Digital Commons Network^™

The Orf7a Protein Of Sars-Cov-2 Initiates Autophagy And Limits Autophagosome-Lysosome Fusion Via Degradation Of Snap29 To Promote Virus Replication, Peili Hou, Xuefeng Wang, Hongmei Wang, Tiecheng Wang, Zhangping Yu, Chunqing Xu, Yudong Zhao, Wenqi Wang, Yong Zhao, Fengyun Chu, Huasong Chang, Hongchao Zhu, Jiahui Lu, Fuzhen Zhang, Xue Liang, Xingyu Li, Song Wang, Yuwei Gao, Hongbin He

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is closely related to various cellular aspects associated with autophagy. However, how SARS-CoV-2 mediates the subversion of the macroautophagy/autophagy pathway remains largely unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that overexpression of the SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a protein activates LC3-II and leads to the accumulation of autophagosomes in multiple cell lines, while knockdown of the viral ORF7a gene via shRNAs targeting ORF7a sgRNA during SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased autophagy levels. Mechanistically, the ORF7a protein initiates autophagy via the AKT-MTOR-ULK1-mediated pathway, but ORF7a limits the progression of autophagic flux by activating CASP3 (caspase 3) to cleave the …

Biosynthesis Of Chlorophyll And Other Isoprenoids In The Plastid Of Red Grape Berry Skins, António Teixeira, Henrique Noronha, Sarah Frusciante, Gianfranco Diretto, Hernâni Gerós

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite current knowledge showing that fruits like tomato and grape berries accumulate different components of the light reactions and Calvin cycle, the role of green tissues in fruits is not yet fully understood. In mature tomato fruits, chlorophylls are degraded and replaced by carotenoids through the conversion of chloroplasts in chromoplasts, while in red grape berries, chloroplasts persist at maturity and chlorophylls are masked by anthocyanins. To study isoprenoid and lipid metabolism in grape skin chloroplasts, metabolites of enriched organelle fractions were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) and the expression of key genes was evaluated by real-time …

Biomarkers For Dementia In Latin American Countries: Gaps And Opportunities, Mario A Parra, Paulina Orellana, Tomas Leon, Cabello G Victoria, Fernando Henriquez, Rodrigo Gomez, Constanza Avalos, Andres Damian, Andrea Slachevsky, Agustin Ibañez, Henrik Zetterberg, Betty M Tijms, Jennifer S Yokoyama, Stefanie D Piña-Escudero, J Nicholas Cochran, Diana L Matallana, Daisy Acosta, Ricardo Allegri, Bianca P Arias-Suárez, Bernardo Barra, Maria Isabel Behrens, Sonia M D Brucki, Geraldo Busatto, Paulo Caramelli, Sheila Castro-Suarez, Valeria Contreras, Nilton Custodio, Sergio Dansilio, Myriam De La Cruz-Puebla, Leonardo Cruz De Souza, Monica M Diaz, Lissette Duque, Gonzalo A Farías, Sergio T Ferreira, Nahuel Magrath Guimet, Ana Kmaid, David Lira, Francisco Lopera, Beatriz Mar Meza, Eliane C Miotto, Ricardo Nitrini, Alberto Nuñez, Santiago O'Neill, John Ochoa, Maritza Pintado-Caipa, Elisa De Paula França Resende, Shannon Risacher, Luz Angela Rojas, Valentina Sabaj, Lucas Schilling, Allis F Sellek, Ana Sosa, Leonel T Takada, Antonio L Teixeira, Martha Unaucho-Pilalumbo, Claudia Duran-Aniotz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Limited knowledge on dementia biomarkers in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries remains a serious barrier. Here, we reported a survey to explore the ongoing work, needs, interests, potential barriers, and opportunities for future studies related to biomarkers. The results show that neuroimaging is the most used biomarker (73%), followed by genetic studies (40%), peripheral fluids biomarkers (31%), and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (29%). Regarding barriers in LAC, lack of funding appears to undermine the implementation of biomarkers in clinical or research settings, followed by insufficient infrastructure and training. The survey revealed that despite the above barriers, the region holds a …

Inhibition Of Myeloperoxidase Enhances Immune Checkpoint Therapy For Melanoma, Tracy W Liu, Seth T Gammon, Ping Yang, Wencai Ma, Jing Wang, David Piwnica-Worms

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The presence of a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment has limited the success of immune checkpoint therapy (ICT). Immune suppressing myeloid cells with increased production of reactive oxygen species are critical drivers of this immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Strategies to limit these immune suppressing myeloid cells are needed to enhance response to ICT.

METHODS: To evaluate the contribution of myeloperoxidase (MPO), a myeloid lineage-restricted enzyme and a major source of reactive oxygen species, to mediating ICT response, we compared treatment outcome and immune composition in wild-type, MPO-deficient (

RESULTS: Tumor growth and survival studies demonstrated that either host deficiency (

CONCLUSION: …

Innately Expressed Estrogen-Related Receptors In The Skeletal Muscle Are Indispensable For Exercise Fitness, Danesh H Sopariwala, Andrea S Rios, Guangsheng Pei, Anirban Roy, Meiricris Tomaz Da Silva, Hao Thi Thu Nguyen, Addison Saley, Rachel Van Drunen, Anastasia Kralli, Kristin Mahan, Zhongming Zhao, Ashok Kumar, Vihang A Narkar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Transcriptional determinants in the skeletal muscle that govern exercise capacity, while poorly defined, could provide molecular insights into how exercise improves fitness. Here, we have elucidated the role of nuclear receptors, estrogen-related receptor alpha and gamma (ERRα/γ) in regulating myofibrillar composition, contractility, and exercise capacity in skeletal muscle. We used muscle-specific single or double (DKO) ERRα/γ knockout mice to investigate the effect of ERRα/γ deletion on muscle and exercise parameters. Individual knockout of ERRα/γ did not have a significant impact on the skeletal muscle. On the other hand, DKO mice exhibit pale muscles compared to wild-type (WT) littermates. RNA-seq analysis …

Gasdermin D Deficiency In Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Ameliorates Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Through Reducing Putrescine Synthesis, Jianing Gao, Yanghui Chen, Huiqing Wang, Xin Li, Ke Li, Yangkai Xu, Xianwei Xie, Yansong Guo, Nana Yang, Xinhua Zhang, Dong Ma, Hong S. Lu, Ying H. Shen, Yong Liu, Jifeng Zhang, Y. Eugene Chen, Alan Daugherty, Dao Wen Wang, Lemin Zheng

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a common vascular disease associated with significant phenotypic alterations in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Gasdermin D (GSDMD) is a pore-forming effector of pyroptosis. In this study, the role of VSMC-specific GSDMD in the phenotypic alteration of VSMCs and AAA formation is determined. Single-cell transcriptome analyses reveal Gsdmd upregulation in aortic VSMCs in angiotensin (Ang) II-induced AAA. VSMC-specific Gsdmd deletion ameliorates Ang II-induced AAA in apolipoprotein E (ApoE)−/− mice. Using untargeted metabolomic analysis, it is found that putrescine is significantly reduced in the plasma and aortic tissues of VSMC-specific GSDMD deficient mice. High putrescine levels …

The Mechanism And Therapy Of Aortic Aneurysms, Jianing Gao, Huanhuan Cao, Gaofei Hu, Yufei Wu, Yangkai Xu, Hongtu Cui, Hong S. Lu, Lemin Zheng

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Aortic aneurysm is a chronic aortic disease affected by many factors. Although it is generally asymptomatic, it poses a significant threat to human life due to a high risk of rupture. Because of its strong concealment, it is difficult to diagnose the disease in the early stage. At present, there are no effective drugs for the treatment of aneurysms. Surgical intervention and endovascular treatment are the only therapies. Although current studies have discovered that inflammatory responses as well as the production and activation of various proteases promote aortic aneurysm, the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Researchers are further exploring the pathogenesis …

A Simple Micromilled Microfluidic Impedance Cytometer With Vertical Parallel Electrodes For Cell Viability Analysis, Jason Eades, Julianne F. Audiffred, Micah Fincher, Jin Woo Choi, Steven A. Soper, William Todd Monroe

Faculty Publications

Microfluidic impedance cytometry has been demonstrated as an effective platform for single cell analysis, taking advantage of microfabricated features and dielectric cell sensing methods. In this study, we present a simple microfluidic device to improve the sensitivity, accuracy, and throughput of single suspension cell viability analysis using vertical sidewall electrodes fabricated by a widely accessible negative manufacturing method. A microchannel milled through a 75 µm platinum wire, which was embedded into poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA), created a pair of parallel vertical sidewall platinum electrodes. Jurkat cells were interrogated in a custom low-conductivity buffer (1.2 ± 0.04 mS/cm) to reduce current leakage and …

Human Resource Management In The Digital Era: Leading A Multi-Generational Workforce In Kenyan Newsrooms, Caroline Wambui Mwangi

Master of Arts in Digital Journalism

Human resources are a key pillar for driving media leadership and innovation. These resources are, however, very diverse in terms of skills, expertise, gender, areas of specialization and age among other factors. This study set out to critically examine and understand the dynamics of multi-generational digital newsrooms in Kenya and provide recommendations and strategies for how they can be managed better to ensure productivity and sustainability. Chapter one of this document provided an introduction and background to the study. This chapter also outlined the rationale of the study, the literature review, the problem statement, research objectives and questions, the research …

Immunotherapeutic Targets In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Habib Sadeghirad, Tayyeb Bahrami, Sepideh M. Layeghi, Hassan Yousefi, Meysam Rezaei, Seyed R. Hosseini-Fard, Payar Radfar, Majid E. Warkiani, Ken O'Byrne, Arutha Kulasinghe

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common types of cancer in the world and has a 5-year survival rate of ~20%. Immunotherapies have shown promising results leading to durable responses, however, they are only effective for a subset of patients. To determine the best therapeutic approach, a thorough and in-depth profiling of the tumour microenvironment (TME) is required. The TME is a complex network of cell types that form an interconnected network, promoting tumour cell initiation, growth and dissemination. The stroma, immune cells and endothelial cells that comprise the TME generate a plethora of cytotoxic or …

De Novo Transcriptome Assembly From The Nodal Root Growth Zone Of Hydrated And Water-Deficit Stressed Maize Inbred Line Fr697, Sidharth Sen, Shannon K. King, Tyler Mccubbin, Laura A. Greeley, Rachel A. Mertz, Cheyenne Becker, Nicole Niehues, Shuai Zeng, Jonathan T. Stemmle, Scott C. Peck, Melvin J. Oliver, Felix B. Fritschi, David M. Braun, Robert E. Sharp, Trupti Joshi

Biomedical Sciences

Certain cultivars of maize show increased tolerance to water deficit conditions by maintenance of root growth. To better understand the molecular mechanisms related to this adaptation, nodal root growth zone samples were collected from the reference inbred line B73 and inbred line FR697, which exhibits a relatively greater ability to maintain root elongation under water deficits. Plants were grown under various water stress levels in both field and controlled environment settings. FR697‑specific RNA‑Seq datasets were generated and used for a de novo transcriptome assembly to characterize any genotype‑specific genetic features. The assembly was aided by an Iso‑Seq library of transcripts …

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letter - February 2023, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Library Liaison Letters

No abstract provided.

Nrsm 475.01: Environment And Development, Colleen F. Livingstone

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Wild 180.01: Careers In Wildlife Biology, Erim Gomez

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Wild 370.01: Wildlife Habitat Conservation And Management, Thomas V. Riecke

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Csd 445.01: Social Communication Skills, Behavior, And Neurodiversity, Jennifer K. Schoffer Closson

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Slp 545.V50: Social Communication Skills, Behavior, And Neurodiversity, Jennifer K. Schoffer Closson

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Slp 520.00: Speech Sound Disorders, Amy M. Glaspey

University of Montana Course Syllabi, 2021-2025

No abstract provided.

Steering Particles Via Micro-Actuation Of Chemical Gradients Using Model Predictive Control, Mark N. Mcdonald, Cameron K. Peterson, Douglas R. Tree

Faculty Publications

Biological systems rely on chemical gradients to direct motion through both chemotaxis and signaling, but synthetic approaches for doing the same are still relatively naïve. Consequently, we present a novel method for using chemical gradients to manipulate the position and velocity of colloidal particles in a microfluidic device. Specifically, we show that a set of spatially localized chemical reactions that are sufficiently controllable can be used to steer colloidal particles via diffusiophoresis along an arbitrary trajectory. To accomplish this, we develop a control method for steering colloidal particles with chemical gradients using nonlinear model predictive control with a model based …

Race Matters: The Gospel, Racial Reconciliation, And The Church, Terry Crist

Doctor of Ministry

The modern Pentecostal movement has been marred by racial incongruence and division. Defying the segregationist laws of the day, the earliest revivals of the twentieth century were racially integrated, reflecting a biblical vision for the oneness of a new humanity in Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit. And yet, the unity born from these early revivals proved insufficient to sustain racial equity within the movements. A century later, Pentecostal (and Charismatic) churches fail to reflect racial diversity at the highest levels of authority, direction setting, and power-sharing. The lack of clarity surrounding key theological concepts such as the imago Dei, …

Experiences Of Racism Among Black And African Children With Asthma, Esosa Adah, Rayanna Tucker, Bridgette Jones

Posters

Rationale: The relationship between adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress and asthma risk has been previously described in the literature among adult and pediatric populations. Studies have identified experiences of racism as a chronic stressor associated with asthma morbidity however, most studies have focused primarily on adults or parental perspectives. We initiated a pilot study to characterize described experiences of racism among Black/African American children with persistent asthma and describe some of our initial results. Methods: Children were asked to complete the “Perceptions of Racism in Children and Youth,” a validated questionnaire, measuring perceptions of racism and discrimination. Responses were analyzed …

Population Structure And Hybridisation In A Population Of Hawaiian Feral Chickens, Maria Luisa Martin Cerezo, Saioa Lopez, Lucy Van Dorp, Garrett Hellenthal, Martin Johnsson, Eben Gering, Rie Henriksen, Dominic Wright

Biology Faculty Articles

Chickens are believed to have inhabited the Hawaiian island of Kauai since the first human migrations around 1200AD, but numbers have peaked since the tropical storms Iniki and Iwa in the 1980s and 1990s that destroyed almost all the chicken coops on the island and released large numbers of domestic chickens into the wild. Previous studies have shown these now feral chickens are an admixed population between Red Junglefowl (RJF) and domestic chickens. Here, using genetic haplotypic data, we estimate the time of the admixture event between the feral population on the island and the RJF to 1981 (1976–1995), coinciding …

The Synapse Issue 35

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Avian Influenza Virus Whole-Genome Sequencing Approaches Using Nanopore Technology, Hon S. Ip, Sarah Uhm, Mary Lea Killian, Mia K. Torchetti

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As exemplified by the global response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, whole-genome sequencing played an important role in monitoring the evolution of novel viral variants and provided guidance on potential antiviral treatments. The recent rapid and extensive introduction and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Europe, North America, and elsewhere raises the need for similarly rapid sequencing to aid in appropriate response and mitigation activities. To facilitate this objective, we investigate a next-generation sequencing platform that uses a portable nanopore sequencing device to generate and present data in real time. This platform offers the potential to extend in-house sequencing …

Gender And Deception: Moral Perceptions And Legal Responses, Gregory Klass, Tess Wilkinson-Ryan

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Decades of social science research has shown that the identity of the parties in a legal action can affect case outcomes. Parties’ race, gender, class, and age all affect decisions of prosecutors, judges, juries, and other actors in a criminal prosecution or civil litigation. Less studied has been how identity might affect other forms of legal regulation. This Essay begins to explore perceptions of deceptive behavior—i.e., how wrongful it is, and the extent to which it should be regulated or punished—and the relationship of those perceptions to the gender of the actors. We hypothesize that ordinary people tend to perceive …

The Guardian The Month Of February 2023, Wright State Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

News articles from The Guardian for the Month of February 2023. The Guardian is the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. It has been published regularly since March of 1965.

Leveraging Bio-Inspired Molecules For Cancer Theranostics, Douglas S. Macpherson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A variety of molecules can be radiolabeled and delivered to a cancer site for the purposes of diagnostics and therapy. Among the most promising of tumor targeting molecules are peptides and antibodies. These bio-inspired molecules can be designed and synthesized to target and respond to cancer cells based on the properties of those cells. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes are over-expressed by some metastatic cancers, in which they are responsible for the degradation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. In recent years, MMPs have emerged as promising targets for enzyme-responsive diagnostic probes because oligopeptides can be designed to be selectively hydrolyzed …

Synthesis And Biomedical Applications Of Hollow Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Aloka S. Paragoda Arachchilage

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Nano-scale materials have gained much attention during the past few decades due to the stark differences in their properties compared to bulk material. Thus, they are being studied for a myriad of applications ranging from harnessing solar energy to diagnostics. This thesis focuses on the synthesis of hollow iron oxide nanoparticles using Galvanic replacement reactions and their application in drug delivery. Moreover, the use of a peptide precursor for the enhancement of exosomes is also discussed.

Chapter 1 discusses a simple and economical Galvanic approach used for the synthesis of hollow one-dimensional iron oxide nanotubes. In the initial reaction, the …

Synthesis And Analysis Of Novel Troponoid-Based Chemical Probes, Alex Berkowitz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Troponoids are a class of non-benzenoid aromatic species featuring a cycloheptatrienone ring and varying degrees of oxygenation. These scaffolds have proven ubiquitous amongst natural products, and have displayed promise as therapeutic agents against a variety of diseases. Herein, we will describe our efforts towards furthering troponoids as potential pharmaceuticals. In Chapter 1, we outline a kojic acid-derived oxidopyrylium cycloaddition/ring-opening method developed in our lab to generate ahydroxytropolones (aHTs). This route was successfully adapted to synthesize a small library of lipophilic aHTs that were proven to be effective against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) replication, while providing further insight into the mechanism …

Refining The Moose Serum Progesterone Threshold To Diagnose Pregnancy, Madeline Struck, William J. Severud, Yvette M. Chenaux-Ibrahim, Edmund J. Isaac, Janine L. Brown, Seth A. Moore, Tiffany M. Wolf

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Pregnancy determination is necessary for sound wildlife management and understanding population dynamics. Pregnancy rates are sensitive to environmental and physiological factors and may indicate the overall trajectory of a population. Pregnancy can be assessed through direct methods (rectal palpation, sonography) or indicated using hormonal assays (serum progesterone or pregnancy-specific protein B, fecal progestogen metabolites). A commonly used threshold of 2 ng/ml of progesterone in serum has been used by moose biologists to indicate pregnancy but has not been rigorously investigated. To refine this threshold, we examined the relationship between progesterone concentrations in serum samples and pregnancy in 87 moose ( …