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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Subcloning And Expression Of Complexin Isoforms Involved In Mast Cell Degranulation, Cameron Blake King May 2014

Subcloning And Expression Of Complexin Isoforms Involved In Mast Cell Degranulation, Cameron Blake King

Honors Theses

Mast cells play an important role in the immune system by releasing chemicals such as chemokines and cytokines once they are stimulated. These products are released after stimulation by a process called mast cell degranulation. Mast cell degranulation is accomplished when vesicles containing the chemicals inside the mast cell fuse with the mast cell membrane via SNARE-mediated (Soluble NSF Attachment Protein Receptors) membrane fusion. This family of proteins consists of syntaxin, SNAP 25-like protein, and synaptobrevin/VAMP (Vesicle Associated Membrane Protein)(2). Comlexin isoforms (complexin 1,2,3,and 4) have been known to regulate this system in a fashion that is still unclear. In …


Investigating The Co-Regulatory Role Of Midline And Extramacrochaetae In Regulating Eye Development And Vision In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lillian M. Forstall May 2014

Investigating The Co-Regulatory Role Of Midline And Extramacrochaetae In Regulating Eye Development And Vision In Drosophila Melanogaster, Lillian M. Forstall

Honors Theses

The Honors thesis research focused on the roles of extramacrochaetae and midline in regulating eye development and the vision of Drosophila melanogaster. It is known from previous studies that extramacrochaetae (emc) and midline (mid) independently regulate the formation of ommatidial units in the Drosophila compound eye. However, the thesis focuses on the interaction of these two genes and their co-dependent roles in regulating eye development. This study also attempts to explain the recovered formation of ommatidial units and interommatidial bristles when the expression of both of these genes is reduced and whether flies doubly mutant …


Caring For Cancer, Jason Monroe Stevenson Jan 2014

Caring For Cancer, Jason Monroe Stevenson

Honors Theses

"Your child has cancer" are words that no parent wants to hear, and no physician wants to speak. However, approximately 1 in 10,000 children each year will receive this unfortunate news (Society). Another unsettling statistic is that a number of families will be hearing these unsettling words in a less than appropriate fashion, such as brief phone calls, voicemails, and unsympathetic consultations....


Investigating The Mechanism Behind The Cytotoxic Effects Of Ajulemic Acid (Aja) On Ewing's Sarcoma By Employing Smap And Sybyl-X1.3 Surflex Dock Software Programs To Find Receptors For Aja, Rebekah Ward Jan 2014

Investigating The Mechanism Behind The Cytotoxic Effects Of Ajulemic Acid (Aja) On Ewing's Sarcoma By Employing Smap And Sybyl-X1.3 Surflex Dock Software Programs To Find Receptors For Aja, Rebekah Ward

Honors Theses

Ewing's Sarcoma (ES) is a malignant cancer characterized by the formation of tumors in bones or soft tissues of primarily children and young adults. With the tendency for local recurrence and metastasis, ES is an aggressive cancer. The treatment is intensive and often yields poor long-term results. A cannabinoid derived compound, ajulemic acid (AJA), has shown strong cytotoxic effects on ES cell lines. The synthetic compound is unlike its cannabinoid counterpart tetrahydrocannabinol by lacking psychotropic effects. To investigate the possibility of utilizing AJA as a chemotherapeutic drug, the biochemical mechanism behind the cytotoxic effects of AJA needs further research. A …