Life Sciences Commons^™

Sting Agonist 8803 Reprograms The Immune Microenvironment And Increases Survival In Preclinical Models Of Glioblastoma, Hinda Najem, Spencer T Lea, Shashwat Tripathi, Lisa Hurley, Chao-Hsien Chen, Moloud Sooreshjani, Genevieve Hartley, Corey Dussold, Sebastian Pacheco, Crismita Dmello, Catalina Lee-Chang, Kathleen Mccortney, Alicia Steffens, Jordain Walshon, Martina Ott, Jun Wei, Anantha Marisetty, Irina Balyasnikova, Roger Stupp, Rimas V Lukas, Jian Hu, Charles David James, Craig M Horbinski, Maciej S Lesniak, David M Ashley, Waldemar Priebe, Leonidas C Platanias, Michael A Curran, Amy B Heimberger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

STING agonists can reprogram the tumor microenvironment to induce immunological clearance within the central nervous system. Using multiplexed sequential immunofluorescence (SeqIF) and the Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas, STING expression was found in myeloid populations and in the perivascular space. The STING agonist 8803 increased median survival in multiple preclinical models of glioblastoma, including QPP8, an immune checkpoint blockade-resistant model, where 100% of mice were cured. Ex vivo flow cytometry profiling during the therapeutic window demonstrated increases in myeloid tumor trafficking and activation, alongside enhancement of CD8+ T cell and NK effector responses. Treatment with 8803 reprogrammed microglia to express costimulatory CD80/CD86 …

Sre-Yolov8: : An Improved Uav Object Detection Model Utilizing Swin Transformer And Re-Fpn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

To tackle the intricate challenges associated with the low detection accuracy of images taken by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), arising from the diverse sizes and types of objects coupled with limited feature information, we present the SRE-YOLOv8 as an advanced method. Our method enhances the YOLOv8 object detection algorithm by leveraging the Swin Transformer and a lightweight residual feature pyramid network (RE-FPN) structure. Firstly, we introduce an optimized Swin Transformer module into the backbone network to preserve ample global contextual information during feature extraction and to extract a broader spectrum of features using self-attention mechanisms. Subsequently, we integrate a Residual …

Isolation Of Gametophytic Selection And Selective Embryo Abortion In Mimulus Guttatus, Desmond C. Willson

University Honors Theses

A lack of genomic studies examining gametophytic selection (GS) and selective embryo abortion (SEA)--which occur during the reproduction of angiosperms--leaves questions regarding the adaptive and evolutionary effects of these processes. Analyzing deviations from Mendelian segregation offers an avenue for identifying loci targeted by GS and SEA, and their contributions to purging of genetic load. However, other selective processes such as meiotic drive and cytonuclear interactions, as well as pollen and ovule abortion, can cause distortion. To distinguish the effects of GS and SEA from other causes of distortion, we will perform reciprocal crosses between highly homozygous and highly heterozygous individuals …

How Different Modes Of Photosynthesis Impact Stormwater Runoff And Weed Growth On Ecoroof Trays During Early Establishment?, Michelle Hesek

University Honors Theses

Ecoroofs remove of stormwater runoff from the combined sewer system in Portland, Oregon. Reducing runoff is essential in cities considering how impervious surfaces promote flooding. A limited number of studies focus on comparing stormwater retention of ecoroof plants during their establishment period within Portland's climate. Different photosynthetic pathways in plants may impact stormwater runoff based on their water use efficiency. This study undertook a one-year study to determine the effect of plant establishment on water retention for a C4 and CAM species in six ecoroof trays. Weeds were investigated as a factor in water retention, and whether plant type within …

Prochlorococcus Death By A Ubiquitous Zooplankton Filter Feeder, Avery Harman

University Honors Theses

Prochlorococcus is a globally abundant cyanobacterium that can help reveal the ecology of microorganisms in the ocean. Specifically, mortality by zooplankton such as appendicularians is globally important and Prochlorococcus can help reveal some of the choices made around feeding for this ubiquitous filter feeder. Two ecotypes of Prochlorococcus were introduced to appendicularians to determine if appendicularian feed selectively between these ecotypes. Further, a single ecotype of Prochlorococcus was fed to appendicularians over a variety of life stages to determine if retention rate changed with appendicularian life stage. My results reveal that there is no significant selection between the two Prochlorococcus …

Removal As A Control Method For Trachemys Scripta Elegans And The Response Of Chrysemys Picta Bellii, Jacob Swanson

University Honors Theses

The red-eared slider is considered one of the most ubiquitous freshwater turtles globally. Several key ecological advantages and life history traits of this species jointly impact growth rates and survivorship of native freshwater turtles where sympatry occurs. Evaluation of current management actions for red-eared slider turtles is limited, resulting in a paucity of information to guide management for the species and conservation of declining native freshwater turtles. We used previously collected mark-recapture and removal sampling data from sites with sympatric populations of red-eared slider and western painted turtles. We examined the effects of control (trapping and removal) of red-eared sliders …

Prevalence And Relevant Factors Of Nocturia And Its Impact On Sleep Quality In Chinese University Students, Pengchao Xu, Qifeng Dou, Cuiping Song, Huiqing Zhang, Israel Franco, Konstantinos Kamperis, Søren Rittig, Jianguo Wen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and relevant factors of nocturia and its impact on sleep quality in university students in Mainland China. A large-scale survey was conducted on 14,000 university students from 3 universities in Henan province, China by using an anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire collected the information from the past six months. The relationships between the prevalence of nocturia and its relevant factors were evaluated. A total of 13,874 questionnaires were collected and 13,104 qualified for statistical analysis. A total of 659 students suffered from clinically relevant nocturia (CRN) (4.56% in male and 5.34% …

Mixed Uncertainty Analysis On Pumping By Peristaltic Hearts Using Dempster-Shafer Theory, Yanyan He, Nicholas A. Battista, Lindsay D. Waldrop

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

In this paper, we introduce the numerical strategy for mixed uncertainty propagation based on probability and Dempster–Shafer theories, and apply it to the computational model of peristalsis in a heart-pumping system. Specifically, the stochastic uncertainty in the system is represented with random variables while epistemic uncertainty is represented using non-probabilistic uncertain variables with belief functions. The mixed uncertainty is propagated through the system, resulting in the uncertainty in the chosen quantities of interest (QoI, such as flow volume, cost of transport and work). With the introduced numerical method, the uncertainty in the statistics of QoIs will be represented using belief …

The Role Of Edc3 In Drosophila Melanogaster Neuronal Development, Keelan Zius

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Enhancer of mRNA-decay 3 (Edc3) is a component of multiple decapping complexes that regulates the transcriptome by targeting a subset of transcripts for decapping for 5’-to-3’ messenger RNA (mRNA) decay. A missense mutation in the conserved Lsm domain of Edc3 has been reported in two siblings presenting with mild, non-syndromic intellectual disability (ID), however, the role of Edc3 is neuronal development has never been evaluated. Here, we use the Drosophila melanogaster model system to investigate the effects of Edc3 disruption on neuronal development. We found Edc3 reduction leads to significant hyperplasia at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ), providing the first …

Evidence Of Climatic Influence On Subsistence Strategies At Sage Hen Springs, Nevada, Andrew Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Models of settlement patterns in the northwest Great Basin describe a decrease in residential mobility, intensified use of upland spring ecozones, and an increase in diet breadth during the Middle and Late Archaic. Here, I present data collected from the Sage Hen Springs site in northwestern Nevada during a Phase II testing project conducted by the BLM and an analysis of these data focusing on patterns of subsistence and mobility strategies throughout the Archaic. Results of this analysis support existing models of lifeways in the northwest Great Basin at the small scale and point to climatic factors as influences on …

Neuroinflammation In Alzheimer’S Disease Mouse Brain Following Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Lujain Almuhanna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a common form of head injury, with mild TBIs (mTBIs) making up 75-90% of the TBI severity scale. It’s been suggested that repetitive mild TBIs (rmTBIs) may enhance effects of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). With dementia linking TBI and AD together, we investigated the memory hub of the brain - the hippocampus. Astrocytes and microglia are two glial cells that respond to neuroinflammation and therefore imaged in hippocampal regions of the 3xTg-AD mouse brain. We hypothesized that AD brain pathology (i.e., neuroinflammation) would be accelerated in 3xTg-AD mice following rmTBIs early in life. Analyses revealed that …

Flower Study, Haven Hinds

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This project is a study into extinct flowers, their histories, environments, biology, colors, and assigned personalities then manifested in 3D models and a digital book. The goal was to select six flowers with interesting histories and or cultural connections. Since the flowers can, for the most part, not be seen or kept they were created in Blender as accurately as possible. To give people a means of connection with the flowers, each was assigned a personality based on different factors. These factors could be the colors they possess, where geographically they thrived, parts of their history, and biological factors. To …

Colocalization Of Odc And Amyloid Plaques In Patients With Alzheimer’S Disease And Down Syndrome, Julia S. Gielczynski

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Polyamines, and their rate-limiting enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), are crucial for many functions in the central nervous system but levels decrease with age. In neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), polyamine levels begin to increase again. Yet, there are still many unanswered questions surrounding polyamine’s possible role in AD, especially in those with Down Syndrome (DS), who also have an extra copy of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tend to get AD far earlier than the general population. We aim to investigate if there is colocalization between amyloid plaques and Ornithine Decarboxylase (ODC) in patients with AD and AD/DS, …

Investigating The Role Of Ebf3a In Craniofacial Development, Shujan A. Sharafeldeen

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Proper craniofacial development requires many genes. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) allows us to identify genes expressed in precursor cells for craniofacial structures, but the function of many of these genes in craniofacial development has yet to be characterized. In our scRNA-seq of cranial neural crest cells (NCCs), which are precursor cells for the craniofacial skeleton, we found a gene called early B-cell factor 3 (ebf3a) that may be involved in craniofacial development. In our scRNA-seq data, ebf3a expression is restricted to cranial NCCs of the dorsal and ventral domains of pharyngeal arches 1 and 2. In humans, damaging variants in …

Mutating Lysine 336 In Msh6 Does Not Appear To Affect Dna Mismatch Repair In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Anthony Thompson, Daniel Reese, Noa Bennafield, Kalila Daveron, Christopher Bolden, Joanna E. Haye-Bertolozzi

XULAneXUS

Defects in the DNA mismatch repair process results in the accumulation of mutations and disease. Mutations in MSH6 and MSH2, encoding for the subunits of the MutSα complex, are often responsible for Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency (CMMRD) and Lynch Syndrome (LS), respectively. This work focused on DNA mismatch repair through analysis of the MSH6 missense variant msh6-K336T. The mutation examined in this study is msh6-K336T in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is equivalent to msh6-K431T in humans. The mutation results in the replacement of lysine with threonine, an amino acid with different properties. It was therefore hypothesized that the mutation …

Aging-Related Changes In The Mechanical Properties Of Single Cells, Amarnath Singam, Chandrabali Bhattacharya, Seungman Park

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Mechanical properties, along with biochemical and molecular properties, play crucial roles in governing cellular function and homeostasis. Cellular mechanics are influenced by various factors, including physiological and pathological states, making them potential biomarkers for diseases and aging. While several methods such as AFM, particle-tracking microrheology, optical tweezers/stretching, magnetic tweezers/twisting cytometry, microfluidics, and micropipette aspiration have been widely utilized to measure the mechanical properties of single cells, our understanding of how aging affects these properties remains limited. To fill this knowledge gap, we provide a brief overview of the commonly used methods to measure single-cell mechanical properties. We then delve into …

Characterization Of Oxidized Tau Protein Aggregation And Inhibition Of Tau Aggregation Via Map2, Brad Krzesinski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) composed of the microtubule stabilizing protein Tau are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and many other dementia related diseases specified as Tauopathies. Due to alternative mRNA splicing, intrinsically disordered Tau exists as six separate isoforms in the adult human brain where they are categorized by the lack or inclusion of the second repeat in the microtubule binding domain (3R or 4R respectively). Isoforms are subcategorized by the inclusion or lack thereof, one or two N-terminal inserts. Many studies show that Tau aggregates into amyloid fibrils and these fibrils can break into small oligomeric units known …

Mixing Trembling Aspen And White Spruce Increases The Understory Vegetation Cover And Improves Soil Properties But Effects Vary With Broadleaf Density, Mostarin Ara, Bradley D. Pinno, Philip G. Comeau

Aspen Bibliography

Despite the importance of species mixtures to ecosystem-based forest management, density effect of broadleaf trees in the mixture on understory vegetation and soil properties are poorly understood. In this study, we examine the effects of trembling aspen [aspen] (Populus tremuloides Michx.) -white spruce [ spruce] (Picea glauca (Moench) Vos) mixtures that vary in the proportion of aspen on understory vegetation cover, soil nutrient supply rates, and soil properties. Data were collected from an established study located in Alberta, Canada at age 20 and included the following treatments: 1. Natural regeneration of pure aspen; 2. Retaining only …

An Investigation Of Cyanobacteria, Cyanotoxins And Environmental Variables In Selected Drinking Water Treatment Plants In New Jersey, Tsung Ta David Hsu, Yaritza Acosta Caraballo, Meiyin Wu

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) have the potential to impact human health primarily through their possible cyanotoxins production. While conventional water treatments can result in the removal of unlysed cyanobacterial cells and low levels of cyanotoxins, during severe HAB events, cyanotoxins can break through and can be present in the treated water due to a lack of adequate toxin treatment. The objectives of this study were to assess the HAB conditions in drinking water sources in New Jersey and investigate relationships between environmental variables and cyanobacterial communities in these drinking water sources. Source water samples were collected monthly from May to …

Hepatic Lrp-1 Plays An Important Role In Amyloidosis In Alzheimer's Disease Mice: Potential Role In Chronic Heavy Alcohol Feeding, Devaraj V. Chandrashekar, G. Chuli Roules, Nataraj Jagadeesan, Urvashi R. Panchal, Adenike Oyegbesan, Oghenetega E. Imiruaye, Hai Zhang, Jerome Garcia, Kamaljit Kaur, Sanda Win, Tin A. Than, Neil Kaplowitz, Moom R. Roosan, Derick Han, Rachita K. Sumbria

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Methods

Attrition And Assimilation: The Neural Mechanisms Of Mandarin-English Bilingualism, Natalie Paige Robison

University Honors Theses

This line of research investigates attrition of native language (L1) Mandarin proficiency with increasing proficiency in English. English uses pitch to denote intonation (e.g., "it's there?" versus "it's there!"), while Mandarin additionally uses pitch to indicate word meanings; e.g., /he/ means "drink" when spoken with a high, level tone, or "river" when spoken with a rising tone. The present study delineates between two alternative explanations for the prior finding that English proficiency correlates with attrition of Mandarin tones, but not Mandarin vowels. This pattern could be explained by 1) assimilability of the Mandarin vowel contrasts used in the study into …

Investigating The Regulation Of The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Interrenal Axis In Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus) Following An Acute Stressor, Liam Doherty

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This study investigated the response to acute stress in Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) and HPI axis regulation of glucocorticoid production during stress by examining the expression of key genes― corticotropin-releasing hormone (crh), corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor (crhr), proopiomelanocortin (pomca/pomcb), melanocortin 2 receptor (mc2r), and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (star)―that are associated with hypothalamus/pituitary/interrenal (HPI) axis of bony fishes. Additionally, tyrosine hydrogenase (th1 and th2) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pepck), found in catecholamine-producing cells in the head kidney of the sturgeon, were investigated …

Morphological Remodeling Of The Endoplasmic Reticulum During Mitosis And Its Influence On The Integrity Of The Spindle Apparatus, Katie R. Rollins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is the largest organelle in the cell by surface area and forms contacts with other organelles throughout the cell. In recent work, the ER has been implicated in numerous processes within the cell beyond its canonical roles of protein synthesis and calcium storage. The ER also undergoes a remarkable transition in morphology during cell division, with mitotic divisions requiring a massive remodeling of various membranous organelles such as the nuclear envelope and Golgi. However, whether changes in ER behaviors modulate mitotic events is less clear. The rapid cleavage divisions in the early Drosophila embryo are a …

The Effects Of Wildfire Burn Severity On Bee And Wasp Communities Two Decades Post-Fire, Alaina K. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While fire is a natural disturbance in many global ecosystems, anthropogenic changes are affecting fire frequency, severity, and seasonality. Disturbances like wildfire affect bee and wasp communities, but recent meta-analyses are conflicted about whether fire harms or benefits insect pollinators. We investigated the lasting effects of wildfire burn severity on wild bee communities and floral resource availability across different burn severities in two-mixed severity fires that burned >20 years ago. We found that high severity fire has positive effects on bee diversity that are associated with severity-mediated changes to the floral community. We also studied the effects of wildfire burn …

Validating The Use Of Body Mass Index With Computed Tomography In A Racially And Ethnically Diverse Cohort Of Patients Admitted With Sars- Cov-2, Patricia Sheean, Paula O'Connor, Cara Joyce, Amy Wozniak, Vasilios Vasilopoulos, Jared Seigal, Perry Formanek

Biostatistics Collaborative Core: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is criticized for being unjust and biased in relatively healthy racial and ethnic groups. Therefore, the current analysis examines if BMI predicts body composition, specifically adiposity, in a racially and ethnically diverse acutely ill patient population.

Methods: Patients admitted with SARS‐CoV‐2 having an evaluable diagnostic chest, abdomen, and/or pelvic computed tomography (CT) study (within 5 days of admission) were included in this retrospective cohort. Cross‐sectional areas (centimeters squared) of the subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) were quantified. Total adipose tissue (TAT) was calculated as sum of these …

Cytotoxicity, Antibacterial And Anti-Inflammatory Properties Of A Synthesized Curcumin Analog And One Of Its Novel Derivatives, Marian Amir

Theses and Dissertations

This research aims to describe the synthesis, characterization, and the biological response via investigating the cytotoxic activity, hypoxic microenvironment response, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties of the novel curcumin analog H-4073 and its succinate derivative (H-4073 SuD) in the context of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study also aimed to compare the effects of H-4073 and H-4073 SuD to assess their relative efficacy and potential as therapeutic agents. First, the cytotoxic effects of H-4073 and H-4073 SuD were evaluated on HEPG2 cell lines under normal conditions. Results revealed that H-4073 exhibited a significantly better cytotoxic effect than H-4073 SuD in normoxia. However, …

Deciphering The Microbial Fingerprint Of Covid-19: A Multi-Layered Exploration Of The Oral And Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis, Iman Mostafa Sultan

Theses and Dissertations

The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the human microbiome remains a dynamic and intricate puzzle. This study delves deeper into this mystery by revisiting the oral and gut microbial compositions of 53 COVID-19 patients before and after viral clearance, alongside comparisons to 76 healthy individuals. Through a comparative lens, we have emploed two distinct differential abundance methods – DeSeq2 and ANCOM – while drawing upon the thorough SILVA database encompassing the full-length 16S rRNA gene. The analysis underscores the crucial role of a diverse methodological choir in microbiome research. In certain instances, the congruence between DeSeq2 and ANCOM may exhibit …

Deepcg: A Cell Graph Model For Predicting Prognosis In Lung Adenocarcinoma, Baoyi Zhang, Chenyang Li, Jia Wu, Jianjun Zhang, Chao Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lung cancer is the first leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, with lung adenocarcinoma as the major subtype accounting for 40% of all cases. To improve patient survival, image-based prognostic models were developed due to the ready availability of pathological images at diagnosis. However, the application of these models is hampered by two main challenges: the lack of publicly available image datasets with high-quality survival information and the poor interpretability of conventional convolutional neural network models. Here, we integrated matched transcriptomic and H&E staining data from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) to develop an image-based prognostic model, …

Association Between Helicobacter Pylori Infection, Mismatch Repair, Her2 And Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes In Gastric Cancer, Carlos A Castaneda, Miluska Castillo, Luis A Bernabe, Joselyn Sanchez, Matteo Fassan, Ignacio Ivan Wistuba, Eloy Ruiz, Juvenal Sanchez, Fernando Barreda, Daniel Valdivia, Yaqueline Bazan, Milagros Abad-Licham, Claudio Mengoa, Hugo Fuentes, Paola Montenegro, Ebert Poquioma, Raul Alatrista, Claudio J Flores, Luis Taxa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The influence of Helicobacter-pylori (H. pylori) infection and the characteristics of gastric cancer (GC) on tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) levels has not been extensively studied. Analysis of infiltrating-immune-cell subtypes as well as survival is necessary to obtain comprehensive information.

AIM: To determine the rates of deficient mismatch-repair (dMMR), HER2-status and H. pylori infection and their association with TIL levels in GC.

METHODS: Samples from 503 resected GC tumors were included and TIL levels were evaluated following the international-TILs-working-group recommendations with assessment of the intratumoral (IT), stromal (ST) and invasive-border (IB) compartments. The density of CD3, CD8 and CD163 …

Variance-Components Tests For Genetic Association With Multiple Interval-Censored Outcomes, Jaihee Choi, Zhichao Xu, Ryan Sun

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Massive genetic compendiums such as the UK Biobank have become an invaluable resource for identifying genetic variants that are associated with complex diseases. Due to the difficulties of massive data collection, a common practice of these compendiums is to collect interval-censored data. One challenge in analyzing such data is the lack of methodology available for genetic association studies with interval-censored data. Genetic effects are difficult to detect because of their rare and weak nature, and often the time-to-event outcomes are transformed to binary phenotypes for access to more powerful signal detection approaches. However transforming the data to binary outcomes can …