Life Sciences Commons^™

Application Of Cannabidol To Ocular Pharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics., Alyssa Laun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most abundant non-psychotropic cannabinoid constituent of Cannabis sativa. CBD is potentially therapeutic for the eye through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. However, the effect of CBD on intraocular pressure (IOP)- the major risk factor for glaucoma- is controversial and large variability exists in the literature. IOP is regulated through aqueous humor (AH) dynamics in trabecular meshwork (TM) tissues. Measurement of CBD in AH and correlation with effects on IOP would clarify what concentrations mediate changes to IOP. Therefore, the overall goal of this dissertation is to measure CBD in ocular tissues and correlate concentrations with …

Applications Of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: From Drug Discovery To Protein Structure And Dynamics., Mark Vincent C. Dela Cerna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The versatility of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is apparent when presented with diverse applications to which it can contribute. Here, NMR is used i) as a screening/ validation tool for a drug discovery program targeting the Phosphatase of Regenerating Liver 3 (PRL3), ii) to characterize the conformational heterogeneity of p53 regulator, Murine Double Minute X (MDMX), and iii) to characterize the solution dynamics of guanosine monophosphate kinase (GMPK). Mounting evidence suggesting roles for PRL3 in oncogenesis and metastasis has catapulted it into prominence as a cancer drug target. Yet, despite significant efforts, there are no PRL3 small molecule inhibitors …

Effect Of Dorsal Quadrant Or Ventral Quadrant Spinal Cord Injury On Gait Features During Locomotion., Anya Nicole Trell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the Unites States, approximately 1.5 million people currently have a spinal cord injury and suffer permanent sensory and motor loss due to the disruption of the spinal cord. Due to the significant morbidity, it is vital to understand the functional impact of disrupting neural descending pathways that modulate spinal neurons involved in intermuscular coordination critical for gait behaviors. Tasks that are more difficult require additional input from these neural pathways; therefore, fourteen feline subjects were familiarized with level overground locomotion and stair descent gait tasks. After collection of baseline kinematic data, the subjects received either a dorsal or ventral …

Defining The Importance Of The Hnrnp I Interaction To The Sindbis Virus Subgenomic Viral Rna Using An Innovative Tethering Approach., Claire Westcott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Old World alphaviruses cause significant outbreaks of illness and debilitating multi-joint arthritis for prolonged periods. Currently, there are no FDA approved vaccines or antiviral therapies; and thus, there is a critical need to identify and characterize the molecular biology of alphaviruses. Alphaviruses rely on the host cell machinery to complete the viral lifecycle and are dependent on interactions with host RNA binding proteins. Accordingly, several host heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein proteins (hnRNPs) have been found to bind to the Sindbis virus (SINV) RNAs. Disrupting the interaction sites in the viral RNAs of these RNA:Protein interactions results in decreased viral titers in …

Unraveling Dna And Identity: A Humanistic Perspective On Epistemologies And Ethics Of Genetic Ancestry Testing., Eve Carlisle Polley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The advent of DNA ancestry testing motivated a burst of human activities that constitute a scientific-technological-industrial-personal-social movement of immense scale, infused with epistemological and ethical questions of great and important variety. This movement has motivated many discourses in the social sciences, with study subjects ranging from the language usage of geneticists, to moral conundrums faced by test-takers, to potential ramifications in global structures of political power. At the same time, and especially in recent decades, the discourses of the comparative humanities have included with increasing frequency and urgency research and theorization about concepts and consequences of human social identities, alongside …

Cyclic Di-Gmp Regulates Motility, Biofilm Formation, And Desiccation Tolerance In Acinetobacter Baumannii, Garrett Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasingly multidrug-resistant pathogen contributing to hospital-acquired infections necessitating the discovery of novel treatments. A bacterial second messenger, cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (cyclic di-GMP), can regulate various persistence factors that are potentially advantageous for survival in hospital environments. Cyclic di-GMP–modulating enzymes and cyclic di-GMP–binding effectors predictively are encoded in the Acinetobacter baumannii genome. I hypothesized that cyclic di-GMP controls motility, biofilm formation, and desiccation tolerance in Acinetobacter baumannii. Disrupting cyclic di-GMP–modulating enzymes or cyclic di-GMP–binding effectors should alter the regulatory effectiveness of these phenotypes. I tested the multidrug-resistant isolate Acinetobacter baumannii strain AB5075 and identified several transposon …

The Effects Of Mindful Meditation On Body Image In Female Collegiate Athletes During The Late Luteal And Early Follicular Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle, Katherine Jankevicius

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Body image has been studied in previous research but there is a gap in research with the consideration of body image changes during the phases of the menstrual cycle. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a mindful meditation intervention on body image during the late luteal and early follicular phases of the menstrual cycle in collegiate female athletes. Eight female collegiate athletes (age: 20.5 ± 1.8 years, height: 1.7 ± 0.1 m, weight: 62.4 ± 8.9 kg, body fat: 26.4 ± 6.9%) participated in both the control and mindful meditation intervention with each taking three …

Soil Quality Indicators And Vegetation Responses Following Ecological Restoration Thinning Of Ponderosa Pine On Three Soil Parent Material Types Under Grazing And Non-Grazing In Northern Arizona, Christopher Macdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research was performed in a northern Arizona ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. & C., Lawson) forest. The objectives were to a) increase understanding of long-term vegetation responses to ecological restoration treatments on three soils types, with and without grazing, b) evaluate the responses soil physical, chemical, and biological properties to restoration treatments, with and without grazing, c) determine the utility of measured soil quality indicators to informing risks to sustainable soils management in southwestern ponderosa pine forests.

There were no significant differences in soil bulk density by soil type, treatment type, or grazing treatment. No significant differences …

A Bioaffinity Self-Assembling Gel For Localized Delivery Of Immunotherapeutics, Ngoc Pham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a type of cancer in which malignant cells develop in the kidney tubules. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), including anti-PD-1 antibodies (aPD1), as monotherapies or in combination settings have advanced to the front-line treatment for patients diagnosed with RCC. Systemic infusion of ICI may render subtherapeutic concentrations in the lesions and increase risks of immune-related adverse events. To overcome these limitations, locoregional drug delivery has gained substantial interests as a modality in immuno-oncology. However, conventional intratumoral injections may be ineffective because the high interstitial fluid pressure in tumors resists drug retention and results in rapid local …

Sex-Specific Effects Of Chaperone And Glial Defenses On Experimental Lewy Body Disease, Tarun Bhatia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lewy body disorders are a group of neurodegenerative conditions characterized by the pathological misfolding and aggregation of the abundant protein, α-synuclein. The most common Lewy body disorders are Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Apart from ageing, male sex is a major risk factor for Lewy body disorders, as men are at ~1.5-fold higher risk for these diseases than women. Yet, preclinical studies on Lewy body disorders rarely examine sex as a biological variable, and the mechanisms underlying sex-skewedness in disease risk remain undetermined.

Here, we developed a sex-stratified model of Lewy body disorders by exposing primary neurons harvested …

Quantifying Population-Level Effects Of Warm-Water Catch-And-Release Mortality On Muskellunge (Esox Masquinongy) In The James River, Virginia, Cory J. Bauerlien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Catch-and-release (C&R) has become a popular practice in many fisheries, both as a management strategy and as an angler ethic. The practice has been used to both increase the abundance and size structure of fish populations but relies heavily on the assumption that released fish survive the encounter. The Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) is a large-bodied, coolwater predatory game fish that is highly prized by many anglers. Many Muskellunge fisheries have transitioned to almost exclusively C&R angling. Muskellunge fisheries have increased in both number and popularity, particularly in southern and mid-Atlantic rivers. However, there is little information on population characteristics for …

Winter Use Of Winyah Bay, Sc By The Spiny Dogfish (Squalus Acanthias), And Their Movements South Of Cape Hatteras, Nc, Meredith L. Langford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

South of Cape Hatteras, NC, little is known about the coastal distribution and movement of the Spiny Dogfish, Squalus acanthias. Between January 2018 and March 2020 this study conducted winter demersal longline sampling in Winyah Bay, SC to investigate habitat use by Spiny Dogfish. In addition to monitoring Winyah Bay use through catch-and-release, 13 individuals were outfitted with implanted Vemco™ acoustic transmitters to monitor large scale movements along the U.S. East Coast. Across three sampling seasons 84 female Spiny Dogfish were captured within lower Winyah Bay. No males were observed over the course of the study. The mean fork length …

Loggerhead Shrike Detectability And Occurrence In Coastal South Carolina Urban Areas, Michelle Krauser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grassland birds, such as the loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), are threatened by extensive land-use change, including urbanization. Loggerhead shrikes have been declining since the early 1900s and are rare or extirpated in portions of their former range. Obtaining reliable population estimates of loggerhead shrikes is important to identify demographic trends and ensure conservation decisions are based on an accurate assessment of their current status. Imperfect detection, or the inability to detect every shrike during a survey, can result in biased population estimates. Estimating detection probability is labor-intensive and requires assumptions that are difficult to satisfy in most field studies. Understanding …

Enzootic Trends Of Crassostrea Virginica And Perkinsus Marinus In North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, Nico Martin D'Amico

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) co-occurs with the protozoan parasite Perkinsus marinus (the causative agent for "Dermo") in US Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico estuaries. Oyster host functions as an ecological engineer and agent for benthic-pelagic coupling are compromised when P. marinus infections are common in populations (prevalence) and high in individuals (intensity). P. marinus infections in oysters from North Inlet estuary, South Carolina were quantified in relation to shell height (60-76 mm, ≥76 mm), sex (functional female, male, indeterminate), water temperature, and salinity. Three fringing reefs on a longitudinal transect from the inlet mouth into the watershed were sampled …

Analysis Of Water Quality And Fish Communities Of Crooked Creek, Tributary To The Allegheny River In Southwestern Pennsylvania, Katherine Stupar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Crooked Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River with a drainage area of 292 square miles. It has been historically affected by mine drainage pollution. Extensive cleanup and monitoring efforts by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have taken place over the last four decades. Unconventional oil extraction, or fracking, presents an emerging threat to the water quality of this stream and the health of its fish communities. Here we perform an analysis of the Crooked Creek watershed utilizing backpack electrofishing, eDNA metabarcoding, and various methods of water quality analysis. Seven sites on …

A Review Of Current Methods In Avian Dietary Analysis And Their Integrated Application To Characterize The Trophic Niche Of Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia Motacilla)., Brandon Hoenig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Characterizing a species’ dietary composition presents an avenue to understand many facets of its ecological niche and can provide essential information for the species’ long-term conservation. To date, the vast majority of diet studies have relied on direct identification of prey during foraging observations or from diet samples to characterize the dietary habits of birds. However, advancements in laboratory-based approaches have revolutionized the field of trophic ecology by allowing researchers to indirectly infer dietary habits with higher resolution across greater time scales. Here, I apply two of these laboratory-based techniques, namely DNA metabarcoding and stable isotope analysis, to characterize the …

Evaluation And Application Of Crispr-Cas12a-Based Systems For Amphibian Detection From Dietary And Environmental Dna, Macie Chess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current methods for monitoring biodiversity are hindered by detection efficiencies or rely on expensive laboratory equipment. The goal of this study was to evaluate the application of a CRISPR-Cas12a-based system for the species-specific detection of amphibians from dietary and environmental DNA samples. A Cas-12a-based platform was designed and analyzed for the fluorescent detection of three salamander species; Desmognathus fuscus, D. ochropheaus, and Erycia bislineata. This system was applied to the identification of salamander DNA extracted from the fecal sacs of nestling Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia monticola), amplified with PCR primers targeting the CYT B mtDNA gene, and compared to DNA metabarcoding. …

Evaluating Threats To The Water Quality Of Little Buffalo Creek And Sarver Run Through Water Quality Analysis And Backpack Electrofishing Surveys, Riley Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, 64.8% and 52.2% of Little Buffalo Creek and Sarver Run stream kilometers are impaired, respectively. Impairment sources to Little Buffalo Creek include agriculture, riparian deforestation, on-site wastewater, and urban runoff. Impairment sources to Sarver Run are unknown. Our goal was to understand sources of impairment through water quality analysis and fish surveys. Water samples were collected monthly and analyzed for cation and anion concentrations. Mass ratio analysis comparing Br/SO₄ and Mg/Li, Ca/Mg and Ca/Sr, Mg/Na and SO₄/Cl, and SO_4/Cl and Mg/Li suggests that mine drainage and conventional oil and gas may be impacting water …

Restoration Through Reassembly: Evaluating The Role Of Native Plants In Combatting Chinese Tallow, Olaniyi Ajala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-native, invasive species disrupt ecological processes and functions, posing a serious threat to natural ecosystems. By examining the growth metrics of the non-native, invasive tree, Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera [L.] Roxb.), hereafter tallow, across different flooding and light regimes, I investigated how restructuring native communities with valuable native species will prevent the reestablishment of tallow. I studied the changes in morphological and physiological traits of tallow when growing with water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica L.), sugarberry (Celtis occidentalis L.), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall). I found that in the non-flooded and high irradiance treatments, tallow's growth …

Detection, Occupancy, Abundance, And Mercury Accumulation Of The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii) In Texas, David Rosenbaum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Land use practices and physical alterations of ecosystems result in habitat loss and fragmentation, while chemical alterations, such as pollutant input, reduce habitat quality and health of exposed organisms. Here, I investigated the effects of watershed- and local-scale environmental variables on the occupancy, abundance, and mercury accumulation of a threatened aquatic species (Macrochelys temminckii, i.e., alligator snapping turtle) within the southwestern periphery of its distribution. Hierarchical modeling suggested the distribution of the species is more affected by watershed-scale land-cover than local habitat, and provided a baseline estimate of average species abundance across its range in eastern Texas. Abundance …

Detection And Occurrence Of Nerodia Harteri (Serpentes: Colubridae) In An Upper Portion Of The Brazos River Watershed, Jessica Yates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Semiaquatic snakes are disproportionately impacted by habitat alteration adjacent to wetlands because of their reliance on both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Brazos River Watersnakes, Nerodia harteri, are endemic natricines with one of the most restricted geographic ranges in North America. I quantified detection and site occupancy probabilities of N. harteri and its sympatric congeners (N. erythrogaster and N. rhombifer), as well as microhabitat selection within the Nerodia community. Within occupied transects, search effort was positively correlated with detecting N. harteri, whereas environmental and/or habitat variables were better predictors for detecting the sympatric congeners. Microhabitat selection between …

Assessing The Live Bait Industry And The Ecological Status Of Invasive Cyprinodontiformes (Sheepshead Minnow: Cyprinodon Variegatus And Gulf Killifish: Fundulus Grandis) In Texas Streams, Erin Shepta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of invasive species is one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity. Once established, invasive species often cause irreversible ecological damage on native communities. Here, I investigated the pathway of introduction and ecological impacts of the sheepshead minnow (C. variegatus) and the gulf killifish (F. grandis). Both species were thought to have been introduced into inland Texas waters via bait-bucket releases and have caused native populations of their inland congeners to decline. While I did not find evidence that either species were being sold in inland shops, bait industry experts did reveal other potentially …

An Application Of Differential Mathematical Modeling Techniques To Study The Ongoing Rabies Epizootic In China, Christopher Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rabies remains a global public health issue with a wide variety of neurological symptoms such as confusion, slight paralysis, hypersalivation, and hydrophobia. Rabies is usually fatal once symptoms appear. Many species are reservoirs for rabies, such as foxes, racoons, and wild dogs, which in turn can transmit the disease to humans, leading to complex transmission chains. There is a long latent period of rabies, between 1 to 3 months after infection, which further complicates control efforts. Mathematical modeling is a valuable tool in the study of infectious disease outbreaks and there have been many models applied to rabies outbreaks. However, …

Effect Of Mycorrhizae Inoculation On The Growth And Success Of Three Taxodium Distichum Hybrids In Saline - Impacted Coastal Soils, Elif Ilhan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2008, Galveston Island was severely impacted by Hurricane Ike, resulting in high salt deposition in the soil and groundwater. This caused a loss of many native plant species. A study was initiated to determine effective ways to promote the growth conditions of three bald cypress genotypes (Taxodium distichum var distichum and Taxodium distichum var mexicanum crosses) in salt-affected soils. The treatments applied were mycorrhizae inoculation, fertilizer application, and a combination of mycorrhizae inoculation and fertilizer application. A total of sixty (60) trees planted in plots of three rows and divided into five randomized replication blocks of four treatments …

Functional Role Of Ppal And Potential For Moss In Industrial Applications., Susana Perez Martinez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an examination and characterization of the functional roles of PPAL. PROTEIN PRENYLTRANSFERASE ALPHA SUBUNIT-LIKE (PPAL) is a recently discovered gene. PPAL homologs are present in all plants and many animals, where its function is largely unknown. It is possible that PPAL could participate in prenylation processes since it shares similarity to the α subunits of known prenylation enzymes. Prenylation is a post-translational modification of proteins that involves the addition of a lipid moiety to proteins to facilitate membrane targeting and association and promote protein-protein interactions. Prenylation has important roles in plant growth and development, including …

Lysosomal Evasion Of Legionella Pneumophilia The Effector., Bethany Vaughn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative facultative intracellular bacterium found in freshwater environments that has co-evolved to survive and proliferate in various amoeba and protozoan species, which serve as the natural host for the bacterium. Humans are an accidental host of L. pneumophila, where infection occurs upon inhalation of aerosolized water droplets that contain the bacteria. Intracellular proliferation of L. pneumophila in alveolar macrophages is essential for manifestation of pneumonia, designated as Legionnaires’ Disease. Biogenesis of the legionella containing vacuole (LCV) occurs via interception of ER-Golgi vesicle trafficking and avoids the default endosomal/lysosomal degradation pathway. Intracellular proliferation of L. pneumophila …

The Roles Of Pon2 In Mitochondrial Physiology, Lung Tumor Cell Proliferation, And Lung Tumorigenesis., Aaron Whitt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Paraoxonase 2 (PON2) is an intracellular, multifunctional enzyme with near-ubiquitous tissue distribution. Within cells, PON2 is localized to mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it mitigates the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). PON2’s chief enzymatic function is its lactonase activity, through which it catalyzes the hydrolysis of a bacterial quorum-sensing molecule, N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (C12), effectively disrupting bacterial intercellular communication and protecting against infection. C12 is produced by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and has been shown to disrupt various aspects of eukaryotic host cell physiology and evoke apoptotic cell death through the activity of PON2. Additionally, PON2 has garnered …

Expression And Functional Characterization Of Avocado Dgat1 And Pdat1 In Arabidopsis And Camelina, Josphat Kiunga

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study is aimed to determine the role of avocado DGAT1 and PDAT1 in seed oil synthesis. Triacylglycerol (TAG) has a nutritional and industrial value and is essential for plant growth. DGAT1 and PDAT1 catalyze the final step of TAG Assembly. We hypothesized that both PaPDAT1 and PaDGAT1, although predominantly expressed in non-seed tissues, could contribute to oil accumulation in seeds. Agrobacterium transformants with PaPDAT1 and PaDGAT1 cloned in pCAMBIA were generated to test this. Subsequently, the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Arabidopsis mutant lines and camelina was carried out by floral dipping. The T₁ camelina seeds …

Role Of Galactose, Thiazolidinediones, And Neet Proteins In Mitochondrial Physiology And Therapeutic Development., Robert Anthony Skolik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the relationship between mitochondrial physiology and development of therapeutics. Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with both acute and chronic forms of pathophysiology. This work aims to address development efforts at the cell culture and drug-target levels with respect to mitochondria. At the cell culture level, I characterize an approach that has been shown to improve the physiological dependency on mitochondria in tumor-derived cells. I demonstrate that prolonged replacement of glucose with galactose in culture medium induces a global metabolic shift in hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells to closer reflect a primary hepatocyte phenotype (Chapter 2). I characterize this shift …

Fish Community Assembly At Multiple Spatial Scales In East Texas Streams, Jake R. Swanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stream communities are structured by environmental processes that vary in strength across different spatiotemporal scales. Therefore, revealing how stream fish communities are influenced by environmental gradients may clarify how communities respond to disturbance associated with anthropogenic change. I investigated the relative role environmental variables play in the processes that structure the taxonomic and functional diversity of stream fish communities, as well as historical trends in occurrence and local habitat associated with a species of greatest conservation need within east Texas. The results of this study indicate that stream sites with more habitat complexity and stability support a more taxonomically and …