Biology Commons^™

Rictor, A Mtorc2 Protein, Regulates Lymphatic Valve Formation And Maintenance Through The Akt-Foxo1 Signaling Axis, Richa Banerjee

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lymphatic vasculature maintains tissue fluid homeostasis by absorbing interstitial fluid to form lymph and transporting it back to the bloodstream. Collecting lymphatic vessels have lymphatic valves (LVs) that prevent the retrograde flow of lymph generated by hydrostatic pressure from the blood vasculature. Backflow and accumulation of lymph leads to a lymphatic pathology called lymphedema. This implicates the involvement of defective LVs in the pathogenesis of lymphedema and warrants the study of lymphatic valve development and maintenance. The LVs are formed through a process called mechanotransduction which signals through the intracellular PI3K-AKT pathway in lymphatic endothelial cells. However, the activation …

Phosphorylation-Driven Epichaperome Assembly Is A Regulator Of Cellular Adaptability And Proliferation., Tanaya Roychowdhury, Seth W Mcnutt, Chiranjeevi Pasala, Hieu Nguyen, Daniel T Thornton, Sahil Sharma, Luke Botticelli, Chander S Digwal, Suhasini Joshi, Nan Yang, Palak Panchal, Souparna Chakrabarty, Sadik Bay, Vladimir Markov, Charlene Kwong, Jeanine Lisanti, Sun Young Chung, Stephen D Ginsberg, Pengrong Yan, Elisa De Stanchina, Adriana Corben, Shanu Modi, Mary Alpaugh, Giorgio Colombo, Hediye Erdjument-Bromage, Thomas A Neubert, Robert J Chalkley, Peter R Baker, Alma L Burlingame, Anna Rodina, Gabriela Chiosis, Feixia Chu

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

The intricate network of protein-chaperone interactions is crucial for maintaining cellular function. Recent discoveries have unveiled the existence of specialized chaperone assemblies, known as epichaperomes, which serve as scaffolding platforms that orchestrate the reconfiguration of protein-protein interaction networks, thereby enhancing cellular adaptability and proliferation. This study explores the structural and regulatory aspects of epichaperomes, with a particular focus on the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in their formation and function. A key finding is the identification of specific PTMs on HSP90, particularly at residues Ser226 and Ser255 within an intrinsically disordered region, as critical determinants of epichaperome assembly. Our data …

A Review Of Biomass-Based Natural Coagulants For Water Pollution Remediation: Impact Of Properties And Coagulation Operational Parameters, Nur Faizzah Husna Mohammad Ali, Megat Ahmad Kamal Megat Hanafiah, Sabiha Hanim Saleh, Mohd Tajudin Mohd Ali, Shariff Ibrahim

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

The rapid growth of cities, industries, and population has made tackling water scarcity increasingly challenging as the global demand for clean drinking water continues to rise. Consequently, extensive research in water and wastewater treatment, specifically focusing on the coagulation process, has ensued. Coagulation plays a critical role in water treatment, and its effectiveness depends on the type of coagulant used. However, the widespread use of chemical coagulants raises concerns for the environment and public health. Consequently, there has been growing interest in exploring natural alternatives derived from plants and animals. This review examines how the properties of natural coagulants, as …

The Short Allele Of The Serotonin Transporter Gene (Slc6a4) Increases Predisposition To Anxiety And Negative Emotional States, Gabriella Hitti

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Mental disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, have long been a focus of psychological research, and increasing evidence points to a genetic basis for their occurrence. Polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene (SLC6A4) may predispose an individual to anxiety-related symptoms. SLC6A4 has two common alleles: the short (s) allele, which results in less 5-HTT protein production, and the long (l) allele, which results in more 5-HTT. Integrated findings from psychometric evaluations, behavioral animal models, and biological assessments establish a link between the s allele of SLC6A4 and heightened anxiety phenotypes. The allele’s influence on serotonin levels and brain …

Ophidiomyces Ophidiicola And Texas Snakes: A Field To Bench Study Of Ophidiomycosis, Kenlynn L. Volz

Biology Theses

Ophidiomyces ophidiicola (Oo), the primary cause of Ophidiomycosis, is a fungal pathogen recently detected in Texas snakes. Prior to this study, there were major knowledge gaps regarding Oo growth, spread, and suitable environmental conditions. This study filled those gaps using a field to bench approach involving sampling snakes across Texas, in vitro fungal growth, and ecological niche modeling. 103 snakes were sampled across Texas in 2023 and 2024 and six cases of Oo infection were detected. Results of the growth experiment suggest that Oo prefers more stable temperatures and high humidity to a point and that there is a …

Formulation And Evaluation Of In-Vitro Anti-Cancer Activity Of Iron Nanoparticles On Mcf-7 & A-475 Cells, Sarad Pawar Naik Bukke, Arigela Bharathi, Tenpattinam Shanmugam Saraswathi, Yenumula Nettikallu, Shanmugam Vippamakula

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Nanomedicine is an interdisciplinary field within the developing nano medication delivery system. Ayurveda, a traditional form of healing, employs nanoparticles known as Bhasmas. Nanoparticles can be selectively designed to simultaneously deliver many medications. This innovative functionality enables meticulous regulation of drug release, therefore obviating the necessity for intricate dosing schedules. This enhances patient compliance with treatment. The aim of this work is to synthesise iron nanoparticles using an environmentally friendly process, evaluate the quality of the produced nanoparticles, and examine their possible anti-cancer properties by in-vitro experimental testing utilizing MCF-7 and A-475 cell lines. To produce neem leaf extract, fresh …

Antimicrobial Properties Of Jasminum Sambac Linn Leave Extract On Selected Oral Associated Pathogen, Sarah Saiful Rizal, Wan Razarinah Wan Abdul Razak

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Traditional medicine using Jasminum leaves to treat oral health problems is expected due to easy access. Furthermore, due to the rising issue of antibiotic resistance, discovering a natural antibiotic that can effectively replace synthetic antibiotics would be valuable as natural antibiotics can cover the benefits, challenges, and future development. This study aims to assess the antimicrobial properties of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Jasminum sambac L. leaves at the concentration of 50, 150, and 250 mg/ml against E. coli ATCC 25922, P. aeruginosa ATCC 10145, S. aureus ATCC 33591 and B. cereus ATCC 11778, C. albicans ATCC 10231 and A. …

Potential Of Critical Mineral And Cytotoxicity Activity Of Gadolinium Complex As Anti-Amoebic Agent By Viability Studies And Flow Cytometry Techniques, Eny Kusrini, Fatimah Hashim, Azrina Aziz, Muhamad Fairus Noor Hassim, Anwar Usman, Lee D. Wilson, El-Sayed Negim, Agus Budi Prasetyo

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

The screening of lanthanide as a critical mineral and used as an anti-amoebic agent is important to identify the safest method and mode of cell death to eliminate this microorganism from the host. In this study, gadolinium ion (Gd³⁺) that complexed with a short acyclic triethylene glycol (EO3) and in the presence of picric acid (HPic) as counter anion for anti-amoebic activity was explored. The trivalent Gd³⁺ complexed with EO3 and HPic via one-pot synthesis reaction using a mole ratio of gadolinium nitrate salt, EO3 ligand and HPic in a mole ratio 1:3:4 to produce [Gd(Pic)_{2 …}

Designing A Novel Approach To Cadaveric Dissection And Evaluation Of The Lacrimal Gland Anatomy, Maresa Joanna Mcdowell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

During our study, the orbital dissections of 44 cadavers were analyzed, and the lacrimal gland's condition after dissection was evaluated. Medical students previously dissected twenty-two of the cadavers using the dissection steps outlined in Grant’s Dissector. From these, 21 student groups performed orbital dissection using the two approaches outlined in Grant’s Dissector. Post-evaluation of Grant’s anterior approach (GAA) showed that 50% of the lacrimal glands had signs of damage to the orbital lobe, and 88.89% of the palpebral lobe were damaged. When Grant’s supraorbital approach (GSA) was used, 70% of the palpebral lobes showed signs of damage compared to the …

Utilizing Lentinula Edodes And Pleurotus Ostreatus To Decrease Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Growth With Oxidative Stress Present As A Model For Cancer, Abdullah Amir

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, and its effects can be worsened when high levels of oxidative stress are present. Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus ostreatus are two edible mushroom species that have been shown to contain many anticancer agents. However, the effects of these mushrooms have not been tested on cancer in the presence of oxidative stress. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to test the effectiveness of L. edodes and P. ostreatus in reducing Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth when oxidative stress was present. It was hypothesized that these two mushroom species would …

A Comparative Study To Predict Ovarian Cancer, Binadie Wickramasinghe, Gloria Regisford

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Ovarian cancer is considered the fifth most common cancer type among females in the United States. Furthermore, ovarian cancer accounts for 25% of all gynecologic cancers, and usually, this cancer is diagnosed at a late stage. A patient can live at least five years longer if ovarian cancer is diagnosed early. Therefore, the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is essential. This study aims to classify ovarian cancer using biomarkers such as ovarian cancer antigen (CA125), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), and anti-TP53 antibodies. Rising or persistent CA125 blood levels provide a highly …

Cortisol And Alpha-Synuclein Stability In Saliva Under Varying Storage And Handling Conditions, Mo Zheng, Sujata Srikanth, Jeremiah Carpenter, Delphine Dean

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor impairments and non-motor symptoms, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Currently, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the primary biofluid used for PD biomarker studies, notably α-synuclein, despite the invasive nature of lumbar puncture procedures. Recent work has shown that some of these PD biomarkers have been measured in saliva. As an alternative to CSF, saliva can be non-invasively self-collected by patients repeatedly over time to monitor biomarker levels. However, the stability of these biomarkers in saliva needs to be evaluated before saliva can be considered for patient self-collection studies. Therefore, …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Synergistic Inhibition Of Hiv-1 Regulatory Function Using A Dual Expression Shrna Plasmid, Christine Sanderson, William H. Jackson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

HIV infection of CD4⁺ T Helper lymphocytes results in a gradual loss of immune competence, which ultimately leads to development of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV-1 expresses two regulatory proteins, Tat and Rev, which act to upregulate viral transcription and facilitate mRNA transport enhancing the rate of translation. Inhibition of Tat and Rev have been shown to block virus replication. Therefore, Tat and Rev represent critical key points in the virus replication cycle. This study investigated the potential of RNA interference (RNAi) to inhibit these proteins using short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs). For this, plasmids expressing shRNAs targeting …

Prospective Exploratory Evaluation Of Cepheid Xpert Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Host Response Cartridge: A Focus On Adolescents And Young Adults, Marva Seifert, Donald G. Catanzaro, Michael Gracia, Naomi Hillery, Sabira Tahseen, Faisal Masood, Uzma Majeed, Rebecca E. Colman, Rehan Syed, Antonino Catanzaro, Timothy Rodwell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background. An accurate, rapid, non-sputum-based triage test for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) is needed. Methods. A prospective evaluation of the Cepheid GeneXpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis Host Response cartridge (Xpert- MTB-HR), a prototype blood-based host response mRNA signature assay, among individuals presenting with TB-like symptoms was performed in Pakistan and results were compared to 3 reference standards: Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra, bacteriological confirmation (Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra and/or culture positivity), and composite clinical diagnosis (clinician diagnosis, treatment initiation, Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra, and/or culture positivity). Analyses were conducted both for the entire study cohort and separately in the adolescent and young adult cohort (aged 10–24 years). …

Striatal Beat Frequency Interval Timing Model With Microgravity Stressor, Jason Michael Fitzgerald, Sorinel Oprisan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The Striatal Beat Frequency (SBF) model of interval timing uses frontal cortex (FC) neural oscillations to record the state of the brain at the reinforcement time Tc during fixed interval (FI) procedures in the long-term memory (LMEM). The state of the FC oscillators at any given time is stored in a short-term memory (SMEM) buffer. The SBF model uses the spiny neurons of the basal ganglia (BG) as coincidence detectors to produce beats between the content of the SMEM and LMEM. Across multiple species that can perform interval timing, there are two invariant properties: (a) the timing is precise, and …

Examination Of Oncogenic Effects Of Environmental Pollutants, Andrew Ackerman, Matthew Behling, Brock Earley, Janay Vacharasin

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Chemical byproducts produced by surrounding industrial complexes have polluted the local estuaries of Georgetown, South Carolina for several decades¹. Previous studies completed by the EPA and SCDNR showed that the estuaries contained carcinogenic pollutants released from the local manufacturing plants¹. One of the mentioned pollutants was dioxins which are produced during the paper bleaching process². Dioxins are highly toxic compounds that have various carcinogenic effects on the organisms that inhabit the area. These previous studies were conducted over thirty years ago. Therefore, a current study to determine if chemical byproducts are contaminating local estuaries …

Repurposing Bt-11 To Treat Alzheimer’S Disease: Exploring The Glutathione-S-Transferase Lancl2 As A Target, Emily Birnbaum

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Approximately 99.6% of potential Alzheimer’s drugs fail, thus developing successful drugs is a high priority. The failure at developing successful drugs relates to the complex nature of the disease itself. Many components act together to trigger a cascade that ultimately results in neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction associated with the disease. In building a multiplex model of Alzheimer’s it is important to understand its specific biological mechanisms. One of these key pathological mechanisms is neuroinflammation. Understanding the pathways involved in neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s is an urgent need, as it poses a promising avenue for future effective therapeutics. Specifically, as many investigational …

The Experience Of Homelessness And Its Effects On Gut Eubiosis, Kamerin Villagomez

University Honors Theses

Microorganisms which populate the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) have a profound effect on overall human health. The relationship between host health and eubiosis, or balance, of the GIT microbiome is symbiotic and can have reciprocal relationships with quality of sleep, quality of diet, stress and mental health, and the experience of pain. These specific aspects of health are unique in populations experiencing homelessness due to the multi-dimensional and complex nature of their lived experience. Very few studies explore populations experiencing homelessness, with even fewer investigating the intersection between this population and the human GIT microbiome. It is important to do …

A Systematic Review: Longevity And Quality Of Life In Blue Zones, Salmaan Mulla

Theses and Graduate Projects

Ikaria, Loma Linda, Sardinia, Okinawa, and Nikoya. These 5 cities around the world are famed for their increased longevity and quality of life and are termed “Blue Zones”. Blue zones are areas around the world noted for their population of centenarians, overall long life expectancy and high quality of life compared to the average population. Studying these communities offer insights into the commonalities they share to better understand the unique aspects of living a healthy, fulfilling and long life. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, with the search terms “Ikaria, Greece longevity; Loma Linda, California longevity; Sardinia, …

Novel Mechanisms For The Neural Control Of Breathing In Acute Lung Injury, Kajal Kamra

Theses & Dissertations

Acute lung injury (ALI) triggers inflammation that disrupts the normal alveolar-capillary endothelial barrier, impairing gas exchange and causing hypoxemia, which reflexively increases respiration. An elevated respiratory rate (fR) usually develops within hours to days following ALI. This acute respiratory failure disorder affects approximately 200,000 new cases annually in the US and accounts for 10% of ICU admissions, with high morbidity and mortality. The neural mechanisms underlying respiratory dysfunction post-ALI are not fully understood. My doctoral dissertation aimed to investigate the mediators of abnormal ventilation during ALI. Systemic hypoxia stimulates the carotid body (CB) chemoreflex, a crucial protective reflex that maintains …

The Role Of Southern Red-Backed Voles, Myodes Gapperi, And Peromyscus Mice In The Enzootic Maintenance Of Lyme Disease Spirochetes In North Dakota, Usa, Michael W. Dougherty, Nathan M. Russart, Robert A. Gaultney, Emily Marie Gisi, Haley M. Cooper, Lindsey R. Kallis, Catherine A. Brissette, Jefferson A. Vaughan

Biology Faculty Publications

Lyme disease has expanded into the Great Plains of the USA. To investigate local enzootic transmission, small mammals were trapped in two forested tracts in northeastern North Dakota during 2012 and 2013. Peromyscus mice and southern red-backed voles, Myodes gapperi, comprised over 90% of all mammals captured. One site was dominated by Peromyscus (79% of 100 mammals captured). At the other site, M. gapperi (59% of 107 mammals captured) was more abundant than Peromyscus (36%). Immature stages of two tick species parasitized small mammals: Dermacentor variabilis and Ixodes scapularis. Larval I. scapularis ectoparasitism was significantly higher on Peromyscus (81% …

Activated Carbon Derived From Rice Husk Biomass Using Pyrolysis-Assisted Tartaric Acid Activation For Removal Of Reactive Orange 16 Dye: Adsorption Modeling Using Response Surface Methodology, Ahmed Saud Abdulhameed, Ruihong Wu, Abdallah Reghioua, Harun M. Mbuvi, Zaher Mundher Yaseen, Zaharaddeen N. Garba

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

In the current work, rice husk (RH) biomass was pyrolyzed using tartaric acid as an activating agent to produce activated carbon (AC). For 60 min, the procedure was run at 700 °C and 5 L/min of nitrogen (N₂) flow rate. The study used response surface methodology (RSM) and a 3-level Box-Behnken design (BBD) to optimize the extraction efficiency of rice husk activated carbon (RHAC) in eliminating reactive orange 16 (RO16) dye from an aqueous solution. Different process parameters, such as pH (2–12), RHAC dose (0.04 – 0.14 g), and time (60-240 min), were chosen as part of the …

Oil Palm Fronds Activated Carbon Via Microwave-Assisted H3po4 Activation: Box-Behnken Optimization For Crystal Violet Dye Removal, Nur Atirah Shamsudin, Qistina Omar, Ismaniza Ismail, Noor Artika Hassan, Syarifah Abd Rahim, Nur Fazreen Dzulkafli, Ruihong Wu, Soon Kong Yong

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

The extensive use of crystal violet (CV) dyes may cause water pollution. A highly porous and functionalized activated carbon can be used for adsorption of CV dyes. Activated carbon was prepared from oil palm fronds through microwave-assisted pyrolysis and activation with phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) for removal of CV dye from wastewater. The physico-chemical characteristics of oil palm fronds activated carbon (OPFAC) was employed by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, Scanning Electron Methodology-Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX) analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and point of zero charges (pH_pzc). The adsorption parameters such …

Proceedings Of The 2024 Berry Summer Thesis Institute, University Of Dayton. University Honors Program, Magdelyn Stewart, Noah Clemens, Sarah Theewis, Henry Salisbury, Kevin Johnston, Adin Stoller, Meggie Bailey, Erin T. Flaherty, Adelyn Hughes, Marc Nya

Proceedings of the Berry Summer Thesis Institute (2013-Present)

Thanks to a gift from the Berry Family Foundation and the Berry family, the University Honors Program launched the Berry Summer Thesis Institute in 2012. The institute introduces students in the University Honors Program to intensive research, scholarship opportunities and professional development. Each student pursues a 12-week summer thesis research project under the guidance of a UD faculty mentor. This contains the product of the students' research.

Contents:

Testing the Influence of Lithology and Ice Sheet Dynamics on Waterfall Formation in Hocking Hills State Park // Magdelyn Stewart

Step-Rate Manipulation for Improved Performance: A Review// Noah Clemens

Alfred Rosenberg: An …

Exploring The Role Of The Arginine-Methylation Writer-Reader Pair Prmt5/Snd1 In Jak2-Mutant Myeloproliferative Neoplasms, Rocio Rubiano

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a hematopoietic disease characterized by hyperproliferation of cells of the myeloid lineage for which current therapeutic options are limited. Discovered in 2005, the JAK2V617F mutation is the most common driver mutation in BCR-ABL negative MPNs, resulting in constitutive activation of the JAK2 protein and the JAK-STAT signaling pathway. A role for the methyltransferase activity of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) has been proposed in JAK2-mutant MPN, highlighting both a mechanism through which this mutation can drive disease progression and a potential mode of therapeutic intervention. Staphylococcal Nuclease Domain-Containing Protein 1 (SND1) is the effector molecule responsible …

The Role Of An Ultraconserved Long Non-Coding Rna In B-Cell Lymphomagenesis, Swati Mohapatra

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Ultraconserved regions (UCRs) are genomic segments with perfect (100%) conservation between the orthologous regions of human, rat, and mouse genomes. UCRs can be transcribed into mono-exonic long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) known as transcribed ultraconserved regions (T-UCRs). These regions, despite lacking protein-coding potential, are increasingly recognized for their regulatory roles in gene expression, including the modulation of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) transcripts. NcRNAs play crucial roles in cellular processes, including oncogenic transformation, with emerging evidence revealing their ability to encode small peptides known as ncRNA-encoded peptides (ncPEPs). These peptides, originating from small open reading frames (smORFs), contribute to diverse cellular functions and …

Outcomes Of Different Steroid Dosing Regimens In Critical Covid-19 Pneumonia At A Kenyan Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Study, John Odhiambo, Jasmit Shah, Nancy Kunyiha, Felix Riunga, Charles Makasa

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Among therapeutic options for severe and critical COVID- 19 infection, dexamethasone six milligrams once daily for ten days has demonstrated mortality benefit and is guideline recommended at this dose. In practice, variable doses of steroids have been used, especially in critical care settings. Our study aimed to determine the pattern of steroid dosing and outcomes in terms of critical care mortality, occurrence of dysglycaemias, and occurrence of superadded infections in patients with critical COVID-19.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on all eligible patients admitted to the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, with critical COVID-19 between 1st …

Genetics Of Mdh In Humans, Adam Haberman, Celeste N. Peterson

Biology: Faculty Scholarship

Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) performs key roles in metabolism, but little is known about its function specifically in human health and disease. In this minireview, we describe the incomplete state of our knowledge of human MDH genetics. Humans have three MDH genes with a total of four validated isoforms. MDH1 and MDH2 are widely expressed, while MDH1B is only expressed in a small subset of tissues. Many mutations in MDH1 and MDH2 have been identified in patients, but only a few have been studied to determine what symptoms they cause. MDH1 has been associated with cancer and a neurodevelopmental disorder. MDH2 …

The Value Of Using Validated Competency-Based Assessments Across The Career Span Of An Athletic Trainer, Matthew Drescher, Lindsey Eberman

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

No abstract provided.