A Mutation In Ltbp2 Causes Congenital Glaucoma In Domestic Cats (Felis Catus),
2016
University of Iowa
A Mutation In Ltbp2 Causes Congenital Glaucoma In Domestic Cats (Felis Catus), Markus H. Kuehn, Koren A. Lipsett, Marilyn Menotti-Raymond, S. Scott Whitmore, Todd E. Scheetz, Victor A. David, Stephen J. O'Brien, Zhongyuan Zhao, Jackie K. Jens, Elizabeth M. Snella, N. Matthew Ellinwood, Gillian J. Mclellan
Chemistry Faculty Publications
The glaucomas are a group of diseases characterized by optic nerve damage that together represent a leading cause of blindness in the human population and in domestic animals. Here we report a mutation in LTBP2 that causes primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) in domestic cats. We identified a spontaneous form of PCG in cats and established a breeding colony segregating for PCG consistent with fully penetrant, autosomal recessive inheritance of the trait. Elevated intraocular pressure, globe enlargement and elongated ciliary processes were consistently observed in all affected cats by 8 weeks of age. Varying degrees of optic nerve damage resulted by …
Measuring The Impact: An Evaluation Of Communities In Harmony,
2016
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Measuring The Impact: An Evaluation Of Communities In Harmony, Michael Carl Owens
Senior Theses
In the study reported below, a program evaluation was performed for the student organization Communities in Harmony, a music-based community service organization at the University of South Carolina that works with homeless and socioeconomically disadvantaged children and young adults. This organization is about to enter its fifth year and is in the process of transitioning between leadership teams at the time of publication. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the organization so that it can continue to grow and effectively serve its target populations. This study has found that the organization excels at …
The Effects Of Chronic Partial Sleep Deprivation And Chronic Voluntary Alcohol Consumption On Δfos B Accumulation,
2016
James Madison University
The Effects Of Chronic Partial Sleep Deprivation And Chronic Voluntary Alcohol Consumption On Δfos B Accumulation, Kristian Ponder
Masters Theses, 2010-2019
The present study explores the relation between sleep restriction and alcohol use and the neural substrates that result from chronic behaviors. Accumulation of the transcription factors ΔFosB is suggested as a possible outcome of chronic behaviors, such as addiction. Sleep is discussed as possible mediating factor in the relationship between ΔFosB and chronic alcohol consumption. There were four experimental groups in this study: Control (C), Sleep Deprivation only (SD), Alcohol Exposure only (AO), and both sleep deprivation and alcohol exposure (B). Levels of ΔFosB accumulation in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) revealed a significant main effect of sleep deprivation, but no …
Zn(Ii), Cu(Ii), Sn(Ii), And Ni(Ii) And Other Metal Cations Do Not Prevent The Aggregation Of Hiapp,
2016
Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School
Zn(Ii), Cu(Ii), Sn(Ii), And Ni(Ii) And Other Metal Cations Do Not Prevent The Aggregation Of Hiapp, Charles Hoying
Honors Thesis
The Zn(II) metal ion has been shown to interact with Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (IAPP), a protein implicated in the progression of Type II Diabetes Mellitus, in such a way as to prevent the protein from aggregating into toxic fibers. We set out to find whether other metal ions might similarly prevent IAPP aggregation. Using Thioflavin T (ThT) spectroscopic assays, which measure fluorescence of ThT upon binding to aggregated IAPP, we observed a decrease in aggregation when incubated with Zn(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Sn(II). Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), which can visualize fibril formation, revealed that the metals were not inhibiting IAPP …
The Evolution Of The Surface Of The Mineral Schreibersite In Prebiotic Chemistry,
2016
University of South Florida
The Evolution Of The Surface Of The Mineral Schreibersite In Prebiotic Chemistry, Nikita L. La Cruz, Danna Qasim, Heather Abbott-Lyon, Claire Pirim
Faculty Articles
We present a study of the reactions of the meteoritic mineral schreibersite (Fe,Ni)3P, focusing primarily on surface chemistry and prebiotic phosphorylation. In this work, a synthetic analogue of the mineral was synthesized by mixing stoichiometric proportions of elemental iron, nickel and phosphorus and heating in a tube furnace at 820 °C for approximately 235 hours under argon or under vacuum, a modification of the method of Skála and Drábek (2002). Once synthesized, the schreibersite was characterized to confirm the identity of the product as well as to elucidate the oxidation processes affecting the surface. In addition to characterization of the …
Single-Cell Transcriptional Analysis Of Normal, Aberrant, And Malignant Hematopoiesis In Zebrafish,
2016
Massachusetts General Hospital
Single-Cell Transcriptional Analysis Of Normal, Aberrant, And Malignant Hematopoiesis In Zebrafish, Finola E. Moore, Elaine G. Garcia, Riadh Lobbardi, Esha Jain, Qin Tang, John C. Moore, Mauricio Cortes, Aleksey Molodtsov, Melissa Kasheta, Christina C. Luo, Amaris J. Garcia, Ravi Mylvaganam, Jeffrey A. Yoder, Jessica S. Blackburn, Ruslan I. Sadreyev, Craig J. Ceol, Trista E. North, David M. Langenau
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications
Hematopoiesis culminates in the production of functionally heterogeneous blood cell types. In zebrafish, the lack of cell surface antibodies has compelled researchers to use fluorescent transgenic reporter lines to label specific blood cell fractions. However, these approaches are limited by the availability of transgenic lines and fluorescent protein combinations that can be distinguished. Here, we have transcriptionally profiled single hematopoietic cells from zebrafish to define erythroid, myeloid, B, and T cell lineages. We also used our approach to identify hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and a novel NK-lysin 4+ cell type, representing a putative cytotoxic T/NK cell. Our platform …
Purification Of A Bacteriophage Protein Involved In Host Range Specificity,
2016
Bowling Green State University
Purification Of A Bacteriophage Protein Involved In Host Range Specificity, Alec Brown
Honors Projects
The Escherichia coli ferric hydroxamate uptake receptor FhuA serves as the receptor for ferrichrome-Fe(III) complexes, with TonB protein energizing the active transport of the complex. The FhuA receptor is exploited by a variety of bacteriophages as a conduit into the cell. Interestingly, certain of these phages carry a gene called “Cor”, the product of which, when cloned and expressed from a plasmid, blocks transport by FhuA. In the present study, components of the cor gene from the bacteriophage ϕ80 were used to construct an IPTG-inducible MalE-Cor-His6 fusion protein, which allowed for affinity purification of the Cor protein. At 61 residues …
Stabilizing The Cold Plasma-Stimulated Medium By Regulating Medium’S Composition,
2016
George Washington University
Stabilizing The Cold Plasma-Stimulated Medium By Regulating Medium’S Composition, Dayun Yan, Niki Nourmohammadi, Ka Bian, Ferid Murad, Jonathan H. Sherman, Michael Keidar
Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications
Over past several years, the cold plasma-stimulated medium (PSM) has shown its remarkable anti-cancer capacity in par with the direct cold plasma irradiation on cancer cells or tumor tissues. Independent of the cold plasma device, PSM has noticeable advantage of being a flexible platform in cancer treatment. Currently, the largest disadvantage of PSM is its degradation during the storage over a wide temperature range. So far, to stabilize PSM, it must be remained frozen at −80 °C. In this study, we first reveal that the degradation of PSM is mainly due to the reaction between the reactive species and specific …
Oxidative Stress, Cellular Senescence And Ageing,
2016
George Washington University
Oxidative Stress, Cellular Senescence And Ageing, Akshaj Pole, Manjari Dimri, Goberdhan P. Dimri
Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications
Almost a half century ago, the free radical theory of ageing proposed that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a key component which contributes to the pathophysiology of ageing in mammalian cells. Over the years, numerous studies have documented the role of oxidative stress caused by ROS in the ageing process of higher organisms. In particular, several age-associated disease models suggest that ROS and oxidative stress modulate the incidence of age-related pathologies, and that it can strongly influence the ageing process and possibly lifespan. The exact mechanism of ROS and oxidative stress-induced age-related pathologies is not yet very clear. Damage …
Computational Investigations Into The Molecular Underpinnings Of Eyesight Signaling Pathways,
2016
University of Connecticut
Computational Investigations Into The Molecular Underpinnings Of Eyesight Signaling Pathways, Shaan Kamal
University Scholar Projects
Phosphodiesterase 6 (PDE6) is a critical enzyme in the eyesight-signaling pathway. When activated, PDE6 hydrolyzes cGMP to GMP, which deactivates cGMP- gated ion channels, causing hyperpolarization of the cell and activating the sensory neurons responsible for vision. Within the PDE family, PDE6 is the only enzyme known to have an inhibitory subunit (PDE6-γ), which allows for the regulation of cGMP levels. When PDE6-γ is bound to PDE6, the enzyme is turned “off” and cannot catalyze cGMP. The α subunit of the G-protein transducin removes PDE6-γ and activates PDE6. PDE6 has proven problematic to isolate, making it difficult to study experimentally …
Epigenetic Regulation Of Gene Expression During Spermatogenesis,
2016
The University of Rhode Island
Epigenetic Regulation Of Gene Expression During Spermatogenesis, Karishma Nayak
Senior Honors Projects
In the US livestock production industry, improving reproductive efficiency will improve animal welfare and maintain reasonable costs of meat and milk for consumers. In recent research, abnormalities in epigenetic markers in sperm during spermatogenesis, has been linked to male subfertility in many species. Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modifications of gene expression, including DNA methylation, rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. When this process is disturbed, it can negatively impact semen therefore decreasing its fertility. Through further research on how DNA methylation influences gene expression during spermatogenesis and its impact on sperm quality, …
Rac1 And Ire1 Are Required To Prevent Early Loss Of Intestinal Homeostasis In Drosophila Melanogaster,
2016
Dominican University of California
Rac1 And Ire1 Are Required To Prevent Early Loss Of Intestinal Homeostasis In Drosophila Melanogaster, Mauricio M. Ortega
Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects
No abstract available
A Support Vector Machine Base Model For Predicting Heparin-Binding Proteins Using Biological Metrics And Xb Patterns As Features,
2016
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
A Support Vector Machine Base Model For Predicting Heparin-Binding Proteins Using Biological Metrics And Xb Patterns As Features, Joseph W. Sirrianni
Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses
Heparin is a highly sulphated and negatively charged polysaccharides belonging to the glycosamino- glycans(GAGs) family. It is widely used in medical treatments as an injectable anticoagulant. Although many heparin-binding proteins have been identified through experimental studies, there are still many proteins needing to be classified as heparin-binding or not. Many studies have been aimed at prediction of heparin binding patterns or motifs in the primary structure of proteins. For example XBBXBX and XBBBXXBX are two well-known patterns or motifs. In spite of intensive studies, still no good model has emerged which reasonably predicts proteins in the protein database as heparin-binding …
Optimizing Pharmacological Lifespan Extension: Testing Chemical Compounds For Additive Effects On Longevity,
2016
Dominican University of California
Optimizing Pharmacological Lifespan Extension: Testing Chemical Compounds For Additive Effects On Longevity, Elizabeth Chao
Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects
No abstract available
Characterization Of Induced Rnai Silencing Of Vaccinia Virus Essential Genes,
2016
University of Connecticut
Characterization Of Induced Rnai Silencing Of Vaccinia Virus Essential Genes, Kewa Jiang
University Scholar Projects
Vaccinia virus (VACV) is a large double-stranded DNA virus and the prototypical member of the family Poxviridae and is most notable for its use as the vaccine that eradicated smallpox (variola virus). More recently, VACV has been used to develop recombinant vaccines and immunotherapies. However, many of these processes require VACV replication to be tightly controlled. RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool for in vitro silencing of mRNAs that are complimentary to 19-21 base pairs (bp) of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). This project outlines the design and preliminary analysis of two inducible RNAi silencing constructs targeting multiple VACV essential genes …
Optimization Of Expression And Purification Of The Rig-I-Like-Receptor, Lgp2,
2016
University of Connecticut
Optimization Of Expression And Purification Of The Rig-I-Like-Receptor, Lgp2, Srinath-Reddi Pingle
University Scholar Projects
The innate immune system is one of the first lines of defense against pathogens. RIG-I like receptors (RLRs) are a class of cytosolic receptors that recognize molecular patterns of invading pathogens and signal for downstream interferon induction. The RLR family consists of three proteins, RIG-I, MDA5, and LGP2. MDA5 and LGP2 work together to recognize and bind long viral dsRNA. LGP2 is thought to regulate MDA5 activation, but little is understood about this process. Characterization of the mechanism of action of these receptors requires careful biophysical and biochemical analyses. I have developed expression and purification of methods LGP2 and MDA5 …
Stability Of Norwalk Virus Capsid Protein Interfaces Evaluated By In Silico Nanoindentation,
2016
University of Connecticut
Stability Of Norwalk Virus Capsid Protein Interfaces Evaluated By In Silico Nanoindentation, Prakhar Bansal
University Scholar Projects
Studying the mechanical properties of viral capsids can give several insights into not only the lifecycle of the virus, but also into potential drug targets to thwart the progression of viral infection. Nanoindentation using an atomic force microscope is a useful technique for determining structural properties of small molecules and particles, and is commonly used to study viral capsids. This technique utilizes the probe of the microscope to push down on the capsid and record the forces along the indentation path. We ran this experiment in silico where we simulated the nanoindentation of Norwalk virus capsids using molecular dynamics. Running …
Modulation Of Cell Death Signaling And Cell Proliferation By The Interaction Of Homoserine Lactones And Paraoxonase 2.,
2016
University of Louisville
Modulation Of Cell Death Signaling And Cell Proliferation By The Interaction Of Homoserine Lactones And Paraoxonase 2., Aaron Mackallan Neely
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone (C12) as a quorum-sensing molecule that functions to facilitate bacteria-bacteria communication. C12 has also been reported to affect many aspects of human host cell physiology, including evoking cell death in various types of cells. However, the signaling pathway(s) leading to C12-triggerred cell death remains unclear. To clarify cell death signaling induced by C12, we examined mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) deficient in one or more caspases. Our data indicate that, unlike most apoptotic inducers, C12 evokes a novel form of apoptosis in cells, probably through the direct induction of mitochondrial membrane permeabilization. Previous studies indicate that …
Engineering A Mutation In The Heparin Binding Pocket Of The Human Fibroblast Growth Factor,
2016
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Engineering A Mutation In The Heparin Binding Pocket Of The Human Fibroblast Growth Factor, Roshni Patel
Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Honors Theses
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are family of proteins that belong to a group of growth factors that are found in mammals and play an important role in angiogenesis, differentiation, organogenesis, and tissue repair. In summary, their main functionality is involved in cell division and proliferation. Because FGFs plays such a vital role in cell proliferation, they are mainly involved in the process of wound healing and injuries. FGF binds to its ligand, heparin—a heavily sulfated glycosaminoglycan. The binding of heparin to FGF occurs through electrostatic interactions, specifically between the negatively charged sulfate groups on heparin and positively charged residues such …
A 'Tissue Model' To Study The Barrier Effects Of Living Tissues On The Reactive Species Generated By Surface Air Discharge,
2016
Old Dominion University
A 'Tissue Model' To Study The Barrier Effects Of Living Tissues On The Reactive Species Generated By Surface Air Discharge, Tongtong He, Dingxin Liu, Han Xu, Zhichao Liu, Dehui Xu, Dong Li, Qiosong Li, Mingzhe Rong, Michael G. Kong
Bioelectrics Publications
Gelatin gels are used as surrogates of human tissues to study their barrier effects on incoming reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) generated by surface air discharge. The penetration depth of nitrite into gelatin gel is measured in real time during plasma treatment, and the permeabilities of nitrite, nitrate, O3 and H2O2 through gelatin gel films are quantified by measuring their concentrations in the water underneath such films after plasma treatment. It is found that the penetration speed of nitrite increases linearly with the mass fraction of water in the gelatin gels, and the permeabilities of …
