Life Sciences Commons^™

Mir-216b-5p Promotes Late Apoptosis/Necroptosis In Trastuzumab-Resistant Sk-Br-3 Cells, İştar Burcu Dolapçi, Senem Noyan, Ayşegül Yücel Polat, Hakan Gürdal, Bala Gür Dedeoğlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpressing subtype is related to poor prognosis with an aggressive phenotype and is reported as one of the most commonly seen subtypes. Trastuzumab is prevalently used as a treatment method for HER2+ breast cancer however, resistance to the drug frequently occurs following the treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 19-23 nucleotide long small RNAs, which regulate gene expression at posttranscriptional level and studies show that there are differentially expressed miRNAs between drug sensitive and resistant groups, indicating that they might have some key roles in …

Methionine Restriction And Cancer Treatment: A Systems Biology Study Of Yeast To Investigate The Possible Key Players, Esra Börklü

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Dietary restriction, mainly carbon and/or methionine restriction are among the upcoming supporting interventions along with chemotherapy in various cancers. Although dietary restriction has been proven to be beneficial, the main cellular machineries affected by its administration lacks deeper information considerably, a notable pitfall in its use as a personalized nutritional approach. Materials and methods: In this study, cellular effects of methionine restriction on a yeast model are explored via systems biology approaches. The methionine biosynthesis network, constructed by integrating interaction data with gene ontology terms, was analysed topologically, and proved to be informative about the intertwined relationship of methionine …

Multiple Interacting Stressors Influence Development, Growth, And Morphology Of Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris Regilla) Larvae, Abby Dalke, Allie M. Erickson, Bailey R. Tasker, Skylar Riley, Paul Hurst, Sarah Cooney, Scott A. Griffith, Betsy A. Bancroft

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by climate change and invasive species. Amphibians are important members of freshwater communities and are susceptible to negative effects of climate change and invasion. Furthermore, both climate change and invasion can influence density of amphibian larvae at the microhabitat scale because of larval clustering. To understand the effects of climate change and invasion on Pacific Chorus Frog Pseudacris regilla (Baird and Girard, 1852) larvae, a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was carried out with a climate treatment (future/historical; simulated as changes in both temperature and hydroperiod), indirect exposure to the invasive Brook Stickleback Culaea …

Evaluation Of Chemical Control Options, Environmental Factors, And Management Practices Associated With Angular Leaf Spot (Pseudomonas Syringae Pv. Tabaci), Andrea Brooke Webb

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci tox^- is the causal agent of angular leaf spot in dark tobacco. Since 2015, angular leaf spot has become the most significant foliar disease in dark tobacco production in Kentucky and Tennessee. Dark tobacco producers utilize one main tool, streptomycin sulfate, for the management of this bacterial disease. Resistance to streptomycin sulfate in P. syringae pv. tabaci isolates from dark tobacco fields in western Kentucky was first observed in 2015.

Field spray trials were developed to evaluate the efficacy of alternative active ingredients compared to the grower’s standard, streptomycin sulfate. Two separate field trials were …

Management And Characterization Of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne Spp.) In Kentucky High Tunnels, Victoria Bajek

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Kentucky is one of the most active adopters of high tunnels in the United States. Across the state, high tunnel growers have reaped the benefits of greater marketable yields, season extension, and protection from harsh weather. However, the high tunnel environment has increased soil temperatures and intensive crop production which has the potential to encourage root-knot nematode (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) infestations. The extent and distribution of RKN in Kentucky were previously unknown. Two on-farm trials in infested high tunnels were conducted to determine whether grafting with RKN-resistant tomato rootstock is a viable management strategy. A statewide soil census to determine …

Molecular Analysis Of Epigenetic Memory Of Stress Establishment And Long-Term Maintenance In A Perennial Woody Plant, Jia Wen Tan

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Plants adapt to extreme environmental conditions through physiological adaptations, which are usually transient. Recent research has suggested that environmental conditions can activate a memory of stress that can result in a primed response to subsequent stress events. While the effect of priming has been observed in many plants, the underlying mechanisms are puzzling and seldom studied. A large body of research has been developed in the last decade linking response to stress, stress priming, and memory of stress with epigenetic mechanisms. This understanding of plant epigenetics has opened the door to the application of epigenetics to crop improvement, such as …

Building A Kentucky Baguette: Agronomic Traits, Bread Baking Quality Measurements, And Sensory Evaluation Of Modern And Landrace Wheat Cultivars Grown Under Conventional And Organic Nitrogen Management, Bryan Brady

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The demand by artisan bread bakers across the United States for local wheat varieties has increased in recent years. The southeast is traditionally a soft winter wheat (SWW) region, producing low gluten flours more suitable for biscuits and cookies. Recently, hard winter wheat (HWW) varieties have been bred to produce acceptable yields in the high humidity environment of the southeastern United States. Artisan bread bakers in Kentucky would like to create a niche food value chain benefitting farmers, small-scale millers, bakers, consumers, and their local and regional food systems (LRFS). The increased demand and the availability of adapted hard wheat …

Understanding The Basis For Increased 2,4-D Tolerance In Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense): Field Evaluations, Metabolism, And Gene Expression, Lucas Pinheiro De Araujo

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Incorporation of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) into grass pastures offers several benefits. However, red clover cultivars available for Kentucky producers are highly susceptible to synthetic auxin herbicides, such as 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid), used for pasture broadleaf weed control. To overcome this problem, UK2014 red clover was bred for increased tolerance to 2,4-D. We compared the field performance of UK2014 to Kenland, a standard cultivar grown in the transition zone of the United States. UK2014 and Kenland were seeded in the springs of 2017 and 2018. Single applications of 0, 1.12, or 2.24 kg ae ha^-1 2,4-D …

Does Physical Activity Moderate The Association Between Shorter Leukocyte Telomere Length And Incident Coronary Heart Disease? Data From 54,180 Uk Biobank Participants, Meiruo Xiang, Luke C. Pilling, David Melzer, Ben Kirk, Gustavo Duque, Rui Liu, George A. Kuchel, Andrew R. Wood, Brad Metcalf, Breno S. Diniz, Melvyn Hillsdon, Chia-Ling Kuo

Health Science Faculty Publications

Telomere shortening is a biological aging hallmark. The effect of short telomere length may be targeted by increased physical activity to reduce the risk of multiple aging-related diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD). The objective was to assess the moderation effect of accelerometer-based physical activity (aPA) on the association between shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) relatively in the population sample and incident CHD. Data were from the UK Biobank participants with well-calibrated accelerometer data for at least 6.5 days (n = 54,180). Relative mean LTL at baseline (5–6 years prior to aPA assessment) was measured in T/S ratio, using a …

Bright Lights Swiss Chard Hydroponic Grow Guide, Jayla M. Anderson

Hydroponic Center

This is a guide for growing Bright Lights variety of Swiss chard in the Hydroponic Lab. It states how the plant was grown from propagation, which system the plant was grown in, the plants optimal conditions (PPM, pH), time frame until fully grown, and average size of leaf.

Effect Of Clostridium Butyricum Supplementation On Production Performance, Egg Quality, Gut Microflora, And Intestinal Morphology Of Laying Hens In The Late Phase Of Production, Phuong Truc Le Ho

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Clostridium butyricum supplementation on improvement of production performance and egg quality by stimulating the intestinal absorptive function and altering the cecal microbial composition. A total of 216 Hy-Line brown laying hens at 66 weeks of age were allocated randomly into 3 treatments with 6 replicates of 12 hens in a completely randomized design. The dietary treatments included a control group (CT) with a corn-soy basal diet, and the other treatments comprised basal diets supplemented with 250g/ton (CB1) and 500g/ton (CB2) of feed containing C. butyricum strain MIYAIRI 588. The concentration of …

Design Of Pralidoxime Analogs As Antidote For Organophosphate Insecticide Via Computational Chemistry Approaches, Nalinee Kongkaew

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

To exposure the toxicity of insecticides is common among agriculturalists, especially organophosphate pesticides (OPs), which are widely used in Thailand due to their easy availability and low cost. OPs act by disrupting the nervous system, resulting in frequent poisoning and higher mortality rates compared to general toxicity. Their mechanism involves irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which normally breaks down acetylcholine neurotransmitters, leading to the accumulation of acetylcholine, which stimulates or inhibits the central nervous system. Currently, oxime compounds are commonly used for antidotal treatment, particularly the 2-pyridine aldoxime known as "2-PAM," approved by FDA for treating poisoning. However, 2-PAM has …

Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This includes the cover, editorial staff, and journal information.

Innovation To Resolve Conflicts, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 17, Issue 1.

Human Fatalities Resulting From Wild Pig Attacks Worldwide: 2000–2019, John J. Mayer, James E. Garabedian, John C. Kilgo

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Although reported to be rare, human fatalities resulting from wild pig (Sus scrofa) attacks do occur. Toward a better understanding of patterns in fatal wild pig attacks, we synthesized worldwide reports of wild pig attacks on humans between 2000 and 2019. We documented 163 separate reports of fatal wild pig attacks that resulted in 172 human deaths. On average, 8.6 human deaths occurred annually due to wild pig attacks during those 2 decades. The majority of fatal attacks resulted in a single human death; however, there were 6 cases in which an individual fatal attack resulted in 2–4 …

Livestock Depredation By Leopards, Associated Economic Losses, And Financial Compensation To Communities In Chhota Udepur District Of Central Gujarat, India, Shalu Mesaria, Pratik Desai, Shruti Patel, Dhaval Gadhavi, Anthony J. Giordano, Nishith Dharaiya

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Livestock depredation by large carnivores has been documented across the entire Indian subcontinent. The failure of managers to mitigate livestock losses in landscapes dependent on subsistence agriculture poses a threat to the conservation of carnivores. For much of Gujarat, a western Indian state characterized by extensive semi-arid habitats, the Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is considered an apex predator. Increasing regional leopard populations in response to protection efforts has led to more attacks on humans, along with an increase in rates of livestock depredation. In many cases, the regional forest department financially compensates livestock owners for depredation caused …

Grizzly Bears And Humans At Alpine Moth Sites In Wyoming, Usa, Erika A. Nunlist, Dan Tyers, Andrew Pils, Bok F. Sowell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Army cutworm moths (Euxoa auxiliaris; moths) are an important seasonal higher elevational food source for grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis; bears) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, USA). Increased human interaction with bears at moth sites is an important management issue because of the potential for displacing bears and the concern for human safety. Managers will need better information regarding human–bear interactions at high-density moth sites that are also accessible to humans to mitigate potential conflicts. In the summers of 2017 and 2018, we studied human–bear interactions at 2 of the most human …

Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This includes the cover, editorial staff, and journal information.

Economic Impacts Of Wild Pigs On Livestock Producers In 13 States, Sophie C. Mckee, Ryan S. Miller, Jeremiah L. Psiropoulos, Stephanie A. Shwiff

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species in the mainland United States, where they are responsible for a wide range of negative impacts including damage to crops, livestock depredation as well as disease transmission, destruction of property and ecosystems, and depredation of wildlife. This manuscript summarizes a recent survey-based effort to estimate wild pig damage and control costs incurred by livestock producers by state and livestock type. The survey was distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistical Service in the summer of 2021 to a sample of livestock producers in the 13-state region. Findings …

Field Trials Report 2023: Wa Farming Systems Project, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Agriculture reports

Within the Western Australian Faming Systems Project, a program of 15 field trials were conducted in 2023 from Ogilvie in the north to Wittenoom Hills in the south. Despite a dry season all trials were implemented effectively such that all multi-year trials are set to investigate their associated research questions.

Incorporating A Developmental Perspective Into Gene Identification Models For Alcohol Use Behaviors, Nathaniel S. Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Frequent alcohol use can lead to alcohol use disorder, which accounts for three million deaths and over 133 million life years lost to disability and death worldwide per year. Alcohol use behaviors unfold across development, beginning with initiation of drinking and progressing through various escalating stages of use. Alcohol use behaviors are also under genetic influence. Genome-wide association represents the state-of-the-science statistical methodology for identifying genes associated with alcohol use outcomes. However, contemporary genome-wide association study (GWAS) methods typically do not account for variability in genetic effects throughout development. In this project, I applied novel multivariate genomic methods to combine …

Pre-Clinical Trials With Precision-Medicine Based Therapeutics In Basal-Like Patient-Derived Xenografts, David C. Boyd

Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer treatments have improved over time, but the diseases seeing the most benefit from these improvements have the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, or are positive for HER2. Basal-like breast cancer tends to not have these biomarkers, which necessitates their treatment to be traditional, untargeted therapeutics which are less effective and tend to have harsh adverse effect profiles – this is an important unmet need. These studies utilize a variety of techniques, including tissue culture, viability assays, high-throughput screening, in vivo drug treatments and imaging, pathway analyses, molecular techniques such as Western blot, antibody arrays, RNA sequencing, sc RNA sequencing, …

Effects Of Hiv-1 Tat And Opiates On Gene Regulation Of Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells: Identification Of Myrf As A Novel Target, Kelly M. Flounlacker

Theses and Dissertations

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders remain pervasive even with increased efficacy/use of antiretroviral therapies. Opioid use/abuse among HIV+ individuals is documented to exacerbate deficits. White matter (WM) alterations (myelin pallor, volume/structural) detected by diffusion tensor imaging, are common observations in HIV+ individuals. Using transgenic mice expressing HIV-1 Tat, we examined effects of 2-6 weeks of Tat/morphine exposure on WM using genomic/biochemical methods. RNA sequencing of striatal tissue after 2-weeks revealed robust changes in mRNAs associated with oligodendrocyte populations/myelin integrity, including Transferrin, Ndrg1, and myelin regulatory factor (Myrf/Mrf), an oligodendrocyte-specific transcription factor involved in differentiation/maturation. Immunoblots conducted after 6-weeks exposure in …

Patterns, Mechanisms, And Characterization Of Carbon Cycling Stability Following Partial Forest Disturbance, Kayla C. Mathes

Theses and Dissertations

Among the most essential questions in the era of climate change is how the forest carbon (C) cycle will respond to an increase in the extent of biotic disturbances from insects and pathogens. While research has focused on stand-replacing disturbance regimes, less is known about C cycling stability following partial disturbances that produce gradients of disturbance severity. Belowground C cycling responses to disturbance are especially poorly understood, even though temperate forest soils contain up to 50% of total ecosystem C and soil respiration (R_s) accounts for more than half of temperate forest C loss. Interpreting trends and mechanisms …

Intrinsic Efficacy As A Determinant Of Opioid Effectiveness In Treatment Of Pain-Depressed Behavior, Edna Santos

Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a major public health concern that is commonly associated with behavioral depression, and a major goal in pain treatment is alleviation of pain-related behavioral depression. High-efficacy mu opioid receptor (MOR) agonists (e.g. fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone) are effective to treat pain, but their use is limited by side effects that not only endanger the patient but may also obscure analgesic rescue of pain-depressed behavior. The ongoing epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose deaths has stimulated research to discover non-opioid alternative analgesics; however, this search neglects the clinical potential of safer intermediate-efficacy MOR agonists (e.g. buprenorphine). The objective of the …

Unraveling The Consequence Of Adult Onset Sulfatide Depletion: Its Implications In Myelin And Axonal Heath In The Context Of Neurodegenerative Disease, Elizabeth Dustin

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple Sclerosis is an immune mediated disease of the CNS. MS is diagnosed through detection of demyelinated regions. However, recent studies demonstrate that Normal Appearing White Matter (NAWM) contains substantial pathology. One such pathology observed in the NAWM is the reduction of sulfatide. The proper stoichiometry of lipids in myelin acts to maintain rapid conduction velocity, provide trophic support to the neuron, and protect the axon from degeneration. We previously characterized a mouse lacking sulfatide’s synthesizing enzyme, CST through constitutive gene disruption and demonstrate that sulfide is required for proper stability of the myelin sheath. However, since MS is typically …

Interactions Between Hiv And Opioids On Antiretroviral Accumulation, The Blood Brain Barrier, And The Inflammatory Response In The Brain., Kara Rademeyer

Theses and Dissertations

The complex mechanisms related to HIV infection, neurodegeneration, and chronic neuroinflammation collectively describe neuroHIV (Hauser et al. 2007; Chang et al. 2014; Smith et al. 2014). Specifically, opioid abuse, poor penetration of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, chronic inflammation and neuronal injury/degeneration are all implicated in neuroHIV (Fantuzzi et al. 2003; Letendre et al. 2004; Verani et al. 2005; Duncan and Sattentau 2011; Hong and Banks 2015; Simoes and Justino 2015; Olivier et al. 2018; Murphy et al. 2019; Osborne et al. 2020). For the first time, we demonstrate that morphine, fentanyl, and methadone in vivo alter the brain accumulation of ARVs, …

Plant Trait Effects On Tidal Wetland Methane Emission, Adam M. Dunn

Theses and Dissertations

High rates of carbon (C) sequestration exhibited by coastal wetlands is an important natural climate solution to global environmental change. At the same time, however, wetlands are the largest natural source of methane (CH₄) to Earth’s atmosphere, a potent greenhouse gas that influences the global climate. Wetland CH₄ emissions display high degrees of uncertainty in accounting for spatial and temporal variations in emissions due to the complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors that influence methane production and transport, in addition to simultaneous influences from climate-driven effects on wetlands such as rapid sea level rise and increased …

Probing The Porphyromonas Gingivalis Nitrosative Stress Response Network, Alexandra Galina

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To persist in the oral cavity, the perio-pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis must have an efficient nitrosative stress response mechanism. To better understand how P. gingivalis responds to nitrite (NO₂^-) we must determine what genes are involved in the nitrosative stress response network.

Methods: Through genomic screening, a list of genes was generated that were hypothesized to be part of the nitrosative stress response network and believed to be involved in nitrate/nitrite metabolism or redox state of the cells. Protein coding regions were replaced with the ermF sequence by allelic exchange mutagenesis. 15 mutants were created …

Epithelial Membrane Protein 3 (Emp3b) Is A Novel Regulator Of Sympathetic Nervous System Development In Zebrafish., Jessica M. White

Theses and Dissertations

Notable progress has been made in understanding the development of the neural crest (NC). Neural crest cells (NCCs) can be divided into 4-5 subpopulations. A major lineage among trunk NC derivatives are sympathoadrenal (SA) cells, which give rise to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Trunk NCCs follow a ventromedial migration pathway where signals derived from the dorsal aorta instruct migrating NCCs to a SA cell fate. Defects in NC development can result in syndromes known as neurocristopathies. Neuroblastoma is one of the most common forms of pediatric cancer affecting nearly 800 infants each year in the United States (Takita et …