Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

E,E-Farnesol Inhibits Swarming Motility In Burkholderia Cepacia Through Rhamnolipid Production, Stephanie E. Nicholls, Alayna N. Sanderson, Andrea P. Schwartz, Lauren E. Ward, Jessica N. Weisensee, Molly Yandrofski, Tracy L. Collins

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Burkholderia cepacia and Candida albicans both exhibit cell-to-cell communication through the use of quorum-sensing molecules (QSM) known as autoinducers. E,E-farnesol is a QSM produced by C. albicans which regulates its conversion from yeast to mycelium. Because there is a positive correlation between the presence of B. cepacia and C. albicans in the lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), we examined whether E,E-farnesol had an effect on swarming motility in B. cepacia. Swarming motility was inhibited when B. cepacia was exposed to 250 µM of E,E-farnesol. In addition, there was a 26.8% decrease in rhamnolipid production when cells were grown …

The Effect Of Photoactivated Tmp On Burkholderia Cepacia Biofilms, Reyna G. Osorio, Chandra N. Swiech, Tracy L. Collins

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Burkholderia cepacia is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infections in immunocompromised individuals such as cystic fibrosis patients. B. cepacia infections are typically characterized by the formation of complex communities of cells known as biofilms. Because B. cepacia biofilms are difficult to eradicate using antibiotics, it is important to pursue alternative treatment methods. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a type of therapy that uses light, a photosensitizer, and oxygen to elicit cell death through the production of reactive oxygen species. PDT has been shown in previous studies to be successful in killing both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we …

The Effects Of Apigenin On Cell Proliferation And Apoptosis In Glioblastoma Multiforme, Trevor Stump, Brittany Santee, Lauren Williams, Chelsae Heinze, Rachel Kunze, Samson Amos, Denise S. Simpson

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a WHO grade IV brain tumor. These tumors are highly proliferative, infiltrative, necrotic, angiogenic, and resistant to apoptosis. One major characteristic of GBM is the overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which leads to cell growth and proliferation when activated. GBM is very difficult to treat due to its location, heterogeneity, and invasiveness; an effective treatment is therefore needed. The use of flavonoids, which are natural compounds found in many fruits and vegetables, has been studied in the treatment of many different tumor types. Apigenin is a specific flavonoid that has previously been shown to …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Growth Environment On The Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power Of Selected Plant Species, Denise S. Simpson, Marshall C. Johnson, David T. Bancroft, Robert L. Paris

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Metabolism within the human body creates multiple oxidant by-products. These oxidants may cause cell injury, damage to DNA, and other complications leading to the development of chronic disease. Antioxidants are important dietary components which defend against oxidative damage by scavenging the oxidant by-products. Research has shown that diets rich in antioxidants offer protection against various chronic diseases.

The goal of this research is to determine the effects of varying growing conditions on the production of antioxidants, and to ultimately find the best possible plant-growth environment for maximum production of antioxidants. Each plant was grown under three different environmental conditions; positive, …

The Effect Of Andrographolide On The Metabolism Of Carbamazepine In Rats, Elizabeth Aziz, Samuel Franklin, Ankit Pandav, Abigail Savino, Caleb Thompson, Caleb Vandyke, Ruth Choi, Elisha R. Injeti

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Objective: To determine if andrographolide (AND) impacts the pharmacokinetics of carbamazepine (CBZ).

Background: CBZ is an anticonvulsant medication that is metabolized in the liver by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. AND is an over-the-counter medication that is common in Eastern cultures to treat inflammation and is a CYP enzyme inhibitor. Because CBZ is metabolized in the liver by these specific CYP enzymes, coadministration of andrographolide and CBZ could result in a herb-drug interaction. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats (N=12) aged between 3 months and 6 months (250-350 g) will be split into control (N=6) and treatment (N=6) groups. The treatment group will receive …

Effects Of Antiepileptic Medications On Bone Density In Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Carly R. Gregory, Hannah L. Stedge, Robyn K. Brandenburg

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) to manage seizures, manage behavior, and stabilize mood. Though research has been done on the effects of antiepileptic medications in patients with epilepsy, little study has been done on the persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities population. After surveying IDD patients with a history and current use of AEDs on osteoprotective behaviors, we were unable to use SPSS due to incomplete surveys and low sample sizes. However, we were still able to analyze for common themes, and we found that the most prevalent use of AEDs was …