Biology Commons^™

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 …

Screening Tcf19 And Kif18b To Determine Co-Regulation With Mybl1 In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patient Tissues, Tyra Sharda Ivory

Theses (2016-Present)

The aggressive behavior in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is due to genetic signaling events, which call for the comprehensive analyses of genes differentially regulated in the cancers. Our laboratory previously found that MYBL1 was over-expressed in a fraction of the TNBC, compared to some luminal, and other breast cancer subtypes. The MYBL1 gene is a proto-oncogene that serves as a strong transcriptional activator. The gene is involved in signaling events related to cell cycle signaling, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, all which are differentially regulated in cancers. Because MYBL1 is a transcription regulator, involved in cancer-related mechanisms and differentially expressed in …

Investigating Conserved Mechanisms For Embryonic Eye Regrowth In Xenopus Laevis, Cindy Kha

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Regeneration is a complex process to replace or restore tissue after damage. However, animals vary in their ability to regenerate tissue, and humans are limited in their abilities. Understanding how regeneration occurs in highly regenerative vertebrates, such as in Xenopus laevis frogs will lead to defining common regeneration mechanisms. In recent years, eye regeneration research in Xenopus laevis tadpoles provided new promising insight into the mechanisms necessary for repair of damaged eye tissue. Much progress has been made towards understanding the regenerative capability of the complex eye since Xenopus tadpoles can regenerate mature eye tissues, including: the optic nerve, retina, …

Cytochrome C: A Potential Early Biomarker Of Diabetic Retinopathy, Ileana G. Villarreal

Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic retinopathy is an ocular disease which appears in patients who experience progression of diabetes mellitus over a continuous period. Oftentimes, patients go undiagnosed due to the fact that there is no way to determine when the exact moment a patient develops diabetic retinopathy. Ophthalmologists and other eye specialists diagnose a patient with diabetic retinopathy once the patient begins to show progressed symptoms of the disease. Various experiments have been previously performed to increase our knowledge of the connection of diabetic retinopathy and early biomarkers of the disease. Several studies have determined the effects of diabetic retinopathy and apoptosis with …

Yap And Taz Are Required For Neural Crest-Derived Cardiovascular Development, Shannon Erhardt

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common human birth defect, occurring in ~1/100 newborns, and are a leading cause of early infant death. Cardiac neural crest cells (NCCs) are a migratory and multipotent cell population known to aid in the development of the cardiac outflow tract (OFT), valves, and interventricular septum, during embryogenesis. Yap and Taz are downstream effectors of the fundamental Hippo signaling pathway and are vital for proper organ and tissue development, yet their role in neural crest (NC)-derived heart formation is still largely unknown. We generated Yap and Taz conditional knockout (CKO) mice using a Cre-lox …

Mtorc1 And Mtorc2 Complexes Regulate The Untargeted Metabolomics And Amino Acid Metabolites Profile Through Mitochondrial Bioenergetic Functions In Pancreatic Beta Cells, Ghada A. Soliman, Rinat Abzalimov, Ye He

Advanced Science Research Center

Background: Pancreatic beta cells regulate bioenergetics efficiency and secret insulin in response to glucose and nutrient availability. The mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) network orchestrates pancreatic progenitor cell growth and metabolism by nucleating two complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. Objective: To determine the impact of mTORC1/mTORC2 inhibition on amino acid metabolism in mouse pancreatic beta cells (Beta-TC-6 cells, ATCC-CRL-11506) using high-resolution metabolomics (HRM) and live-mitochondrial functions. Methods: Pancreatic beta TC-6 cells were incubated for 24 h with either: RapaLink-1 (RL); Torin-2 (T); rapamycin (R); metformin (M); a combination of RapaLink-1 and metformin (RLM); Torin-2 and metformin (TM); compared to the control. …

The Effect Of Salvia Fruticosa Water Extract In Acetic-Acid-Induced Colitis In Mice, Rim Mrad, Suzana Salhab, Miriam Al-Battal, Jamilah Borjac

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease, is a chronic condition of the intestine characterized by an uncontrolled inflammatory response. Current biologic treatments developed to treat IBD are expensive and associated with significant side effects; thus, alternative approaches are required. Recently, herbal concoctions have emerged as promising intervention. This study investigates the protective effects of Salvia fruticosa (SF) against acetic acid-induced colitis in mice, a model of human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Mice were divided into four groups (n=3). IBD was induced with acetic acid (6%). SF was administered by gavage at 1.5ug/kg mimicking folk medicine. …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Parasitism Of Corn Earworm, Helicoverpa Zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), By Tachinid Flies In Cultivated Hemp, Armando Falcon-Brindis, John O. Stireman Iii, Zenaida J. Viloria, Raul T. Villanueva

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In a survey on hemp grown in western Kentucky we found an average of 27.8 CEW larvae per plant. We recorded 45% parasitism of CEW in these fields by two species of tachinid flies, Winthemia rufopicta and Lespesia aletiae. Most parasitized larvae were third to sixth instars at the time of collection. We found up to 22 tachinid eggs per host larva, 89% of which typically bore between 1 and 5 eggs on the thorax. 45.9% of CEW bearing eggs died. The number of tachinid eggs per host was unrelated to host body mass, but both the number of tachinid …

From Young To Old: The Effects Of Sedentary-Aging And Exercise Interventions On Structural Plasticity Of Lumbar Motor Neurons, Nmj, And Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Expression, Alberto Felipe Cintron-Colon

Dissertations

Neuromuscular weakness has been associated with age progression. A possible reason is a disconnection between muscle and neuron, causing components from both the central and peripheral nervous systems to deteriorate. Exercise, however, has beneficial effects for both muscle and nervous tissue, inducing neuroprotection. Neurotrophic factors are powerful regulators of neuronal maintenance and synaptic strength. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a neurotrophic factor that has been shown to be a potent survival factor for somatic motor neurons that innervate skeletal muscle.

This study aims to evaluate changes in structural plasticity of motor neurons in the lumbar spinal cord and …

The Life Cycle Of Polyploid Giant Cancer Cells And Dormancy In Cancer: Opportunities For Novel Therapeutic Interventions, Jinsong Liu, Na Niu, Xiaoran Li, Xudong Zhang, Anil K Sood

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Recent data suggest that most genotoxic agents in cancer therapy can lead to shock of genome and increase in cell size, which leads whole genome duplication or multiplication, formation of polyploid giant cancer cells, activation of an early embryonic program, and dedifferentiation of somatic cells. This process is achieved via the giant cell life cycle, a recently proposed mechanism for malignant transformation of somatic cells. Increase in both cell size and ploidy allows cells to completely or partially restructures the genome and develop into a blastocyst-like structure, similar to that observed in blastomere-stage embryogenesis. Although blastocyst-like structures with reprogrammed genome …

Pre-Pulse Inhibition In Mutated Mice: Studying Compromised Microglial Cells To Discover New Genetic Connections To Autism, Bailey R. Kramarik

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Microglial cells “play a pivotal role in refining neural networks during early critical periods” (Gabriele & Gray, 2020, p. 1). A disturbance in the functioning of these microglial cells contribute to specific characteristics of some neurodevelopmental disorders- including autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we used a mouse model to study disruptions in cell activity, as understanding the biological and genetic background of autism spectrum disorder could help us provide better treatment and therapy options to those diagnosed.

The mutated mice in this experiment have microglial cells with “compromised fractalkine signaling” (Gabriele & Gray, 2020, p. 4-5). We studied multimodal …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of Ionic Liquids Using Nitrogen-Based Cations For Transdermal Delivery, Jo Galloway

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research was to explore the synthesis mechanisms of water-soluble ionic liquids with nitrogen-containing cationic bases for future use in transdermal drug delivery and forensic science applications. Ionic liquids are salts with an organic cation and either an organic or inorganic anion. They have asymmetric structures, which means that the molecules don’t pack together as neatly as other salts do, therefore, they don’t crystallize as easily, and their melting points are lower. Ionic liquids have melting points below 100°C, and many are liquid at room temperature. Mechanistic studies reveal that the potency of ILs in enhancing transdermal …

Determining The Distribution Of Elemental Compounds And Oxidative Potential Across Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) Filters, Allie Michelle Sidwell

Honors Theses

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) is a complex mixture of particles and sorbed chemicals that poses serious, adverse effects on human health such as increasing cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality. There is ongoing research into the impacts of PM_2.5 of differing chemical compositions, sampling location, and the mechanisms for the observed health effects. To conduct these analytical and toxicology studies of PM_2.5, researchers often split filters into sections. This process allows multiple, often destructive, assays to be performed. Our previous research showed chemical composition differences across PM_2.5 filters. The goal of our study was …

Time Course Investigation Of The Dermal Leukocyte Response To Lipoteichoic Acid In Chickens, Ian Gilbert

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is component of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria that stimulates inflammation during bacterial infection. However, few studies have investigated the in vivo immune response to LTA, and none of the in vivo studies done have been performed in birds. For this project, the pulp (a skin-derivative) of growing feathers (GFs) of chickens were used as a test site to investigate the in vivo effects of intradermally injected LTA. In Study 1, the pulp of 12 GFs of 11-week-old Light-brown Leghorn (LBL) males were injected with 10 μL of differing concentrations of LTA (0.1, 1.0, 10, 100 …

The Effect Of A Health Educational Program On Sleep Related Health Outcomes, Swetha Sirigineedi

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sleep quality has effects on both physical and mental health. Because of this, sleep hygiene is an important health goal. Participation in health programs promoting healthy behaviors has helped people reach their health goals and elicited positive behavior change. Because of this, it was of interest to determine if participation in a virtual, multi-media health education program improved health and wellbeing outcomes of Arkansans. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of a 20-week behavior and health educational program on the ability of participants to achieve their health goals and improve their health behaviors related to …

The Impact Of Dance On Physical, Intellectual, And Social Aspects Of College Life, Jenna Jean Hensen

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study aimed to examine the physical, intellectual, and social impacts of dance on collegiate life. Members of the Butler University Dance Team were surveyed, and 3 members were interviewed in order to gain insight into how they perceived dance has impacted various aspects of their college life. Results showed that increased physical activity levels, academic motivation from teammates and coaching staff, as well as a positive relationship with teammates were positive aspects that dance team participants added to their college experience. Negatively, results showed lack of time for proper warm up, intense time commitments, and pressure to maintain a …

Quantification Of Dental Fissures Through Occlusal Topography Analysis, Duru Erkan

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Narrow, deep, and elaborate dental fissures are widely believed to increase the predisposition of enamel to develop carious lesions as these surfaces are thought to be ideal for cariogenic bacteria to adhere to. Therefore, dentists prescribe sealants as a preventative measure for patients with such fissures to avoid tooth decay. Yet to date, there is no objective data supporting the notion that fissure morphology actually affects caries susceptibility, nor is there a quantifiable, clinically practical method to characterize fissure patterns expected to increase risk of caries disease.

In this study, three new methods to quantitatively characterize fissure pattern in mandibular …

Effects Of A Leucine Supplementation On Mitochondrial Markers In Pre-Cachectic Female Mice, Breanna Williams

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cancer cachexia is a wasting syndrome characterized by extreme weight and skeletal muscle loss that results in death in many tumor bearing individuals. Because skeletal muscle requires a high amount of energy to function, skeletal muscle fiber cells need healthy mitochondria to function. When skeletal muscle loss atrophy occurs, the mitochondrial network is degraded. Different treatments for this muscle atrophy are being studied, one of which is a leucine supplementation since leucine has been found to stimulate skeletal muscle growth in other studies. However, current data suggests that a leucine supplementation in cachexic individuals exacerbates this atrophy. PURPOSE: This study …

Regaining Effort-Based Food Motivation: The Drug Methylphenidate Reverses The Depressive Effects Of Tetrabenazine In Female Rats, Deanna Pietrorazio

Honors Scholar Theses

Tetrabenazine (TBZ), a vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT-2) inhibitor, depletes dopamine and induces motivational deficits and other depressive symptoms in humans. Methylphenidate (MPH) is a dopamine transport blocker that is used to enhance motivational function. Previous studies have shown that in male rats, TBZ induces a shift in effort-related choice such that a low-effort bias is induced. In male rats this occurs at a dose range of 0.75-1.0 mg/kg TBZ, and this effect is reversible with co-administration of MPH. Recent studies have shown that females need a higher dose of TBZ (2.0 mg/kg) to show the low-effort bias. The …

Modulation Of Kras Structure And Dynamics By Kras Ubiquitination And Membrane Depolarization, Vinay Nair

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

KRAS, a 21 kDa small GTPase protein, functions as a molecular switch playing a key role in regulating cell proliferation. Dysregulation of KRAS signaling by oncogenic mutations leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation, a hallmark of cancer cells. Attempts to therapeutically target oncogenic KRAS have led to limited success resulting in a need to identify new mechanisms to targeting KRAS. The interaction of KRAS with its regulators, effectors, and the membrane present one such avenue. In this study, we investigated how post-translational covalent and environmental modifications could modulate these interactions of KRAS. Using computational molecular dynamics simulations, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy …

Investigation Of Genomic Instability Induced By G-Quadruplexes In The Absence Of Functional To Poisomerase 1 In Yeast, Alexandra Berroyer

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Topoisomerase 1 (Top1) is an enzyme that removes transcriptionally generated negative supercoils by binding and nicking DNA. Since transcription of guanine-rich DNA leads to the formation of G-quadruplex (G4) structures, Top1’s function likely suppresses G4-formation. In support of this, Top1 significantly reduces co-transcriptional G4 DNA-associated genomic instability at a model G4-motif in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, whether Top1 suppresses G4-formation on a genome-wide scale in yeast remains unexplored. Therefore, I aimed to uncover if deletion of Top1 enhances genome-wide G4-formation in S. cerevisiae. As an approach to quantify global G4-formation, I expressed the G4-specific antibody BG4 from a yeast …

Computational Approaches To Understand Chemoresistance & Tumor Evolution Using Longitudinal Clinical Data And Lineage Tracing, Sahil Seth

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Tumors are highly heterogeneous and dynamic, continually adapting and evolving in response to their microenvironment as well as external perturbations. Multi-region (spatial) and single cell sequencing has enabled us to anatomize the heterogeneity further and provide evidence of its association with chemo and drug resistance. To investigate this further we took two different approaches to understand the chemo-resistance, and functional heterogeneity in Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and Pancreatic ductal carcinoma in situ (PDAC) from an evolutionary perspective.

The first approach was to leverage tumor profiling from an ongoing randomized clinical trial in triple-negative breast cancer (ARTEMIS) to assess mechanisms …

The Use Of Hallucinogens In The Treatment Of Mental Health Disorders, Brianna Gagen

Honors College Theses

The percent of people with mental health disorders in the United States have skyrocketed over the past decade. With stigma surrounding the discussion of mental health and the symptoms associated with it, often those that are suffering do not receive sufficient treatment, as they might with a physical illness. The current, common treatment options for common psychological disorders, like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, are sometimes not effective in patients, due to resistance or poor response outcomes. Consequently, in order to research alternative therapeutic approaches for mental health disorders, scientists are researching the effects of several hallucinogenic drugs in …

The Effect Of Attachment Design And Aligner Material On The Efficiency Of Maxillary Canine Distalization In Premolar Extraction Cases, Najem Anbari

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background: Clear Aligner Therapy (CAT) is regarded as a popular esthetic alternative to conventional orthodontic treatment with fixed labial appliances. The mechanism of action, force delivery and limitation of this treatment modality remain largely unknown despite its popularity, the high demand and the relatively long evolutionary track of clear aligners. There are only few studies that addressed the elements that influence the efficiency of clear aligners, namely, the attachment design and aligner materials. It is widely believed that clear aligners are not suitable for extraction cases due to their lack of control over the root movement.

Objectives: This in vitro …

What Is The Prevalence Of Dirofilaria Immitis (Dog Heartworm) In Invasive Aedes Mosquitoes?, Leen Yousef, Johan Espinoza Corrales, Daniela H. Dolar, Taylor K. Trieu, Aisha Popalzai, Agamchat Dhami

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Medial Edge Chondrification Of The Vocal Folds Of E. Pustulosus And Its Function In Sexual Selection, Helena Soon Czochanski

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Test Anxiety In Human Anatomy And Physiology I Students At The University Of Mississippi, Anne Piazza

Honors Theses

Student anxiety, specifically test anxiety, is common hindrance to student performance in various courses including Human Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Mississippi. Through a sequence of three surveys we collected demographic information, anxiety data related to the course, and test anxiety in general We researched factors that could potentially influence student anxiety such as at what point in the semester the student is evaluated, when students feel the most stressed, outcomes on previous evaluations, and perceived outcomes of the course. We also examined what effect the anxiety has on the student such as lowered performance, lowered test scores, …

Increased Risk Of Mental Illness Due To Epigenetic Alteration Of The Nr3c1 Gene After Early Life Adversity., Erin Mccue

Thinking Matters Student Research Symposium

Early life adversity (ELA), such as malnutrition, abuse, and economic disparity, is an issue commonly seen in adolescents, a group already facing increased risk for stress-related disorders. This review of current literature reveals that gestational stress exposure, as well as variations in maternal care during postnatal development, cause latent effects on the epigenome, specifically impacting the glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) encoded by the NR3C1 gene. GRs bind to glucocorticoids to regulate the body’s neuroendocrine stress response. However, in those with a history of ELA, the number of GRs is reduced, generating dysregulation within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Rodent studies are utilized …

Patient Knowledge Of Family History Of Cardiac Events And Risk Factors: Potential For Increase In Preventative Care Of Cardiovascular Diseases, Joseph Marentette

Honors Theses

The following literature review regards the preventative care of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients with the knowledge of familial cardiac events and personal cardiac risk factors, particularly in younger populations ranging from ages 18 to 39, and develop potential preventative care measures. CVD is preventable with early reduction of risk factors. People can lower the impact of cardiac risk factors through the modification of their current lifestyle and behavioral habits. However, this is limited to the education and motivation of the person. Primary emphasis must be placed on community education and physician-patient interactions regarding CVD and cardiac risk factors. Physicians need …