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Molecular Mechanism Behind The Safe Immunostimulatory Effect Of Withania Somnifera, Kriti Kalpana, Shen Yap, Moriya Tsuji, Akira Kawamura

Publications and Research

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (family Solanaceae) is a medicinal plant known for, among many pharmacological properties, an immune boosting effect. Our recent study revealed that its key immunostimulatory factor is lipopolysaccharide of plant-associated bacteria. This is peculiar, because, although LPS can elicit protective immunity, it is an extremely potent pro-inflammatory toxin (endotoxin). However, W. somnifera is not associated with such toxicity. In fact, despite the presence of LPS, it does not trigger massive inflammatory responses in macrophages. To gain insights into the safe immunostimulatory effect of W. somnifera, we conducted a mechanistic study on its major phytochemical constituent, …

Ecological Niche Comparison Among Closely Related Tree Species Of Lauraceae Using Climatic And Edaphic Data, Laura J. Giraldo-Kalil, Gonzalo E. Pinilla Buitrago, Andrés Lira-Noriega, Francisco Lorea-Hernández, Juan Núñez-Farfán

Publications and Research

ABSTRACT:

Edaphic specialization is considered to promote ecological differentiation among closely related species of Damburneya (Lauraceae) occurring in sympatry. However, little is known about the effects of soil and other key environmental factors like climate on the ecological niche and distribution of these tree species. Here, we assessed the role of climate and soil on niche divergence and potential distribution of four Damburneya species whose distributions span Central America and Mexico. We performed ecological niche modeling with MaxEnt using three sets of environmental data: climatic-only, edaphic-only, and a combination of both, to characterize species niches and suitable distribution areas. Niche …

Tcga Expression Analyses Of 10 Carcinoma Types Reveal Clinically Significant Racial Differences, Brian Lei, Xinyin Jiang, Anjana Saxena

Publications and Research

Epidemiological studies reveal disparities in cancer incidence and outcome rates between racial groups in the United States. In our study, we investigated molecular differences between racial groups in 10 carcinoma types. We used publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas to identify patterns of differential gene expression in tumor samples obtained from 4112 White, Black/African American, and Asian patients. We identified race-dependent expression of numerous genes whose mRNA transcript levels were significantly correlated with patients’ survival. Only a small subset of these genes was differentially expressed in multiple carcinomas, including genes involved in cell cycle progression such as CCNB1 …

Hyperdiploid Chromosomes In Patients With B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Anjali Shastry

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Introduction: Hyperdiploidy (more than 50 chromosomes) is an important cytogenetic abnormality found in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B cell ALL). The presence of hyperdiploidy > 50 is considered to be a good prognostic marker since it has increased sensitivity to standard chemotherapy. Patients with hyperdiploidy have the longest disease-free survival compared with any other cytogenetic group.

Aim of study:

To estimate prevalence of hyperdiploid chromosomes in patients with B cell ALL through conventional karyotyping and Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).

Materials and methods:

Retrospective study was done on 200 bone marrow samples diagnosed with B cell Acute lymphoblastic leukemia …

8th International Galliformes Symposium (East Java, Indonesia: October 9-13, 2023): Book Of Abstracts, Iucn-Ssc Galliformes Specialist Group, World Pheasant Association, Geoffrey Davison

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Conference Proceedings

Overview of the research and conservation of Galliformes in Indonesia, Jon-Paul Rodriguez

Overview of the research and conservation of Galliformes in Indonesia, Dewi M. Prawiradilaga

Impact of climate change and human pressure on Galliformes, Nurul L. Winarni and Habiburrachman A. H. Fuad

Distribution model of the great argus pheasant in the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Femei Rahmilija, Jarwadi Budi Hernowo, and Lilik Budi Prasetyo

Surviving logging: The persistence of pheasants in sustainably managed logged forests in east Kalimantan, Indonesia, Agus Sudibyo Jati, Hiromitsu Samejima, and Kanehiro Kitayama

Respect for nature, respect for people: successful community-based conservation could lead to …

Science Communication As A Collective Intelligence Endeavour: A Manifesto And Examples For Implementation, Maria Petrescu

Publications

Effective science communication is challenging when scientific messages are informed by a continually updating evidence base and must often compete against misinformation. We argue for the need for a new programme of science communication as collective intelligence—a collaborative approach, supported by technology. This would have four key advantages over the typical model where scientists communicate as individuals: scientific messages would be informed by (1) a wider base of aggregated knowledge, (2) contributions from a diverse scientific community, (3) participatory input from stakeholders, and (4) better responsiveness to ongoing changes in the state of knowledge.

Molecular Target And Circuitry Underlying The Preclinical Effects Of Psychedelics In Models Of Opioid Use Disorder, Alaina M. Jaster

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD), like other substance use disorders (SUD), is characterized by maladaptive behavioral allocation away from other rewarding aspects of life following prolonged use, as well as large rates of relapse. While pharmacotherapies exist for OUD, they tend to only target the opioid receptors rather than the underlying mechanisms behind the maladaptive behaviors. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is involved in modulation of cravings and regulation of motivational reward-related behaviors, thought to be due to a top-down processing method of external and internal stimuli. Serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT_2AR) are widespread throughout the brain and most densely populate layer …

The Age And Primary Reason For The First Dental Visit In Children With Special Health Care Needs, Amanda Dickerson

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The aim of this project is to evaluate the average age and primary reason for the first dental visit among patients with special health care needs as well as to examine socioeconomic factors and other barriers related to children with special health care needs accessing care.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey that was distributed to caregivers of children with special health care needs. Study data was collected through REDCap, a secure web-based survey application. The inclusion criteria for participating in the survey included having a child with a special health care need that presented for a recall or …

Dental Treatment Planning: Decisions With Interdisciplinary Cases, William W. Porzio

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To explore the variance in treatment planning options with interdisciplinary cases that involve a combination of endodontic, periodontic, and prosthodontic factors.

Methods: A REDCap survey was emailed to Virginia based American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) members, American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) members, and periodontal residents to assessing various treatment planning options for six interdisciplinary cases.

Results: A total of 56 individuals responded to the survey; 10 periodontal residents, 35 practicing periodontists, 11 practicing prosthodontists. Response rate was not able to be evaluated based on the fact that third-party organizations were used to disseminate the survey in …

Histone Acetylation In Periodontal Diseases, Sarang Saadat

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Emerging data has indicated the significant role of epigenetic control in inflammation. Acetylation of lysine residues on histones is a major epigenetic modification of chromatin, which is required for cytokine gene expression and regulated in inflammatory diseases. It has been shown that periodontal bacteria induce histone acetylation in oral epithelial cells and experimental periodontitis in rodents. In this study, we investigated the acetylation level of histone 3 (H3) in gingival tissue from healthy and periodontitis patients. We hypothesize that cytokine over-production in periodontitis is associated with the hyper acetylation of histones. Methods: Periodontitis and healthy subjects who need periodontal …

The Wound Healing And Antibacterial Properties Of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Extracellular Matrix Nanoparticles, Emily N. Wandling

Theses and Dissertations

Treatments for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are still unavailable and the prevalence of the disease has only increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mechanical ventilation regiments are still utilized to support declining lung function, but they also contribute to lung damage and increase the risk of bacterial infection. The anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative abilities of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown to be a promising therapy for ARDS. We propose to utilize the regenerative effects of MSC secretome and the extracellular matrix (ECM) into a nanoparticle. Our mouse MSC (MMSC) ECM nanoparticles were characterized using size, zeta-potential, and mass spectrometry …

Combining Novel Direction Modulated Brachytherapy Tandem-And-Ovoids Applicators For Treatment Planning Of Multi-Institutional Cervical Cancer Cases: Removing Needles In Intracavitary-Interstitial Techniques, Sharmin Alam

Theses and Dissertations

Lack of standard guidelines for optimal needle insertion during high-dose-rate (HDR) intracavitary-interstitial (IC-IS) brachytherapy of the cervix means a sophisticated and technical skillset of inserting needles next to IC applicators must be developed to enhance plan quality. This study sought to evaluate the performance of two separate direction modulated brachytherapy (DMBT) tandem applicators used in conjunction with one set of novel DMBT ovoids, to effectively obviate the need for IS needles.

A cohort of 32 retrospective clinical HDR brachytherapy plans was re-planned with Varian’s BrachyVision^® treatment planning system, using VEGO^® inverse optimization algorithm, with dose heterogeneity accounted for …

Dune Building Dynamics Impact Cross-Island Connectivity And Barrier Island Characteristics, Alexander Sabo

Theses and Dissertations

Located at the land-sea interface, barrier islands are important protective features that reduce wave energy and erosion from mainland areas. Further, barrier islands provide habitat for many different organisms and serve as popular areas for recreation and tourism. As sandy landforms, barrier islands are easily disturbed, but often recover after disturbance as a result of island plant communities, specifically dune building grasses. Disturbance on barrier islands is driven by storms, tides, and overwash events. After disturbance has occurred, dune grasses colonize the dunes allowing for dune building and habitat restoration. On the Virginia barrier islands, there are three dominant dune …

Pre-Clinical Trials With Precision-Medicine Based Therapeutics In Basal-Like Patient-Derived Xenografts, David C. Boyd

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer treatments have improved over time, but the diseases seeing the most benefit from these improvements have the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, or are positive for HER2. Basal-like breast cancer tends to not have these biomarkers, which necessitates their treatment to be traditional, untargeted therapeutics which are less effective and tend to have harsh adverse effect profiles – this is an important unmet need. These studies utilize a variety of techniques, including tissue culture, viability assays, high-throughput screening, in vivo drug treatments and imaging, pathway analyses, molecular techniques such as Western blot, antibody arrays, RNA sequencing, sc RNA sequencing, …

The Type Iv Pilus Secretin Bfpb: Structural Analysis And Binding Interactions, Janay I. Little

Theses and Dissertations

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) causes severe diarrhea in young children. The type IV pilus (T4P) of EPEC, known as the bundle-forming pilus (BFP), plays an important role in EPEC pathogenesis. T4Ps are a family of surface appendages that are important for adhesion, colonization, biofilm formation, virulence, twitching motility and many other functions. One essential component of the BFP system is the secretin, BfpB. Secretins are a large family of integral outer membrane proteins found in T4Ps as well as type II and type III secretion systems, and filamentous phages. Details of the secretin structure have been limited to the overall …

Pms And Gas Pollutants Removal By Electret Filter Media And Metal-Organic Frameworks (Mofs), Yu Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Indoor air quality (IAQ) has been becoming a major concern worldwide because statistical data showed that the indoor concentrations of gas pollutants, e.g., volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matters (PMs) are often 2–5 times higher than that of outdoors. Especially, people spend 87% of their time indoors and increasing to more than 90% during COVID-19 pandemic. The high concentration of these indoor air pollutants is mainly due to the reduced air exchange rate for the design of energy-efficient building construction and the increased usage of furnishings, glues, paints, furnaces, etc., leading to VOC outgassing and particle emission. Evidence has …

Patterns, Mechanisms, And Characterization Of Carbon Cycling Stability Following Partial Forest Disturbance, Kayla C. Mathes

Theses and Dissertations

Among the most essential questions in the era of climate change is how the forest carbon (C) cycle will respond to an increase in the extent of biotic disturbances from insects and pathogens. While research has focused on stand-replacing disturbance regimes, less is known about C cycling stability following partial disturbances that produce gradients of disturbance severity. Belowground C cycling responses to disturbance are especially poorly understood, even though temperate forest soils contain up to 50% of total ecosystem C and soil respiration (R_s) accounts for more than half of temperate forest C loss. Interpreting trends and mechanisms …

Intrinsic Efficacy As A Determinant Of Opioid Effectiveness In Treatment Of Pain-Depressed Behavior, Edna Santos

Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a major public health concern that is commonly associated with behavioral depression, and a major goal in pain treatment is alleviation of pain-related behavioral depression. High-efficacy mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists (e.g. fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone) are effective to treat pain, but their use is limited by side effects that not only endanger the patient but may also obscure analgesic rescue of pain-depressed behavior. The ongoing epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose deaths has stimulated research to discover non-opioid alternative analgesics; however, this search neglects the clinical potential of safer intermediate-efficacy MOR agonists (e.g. buprenorphine). The objective of the …

X-Ray Crystallography: A Tool For Understanding Protein Function And Drug Discovery, Akua K. Donkor

Theses and Dissertations

Structural biology has become an indispensable tool for determining the 3D structures of proteins for a comprehensive understanding of their functions on molecular level, and for elucidating binding cavities that can be targeted for structure-based drug discovery. X-ray crystallography, the most widely used structural biology technique was utilized in addition to other techniques to: (1) understand the role of pyridoxal reductase (PDXI) in pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP) homeostasis; (2) Determine whether the putative PLP binding protein, YggS, is involved in PLP homeostasis; (3) Elucidate the molecular basis underlying Agrobacterium receptor VirA pathogenesis; and (4) Elucidate the structural basis of aromatic aldehydes …

Family-Based Support As Social Determinants Of Health Protective Factor On Depression Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bisola E. Duyile

Theses and Dissertations

All parents experience challenges in their caregiving roles (Barańczuk & Pisula, 2020). However, parents raising a child/children with disabilities experience different social barriers (Oliver, 1996) that may also contribute to additional stressors in their caregiving role (Tomeny, 2016). Although these parents, on average, have reported greater symptoms of depression than parents of typically developing children, research shows that parents who reported receiving social support had lower symptoms of depression and stress (Das et al., 2017; Singh et al., 2017). Through the social determinants of health (SDOH) framework (ODPHP, 2022), the present study investigated informal/family-based support and its protective impact on …

Investigating The Dynamics And Fragmentation Of Nitroaromatic Radical Cations Through Femtosecond Time-Resolved Mass Spectrometry And Computational Chemistry, Hugo Andres Lopez Pena

Theses and Dissertations

Chemists have sought to control molecular dissociation with lasers for decades. Effective control of unimolecular dissociation was only achieved with the development of high-intensity ultrashort pulsed lasers and coherent control techniques that operate on timescales faster than vibrational energy redistribution. In view of this, our lab has specialized in the study of polyatomic radical cations using femtosecond time-resolved mass spectrometry (FTRMS). The interest in radical cations stems from the fact that they are highly reactive species that contribute to many physical, chemical, and biological processes. For instance, radical cations participate in shock initiation of detonated energetic materials used as explosives …

Asymmetric Cuh-Catalyzed Reductive Coupling Of Allenamides With Carbonyl Electrophiles & Development Of Nanocatalysts For Heterogeneously Catalyzed Buchwald-Hartwig Amination, Raphael K. Klake

Theses and Dissertations

Many drugs and natural products contain multiple stereogenic carbons bearing heteroatoms throughout their carbon framework. Therefore, methods that can efficiently install multiple heteroatoms on a molecule are valuable. Reductive coupling reactions have been extensively studied, and the allylation of carbonyls via the reductive coupling approach has been a key method for generating chiral tertiary and secondary allylic alcohols. This work utilizes inexpensive Cu for the asymmetric reductive coupling of allenamides with carbonyls to simultaneously install two heteroatoms (oxygen and nitrogen) on the product. These molecules have a polarity profile that make them difficult to make using traditional methods. Herein, we …

Addressing Death Distress In Caregivers Of Patients With Malignant Glioma, Kelcie D. Willis

Theses and Dissertations

The field of psychosocial oncology seeks to improve the quality of life of patients and families affected by cancer. This task becomes increasingly important when there are limited, non-curative treatment options, a high probability of recurrence, and rapid functional decline, such as in the case of a malignant glioma (MG). Indeed, the diagnosis of a MG is associated with negative sequalae that often translates to higher caregiver burden. Caregivers—who must manage the functional decline of the patient, changes within the family, and a complicated medical system—often feel overwhelmed, isolated, and ill-equipped to handle these myriad responsibilities. While they also report …

Quantitative Changes In Hippocampal Ccr5+ Microglia With The Administration Of Maraviroc (Mvc): Does Sex Matter?, Ama S. Boakye-Agyei

Theses and Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) has been greatly studied in recent decades. Combined anti-retroviral therapy (cART), the development of drug treatments such as maraviroc, and the wider availability of support for those in resource-rich environments have been instrumental in improving the prospects of people living with HIV (PLWH). It is well- documented that PLWH can suffer from a host of cognitive deficits collectively known as HIV- associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Moreover, the role of biological sex in the development of HAND and other cognitive deficits is still being studied. C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) is one of the two …

Demonstrated Sensitivity, Kate Crankshaw

Theses and Dissertations

Flameworking is a tedious process that demands all of your attention and focus. Making multiples of a shape in this process allows my body and mind to fall into a rhythm. During these times, it allows my anxious mind to be quieted and helps me dive into processing past memories, trauma, and grief. It is commonly suggested in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy practices to find an activity to do that is both physical and repetitive to work through grief. This stimulates the physical and mental parts of the body, both areas where the effects of grief and trauma are held. Relaxing …

Characterization Of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor Expression And Functionality In Niemann-Pick Type C Disease, Nathaniel-David I. Dizon

Theses and Dissertations

Niemann Pick Type C (NPC) is a recessively inherited lysosomal storage disorder for which there is currently no major treatment. It is widely acknowledged that the pathology of NPC is caused by a trafficking defect which leads to an accumulation of cholesterol in the late endosome/lysosome compartment (LE/L). In addition to cholesterol, multiple species of sphingolipids are observed to accumulate as well in the LE/L. Specifically, an accumulation of sphingosine is observed in NPC disease and is likely attributed to the decreased activity of an enzyme, sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1), which is responsible for phosphorylating sphingosine into an important pro-survival …

Cone Beam Computed Tomographic Analysis Of Outcomes In Ridge Augmentation Using Titanium Mesh And Titanium Reinforced Ptfe Membranes, Lina Elnakka

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The primary goal of this study is to evaluate and compare the average vertical and horizontal bone gain between titanium reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene (Ti-PTFE) and titanium mesh (Ti-mesh) using superimposition of preoperative and postoperative (CBCT). The secondary goal is to evaluate and compare the surgical outcomes between the two techniques.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was completed to assess the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients who underwent ridge augmentation therapy using either Ti-PTFE or Ti-mesh. Preoperative and postoperative CBCT scans were superimposed using InVivo 3D imaging software. Vertical component of the augmented site (L1) was assessed along a vertical …

Plant Trait Effects On Tidal Wetland Methane Emission, Adam M. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

High rates of carbon (C) sequestration exhibited by coastal wetlands is an important natural climate solution to global environmental change. At the same time, however, wetlands are the largest natural source of methane (CH₄) to Earth’s atmosphere, a potent greenhouse gas that influences the global climate. Wetland CH₄ emissions display high degrees of uncertainty in accounting for spatial and temporal variations in emissions due to the complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors that influence methane production and transport, in addition to simultaneous influences from climate-driven effects on wetlands such as rapid sea level rise and increased …

Innovations In Drop Shape Analysis Using Deep Learning And Solving The Young-Laplace Equation For An Axisymmetric Pendant Drop, Andres P. Hyer

Theses and Dissertations

Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis (ADSA) is a technique commonly used to determine surface or interfacial tension. Applications of traditional ASDA methods to process analytical technologies are limited by computational speed and image quality. Here, we address these limitations using a novel machine learning approach to analysis. With a convolutional neural network (CNN), we were able to achieve an experimental fit precision of (+/-) 0.122 mN/m in predicting the surface tension of drop images at a rate of 1.5 ms^-1 versus 7.7 s^-1, which is more than 5,000 times faster than the traditional method. The results are validated on real images …

The Hepatic Immunological Pattern Shaped By Dominant-Subdominant Cellular Interactions Creates A Collective Function Beyond The Function Of Each Cellular Constituent To Orchestrate Progression Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Nicholas J. Koelsch

Theses and Dissertations

Abundance of data on the role of inflammatory immune responses in the progression or inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has failed to offer a curative immunotherapy for HCC. This is largely because of taking reductionist approaches and missing the collective function of the hepatic immune system by focusing on specific immune cell types. To this end, we propose that focusing on the dominant-subdominant patterns of the immune cells would allow understanding of the mechanism by which a collective immune function emerges. To identify the collective immune function through a systems immunology perspective, we performed high-throughput analysis of snRNAseq data collected …