Life Sciences Commons^™

Trifolium Subterraneum - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum). Subterranean clover is a grazing tolerant annual pasture legume from the Mediterranean Basin which is sown over 8 million hectares (ha) in Western Australia (WA) and 29 million ha across southern Australia. It is used in permanent pastures and in rotation with crops. A range of cultivars are available for areas …

Vicia Faba - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Faba beans (Vicia faba). Faba beans are a winter growing pulse (legume) crop which are adapted to well-drained medium- to fine-textured soils with a neutral to alkaline pH. In Western Australia (WA), faba beans is a niche crop and production is currently around 6,000 tonnes. Vicia faba minor is grown under broadscale farming conditions in …

Megathyrsus Maximus - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Panic grass (Megathyrsus maximus). Panic grass (Megathyrsus maximus) is a warm season (C4), perennial grass which is widely used in South America, Japan, India, and sub-tropical Queensland and more recently in the northern agricultural region of Western Australia. It is a productive forage grass for pasture, green-forage, hay and silage. The panic grasses are shade …

Bothriochloa Pertusa - Environmental Weed Risk Assessment 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Environmental Weed Risk Assessments

Introducing new plants to an area may have both positive and negative effects on the environment, economy and community. To minimise the negative environmental impact of introducing new agricultural species, DPIRD conducts a risk assessment procedure based on widely accepted scientific standards. This report assesses Bothriochloa pertusa. Indian bluegrass is a stoloniferous, mat-forming, tropical (C4) perennial grass.

Sustainable Seafood Using Octopus As A Model, Ian G. Gleadall, Warwick H.H. Sauer, Hassan Moustahfid, Cheryl L. Ames, Demian A. Willette

Biology Faculty Works

The global catch of octopus and squid shows annual variability and demand is likely to increase for both locally-supplied and imported products. However, the vulnerability of seafood resources is now well known, the reliability of fisheries catch data is still unclear, management of cephalopod stocks is mostly rudimentary, and there is uncertainty and concern about their sustainability among fisheries managers, the fishing industry, retailers, researchers and consumers. Here, a new project is presented which aims to address and resolve ways to enhance the effectiveness of seafood sustainability in general, with the aid of a freely accessible identification and traceability tool …

Glaucoma Alters The Morphology Of Mouse Melanopsin-Containing Retinal Ganglion Cells, Kristin Keenan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Melanopsin ganglion cells are intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells in the mammalian retina. These cells mediate aspects of non-image forming vision to help regular circadian rhythm. Glaucoma is an eye disease involving an increase in intraocular pressure that has been linked to irregular circadian rhythm. This project will investigate the impact glaucoma has on these melanopsin ganglion cells at different pathological timepoints. This will be performed by using dissection, immunohistochemistry, and computer imaging methods to visualize, trace, and measure the cells’ morphologies in both control and glaucomatous retinas at different timepoints of disease to analyze if glaucoma has a significant effect …

"Demeter" Soil Monitoring System, Ryan Matthews, Rachel Rummer, Temilolu Fayomi, Alex Fuller

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this project is to develop a soil monitoring system that can remotely sense and relay soil conditions back to a user. The deMETER soil probe, Demeter is the Greek goddess of the harvest, is designed to aid hobbyist gardeners, small-scale farms, and nurseries to monitor their dynamic soil conditions and maximize their harvest. The probe is a self-powered system that can monitor the moisture and essential nutrients of the soil profile to determine which areas should receive water and fertilizer. This would significantly cut water and fertilizer waste. The solution will include an embedded system with sensors …

Western Diet In Adulthood, Timing Of Menarche, And Economic Status Among Northeast Ohioans, Kailey Maroni, Anne Wiley Phd, Nicole M. Burt Phd, Randall J. Mitchell Phd

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I studied the age at first menstruation as a predictor of Western diet consumption among adults at The University of Akron and in Cleveland. I used stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of human hair, as well as surveyed consumption of foods important to a Western diet (red meat, sugar, and dairy), to understand whether participants aligned with a Western dietary pattern. Age at survey and adult economic status were investigated as potential confounding variables. My data analysis and conclusions for this project has been completed and approved by my advisor and committee. To maintain collaborators' ability to publish a …

Chemogenetic Induced Tinnitus Model, Cara Bunner

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will use chemogenetic drug activation in the inferior colliculus (IC) to formulate a new tinnitus model in animals. Gq-signaling DREADD [AAV8-CaMIIKa-HDM2(Gq)-mCherry] will be used to selectively activate glutamatergic neurons in the mouse, then the brain will be dissected to obtain the IC. The IC will be immunohistochemically stained to visualize the AAV mCherry, the glutamatergic neuron distribution, and the GABAergic neuron distribution within the IC. Thus, the findings of this study will better our understandings of the pathological mechanisms of tinnitus.

Synthesis Of Rna Nucleotides Under Probable Prebiotic Conditions, Ryan Stimson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

RNA being composed of multiple covalently linked nucleotides is thought to have been a precursor to life circa 4.3-3.8 billion years ago. Non-enzymatically formed adenosine monophosphate (AMP), more specifically, is a vitally important subtopic of the self-assembly of the first RNA sequence. The goal of this study was to synthesize AMP non-enzymatically under benign conditions that are likely to have existed on early Earth. In this experiment, 3’,5’-cAMP was successfully formed using wet-dry cycles at 80°C paired with the minerals zeolite beta, hydroxyapatite, and aerosil 300 in the presence of adenosine, urea, and pyrophosphate. A nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer was …

An Agronomic-Economic Approach To Connect Manure Nutrients Back To Grain-Producing Regions, Joshua M. Duke, Joshua M. Mcgrath

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Stakeholders for nutrient-impaired watersheds have long discussed the causes and consequences of nutrient surpluses associated with intensive livestock production. Nonetheless, nutrient surpluses relative to crop requirement, particularly with phosphorus (P), persist and continue to contribute to water quality impairment. Nutrient life-cycle analysis shows that mineral P, from soil minerals or mined fertilizer P, flows to livestock regions from grain-producing regions. Although creating a return flow of these nutrients to grain fields seems like an easy solution, significant economic obstacles exist to creating a connected manureshed over large geographic distances. To limit the impact of manure use on local surface water, …

The Role Of Shoc2 In Embryonic Development, Rebecca G. Norcross

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

The canonical ERK1/2 signaling cascade regulates cellular functions critical in vertebrate embryonic development such as proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and migration. Thus, its signals are controlled by a variety of mechanisms. Scaffold proteins are considered central to the mechanisms regulating the transmission of the ERK1/2 signals. Yet, their functions in development nor the molecular mechanisms by which they exert their control are not well understood.

This study focuses on the essential regulator of ERK1/2 signals during development – the scaffold protein Shoc2. Loss of Shoc2 leads to early embryonic lethality in mice and zebrafish. Germline mutations in the shoc2 gene result …

Structural Basis For Reversible Glucan Phosphorylation By Glucan Dikinases And Glucan Phosphatases, Tiantian Chen

Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

Plants store glucose in the form of starch, an insoluble macromolecule that is synthesized and degraded diurnally. Glucan phosphatases play a critical role in starch breakdown, working with glucan dikinases in a cyclic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Herein, we present a novel glucan phosphatase Like SEX Four3 (LSF3) from Physcomitrella patens. Structural and enzymatic studies demonstrate that LSF3 is a dimeric glucan phosphatase that displays robust specific glucan phosphatase activity. Dimerization is shown to be essential for LSF3 stability and function. Structure-guided bioinformatic analysis shows that LSF3 is found in early land plants and green algae.

Building upon our understanding of …

Theta Burst Brain Stimulation In Painful Diabetic Neuropathy Patients: Investigating Neural Mechanisms, Bhushan Thakkar

Theses and Dissertations

Chronic pain (CP) is a significant contributor to disability and disease burden globally. In 2019, approximately 50.2 million adults (20.4% of the US population) experienced chronic pain, contributing to $560-635 billion in direct medical costs. In addition, the worldwide prevalence of diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportions and is set to increase to 629 million by 2045. Almost 50% of patients with diabetes present with diabetic neuropathy (DN), and one in five patients with diabetes presents with painful DN (pDN) which is the most common cause of neuropathic pain (NP) in the US. Symptomatic treatment is the mainstay of management …

Clinically Relevant Drug Interactions With Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors., Amber N. Edinoff, Connor R. Swinford, Amira S. Odisho, Caroline R. Burroughs, Cain W. Stark, Walid A. Raslan, Elyse M. Cornett, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) are a class of drugs that were originally developed for the treatment of depression but have since been expanded to be used in management of affective and neurological disorders, as well as stroke and aging-related neurocognitive changes. Ranging from irreversible to reversible and selective to non-selective, these drugs target the monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzyme and prevent the oxidative deamination of various monoamines and catecholamines such as serotonin and dopamine, respectively. Tyramine is a potent releaser of norepinephrine (NE) and is found in high concentrations in foods such as aged cheeses and meats. Under normal conditions, NE …

Exploring The Host Range, Impacts, And Distribution Of Black Rot Disease On Alliaria Petiolata, Gabriela Ivette Harney-Davila

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Garlic mustard is an invasive Eurasian biennial spreading in deciduous forests of North America. Garlic mustard plants in Ohio can be infected with a strain of Xanthomonas campestris, the causal agent of black rot disease in brassicas. I examined variation in susceptibility to X. campestris among garlic mustard populations, several native wild species, and agricultural crop varieties. Twenty-four garlic mustard populations were universally susceptible to X. campestris, though disease severity varied. Cardamine concatenata and Cardamine diphylla were susceptible but can phenologically escape infection in the field. Of the 14 agricultural crops tested, three cultivars (Raphanus sativus, Brassica rapa var. Rapa …

The Impact Of Sentiment And Misinformation Cycling Through The Social Media Platform, Twitter, During The Initial Phase Of The Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout, Emily Grace Burwell

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study assesses the underlying topics, sentiment, and types of information regarding COVID-19 vaccines on Twitter during the initiation of the vaccine rollout. Tweets about the COVID-19 vaccine were collected and the relevant tweets were then filtered out using a relevancy classifier. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) was used to uncover topics of discussion within the relevant tweets. The NRC lexicon was used to assess positive and negative sentiment within tweets. The type of information (information, misinformation, opinion, or question) in tweets was evaluated. The relevancy classifier resulted in a dataset of 210,657 relevant tweets. Eight topics provided the best representation …

Heightened Levels Of Microvesicle Particles Resulting From Combination Of Ethanol And Thermal Burn Injury, Chad Alan Brewer

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Ethanol (EtOH), in combination with thermal burn injury, is a clinically significant problem resulting in an increase in morbidity and mortality due to acute multi-organ toxicity from excess systemic cytokine release. This intoxicated thermal burn affects close to 50% of the total numbers of hospital-admitted burn patients and currently has no standard treatment. However, using in vitro cellular and in vivo murine models, our group has provided data implicating the augmented production of the lipid mediator Platelet-activating factor (PAF) in keratinocytes in response to intoxicated thermal burn injury in the subsequent pathology. Of importance, our group has demonstrated that activation …

Ifn-Γ Increases The Expression Of Sars-Cov-2 Receptors On Vero E6 Cells, Bindu Madhavi Madabattula

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Respiratory epithelial cells are the initial target for SARS-CoV-2 infection. IFN-γ is known to increase the expression of ACE-2, an initial receptor for SARS-CoV-2, on epithelial cells. This study focuses on examining the effect of IFN-γ for ACE-2, TMPRSS2, and neuropilin-1 on Vero E6 cells using two immunofluorescence methods, namely, direct (membrane) fluorescence method and Cytation5 method. Direct fluorescence was determined using an Accu-Scope and ImageJ analysis. Using this method, significance (p<0.023) was observed only for ACE-2 when Vero E6 cells were treated with IFN-γ. Cytation5 fluorescence was determined using a Bio-tek Cytation5 plate reader. The results showed that IFN-γ significantly increased (p<0.001) the expression of ACE-2, neuropilin-1, and TMPRSS2. These results indicate Cytation5 is a more sensitive method for determining the expression of receptors on Vero E6 cells. The elevated levels of SARS-CoV-2 receptors expression resulting from IFN-γ treatment makes the epithelial cells more susceptible targets of SARS-CoV-2 infection. IFN-γ is most likely provided by innate immune cells in the initial COVID-19 infection, consequently contributing to the severity of disease.

Ahr-Mediated Transcriptional Regulation Of The Human Immunoglobulin Hs1.2 Enhancer, Sydney White

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The 3'IGHRR is thought to be responsible for the transcription of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene locus, which is essential for the production of antibodies. The human 3’IGHRR, which is duplicated in humans, contains the hs3, hs4, and hs1.2 enhancers. Additionally, the hs1.2 enhancer is polymorphic in humans and consists of a 53 bp invariant sequence that can be repeated one to four times. Previous experiments in a mouse and human B-cell line model have shown that the high affinity AhR ligand and environmental toxicant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) can induce hs1.2 enhancer activity in an AhR-dependent manner. The AhR is …

Expression Of Sars Cov2 Receptors Influenced Upon Cytokine Polarizations (Il-4 And Ifnγ) In Hemangioendothelioma Cells, Chandra Lekha Koopari

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Endothelial cells are distinct multifunctional cells with essential metabolic and synthetic roles along with their ability to function as selective permeability barrier. Endothelial cells (ECs), the major component of blood vessels, essentially interact directly yet differently with inflammatory cytokines. ECs are well recognized to be polarized cells, but little is known about the potential function of inflammatory mediators. Covid 19 may have long-term health effects on par with chronic illnesses. Vascular inflammatory disease and coagulopathy linked to COVID-19 are exacerbated by endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. SARS-CoV-2 enters the host cell through the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and primes …

Instability And Extrachromosomal Circular Dna Formation At Microsatellites And Unstable Dna Sequences, Matilyn M. Shanahan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

We have previously documented our evidence of genetic instabilities at the (Pu/Py)78 and (ATTCT)47 sequences and our reasoning for identifying break-induced replication (BIR) as the mode of repair responsible for the mutations in the DNA flanking the unstable inserts. Now, as our lab investigates the protein mechanisms at play in the BIR pathway taking place at these sites, we are also expanding our knowledge of how this mechanism extends into the pathways responsible for forming extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) molecules. We have documented the phenomena posed as the driving factors for eccDNA formation in our systems containing (Pu/Py)78 and (ATTCT)47. …

The Mechanisms Of Axon Initial Segment Alteration Due To Disrupted Glucose Metabolism: A Potential Link To Cognitive Impairment, Duc Van Minh Nguyen

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Cognitive impairment is a serious global health issue due to its widely complicated pathologies that are linked to many diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Yet, detailed mechanisms of cognitive impairment associated with type 2 diabetes are unknown. Evidence suggests type 2 diabetes is associated with disrupted glucose metabolism, elevated methylglyoxal, and axon initial segment (AIS) shortening. Subtle changes of AIS could significantly contribute to neuronal dysfunction in neurological diseases (e.g., cognitive impairment). Utilizing in vitro dissociated mouse cortical cultures, we initially discovered elevated methylglyoxal shortens the AIS length of the immunofluorescent marker AnkyrinG (Griggs et al., 2021). This thesis further …

Effects Of Lipin1 Deficiency & Restoration In The Dystrophic Diaphragm, Alexandra Brown

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Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder that is characterized by severe and progressive muscle wasting (Venugopal & Pavlakis, 2021). This disease is caused by a mutation in the largest known human gene which encodes the protein, dystrophin (Gao & McNally, 2015). Dystrophin connects the inner cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix and is critical for maintaining the structural stability of muscle cells during contraction (Venugopal & Pavlakis, 2021). Mutations to the dystrophin gene result in myocyte membrane instability, contributing to the structural deterioration of the muscle tissue (Venugopal & Pavlakis, 2021). Progressive muscle degeneration and the replacement of …

Designing And Evaluating Falls Prevention Education With Residents And Staff In Aged Care Homes: A Feasibility Study, Jacqueline Francis-Coad, Tessa Watts, Caroline Bulsara, Anne-Marie Hill

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to co-design a falls prevention education programme with aged care home residents and staff and evaluate its feasibility. The intention of providing the education programme was to assist residents to stay safe and mobile whilst reducing their risk of falling.

Design/methodology/approach: A two-phase mixed methods participatory design using a resident (n = 6) and care staff (n = 5) consumer engagement panel, pre- and post-programme resident (n = 35) survey and semi-structured care staff interviews (n = 8) was undertaken in two countries.

Findings: A poster, brochure, video and staff education guide featuring …

Factors Impacting Genomic Testing Rates Among Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Patients Across A Large Community-Based Healthcare System, Nicole M. Kretzer, Christopher J. Darus, Nancy Biery, Roshanthi Weerasinghe, Grace Li, Ann Vita, Shwetha Pindikuri, Amy S. Parrish, Charles W Drescher, Fernanda B. Musa

All Podium Presentations

Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) accounts for the highest mortality of all gynecological cancers. NCCN guidelines recommend germline and somatic testing for all women with invasive EOC. Despite this recommendation, there is a large diversity in the types of testing patients receive even within a single healthcare system. Reported data of genetic testing for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients is largely based on patients treated at academic medical centers or patients who participate in clinical trials.

Purpose: This study sought to determine the rates of germline and somatic testing for epithelial ovarian cancer patients and identify factors that impact testing …

Patterns Of Genomic Testing For Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Across A Large Community-Based Health Care Network- A Real World Experience, Nicole M. Kretzer, Fernanda B. Musa, Christopher Darus, Nancy Biery, Roshanthi Weerasinghe, Grace Li, Ann Vita, Shwetha Pindikuri, Amy S. Parrish, Charles W Drescher

All Podium Presentations

Background: NCCN guidelines recommend germline and somatic tumor testing for all women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Despite this recommendation, testing rates remain low and an optimal strategy to achieve the recommended testing has not been defined.

Purpose: We elected to review the patterns of germline and somatic tumor testing for patients with EOC across a large health care network to identify barriers to testing.

Methods: Clinical, pathologic, demographic and genomic testing (GT) information including involvement of a genetic counselor, specific test(s) ordered, test vendor, test turn-around time, and test results were obtained from the diverse dataset within the …

What Is The Role Of Spiritual Care Specialists In Teaching Generalist Spiritual Care? The Perspectives Of Pastoral Care Staff In A Large Catholic Health And Aged Care Organisation, Kate Fiona Jones, Jennifer Washington, Matthew Kearney, Megan C. Best

IES Papers and Journal Articles

The value of spiritual care training for all staff working in health and aged care has been demonstrated. This study investigated how spiritual care specialists (SCSs) perceive their role in delivering spiritual care education to other staff. Fourteen SCSs participated in three online focus groups. Two key themes were identified: First, SCSs build upon existing capacity of staff by: (i) recognising existing strengths and capabilities; (ii) using relevant stories; (iii) using language which makes spiritual care accessible; (iv) making training relevant and practical; (v) tapping into staff vocation or calling; and (vi) building awareness of one’s own spirituality. Second, SCSs …

Evaluating Stability Of Human Spine In Static Tasks: A Combined In Vivo-Computational Study, Farshid Ghezelbash, Ali Shahvarpour, Christian Larivière, Aboulfazl Shirazi-Adl

Études primaires

Various interpretations and parameters have been proposed to assess spinal stability such as antagonist muscle coactivity, trunk stiffness and spinal buckling load; however, the correlation between these parameters remains unknown. We evaluated spinal stability during different tasks while changing the external moment and load height and investigated likely relationships between different EMG- and model-based parameters (e.g., EMG coactivity ratio, trunk stiffness, force coactivity ratio) and stability margins. EMG and kinematics of 40 young healthy subjects were recorded during various quasi-static tasks. Muscle forces, trunk stiffness and stability margins were calculated by a nonlinear subject-specific EMG-assisted-optimization musculoskeletal model of the trunk. …

Occupational Exposure To Wood Dust And The Burden Of Nasopharynx And Sinonasal Cancer In Canada, Amirabbas Mofidi, Emile Tompa, Christina Kalcevich, Christopher Mcleod, Martin Lebeau, Chaojie Song, Joanne Kim, Paul A. Demers

Études primaires

Background: Millions of workers around the world are exposed to wood dust, as a by-product of woodworking. Nasopharynx cancers (NPCs) and sinonasal cancers (SNCs) are two cancers that can be caused by occupational exposure to wood dust, but there is little evidence regarding their burden in Canada. Objective: the aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and economic burden of newly diagnosed cases of NPC and SNC in 2011 in Canada, attributable to occupational exposures to wood dust. Methods: calculating the incidence of cancer attributable to occupational exposure involved three steps of defining relative risk, assessing the prevalence …