Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology Commons^™

Impact Of Seasonal And Host-Related Factors On The Intestinal Microbiome And Cestode Community Of Sorex Cinereus And Sorex Monticola, Katelyn D. Cranmer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The intestinal microbiome of mammals plays a significant role in host health and response to environmental stimuli and can include both beneficial native bacteria as well as parasitic worms. In this study, I examined the intestinal cestode and bacterial communities of two closely related species of shrew, Sorex monticola and Sorex cinereus, over a six month period in 2016. Specimens were collected approximately every three weeks from May to October from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Cowles, New Mexico. A total of 79 shrews were prepared with the gastrointestinal tracts removed and flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen. An additional …

Wetland Biogeochemical Responses To Predicted Climate Change Scenarios, Angela R. Shaffer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Wetlands are one of the world's largest known carbon sinks while comprising only a small amount of the Earth's surface. However, the amount of carbon sequestered by wetlands is shrinking as droughts and human disturbance increases. Carbon in wetlands is stored through the contrast of decomposition and sedimentation of organic matter and absorption of CO₂ from the atmosphere by soil microbes. Understanding how changing hydrological regimes and increased wildfires will affect wetland soil and microbial processes is important in the face of predicted climate change for future wetland conservation practices. Specifically, I seek to understand the response of southeastern …

Viral Emergence In Marine Mammals In The North Pacific May Be Linked To Arctic Sea Ice Reduction, Elizabeth Vanwormer, J. A.K. Mazet, A. Hall, V. A. Gill, P. L. Boveng, J. M. London, T. Gelatt, B. S. Fadely, M. E. Lander, J. Sterling, V. N. Burkanov, R. R. Ream, P. M. Brock, L. D. Rea, B. R. Smith, A. Jeffers, M. Henstock, M. J. Rehberg, K. A. Burek-Huntington, S. L. Crosby, J. A, Hammond, T. Goldstein

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Climate change-driven alterations in Arctic environments can influence habitat availability, species distributions and interactions, and the breeding, foraging, and health of marine mammals. Phocine distemper virus (PDV), which has caused extensive mortality in Atlantic seals, was confirmed in sea otters in the North Pacific Ocean in 2004, raising the question of whether reductions in sea ice could increase contact between Arctic and sub-Arctic marine mammals and lead to viral transmission across the Arctic Ocean. Using data on PDV exposure and infection and animal movement in sympatric seal, sea lion, and sea otter species sampled in the North Pacific Ocean from …

Ehdv-2 Infection Prevalence Varies In Culicoides Sonorensis After Feeding On Infected White-Tailed Deer Over The Course Of Viremia, Sandra Y. Mendiola, Mary K. Mills, Elin Maki, Barbara S. Drolet, William C. Wilson, Roy D. Berghaus, David E. Stallknecht, Jonathan Breitenbach, D. Scott Mcvey, Mark G. Ruder

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease viruses (EHDVs) are arboviral pathogens of white-tailed deer and other wild and domestic ruminants in North America. Transmitted by various species of Culicoides, EHDVs circulate wherever competent vectors and susceptible ruminant host populations co-exist. The impact of variation in the level and duration of EHDV viremia in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on Culicoides infection prevalence is not well characterized. Here we examined how infection prevalence in a confirmed North American vector of EHDV-2 (Culicoides sonorensis) varies in response to fluctuations in deer viremia. To accomplish this, five white-tailed deer were experimentally infected with EHDV-2 and colonized C. …

Ebullition Of Oxygen From Seagrasses Under Supersaturated Conditions, Matthew H. Long, Kevin Sutherland, Scott D. Wankel, David J. Burdige, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Gas ebullition from aquatic systems to the atmosphere represents a potentially important fraction of primary production that goes unquantified by measurements of dissolved gas concentrations. Although gas ebullition from photosynthetic surfaces has often been observed, it is rarely quantified. The resulting underestimation of photosynthetic activity may significantly bias the determination of ecosystem trophic status and estimated rates of biogeochemical cycling from in situ measures of dissolved oxygen. Here, we quantified gas ebullition rates in Zostera marina meadows in Virginia, U.S.A. using simple funnel traps and analyzed the oxygen concentration and isotopic composition of the captured gas. Maximum hourly rates of …

Effects Of Aquatic Acidification On Calcium Uptake In White River Shrimp Litopenaeus Setiferus Gills, Maria-Flora Jacobs

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research regarding aquatic acidification has examined the protonation of the carbonate and does not consider calcium to be a limiting factor. This is the first study to suggest that pH may affect the uptake of calcium in crustacean gills. This project describes ion transport mechanisms present in the cell membranes of white river shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus gill epithelium, and the effects of pH on the uptake of calcium by these means. Partially purified membrane vesicles (PPMV) of shrimp gills were prepared through a homogenization process that has been used previously to define ion transport in crab and lobster gill …

Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes For Sensitive Determination Of Lysosomal & Mitochondrial Ph In Live Cells, Wafa Mazi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Varied intracellular pH levels are critical for various physiological processes such as enzymatic activity, cell proliferation and apoptosis, ion transport, and muscle contraction. Cellular compartments, like lysosomes, must retain an acidic environment (pH ~ 4.5) to activate hydrolytic enzymes necessary for the breakdown of large biomolecules. Another cellular organelle, the mitochondria, provides the cell with energy and must retain an alkalis environment (pH ~ 8.0) for proper function. Substantial lysosomal and mitochondrial pH deviation is associated with cellular dysfunction and disease. Therefore, the precise detection of lysosomal and mitochondrial pH is essential to provide a better understanding of cellular physiological …

ผลการปกป้องของสารสกัดใบรางจืดจากการเหนี่ยวนำความเป็นพิษด้วยกลูตาเมตในเซลล์ประสาท Ht-22 ผ่านวิถีออโตฟาจี, วุฒิพงษ์ วงศ์ทิพย์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

หนึ่งในสาเหตุสำคัญของการเกิดโรคความเสื่อมของระบบประสาทนั้นเกิดได้จากภาวะเครียดออกซิเดชันภายในเซลล์ประสาท โดยพบว่าสารสื่อประสาทชนิดกลูตาเมตเมื่อมีระดับสูงผิดปกติสามารถเหนี่ยวนำให้เกิดอนุมูลอิสระและภาวะเครียดออกซิเดชันนำไปสู่การสูญเสียและการตายของเซลล์ประสาทได้ โดยเฉพาะการตายของเซลล์จากการเกิดกระบวนการออโตฟาจีมากเกินไป ซึ่งเป็นกระบวนการที่มีบทบาทสำคัญในการควบคุมการตายของเซลล์ผ่านวิถีอื่นๆ รางจืด (Thunbergia laurifolia) เป็นพืชสมุนไพรไทยมีสรรพคุณในการถอนพิษ ต้านการอักเสบ และ ต้านอนุมูลอิสระได้ดี จุดประสงค์ในการวิจัยครั้งนี้ คือ ศึกษาคุณสมบัติการต้านอนุมูลอิสระของสารสกัดหยาบจากใบรางจืด และการปกป้องการตายของเซลล์ประสาทผ่านวิถีออโตฟาจี จากการเหนี่ยวนำภาวะเครียดออกซิเดชันด้วยกลูตาเมตโดยทดสอบในเซลล์ประสาทส่วนฮิปโปแคมปัสของหนูชนิด HT-22 ใบรางจืดถูกนำมาสกัดด้วยเอทานอล จากผลการทดสอบพบว่าสารสกัดหยาบจากใบรางจืดมีความสามารถในการต้านอนุมูลอิสระ และมีปริมาณสารประกอบ ฟลาโวนอยด์และฟีนอลิกสูง โดยจากการวิเคราะห์ด้วยเครื่อง LC-MS และเปรียบเทียบผลที่ได้กับฐานข้อมูล METLIN-(CA, USA) พบสารออกฤทธิ์สำคัญที่ยังไม่มีรายงานในสารสกัดเอทานอลของใบรางจืด ได้แก่ Apigenin 7-O-glucoside และ 7-Hydroxycoumarin ยิ่งไปกว่านั้นสารสกัดหยาบจากใบรางจืดยังสามารถลดการตายของเซลล์ประสาทจากการเหนี่ยวนำความเป็นพิษด้วยกลูตาเมต โดยสามารถยับยั้งการเกิดอนุมูลอิสระภายในเซลล์ และเพิ่มการแสดงออกของยีนต้านอนุมูลอิสระที่ทำหน้าที่สำคัญในกระบวนการต้านอนุมูลอิสระในร่างกาย ได้แก่ superoxide dismutase 1 และ 2 (SOD1 and SOD2) catalase (CAT) และ glutathione peroxidase (GPx) ซึ่งสัมพันธ์กับการลดการเกิดกระบวนการออโตฟาจีภายในเซลล์และเพิ่มปริมาณ ไมโตคอนเดรียโปรตีน โดยพบว่าสารสกัดหยาบจากใบรางจืดสามารถลดอัตราส่วนการแสดงออกของโปรตีน LC3B-II/LC3B-I และเพิ่มการแสดงออกของไมโตคอนเดรียโปรตีน TOM20 เมื่อทำการตรวจหาตำแหน่งที่จำเพาะต่อการแสดงออกของโปรตีนในกระบวนการออโตฟาจี (LC3B) และไมโตคอนเดรียด้วยกล้องจุลทรรศน์ชนิดคอนโฟคอล พบว่า สารสกัดหยาบจากใบรางจืดสามารถลดการเกิด LC3-puncta ซึ่งเป็นลักษณะเด่นของการเกิดกระบวนการออโตฟาจี นอกจากนี้สารสกัดหยาบจากใบรางจืดยังลดการ colocalization ของ LC3B และไมโตคอนเดรีย จากผลการศึกษานี้เราพบสารออกฤทธิ์สำคัญใหม่ที่ยังไม่มีรายงานมาก่อนของใบรางจืด โดยสารออกฤทธิ์นี้มีความสามารถในการปกป้องเซลล์ประสาทชนิด HT-22 จากภาวะเครียดออกซิเดชันและเป็นปัจจัยสำคัญทำให้สารสกัดจากใบรางจืดมีความสามารถลดการตายของเซลล์ประสาทผ่านวิถีออโตฟาจีได้ ซึ่งอาจสามารถนำไปพัฒนาเป็นสมุนไพรทางเลือกหรือยาเพื่อใช้ในการป้องกันหรือรักษาการเกิดโรคความเสื่อมของระบบประสาทได้ในอนาคต

Development Of Cell-Penetrating Peptides Targeting Nuclear And Extra-Nuclear Signaling Pathways In Cancer Cells, Panthita Kaewjanthong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Growth factors and hormones often mediate their biological effects through series of protein-protein interaction between cytoplasmic signaling molecules or transcription factors. Interfering of these protein-protein interactions has been shown to reduce or inhibit biological and growth responses to various growth factors and hormones. We previously demonstrated that progesterone receptor (PR) contains a polyproline domain (PPD) which directly interact to Src homology 3 (SH3) domain-containing molecules and expression of PR-PPD inhibits EGFR-mediated NSCLC cell proliferation. In this study, we investigated that the introduction of PR-PPD by cell-penetrating peptide could inhibit EGF-induced NSCLC cell proliferation. PR-PPD was attached to a cancer-specific CPP, …

Of Course, Humans Are Not Unique!, Bernard Wallner

Animal Sentience

This commentary focuses on the question of the uniqueness of humans in comparison to other species and on the false assumption that single arguments support logical conclusions. Comparative analysis of genetic data in humans and nonhuman primates regarding the dopaminergic system of the subcortical mesolimbic reward system highlights homologous traits shared and modified by the process of evolution. Such an analytical approach is more relevant than claims of uniqueness.

Development Of Paper-Based 3d Cell Culture Devices And Real-Time Biosensing Applications, Naricha Pupinyo

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Due to its micro fibrous pores, paper has gained traction in the use as a scaffold for 3D cell culture. To study melanoma mechanism, screening the amount of melanin production and invasion study are major keys for drug development. In this work, we developed paper-based devices for culturing melanoma cells. Through the development process, we obtained the optimal parameters, which were applied for 3 different projects; 1) Anti-melanogenic effect screening, 2) Impedance-based E-screen assay, and 3) A membrane insert for real-time invasion assay. As a result of melanin production from melanocytes, the cells can be easily observed after a few …

Effects And Mechanisms Of Caesalpinia Mimosoides Leaf Extract On Oxidative Stress Resistance And Anti-Aging Activity In Caenorhabditis Elegans And Neurite Outgrowth Activity In Neuro2a Cells, Panthakarn Rangsinth

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

World’s population of older people is rising, dietary supplements promoting healthy lifespan are needed. Moreover, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), an age-related degenerative disease, becomes a public health problem in aging society. Recent reports using cell culture models of AD suggest that amyloid precursor protein (APP), a protein causally related to AD, plays an important role as an inhibitor of neurite outgrowth. Medicinal herbs with neurite outgrowth stimulatory effect may help to prevent and cure AD. Moreover, studies suggest that dietary supplements from plant sources act in preventive nutrition, since they provide antioxidant action against oxidative stress, promote healthspan and prolong lifespan. …

Cost-Efficient And Easy To Perform Pcr-Based Assay To Identify Met Exon 14 Skipping In Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (Ffpe) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Nsclc) Samples, Odharnaith O'Brien, Mark C. Wright, Cathal O'Brien, Orla Geoghegan, Niamh Leonard, Siobhan Nicolson, Sinead Cuffe, Aurelie Fabre, Wolfram Jochum, Markus Joerger, Steven G. Gray, Stephen P. Finn

Articles

MET is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) that plays important roles in carcinogenesis. Despite being frequently overexpressed in cancer, clinical responses to targeting this receptor have been limited. Recently novel splicing mutations involving the loss of exon 14 (called METex14 skipping) have emerged as potential biomarkers to predict for responsiveness to targeted therapies with Met inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Currently, the diverse genomic alterations responsible for METex14 skipping pose a challenge for routine clinical diagnostic testing. In this report, we examine three different methodologies to detect METex14 and assess their potential utility for use as a diagnostic …

Inhibition Of Hsv-1 Binding By Egcg-Stearate, Valerie Paschalis

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is the causative agent of oral herpes, and is able to establish lifelong latent infection along with painful, recurring symptoms. Epigallocatechin-3- gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant polyphenol derived from green tea (Camellia sinensis), whose anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and antiviral properties have been widely studied. Although EGCG is not chemically stable and has poor hydrophobicity, lipophilic derivatives of EGCG have shown increased stability as well as increased antiviral efficacy against HSV. Previous studies have demonstrated that EGCG stearate (EGCG-S), a derivative of EGCG esterified at the 4’ position with stearic acid, is able to …

Avoiding Adverse Effects: New Ideas In Drug Discovery For Targeting Pparγ, Trey M. Patton

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) has been a drug target to treat type 2 diabetes for the last 20 years when rosiglitazone and pioglitazone were approved by the FDA in 1999. While effective at increasing insulin sensitivity, these drugs cause serious adverse effects due to their full agonist characteristics. For that reason, drug discovery efforts have attempted to reduce or prevent the amount of agonist character of new PPARγ targeting ligands. Unfortunately, there have been no new FDA approved drugs for the receptor. There is a need for new ideas to produce better quality pharmaceuticals that lessen the impact of …

Analysis Of Aboral Spine Variation In The Forcipulate Sea Star, Pisaster Ochraceus (Brandt 1835), Angela Jordane Jones

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Rocky intertidal zones are highly dynamic environments that exhibit substantial spatial and temporal variation in abiotic conditions, which can drive body form variation and energy allocation within calcifying species. Wave exposure, specifically, has been shown to be a significant driver of skeletal and structural morphology in organisms including gastropods, bivalves, and sponges. Many of such organisms, from sponges to echinoderms, rely on calcium carbonate for structural support and protection.

In the phylum Echinodermata (named for possessing a ‘spiny skin’), research on the form and function of calcium carbonate spines is largely relegated to Class Echinodea (e.g., urchins and sand dollars) …

Co-Expression Of Feedback Resistant Enzymes In Phenylalanine Biosynthesis Pathway To Increase Phenylalanine Production, Charintip Yenyuvadee

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

L-Phenylalanine (L-Phe) is an important commercial amino acid. It is widely used in food and pharmaceutical industries. Currently, the requirement of L-Phe is increased according to the great demand for the low-calorie sweetener, aspartame. In Escherichia coli, the synthesis of L-Phe is controlled by the multi-hierarchical regulations. AroG isoform of 3-deoxy- D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHP synthase) and chorismate mutase/prephenate dehydratase (PheA), two important enzymes, are feedback inhibited by LPhe. Co-expression of feedback-resistant pheA (pheA[superscript L359D]) with other pivotal genes in L-Phe biosynthesis pathway: aroB, aroL, phedh, tktA, aroG, pheA, yddG, and glpF in pRSFDuet-1 (pPTFBLYA[superscript L359D]) elevated L-Phe production of E. …

Fructooligosaccharide Synthesis By Immobilized Inulosucrase From Lactobacillus Reuteri 121 And Improvement Of Product Pattern Using Site-Directed Mutagenesis, Thanapon Charoenwongpaiboon

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Inulin-type fructooligosaccharides (IFOS) are well-known prebiotics which can be produced from sucrose using bacterial inulosucrase (E.C. 2.4.1.9). However, the use of inulosucrase for IFOS synthesis has some limitations because it also synthesizes some polysaccharides and exhibits lower stability than the fungal enzymes. To overcome these limitations, improvement of inulosucrase was made by using enzyme immobilization and enzyme engineering. First, inulosucrase from Lactobacillus reuteri 121 was immobilized on a novel, high capacity core-shell chitosan beads using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker. The results showed that both immobilized and free inulosucrase had the same optimum pH (5.5), while the optimum temperature was shifted …

Effects Of Hydrogen Synthesis Inhibition On Changes Of Bioproduct Contents In Cyanobacterium Synechocystis Sp. Pcc 6803, Nannaphat Sukkasam

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Cyanobacteria have an ability to convert carbon dioxide and solar light to bioproducts. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is the laboratory model strain of cyanobacteria with known metabolism and biochemistry. NADPH is one of the essential electron carriers and coenzymes required for various cellular metabolism including the production of bioproducts. [NiFe]-Hydrogenase consumes NADPH to produce hydrogen gas which considerably the loss of metabolic energy. Thus, the elimination of [NiFe]-hydrogenase would increase NADPH level in the cell and might increase the accumulation of bioproducts. In this work, hoxY and hoxH genes (encoding the two catalysis subunits of [NiFe]-hydrogenase) were inactivated. The inactivation …

Computational Design And Production Of Levansucrase With Increased Thermostability, Methus Klaewkla

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Levansucrase is a carbohydrate-modifying enzyme that catalyzes hydrolysis of sucrose and transfructosylation of a fructosyl unit of sucrose to produce levan and levan-type fructooligosaccharides (LFOs). Due to their various beneficial properties such as low viscosity and non-toxicity. Levan and LFOs have potential applications in many industries such as prebiotics in food industries and anti-tumor agents in pharmaceutical industries. Previous study found that the Y246S mutant of Bacillus licheniformis RN-01 levansucrase (Oligosaccharide Producing Levansucrase, OPL) could effectively produce LFOs, but its thermostability is limited at high temperature. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) and computational protein design were used to design …

Functional Characterization Of O-Acetyltransferase Wssi: Role In Bacterial Cellulose Acetylation Of Achromobacter Insuavis And Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Alysha Burnett

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Cellulose biofilms consist of a community of bacterial cells encased in a self-produced matrix of polymers (e.g. exopolysaccharides, such as cellulose) that facilitate a firm adherence to surfaces. The acetylation (addition of an acetyl group on carbohydrates) is crucial in virulence; thereby in some cases allowing opportunistic bacteria to cause harmful diseases. Pertaining to this research, the wrinkly spreader (WS) genotype of Pseudomonas fluorescens colonizes the air-liquid interface on food, water sources and human tissue to form a robust biofilm with the ability to spread across surfaces. The composition of this biofilm largely consists of bacterial cellulose polymers …

Structural And Functional Analysis Of Three Upregulated Gene Products, Tde0626, Tde1701, And Tde2714 From Treponema Denticola During Biofilm Formation, Jonah Nechacov

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The progression of human chronic periodontitis within periodontal disease has been often linked to the presence of key pathogens, such as the presence of Treponema denticola, a late colonizer found in the deepening pockets of the gingival sulcus. This pathogen, as well as its associates Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia, are classified as the ‘red complex’ and exist in a mixed biofilm during infection. It is within this biofilm state that previous transcriptomic analysis revealed a total of 126 genes that had an increase in their expression by 1.5-fold or greater in T. denticola. Three of these …

Characterization Of The Red Complex Bacterial Biofilm, Alena Pratasouskaya

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Commonly associated with severe inflammation and destruction of the tooth-supporting tissue is bacterial consortia Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, and Porphyromonas gingivalis, collectively referred to as the red complex. The red complex uses the common bacterial strategy of producing and embedding itself in extracellular polymeric substance, which contributes to the recalcitrance of periodontitis and was therefore of interest in this study. The red complex static cultures were grown in combination with different chemicals in order to establish what changes accompany these chemical challenges. This research established that extracellular polymeric substance carbohydrate yields increased with time. Interestingly, carbohydrate composition …

Characterizing The Cellulose-Modifying Enzyme Bcsg From Escherichia Coli, Alexander Anderson, Joel T. Weadge

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Microbial biofilms are communities of microorganisms that exhibit co-operative behaviour, producing a matrix of exopolysaccharide that enmeshes the community. The well-studied human pathogens Escherichia coli and Salmonella entericaproduce a biofilm matrix comprised chiefly of the biopolymer cellulose, along with amyloid protein fibers termed curli. This biofilm matrix confers surface adherence and acts as a protective barrier to disinfectants, antimicrobials, environmental stressors, and host immune responses. Pertaining to this research, the bcsEFG operon, conserved in the Enterobacteriaceae, encodes an inner membrane-spanning complex responsible for the addition of a phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) modification to microbial cellulose, essential for extracellular matrix assembly and …

Expression, Purification, Functional Characterization And Crystallization Of Three Porphyromonas Gingivalis Gene Products, Katarina Mandic

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Dental biofilms are coupled polymicrobial aggregates that have attached to solid surfaces in the oral cavity. These collections of microorganisms are known to cause periodontal diseases that commence as localized inflammation of the gingiva and if untreated, eventually lead to irreversible alveolar bone resorption and tooth loss. Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of three periodontal pathogens that make up the “Red Complex”; a bacterial consortium responsible for the production of polysaccharide-rich biofilms that are essential to the inception and progression of periodontal disease. The dysbiosis and destructive inflammation caused by these organisms propel a self-sustained feed-forward loop that perpetuates periodontal disease. …

Potential Of Nanoscale Elements To Control Fusarium Wilt Disease In Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum), Enhance Macronutrient Use Efficiency, And Increase Its Yield, Ishaq Olarewaju Adisa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Nanotechnology has a great potential in ensuring food production, security and safety globally. Over the past decade, research on the use of nanomaterials to supply nutrient elements and protect plants from pest and diseases has significantly increased. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world and United State is one of its largest producers globally generating billions of dollars annually in revenue.. Tomato plants are affected worldwide by Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici. There is growing concern about excessive use of conventional pesticides in controlling Fusarium and other diseases in tomato …

Naturally Derived Compounds As Preventatives Of Proteinopathies, Lois Mendez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), afflict millions worldwide. Of greater concern is the fact that a main risk factor this disease is aging and the baby boomer population is now reaching a geriatric age. Despite the active research in this area, little progress has been made in the development of therapeutic strategies and furthering of our understanding in pinpointing the causal events that onset these disease processes. Our lab has focused on studying the protein homeostasis of key biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases and examining whether natural compounds can act as neuro-protectants and, thus, attenuate the pathology that ensues …

Non Linear Optics For Materials Fabrication And Medical Instrumentation, Aurelio Paez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Two-photon absorption is a nonlinear optical process where two photons are absorbed by a molecule simultaneously. The probability of this quantum phenomenon is proportional to the quadratic excitation of light intensity. It has many applications in biomedical and materials research, such as two-photon fluorescence microcopy. The first project is to apply two-photon absorption induced bond cleavage in photoreactive materials for engineering 3D tissue scaffolds. The major challenge for growing thick 3D tissues is the lack of vasculature, where nutrients and oxygen can be delivered to the growing cells. Our collaborators have synthesized a novel polypeptide that is composed of 34-mer …

Dinitrogen Fixation Across Physico-Chemical Gradients Of The Eastern Tropical North Pacific Oxygen Deficient Zone, C. R. Selden, M. R. Mulholland, P.W. Bernhardt, B. Widner, A. Macías-Tapia, Q. Ji, A. Jayakumar

OES Faculty Publications

The Eastern Tropical North Pacific Ocean hosts one of the world's largest oceanic oxygen deficient zones (ODZs). Hot spots for reactive nitrogen (N_r) removal processes, ODZs generate conditions proposed to promote N_r inputs via dinitrogen (N₂) fixation. In this study, we quantified N₂ fixation rates by ¹⁵N tracer bioassay across oxygen, nutrient, and light gradients within and adjacent to the ODZ. Within subeuphotic oxygen‐deplete waters, N₂ fixation was largely undetectable; however, addition of dissolved organic carbon stimulated N₂ fixation in suboxic (μmol/kg O₂) waters, suggesting that diazotroph communities are …

Non-Contact Trapping And Stretching Of Biological Cells Using Dual-Beam Optical Stretcher On Microfluidic Platform, Aotuo Dong, Balaadithya Uppalapati, Shariful Islam, Brandon Gibbs, Ganesan Kamatchi, Sacharia Albin, Makarand Deo

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Optical stretcher is a tool in which two counter-propagating, slightly diverging, and identical laser beams are used to trap and axially stretch microparticles in the path of light. In this work, we utilized the dual-beam optical stretcher setup to trap and stretch human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and mammalian breast cancer (MBC) cells. Experiments were performed by exposing the HEK cells to counter-propagating laser beams for 30 seconds at powers ranging from 100 mW to 561 mW. It was observed that the percentage of cell deformation increased from 16.7% at 100 mW to 40.5% at 561 mW optical power. The …