Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons^™

Biomechanics And Neural Control Of Movement: Cmi's Effects On Downstream Motor Processing And Gait In Forwards And Backwards Walking, Christopher Choi

CMC Senior Theses

Analyzing the effects of cognitive motor interferences (CMI) on walking is usually done in patients with neurological comorbidity or during forward walking (FW). However, there are few studies that examine gait differences between FW and backward walking (BW) under the presence of CMI when speed is kept constant on a treadmill. In this study we examined how CMI would disrupt sensory feedback and affect the descending motor pathway. We hypothesized that subjects that walked backwards and were given a cognitive task would show the greatest differences in gait due to a lack of visual input and the presence of CMI. …

The Exploration Of Nanotoxicological Copper And Interspecific Saccharomyces Hybrids, Matthew Joseph Winans Phd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nanotechnology takes advantage of cellular biology’s natural nanoscale operations by interacting with biomolecules differently than soluble or bulk materials, often altering normal cellular processes such as metabolism or growth. To gain a better understanding of how copper nanoparticles hybridized on cellulose fibers called carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) affected growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the mechanisms of toxicity were explored. Multiple methodologies covering genetics, proteomics, metallomics, and metabolomics were used during this investigation. The work that lead to this dissertation discovered that these cellulosic copper nanoparticles had a unique toxicity compared to copper. Further investigation suggested a possible ionic or molecular mimicry …

Sindbis Virus Infects Specific Gut Cells For Replication And Dissemination From The Posterior Midgut Of Mosquitoes, Yani P. Ahearn

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Sindbis virus (SINV), a member of the genus Alphavirus, is the protype virus used to gain insight into other disease-causing Alphaviruses. As a mosquito-borne-virus (arbovirus), SINV transit in adult female mosquitoes includes attachment to the gut lumen and entry into the midgut cells, followed by replication and dissemination into the hemolymph through yet unknown specific mechanisms. Free-mated adult females, aged day 5-7, were fed a viremic bovine blood suspension via blood sausage at a final SINV titer at 107 PFU/ml. Midguts from fully engorged mosquitoes were dissected on day 5 and 7 post-bloodmeal and further examined by immunolabeling using …

Role Of Nurd In Acute Leukemia Cell Survival, Javeria Aijaz

Theses and Dissertations

Depletion of the ATPase component of the Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NuRD) complex, CHD4, reduces acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell survival. This study identified other NuRD components, as potential therapeutic targets for disrupting protein-protein interactions within NuRD. In addition to AML, we established that T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL) cell lines responded similarly to CHD4 depletion.

Greater than 90% depletion of either MBD2 or MBD3 (the mutually exclusive two DNA binding NuRD paralogues) – was unremarkable, but complete depletion of MBD3 increased apoptosis and genotoxic sensitivity. Combined depletion of MBD-NuRD proteins augmented apoptosis observed with complete MBD3 depletion - indicating …

The Impact Of Aging And Mechanical Injury On Alveolar Epithelial And Macrophage Responses In Acute Lung Injury And Inflammation, Michael S. Valentine

Theses and Dissertations

Patients with severe lung pathologies, such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), often require mechanical ventilation as a clinical intervention; however, this procedure frequently exacerbates the original pulmonary issue and produces an exaggerated inflammatory response that potentially leads to sepsis, multisystem organ failure, and mortality. This acute lung injury (ALI) condition has been termed Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI). Alveolar overdistension, cyclic atelectasis, and biotrauma are the primary injury mechanisms in VILI that lead to the loss of alveolar barrier integrity and pulmonary inflammation. Stress and strains during mechanical ventilation are believed to initiate alveolar epithelial mechanotransduction signaling mechanisms that contribute …

Spinal Motor Neuron Excitability And Balance Control Changes Following Downslope Walking, Nikki Aitcheson-Huehn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Downslope walking (DSW) has been proposed as a rehabilitation tool for people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) although there are mixed findings in young adults (YA) regarding the balance control changes, despite both populations experiencing depressed spinal motor neuron (MN) pool excitability. Our aim was to determine whether YAs could demonstrate improved balance control in conjunction with SOL H reflex depression (estimate of spinal MN excitability) following DSW. We also aimed to determine whether reciprocal inhibition was a potential mechanism for H reflex depression via conditioned SOL H reflexes. Thirty young adults (23±1.4y, 6 males) were assigned to 30-minutes of DSW …

Influence Of Salinity On Copper-Ligand Formation Constants, Fatimah Barnawi

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Natural Organic Matter (NOM) is known to reduce metal, such as copper, toxicity in aquatic environments. Copper is essential for organisms, but elevated concentrations of dissolved copper can potentially be toxic. The toxicity of copper is related to its bioavailability, which is influenced by toxicity modifying factors, such as NOM (quantified as Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) in mg C/L), alkalinity, pH and major cation and anion concentrations. The principles are the same for fresh and saltwater, but the influence of high salt concentrations, such as in estuaries, and associated activity corrections, can modify NOM complexation of metals (i.e., modify logK …