An Assessment Of The Forensic Aspects Of Genetic Genealogy, Sarah Hester

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Forensic genetic genealogy has grown in both popularity and controversy in recent years. The genetic information comes from large numbers of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Polymorphism variations can be traced through familial lineage, determining how closely individuals are related to each other based on the similarities and differences in SNPs within their DNA. Polymorphisms account for approximately 85% of human variation. Genealogy and ancestry determination companies trace the lineage of a person back through multiple generations using polymorphisms. As more individuals submit their DNA for analysis the genealogical profile databases continue to grow in size. Law enforcement uses genealogical …

The Investigation Of Novel Bovine Oocyte-Specific Long Non-Coding Rnas And Their Roles In Oocyte Maturation And Early Embryonic Development, Jaelyn Zoe Current

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Early embryonic loss is a significant factor in livestock species' infertility, resulting in an economic deficit. In cattle, the in vivo fertilization rate is ~90%, with an average calving rate of about 55%, indicating an embryonic-fetal mortality rate of roughly 35%. Further, 70-80% of total embryonic loss in cattle occurs during the first three weeks after insemination, particularly between days 7-16. Growing evidence indicates that the oocyte plays an active role in regulating critical aspects of the reproductive process required for successful fertilization, embryo development, and pregnancy. However, defining oocyte quality remains enigmatic. Recently, many have abandoned the notion that …

Beneficial Impacts Of Nod-Like Receptor X1(Nlrx1) Agonism In Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation, Mena Mansy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: The regulation of inflammation at the cellular and molecular level is a crucial aspect of homeostasis that is often overlooked, and most treatment options are limited to antibiotics and symptom management drugs. The development of novel molecular-targeted therapy options downstream of pathogen recognition receptors will fulfill the unmet need for therapy to effectively regulate excessive inflammation. NLRX1 is a unique NOD-like receptor that is anti-inflammatory in nature; it has been shown to negatively regulate the NF-kB pathway and has been involved in the pathology of a plethora of inflammatory disorders. This makes NLRX1 an emerging therapeutic molecular target for …

Selective Recovery Of Rare Earth Elements From Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Byproduct, Zeynep Cicek

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical in emerging clean energy, advanced technologies, and military defense applications due to their unique physical, chemical, optical, and luminescent properties. Given the potential supply chain restrictions imposed by one country's dominance in the global REE market and the consistently growing demand for REEs, developing the US domestic REE supply chain is imperative. Thus, alternative sources are crucial to supply the demand and prevent interruption in manufacturing products that consume REEs. Concurrently, acid mine drainage (AMD) is a long-standing and widespread global challenge the mining industry encounters. AMD is generated in large volumes and continuously …

Expansion On The Use Of The Novel Compound, Elp-004, Using A Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Experimentation Model, Kendyl Marie Berry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Osteoarticular tuberculosis (OAT) is a bone degenerative disease that results in bone erosion, joint effusion, joint swelling, and sometimes, nerve compression. OAT occurs from the hematogenous dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacilli spreading from the primary site of infection to the bones and joints; the primary site of infection tends to be the lungs as pulmonary tuberculosis infections are the most common. OAT can occur as the result of an active or latent infection. Latent infections result in OAT when bacilli are able to escape granulomas. The incidence of OAT is not as high as pulmonary infections, making up about …

Optimal Path Planning For Aerial Robots Using Genetic Algorithm, Anna Puigvert I Juan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis presents a path optimization solution for a robot in two different constrained 3-dimensional (3D) environments. The robot is required to travel from its current position to a goal position following minimum cost paths (optimal paths). The first environment has 3D obstacles that interfere with the robot’s path. The path cost for this environment accounts for the minimum distance traveled by the robot from the start to the goal position while avoiding obstacles. The second environment is the atmosphere of Venus, specifically a flyable region of this atmosphere with characteristics similar to Earth’s. This environment has strong westward winds …

Synthesis And Pharmacology Of Illudalic Acid And Analogous Chemical Structures, Robert Gaston Jr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Natural products are the foundation of modern medicine and an inspiration for chemical innovation. Developing new synthetic strategies to complex natural products drives synthetic innovation and promotes pharmacological exploration. As bioactive secondary metabolites of fungi, illudalic acid and associated analogs have unrealized medicinal potential due to synthetic limitations. Illudalic acid is notably the first selective covalent inhibitor of the LAR-PTPs, a class of enzymes linked to many human illnesses, including stimulant addiction. The chemistry herein focuses on optimizing synthetic routes to illudalic acid and associated analogs toward exploring their pharmaceutical potential. We report a second-generation synthesis of illudinine (55% overall …

Clinical And Economic Burden Of Inflammatory Chronic Conditions Among Adults In The United States: Evidence From Three Nationally Representative Surveys, Mohammad Ikram

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A significant proportion of adults in the United States (US) suffer from various inflammatory chronic conditions (ICCs). They include a wide range of diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. ICCs are not curable, and their management typically involves medications such as NSAIDs and corticosteroids. Recently, a whole health approach that places patients’ well-being at the center is increasingly being used for better management of ICCs. The whole health approach uses an integrated approach that includes multimodal management with complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) and prescription drugs. However, the use of CAM and prescription drugs …

Computational Mechanisms Of Face Perception, Jinge Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The intertwined history of artificial intelligence and neuroscience has significantly impacted their development, with AI arising from and evolving alongside neuroscience. The remarkable performance of deep learning has inspired neuroscientists to investigate and utilize artificial neural networks as computational models to address biological issues. Studying the brain and its operational mechanisms can greatly enhance our understanding of neural networks, which has crucial implications for developing efficient AI algorithms. Many of the advanced perceptual and cognitive skills of biological systems are now possible to achieve through artificial intelligence systems, which is transforming our knowledge of brain function. Thus, the need for …

Drought Effects On Biofuel Feedstock Production By Populus Trichocarpa, Marvin Jacob Wright

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As the world population continues to increase, so does the need for sustainable sources of fuel. Biofuels are of particular interest and could be an economically feasible fuel source given the right conditions. Populus trichocarpa, is a rapidly growing plantation species that, in addition to having a fully sequenced genome available for study, displays a wide range of phenotypic traits among genotypes. By analyzing these differences in both plantation and more controlled greenhouse settings, we aimed to discover which genotypes performed the best under drought conditions, and which physiological mechanisms granted them that high performance. In the field, differences in …

Structural Health Monitoring Using Machine Learning And Synthetic Data, Michail Tzimas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Structural health monitoring spans many decades of research across multiple engineering fields. However, typical monitoring processes for damage detection of complex structures usually prohibit real-time or fast detection of debilitating damage to the structure. One of the major issues of real-time detection of damage is the enormity of data that needs to be processed, which is worsened by the relative inability of fast relaying of data to structural engineers. With the rapid advancement of Machine Learning, both issues can be overcome, and detection of failure is achieved with non-invasive techniques. This dissertation explores the applicability of Machine Learning as a …

Optical Coherence Tomography For Dynamic Investigation Of Mammalian Reproductive Processes, Kohei Umezu, Irina V Larina

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The biological events associated with mammalian reproductive processes are highly dynamic and tightly regulated by molecular, genetic, and biomechanical factors. Implementation of live imaging in reproductive research is vital for the advancement of our understanding of normal reproductive physiology and for improving the management of reproductive disorders. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is emerging as a promising tool for dynamic volumetric imaging of various reproductive processes in mice and other animal models. In this review, we summarize recent studies employing OCT-based approaches toward the investigation of reproductive processes in both, males and females. We describe how OCT can be applied to …

Understanding The Impact Of Scientific Testimony On Potential Jury Members: Independent And Interactive Effects Of Expert Characteristics And Jury Member’S Social Location, Ellory R. Dabbs

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As science and technology evolve, they impact society at different levels. With these changes, it is important to understand how members of society will be affected. One area where there has been a rise in the use of scientific information is in jury trials. Those who are on trial for a criminal offense are more often relying on forensic evidence, and forensic experts, to aid in their defense, and those who are prosecuting a criminal case are also relying on forensic evidence and forensic experts. However, forensic evidence is not consistent in type or interpretation – what one person may …

Solid State Nmr Analysis Of Insect Wing Membranes, Samuel Eddy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Solid State NMR is a powerful tool for analyzing the chemical composition of insects. Previous studies have used Solid State NMR to investigate the chemical composition and investigate the sclerotization (tanning) process of insect exoskeletons. Acquiring sufficient exoskeleton sample for analysis has been relatively simple. This is however not the case for other components of an insect’s physiology, particularly the wing membrane material. The wings of an insect only compose a small percentage of their overall body mass, and many hundreds to thousands of insects must be processed in order to achieve a few milligrams of wing membrane sample. The …

Evaluation Of Changes In Cellular Behavior Upon Exposure To Selected Analytes Used In Synthetic Applications, Olivia L. Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are organic crystalline hybrids that have been used for a variety of applications from catalysis to gas storage and drug delivery. Studies have shown that generally, while such frameworks are more biocompatible than similar aspect ratio nanostructures, they are also more prone to transformation and disintegration due to their flexible and fragile nature as resulted from the structure assembly and implemented structure-function relationships. With extensive previous literature showing that materials with nano dimensions such as carbon nanotubes, quantum dots and other nanomaterials have unique physicochemical properties that lead to increased biosystems’ reactivity. With increasing concerns regarding adverse …

Leveraging Data Science To Promote Sustainable Resource Recovery From Organic Waste Streams In Rural Regions, Mohammed Tamim Zaki

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Conventional organic waste management practices such as landfilling contribute to global warming and degrade environmental and human health. Alternatively, organic waste can be treated to recover energy, nutrients, and carbon through resource recovery technologies. Data science could benefit such technologies by improving their efficiency through data-driven process modeling along with reducing environmental and economic burdens via life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA), respectively.

A critical review of 616 peer-reviewed articles published during 2002–2022 was conducted on the use of data science methods in resource recovery from organic waste. Although applications of machine learning (ML) methods have drastically increased …

Conditioned Reinforcement By Stimuli Correlated And Uncorrelated With A Schedule Of Food Reinforcement, Lillian L. Skiba-Thayer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A conditioned reinforcer derives its function from a relation to an established reinforcer. Respondent views suggest that a stimulus acquires reinforcing properties because it is positively correlated with an established reinforcer. Alternatively, the information hypothesis suggests that a stimulus acquires reinforcing properties because it reduces uncertainty about the likelihood of an established reinforcer. Observing response procedures have been used to evaluate the function of stimuli positively correlated (S+), negatively correlated (S-), and uncorrelated (S1, S2) with established reinforcers such as food (with animals) or money (with humans). Verbal instructions have been shown to alter the extent to which correlated and …

Quantifying The Impacts Of Genetically Engineered Crops And Deep Soil C Cycling On The Sustainability Of Bioenergy Crop Production, Zoe Pagliaro

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Bioenergy can help mitigate climate change by providing a carbon-neutral fuel source. However, multiple challenges exist to achieving carbon neutrality including converting lignocellulosic materials to fuel and enhancing soil C sequestration during the growth of the feedstocks. To address these challenges, there have been recent efforts to genetically modify feedstocks to produce more energy dense oils that increase fuel conversion efficiency and to cultivate deep-rooted perennial feedstocks that can enhance soil C storage. However, the C consequences and efficacy of these solutions remain largely uncertain.

To examine the C consequences of enhancing oil content of bioenergy feedstocks, I examined the …

Investigations Into Indole Formation: Base-Mediated Formation Of N-Hydroxy- And N-Alkoxyindoles, Ancillary Ligand Development For Watanabe-Cenini-Söderberg Cyclization, And Total Synthesis Of Racemosin B, Blaine Thomas Mcclay

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A novel, base-mediated cyclization was developed to form N-hydroxy- and N-alkoxyindoles from 2-(2-nitrophenyl)butenoates. Potassium tert-butoxide or sodium tert-pentoxide, with or without the in-situ addition of an electrophile, formed a multitude of N-hydroxy- and N-alkoxyindoles. The formation of these butanoate precursors was improved via a Barluenga coupling reaction. Novel 4,5,6,7-tetramethoxy-1,10-phenanthroline was utilized as an ancillary ligand within the Watanabe-Cenini-Söderberg reductive cyclization reaction conditions. These new reaction conditions produced high yields for sterically hindered 2-nitrostyrenes and the first synthesis of dilemmaone A using this reductive cyclization. Racemosin B was synthesized in a three-step process utilizing a …

Exploring The Biological Basis Of Residual Feed Intake In Beef Cattle Using Multi-Omics Analysis., Godstime Ayobami Taiwo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Efficient feed utilization is critical for both economic sustainability and environmental responsibility in modern livestock production. While there has been extensive research, the multifaceted nature of feed efficiency remains complex, with many biological factors still unexplored. This dissertation examines the physiological foundations of feed efficiency by elucidating some of the complex biological mechanisms associated with residual feed intake (RFI) phenotype in beef cattle, using a range of Omics approaches. We hypothesized that metabolites related to amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids could act as potential biomarkers for RFI. Through a chemical group-based metabolomics method, we identified enriched pathways in feed-efficient …

Right Treatment Wrong Time: Immunotherapy Administration Post-Radiotherapy Decreases Tumor Burden In A Preclinical Model Of Brain Metastasis, Kathryn Elizabeth Blethen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation (a) provided an in-depth literature review of methods to modulate the blood-brain and blood-tumor barriers to increase drug delivery and efficacy in brain metastases, (b) evaluated the effects of whole-brain radiation therapy on the blood-brain barrier in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mouse models and proposed a mechanism by which the immune response to radiation disrupts the blood-brain barrier, and (c) developed a syngeneic lung cancer brain metastasis model to determine the impact of coordinated immunotherapy administration with radiotherapy. The blood-brain barrier is an impediment to drug delivery to the brain. The inherent leakiness of the blood-tumor barrier does not …

Glial Cell-Specific Contribution Of Pkr-Like Er Kinase (Perk) In Neuroinflammation And Behavior, Anirudhya Lahiri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are a major public health concern in the US, with no available therapeutic cure. Chronic neuroinflammation and aberrant proteostasis in the central nervous system (CNS) are the major hallmarks of neurological diseases. Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is a major cellular organelle involved in protein synthesis, folding and maturation of various secretory and transmembrane proteins. Pathophysiological stressors such as trauma and infection result in misfolded protein accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen, which results in ER stress. To regain proteostasis (protein homeostasis), cells activate the unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR is an evolutionarily conserved …

Xanthine Oxidase-Induced Vascular Dysfunction In Nano-Tio2 Inhalation, Xena Marie Williams

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Inhalation of nano-TiO₂ is linked to adverse clinical outcomes that affect people worldwide, particularly those who work in manufacturing. For example, cardiovascular consequences and changes in microvascular responses are, in part, associated with exposure to engineered nanomaterials such as nano-TiO₂; however, the mechanism(s) driving this process is unknown. Nano-TiO₂ is an engineered nanomaterial (ENM) that is reported to, upon inhalation, impair endothelium-dependent vasodilation in several vascular beds via enhanced local oxidant generation and diminished nitric oxide bioavailability. This dissertation aims to address the health concerns generated by occupational exposure to nano-TiO₂ and identify a link …

Necrotic Cardiac Myocytes Skew Macrophage Polarization Towards A Classically Activated Phenotype, Wenlong Jiang, Luigi Adamo, Kenji Lim, Scot J Matkovich, Sarah Evans, Cibele Rocha-Resende, Douglas L. Mann

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Necrotic and dying cells release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that can initiate sterile inflammatory responses in the heart. Although macrophages are essential for myocardial repair and regeneration, the effect of DAMPs on macrophage activation remains unclear. To address this gap in knowledge we studied the effect of necrotic cardiac myocyte extracts on primary peritoneal macrophage (PPM) cultures in vitro. We first performed unbiased transcriptomic profiling with RNA-sequencing of PPMs cultured for up to 72 hours in the presence and absence of: 1) necrotic cell extracts (NCEs) from necrotic cardiac myocytes in order to mimic the release of DAMPs; 2) lipopolysaccharide …

Testing Of A Novel Questionnaire Of Household Exposure To Wood Smoke, Paula M. Meek, Sarah J. Schmiege, Akshay Sood, Hans Petersen, Rodrigo Vazquez-Guillamet, Hammad Irshad, Jacob Mcdonald, Yohannes Tesfaigzi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Household air pollution from wood smoke (WS), contributes to adverse health effects in both low- and high-income countries. However, measurement of WS exposure has been limited to expensive in-home monitoring and lengthy face-to-face interviews. This paper reports on the development and testing of a novel, self-report nine-item measure of WS exposure, called the Household Exposure to Wood Smoke (HEWS). A sample of 149 individuals using household wood stoves for heating from western states in the U.S., completed the HEWS during the winter months (November to March) of 2013 through 2016 with 30 subjects having in-home particle monitoring. Hard copy or …

Open-Source Statistical And Data Processing Tools For Wide-Field Optical Imaging Data In Mice, Lindsey M. Brier, Joseph P. Culver

2020-Current year OA Pubs

SIGNIFICANCE: Wide-field optical imaging (WOI) can produce concurrent hemodynamic and cell-specific calcium recordings across the entire cerebral cortex in animal models. There have been multiple studies using WOI to image mouse models with various environmental or genetic manipulations to understand various diseases. Despite the utility of pursuing mouse WOI alongside human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and the multitude of analysis toolboxes in the fMRI literature, there is not an available open-source, user-friendly data processing and statistical analysis toolbox for WOI data.

AIM: To assemble a MATLAB toolbox for processing WOI data, as described and adapted to combine techniques from …

X-Ray And Mr Contrast Bearing Nanoparticles Enhance The Therapeutic Response Of Image-Guided Radiation Therapy For Oral Cancer, Gayatri Sharma, Mir Hadi Razeghi Kondelaji, Guru P. Sharma, Christopher Hansen, Abdul K. Parchur, Shayan Shafiee, Jaidip M. Jagtap, Brian Fish, Carmen Bergom, Eric Paulson, William A. Hall, Heather A. Himburg, Amit Joshi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Radiation therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is constrained by radiotoxicity to normal tissue. We demonstrate 100 nm theranostic nanoparticles for image-guided radiation therapy planning and enhancement in rat head and neck squamous cell carcinoma models.

METHODS: PEG conjugated theranostic nanoparticles comprising of Au nanorods coated with Gadolinium oxide layers were tested for radiation therapy enhancement in 2D cultures of OSC-19-GFP-luc cells, and orthotopic tongue xenografts in male immunocompromised Salt sensitive or SS rats via both intratumoral and intravenous delivery. The radiation therapy enhancement mechanism was investigated.

RESULTS: Theranostic nanoparticles demonstrated both X-ray/magnetic resonance contrast in a …

Genetic Variation In Environmental Enteropathy And Stunting In Zambian Children: A Pilot Genome Wide Association Study Using The H3africa Chip, Monica N. Mweetwa, Talin Haritunians, Shishir Dube, Kanta Chandwe, Beatrice Amadi, Kanekwa Zyambo, Ta-Chiang Liu, Dermot Mcgovern, Paul Kelly

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Stunting is known to be heavily influenced by environmental factors, so the genetic contribution has received little attention. Here we report an exploration of genetic influences in stunted Zambian children with environmental enteropathy.

METHOD: Children with stunting (LAZ < -2) were enrolled and given nutritional therapy. Those that were non-responsive to therapy were designated as cases, and children with good growth (LAZ > -1) from the same community as controls. Blood and stool samples were taken to measure biomarkers of intestinal inflammation, epithelial damage, and microbial translocation. Single nucleotide polymorphism array genotyping was carried out on saliva samples using the H3Africa consortium array.

RESULTS: Genome wide associations were analysed in 117 cases and 41 controls. While no significant associations with stunting were observed at …

Supplementary Feeding And Infection Control In Pregnant Adolescents-A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Trial Among Malnourished Women In Sierra Leone, Aminata S Koroma, Mariama Ellie, Kadiatu Bangura, Per O Iversen, David T Hendrixson, Kevin Stephenson, Mark J Manary

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Undernutrition during pregnancy in adolescence confers a high risk of maternal morbidity and adverse birth outcomes, particularly in low-resource settings. In a secondary analysis, we hypothesized that younger undernourished pregnant adolescents (<18 years) would benefit more than undernourished pregnant adults (>20 years) from the intervention of supplementary food and anti-infective treatments. The original trial in Sierra Leone enrolled 236 younger adolescents (<18 years), 454 older adolescents (aged 18-19 years), and 741 adults (≥20 years), all with a mid-upper arm circumference ≤23 cm. Younger adolescents had lower final fundal height as well as smaller newborns (-0.3 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.3, -0.2; p < 0.001) and shorter newborns (-1.1 cm; 95% CI, -1.5, -0.7; p < 0.001) than adults. The intervention's effect varied significantly between maternal age groups: adults benefited more than younger adolescents with respect to newborn birth weight (difference in difference, 166 g; 95% CI, 26, 306; interaction p = 0.02), birth length (difference in difference, 7.4 mm; 95% CI, 0.1, 14.8; interaction p = 0.047), and risk for low birth weight (<2.5 kg) (interaction p = 0.019). The differences in response persisted despite adjustments for maternal anthropometry, the number of prior pregnancies, and human immunodeficiency virus status. Older adolescents similarly benefited more than younger adolescents, though differences did not reach statistical significance. In conclusion, newborns born to younger adolescent mothers had worse outcomes than those born to adult mothers, and adults and their newborns benefited more from the intervention than younger adolescents.

Sting Suppresses Mitochondrial Vdac2 To Govern Rcc Growth Independent Of Innate Immunity, Zhichuan Zhu, Xin Zhou, Hongwei Du, Erica W Cloer, Jiaming Zhang, Liu Mei, Ying Wang, Xianming Tan, Austin J Hepperla, Jeremy M Simon, Jeanette Gowen Cook, Michael B Major, Gianpietro Dotti, Pengda Liu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

STING is an innate immune sensor for immune surveillance of viral/bacterial infection and maintenance of an immune-friendly microenvironment to prevent tumorigenesis. However, if and how STING exerts innate immunity-independent function remains elusive. Here, the authors report that STING expression is increased in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients and governs tumor growth through non-canonical innate immune signaling involving mitochondrial ROS maintenance and calcium homeostasis. Mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel VDAC2 is identified as a new STING binding partner. STING depletion potentiates VDAC2/GRP75-mediated MERC (mitochondria-ER contact) formation to increase mitochondrial ROS/calcium levels, impairs mitochondria function, and suppresses mTORC1/S6K signaling leading to RCC growth …