Life Sciences Commons^™

Kinetic And Kinematic Properties Of D-I Male Sprinters, Zhanxin Sha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore and determine kinetic and kinematic variables that related to D-I male sprinters maximal running velocity performance. The current study was separated into 3 individual chapters: 1.) Kinematic analysis magnitude of acceleration for braking and propulsion phases during foot contact phase at maximal speed sprinting; 2.) Using kinetic isometric mid-thigh pull variables to predict D-I male sprinters’ 60m performance; 3.) Relationship of whole and lower body angular momentum cancellation during terminal swing phase to sprint performance.

Methods: for sprint measurement all the athletes were participated 2 trials of 100% effort running through 60 …

Cellular-Based Brain Pathology In The Anterior Cingulate Cortex Of Males With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica D. Crawford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) now affects 1 in 68 children in the United States. Disorders within this spectrum share hallmark deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication, repetitive behavior, and social interaction. The cause of ASD is still unknown. Even though hundreds of genetic abnormalities have been identified in ASD, these markers account for less than 1% of all ASD cases. Researchers continue to search for pathological markers common to all or most cases of ASD. The research presented in this dissertation used a novel combination of state-of-the-art methods to investigate brain pathology in ASD. Postmortem anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) from …

Effects Of Step Training On The Kidneys Following Spinal Cord Injury In Rats., Pradeepa Poudyal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia after chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to over-distention, high bladder pressures and vesico-ureteric reflux into the kidney, resulting in repeated infections and pyelonephritis. Given the importance/limited knowledge of SCI effects on the upper urinary tract, this study assessed expression of two proteins in the kidneys of contused (T9) male rats relative to controls that are indicative of tissue stress/damage (TGFβ, CD11b). The impact of two therapeutic rehabilitation strategies, 60 minutes of step training and general exercise, was then assessed on these protein levels relative to non-trained SCI controls, plus the effectiveness of a shorter training duration (30 …

The Role Of Stem Cells In Adipose Tissue Remodeling., Candice Reshay Holden 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The work presented in this dissertation outlines the role of stem cells in the remodeling of adipose tissue under conditions of nutrient excess. Obesity-induced variations in adipose tissue stem cell distribution were uncovered by analysis of the stromal vascular fraction isolated from mice fed a high fat diet for several weeks. Bone marrow cell transplantation was used to determine the derivation of progenitor cells found in adipose tissue; and supplementation of depleted progenitor cell populations achieved via direct cell transplantation, helped to determine the contribution of these progenitor cells to the remodeling process. The dissertation is presented in five chapters …

Cloning And Expression Of A Tobacco Stearoyl-Acp Desaturase Gene Sbip24 And Its Interaction With Sabp2 In Sa Pathway, Amin J. Ferdous

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Salicylic acid binding protein 2 (SABP2) that converts methyl salicylate to salicylic acid (SA) plays an obligatory role in the SA-mediated disease resistance pathway in plants. SABP2 interacts with SBIP24 in a yeast two-hybrid screening. SBIP24 belongs to the stearoyl-acyl carrier protein-desaturase protein family. To biochemically characterize the SBIP24, it was cloned from tobacco leaves using RT-PCR and expressed in E. coli. Recombinant SBIP24 was affinity purified using Ni-NTA chromatography. RT-PCR was performed to determine the role of SABP2 in modulating the expression SBIP24. TMV infected transgenic C3 (control tobacco plant containing empty silencing vector) and 1-2 (SABP2-silenced) …

Hif-1Α In The Heart: Provision Of Ischemic Cardioprotection And Remodeling Of Nucleotide Metabolism, Joe Wu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In our studies we found that stabilized expression of HIF-1α in heart led to better recovery of function and less tissue death after 30 minutes of global ischemia, via mechanisms that preserve the mitochondrial polarization. Our group previously showed that HIF-1α conferred ischemic tolerance by allowing cardiomyocytes to use fumarate as an alternative terminal electron acceptor to sustain anaerobic mitochondrial polarization. The source of fumarate was identified as the purine nucleotide cycle (PNC). Here we discovered that HIF-1α upregulates AMP deaminase 2 (AMPD2), the entry point to the PNC. The combination of glycolysis and the PNC may protect the heart's …

Occurrence Of The Oyster Parasite, Haplosporidium Nelsoni, In The Damariscotta River Estuary, Maine, Nicole Messerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Haplosporidium nelsoni is a protozoan parasite that causes the devastating disease MSX in the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, along the East coast of the United States. Until recently, H. nelsoni had not reached epizootic levels in Maine. However, in the summer of 2010, H. nelsoni was responsible for significant mortalities in cultivated Eastern oysters in the Damariscotta River Estuary. Since the initial outbreak, surveys performed by the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) show that MSX is still prevalent in the Damariscotta River Estuary. The industry remains concerned about the parasite levels with each new grow out season. In this study, …

Using Migration Monitoring Data To Assess Bird Population Status And Behavior In A Changing Environment, Evan M. Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Across the world, researchers use migration banding stations to document bird migration and study the phenomenon. In this dissertation, I focus on ways of analyzing bird migration banding data and the utility migrating birds as indicators of ecosystem health that make these monitoring efforts more useful to answering ecological questions and managing migratory species. In Chapter 1, we provide background on hierarchical modeling and an overview of our findings. In Chapter 2, we developed and validated new methods to estimate daily changes in migratory population size while controlling for changes in detectability due to environmental conditions. In Chapter 3, this …

Troglitazone Suppresses Glutamine Metabolism And Tumor Cell Growth Through A Ppar-Independent Mechanism., Miriam R. Reynolds 1965-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In tumor cells, glutamine metabolism provides anaplerotic carbon for the TCA cycle, fatty acid synthesis, and precursors for the production of nucleotides and glutathione. This metabolic alteration is primarily driven by disruptions in oncogenic or tumor suppressor function and results in glutamine dependency for tumor cell survival. Troglitazone, a PPARγ agonist, has been reported to alter glutamine metabolism. This thesis project addresses whether troglitazone treatment could disrupt glutamine metabolism in glutamine-dependent tumor cells. Results obtained with troglitazone treatment include: dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation, glutamine uptake, glutaminolytic protein expression, steady-state ATP levels, and glutamine carbon flux into the TCA cycle. …

Evaluation Of Airborne Lidar As A Tool For Obtaining Sustainable Forest Management Of Maine's Forests, Rei Hayashi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first objective of this study was to evaluate the applicability of using a low density (ca. 1 point m􀀀2) discrete-return LiDAR for predicting maximum tree height, stem density, basal area, quadratic mean diameter, and stem volume using an area-based approach. The research was conducted at the Penobscot Experimental Forest in central Maine, where a range of stand structures and species composition is present and generally representative of northern Maines forests. Using a variety of high dimensional LiDAR metrics, a prediction model was developed using random forest, a nonparametric approach, based on reference data collected in fixed radius circular plots. …

The Vascular Flora Of Steele Creek Park And A Quantitative Study Of Vegetation Patterns In Canopy Gaps, Sullivan County, Tennessee, Phillip C. Klahs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An inventory of vascular plants was conducted in Steele Creek Park in Sullivan County, Tennessee from March 2013 to September 2014. The park covers an area of 892 ha and lies within the Ridge and Valley Province. The inventory of vascular plants documented 547 species of 323 genera and 101 families. Two hundred sixteen taxa were newly reported for Sullivan County. Tennessee Special Concern Species included Cardamine rotundifolia, Castanea dentata, Lonicera dioica, Allium tricoccum, Cypripedium acaule, and Panax quinquefolius. A single species, Juglans cinerea L., is considered a Tennessee Threatened Species. Vegetation patterns were studied quantitatively by installing 10 …

A Mechanism For Trif Adaptor-Biased Signaling By Toll-Like Receptor 4., Joseph Peterson Kolb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Host cells respond to bacterial lipid A through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Activation of TLR4 by lipid A triggers a response that involves two main adaptor proteins, MyD88 and TRIF. MyD88-dependent gene expression is associated with proinflammatory protein production, while TRIF-dependent gene expression is essential for optimal activation of adaptive immunity by antigen-presenting cells. Detoxified, monophosphoryl lipid A agonists (MPLA or synthetic MLA) were previously suggested to elicit TRIF-biased TLR4 signaling; that is, induction of weaker MyD88-associated gene expression but relatively intact TRIF-dependent gene expression when compared to fully active diphosphoryl lipid A (lipid A). In this work, we explored …

Modulation Of Host Polyubiquitination By The Ankb F-Box Protein Of Legionella Pneumophila., William M. Bruckert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legionella pneumophila is a facultative intracellular pathogen that infects a wide array of protozoan hosts and human alveolar macrophages. L. pneumophila is dependent on a functional Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system that translocates bacterial effector proteins into the host cell cytosol. L. pneumophila genomes encode more than 250 effector proteins, many of which inhibit host cellular processes to form a favorable niche termed the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). The eukaryotic-like Dot/Icm translocated effector AnkB contains two eukaryotic-like ankyrin protein-protein interacting domains, one eukaryotic-like F- box domain and an eukaryotic C-terminal CaaX motif. Immediately following attachment of extracellular bacteria, AnkB is translocated …

Mechanistic Investigations Of Pseudouridine Synthases : A Surprising Glycal Intermediate Lies On The Reaction Pathway., Govardhan Reddy Veerareddygari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pseudouridine synthases (ΨSs) catalyze the isomerization of uridine (U) in RNA to pseudouridine (Ψ), which is the most common post-transcriptional modification in RNAs and is ubiquitous within all three domains of life. ΨSs are classified into six different families based on sequence alignments and have a universally conserved aspartic acid residue (‘conserved Asp’ for simplicity) that is absolutely essential for activity. RNA containing 5-fluorouridine ([F5U]RNA) has been used as a mechanistic probe. Upon incubation with [F5U]RNA, TruA and RluA get irreversibly inhibited and appear in a protein-RNA adduct band on denaturing PAGE gels, which is consistent with the ‘Michael mechanism’ …

Boundary Contour Based Surface Representation., Yong Su

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We receive most information about our surrounding space and objects through the eyes. To reconstruct the 3D space and objects in the visual system from the 2D retinal images, surface representation must be a critical intermediate stage in the visual processing stream. It is hypothesized in the dissertation that the visual system represents textured surface by a border-to-interior strategy: boundary contours would be encoded first and then border-ownership assignments would be resolved. This process would solve the related problems such as figure-ground segregation, surface depth relationship, occlusion, transparency, etc. As a result, the boundary contours of the surfaces would be …

The Effect Of A Controlled Frequency Breath Holding Training Program On Running Economy Among Elite College Swimmers., Patrick Sims 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Running economy (RE) is the amount of oxygen consumed while running at a submaximal intensity. Along with aerobic capacity (VO2max), RE is an important predictor of running performance. Little research has investigated changes in RE with restricted breathing training [i.e. controlled breath-holding (CFB)] during exercise. RE may improve ~6% amongst a novice swimming cohort through CFB training, but this has not been established in elite swimmers. The purpose was to further establish that CFB training (16 sessions of 12 x 50-m with ~15 seconds rest between each 50-m, using only ~2 breaths per 50-m) can improve RE in 25 elite …

Biochemical Characterization Of Sbip-470 And Its Role In Sa-Mediated Signaling In Plants, Danda P. Chapagai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Salicylic acid binding protein 2 (SABP2) is known to play a key role in Salicylic acid mediated defense pathway. SBIP-470 is SABP2 interacting protein that might be putatively involved in transfer of lipids. SBIP-470 was cloned without the signal peptide and expressed in E. coli. In vitro lipid binding assay using recombinant SBIP-470 failed to detect lipid binding. In vitro lipid transfer assay showed recombinant SBIP-470 does not transfer phospholipid. Study has shown that SBIP-470 is highly inducible upon infection with viral as well as bacterial pathogens. Induction of SBIP-470 expression upon the TMV infection most likely depends upon …

Identification, Cloning, And Expression Of Tobacco Responsive To Dehydration Like Protein (Rd22), Sbip-355 And Its Role In Sabp2 Mediated Sa Pathway In Plant Defense, Hanadi Abdulaali Almazroue

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abscisic acid (ABA) induces RD22, responsive to dehydration stress gene. Salicylic acid (SA) has been the focus of research due to its role against pathogens and abiotic stress. Interaction between ABA and SA signaling pathways is still poorly understood. SA-Binding Protein 2 (SABP2) converts methyl salicylate to SA. An attempt was made to identify proteins that interact with SABP2 using a yeast 2-hybrid screening. Several interactors were identified. One of them, SA-Binding Protein 2 Interacting Protein-355 (SBIP-355), showed high homology to RD22. Bioinformatic approaches showed that SBIP-355 contains a BURP domain. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that SBIP-355 clustered into the …

A Comprehensive Study Of The Effects Of Neurotoxins On Noradrenergic Phenotypes, Neuronal Responses And Potential Intervention By Antidepressants In Noradrenergic Cells, Yan Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been reported that locus coeruleus (LC) degeneration precedes the degeneration of other neurons in the brain in some neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the precise mechanisms of neurodegeneration remain to be elucidated. N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP4) has been widely used as a noradrenergic neurotoxin in the development of AD and PD animal models for specific LC degeneration. However, the precise mechanism of action of DSP4 remains unclear. An increased systemic DNA damage caused by neurotoxin or oxidative stress has been found to be related to the pathogenic development of neurodegeneration. The process of neurodegeneration …

Characterization Of A Putative Phospholipase D ´ Like Gene As A Lipid Signaling Modulator And Its Role In Salicylic Acid Mediated Defense Pathway In Nicotiana Tabacum, Phillip T. Dean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plants are in a perpetual evolutionary arms race with a wide range of pathogens. Their sessile nature has led plants to evolve defense mechanisms that can quickly recognize a unique stressor and deploy a resistance tailored for a specific attack. The salicylic acid (SA) mediated defense pathway has been shown to be one of the major defense tactics plants can initiate to defend themselves against microbial pathogens. Following a pathogen attack high levels of methyl salicylate (MeSA) are produced that can be converted to SA by the enzyme salicylic acid binding protein 2 (SABP2). A yeast two-hybrid screening was performed …

The Phenomenon Of Abstract Cognition Among Scholastic Chess Participants: A Case Study, Brent C. Laws

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore the phenomenon of abstract cognition among a purposive sample of 5 secondary scholastic chess club participants. The case study enabled the researcher to explore the faculties of abstract cognition among students of contrasting skills and abilities in playing chess. The study also allowed for the consideration of potential visual-spatial, logical, academic, social competency and life benefits of chess play. Through analysis of interviews, chess simulations, blindfold chess play, and narration of chess lines and sequences, the investigator was able to extract meaning and code schemata into a holistic understanding of the phenomenon of …

Regulation Of C-Reactive Protein Gene Expression And Function, Avinash N. Thirumalai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human C-reactive protein (CRP) is the prototypic acute phase protein whose serum concentration increases rapidly during inflammation. CRP is also associated with atherosclerosis; it is deposited at lesion sites where it may interact with modified lipoproteins. There are 2 major questions regarding CRP: 1. How is the serum concentration of CRP regulated? 2. What are the functions of CRP in atherosclerosis?

Our first aim was to determine the role of the constitutively expressed transcription factor Oct-1 in regulating CRP gene expression. We found that Oct-1 overexpression inhibited (IL-6+IL-1β)- induced CRP gene expression; maximal inhibition required the binding of Oct-1 to …

Enzyme Kinetics : 6-Phosphofructo-2-Kinase/2,6-Bisphosphatase., Jennifer Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Altered energy metabolism is an established hallmark of cancer cells. Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate is an allosteric activator of glycolysis and its concentration in a cell is dictated by the 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatases (PFKFB1-4) family of bifunctional enzymes. The PFKFB family of enzymes are characterized by their different kinase: bisphosphatase activities and were originally determined to be tissue-specific. More recent data however suggest that multiple isoforms are co-expressed in both normal and neoplastic tissues. PFKFB4 is highly expressed in human cancer, strongly induced by hypoxia, and required for the survival of cancer cells. However, it remains unclear whether the kinase or phosphatase activity of human …

Evaluating The Effects Of Aroclor 1260 In Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease : The Role Of Xenobiotic Receptors., Banrida Wahlang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental toxicants, present in 100% of US adults and dose-dependently associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in epidemiologic studies. PCBs are predicted to interact with receptors previously implicated in xenobiotic/energy metabolism and NAFLD. These receptors include the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), liver-X-receptor and farnesoid-X-receptor. This study evaluated the hepatic effects of the PCB mixture, Aroclor 1260, whose composition mimics human bioaccumulation patterns, in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. Male C57Bl/6J mice were fed a control or 42% high fat diet (HFD) …

Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of The Type Iia Sodium-Phosphate Cotransporter By Parathyroid Hormone., Rebecca Dale Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The type IIa sodium-phosphate cotransporter (Npt2a) is expressed in the apical membrane of the renal proximal tubule and is responsible for the reabsorption of the majority of the filtered load of phosphate. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is secreted by the parathyroid gland in response to a decrease in serum calcium or an increase in serum phosphorus, and acutely induces phosphaturia through the rapid stimulation of endocytosis of Npt2a and its subsequent lysosomal degradation. Chronic PTH stimulation leads to sustained phosphaturia, but the mechanisms for the chronic regulation of Npt2a by PTH remain unclear. We hypothesize that PTH decreases Npt2a mRNA levels …

Earthworm, Microbial Biomass, And Leaf Litter Decay Responses After Invasive Honeysuckle Shrub Removal From Urban Woodlands., Robert Preston Pipal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species are one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss and their presence can significantly impact the structure and function of native ecosystems. In this dissertation, the impacts of the invasive honeysuckle shrub, Lonicera maackii, on exotic earthworm populations, leaf litter decay responses, and inorganic and organic nutrient pools in an urban woodland park are assessed. Chapter 1 provides a brief review of honeysuckle's effects on forest ecosystems. Chapter 2 describes honeysuckle’s effects on exotic earthworm populations and the seasonal importance of macroinvertebrates to leaf litter decomposition in urban woodlands. This study revealed that L. maackii promoted higher exotic …

Modulation Of The Ovarian Cancer Humoral Response By Tumor-Derived Exosomes., Carolyn Denise Roberson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The pathogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer is complicated by its diagnosis during the latter stages of the disease resulting from lack of symptoms or from presence of symptoms that mimic other conditions. Because of the often fatal prognosis by the time of actual detection, efforts are being made to better understand the host immune response to ovarian cancer. In this study, the contributions of the humoral immune response were investigated by focusing on the role of tumor-derived exosomes and their ability to modulate humoral immune responses. First, ovarian cancer patient-derived free circulating antibodies were investigated for immunoreactivity to patient antigen. …

Analyzing The Interactions Between Xenopus Tropicalis Mc2r, Mc5r, And The Mraps: Modeling The Regulation Of Frog Interrenal Cells, Yesenia Garcia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The role of Melanocortin 2 Receptor (MC2R) in adrenal/interrenal glucocorticoid secretion has been well documented in many organisms. Studies in mammals have shown that in the adrenal gland two melanocortin receptors and two melanocortin receptor accessory proteins are expressed: MC2R, MC5R, MRAP, and MRAP2. The MRAPs have an opposite effect on the cell surface expression of MC2R and MC5R. In mammals, MRAP aids MC2R but inhibits MC5R cell surface expression. This thesis aims to explore the functional relationship between MC2R, MC5R, MRAP, and MRAP2 in Xenopus tropicalis to determine if the MRAPs have a similar effect on amphibian MC2R and …

Development And Testing Of A Rapid Multiplex Assay For The Identification Of Biological Stains, Kevin M. Legg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While DNA profiling makes it possible to individualize biological stains, the identification of the stain itself can present forensic serologists with a significant challenge. Current antibody- and enzyme activity-based assays used by forensic practitioners for biological stain identification yield only presumptive results. Positive results with non-target body fluids or cross-reactivity with non-human sources has also been well documented. Some tests can consume unacceptable quantities of precious evidence while for some body fluids (vaginal fluid and menstrual blood) there are simply no available tests at all.

This research presented here aims to develop and rigorously test a fast, accurate, and sensitive …

Amphibians In Complex Landscapes: Quantifying Habitat Connectivity For Juvenile Movements And Dispersal, Brittany Blue Cline

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maintaining amphibian populations in fragmented landscapes depends on preserving functional connectivity for animals that need to transit multiple vegetation types to satisfy habitat requirements. For many pool-breeding amphibians, successful dispersal is essential for gene flow; thus, quantifying the ability of juveniles to locate and reach suitable habitat in the terrestrial matrix is necessary to predict the consequences of landscape configuration for populations. I evaluated if different open-canopy vegetation types alter the behavior of juvenile wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus). First, I quantified the relative permeability of different open-vegetation types by experimentally releasing frogs in 35 x 3 m enclosures extending from …