1 and …

Defining The Cooperation Between Mhc-I And Mhc-Ii Neoantigen-Driven T Cell Responses To Develop Effective Personalized Immunotherapies, Charmelle Williams

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) (e.g. anti-CTLA-4 (α-CTLA-4), anti-PD-1 (α-PD-1)) enables durable T cell-dependent anti-tumor immunity in certain cancer patients. Since a subset of patients respond to ICT, this work aims at developing a more in-depth understanding of T-cell responses to MHC class I (MHC-I) and MHC class II (MHC-II) tumor antigens that are derived from aberrant expression of non-mutant antigens or driver and passenger somatic alterations that can function as tumor neoantigens. We used a poorly immunogenic Braf^v600e Pten^-/- Cdkn2a^-/- YUMM1.7 (Y1.7) murine melanoma line with a paucity of endogenous neoantigens that is unresponsive to ICT, and …

Environmental Weed Risk Assessment Protocol For Growing Non-Indigenous Plants In The Western Australian Rangelands, Geoff A. Moore Mr, Christine Munday Ms, Papori Barua Dr

Bulletins 4000 -

This bulletin is a post-border environmental weed risk assessment (WRA) protocol which is based on the Environmental WRA Protocol developed for the Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre (FFI CRC), but with some changes to reflect the different environment and objectives.

The WRA protocol was developed specifically as a post-border assessment of non-indigenous species that may have agricultural value in the WA rangelands and the risk that they may become environmental weeds. Weeds can occur in many land-use systems including agriculture, horticulture and forestry; however, the focus of this protocol is on the risk that non-indigenous agricultural plants may become …

Gastroprotective And Immuno-Supportive Role Of Alcea Kurdica Against Stress Induced Lesion In Japanese Quails, Ahmed Aj. Jabbar

Baghdad Science Journal

The conducted research was done in Grda rasha field (Salahaddin University) for one month to compare the impacts of Alcea kurdica powder, Rifaxmine, and Ranitidine as anti-lesion and immune-strengthening agents on stress-induced quails which are affecting their growth rate and in severe cases causing gizzard erosion and deep intestinal lesions. To do that, 75 quails (12 weeks old) were grouped into six treatments with different additives. (T0-) = Negative control (Stress-induced Without treatment), (T0+) = Positive control (No stress inducing or treatment). T1= (treated with Rifaximine 200mg/L water mixed), T2= (treated with Ranitidine 200mg/L), T3= (treated with A.kurdica extract 100mg/L). …

Water

In Case You Missed It

AUGUST 2022

Treatment Of Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater With Membrane Technologies, Faryal Fatima

All Theses

To address some challenges of food security and sustainability of the poultry processing industry, a sequential membrane process (UF-FO-RO) is proposed to treat semi-processed slaughterhouse wastewater and recover the water. The pretreatment of PSWW with UF removed 36.7% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 38.9% of total phosphorous (TP), 24.7% of total solids (TS), 14.5% of total volatile solids (TVS), 27.3% of total fixed solids (TFS) and 12.1% of total nitrogen (TN). The flux of the UF membrane was successfully restored to 94% after 1st wash and 87% after 2nd wash by cleaning the UF membrane with 0.1% sodium hydroxide solution …

The Effects Of Interactive Object Provisioning On Corticosterone, Stress-Related Behaviors, And Cognition In Juvenile And Adult Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia Guttata), Lucas West

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identification and reduction of unnecessary stress in lab animals is important for welfare, and for scientific validity. Providing animals with infrastructure and objects that encourage exercise and species-typical manipulative behaviors can help reduce stress by meeting physical and psychological needs. The effects of such "environmental enrichment" (EE) have been heavily studied in both zoo animals "where it has been shown to reduce maladaptive behaviors" and in lab animals such as rodents, where it clearly reduces stress and anxiety, dampens reactions to stressful events, and increases cognition and the volume of related brain regions. While there is some evidence that EE …

Reproducing Oppression: A Discourse Analysis Of Ofp Funding For Ivf Through The Lens Of Reproductive Justice, Kirandeep Randhawa

Social Justice and Community Engagement Major Research Papers

Canada has long been viewed as a beacon of progressive universal healthcare. However, a closer look into reproductive healthcare services at the provincial level reveals some services are not as accessible as they are portrayed to be. The existing literature demonstrates the ways in which the bodily autonomy of marginalized groups has been restricted through reproductive oppression, as well as how the discourses surrounding infertility have influenced health policy. Using Reproductive Justice (RJ) theory, this research contributes to this literature by examining what discourses are employed in relation to the Ontario Fertility Program (OFP) funding model for IVF in the …

Activational Vs. Organizational Effects Of Sex Steroids And Their Role In The Evolution Of Reproductive Behavior: Looking To Foot-Flagging Frogs And Beyond, Nigel K. Anderson, Sarah E. Goodwin, Eric R. Schuppe, Allexandrya Dawn, Doris Preininger, Lisa A. Mangiamele, Matthew J. Fuxjager

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Sex steroids play an important role in regulation of the vertebrate reproductive phenotype. This is because sex steroids not only activate sexual behaviors that mediate copulation, courtship, and aggression, but they also help guide the development of neural and muscular systems that underlie these traits. Many biologists have therefore described the effects of sex steroid action on reproductive behavior as both “activational” and “organizational,” respectively. Here, we focus on these phenomena from an evolutionary standpoint, highlighting that we know relatively little about the way that organizational effects evolve in the natural world to support the adaptation and diversification of reproductive …

Design, Microfabrication And Characterization Of Vibrating Mesh Atomizer For Viscous Fluids, Pallavi Sharma

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This research focuses on a new piezoelectrically driven Micro Electromechanical Systems based vibrating mesh atomizer that generates the pressure differential required for droplet ejection or spray production using frequency resonances in the 100 kHz range. This study involves device construction and experimental characterization to comprehend the device's operation and the influence of various factors on its performance and determine the limitations of a range of working fluids to atomize.

A novel approach to integrating polymer-based micro heaters with a vibrating mesh atomizer as a monolithic component is presented to expand the range of working liquids for the MEMS device. The …

The Return Of “The Research Mentor” Column, Jonathan Eldredge

Publications

No abstract provided.

Production Of Polyhydroxybutyrate From Corn Fiber Using Paraburkholderia Sacchari, Twissa Mitra

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is one of the most broadly studied members of the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) family. It is a fully biodegradable thermoplastic produced by microbial fermentation having properties similar to polypropylene. PHB has a market price that is three times higher than the cost of synthetic plastics. Substrate cost makes up 50 to 60 % of that cost; hence, researchers have been exploring various cheap natural resources with high carbohydrate content to be used as a substrate for PHB production.

In this study, corn fiber, a lignocellulosic biomass has been studied as an option for a substrate to produce PHB. This …

Investigation Of Transport Behavior In Two-Dimensional Ferroelectric Heterostructures, Pradeep Chaudhary

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation summarizes an investigation of the polarization-related electronic transport behavior in the ferroelectric thin films and two-dimensional (2D) materials heterostructures using Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) techniques.

The polarization-related resistive switching in hafnium oxide thin films-based ferroelectric tunnel junction has been demonstrated by employing semiconducting MoS₂ as a top electrode. We explored a coupling between the semiconducting properties of MoS₂ and the polarization of Hf₀.₅Zr₀.₅O₂ resulted in an enhanced tunneling electroresistance effect of up to 3 orders of magnitude. These results provide a possible pathway for the fabrication of …

Dose-Response Of Two Jack O’Lantern Pumpkin Cultivars To Fomesafen Applied Preemergence, Jeanine Arana, Stephen L. Meyers, William G. Johnson, Wenjing Guan

Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture Faculty Publications

Three dose-response trials were performed in 2020 and 2021 to determine the tolerance of two Jack O’Lantern pumpkin cultivars to fomesafen applied preemergence at two Indiana locations: the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC) and the Pinney Purdue Agricultural Center (PPAC). The experiment was a split-plot arrangement in which the main plot was the fomesafen rate of application (0, 280, 560, 840, and 1,220 g ai ha–1), and the subplot was the pumpkin cultivar (‘Bayhorse Gold’ and ‘Carbonado Gold’). As the fomesafen rate increased from 280 to 1,120 g ha–1, the predicted pumpkin emergence decreased from 85% to 25% of the …

Organizational Green Claims And Consumer Green Perceptions In The Foodservice Industry, Jangwoo Jo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the ever-growing consumer demands and global pressures for more sustainable business operations, corporations disclose their sustainable practices, products, and services to enhance their environmental image. Consumer green perceptions resulting from those organizational green claims have not been the focus of foodservice research. The application of green performance dimensionality of the foodservice domain identified that organizational green claims regarding food, environment and administration increase consumer green confusion and green trust at the same time. Based on the results of CFA, SEM, and multigroup analyses, this study suggests implications both theoretical and practical.

Development And Evaluation Of Performance Models For Asphalt, Concrete, And Composite Pavements Using Machine Learning, Rulian Ferreira De Almeida Barros

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Transportation infrastructures account for a considerable portion of public investments, which serve as the backbone of a country’s economy by providing essential services to businesses and people. In the United States, public investments in transportation infrastructure assets represent trillions of dollars. The U.S road network consists of about 4 million miles, being the world’s largest, longest, and biggest transportation system. Paved roads account for 2.6 million miles, and 93% of them are surfaced with asphalt. However, a portion of the paved roads consists of asphalt overlaid concrete pavements, also known as composite pavements. When concrete pavements start to fail, they …

Novel Applications Of Hot Melt Extrusion For Developing Oral Solid Dosage Forms With Improved Solubility, Permeability, And Stability, Dinesh Nyavanandi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In today's world, with an increasing patient population, the demand for pharmaceutical medications is increasing enormously. However, pharmaceutical industries are continuously failing to meet market and patient populations' demands. Poor solubility of the drug substances is the major roadblock affecting the pharmaceutical industries in meeting the market demand and revenue. Around 70-80% of the new chemical entities within the developmental pipeline are claimed to be poorly soluble, affecting the oral bioavailability. Improving the solubility of drug substances by preserving their stability and physiological action is the primary prerequisite for developmental scientists. The underdeveloped manufacturing process with various limitations is another …

Investigating Sound And Gear Modification As A Means Of Reducing Shark Bycatch, Eduardo Josue Rangel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sharks are unintentionally captured during commercial fishing operations and discarded, known as bycatch. Sharks captured in this manner have high mortality rates resulting in hundreds of millions of sharks killed annually. Longline operations have the highest instances of bycatch. In this study, two methods for reducing shark bycatch were investigated. A simple gear modification on longline leaders was tested by substituting monofilament (mono) leaders with ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (spectra) leaders. A recording of thunder was tested during longline fishing for a deterrent effect. The experiments were conducted simultaneously on a 915 m longline with 50 leaders with each leader alternating between …

Repetitively Counting Sheep: Sleep As A Moderator Of Executive Function Performance On Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms, Brittany S. Sapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a leading cause of disability worldwide, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is associated with considerable costs on individual and economic levels. According to a U.S. national comorbidity survey, approximately 28% of individuals experience obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms in their lifetime. As with most psychiatric disorders, sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in individuals with OCD and have been linked to greater severity of OC symptoms and poorer treatment response. Similarly, deficient executive functioning (EF) has been demonstrated in OCD, with research evidencing a connection between EF impairment and OCD course, symptom severity, and treatment response. Sleep difficulties are also implicated in impaired EF, …