Laboratory and Basic Science Research Commons^™

Fungal Empyema Thoracis, A Rare But An Emerging Entity: A Retrospective Case Series From Pakistan, Nousheen Iqbal, Akbar Shoukat Ali, Aqusa Zahid, Kauser Jabeen, Muhammad Irfan

Section of Pulmonary & Critical Care

Background and objective: Fungal empyema is a rare entity which is associated with high mortality. It is mostly seen in immune-compromised hosts. However, there is limited data available on fungal empyema from developing countries regarding risk factors, treatment, and outcome. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors, clinical features, treatment, and outcome of fungal empyema.
Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed on proven fungal empyema cases, admitted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan during January 2018 to May 2021. We excluded all those patients with polymicrobial bacterial and fungal empyema or with negative pleural fluid cultures. …

Air-Jet Bioprinting Of Stem Cell-Encapsulated Alginate Micro-Droplets For Organoid Biomanufacturing, Mirabella B. Stump

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biomanufactured 3D-organoids show promise for modeling and treating various conditions, particularly insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type-1 diabetes). Pancreatic islet organoids serve as sustainable sources of insulin-producing β-cells, potentially restoring insulin regulation in patients and providing a long-term solution for diabetes. Hydrogel droplet printing is an emerging technique in regenerative medicine due to its advantageous tunability and biocompatibility; however, challenges of consistency, quality control, and scalability persist. To address these issues, we developed a novel air-jetting based droplet bioprinting system for the generation of monodispersed alginate micro-droplets. The objective of this project was to incorporate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into …

The Effect Of Db1976 On The Fibrotic Response In Three-Spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus Aculeatus), Saif Quraishi

Honors Scholar Theses

The study of fibrosis in stickleback has been a growing field in which there have been a few studies conducted. This study examines two experiments involving the inhibition of fibrosis in stickleback. The first experiment used fish from the Kenai River Flats (KRF) in Alaska. The second experiment used fish from Roselle Lake in British Columbia, Canada. To determine the impact the drug had on fibrosis, sticklebacks from the KRF population were treated with DB1976 as well as alum, a pro‐inflammatory vaccine adjuvant that causes fibrosis (Kool et. al 2012). When each DB1976 + alum treatment group was compared with …

An Inkjet-Printed Graphene Oxide–Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene) Poly(Styrene Sulfonate) Electrode For Nitrite Detection In Water, Budi Riza Putra, Weni Anindya, Mohamad Rafi, Ika Kartika, Yudi Nugraha Thaha, Aga Ridhova, Wulan Tri Wahyuni

Makara Journal of Science

In this study, a screen-printed electrode (SPE) for nitrite (NO₂⁻) sensing was fabricated through an inkjet printing technique using a commercial printer machine and preparing an ink composite solution containing graphene oxide (GO) and poly(3,4 ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as conductive materials. The optimum ink materials for SPE fabrication comprised GO and PEDOT:PSS with binders that resemble the viscosity of commercial ink. The surface topography of the fabricated SPE, which was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, showed a smoother surface compared to the commercial screen-printed carbon electrode, with conductive ink materials deposited primarily …

The Influence Of Rusty Crayfish And Zebra Mussel Invasion On Yellow Perch Population Dynamics In North-Central Minnesota Lakes, Kendra Fink

Biology Graduate Theses

Over the last 50 years, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources standard fisheries survey catch rates of Yellow Perch have declined. Yellow Perch Perca flavescens are an important, widespread game fish, are essential prey species for Walleye Sander vitreus and other piscivorous fish and rely greatly on benthic resources through many life stages. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) like rusty crayfish Faxonius rusticus and zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha have the potential to change water quality, vegetation and prey assemblages in aquatic systems and could cause shifts in energy flow, subsequently altering growth, condition, and maturity of native fish species. In this study, …

Fabrication Of Novel Electropolymerized Conductive Polymer Of Hydrophobic Perfluorinated Aniline As Transducer Layer On Glassy Carbon Electrode: Application To Midazolam As A Model Drug Of Benzodiazepines, Ekram Hany Mohamed, Amr Mahmoud,, , Nancy Nashat, Sally El-Mosallamy

Pharmacy

The objective of this study is to fabricate solid-contact ion selective electrodes (SC-ISEs) that have long term stable potential. Various conducting polymers such as polyaniline and its derivatives have been successfully employed to improve the potential stability in SC-ISEs. Recently, the role of hydrophobicity at the interface between the conducting polymer solid contact and the ion sensing membrane has been investigated and figured out that the hydrophobic interfaces preclude water layer formation that deteriorate the SC-ISEs potential stability and reproducibility. In this work, a hydrophobic polyaniline derivative was fabricated on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode by electropolymerization of …

Development And Validation Of Molnupiravir Assessment In Bulk Powder And Pharmaceutical Formulation By The Rp-Hplc-Uv Method, Ekram Hany Mohamed, A. H. Abdel Aziz, Noha M. El Zahar,, Nour El-Din A. Abdel-Sattar, Safwat A. Mahmoud,, Mohamed S. Attia,

Pharmacy

An accurate, sensitive and selective RP-HPLC-UV method has been established for the estimation of Molnupiravir (MOL) in pure bulk powder and pharmaceutical formulation. Separation was achieved on an Inertsil C18 column (150.0 mm × 4.6 mm, 5.0 μm), using a mobile phase of 20 mM phosphate buffer pH 2.5 : acetonitrile (80 : 20, v/v%) in isocratic mode with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1. The λmax of MOL prepared in the chosen diluent (ethanol : water in equal proportions) was found to be 230.0 nm. The constructed calibration curve was found to be linear in the concentration range …

Exploration Of The Implementation Of An Integrated Electronic Laboratory Information Management System On Quality Diagnostics Service Indicators At A County Level Public Hospital In Western Kenya., Kelly Allen

Capstone Collection

Underinvestment in pathology and laboratory capacity caused by low visibility in research and in prioritization by public health leaders results in limited effective healthcare coverage and an estimated 1.1 million premature deaths annually in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries. Kenya’s public health laboratories provide a median 41% of the Essential Diagnostic List to their patients and in Kisumu County, as much as 44.2% of the population has little to no access to essential diagnostics. The government of Kisumu implemented the county Health Laboratory Strategic Plan 2018-2022 to address this public health challenge. Little information exists on the effectiveness of these initiatives and the …

Lead, Cadmium, And Mercury Concentration Levels In Some Commercial Fish From The Arabian Sea And The Gulf Of Aden During The Years 2020–2022, Khaled Awadh Al-Rabaki, Salem Rabie Bazar, Ahmed Ali Balqadi, Nabil Shayif Al-Hudaifi, Marwan Ahmed Al-Habashi, Nadia Ahmed Balasuad, Muhammad Abdurrahman Ba-Omer

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

This study was conducted to determine and evaluate the heavy metal concentrations levels: lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) in the meat of some commercial fish species: Grouper (Epinephelus areolatus), Emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) and Cuttlefish (Sepia Pharaonis). A total of 84 fish samples were caught and collected from different sites in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea between January 2020 and December 2022. Some of them were sold in the cities markets of Hadhramout governorate- Yemen, and some of them were exported abroad. All samples were analyzed at the laboratories of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and …

Effects Of Aging On Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption: A Preliminary Study, Steven Klepacz

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Aging and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is something that has not been adequately studied. Studies looking at EPOC mostly are compiled of young college age individuals. Aging in humans is a topic of much research with still more to be learned. The study in this paper attempts to answer the question of whether age affects EPOC when performing a certain exercise. Preliminary findings based on general age-related research suggest the possibility. This thesis will explore the current research related to age and EPOC, analyze the findings, and discuss additional avenues for future research.

A Highly Selective Optical Sensor Eu-Binam For Assessment Of High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin Tumor Marker In Serum Of Cancer Patients, Ekram Hany Mohamed, Mohamed S. Attia, Ahmed O. Youssef, Shahenda S. Ahmed

Pharmacy

A novel, easy, touchy and selective spectrofluorimetric technique has been successfully applied for sensitive determination of High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin (TNHS I) in the serum samples of patients suffering malignant tumors through the usage of optical sensor Eu3+-BINAM complex. The technique is primarily based on quenching of the Eu3+-BINAM complex's luminescence intensity upon introducing various concentrations of High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin (TNHS I). The synthesis and characterization of the optical sensor was performed via absorption and emission. The sensor was also adapted to offer excitation at 394 nm in acetonitrile at pH 7.5. Concentration of High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin (TNHS …

Tak1 And Tbk1 Are Differentially Required By Gmp- And Lmpp-Like Leukemia Stem Cells, Austin P. Runde, Joseph Michael Cannova, Ryan Mack, Kanak Joshi, Mark Sellin, Allan Youmaran, Mattias Lenz, Rohit Thalla, Wei Wei, Peter Breslin S.J., Jiwang Zhang

School of Medicine

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) encompasses a diverse group of cancers that originate in the blood-forming tissues of the bone marrow. Aside from the M3 subtype (PML-RARA⁺), AML carries a 5-year survival rate of 28% for patients 20+ years of age. AML is the most common cancer of the hematopoietic system and is slightly more common in biological males; the average age at diagnosis is 68 years. Standard frontline treatment for AML is a 2-phase regimen of intensive chemotherapy (CTx) employing daunorubicin and cytarabine. Despite 60-70% of patients achieving complete remission (CR), at least half of CR-achieving patients …

Determining The Ideal Concentrations Of Ethanol And Propylene Glycol In Ethosomes For Transdermal Delivery Of Vitamin D3, Rebecca Conner

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

Vitamin D₃ is an important chemical in the human body, however, many Americans have low levels of this vitamin. There are plenty of oral supplementations for Vitamin D₃ deficiency, but those of older age and busy schedules may struggle to meet the minimum requirement. A recently developed ethosomal transmembrane delivery system (Touitou, 2000), similar to liposomes but also containing ethanol, allows users to apply a gel dermally and have the desired drug or active ingredient reach the bloodstream faster. However, there is considerable variation in the concentration of ethanol and permeation enhancers used. Using an affordable method to …

The Effects Of Vaping Coil Temperature On The Viability Of Veillonella Parvula And Streptococcus Mutans, Marvelous O. Aluko

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Novel Serum Formulation For The Treatment Of C. Acnes, Ariana G. Ngue

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

Acne impacts 85% of people between 12-24 years of age. Even after puberty, acne continues to impact a large portion of the population. The treatments are diverse and include prescription drugs. Through this research, a novel formulation was created for the skin to treat acne. This formulation incorporates salicylic acid, a non-prescription acne treatment, as well as a polymeric carbohydrate (hyaluronic acid) known to be a component of skin and involved in the healing of skin. Through an internship with Island Lux Essentials, a company devoted to making all natural body care products, a novel serum formulation was created to …

Irbp In Diabetic Retinopathy – Cell Culture & Ophthalmic Pathology Studies, Laura Valdez

Research Colloquium

Background: Interphotoreceptor-Retinoid-Binding-Protein (IRBP) is restricted to the subretinal space by the external limiting membrane and RPE zonulae occludens. Its expression is reduced in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and increased expression is protective. Hypoxia decreases viable conelike photoreceptors (661W) but increased VEGF, suggesting a role of photoreceptors in proliferative DR (PDR) (Rodriguez et al, Arch Clin Exp. Ophthal 3:23,2021). Here, we investigated the effects of high glucose and VEGF on IRBP expression by 661W and rod-like Y79 cells and distribution of IRBP and albumin in human globes with PDR and NPDR.

Methods:  661W and Y79 cells were cultured in DMEM or RPMI …

International Conference On Cancer Health Disparities, Juhi Rais, Asif Jafri, Neelam Shivnath, Habiba Khan, Md Arshad

Research Symposium

Background: Biochanin A, an isoflavone that is mainly present in red clover, has potent chemopreventive properties against many cancers. Ovarian carcinoma is fifth most common and deadliest gynaecological malignancy that causes the highest mortality in females worldwide. Hence a substantial need for new therapies for combating this gynaecological malignancy arises.

Methods: The present study aimed to investigate anti-cancerous potentials of biochanin A on cultured human ovarian carcinoma PA-1 cells through the cell viability assay, cellular apoptosis, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), involvement of ROS, cell cycle kinetics, and expression of apoptosis-related genes namely, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, Noxa and Puma. …

Effect Of Igf-1 On Post-Translational Modifications (Ptms) On A Model Of Diabetes-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy In H9c2 Cardiomyoblast Cell Line, Andres Medina, Lizbeth Trevino, Alejandra Salinas, Yadira Chaires, Erick Rodriguez

Research Symposium

Background: Diabetic cardiomyocytes alter their post-translational modification levels, especially in OGlcNAcylation and Phosphorylation. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a peptide known to induce favorable cardiovascular effects in patients with heart failure. Here, we focus on the downstream effects of IGF-1 as a potential DCM treatment.

Methods: H9c2 cells were cultured in DMEM-10% FBS at 80% of confluence. As a cellular model of cardiac hypertrophy, we used a high-glucose medium (30 mM glucose) in the presence or absence of 10 µmol/L of IGF-1 (HG and HG+IGF-1). As control groups, we used cells cultured in low-glucose DMEM (glucose 5mM) in the …

Erk Required For Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Tlr4 Internalization In Macrophages, Sara M. Reyna, Phoebe Fang-Mei Chang

Research Symposium

Background: Insulin resistance is associated with low circulating levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Binding of LPS to Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) leads to the internalization and trafficking of TLR4 resulting in activation of downstream signaling pathways. TLR4 internalization in macrophages leads to the activation of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways and production of factors linked to the development of insulin resistance. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1 and 2) are activated downstream of TLR4 and are associated with insulin resistance. We hypothesized that ERK1 and ERK2 regulate TLR4 internalization in macrophages when exposed to LPS.

Methods: We examined whether inhibition …

Molecular Event In Hrp Apoptosis, Laura Valdez

Research Symposium

Background: Human retinal pericytes (HRP) are contractile cells adjacent to and provide support for endothelial cells (EC) of capillaries, which are essential in the regulation of retinal vasculature. Early stages of DR are characterized by the loss of HRP, which leads to the development of advanced-stage pathology including angiogenesis. Although much is known about the etiology of DR, the apoptotic pathway that incites HRP loss remains unclear. Our preliminary studies reveal that monocyte-derived macrophages secrete TGF-β1, which induces the expression and secretion of a TGF-β1-Induced, pro-apoptotic BIGH3 protein (TGF-β–Induced Gene Human Clone 3) leading to apoptosis of HRP Eye, 30(12), …

Environmentally Sustainable Computationally Spectrophotometric Resolution Strategy For Analysis Single-Tablet Regimens Of Antihypertension With Overlapped Spectra, Ekram Hany Mohamed, Hayam M. Lotfy, Reem H. Obaydo,

Pharmacy

Single tablet regimens (STRs) for hypertension suppression improve patient satisfaction, quality of life, medication and adherence compared to multi-tablet regimens (MTRs). Development of simple cost effective and at the same time green an ecofriendly method for analysis and resolution of multicomponent and complex mixtures is an increasingly important issue in the field of pharmaceutical industry in general and analytical chemistry in specific. Thus, the presented research deals with two main goals, the first one is concerned with developing and applying a fully validated resolution plan using numerical data of signals on manipulated spectra for successive extraction of parent spectra of …

Fire Effects On Soil Organic Matter In The Creek Fire, Gracie E. Doolin

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Wildfires have increased in frequency and severity over the past few decades due to the increased concertation of CO2 emissions from anthropogenic influence. Soil carbon (C) sequestration has been identified as a climate change mitigation strategy; however, the influx of large-scale wildfires has accelerated landscape processes such as erosion, reducing soil aggradation, and soil C and nitrogen (N) protection. This trend is highlighted by the Creek Fire that occurred in September 2020 and burned 379,895 acres in the Sierra National Forest. This research is designed to close the knowledge gap regarding the impact of burn severity on soil organic matter …

Sero-Epidemiology Of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis In Children In Ilorin, Kwara State, Omosigho Omoruyi Pius, Izevbuwa Osazee Ekundayo, Saheed Ibrahim Damilare

Journal of Bioresource Management

Rotavirus is responsible for the most severe dehydrating diarrhea among young children due to gastroenteritis. In this study, we aimed to ascertain the occurrence of childhood gastroenteritis caused by Rotavirus among infants and young children who are younger than 5 years of age in Ilorin, Kwara State and determined the risk factors posing the challenges to be susceptible to diarrhea associated with rotavirus in Ilorin, Kwara State. Diarrhea stool samples were collected from children who passed watery stools, who met predetermined inclusion criteria and who presented at the study hospitals Viz: General Hospital and Specialist Hospital Alagbado and Children Specialist …

Human Health Risk Assessment Of Some Heavy Metals In Eme River, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, Emeka Donald Anyanwu, Onyinyechi Gladys Adetunji, Paschal Emeka Etusim, Solomon Nnanna Umeham

Journal of Bioresource Management

This study evaluated the health risk of some heavy metals in Eme River, Umuahia. The study conducted in 6 stations was between December 2017 and November 2018. The non-carcinogenic method that involves determination of chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) was applied in the assessment of ingestion, dermal and incidental ingestion exposures. Iron, lead and cadmium exceeded their limits and warranted risk assessment. The heavy metals’ CDI values for the three routes were lower than their respective reference doses except for cadmium (ingestion route). Except for cadmium (ingestion), the hazard quotients also recorded values lower …

The Co-Oncogenic Function Of Ecdysoneless Protein With Erbb2 In Mammary Epithelial Cells, Benjamin B. Kennedy

Theses & Dissertations

The Ecdysoneless (ECD) protein is highly evolutionarily conserved and ubiquitously expressed across human tissues. ECD has established roles in cell cycle regulation, embryogenesis, cell survival, and RNA biogenesis. ECD mRNA and protein are overexpressed in breast cancer, and its overexpression correlates with poor patient survival, especially in ErbB2/HER2-positive breast cancer. This thesis work investigates the co-oncogenic role of ECD in ErbB2-driven oncogenesis using immortalized mammary epithelial cells. Here, we show that ECD and ErbB2 overexpression in immortalized human mammary epithelial cells increases cancer traits, such as invasion, migration, and anchorage independent growth. Significantly, ECD+ErbB2 co-overexpression further enhanced all oncogenic traits. …

Profiling And Verifying The Substrates Of E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Rsp5 In Yeast Cells, Shuai Fang, Geng Chen, Yiyang Wang, Rakhee Ganti, Tatiana A Chernova, Li Zhou, Savannah E Jacobs, Duc Duong, Hiroaki Kiyokawa, Yury O Chernoff, Ming Li, Natalia Shcherbik, Bo Zhao, Jun Yin

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Yeast is an essential model organism for studying protein ubiquitination pathways; however, identifying the direct substrates of E3 in the cell presents a challenge. Here, we present a protocol for using the orthogonal ubiquitin transfer (OUT) cascade to profile the substrate specificity of yeast E3 Rsp5. We describe steps for OUT profiling, proteomics analysis, in vitro and in cell ubiquitination, and stability assay. The protocol can be adapted for identifying and verifying the ubiquitination targets of other E3s in yeast. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wang et al.

Spatial Structure Formation By The Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulator Rsme In Pseudomonas Fluorescens Pf0-1, Anton Evans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microorganisms are often found in microbial communities we call biofilms. Organisms living in these crowded environments have significant evolutionary pressure to retain access to the resources necessary to sustain life. My research uses the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1 to study how organisms evolve strategies to solve this crowding problem as aging colonies repeatedly generate mutant patches. These mutants expand the reach of the colony resulting in decreased local density as they push themselves up to the resource rich surface. These spatial structures result from social interactions between the mutant and the parental cells mediated through extracellular secretions, resulting in the …

Modeling Biphasic, Non-Sigmoidal Dose-Response Relationships: Comparison Of Brain- Cousens And Cedergreen Models For A Biochemical Dataset, Venkat D. Abbaraju, Tamaraty L. Robinson, Brian P. Weiser

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Biphasic, non-sigmoidal dose-response relationships are frequently observed in biochemistry and pharmacology, but they are not always analyzed with appropriate statistical methods. Here, we examine curve fitting methods for “hormetic” dose-response relationships where low and high doses of an effector produce opposite responses. We provide the full dataset used for modeling, and we provide the code for analyzing the dataset in SAS using two established mathematical models of hormesis, the Brain-Cousens model and the Cedergreen model. We show how to obtain and interpret curve parameters such as the ED50 that arise from modeling, and we discuss how curve parameters might change …

Utilizing Crispr Cas9 To Visualize Dopamine Receptors In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Lauren Michelle Velasquez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Dopamine (DA) is a neurotransmitter with imperative implications in many functions including movement, reward, and cognition. Studying the pathways of dopaminergic neurons at multiple levels allows us to understand the ways in which these systems can go wrong. We study dopamine in a model system such as the worm Caenorhabditis elegans because of its relatively simple and well-characterized nervous system. DA is involved in regulating chemosensory behaviors in worms. The purpose of this research project is to definitively answer the following question: Are the dopamine receptors DOP-1 and DOP-4 expressed in chemosensory neurons? Previous reporter assays show that neither of …

Molecular Mechanisms Behind Sars-Cov-2 Induced Host Genome Restructuring, Erin Simpson

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus -2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused unprecedented morbidity and mortality worldwide. There are two pathophysiological hallmarks associated with severe patient outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 acute infection, namely delayed/weakened interferon production and overactive inflammatory responses. Our previous work has shown that these altered immune responses are due, at least in part, to significant alterations in 3D genome organization and epigenetic landscape following SARS-CoV-2 infection that are distinct from and more severe than changes caused by other viral infections or immune stimulants. While these changes at the chromatin level are important for understanding the immune dysregulation seen in some cases …