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2015

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Articles 1411 - 1440 of 1751

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Elk (Cervus Elaphus) Response To Anthropogenic Disturbance: Hunting, Land Use, And Climate Change, Katherine S. Farrell Jan 2015

Elk (Cervus Elaphus) Response To Anthropogenic Disturbance: Hunting, Land Use, And Climate Change, Katherine S. Farrell

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Understanding factors underlying the distribution and abundance of wildlife species remains a central question of wildlife ecology and has become increasingly complex as humans continue to alter landscape conditions. During the past 50 years, elk in eastern Washington have expanded their year-long ranges into lower elevation areas of the Channeled Scablands. The persistence of this population is dependent upon core protected areas with surrounding low human density agriculture or rangeland. Over-reliance on core protected area leads to over-browsing, often resulting in management decisions designed to displace elk out of core areas. Use of human areas exposes elk to increasing land …


Long-Term Characterization Of The Chronic Dopamine Microelectrode And Effect Of Electrical Conditioning, Eric P. Marr Jan 2015

Long-Term Characterization Of The Chronic Dopamine Microelectrode And Effect Of Electrical Conditioning, Eric P. Marr

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Background: Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter involved in movement, reward learning and addiction. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has long been an indispensable tool for monitoring real-time DA signaling. Development of polyimide fused silica-encased FSCV microelectrodes have made the technique more suitable for chronic DA monitoring (months) in vivo. Methods: In this study, electrically stimulated DA signals were evoked weekly in an effort to characterize the recovery time and stability of DA signals recorded long-term with silica-encased chronic DA microelectrodes. Additionally, electrical conditioning (etching), previously shown to improve microelectrode sensitivity in vitro, was performed to investigate the long-term impact on DA …


Vegetation Colonization Within Exposed Reservoirs Following Dam Removal On The Elwha River, Washington, Jarrett L. Schuster Jan 2015

Vegetation Colonization Within Exposed Reservoirs Following Dam Removal On The Elwha River, Washington, Jarrett L. Schuster

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Riparian ecosystems are important for ecological functioning of rivers, and are significantly impacted by dams. With over 50% of large dams in the U.S. beyond their life expectancy, dam removal is increasingly being considered to eliminate aging infrastructure and restore ecosystems. There have been few large dam removals to date, so studies assessing vegetation succession on exposed reservoir sediments are limited. My research aims to assess how environmental factors within exposed reservoirs affect vegetation succession following removal of two dams on the Elwha River, Washington. In addition, I compared patterns of vegetation among the two reservoirs and their landforms. To …


Effects Of Anesthetics On Rainbow Trout Swimming Ability And Statisical Comparison Of The Movements Of Acoustically Tracked Reband Rainbow Trout In Lake Roosevelt, Jessica A. Walston Jan 2015

Effects Of Anesthetics On Rainbow Trout Swimming Ability And Statisical Comparison Of The Movements Of Acoustically Tracked Reband Rainbow Trout In Lake Roosevelt, Jessica A. Walston

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.


Stream Microbial Communities Along An Agricultural Gradient, Cristine Mcintyre Schucker Jan 2015

Stream Microbial Communities Along An Agricultural Gradient, Cristine Mcintyre Schucker

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Although sediment microbes play key roles in decomposition and nitrogen (N) cycling, responses of microbial communities to N additions within watersheds is not well understood. Agriculture contributes excess N into stream systems, predominantly as ammonia, which is transformed through nitrification into nitrate by prokaryotes that produce the ammonia monooxygenase enzyme (AMO). The Latah Creek watershed in WA State (USA) drains approximately 1178 km², of which half is agricultural. Because the tributary streams reside in forested, agricultural and mixed use drainages, samples from these stream sediments capture microbial communities at different spatial gradients of land use. My research aimed to answer: …


Effects Of Low Concentrations Of Carbon Nanotubes On Growth And Gas Exchange In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Rajeeva Voleti Jan 2015

Effects Of Low Concentrations Of Carbon Nanotubes On Growth And Gas Exchange In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Rajeeva Voleti

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The effect of pure single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on plant growth and gas exchange was investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana. To date there has been no research on the effects of SWCNTs on whole plant physiology. A. thaliana seeds were directly grown in growth medium containing SWCNTs concentrations of 24.93micrograms/ml and 53.55 micrograms/ml. control plants were grown in media containing distilled water. I determined growth by measuring dry mass of plants. I determined gas exchange by measuring photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance, transpiration rates, and water use efficiency. I also examined the following physiological mechanisms that would limit plant growth: ATP and …


The Effects Of Lampricide 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol Toxicity On The Gills Of Larval Sea Lamprey And Non-Target Rainbow Trout And Lake Sturgeon, Lisa A. Sorensen Jan 2015

The Effects Of Lampricide 3-Trifluoromethyl-4-Nitrophenol Toxicity On The Gills Of Larval Sea Lamprey And Non-Target Rainbow Trout And Lake Sturgeon, Lisa A. Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The pesticide, 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), is widely used in the Great Lakes to control invasive sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) populations, but much about its sub-lethal effects remains unknown. A better understanding of its toxicity is needed to improve TFM effectiveness and to protect non-target organisms from its potential adverse effects. The objectives of this thesis were to test the following two hypotheses: (1) impairment of mitochondrial ATP production by TFM interferes with ATP-dependent ion-uptake by fish, leading to altered electrolyte balance, and (2) perturbations of gill function by TFM are exacerbated in soft, ion poor water (SW; 40 mg …


Purification And Characterization Of Bcsc; An Integral Component Of Bacterial Cellulose Export, Emily D. Wilson Ms Jan 2015

Purification And Characterization Of Bcsc; An Integral Component Of Bacterial Cellulose Export, Emily D. Wilson Ms

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Biofilms are a growing concern in the medical field due to their increased resistance to antibiotics. When found in a biofilm, bacteria can have antibiotic resistance 10-1000 times that of their planktonic counterparts. Therefore, it is important to study the formation of biofilms. Cellulose biofilms are formed by Enterobacteriaceae, such as many Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. strains. Biofilms provide these species with benefits including antimicrobial protection, development of bacterial communities, promotion of DNA exchange, uptake of nutrients, and, in the case of cellulose biofilms, immune system evasion. Cellulose biofilms are controlled by the Bacterial cellulose synthesis (Bcs) complex located …


Ph Dependent Antibiotic Resistance Of An Alkaliphilic, Halotolerant Bacterium Isolated From Soap Lake, Washington, Tiffany Charlynn Edwards Jan 2015

Ph Dependent Antibiotic Resistance Of An Alkaliphilic, Halotolerant Bacterium Isolated From Soap Lake, Washington, Tiffany Charlynn Edwards

Masters Theses

"Soap Lake, located in Washington State, is a meromictic, soda lake. Many bacterial isolates retrieved from Soap Lake have been noted to possess resistance to multiple antibiotics. A likely explanation for the wide range of antibacterial resistance exhibited by these strains is due to the impact of high alkalinity on the antibiotics themselves and not due to the presence of antibiotic resistance genes. The aim of our study was to determine if select antibiotics are effective against Halomonas eurialkalitoleranis, a bacterium capable of growth over a wide range of neutral to alkaline pH values, to investigate the influence of alkalinity …


Healing Of Bone Defects In A Rodent Calvarial Defect Model Using Strong Porous Bioactive Glass (13-93) Scaffolds, Yinan Lin Jan 2015

Healing Of Bone Defects In A Rodent Calvarial Defect Model Using Strong Porous Bioactive Glass (13-93) Scaffolds, Yinan Lin

Masters Theses

"The main objective of this project was to evaluate the capacity of strong porous silicate (13-93) bioactive glass scaffolds prepared by a robocasting technique to regenerate bone and stimulate angiogenesis in a rat calvarial defect model. The scaffolds were created with the same grid-like microstructure but in a variety of formulations: (i) as-fabricated, (ii) pretreated in an aqueous phosphate solution to convert the glass surface to hydroxyapatite, (iii) loaded with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) (1 µg per scaffold), and (iv) doped with copper (0.4-2.0 wt. % CuO). When compared to the as-fabricated scaffolds, the pretreated scaffolds enhanced bone regeneration at …


Evolution Of The Antisense Overlap Between Genes For Thyroid Hormone Receptor And Rev-Erbα And Characterization Of An Exonic G-Rich Element That Regulates Splicing Of Trα2 Mrna, Stephen H. Munroe, Christopher H. Morales, Tessa H. Duyck, Paul D. Waters Jan 2015

Evolution Of The Antisense Overlap Between Genes For Thyroid Hormone Receptor And Rev-Erbα And Characterization Of An Exonic G-Rich Element That Regulates Splicing Of Trα2 Mrna, Stephen H. Munroe, Christopher H. Morales, Tessa H. Duyck, Paul D. Waters

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The α-thyroid hormone receptor gene (TRα) codes for two functionally distinct proteins: TRα1, the α-thyroid hormone receptor; and TRα2, a non-hormone-binding variant. The final exon of TRα2 mRNA overlaps the 3’ end of Rev-erbα mRNA, which encodes another nuclear receptor on the opposite strand of DNA. To understand the evolution of this antisense overlap, we sequenced these genes and mRNAs in the platypus Orthorhynchus anatinus. Despite its strong homology with other mammals, the platypus TRα/Rev-erbα locus lacks elements essential for expression of TRα2. Comparative analysis suggests that alternative splicing of TRα2 mRNA expression evolved in a stepwise fashion before …


Fouling And Its Next Generation Management: A Perspective, Daniel Rittschof, Christina Chai, Serena Lay Ming Teo, James Maki Jan 2015

Fouling And Its Next Generation Management: A Perspective, Daniel Rittschof, Christina Chai, Serena Lay Ming Teo, James Maki

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The last 50 years of fouling research and management taught us that indiscriminate use of toxic approaches damages ecosystem services of estuaries and oceans critical to man’s existence. Next generation environmentally benign management requires knowledge of the fouling process and an understanding of the consequences of different management options. An intermediate step may be additives that fit with existing business models and distribution systems, but that carry a much reduced environmental footprint. Subsequently, the evolution of a next generation hull fouling management system with limited toxicity easy clean surfaces should replace or augment the existing commercial easy-release coatings. These new …


Liana Competition With Tropical Trees Varies Seasonally But Not With Tree Species Identity, Leonor Álvarez-Cansino, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Joseph P. Reid, Jennifer S. Powers Jan 2015

Liana Competition With Tropical Trees Varies Seasonally But Not With Tree Species Identity, Leonor Álvarez-Cansino, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Joseph P. Reid, Jennifer S. Powers

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas in tropical forests compete intensely with trees for above‐ and belowground resources and limit tree growth and regeneration. Liana competition with adult canopy trees may be particularly strong, and, if lianas compete more intensely with some tree species than others, they may influence tree species composition. We performed the first systematic, large‐scale liana removal experiment to assess the competitive effects of lianas on multiple tropical tree species by measuring sap velocity and growth in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. Tree sap velocity increased 60% soon after liana removal compared to control trees, and tree diameter growth increased 25% …


The Ecology Of Lianas In Tropical Forests, Stefan A. Schnitzer Jan 2015

The Ecology Of Lianas In Tropical Forests, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.


No Evidence That Elevated Co2 Gives Tropical Lianas An Advantage Over Tropical Trees, David C. Marvin, Klaus Winter, Robyn J. Burnham, Stefan A. Schnitzer Jan 2015

No Evidence That Elevated Co2 Gives Tropical Lianas An Advantage Over Tropical Trees, David C. Marvin, Klaus Winter, Robyn J. Burnham, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Recent studies indicate that lianas are increasing in size and abundance relative to trees in neotropical forests. As a result, forest dynamics and carbon balance may be altered through liana‐induced suppression of tree growth and increases in tree mortality. Increasing atmospheric CO2 is hypothesized to be responsible for the increase in neotropical lianas, yet no study has directly compared the relative response of tropical lianas and trees to elevated CO2. We explicitly tested whether tropical lianas had a larger response to elevated CO2 than co‐occurring tropical trees and whether seasonal drought alters the response of either …


A Quinol Oxidase, Encoded By Cyoabcd, Is Utilized To Adapt To Lower O2 Concentrations In Rhizobium Etli Cfn42, Zachary Ryan Lunak, K. Dale Noel Jan 2015

A Quinol Oxidase, Encoded By Cyoabcd, Is Utilized To Adapt To Lower O2 Concentrations In Rhizobium Etli Cfn42, Zachary Ryan Lunak, K. Dale Noel

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Bacteria have branched aerobic respiratory chains that terminate at different terminal oxidases. These terminal oxidases have varying properties such as their affinity for oxygen, transcriptional regulation and proton pumping ability. The focus of this study was a quinol oxidase encoded by cyoABCD. Although this oxidase (Cyo) is widespread among bacteria, not much is known about its role in the cell, particularly in bacteria that contain both cytochrome c oxidases and quinol oxidases. Using Rhizobium etli CFN42 as a model organism, a cyo mutant was analysed for its ability to grow in batch cultures at high (21 % O2) and low …


Type I Interferons Link Viral Infection To Enhanced Epithelial Turnover And Repair, Lulu Sun, Hiroyuki Miyoshi, Sofia Origanti, Timothy J. Nice, Alexandra C. Barger, Nicholas A. Manieri, Leslie A. Fogel, Anthony R. French, David Piwnica-Worms, Helen Piwnica-Worms, Herbert W. Virgin, Deborah J. Lenschow, Thaddeus S. Stappenbeck Jan 2015

Type I Interferons Link Viral Infection To Enhanced Epithelial Turnover And Repair, Lulu Sun, Hiroyuki Miyoshi, Sofia Origanti, Timothy J. Nice, Alexandra C. Barger, Nicholas A. Manieri, Leslie A. Fogel, Anthony R. French, David Piwnica-Worms, Helen Piwnica-Worms, Herbert W. Virgin, Deborah J. Lenschow, Thaddeus S. Stappenbeck

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The host immune system functions constantly to maintain chronic commensal and pathogenic organisms in check. The consequences of these immune responses on host physiology are as yet unexplored, and may have long-term implications in health and disease. We show that chronic viral infection increases epithelial turnover in multiple tissues, and the antiviral cytokines type I interferons (IFNs) mediate this response. Using a murine model with persistently elevated type I IFNs in the absence of exogenous viral infection, the Irgm1−/− mouse, we demonstrate that type I IFNs act through nonepithelial cells, including macrophages, to promote increased epithelial turnover and wound …


Different Sites Of Alcohol Action In The Nmda Receptor Glun2a And Glun2b Subunits, Yulin Zhao, Hong Ren, Donard S. Dwyer, Robert W. Peoples Jan 2015

Different Sites Of Alcohol Action In The Nmda Receptor Glun2a And Glun2b Subunits, Yulin Zhao, Hong Ren, Donard S. Dwyer, Robert W. Peoples

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The NMDA receptor is a major target of alcohol action in the CNS, and recent behavioral and cellular studies have pointed to the importance of the GluN2B subunit in alcohol action. We and others have previously characterized four amino acid positions in the third and fourth membrane-associated (M) domains of the NMDA receptor GluN2A subunit that influence both ion channel gating and alcohol sensitivity. In this study, we found that substitution mutations at two of the four corresponding positions in the GluN2B subunit, F637 and G826, influence ethanol sensitivity and ion channel gating. Because position 826 contains a glycine residue …


Dna Methylation Patterns Of Specific L1 Loci On The Short Arm Of Chromosome 21, Sarah Ann Tincher Jan 2015

Dna Methylation Patterns Of Specific L1 Loci On The Short Arm Of Chromosome 21, Sarah Ann Tincher

Master's Theses

While 10-15% of the human genome is composed of heterochromatic DNA, these regions are not included in the completed genome sequence. The short arm of chromosome 21 (HC21p) serves as a model for understanding the structure and function of heterochromatin. LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons are underrepresented in heterochromatin, including HC21p, and have not been extensively studied in these regions. However, there are disproportionately more full length L1s on HC21p than in euchromatic genomic regions. Decreased DNA methylation in the promoters of these L1s on HC21p may allow them to facilitate heterochromatin formation, which would be analogous to their proposed role in …


10 Years Later: Revisiting Priorities For Science And Society A Decade After The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Christian Mulder, Elena M. Bennett, David A. Bohan, Michael Bonkowski, Stephen R. Carpenter, Rachel Chalmers, Wolfgang Cramer, Isabelle Durance, Nico Eisenhauer, Colin Fontaine, Alison J. Haughton, Jean Paul Hettelingh, Jes Hines, Sébastien Ibanez, Erik Jeppesen, Jennifer Adams Krumins, Athen Ma, Giorgio Mancinelli, François Massol, Órla Mclaughlin, Shahid Naeem, Unai Pascual, Josep Peñuelas, Nathalie Pettorelli, Michael J.O. Pocock, Dave Raffaelli, Jes J. Rasmussen, Graciela M. Rusch, Christoph Scherber, Heikki Setälä, William J. Sutherland, Corinne Vacher Jan 2015

10 Years Later: Revisiting Priorities For Science And Society A Decade After The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Christian Mulder, Elena M. Bennett, David A. Bohan, Michael Bonkowski, Stephen R. Carpenter, Rachel Chalmers, Wolfgang Cramer, Isabelle Durance, Nico Eisenhauer, Colin Fontaine, Alison J. Haughton, Jean Paul Hettelingh, Jes Hines, Sébastien Ibanez, Erik Jeppesen, Jennifer Adams Krumins, Athen Ma, Giorgio Mancinelli, François Massol, Órla Mclaughlin, Shahid Naeem, Unai Pascual, Josep Peñuelas, Nathalie Pettorelli, Michael J.O. Pocock, Dave Raffaelli, Jes J. Rasmussen, Graciela M. Rusch, Christoph Scherber, Heikki Setälä, William J. Sutherland, Corinne Vacher

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The study of ecological services (ESs) is fast becoming a cornerstone of mainstream ecology, largely because they provide a useful means of linking functioning to societal benefits in complex systems by connecting different organizational levels. In order to identify the main challenges facing current and future ES research, we analyzed the effects of the publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA, 2005) on different disciplines. Within a set of topics framed around concepts embedded within the MEA, each co-author identified five key research challenges and, where feasible, suggested possible solutions. Concepts included those related to specific service types (i.e. provisioning, …


Plant Productivity, Ectomycorrhizae, And Metal Contamination In Urban Brownfield Soils, Jessica M. Evans, Adam Parker, Frank Gallagher, Jennifer Adams Krumins Jan 2015

Plant Productivity, Ectomycorrhizae, And Metal Contamination In Urban Brownfield Soils, Jessica M. Evans, Adam Parker, Frank Gallagher, Jennifer Adams Krumins

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The soil contamination legacy of postindustrial sites has become an issue of increasing ecological and public health concern. This study examines the ectomycorrhizal and above-ground plant relationships in the metaliferous soil of an urban brownfield. Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) were microscopically identified by physical morphotyping followed by sequencing of ribosomal DNA. Plant productivity was assessed through Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements taken fromMay through July 2012 and 2013. Results indicate that therewere significant changes in EMF community composition and plant productivity based on their position along a total soil metal load gradient. Cenococcum geophilum was the dominant species in the soilswhere …


Systems Biology Approach To Understanding The Control Of Glucose Metabolism In Healthy And Apoptotic Neurons, Hoda Gebril Jan 2015

Systems Biology Approach To Understanding The Control Of Glucose Metabolism In Healthy And Apoptotic Neurons, Hoda Gebril

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Apoptosis plays a crucial role in sculpting the developing central nervous system (CNS) but can, under certain conditions, contribute to neurodegeneration in the mature CNS. Metabolic disturbances have long been associated with apoptosis-inducing agents, however, the mechanism underlying such changes remains controversial. In this study, our hypotheses was that decreased ATP turnover may bring about other metabolic changes in apoptotic neurons. Accordingly, change in metabolic reactions other than ATP turnover may not be important in the study of apoptotic mechanism. In a living cell, metabolic reactions are highly connected and thus are highly sensitive to kinetic change in one or …


Characterizing The Innate Immunity In The Hawaiian Coral Montipora Capitata, Melinda S. Ansley Jan 2015

Characterizing The Innate Immunity In The Hawaiian Coral Montipora Capitata, Melinda S. Ansley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coral reefs are among the most diverse ecosystems in the world; however, they are quickly diminishing due to natural and anthropogenic stressors, including disease. Corals possess innate immune responses that aid in protection against these stressors. In several coral species, immune responses are inducible in response to stress. Montipora capitata is a predominant coral in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. This coral occurs in two color morphs, orange and red, and is susceptible to the tissue loss disease Montipora white syndrome (MWS). MWS disease prevalence within Kaneohe Bay varies, with lower prevalence in the North than South Bay and with orange …


Cross-Talk Between The Tumor Suppressors Par-4 And P53, Tripti Shrestha Bhattarai Jan 2015

Cross-Talk Between The Tumor Suppressors Par-4 And P53, Tripti Shrestha Bhattarai

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

This work describes the fascinating interplay between two tumor suppressors Prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) and p53. The guardian of the genome, p53, is frequently mutated in human cancers, and may contribute to therapeutic resistance. However, p53 is intact and functional in normal tissues, and we observed that specific activation of p53 in normal fibroblasts could induce apoptosis selectively in p53-deficient cancer cells. This paracrine apoptotic effect was executed by Par-4 secreted in response to p53 activation. Accordingly, activation of p53 in wild-type mice, but not in p53-/- or Par-4-/- mice, caused systemic elevation of Par-4 that induced apoptosis …


Are Semen Quality Parameters Sufficient For Biomonitoring Spermatozoa Dna Integrity And Oxidatively Damaged Dna, Hueiwang Anna Jeng, Ruei-Nian Li, Wen-Yi Lin Jan 2015

Are Semen Quality Parameters Sufficient For Biomonitoring Spermatozoa Dna Integrity And Oxidatively Damaged Dna, Hueiwang Anna Jeng, Ruei-Nian Li, Wen-Yi Lin

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between semen quality parameters and DNA integrity, and determine whether semen quality parameters could serve as a reliable biomarker for monitoring sperm DNA damage. Conventional semen parameters from a total of 202 male human subjects were analyzed. DNA fragmentation and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′- deoxyguanosine (8-oxoGuo) were used to assess sperm DNA integrity. DNA fragmentation was analyzed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), while 8-oxodGuo was quantified by the liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) coupled with an on-line solid phase system. The levels of …


Peptide Inhibitor Of Complement C1 (Pic1) Rapidly Inhibits Complement Activation After Intravascular Injection In Rats, Julia A. Sharp, Pamela S. Hair, Haree K. Pallera, Parvathi S. Kumar, Clifford T. Mauriello, Julius O. Nyalwidhe, Cody A. Phelps, Dalnam Park, Nicole M. Thielens, Stephen M. Pascal, Waldon Chen, Diane M. Duffy, Frank A. Lattanzio, Kenji M. Cunnion, Neel K. Krishna Jan 2015

Peptide Inhibitor Of Complement C1 (Pic1) Rapidly Inhibits Complement Activation After Intravascular Injection In Rats, Julia A. Sharp, Pamela S. Hair, Haree K. Pallera, Parvathi S. Kumar, Clifford T. Mauriello, Julius O. Nyalwidhe, Cody A. Phelps, Dalnam Park, Nicole M. Thielens, Stephen M. Pascal, Waldon Chen, Diane M. Duffy, Frank A. Lattanzio, Kenji M. Cunnion, Neel K. Krishna

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The complement system has been increasingly recognized to play a pivotal role in a variety of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Consequently, therapeutic modulators of the classical, lectin and alternative pathways of the complement system are currently in preclinical and clinical development. Our laboratory has identified a peptide that specifically inhibits the classical and lectin pathways of complement and is referred to as Peptide Inhibitor of Complement C1 (PIC1). In this study, we determined that the lead PIC1 variant demonstrates a salt-dependent binding to C1q, the initiator molecule of the classical pathway. Additionally, this peptide bound to the lectin pathway initiator …


Identification Of Eqtls For Hepatic Xbp1s And Socs3 Gene Expression In Mice Fed A High-Fat, High Caloric Diet, James M. Cheverud, Sarina Pasricha, Jane Kenney-Hunt, Kristy Anderson, Naderah Jafari, Rabea A. Hall, Frank Lammert, Richard M. Green Jan 2015

Identification Of Eqtls For Hepatic Xbp1s And Socs3 Gene Expression In Mice Fed A High-Fat, High Caloric Diet, James M. Cheverud, Sarina Pasricha, Jane Kenney-Hunt, Kristy Anderson, Naderah Jafari, Rabea A. Hall, Frank Lammert, Richard M. Green

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a highly prevalent form of human hepatic disease and feeding mice a high-fat, high-caloric (HFHC) diet is a standard model of NAFLD. To better understand the genetic basis of NAFLD, we conducted an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis of mice fed a HFHC diet. Two-hundred sixty-five (A/J × C57BL/6J) F2 male mice were fed a HFHC diet for 8 wk. eQTL analysis was utilized to identify genomic regions that regulate hepatic gene expression of Xbp1s and Socs3. We identified two overlapping loci for Xbp1s and Socs3 on Chr 1 (164.0–185.4 Mb …


Genetic Structure And Demographic Analysis Of Key Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus Clavium), Vicki Villanova Jan 2015

Genetic Structure And Demographic Analysis Of Key Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus Clavium), Vicki Villanova

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent improvements in genetic analyses have paved the way in using molecular data to answer questions regarding evolutionary history, genetic structure, and demography. Key deer are a federally endangered subspecies assumed to be genetically unique (based on one allozyme study), homogeneous, and have a female-biased population of approximately 900 deer. I used 985bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and 12 microsatellite loci to test two hypotheses: 1) if the Moser Channel is a barrier to gene flow, I should expect that Key deer are differentiated and have reduced diversity compared to mainland deer and (2) if isolation on islands …


A Binary Approach For Selective Recognition Of Nucleic Acids And Proteins, Evan Cornett Jan 2015

A Binary Approach For Selective Recognition Of Nucleic Acids And Proteins, Evan Cornett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The design of probes for the selective recognition of biopolymers (nucleic acids and proteins) is a fundamental task for studying, diagnosing, and treating diseases. Traditional methods utilize a single component (small molecule or oligonucleotide) that binds directly to the target biopolymer. However, many biopolymers are unable to be targeted with this approach. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to explore a new, binary approach for designing probes. The binary approach requires two components that cooperatively bind to the target, triggering a recognition event. The requisite binding of two-components allows the probes to have excellent selectivity and modularity. The binary …


A High-Content Multiplexed Screening Platform For The Evaluation And Manipulation Of Force And Fatigue Of Adult Derived Skeletal Muscle Myotubes In Defined Serum-Free Medium, Christopher Mcaleer Jan 2015

A High-Content Multiplexed Screening Platform For The Evaluation And Manipulation Of Force And Fatigue Of Adult Derived Skeletal Muscle Myotubes In Defined Serum-Free Medium, Christopher Mcaleer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall focus of this project has two parts: First, was to develop a protocol utilizing serum-free media formulations and defined plating and culture techniques to create functional in vitro myotubes derived from adult skeletal muscle satellite cells. The second was to manipulate the inherent muscle parameters such as force output and fatigue of these myotubes by employing exercise regimes or by small molecule application. The importance of serum-free medium use for in vitro cultures is becoming increasingly important in creating functional systems that can be validated for drug testing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Also, the study …