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Articles 1 - 30 of 34
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Homocysteine: A Potential Molecular Link Between Alzheimer's Disease And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Cyndel Carreau
Homocysteine: A Potential Molecular Link Between Alzheimer's Disease And Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Cyndel Carreau
Biological Sciences
In order to elucidate some of the mechanisms through which Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Type II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) are linked, this study investigated the effects of elevated plasma homocysteine levels – a risk factor for AD – in a rat model of T2DM. Both elevated plasma homocysteine levels and T2DM are associated with cognitive deficits and are recognized as strong risk factors for the development of AD. The present experiment examined the effects of diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemia on the development of cognitive impairments and insulin-resistance, as well as on the insulin signaling cascade, in a diet-induced obese rat model of …
Characterization Of Rna Aptamers To Drosophila Splicing Protein B52”, Benjamin Stern
Characterization Of Rna Aptamers To Drosophila Splicing Protein B52”, Benjamin Stern
Biological Sciences
The protein B52 is an essential component of the spliceosome in Drosophila M. and is responsible for processing precursor-mRNA. B52 belongs to a family of proteins named SR proteins which are critical in initiation and commitment of RNA splicing. Analogous to human SRp55, B52 has been shown to be responsible for alternative and constitutive splicing during a multitude of cellular and developmental events. RNA aptamers selected during an in vitro selection and amplification process (SELEX) for B52 were found to have a co-variation in the stem of these aptamers. Using biochemical and structural techniques, I will explore the RNA-protein interaction …
The Role Of Rac1 Signaling In Tissue Polarity And Branching Morphogenesis During Salivary Gland Development, Janice Jin
The Role Of Rac1 Signaling In Tissue Polarity And Branching Morphogenesis During Salivary Gland Development, Janice Jin
Biological Sciences
Salivary gland development in embryonic mouse occurs through the process of branching morphogenesis and differentiation to ultimately give rise to a fully functional, saliva-secreting adult gland. During branching morphogenesis, epithelial cells establish an apical and basal pole which determines the ultimate direction in which salivary fluid and proteins are secreted. Exactly how salivary tissue polarity is determined on a cellular and glandular level is not fully understood. Rac1, a member of the Rho GTPase family, is an intracellular signal transducer that has been shown in other cell types to regulate cell polarization. Rac1 is also important for the organization of …
Evaluation Of A Biopesticide Against Invasive Species For Native Species Restoration, Denise Ann Mayer
Evaluation Of A Biopesticide Against Invasive Species For Native Species Restoration, Denise Ann Mayer
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Since their introduction in the 1980s, dreissenid mussels (Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis bugensis) rapidly spread throughout North America and have had severe impacts on the ecology of freshwater ecosystems. A project was initiated in the early 1990s at the New York State Museum's Field Research Laboratory to discover and develop natural products to control industrial biofouling by dreissenid mussels. A strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf-CL145A), isolated from the sediment of a North American river, was found to be effective at killing dreissenids. The strain was patented for this use.
Advanced Statistical Methods For Biochemical And Forensic Applications Of Raman Spectroscopy, Vitali Sikirzhytski
Advanced Statistical Methods For Biochemical And Forensic Applications Of Raman Spectroscopy, Vitali Sikirzhytski
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
This work is dedicated to the development and application of advanced statistical methods for biochemical and forensic applications of Raman spectroscopy. We developed a new concept of multidimensional Raman signatures for forensic identification of body fluid traces, which was successfully applied to the study of dried blood, semen, saliva, sweat and vaginal fluid stains. Several alternative advanced chemometric techniques were also successfully tested for the problems of pure body fluids discrimination and mixture analysis. Studies of body fluid mixtures with low blood and semen concentrations indicated that the detection limit of a minor contributor was as low as a few …
Physiology Of Yawning : Proximate Mechanisms Supporting An Ultimate Function, Melanie Lee Shoup-Knox
Physiology Of Yawning : Proximate Mechanisms Supporting An Ultimate Function, Melanie Lee Shoup-Knox
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Recent research suggests that yawning functions to cool the brain during periods of mild hyperthermia. Evidence for this hypothesis is largely behavioral, and includes reports of increased yawning during increases in ambient temperature and times of stress as well as an amelioration of yawning upon nasal breathing and forehead cooling. Little research has been published on the physiological mechanisms supporting a brain cooling function, however. The current set of studies explores human and animal physiological parameters in search of evidence of brain cooling during yawning. In humans, heart rate, skin temperature, and skin conductance findings suggest that yawning involves an …
Design And Application Of Composite Rna Aptamers, Shengchun Wang
Design And Application Of Composite Rna Aptamers, Shengchun Wang
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
aptamers are being developed as an essential tool in many fields of biological research. Their utility is not limited to being protein inhibitors; a lot of novel functions can be realized. However, in vivo application of RNA aptamers still faces many challenges. The aim of this dissertation is to design and apply composite aptamers in multiple expression and delivery systems to address some critical issues, such as correct folding, high level production, degradation by nucleases, excessive consumption of cellular resource and potential toxic effect.
Single Cell Analysis For The Characterization Of Cell Populations Using A Live Cell Array, Maureen Ann Walling
Single Cell Analysis For The Characterization Of Cell Populations Using A Live Cell Array, Maureen Ann Walling
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
In the past decade, the shift from whole cell population analyses towards single cell measurement methods and techniques is based on experimental results that reveal significant levels of non-genetic heterogeneity in clonal cell populations. This heterogeneity manifests in multiple aspects of cell activity and is, in part, a result of stochastic noise in processes leading to gene expression, namely transcription and translation. The growing understanding of this occurrence has led to the development of methods to monitor and analyze heterogeneity for a more thorough description of cell populations and overall activity.
The P38 Alpha Stress-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway In Mammary Gland Development And Cancer, Huei-Chi Wen
The P38 Alpha Stress-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway In Mammary Gland Development And Cancer, Huei-Chi Wen
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Breast tumors arise from preinvasive lesions consisting of abnormal epithelial cells that accumulate within the mammary duct. However, the initiating steps and underlying pathways leading to the formation of these early stages of breast carcinoma, such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), is not fully understood.
Creating Rna Aptamers To Modulate Function Of Human Estrogen Receptor Alpha, Daiying Xu
Creating Rna Aptamers To Modulate Function Of Human Estrogen Receptor Alpha, Daiying Xu
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
ABSTRACT
The Nasal Toxicity Of The Herbicide 2,6-Dichlorobenzonitrile : Mechanisms And Biomarkers, Fang Xie
The Nasal Toxicity Of The Herbicide 2,6-Dichlorobenzonitrile : Mechanisms And Biomarkers, Fang Xie
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The overall goal of this study is to investigate mechanisms of the potent nasal specific toxicity of the herbicide 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCBN) in rodents, and to determine whether DCBN could induce similar nasal toxicity in humans. The central hypotheses are 1) that the nasal specific toxicity of DCBN in rodents is mediated by its electrophilic intermediates that are formed through metabolic activation catalyzed by target tissue cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450) and can interfere with stem cell regeneration and differentiation in the olfactory epithelium (OE); and 2) that human nasal tissues are also capable of catalyzing bioactivation of DCBN. The specific aims …
Gene And Environment Interactions Modulate Immune System Influences On Social Behavior, Yubin Zhang
Gene And Environment Interactions Modulate Immune System Influences On Social Behavior, Yubin Zhang
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with unknown etiology, affecting about 1 in 110 children in the US. Here, we show that developmental exposure to anti-brain Abs impaired mouse social behaviors. BTBR mice, a mouse strain with high serum anti-brain Abs and behaviors that resemble autism, have more activated splenic B cells, CD4+ T cells (Th1, Th2 and Th17 subsets), and CD4+ T cells with expression of Vb6 chains than B6 mice (the control H-2 identical strain). Elevated numbers of activated (CD25+) CD4+Vb6+ cells also were detected in thymic preparations. All of the immunological and behavioral parameters of BTBR mice were …
Biophysical Investigations Of The Molecular Basis Of Cataract Associated With The R76s Mutation In Human Gammad-Crystallin, Vurghun Ahmadov
Biophysical Investigations Of The Molecular Basis Of Cataract Associated With The R76s Mutation In Human Gammad-Crystallin, Vurghun Ahmadov
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Cataract disease results when the eye lens becomes opaque and scatters a significant part of the incoming light into the eye. The lens contains very high concentrations of the lens proteins, called crystallins, which are present at concentrations comparable to those found in protein crystals (about 400-600 mg/mL). Chemical modifications of the crystallins, such as oxidation and deamidation, or genetic mutations are known to result in increased light-scattering in vitro, and are implicated in cataract formation in vivo. Here we present the in vitro work on a mutant protein of human gammaD crystallin (HGD), namely R76S (i.e. Arg 76 to …
Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Saratoga County, New York : Survey Methods, Spatial Ecology And Conservation, Andrea Chaloux
Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Saratoga County, New York : Survey Methods, Spatial Ecology And Conservation, Andrea Chaloux
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
In 2003, a small, isolated population of the New York State Threatened Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) was documented in Saratoga County, New York, between the main range and eastern range of the species, approximately 120 km from the nearest known population. The location of the population and its occupancy of a protected preserve in an area experiencing heavy development pressure prompted the need for an immediate conservation-focused study. Building upon work of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation staff from 2003-2006, a trapping (2007-2008) and radio-telemetry (2007-2009) study was conducted with the following objectives: 1) inform survey protocol recommendations …
The Differential Effects Of Genetic And Dietary Alterations In Folate Status On Prefrontal Cortical Functions, Jessica Amanda Ash
The Differential Effects Of Genetic And Dietary Alterations In Folate Status On Prefrontal Cortical Functions, Jessica Amanda Ash
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Folate status plays an essential role in embryogenesis and brain development; however, its importance in supporting cognitive functioning throughout adulthood is less clear. The present study was interested in examining the effects of genetic and dietary alterations in folate status on prefrontal cortical functions in mice, modeling a common polymorphism in the MTHFD1 gene in folate metabolism. A factorial design was used crossing two genotypes (mice with a gene trap insertion in the Mthfd1 gene exhibiting 50% decreased Mthfd1 expression: Mthfd1gt/+ mice or wildtype mice) with two levels of dietary folate (folate sufficient or folate deficient). The mice were tested …
Homologous And Heterologous Crystallin Protein Interactions As The Molecular Basis Of Inherited Cataract, Priya Ranjan Banerjee
Homologous And Heterologous Crystallin Protein Interactions As The Molecular Basis Of Inherited Cataract, Priya Ranjan Banerjee
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Age-related cataract is the most common cause of blindness worldwide. Nearly fifty percent of Americans above the age of 75 are diagnosed with this disease (http://www.nei.nih.gov/eyedata/pbd_tables.asp), and surgical intervention is the sole method of treatment at present (http://www.nei.nih.gov/healthyvision/objective/cataracts.asp). In the developing world, even this treatment is not readily available. These are compelling reasons to search for better treatments to delay, prevent or arrest cataract formation. Recent evidence suggests that age-related cataracts also have a genetic component. Therefore, determining the mechanisms underlying genetic cataracts with a known association to a protein-mutation is one important strategy towards understanding the molecular basis for …
Cortical-Spinal Interactions In Skill Acquisition And Performance And Their Implications For Rehabilitation, Chadwick Bruno Jean Boulay
Cortical-Spinal Interactions In Skill Acquisition And Performance And Their Implications For Rehabilitation, Chadwick Bruno Jean Boulay
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Many people in the United States have motor impairments due to stroke or other central nervous system (CNS) traumas. Motor impairments also burden the U.S. economy and health care system. Current rehabilitative therapies are moderately effective but can be improved upon. Improvements to rehabilitation protocols are informed by increased understanding of the CNS including understanding interactions between different structures in the CNS and understanding CNS plasticity in response to trauma or skill acquisition.
The Importance Of Disease And Behavior In Mammalian Ecology And Behavior, Christopher R. Collins
The Importance Of Disease And Behavior In Mammalian Ecology And Behavior, Christopher R. Collins
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Causes of mortality reflect the evolutionary forces shaping the physiology and behavior of species. To evaluate the relative importance of these in North American Mammals I compared published data from 69 populations across 27 species. Of the known causes, humans are the main cause of mortality (51.8%), followed by natural causes (48.5%), with predation being the largest natural cause. Populations in remote areas experienced higher hunting mortality, and those closer to human populations suffered increased vehicle collision. Predation mortality was negatively correlated with body mass.
Rho Kinase Regulates Basement Membrane Dynamics To Coordinate Salivary Gland Branching Morphogenesis And Tissue Organization, William Patrick Daley
Rho Kinase Regulates Basement Membrane Dynamics To Coordinate Salivary Gland Branching Morphogenesis And Tissue Organization, William Patrick Daley
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Branching morphogenesis is a developmental mechanism utilized by many organs, including the salivary gland, lung, kidney, and mammary gland, to increase the epithelial surface area for secretion or absorption. The embryonic submandibular salivary gland (SMG) is a classic model for studying tissue morphogenesis in three dimensions ex vivo. Salivary gland development requires distinct but overlapping processes: morphogenesis, the actual physical rearrangement of cells into complex three dimensional structures, and cytodifferentiation, the process by which these cells begin to take on their own specialized function. Polarization, or the organization of cells into a cohesive tissue structure, also occurs concurrently during organ …
The Formation And Distribution Of Hippocampal Synapses On Patterned Neuronal Networks, Natalie Michelle Dowell-Mesfin
The Formation And Distribution Of Hippocampal Synapses On Patterned Neuronal Networks, Natalie Michelle Dowell-Mesfin
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
ABSTRACT
Regulation Of The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor And The Signal Transducer And Activator Of Transcription 1 By Long-Term Estrogen Exposure In Breast Carcinoma Cells, Neal Englert
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The risk of developing breast cancer is known to be associated with a woman's lifetime exposure to estrogens, both endogenous and exogenous. Increased exposure to estrogens stimulates cellular proliferation, which is a widely accepted theory of estrogen receptor positive mammary carcinogenesis. The molecular mechanisms of gene expression regulation in response to long-term estrogen exposure (LTEE) of MCF-7 breast cancer cells were addressed in this study, with a focus on the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1).
Automated Classification Of The Narrative Of Medical Reports Using Natural Language Processing, Ira J. Goldstein
Automated Classification Of The Narrative Of Medical Reports Using Natural Language Processing, Ira J. Goldstein
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
In this dissertation we present three topics critical to the document level classification of the narrative in medical reports: the use of preferred terminology in light of the presence of synonymous terms, the less than optimal performance of classification systems when presented with a non-uniform distribution of classes, and the problems associated with scarcity of labeled data when presented with an imbalance of classes in the data sets.
A Functional Study Of Ampa And Kainate Receptors, Yan Han
A Functional Study Of Ampa And Kainate Receptors, Yan Han
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The ionotropic glutamate receptors are localized in the pre- and postsynaptic membrane of neurons and mediate the majority of fast excitatory synaptic transmission. These receptors are divided into three subtypes: α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA), kainic acid, and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors. My thesis work focused on AMPA and kainate receptor subtypes.
Calcium Regulation And Transmitter Release At Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction, Tao He
Calcium Regulation And Transmitter Release At Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction, Tao He
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Calcium ions act as the most versatile 2nd messenger and are involved in an incredibly broad spectrum of biological processes. Proper cellular Ca2+ homeostasis is paramount in maintaining normal cell growth, functions, survival and programmed death. Hence, understanding Ca2+ regulation has been a goal of and a hot topic in cutting-edge biological research for decades. Recently, the advent of a new generation of Ca2+ indicators has made a major contribution to advances in understanding Ca2+ regulation (Grynkiewicz et al., 1985). Likewise, the application of Drosophila melanogaster as an animal model has provided tantalizing clues and fueled the progress of research …
Distinct Functions Of The Fshr Ck2 Consensus Sequence And Ck2 Kinase Activity In Fsh Action, Kerri S. Kluetzman
Distinct Functions Of The Fshr Ck2 Consensus Sequence And Ck2 Kinase Activity In Fsh Action, Kerri S. Kluetzman
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Human reproduction in the female is a complex process requiring coordinated control of gonadotropic hormone signaling in a temporal, spatial and contextually defined manner. Paracrine and autocrine signaling between granulosa cells and oocytes of the developing ovarian follicle result in production of steroids, inhibin and growth factors that dictate maturation, ovulation or atresia. Follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulation of the FSH receptor (FSHR), a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) is a key regulator of these processes. Recent developments in GPCR molecular and structural biology have helped define activation and signaling mechanisms that will aid in further defining the etiology of infertility …
A Breast Cancer Stem Cell Model Created From Mmtv-Pymt Mice Applicable To Human Breast Cancer, Denise Grant Lanza
A Breast Cancer Stem Cell Model Created From Mmtv-Pymt Mice Applicable To Human Breast Cancer, Denise Grant Lanza
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Cancer stem cells are the seeds of tumor growth, but there are limited cell-based methods that exist to study the properties of these cells. To create a model of breast cancer stem cells, we isolated tumors from MMTV-PyMT mice. Two out of the four different cell types isolated survived in culture, CD44+CD24- and CD24+CD49f+CD44low. We found that we could initiate tumors with as few as 10 cells injected subcutaneously in the hind leg or orthotopically in the cleared fat pad with CD24+ cells. However, we could not initiate tumors with injection of CD24- cells. We found a requirement for TICs …
Structure And Function Of Coding And Non-Coding Rna Domains, Fei Liu
Structure And Function Of Coding And Non-Coding Rna Domains, Fei Liu
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
As a versatile molecule, RNA exhibits an astonishing variety of functional activities, which is typically attributed to its particular structure-forming capacity. There are an increasing number of established roles and systems where RNA structures, in particular, RNA pseudoknots, affect specific biological processes based on their structural features. The structure-function-relationships of RNA in three systems has been invesgated: the telomerase RNA pseudoknot domain from S. cerevisiae, a poteintial unusual H-type pseudoknot forming region near the 3'-splice-site in the influenza virus NS1 mRNA, and the 5'-untranslated-region of the CC16 mRNA where mutations in the wildtype sequence have been related to asthma. UV-monitored …
In-Cell And In Vitro Studies Of Disease Related Protein-Protein Interactions Using Nmr-Spectroscopy, Andres Yudiel Maldonado
In-Cell And In Vitro Studies Of Disease Related Protein-Protein Interactions Using Nmr-Spectroscopy, Andres Yudiel Maldonado
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a multiligand cell surface macromolecule that plays a central role in the etiology of diabetes, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. The cytoplasmic domain of RAGE, ctRAGE, is critical for RAGE-dependent signal transduction. As the most membrane proximal event, mDia1 binds to ctRAGE and is essential for RAGE ligand-stimulated phosphorylation of AKT and cell proliferation/migration. We show that ctRAGE contains an unusual alpha-turn that mediates the mDia1-ctRAGE interaction and is required for RAGE dependent signaling. The results establish a novel mechanism through which an extracellular signal initiated by RAGE ligands regulates RAGE signaling in …
Darwin's Other Idea : Sexual Selection, Gender And Violence, Robert Samuel Moschgat
Darwin's Other Idea : Sexual Selection, Gender And Violence, Robert Samuel Moschgat
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
This dissertation provides an empirical exploration of Darwin's theory of sexual selection, which views the male propensity to engage in short term mating strategies--sexual promiscuity and violence--as the result of sexual selection. Within an environmental context, biological father and mother household presence are expected to inhibit the initiation of short-term mating strategies and increase parental investment--paternal and maternal attachments, supervision, and protection. Whereas, structural disadvantage--living in poverty and in dangerous neighborhoods--is predicted to increase the initiation of a short-term mating strategies and compromise the parents' ability to protect their children and by weakening paternal and maternal attachments, thereby increasing the …
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 : Interactions With The Cellular Proteasome And Microrna Pathways, Daniel Joseph Munson
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 : Interactions With The Cellular Proteasome And Microrna Pathways, Daniel Joseph Munson
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1) is a human pathogen that is estimated to have infected 60-80% of the population worldwide, causing oral lesions, encephalitis, and blindness. Infection results in life-long latency of the virus, with periods of reactivation and symptomatic disease. Early in infection, HSV-1 induces the formation of replication compartments and VICE (virus induced chaperone enriched) domains within the nucleus. Adjacent to VICE domains, we observed foci which contained Mss1, a cellular protein normally associated with the proteasome. Mss1 belongs to the AAA-ATPase family of proteins, which have been shown to function in DNA repair, transcription, translation, and …