Case Studies Of Potential Reference Materials In Cultural Heritage Science,
2019
Butler University
Case Studies Of Potential Reference Materials In Cultural Heritage Science, Heidi Kastenholz
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection
The study of cultural heritage objects requires reference materials for comparison in order to determine the identity of chemical compounds in historically/culturally significant artifacts. The reference materials available today can be inaccurately labeled, can contain inauthentic compounds, or can simply be formed differently than what the labeled material should be. Utilizing the laboratory at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, three case studies were conducted over three different potential reference materials in order to properly identify each of the three materials being focused on here. Based on the analysis, the labels for these materials often do not match the …
Imbalance Of Uracil Dna Glycosylase And Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Expression In Folate Depleted Human Lymphoblastoids,
2019
Wayne State University
Imbalance Of Uracil Dna Glycosylase And Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Expression In Folate Depleted Human Lymphoblastoids, Elizabeth Zanley
Wayne State University Theses
Background: The DNA base excision repair (BER) pathway is responsible for processing of genomic uracil lesions however, in some tissue types the excisional and gap-filling steps performed by UNG2 and POLβ, respectively, are impaired by folate deficiency in human and murine models in vitro. Genomic uracil damage can be acquired by inadequate conversion of uracil to thymine nucleotide precursors resulting from insufficient folate cofactors, or through activation induced cytosine deaminase (AID) activity during antibody diversification in B-cells in the context of adaptive immunity. The immunoglobulin (Ig) diversification methods in B-cells depend on the coordinated interaction between AID and UNG2, and …
Effect Of Oil Palm Phenolics (Opp) On Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines,
2019
Wayne State University
Effect Of Oil Palm Phenolics (Opp) On Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines, Inaam Abdul Karim
Wayne State University Theses
Pancreatic cancer (paca) is currently the fifth causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It’s an aggressive form of cancer with very low survival rates because of delayed diagnosis and limited treatment options. Gemcitabine is the chemotherapy drug that provides minimal benefits along with many side effects. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro effects of oil palm phenolics (OPP) fraction-5, the water-soluble component of palm oil, in human pancreatic cancer cell models. Two pancreatic cancer cell lines (Panc-1 and BxPC-3) were categorized into control and treatment groups. The control group received cell culture media …
Assessment Of Quantity And Quality Of Microplastics In The Sediments, Waters, Oysters, And Selected Fish Species In Key Sites Along The Bombong Estuary And The Coastal Waters Of Ticalan In San Juan, Batangas,
2019
Ateneo de Manila University
Assessment Of Quantity And Quality Of Microplastics In The Sediments, Waters, Oysters, And Selected Fish Species In Key Sites Along The Bombong Estuary And The Coastal Waters Of Ticalan In San Juan, Batangas, Emilyn Q. Espiritu, Sophia Angeli Sn Dayrit, Annabel Soledad O. Coronel, Natasha Sophia C. Paz, Pilar Isabel L. Ronquillo, Virgil Christian G. Castillo, Erwin P. Enriquez
Chemistry Faculty Publications
Microplastics (or MPs; < 5 mm in size) pollution is largely unstudied in the Philippines. From an environmental sustainability standpoint, it is important to understand the characteristics, abundance, and environmental fate of plastic debris of various sizes, and these include microplastics that are not more easily and readily detected. In this study, we assessed the extent of microplastics contamination in the sediments, waters, oysters, and selected fishes found in the rivers and coastal areas of Ticalan, Batangas, which were identified from water quality parameters as Class C and CS, respectively. The microplastics were extracted from these samples by chemical digestion of the matrix, series of filtration, and separation by flotation through a density gradient to finally isolate the microplastics which were not dissolved by chemical digestion. The isolated samples were imaged by optical microscopy and characterized based on their descriptive attributes. The results showed the presence of microplastics in all the samples tested, which were found mostly in the form of filaments, fragments, films, and pellets – with most showing weathered, degraded, or angular and irregular surfaces. Identification was done through spectral matching of the Fourier transform infrared spectra of isolated fragments with that of known plastics, although identification in some cases is made uncertain by possibility of degradation of the plastics in the environment. The majority of the isolates showed signature absorption bands of the C-H stretching vibrations of polyethylene-based plastics.
Inhibition Of Hsv-1 Binding By Egcg-Stearate,
2019
Montclair State University
Inhibition Of Hsv-1 Binding By Egcg-Stearate, Valerie Paschalis
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is the causative agent of oral herpes, and is able to establish lifelong latent infection along with painful, recurring symptoms. Epigallocatechin-3- gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant polyphenol derived from green tea (Camellia sinensis), whose anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and antiviral properties have been widely studied. Although EGCG is not chemically stable and has poor hydrophobicity, lipophilic derivatives of EGCG have shown increased stability as well as increased antiviral efficacy against HSV. Previous studies have demonstrated that EGCG stearate (EGCG-S), a derivative of EGCG esterified at the 4’ position with stearic acid, is able to …
Significance Of Rna 2'-5' Linkage And Metal-Ion Mediated Base Pairs,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Significance Of Rna 2'-5' Linkage And Metal-Ion Mediated Base Pairs, Fusheng Shen
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
It has been known that the template-directed RNA chemical replication reaction produces mixture of backbones containing both 3’-5’ and 2’-5’ linkages. This backbone heterogeneity has been a significant problem in studying the emergence of RNA World from the prebiotic chemistry. However, very recently, it is reported that FMN binding aptamer and a hammerhead ribozyme are still able to retain considerable functions in the presence of certain 2’-5’ linkages, indicating that RNA backbones may be quite flexible and this backbone heterogeneity problem may not be as severe as originally thought. This finding also brings two related important questions: First, how does …
Of Donuts And Promo : In Silico Approaches To Identification Of Transcriptional Regulators Of Salivary Acinar Differentiation,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Of Donuts And Promo : In Silico Approaches To Identification Of Transcriptional Regulators Of Salivary Acinar Differentiation, Connor Cillian Duffy
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The salivary gland is an organ often taken for granted by most people. However, its proper function is essential for several everyday activities, such as speaking, swallowing, and tasting. As such, impaired salivary gland function, such as that caused by Sjögren’s Syndrome or radiotherapy for head and neck cancers, can lead to a significantly reduced quality of life. The cells that produce saliva in salivary glands are known as acinar cells, which arise from proacinar cells generated during embryonic development. As such, in studying the promoter regions of proacinar and acinar genes, it may be possible to identify common transcription …
Post-Translational Modifications And Functional Studies Of Dksa In Escherichia Coli,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Post-Translational Modifications And Functional Studies Of Dksa In Escherichia Coli, Andrew Charles Isidoridy
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
DksA is a bacterial gene regulator that functions synergistically with the stress alarmone ppGpp to mediate the stringent response. DksA also functions independently of ppGpp to regulate transcription of a number of genes. DksA function is dependent on its binding affinity to RNA polymerase and requires specific interactions between RNAP and catalytic amino acids located on the coiled coil tip, D74 and A76. While much of the previous work on DksA has focused on understanding the mechanisms of action and the numerous gene targets for transcriptional regulation, little is known about the mechanisms by which DksA expression and function may …
Inteins From Pathogenic Microbes As Regulatory Elements And Potential Drug Targets,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Inteins From Pathogenic Microbes As Regulatory Elements And Potential Drug Targets, Cathleen Maria Schiraldi
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Inteins are self-splicing elements that orchestrate the autocatalytic process of protein splicing, during which the intein excises itself from a host polypeptide. This multistep reaction involves a series of coordinated nucleophilic attacks and peptide bond rearrangements that remove the intein and reassemble the flanking halves, called exteins, to form the mature host protein. Some inteins are also mobile elements, and can spread to the same or ectopic sites using an internal homing endonuclease domain.
Evaluation Of Fingerprint Content For Forensic Crime Scene Analysis And Drug Metabolite Detection,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Evaluation Of Fingerprint Content For Forensic Crime Scene Analysis And Drug Metabolite Detection, Erica Kathryn Brunelle
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
With respect to criminal investigations, one key piece of evidence that often gets overlooked are fingerprints. For years, fingerprint samples have been believed to be useful only for matching purposes using their unique ridges, shapes, and sizes. With the rapid growth of forensic science, it has become evident that the development of fingerprint analysis has been stagnant. The traditional approach has been advantageous for the identification of many individuals; however, many fingerprint samples have been labeled “unusable” due to smudging, smearing, or any one of a myriad of reasons that could cause inconclusive matches. These samples can, however, still be …
Epitranscriptomic Writer Systems And Codon Bias Regulate The Response To Environmental Stress,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Epitranscriptomic Writer Systems And Codon Bias Regulate The Response To Environmental Stress, Andrea Leonardi
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Epitranscriptomic marks in the form of enzyme-catalyzed modifications to RNA nucleosides can be important regulators of translation and play integral roles in the response to stress. Dynamic changes in tRNA modification status can regulate the translation of stress response proteins whose transcripts have distinct codon biases. The epitranscriptomic writer Alkylation repair homolog 8 (ALKBH8) plays a crucial part in the translation of codon biased transcripts, as it regulates stop codon recoding, which is a specialized form of translation used to generate selenoproteins. ALKBH8 modifies the wobble uridine of selenocysteine tRNA (tRNASec) to promote the decoding of an internal UGA codon …
Transcriptional Regulation Of Dksa In E. Coli,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Transcriptional Regulation Of Dksa In E. Coli, Daniel Thomas Woods
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
DksA is a global transcription factor that binds RNAP directly to regulate the expression of many genes and operons, including ribosomal RNA, in a ppGpp-dependent or ppGpp–independent manner. It is also involved in facilitating the process of DNA replication by removing stalled transcription elongation complexes that could block the progress of the replication fork. In addition, DksA is important for colonization, establishment of biofilms, and pathogenesis. In order to sustain these various functions, an adequate level of cellular DksA is required. This work tested the hypothesis that the E. coli dksA is substantially regulated at the level of transcription. Using …
Sers For Protein Detection At A Single Molecule Level For Developing A New Medical Diagnostics Platform,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Sers For Protein Detection At A Single Molecule Level For Developing A New Medical Diagnostics Platform, Lamyaa Almehmadi
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
A two-step process of protein detection at a single molecule level using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) was developed as a new platform for medical diagnostics in this proof-of-concept study. First, a protein molecule was bound to a linker in the bulk solution and then this adduct was chemically reacted with the SERS substrate. Traut’s Reagent (TR) was used to thiolate Bovine serum albumin (BSA) in solution followed by chemical cross linking to a gold surface through a sulfhydryl group. A Glycine-TR adduct was used as a control sample to identify the protein contribution to the SER spectra. Gold SERS …
Defining And Harnessing Nature's Selection Of Geranylation In Rna Modification,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Defining And Harnessing Nature's Selection Of Geranylation In Rna Modification, Phensinee Haruehanroengra
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Natural RNAs utilize extensive chemical modifications to diversify their structures and functions. Geranylated-2-thiouridine is a special hydrophobic tRNA modification that has been discovered very recently in several bacteria, namely E. coli, E. aerogenes, P. aeruginosa and S. typhimurium by Liu group. It has been found as a post-transcription modification on the wobble position of anticodon of tRNAs specific for glutamic acid, glutamine and lysine. Geranylated-tRNA was shown to correct the frameshifting during the translation of E. coli. However, the reason of the existing of the modification is still largely unclear. To understand why nature incorporates such a hydrophobic group in …
Saliva As A Diagnostic Biological Fluid And The Human Salivary Proteome,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Saliva As A Diagnostic Biological Fluid And The Human Salivary Proteome, Jessica Ghassan Emsies
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Saliva is a unique biologic fluid that contains a varying spectrum of proteins, nucleic acids, electrolytes, and hormones.31 It is an exocrine secretion of the salivary glands which is hypotonic in nature with a pH of 7.2-7.4.31 Saliva plays an important role in the oral cavity.33 It lubricates, hydrates, and bathes the oral cavity, therefore, aiding speech and mastication.33 Saliva forms a barrier on the teeth, protects against demineralization, and aids in remineralization.33 Saliva is required for chewing and food bolus preparation, it contains enzymes necessary for digestion, and mediates the sense of taste.33 It also helps wound healing and …
Premature Rho-Dependent Transcription Termination In Escherichia Coli : Link To Translation And Gene Regulation,
2019
University at Albany, State University of New York
Premature Rho-Dependent Transcription Termination In Escherichia Coli : Link To Translation And Gene Regulation, Gabriele Baniulyte
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Transcription termination factor Rho is an essential protein in Escherichia coli and related bacteria. The primary function of Rho is to clear unproductive RNA polymerases from the DNA template to minimize negative effects associated with uncontrolled transcription. Although most of the Rho termination events are constitutive, premature Rho-mediated termination was observed at 3% of all affected transcripts indicating active regulation of Rho activity. In this work, we investigated the regulatory mechanism behind premature Rho-dependent transcription termination in two unrelated genes: suhB and topAI. We show that in both cases transcription is terminated inside the coding gene as a consequence of …
Mechanisms Of Trinucleotide Repeat Instability During Dna Synthesis,
2019
University of Kentucky
Mechanisms Of Trinucleotide Repeat Instability During Dna Synthesis, Kara Y. Chan
Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology
Genomic instability, in the form of gene mutations, insertions/deletions, and gene amplifications, is one of the hallmarks in many types of cancers and other inheritable genetic disorders. Trinucleotide repeat (TNR) disorders, such as Huntington’s disease (HD) and Myotonic dystrophy (DM) can be inherited and repeats may be extended through subsequent generations. However, it is not clear how the CAG repeats expand through generations in HD. Two possible repeat expansion mechanisms include: 1) polymerase mediated repeat extension; 2) persistent TNR hairpin structure formation persisting in the genome resulting in expansion after subsequent cell division. Recent in vitro studies suggested that a …
Of Course, Humans Are Not Unique!,
2019
University of Vienna
Of Course, Humans Are Not Unique!, Bernard Wallner
Animal Sentience
This commentary focuses on the question of the uniqueness of humans in comparison to other species and on the false assumption that single arguments support logical conclusions. Comparative analysis of genetic data in humans and nonhuman primates regarding the dopaminergic system of the subcortical mesolimbic reward system highlights homologous traits shared and modified by the process of evolution. Such an analytical approach is more relevant than claims of uniqueness.
Robert J. Lefkowitz And Discovery Of The G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Family,
2019
Parkland College
Robert J. Lefkowitz And Discovery Of The G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Family, Clarence Lee
Natural Sciences Student Research Presentations
This poster for the Natural Sciences Poster Session at Parkland College features Dr. Robert J. Lefkowitz, 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner (with Brian Kobilka) for their research on G-protein-coupled receptors, proteins in the plasma membrane that allow for the transmission of information through the membrane and into the cell. This research was to impact the development of medications that target these receptors, such as SSRIs.
Novel Amphiphilic Cyclobutene And Cyclobutane
Cis-C18 Fatty Acid Derivatives Inhibit
Mycobacterium Avium Subsp.
Paratuberculosis Growth,
2019
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Novel Amphiphilic Cyclobutene And Cyclobutane Cis-C18 Fatty Acid Derivatives Inhibit Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis Growth, Denise K. Zinniel, Wantanee Sittiwong, Darrell D. Marshall, Govardhan Rathnaiah, Isin T. Sakallioglu, Robert Powers, Patrick H. Dussault, Raul G. Barletta
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) is the etiologic agent of Johne’s disease in ruminants and has been associated with Crohn’s disease in humans. An effective control of Map by either vaccines or chemoprophylaxis is a paramount need for veterinary and possibly human medicine. Given the importance of fatty acids in the biosynthesis of mycolic acids and the mycobacterial cell wall, we tested novel amphiphilic C10 and C18 cyclobutene and cyclobutane fatty acid derivatives for Map inhibition. Microdilution minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) with 5 or 7 week endpoints were measured in Middlebrook 7H9 base broth media. We compared the …
