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Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Lung Function Values Among A Scuba Diver Population And In Comparison To A Non-Diver Population, Gabriel C. Hutson, Jeremy D. Rentsch, Erin M. Eaton

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible correlations between lung function values (PEF, IRV, ERV, and FVC) among a diver population, as well as in comparison to a non-diver population. Independent variables for both populations were biological sex, age, and weekly physical activity. Independent variables for the diver population were dive tenure, number of logged dives, certification level, and gas mixture used. A spirometry test was conducted to collect lung function values of both populations. Data from this study suggest a statistically significant relationship between diver and non-diver sex and FVC, diver age and ERV, diver sex and …

Identification Of Bacterial Isolates Originating From The Human Hand, Leisa M. Rauch, Annette M. Golonka, Eran S. Kilpatrick

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The human body provides habitat for a diversity of bacterial species that are part of the normal human microbiota. Identification of various members of the normal microbiota to the species level requires a combination of biological staining procedures, biochemical tests, and molecular techniques. In this experiment, ten bacterial isolates originating from the hands of nine students and one faculty member at USC Salkehatchie were identified. Classification to a general taxonomic group was accomplished with standard staining and biochemical tests. Sequences for the 16S ribosomal RNA section of DNA for each isolate were analyzed with BLAST to generate a list of …

Role Of Epigenome And Microbiome In Cannabinoid And Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Mediated Regulation Of Inflammatory And Autoimmune Diseases, Zinah Zamil Al-Ghezi

Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation is considered to be the underlying cause of a majority of clinical disorders. Thus, studies aimed at understanding the signaling pathways that trigger inflammation could have significant translational impact. In the current study, we investigated the effect of activation of cannabinoid (CB) and Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AhR) receptors on the inflammatory response. To that end, we used cannabinoids such as Δ (9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), and a well-established AhR agonist namely 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). These were tested against two inflammatory disease models: 1) Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for human multiple sclerosis (MS), and 2) Exposure to …

Macrophages And Associated Inflammation Differentially Impact Obesity, Colorectal Cancer And Obesity-Enhanced Colorectal Cancer, Jackie Bader

Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third-most common malignancy for men or women, with chronic inflammation considered as a primary risk factor. Obesity is also considered a chronic inflammatory disease and is associated with increased CRC incidence. Further, obesity and CRC occur in men and women differently with the highest incidence of either disease found in men, suggesting that female sex hormones may play a protective role in inflammatory diseases. Macrophages can promote inflammation and are a driving force in obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction. Conversely, macrophages also contribute to pro-tumoral responses including, proliferation, angiogenesis and tissue remodeling. This heterogeneity of macrophage behavior …

The Contribution Of Adipose Tissue From Ovariectomized Mice To Colon Cancer, Meredith Smith Carson

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is considered a major public health concern worldwide due to the increased incidences of metabolic dysfunction and cancer risk. The obese state is, in part, attributable to the overconsumption of calorie-dense foods commonly seen in a standard Western diet, which aids in the progression of chronic, lowgrade inflammation. The role of estrogen varies depending on menopausal status, where estrogen deficiency coupled with increased visceral fat associated with post-menopause leads to increased secretions of pro-inflammatory adipokines and cytokines. However, the presence of estrogen in a premenopausal state has been shown to attenuate the pro-inflammatory response, which has been demonstrated when …

Effect Of Tcdd, An Environmental Contaminant, On Activation Of Ahr Leading To Induction Of Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (Mdscs) And The Ability Of Resveratrol, A Botanical, To Neutralize This Effect, Wurood Hantoosh Neamah

Theses and Dissertations

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), is a ligand-activated transcription factor that integrates environmental, dietary, microbial and metabolic cues to control various cellular processes, such as the cell cycle, epithelial barrier function, cell migration and immune function. AhR was discovered as the receptor that binds with high affinity to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and leads to numerous of toxicological outcomes. In the current study, we discovered a critical role played by AhR, following activation by TCDD, in modulating a variety of immunological functions through regulation of epigenetic and microbial pathways. Our data demonstrated that AhR activation triggers MDSC mobilization from bone marrow to peritoneal …

Role Of Epigenome And Microbiome In Endocannabinoid-Mediated Regulation Of Inflammation During Diet-Induced Obesity, Kathryn Miranda

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is an inflammatory disease involving accumulation of adipose tissue, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and over-activation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Mechanisms involved in ECS regulation of obesity-induced inflammation are not well understood. Presented here are three chapters involving microRNA (miR) regulation of inflammatory adipose tissue macrophages (ATM) during high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and cannabinoid receptor-mediated regulation of gut microbiota dysbiosis.

ATMs are innate immune cells that drive chronic low-grade inflammation during obesity. Polarization between pro-(M1) and anti-(M2-like) inflammatory phenotypes influence insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure; however, the mechanisms involved are unclear. In study one, we characterized miRs involved in ATM …

The Pharmabiotic For Phenylketonuria: Development Of A Novel Therapeutic, Chloé Elizabeth Lebegue

Senior Theses

Phenylketonuria, now known as phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency, is a genetic disorder of metabolism affecting approximately one in every 15,000 infants born in the United States. Patients have nonfunctional PAH enzyme secondary to one or more genetic mutations. The enzyme deficit results in destructive supraphysiologic blood phenylalanine levels upon consumption of the essential dietary amino acid phenylalanine. Current standards of care mitigate signs and symptoms of the disorder, but do not approach a cure. The methods for creating a prototype pharmabiotic as an innovative treatment strategy for PAH deficiency are described herein.

DNA molecular cloning techniques were utilized to engineer …

Characterizing Aft1/2-Grx3/4 Interaction And The Role Of Bol2 During Iron Regulation In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, William Rivers

Senior Theses

Iron dysregulation has been linked to a variety of human diseases, such as anemia, Friedreich’s ataxia, X-linked sideroblastic anemia, sideroblastic-like microcytic anemia, and myopathy. Thus, it is vitally important to understand the mechanisms for regulating intracellular iron. Here, we use fluorescence microscopy techniques in live cells to study interactions of the yeast proteins Grx3/4, Aft1/2, and Bol2, which have been shown to be involved in turning off iron import when the cell has adequate iron. Modified versions of genes encoding these proteins have been incorporated into several yeast backgrounds to use fluorescence to monitor interactions under varying iron levels.

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

New Insights On Age-Related Hearing Loss, Judy R. Dubno

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Flavonoid Galangin On The Cell Viability And Toxicity Of Mcf-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells Exposed To Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs), Abhimanyu Sailesh

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemical compounds ubiquitous in the environment; many of which are known human and animal carcinogen. The purpose of this study was to investigate MCF-7 epithelial breast cancer cells’ viability and toxicity following a short-term in vitro exposure to a cocktail of PAHs and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) separately in the presence and absence of varying concentrations of flavonoid galangin. It was predicted that presence of galangin will completely or partially block the damaging effects of PAHs. It was hypothesized that exposing the cells to 7 µM cocktail of PAHs or 10 µM B[a]P in the presence of …

The Effect Of Nonassociative Learning On Oxidative Stress In Caenorhabditis Elegans: A Potential Application For Alzheimer’S Disease Research, Gillian Patton

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Alzheimer’s disease results in learning and memory deficits due to toxic changes in the brain caused by amyloid-β plaques and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by the overproduction of free radicals, which are uncharged molecules containing an unpaired valence electron. Nonassociative learning is a type of cognitive processing that only uses one stimulus instead of two related stimuli. Cognitive processing promotes neural growth and learning, while Alzheimer’s inhibits it. The purpose of this study was to test how nonassociative learning impacts oxidative stress and thus, if it might be considered as a potential treatment option for Alzheimer’s disease. It …

Epha4b Expression In The Craniofacial Development Of African Cichlid Fishes, Chelse Vanatter

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Epha4b gene expression may contribute to variances in facial formation including functional differences such as nose shape and clinical conditions such as cleft palate. During craniofacial development, neural crest cells migrate to the pharyngeal arches then differentiate to form bone, muscle, and cartilage cells. The Eph/ephrin signaling pathway guides the streams of migrating neural crest cells into the pharyngeal arches; epha4b, a gene encoding an Eph receptor, contributes to this signaling pathway. To determine how epha4b expression differs between species at different developmental stages, in situ hybridization, a process that stains areas of gene expression, was performed. African cichlid fish …

The Effect Of Acetaminophen (Analgesic) And Diphenhydramine (Antihistamine) On Nociception Response Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Heart Rate Of Eisenia Fetida, And Mortality Of Both E. Fetida And C. Elegans, Vamsi Gorrepati

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Pharmaceutical pollution continues to increase each year but its adverse effects on the environment are still largely unknown. Pharmaceuticals can enter the terrestrial ecosystem when animal manure and sewage sludge are applied to land as a fertilizer or when irrigated with contaminated water. To understand the extent to which common drugs impact the ecosystem, two commonly polluting pharmaceuticals, acetaminophen and diphenhydramine, which have been found in many cities such as Chicago, Dallas, and most notably The Great Lakes, were studied. Various concentrations were tested on E. fetida and C. elegans. Indicators such as heart rate were observed for E. …

The Effects Of Oxidative Stress On Inducing Senescence In Human Fibroblasts, Shivani Chowdhary

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Oxidative stress, specifically from hydrogen peroxide exposure, was performed to determine if it induced senescence in cell lines such as Hela cells and primary human fibroblasts. The purpose of this experiment was to find the optimal stage, concentration, and time of exposure to induce the greatest number of senescent cells. After dividing cultures of both the Hela and human fibroblasts cells in order to reduce confluency, the cells were placed in a six well plate and exposed to hydrogen peroxide for two hours at various concentrations. The plates were checked at twenty-four-hour intervals, and then fixed with senescence associated beta-galactosidase …