Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Development Of Inhalable Nano-Lipid Carriers For The Treatment Of Pulmonary Aspergillosis Using Hot Melt Extrusion Technology, Gauri Shadambikar

Graduate Student Council Research Grants

Overview: I am Gauri Shadambikar, second year PhD. student in department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery. Pulmonary Aspergillosis is an infection caused by a type of mold and can have serious effects on patients with a weak immune system or with underlying lung disease1. Itraconazole, a triazole is a compound with a broad antifungal spectrum. 2. An inhalation-based drug delivery system has the advantage of rapid onset of action directly at the site of infection along with controlled and prolonged delivery. 3. Hence the aim of my project was to prepare inhalable nano-lipid carriers (NLC) which would be a viable …

Assessment Of Underlying Neurocircuitry In Dysregulation Of The Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Stress Axis In Hiv-1 Tat Male Mice, Salahuddin Mohammed

Graduate Student Council Research Grants

Overview: My name is Salahuddin Mohammed, a 2nd year PhD graduate student from Dr. Jason Paris’ Lab. My research dissertation focuses on investigating the neuroendocrine underpinnings of HIV-and opioid-mediated anxiety-/depression-like behavior and cognitive impairment via experiments utilizing humans and animal models. Through this work I strive to delineate the underlying mechanism for the neuroHIV symptomology and develop novel therapeutic agents which can ameliorate HIV-1 mediated Tat-neurotoxicity. Approximately 50% of the HIV infected patients suffer from HIV associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) which can be exacerbated by drug use/abuse. Some neuroHIV symptoms include anxiety, major depressive disorder, neurocognitive impairment, and additional psychiatric …

Development Of Itraconazole Topical Formulation In Skin Cancer Treatment, Praveen Kolimi

Graduate Student Council Research Grants

Overview: I, Praveen Kolimi, pursuing a first-year graduate program at the department of pharmaceutics and drug delivery. This Graduate Student Council (GSC) grant proposal focus on topical application of Itraconazole (ICZ) in skin cancer treatment.

Intellectual Merit: 5.4 million skin cancer cases are reported each year in the United States. A study disclosed that one among five Americans are likely to develop skin cancer in their entire life. 9. Skin cancer can be distinguished into two types, malignant melanoma (MM) and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) 1, 8. NMSC further classified into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC)8, …

Synthesis Of Fluoroflavonoids As Potential Antioxidant Against Alzheimer’S Disease., Maali Alshammari

Graduate Student Council Research Grants

Overview: Maali Alshammari joined the lab of Professor David A. Colby in spring of 2017; she's currently a third-year Ph.D. student in medicinal chemistry in the graduate program in the Department of BioMolecular Sciences at the University of Mississippi. Maali's project involves the syntheses of fluoroflavones to improve the potency of the antioxidant activity of the original non-fluorinated flavones. The fluoroflavones will potentially be used as neuroprotective agents to prevent the toxic effect of ROS and used to prevent neurogenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Intellectual Merit: We are in need of medications that prevent Alzheimer's disease or even reverse its damage; …

The Role Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 In Specific Brain Cells Following Ischemia, Cellas Hayes

Graduate Student Council Research Grants

Overview: My name is Cellas Ari’ka Hayes, and I am a first-year graduate student in the School of Pharmacy Department of BioMolecular Sciences. I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in Pharmacology. My project will assess the effects of insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1), an anabolic polypeptide on the damage caused by ischemic stroke including glial cell death, neuronal tress, infarct size, neurological deficits, and behavioral changes.

Intellectual Merit: Ischemia is one of the largest causes of neurological deficits that in elderly individuals in the United States [1]. Since our life expectancy has increased concurrently without predispositions to …

The Reliability Of Histamine Pharmacodynamic Response Phenotype Classification In Children With Allergic Disease., Shaun S Kumar, Xiaoxi Liu, Catherine M Sherwin, Bridgette Jones

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

We have identified distinct histamine pharmacodynamic response phenotypes in children with allergic disease utilizing histamine iontophoresis with laser Doppler (HILD). These response phenotypes may be relevant in guiding therapeutic decision making for agents targeting the allergic response pathways. However, the reliability of these response phenotypes has not been assessed. Therefore, we performed HILD in children with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma on two to three separate occasions. HILD response-time data were analyzed in NONMEM using a linked effect PKPD model. Examination of observed vs. classified response phenotypes predicted response plots and the sum of residuals. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was …

The Effects Of Trichloroethylene On The Germination And Early Development Of Radish, Butternut Squash, Corn, And Soybean, Sarah Jaksich

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a small molecule used as a metal degreaser and as an extraction solvent for lipids. Historically, TCE has been used to clean missiles and rockets after testing at military sites. However, TCE has decreased in use due to its potential health hazards. TCE is particularly dangerous because it is soluble in water and easily seeps into ground water. As a result, TCE has contaminated groundwater in Mead, Nebraska. The town is near the formal Nebraska Ordnance Plant, a military factory specializing in bomb assembly, ammonium nitrate production, and explosives burning. Soil sampling in Mead indicated TCE levels …

The Diffusion Of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Methods And Data Analytics Into An Undergraduate Nursing Research Course, Mary Anne Schultz

Q2S Enhancing Pedagogy

The project is the adoption of principles of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning and Data Analytics into a traditional nursing research (hypothesis testing) course. Necessitated by the recent entrance of “Big Data” use in health care, there is an urgent need to inject an understanding of the AI/ML techniques necessary to extract, organize and derive meaning from this huge amount of evidence in clinical decision-making. In fact, our department recently approved the adoption of Precision Health (PH) (the clinical use of the plethora of highly-individualized data in health & medical decisions) principles into six undergraduate courses, NURS 4222 (Nursing Research & …

Amylin As A Potential Link Between Type 2 Diabetes And Alzheimer Disease, Florin Despa, Larry B. Goldstein, Geert Jan Biessels

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Immunogenicity In Clinical Practice And Drug Development: When Is It Significant?, Valentina Shakhnovich, Bernd Meibohm, Amy Rosenberg, Andrzej M. Kierzek, Rachel Hasenkamp, Ryan S. Funk, Craig J. Thalhauser, Piet H. Van Der Graaf, Yow Ming C. Wang, Lora Hamuro

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Cohort Study Of Pure Tone Audiometry Threshold Shifts From Ototoxic Substance, Continuous Noise, And Impulse Noise Exposures At Tinker Air Force Base From 2005 To 2019, Marc J. Blair

Theses and Dissertations

This retrospective cohort epidemiology study sought to establish the comparative risks and potential indicators of hearing loss associated with combinations of ototoxic substances, impulse noise, and continuous noise exposure. Currently, there is not an existing model or methodology in the Department of Defense (DoD) that joins occupational exposure data and pure tone audiometric data. After developing an integrated database model for Tinker Air Force Base, the largest of three depot installations within Air Force Material Command, 2,372 individuals were grouped into eight combinations of exposure groups with a minimum three years exposure duration to hazards. The incidence rates and relative …

The Connection Between Indoor Air Quality And Mental Health Outcomes, William L. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Mental health among United States citizens, military members, and veterans warrant research into factors not fully considered for their effects on mental health. The built environment is increasingly recognized as a potential influence on the mental health of occupants. Specifically, indoor air quality is theorized to contribute to mental illness. Through the development of a literature review, specific air pollutants common in the built environment were identified, and the mechanisms behind their effect on mental health were explored. A model framework is outlined, estimating the number of cases of major depressive disorder attributable to indoor exposure to particulate matter. The …

Catalytic, Selective, And Stereocontrolled Construction Of C4 Quaternary And Homobenzylic Dihydroisoquinolones By Sp3 C–H Benzylation, Timothy K. Beng, Antonio Moreno

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

C1 benzylated isoquinoline derivatives constitute the core of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs). However, their C4 congeners remain elusive. Here, we describe a diastereoselective, catalytic, and modular C(sp³)–C(sp³) coupling protocol wherein β-amino sp³ C–H bonds of readily affordable vicinally functionalized dihydroisoquinolones are replaced by sp³ C–benzyl bonds. The method provides expedient access to C4 quaternary and homobenzylic dihydroisoquinolones, which are attractive fragments for potential drug discovery.

Surveillance Of Culex And Aedes Mosquitoes In Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, William Noundou

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In 2018, West Nile virus (WNV) was identified as the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. In response to this very serious problem, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Public Health Department (LLCHD) reinforced their mosquito surveillance program, which constitutes one of the best available tools to fight against this serious threat to human health. The objectives of this study were to 1) expand knowledge of the activity and relative abundance of mosquito communities in understudied areas and 2) evaluate differences in mosquito communities by urban and rural location, especially focusing on known vector species. A total of 6 …

Data From: Consumption Of The Total Western Diet Promotes Colitis And Inflammation-Associated Colorectal Cancer In Mice, Abby D. Benninghoff

Browse all Datasets

Gene expression data for colon tissues obtained prior to, during, and after onset of colitis in mice fed either a standard or Western type diet.

File 1: probe annotations.

File 2: nSolver differential expression analysis results.

File 3: Gene set analysis

File 4: nSolver pathway scores

File 5: STRING-db networks and clusters

File 6: Metascape ontology results

File 7: nSolver cell type profiling scores

Protection Against Acute Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury By Qishenyiqi Via Neuroinflammatory Network Mobilization, Yule Wang, Guangxu Xiao, Xhuang He, Xinyan Liu, Lin Zhu, Xinyue Yang, Yiqian Zhang, John Orgah, Benjamin Feng, Xiaoying Wang, Boli Zhang, Yan Zhu

Peer Reviewed Articles

Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CI/RI) is a common feature of ischemic stroke, involving a period of impaired blood supply to the brain, followed by the restoration of cerebral perfusion through medical intervention. Although ischemia and reperfusion brain damage is a complex pathological process with an unclear physiological mechanism, more attention is currently focused on the neuroinflammatory response of an ischemia/reperfusion origin, and anti-inflammatory appears to be a potential therapeutic strategy following ischemic stroke. QiShenYiQi (QSYQ), a component-based Chinese medicine with Qi-tonifying and blood-activating property, has pharmacological actions of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mitochondrial protectant, anti-apoptosis, and antiplatelet aggregation. We have previously reported that …

Activation Of The Sonic Hedgehog Effector Smoothened Counteracts L-Dopa Induced Dyskinesia By Restoring Cholinergic Interneuron Function, Lauren Malave

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Many types of neurons act as multimodal signaling centers. Yet, we have only limited insight into the regulation and functional consequences of neuronal co-transmission. For example, dopamine (DA) neurons, whose degeneration causes motor deficits characteristic of Parkinson’s Diseases (PD), communicate with all their targets by DA but only a selective subset of their targets using GABA, Glutamate, and the secreted cell signaling protein Sonic Hedgehog (Shh). It is unknown whether Levo-dopamine (L-Dopa) induced dyskinesia (LIDs), a severely debilitating side effect of DA supplementation in PD, might appear because DA neuron targets are exposed to high DA- but low Shh- signaling …

Parp1-Targeted Radiotherapies, Stephen Jannetti

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Poly-ADP-ribosylation reactions were first reported by Chambon in 1963 as enzymatic activity that increases incorporation of ATP in the presence of nicotinamide mononucleotide. In the decades since that publication, Poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase 1 (PARP1) and the PARP family enzymes have been widely studied. PARP enzymes are currently known to play various roles in mammals, including anti-aging processes, interactions with Breast Cancer Suppressor Protein-1 (BRCA1), and DNA damage repair. A significant focus of PARP1 research has been elucidating its role in DNA damage repair. PARP1 is recruited to repair single strand DNA (ssDNA) breaks, which can become double stranded DNA (dsDNA) breaks if …

Investigation On The Potential Of Dried Blood Stain For The Detection Of Amphetamine Type Stimulants By Enhanced Methods Of Liquid Chromatography Tandem-Mass Spectrometry, Ahmad Zubaidi Fathiah

Student Works (2020-2029)

The investigation on the potential of dried blood stain for Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) has been divided into four major parts, from which independent conclusions are drawn. The first part is the development and validation of a novel method for the simultaneous determination of the drugs using liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The method is enhanced from normal Multi-Reaction Mode (MRM) to Multi-Reaction Mode-Enhanced Product Ion Mode- Multi-Reaction Mode 3 (MRM-EPI-MRM3) and tested in whole blood specimens (WBS), dried blood stain (DBS) and urine specimens as well as applied to real forensic cases in Malaysia. The …

Functional Significance Of Endothelial Sigma-1 Receptors In Vascular Reactivity And Barrier Function, Zeinab Y. Motawe

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The sigma-1 receptor (σ1) is a single 25 kD polypeptide that acts as a chaperone protein residing primarily in the endoplasmic reticulum Its interaction with mitochondria at the mitochondria-associated ER membrane domain is well-documented. Following activation, σ1 binds to the inositol trisphosphate receptor (Hayashi & Su), and modulates intracellular calcium homeostasis. Also, the activated σ1 modulates plasma membrane receptors and ion channel functions, and may regulate cellular excitability. Further, σ1 affects trafficking of lipids and proteins essential for neurotransmission, cell growth and motility. Activation of σ1 provides neuroprotection and cardio-protection in various models. Examples of neuroprotection include but not limited …

Appalachian Environmental Health Literacy: Building Knowledge And Skills To Protect Health, Anna G. Hoover, Annie Koempel, W. Jay Christian, Kimberly I. Tumlin, Kelly G. Pennell, Steven Evans, Malissa Mcalister, Lindell E. Ormsbee, Dawn Brewer

Journal of Appalachian Health

Environmental health literacy (EHL) is an emerging, multidisciplinary field that promotes understanding of how environmental exposures can affect human health. After discussing the regional relevance of environmental health knowledge and skills, this article describes three ongoing Appalachian projects that are focused on measuring and building EHL.

Impacts Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill On Reproduction And Ontogeny Of Gulf Killifish (Fundulus Grandis), Charles Alexander Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill released an estimated 779 million liters of Macondo-252 crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, making it the largest marine oil spill in history. Over a thousand kilometers of marshland that many species of fish use as a spawning grounds and nurseries was oiled, exposing breeding adult fish and their offspring to oil. My dissertation investigates the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and associated remediation efforts on the reproduction and ontogeny of a sentinel ecotoxicological species, the Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis). Concerns were raised regarding use of …

Neurodevelopment Outcome Of Neonates Treated With Intraventricular Colistin For Ventriculitis Caused By Multiple Drug-Resistant Pathogens-A Case Series, Kashif Hussain, Muhammad Sohail Salat, Gul Ambreen, Javaid Iqbal

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background: Multiple-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB)-associated neonatal ventriculitis is a life-threatening complication that needs timely diagnosis and effective treatment with broad-spectrum antimicrobials in critical-care settings. Inadequate penetration of antibiotics through the blood-brain barrier also demands an intraventricular (IVT) route of administration. This study reports mortality and neurodevelopmental sequelae of neonates till 18 months of age, who received IVT-colistin for treating MDR-GNB associated ventriculitis.
Methods: In a case series of seven neonates with ventriculitis due to MDR-GNB at NICU of Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan, between June 2015 and 2018, we reviewed IVT-colistin therapy in critically ill neonates. Treatment outcomes were assessed …

Analysis Of Organochlorine Pesticides Levels In Irrigation Water From Various Water Sources Across Egypt, Omar Tarek Khairy

Theses and Dissertations

Organochlorine pesticides are extensively used in agriculture to cope with the world’s increasing population and demands for nutrition. This class of pesticides poses a serious risk to human health upon chronic exposure to elevated levels. Determination of organochlorine pesticides levels in water has been extensively covered in literature in Egypt and other parts of the world. The need for up-to date data and statistical information regarding the levels of organochlorine pesticides in water is ever increasing. These compounds, although a lot have been prohibited from use decades ago, can still be detected in trace levels in water due to their …

Xuebijing Injection Maintains Grp78 Expression To Prevent Candida Albicans–Induced Epithelial Death In The Kidney, Ting Shang, Qilin Yu, Tongtong Ren, Xin-Tong Wang, Hongyan Zhu, Jia-Ming Gao, Guixiang Pan, Xiumei Gao, Yan Zhu, Benjamin Feng, Ming-Chun Li

Peer Reviewed Articles

Sepsis and septic shock threaten the survival of millions of patients in the intensive care unit. Secondary fungal infections significantly increased the risk of mortality in sepsis patients. Chinese medicine Xuebijing injection (XBJ) has been routinely used as an add-on treatment to sepsis and septic shock in China. Our network pharmacology analysis predicted that XBJ also influences fungal infection, consisting with results of pioneer clinical studies. We conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments to verify this prediction. To our surprise, XBJ rescued mice from lethal Candida sepsis in a disseminated Candida albicans infection model and abolished the colonization of …

Does Preimplantation Genetic Testing Increase The Risk Of Adverse Clinical Outcomes?, Robyn Weiss

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Before 1990, options were limited for couples who were at risk for transmitting a genetic disease or a structural chromosomal abnormality to their children. Couples traditionally underwent invasive procedures such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling, after which termination was offered if the fetus was found to be affected. Many couples chose not to have children at all. Since then, technological advances have allowed preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) to be offered to these couples. Couples who choose PGT undergo in-vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where the oocyte is injected by a single sperm and is then implanted …

Natural Sources And Bioactivities Of 2,4-Di-Tert-Butylphenol And Its Analogs, Fuqiang Zhao, Ping Wang, Rima D. Lucardi, Zushang Su, Shiyou Li

NCPC Publications and Patents

2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol or 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol (2,4-DTBP) is a common toxic secondary metabolite produced by various groups of organisms. The biosources and bioactivities of 2,4-DTBP have been well investigated, but the phenol has not been systematically reviewed. This article provides a comprehensive review of 2,4-DTBP and its analogs with emphasis on natural sources and bioactivities. 2,4-DTBP has been found in at least 169 species of bacteria (16 species, 10 families), fungi (11 species, eight families), diatom (one species, one family), liverwort (one species, one family), pteridiphyta (two species, two families), gymnosperms (four species, one family), dicots (107 species, 58 families), monocots (22 species, …

Mechanisms Of Dopamine-Induced Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity, Melinda L. Asbury

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Methamphetamine (MA) neurotoxicity is particularly evident in the striatum where it causes extensive dopamine (DA) release and results in neurodegeneration. To identify specific signaling pathways and macromolecules involved in postsynaptic DA-induced striatal toxicity we used a SK-N-MC cell model that mimics postsynaptic D1 receptor-expressing striatal neurons. The cells were treated for 6-24 h with 0-50 µM DA. The concentration was chosen to impart physiological relevance to the study as it mirrors [DA] found within the striatum following MA exposure. We show that 25-50 µM DA resulted in protein changes consistent with nitro(oxidative) stress as well as enhanced cleavage of caspase …

Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Kristina Krupa, Kristina Fritz, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.

Iron Dextran, Sebastiano Failla, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.