Life Sciences Commons^™

Aberrant Age-Related Alterations In Spontaneous Cortical Activity In Participants With Cerebral Palsy, Hannah Bergwell

Theses & Dissertations

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common neurodevelopmental motor disability, resulting in life-long sensory, perception and motor impairments. These impairments appear to drastically worsen with advancing age within the CP population, although the underlying neuro-physiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Herein, we began to address this knowledge gap by utilizing magnetoencephalographic (MEG) to study how aging impacts the amplitude of spontaneous brain activity (i.e., resting state) in a cohort of 38 individuals with spastic diplegic CP (Age = 22.08 ± 10.46 years) and 67 neurotypical controls (NT) (Age = 19.56 ± 10.25 years). Participants completed an eyes-closed resting-state paradigm while undergoing …

Prenatal And Pregnancy Loss Evaluation By Noninvasive Screening And Diagnostic Genetic Testing, Abigail Haggerty

Theses & Dissertations

Noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) utilizing cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in the maternal blood is the screening test of choice for physicians today. NIPT depends on the amount of cffDNA in the maternal blood, called the fetal fraction (FF). Researchers are investigating the implications of the FF value in reference to multiple variables in pregnancy outcome, including the risk for aneuploidy and maternal factors that influence the FF.

Diagnostic techniques utilized in patient care include cytogenetics, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), and microarray. Diagnostic testing is critical to confirm or rule out genetic abnormalities among women with abnormal screening results, …

Post-Transcriptional Control Of The Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition (Emt) In Ras-Driven Colorectal Cancers, Chaitra Rao

Theses & Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) originates from epithelial cells lining the colon or rectum of the gastrointestinal tract. Most cancer deaths result from a tumor spreading to distant organs; however epithelial cells do not normally migrate from their tissue of origin. To do so, epithelial cells undergo biochemical changes allowing them to acquire behavior similar to motile mesenchymal cells termed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which contributes to tumor invasion and metastasis. Our study demonstrated that CRC cells require a molecular scaffold, Kinase Suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1), and ERK to promote the EMT-like phenotype through the preferential translation of Epithelial Stromal Interaction …

Ewing Sarcoma Transcriptome: Identification Of Foxn3 As A Novel Target Of Ews-Fli1, Natasha Kreiling

Theses & Dissertations

Ewing Sarcoma is an aggressive cancer characterized by a fusion gene formed from a chromosomal translocation between a RNA binding protein and a transcription factor. The most common fusion gene is EWS-FLI1 a potent oncogenic transcription factor responsible for initiating genome instability. EWS-FLI1 promotes tumor growth by dysregulating several genes and pathways. We have identified FOXN3, an important gene in cell cycle control and development, as being suppressed by EWS-FLI1. In the future, a better understanding of FOXN3 and its ability to act as a tumor suppressor in EWS will unravel novel mechanisms of EWS pathogenesis, potential biomarker and drug …

Dysregulation Of Mir-10a Promotes Cancer Features In Cholangiocarcinoma, Matthieu Spriet

Theses & Dissertations

Cholangiocarcinoma is a primary liver cancer of the bile duct epithelium that exhibits microRNA-mediated control of tumor cell signaling. Strides toward new treatment rest on a better defining of cholangiocarcinoma tumor biology including the RNA-based layer of regulation. Additionally, there is a gap in knowledge on microRNA expression in human tissue. While there is RNA-seq data of microRNA expression in tissue, it does not differentiate between cell types, thus leaving unanswered questions about cell specific microRNA biology and expression.

Here, we identify miR-10a as an oncogenic microRNA acting through MAPK signaling. Using cholangiocarcinoma cell lines, we determined miR-10a is an …

Taxonomic Resolution Assessment And Biodiversity Evaluations For Deep-Sea Fish Assemblages In A Pelagic Ecosystem Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Krista N. Scheuerman

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Knowledge of community assemblages and biodiversity is important for monitoring health and resilience in an ecosystem. Taxonomic and functional biodiversity of mesopelagic (200- 1000 m) fishes is extremely rich in the Gulf of Mexico. The aim of this study was to compare calculations of biodiversity and community structures at varying taxonomic resolutions for deep pelagic fishes to inform future decisions about deep-sea ecosystem monitoring. This study analyzed biodiversity and assemblage structure patterns from a biological inventory of deep-sea fishes collected with a large mesh, commercial-sized, high-speed rope trawl in the Gulf of Mexico between June 21^st and July 14 …

Neuropilin-2 In Advanced Prostate Cancer And Its Targeting With Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors, Ridwan Islam

Theses & Dissertations

Despite the development of new therapies, clinical management of advanced metastatic castrationresistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) still remains challenging owing to the emergence of therapy resistance. Resistance to the therapies is driven by both AR and non-AR pathways. Non-AR pathway is characterized by a lineage switch that leads to the development of neuroendocrine-like (NE-like) prostate cancer (PCa), which has a fulminant clinical course due to the lack of effective treatment strategy. Therefore, novel molecular targets need to be identified to develop effective therapeutic regimen to improve the outcomes in advanced PCa patients including NE-like PCa. Recent investigation on advanced PCa patients …

Investigating The Role Of Sphingosine Kinases During Alphavirus Infection, Opeoluwa Oyewole

Theses & Dissertations

Several alphaviruses, critical human pathogens, have re-emerged in recent years. Alphaviruses are found on all continents and infect both invertebrates and vertebrates, including some aquatic animals. They are classified as arboviruses because hematophagous arthropods transmit them. Based on the symptoms they cause, alphaviruses are classified as either arthritogenic or encephalitic.

Rising global travel has led to outbreaks of infections in new regions, increasing the geographical ranges of alphaviruses and causing new infections in susceptible hosts. Currently, there are no approved prophylactic or therapeutic measures to prevent or treat alphavirus infections; prevention measures have focused on vector control. These measures are …

Expiratory Flow Limitation In Youth Endurance-Trained And Recreationally Active Females, Sarah Ridgeway

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of expiratory flow limitation (EFL) in endurance trained (ET) youth females compared to a recreationally active (RA) group. EFL has been reported in ET males of pubertal age, however, the presence of EFL in ET youth females is not established. Methods: Youth ET female subjects (n=9, 15.8 ± 1.1 years) and RA subjects (n=10, 16.8 ± 1.6 years) completed an incremental exercise test to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer to determine peak oxygen consumption (VO_2peak). Maximum flow volume loops (MFVL), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in …

Effects Of Net Type On The Quantification Of Pelagic Shrimp And Krill In The Gulf Of Mexico, Eric J. Lee

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Trawls are an effective and widely used method for collecting micronekton because they can sample large volumes of sparsely distributed organisms, as well as allow for direct species identification of collected samples. However, net sampling methods are known to be highly variable in terms of design and catchability, and comparisons of deep-sea trawl data from two different types of nets over the same spatial and temporal scale are relatively rare. The current study is unique because it provides such an analysis for micronektonic crustaceans in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) by comparing the trawling efficacy of a smaller 10 m …

Size Structuring Of Myctophids In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico In The Years Following The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Adam Warren

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Body size is one of the main determinants of marine ecosystem structure and is correlated with many behavioral processes such as diel vertical migration (DVM). Myctophidae, a highly abundant, speciose, and globally distributed fish family, perform diel vertical migrations between the epipelagic zone at night and the mesopelagic zone during the day with vertical distributions varying with ontogeny, and therefore body length. Understanding how DVM contributes to an ecosystem’s structure is important to understanding ecosystem functioning, especially in response to anthropogenic impacts such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in myctophid …

Investigating The Role Of Splenic Macrophages In Pancreatic Cancer, Daisy V. Gonzalez

Theses & Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer is currently the 3rd leading cause of all cancer-related deaths, with a 5-year survival rate remaining at 10%. The current standard treatment of care and a lack of effective diagnostic markers leaves patients with a dismal prognosis at advanced stages of the disease. This thesis research evaluated the effect of ApoE-expressing macrophages in the spleen. First, we aimed to assess the ApoE expression in the spleen of pancreatic tumor-bearing mice. Results showed that ApoE expression in splenic macrophages increased as the disease progressed. In addition, we saw a significant increase in marginal zone metallophilic macrophages and red pulp …

Foraging Habitat Selection Of Shrubland Bird Community In Tropical Dry Forest, Anant Deshwal, Steven L. Stephenson, Pooja Panwar, Brett A. Degregorio, Ragupathy Kannan, John D. Willson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Habitat loss due to increasing anthropogenic disturbance is the major driver for bird population declines across the globe. Within the Eastern Ghats of India, shrubland bird communities are threatened by shrinking of suitable habitats due to increased anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. The development of an effective habitat management strategy is hampered by the absence of data for this bird community. To address this knowledge gap, we examined foraging sites for 14 shrubland bird species, including three declining species, in three study areas representing the shrubland type of forest community in the Eastern Ghats. We recorded microhabitat features within an …

Current Challenges In Image-Guided Magnetic Hyperthermia Therapy For Liver Cancer, Anirudh Sharma, Erik Cressman, Anilchandra Attaluri, Dara L Kraitchman, Robert Ivkov

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

For patients diagnosed with advanced and unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), liver transplantation remains the best option to extend life. Challenges with organ supply often preclude liver transplantation, making palliative non-surgical options the default front-line treatments for many patients. Even with imaging guidance, success following treatment remains inconsistent and below expectations, so new approaches are needed. Imaging-guided thermal therapy interventions have emerged as attractive procedures that offer individualized tumor targeting with the potential for the selective targeting of tumor nodules without impairing liver function. Furthermore, imaging-guided thermal therapy with added standard-of-care chemotherapies targeted to the liver tumor can directly reduce the …

The Effect Of Soymilk Addition With Different Concentrations On Some Properties Of Cow Milk Yogurt, Nawal H. Sebo, Ashna T. Abdulqadr, Rahela S. Qader

Polytechnic Journal

The present study was made with an attempt to produce yogurt by partial addition of different levels of soymilk to cow milk. Control was prepared with 100% cow milk and other samples prepared with cow milk and soymilk in the ratio of 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, 80:20, and 75:25 respectively. The control and different treatments of milk blends were analyzed for total solids and pH. The results found that the addition of soymilk leads to an increase of pH and total solids from 6.7, 11.94 % to 7.1 and 12.54 % for control and milk samples containing 25:75 levels of soymilk …

Influence Of Time-Dependent Corrosion On Strength And Ductility Of Reinforcing Steel Bars Exposed To Natural And Aggressive Environments, Ghafur H. Ahmed

Polytechnic Journal

The reinforcement corrosion in is a major and most frequent reason of degradation for reinforced-concrete (RC) structures throughout the world, leading to their premature deterioration before design life was attained. Corrosion weakens the mechanical properties of rebar by ingress of aggressive ions due to various environments. In this study, a total of 99 specimens with six different diameters were tested, for three exposure periods, and six different environments, to assess the influence of corrosion on mechanical properties of reinforcing bars. Degradation relationships of strength and ductility with exposure period and rebar diameter, were analyzed, and three equations were proposed to …

Evaluation Of Physico-Chemical Properties Of Honey Samples Collected In Erbil /Iraq, Muharam Yaseen Mohammed, Mohammad Salim Abdullah, Sangar Sabah Sabir

Polytechnic Journal

The present study was conducted to evaluate the physico-chemical properties of honey which were collected in Erbil city and the surrounding area. The total number of samples gathered was 12. The physico-chemical properties were moisture content, pH, ash, electrical conductivity (E.C), hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), colour, minerals and sugar contents. HPLC method was used to determine the sugar content profile (fructose, glucose and sucrose) while minerals content were assessed by ICP/mass spectrometry. The mean values of fructose, glucose and sucrose were as follows; 38.86, 33.60 and 11.70g/100g. The sucrose level in all samples exceeded the permissible amount as stated by Codex …

An Analysis Of Decolonization Efforts In Urban Agriculture: A Pathway To Indigenous Food Sovereignty And Cultural Revitalization, Sarah Fisher

Environment and Sustainability Summer Fellows

My research focuses on applications of urban agriculture, relationships between Indigenous peoples and community-based agriculture projects, and decolonizing food systems. I provide insight on colonialist tendencies, or ways in which the marginalization of Indigenous peoples is deeply entrenched within government, educational, and other leadership settings, as a way to evaluate and restructure urban agriculture projects to serve, represent and heal Native communities. Conventional urban agriculture has many known benefits, including its capacity for food production; however, the extent to which Indigenous communities participate in and benefit from urban agriculture has not been widely studied. Ongoing exclusion of Indigenous peoples from …

Influence Of Time-Dependent Corrosion On Strength And Ductility Of Reinforcing Steel Bars Exposed To Natural And Aggressive Environments, Ghafur H. Ahmed

Polytechnic Journal

The reinforcement corrosion in is a major and most frequent reason of degradation for reinforced-concrete (RC) structures throughout the world, leading to their premature deterioration before design life was attained. Corrosion weakens the mechanical properties of rebar by ingress of aggressive ions due to various environments. In this study, a total of 99 specimens with six different diameters were tested, for three exposure periods, and six different environments, to assess the influence of corrosion on mechanical properties of reinforcing bars. Degradation relationships of strength and ductility with exposure period and rebar diameter, were analyzed, and three equations were proposed to …

The Effect Of Soymilk Addition On Chemical, Physical And Sensorial Properties Of Cow Milk Yogurt, Ashna T. Abdulqadr, Rahela S. Qader, Nawal H. Sebo

Polytechnic Journal

The present study was made with an attempt to produce yogurt by partial addition of different levels of soymilk to cow milk. Control was prepared with 100% cow milk and other samples prepared with cow milk and soymilk in the ratio of 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, 80:20, and 75:25 respectively. The control and different treatments of milk blends were analyzed for total solids and pH. The results found that the addition of soymilk leads to an increase of pH and total solids from 6.7, 11.94 % to 7.1 and 12.54 % for control and milk samples containing 25:75 levels of soymilk …

Evaluation Of Physico-Chemical Properties Of Honey Samples Collected In Erbil /Iraq, Mohammad Salim Abdullah, Sangar Sabah Sabir, Muharam Yaseen Mohammed

Polytechnic Journal

The present study was conducted to evaluate the physico-chemical properties of honey which were collected in Erbil city and the surrounding area. The total number of samples gathered was 12. The physico-chemical properties were moisture content, pH, ash, electrical conductivity (E.C), hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF), colour, minerals and sugar contents. HPLC method was used to determine the sugar content profile (fructose, glucose and sucrose) while minerals content were assessed by ICP/mass spectrometry. The mean values of fructose, glucose and sucrose were as follows; 38.86, 33.60 and 11.70g/100g. The sucrose level in all samples exceeded the permissible amount as stated by Codex …

Uji Kemampuan Bakteri Diazotrof Asal Perakaran Bawang Merah Dalam Mendukung Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Tanaman Bawang Merah, Ananda Rahmalia Yuniarti, Eny Rokhminarsih, Purwanto

Jurnal Kultivasi

Budidaya tanaman bawang merah saat ini dihadapkan pada masalah stagnasi produksi akibat aplikasi pupuk kimia secara berlebihan sehngga efisiensi pemupukan rendah. Teknologi ramah lingkungan dan efisien pupuk dengan aplikasi bioteknologi melalui aplikasi bakteri berguna seperti bakteri penambat nitrogen. Penelitian bertujuan untuk (1) mengetahui respons pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman bawang merah terhadap bakteri diazotrof, (2) menetapkan isolat bakteri diazotrof yang paling baik untuk pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman bawang merah. Percobaan dilaksanakan pada bulan Januari 2021 sampai April 2021. Percobaan dilaksanakan di Rumah Kassa serta Laboratorium Agronomi dan Hortikultura Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan yaitu Rancangan Acak Kelompok …

Type 2 Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy In Quarter Horses Is A Novel Glycogen Storage Disease Causing Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, Stephanie J. Valberg, Zoë J. Williams, Carrie J. Finno, Abigail Schultz, Deborah Velez-Irizarry, Marisa L. Henry, Keri Gardner, Jessica Lynn Petersen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Both type 1 (PSSM1) and type 2 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM2) are characterised by aggregates of abnormal polysaccharide in skeletal muscle. Whereas the genetic basis for PSSM1 is known (R309H GYS1), the cause of PSSM2 in Quarter Horses (PSSM2-QH) is unknown and glycogen concentrations not defined.

Objectives: To characterise the histopathological and biochemical features of PSSM2-QH and determine if an associated monogenic variant exists in genes known to cause glycogenosis.

Study design: Retrospective case control.

Methods: Sixty-four PSSM2-QH, 30 PSSM1-QH and 185 control-QH were identified from a biopsy repository and clinical data, histopathology scores …

An Exploration Of Factors That Impact Uptake Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccines, David Samuel Redd

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction The discovery and continued development of vaccines is arguably one of the most important innovations in human history. Vaccination greatly reduces the worldwide incidence and transmission of diseases, preventing permanent injury and premature death. Mass vaccination campaigns have led to the eradication or partial eradication of severe infectious such as smallpox and polio, have reduced childhood mortality, and has led to an overall increase in average health in the human population globally. Despite the documented benefits of vaccination, vaccine hesitancy is increasing, and the uptake of some vaccines is low. Vaccines have been so successful at preventing disease that …

Harvesting Intensity And Aridity Are More Important Than Climate Change In Affecting Future Carbon Stocks Of Douglas-Fir Forests, Alyssa J. Robinson, Camille E. Defrenne, W. Jean Roach, Caren C. Dymond, Brian J. Pickles, Suzanne W. Simard

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Improved forest management may offer climate mitigation needed to hold warming to below 2°C. However, uncertainties persist about the effects of harvesting intensity on forest carbon sequestration, especially when considering interactions with regional climate and climate change. Here, we investigated the combined effects of harvesting intensity, climatic aridity, and climate change on carbon stocks in Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. (Franco)] stands. We used the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector to simulate the harvest and regrowth of seven Douglas-fir stand types covering a 900 km-long climate gradient across British Columbia, Canada. In particular, we simulated stand growth under …

The Impacts Of Egg Chamber Depth And Clutch Size On Hatching And Emergence Success For Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta Caretta) On South Florida Beaches, Curtis J. Slagle

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

All seven extant species of sea turtle are either threatened or endangered due to a multitude of anthropogenic and environmental factors. There has been strong emphasis on reversing this trend through various conservation efforts at multiple life stages, yet, if hatchlings never develop within the nest or are unable to escape the egg chamber, then these efforts are futile. Understanding how they develop, the factors impacting this development and their ability to emerge from the egg chamber are essential for sea turtle conservation. Important factors that may impact hatching success (HS) and emergence success (ES) are egg chamber depth (ECD) …

Benthic Community Dynamics And Stony Coral Demographics In Florida In Relation To Acute Disturbances And Chronic Pressures, Nicholas P. Jones

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The persistence of coral reef communities is threatened by a suite of pressures operating at varying spatial and temporal scales. In general, acute disturbances (short term stochastic events such as marine heatwaves or hurricanes) and chronic pressures, such as ocean warming, have caused the most significant changes to stony coral assemblages (order Scleractinia) and continue to impair recovery potential. Additionally, many coral reefs are subject to local chronic anthropogenic pressures resulting in poor water quality or sedimentation, which further impact stony corals and shape benthic community structure, particularly near urbanized coastlines. For the viability of communities on coral reefs, a …

Big Data Meta-Analyses Of Transcriptional Responses Of Human Samples To Orthohantavirus Infection And Shotgun Metagenomics From Crohn's Disease Patients., John L. Krapohl

Theses and Dissertations

Hantavirus is a dangerous zoonotic viral pathogen that is found across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. This virus causes a range of symptoms from flu-like malaise to heart failure and death. It is normally transmitted to humans via the aerosolized feces or urine of infected rodents. Currently, there are no known treatments for the disease, and it continues to threaten human health in endemic areas. In order to identify possible future therapeutic targets, we ran a meta-analysis of existing transcriptomic data collected from infected human tissue. Several genes and cellular pathways were identified, in addition to several potential therapeutics that …

Deep Learning Prediction Of Chemical-Induced Dose-Dependent And Context-Specific Multiplex Phenotype Responses And Its Application To Personalized Alzheimer’S Disease Drug Repurposing, You Wu, Qiao Liu, Yue Qiu, Lei Xie

Publications and Research

Predictive modeling of drug-induced gene expressions is a powerful tool for phenotype-based compound screening and drug repurposing. State-of-the-art machine learning methods use a small number of fixed cell lines as a surrogate for predicting actual expressions in a new cell type or tissue, although it is well known that drug responses depend on a cellular context. Thus, the existing approach has limitations when applied to personalized medicine, especially for many understudied diseases whose molecular profiles are dramatically different from those characterized in the training data. Besides the gene expression, dose-depen- dent cell viability is another important phenotype readout and is …

Sympatric Otariids Increase Trophic Segregation In Response To Warming Ocean Conditions In Peruvian Humboldt Current System, Susana Cardenas-Alayza, Michael Adkesson, Mickie Rae Edwards, Amy C. Hirons, Dimitri Gutierrez, Yann Tremblay

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Determining trophic habits of predator communities is essential to measure interspecific interactions and response to environmental fluctuations. South American fur seals, Arctocephalus australis (SAFS) and sea lions Otaria byronia (SASL), coexist along the coasts of Peru. Recently, ocean warming events (2014–2017) that can decrease and impoverish prey biomass have occurred in the Peruvian Humboldt Current System. In this context, our aim was to assess the effect of warming events on long-term inter- and intra-specific niche segregation. We collected whisker from SAFS (55 females and 21 males) and SASL (14 females and 22 males) in Punta San Juan, Peru. We used …