Life Sciences Commons^™

Bk Channel Modulation By Positively Charged Peptides And Auxiliary Γ Subunits Mediated By The Ca2+-Bowl Site, Guanxing Chen, Qin Li, Timothy I Webb, Mark A Hollywood, Jiusheng Yan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The large-conductance, Ca2+-, and voltage-activated K+ (BK) channel consists of the pore-forming α (BKα) subunit and regulatory β and γ subunits. The γ1-3 subunits facilitate BK channel activation by shifting the voltage-dependence of channel activation toward the hyperpolarization direction by about 50-150 mV in the absence of Ca2+. We previously found that the intracellular C-terminal positively charged regions of the γ subunits play important roles in BK channel modulation. In this study, we found that the intracellular C-terminal region of BKα is indispensable in BK channel modulation by the γ1 subunit. Notably, synthetic peptide mimics of the γ1-3 subunits' C-terminal …

Tubectomy With Delayed Oophorectomy As An Alternative To Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy In High-Risk Women To Assess The Safety Of Prevention: The Tuba-Wisp Ii Study Protocol, Miranda P Steenbeek, Majke H D Van Bommel, Joanna Inthout, Christine B Peterson, Michiel Simons, Marleen Kets, Elizabeth M Swisher, Rosella P M G Hermens, Tuba-Wisp Ii Consortium, Karen H Lu, Joanne A De Hullu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Risk-reducing salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy has gained interest for individuals at high risk for tubo-ovarian cancer as there is compelling evidence that especially high-grade serous carcinoma originates in the fallopian tubes. Two studies have demonstrated a positive effect of salpingectomy on menopause-related quality of life and sexual health compared with standard risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy.

Primary objective: To investigate whether salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy is non-inferior to the current standard salpingo-oophorectomy for the prevention of tubo-ovarian cancer among individuals at high inherited risk.

Study hypothesis: We hypothesize that postponement of oophorectomy after salpingectomy, to the age of 40-45 (BRCA1) …

Studies On Diketopiperazine And Dipeptide Analogs As Opioid Receptor Ligands, Siavash Shahbazi Nia, Mohammad Anwar Hossain, Guangchen Ji, Sravan K Jonnalagadda, Samuel Obeng, Ali Ehsan Sifat, Collin Blackwell, Dhavalkumar Patel, Jon Thompson, Scott Runyon, Takato Hiranita, Christopher R Mccurdy, Lance Mcmahon, Thomas J Abbruscato, Paul C Trippier, Volker Neugebauer, Nadezhda A German

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Using the structure of gliotoxin as a starting point, we have prepared two different chemotypes with selective affinity to the kappa opioid receptor (KOR). Using medicinal chemistry approaches and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, structural features required for the observed affinity were identified, and advanced molecules with favorable Multiparameter Optimization (MPO) and Ligand Lipophilicity (LLE) profiles were prepared. Using the Thermal Place Preference Test (TPPT), we have shown that compound2 blocks the antinociceptive effect of U50488, a known KOR agonist. Multiple reports suggest that modulation of KOR signaling is a promising therapeutic strategy in treating neuropathic pain (NP). As a …

Irinotecan- Vs Oxaliplatin-Based Doublets In Krasg12c-Mutated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer—A Multicentre Propensity-Score-Matched Retrospective Analysis, Vincenzo Formica, Cristina Morelli, Veronica Conca, Maria Alessandra Calegari, Jessica Lucchetti, Marta Schirripa, Lisa Salvatore, Federica Lo Prinzi, Giovanni Dima, Giovanni Trovato, Silvia Riondino, Mario Roselli, Ferdinandos Skoulidis, Hendrik-Tobias Arkenau, Chiara Cremolini

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: KRASG12C-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has recently been recognized as a distinct druggable molecular entity; however, there are limited data on its sensitivity to standard chemotherapy. In the near future, the combination of chemotherapy plus a KRASG12C-inhibitor might become the standard of care; however, the optimal chemotherapy backbone is unknown.

Methods: A multicentre retrospective analysis was conducted including KRASG12C-mutated mCRC patients treated with first-line FOLFIRI or FOLFOX +/- bevacizumab. Both unmatched and propensity-score-matched analysis (PSMA) were conducted, with PSMA controlling for: previous adjuvant chemotherapy, ECOG PS, use of bevacizumab in first line, timing of metastasis appearance, time from diagnosis …

Effects Of Daylight On College Students’ Physical And Mental Well-Being, Sathya Thenappan

Quantitative Social Science Undergraduate Senior Theses

While existing literature predominantly deals with the impact of daylight on adults in general and more specifically at the workplace, less is known about its impact on the college student demographic and daylight exposure levels at college residences. Given its considerable impact on both the physical and mental well-being of individuals, daylight has been used in the treatment of an assortment of diseases from seasonal affective disorder to depression. With college students constituting the majority of today’s people who suffer from mental health issues in society, uncovering the link between daylight exposure and its impact on the physical and mental …

Oxymatrine Loaded Crosslinked Pva Nanofibrous Scaffold: Design And Characterization And Anticancer Properties, Salahuddin Ahmed, Megan Keniry, Narcedalia Anaya-Barbosa, Victoria Padilla, Md Noushad Javed, Robert Gilkerson, Acharan S. Narula, Eman Ibrahim, Karen Lozano

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study focuses on the fabrication, characterization and anticancer properties of biocompatible and biodegradable composite nanofibers consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), oxymatrine (OM), and citric acid (CA) using a facile and high-yield centrifugal spinning process known as Forcespinning®. The effects of varying concentrations of OM and CA on fiber diameter and molecular crosslinking were investigated. The morphological and thermo-physical properties, as well as water absorption of the developed nanofiber-based mats were characterized using microscopical analysis, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. In vitro anti cancer studies were conducted with HCT116 colorectal cancer …

Geoarchaeology Of Estuarine Seascapes In Tampa Bay, Florida., Kendal R. Jackson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the geological, ecological, and archaeological histories of Tampa Bay, Florida’s largest open-water estuary system. Previous geoscientific and archaeological work has studied the evolution of Florida’s estuaries as ‘pre-anthropogenic’ ecosystems and conceptualized Indigenous maritime societies as mostly passive inhabitants of dynamic ‘natural’ environments. Further, the environmental legacies of more recent, industrial-scale estuary modification attending Florida’s 20th-century population boom have been understudied—leading to popular and scientific confusion about historical conditions. The work composing this dissertation research seeks to reconceptualize Tampa Bay as a complex mosaic of cultural seascapes that have been variously altered and modified by human societies across …

Mitotrace: A Computational Framework For Analyzing Mitochondrial Variation In Single-Cell Rna Sequencing Data, Lukas M Simon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Genetic variation in the mitochondrial genome is linked to important biological functions and various human diseases. Recent progress in single-cell genomics has established single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) as a popular and powerful technique to profile transcriptomics at the cellular level. While most studies focus on deciphering gene expression, polymorphisms including mitochondrial variants can also be readily inferred from scRNAseq. However, limited attention has been paid to investigate the single-cell landscape of mitochondrial variants, despite the rapid accumulation of scRNAseq data in the community. In addition, a diploid context is assumed for most variant calling tools, which is not appropriate for …

Utility Of Patient-Reported Symptom And Functional Outcomes To Indicate Recovery After First 90 Days Of Radical Cystectomy: A Longitudinal Study, Xin Shelley Wang, Kelly K Bree, Neema Navai, Mona Kamal, Shu-En Shen, Charles S Cleeland, Vijaya Gottumukkala

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This is a longitudinal prospective study that tracked multiple symptom burden and functioning status for bladder cancer (BLC) patients for 3 months post-radical cystectomy at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, using a validated disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) tool, the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (the MDASI-PeriOp-BLC). The feasibility of collecting an objective measure for physical functioning, using "Timed Up & Go test" (TUGT) and PRO scores at baseline, discharge and end of study, was tested. Patients (

The Role Of Native Cysteine Residues In The Oligomerization Of Kcnq1 Channels, Alison Bates, Rebecca B Stowe, Elizabeth M Travis, Lauryn E Cook, Carole Dabney-Smith

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

KCNQ1, the major component of the slow-delayed rectifier potassium channel, is responsible for repolarization of cardiac action potential. Mutations in this channel can lead to a variety of diseases, most notably long QT syndrome. It is currently unknown how many of these mutations change channel function and structure on a molecular level. Since tetramerization is key to proper function and structure of the channel, it is likely that mutations modify the stability of KCNQ1 oligomers. Presently, the C-terminal domain of KCNQ1 has been noted as the driving force for oligomer formation. However, truncated versions of this protein lacking the C-terminal …

Machine Kinship: The Impossible Duet, Diana Sanchez

Masters Theses

Machine Kinship: The impossible duet What does it mean to vanish from earth when you are the last of your kind? In 1987 the Kauai OO was recorded singing his final song. It was meant to be a duet, but as the last of his kind his song hangs in the air, unanswered. The other half of the duet is forever lost. Built to sing at dawn, birds must wake up earlier to hear each other before human chaos interferes. So here, it is always almost sunrise. As a parallel past-future response, the last birdsong was fed into a machine …

Destined Failure, Chengjun Pan

Masters Theses

I attempt to examine the complex structure of human communication, explaining why it is bound to fail. By reproducing experienceable phenomena, I demonstrate how they can expose communication structure and reveal the limitations of our perception and symbolization.I divide the process of communication into six stages: input, detection, symbolization, dictionary, interpretation, and output. In this thesis, I examine the flaws and challenges that arise in the first five stages. I argue that reception acts as a filter and that understanding relies on a symbolic system that is full of redundancies. Therefore, every interpretation is destined to be a deviation.

Smokejumper Obituary: Osborne Jr., Nathan Judson (Missoula 1946), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Microbiological Safety And Quality Of Ceviche, Poke, And Sushi Dishes Sold At Retail Outlets In Orange County, Ca, Grace E. Marquis, Samantha M. Covaia, Amanda M. Tabb, Courtney J. Kitch, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Raw, ready-to-eat (RTE) seafood products, such as ceviche, poke, and sushi, have experienced growing demand globally; however, these products have the potential to be contaminated with foodborne pathogens. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Escherichiacoli/coliforms, Salmonella, and Listeria in ceviche, poke, and sushi dishes sold at the retail level in Orange County, CA, USA. Additional organisms detected during testing were also considered in the results. A total of 105 raw, RTE samples of ceviche, poke, and sushi were collected from restaurants and grocery stores in Orange County, CA. Samples were tested for Salmonella …

Nature As Material, Time As Tool, Chuchu Chen

Masters Theses

No building stands forever. Over time, the natural environment acts upon the outer surface of the building, leading to the failure of materials and the final dissolution of the structure itself, leading to ruin. In order to prevent this or retard its occurrence, we constantly maintain and renew the things we build. Nature seems to stand in opposition to architecture. The passage of time is constantly subtracting from the building. However, what differentiates nature from architecture? This thesis questions whether these two are not opposed, but on a continuous spectrum. Approaching the building as part of the overall environment that …

On The Edge Of The "Er-Ocean" State, Mariesa Travers

Masters Theses

This thesis will explore how hard coastal infrastructure methods can be redesigned by softening the coastal edge to support the ecosystem and enhance public access to the beach. By referencing and arguing against techniques used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as a solution to deal with coastal erosion, this process will propose a regenerated design system. Through a series of material experiments, this research works with natural processes and flows, to create transitory systems that erode and ebb with the coast.

The People's Food Project, Grace Barrett

Masters Theses

The architectural design of spaces offering food assistance has received little to no attention since food pantries emerged in the 1970s. Non-profit food initiatives are often sited quickly with limited resources, producing inadequate spaces unable to fully support a food insecure community, prioritize the experience of users, and create a sense of belonging. The current spaces limit services to merely food distribution. They do not take advantage of the opportunity to expand socioeconomic capital through the power of shared food experiences: growing, cooking, eating, and learning.

This thesis redefines the traditional food pantry model, responding to explorations in psychological comfort …

Improving Microbiome Research Through Enhanced Reporting And Modeling The Effects Of Antibiotic Usage, Chloe A. Mirzayi

Dissertations and Theses

I consider two key areas in the growing field of human microbiome research: improving the quality of study reporting and the impact of antibiotics on participants in human gut microbiome research studies. In the first chapter, a team of evaluators used the Strengthening the Organization and Reporting of Microbiome Studies (STORMS) checklist to assess recently published microbiome literature. I found moderate agreement and reliability between evaluators, identified several items in STORMS that could be improved, and confirmed that the STORMS checklist can serve as a tool for assessing the reporting quality of published microbiome study. The next chapter considers pre-exposure …

Reintroducing Hemp (Rongony) In The Material Palette Of Madagascar: A Study On The Potential Of Hemp Clay Components And Its Impact On Social And Ecological Communities., Henintsoa Thierry Andrianambinina

Masters Theses

When mentioning the word hemp, especially in the local language of Madagascar, the literal translation does not set it apart from marijuana, as they are both called “rongony” - creating the stigma around hemp as the negative stereotype of marijuana. However, the material has been used by the ancestors of Madagascar, as well as across cultures, in its fibrous form to produce fabrication like textile goods and packaging. During colonization, the prohibition of hemp intensified, and since then, any activity related to either of these plants is prohibited and will end in severe punitive measures. This thesis explores the strengths …

City As Cemetery, Siqiao Zhao

Masters Theses

The traditional funeral service industry has enormous environmental and financial costs. In contrast, green burial, and Natural Organic Reduction (NOR), accelerate the human body’s degradation and reduce toxic substances in the land, assuming responsibility for our burden on the earth. They provide a gateway between us and the processes of nature and ask us to set aside self-consciousness to accept our oneness with the universe. By gifting our bodies back to the earth, where decomposition enriches soils and nurtures the growth of other life forms, we honor those who have transitioned to another state by continuing the cycle of renewal. …

The Miacomet Movement, Charles Duce

Masters Theses

Nantucket MA, is an island that has failed to refine and regulate the unreasonable uses of freshwater supply, and re-establish the purification processes involved with filtering our wastewater. The validity in claiming re-evaluation for Nantucket’s immoderacies in freshwater consumption and implausibility's in existing wastewater treatments, is seemingly irrefutable. Along with these detriments, Nantucket experiences harsh coastal erosion conditions that are rapidly altering beach profiles and diminishing irreplaceable habitats. Similarly, coastal flooding is causing ecological displacement and in some instances ecological degradation.

The relentlessness and fleetingness sparked by Nantucket’s climatic realities require willing and able action to mitigate impacts; but our …

Unearthing Complexity: Tangible Histories Of Water And Earth, Alexis Violet

Masters Theses

Unearthing Complexity investigates conceptions of time and surface through geological stories of the water and earth. Building on theories of deep time, hydrofeminism, critical zones, and grounding, I hope to foster a deeper awareness of time scales other than our own and a more tangible understanding of the embodied experience of matter in the universe. Working toward a new literacy of the water and earth in which they are recognized as living, changing bodies to which we are inherently tied at a molecular level, the site of this multiscalar inquiry occurs in the coastal zones of the Narragansett Bay where …

Fungi In Flux | Designing Regenerative Materials And Products With Mycelium, Arvind Bhallamudi

Masters Theses

As the world grapples with the escalating crisis of climate threats and environmental degradation, this research delves into the synergistic potential of design and biology, developing safe and sustainable materials for applications in prototyping, furniture and interior design. Harnessing the power of a unique organism - fungi, the study proposes an accessible, efficient, and resilient material resource system. It utilizes local waste streams and mycelium (the vegetative part of fungi) to grow functional structures. An experimental and small-scale protocol is modeled by testing bio-fabrication and bio-printing methods. The composites' performance qualities and characteristics are evaluated through mechanical testing and a …

Digital Health Technologies For Peripartum Depression Management Among Low-Socioeconomic Populations: Perspectives From Patients, Providers, And Social Media Channels, Sudhakar Selvaraj, Jerrie Refuerzo, Sahiti Myneni

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Peripartum Depression (PPD) affects approximately 10-15% of perinatal women in the U.S., with those of low socioeconomic status (low-SES) more likely to develop symptoms. Multilevel treatment barriers including social stigma and not having appropriate access to mental health resources have played a major role in PPD-related disparities. Emerging advances in digital technologies and analytics provide opportunities to identify and address access barriers, knowledge gaps, and engagement issues. However, most market solutions for PPD prevention and management are produced generically without considering the specialized needs of low-SES populations. In this study, we examine and portray the information and technology needs …

Cxcr2 Expression During Melanoma Tumorigenesis Controls Transcriptional Programs That Facilitate Tumor Growth, J Yang, K Bergdorf, C Yan, W Luo, S C Chen, Q Liu, M Boothby, V L Weiss, S M Groves, A N Oleskie, X Zhang, D Y Maeda, J A Zebala, V Quaranta, A Richmond

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Though the CXCR2 chemokine receptor is known to play a key role in cancer growth and response to therapy, a direct link between expression of CXCR2 in tumor progenitor cells during induction of tumorigenesis has not been established.

Methods: To characterize the role of CXCR2 during melanoma tumorigenesis, we generated tamoxifen-inducible tyrosinase-promoter driven BrafV600E/Pten-/-/Cxcr2-/- and NRasQ61R/INK4a-/-/Cxcr2-/- melanoma models. In addition, the effects of a CXCR1/CXCR2 antagonist, SX-682, on melanoma tumorigenesis were evaluated in BrafV600E/Pten-/- and NRasQ61R/INK4a-/- mice and in melanoma cell lines. Potential mechanisms by which Cxcr2 affects melanoma tumorigenesis in these murine models were explored using RNAseq, mMCP-counter, …

The Santa Clara, 2023-06-02, Santa Clara University

The Santa Clara

No abstract provided.

A Policy Proposal For Agricultural Data Governance, Ana Sofía Castellanos Santamaría

Dissertations and Theses

As the digital economy continues to grow and data becomes increasingly important, effective data governance is essential. A data governance framework enables the efficient management, sharing, and integration of data, resulting in better decision-making, increased productivity, and enhanced innovation across industries, including agriculture. However, the agricultural sector in the United States is lagging behind other industries in the adoption of effective data governance practices. Agricultural data governance presents a unique set of challenges due to the wide range of stakeholders involved and the ever-increasing volume of data generated by digital technologies in farming. One key challenge to achieving the benefits …

Spatial And Temporal Activity Patterns Among Sympatric Tree-Roosting Bat Species In An Agriculturally Dominated Great Plains Landscape, Christopher Fill, Craig R. Allen, John F. Benson, Dirac Twidwell

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

In agroecosystems, bats can provide a critical ecosystem service by consuming night-flying insect pests. However, many bats also face intense population pressures from human landscape modification, global change and novel diseases. To better understand the behavioral activity of different bat species with respect to space, time, habitat, and other bat species in this environment, we investigated species correlations in space and time over row crop agricultural fields. We used acoustic grids to document spatial and temporal co-occurrence or avoidance between bats and recorded eight species across the 10 field sites we sampled. All species significantly overlapped in two-dimensional space and …

Spatial Variation And Antecedent Sea Surface Temperature Conditions Influence Hawaiian Intertidal Community Structure, Rebecca J. Ward, T. Erin Cox, Anuschka Faucci, Florybeth Flores La Valle, Joanna Philippoff, Jessica L. B. Shaefer, Ian M. Ware, Matthew L. Knope

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are increasing, and in Hawaiʻi, rates of ocean warming are projected to double by the end of the 21st century. However, current nearshore warming trends and their possible impacts on intertidal communities are not well understood. This study represents the first investigation into the possible effects of rising SST on intertidal algal and invertebrate communities across the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). By utilizing citizen-science data coupled with high-resolution, daily SST satellite measurements from 12 intertidal sites across the MHI from 2004–2019, the response of intertidal algal and invertebrate abundance and community diversity to changes in …

Effects Of Creative Movement & Play Based Interventions On Motor Skills Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Results From A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sharanya Chandu

Honors Scholar Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of creative movement, general movement, and seated play interventions on bilateral coordination, balance, and upper limb coordination motor skills of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Methods: This data was collected as a part of a multisite intervention study, Play and Move study, by the University of Connecticut and University of Delaware. Participants were contacted through the SPARK database, UConn Kids, fliers sent to local autism services, schools, community centers and by posting information online or to listservs. Forty-five children agreed to participate in this study and were randomly assigned …