Elucidating The Role Of The Gastrointestinal Microbiome And Diet In Dopamine Release In Relation To Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Elucidating The Role Of The Gastrointestinal Microbiome And Diet In Dopamine Release In Relation To Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder., Meaghan Mcdonald
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Currently affecting 340-580 million people worldwide, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how the brain controls attention, behaviour and impulses often beginning in childhood and continuing into adulthood. ADHD is known to be associated with monoamine neurotransmitters including dopamine. This work aims to uncover the ways in which metabolism of monoamine precursors in the gastrointestinal microbiome influences dopamine release in the brain. Previous studies have indicated that children with ADHD display distinct gut bacteria profiles with unique microbiota species that result in the disruption of monoamine precursor pathways of phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism. Emphasis on our western diet and …
The Impact Of Hybrid Insulin Peptides On The Two-Phase Decline Of C-Peptide In Type 1 Diabetes,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
The Impact Of Hybrid Insulin Peptides On The Two-Phase Decline Of C-Peptide In Type 1 Diabetes, Ashley Mehl
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
This research aims to determine how the formation of hybrid insulin peptides (HIPs) contributes to the two-phase decline of C-peptide production in type 1 diabetes (T1D). C-peptide is used to determine the level of insulin production within human pancreatic beta-cells because it is secreted in equimolar amounts with mature insulin peptide. The two-phase decline is characterized by an initial rapid and exponential loss of beta-cell function, followed by a prolonged plateau phase of residual insulin secretion. During this plateau phase, residual beta-cells continue to generate HIPs through both enzymatic transpeptidation and spontaneous formation via anhydride intermediates. These processes are problematic …
Cleft Palate And The Coordination Of Wnt Signaling And Pax9 In Murine Palatogenesis,
2026
Harding University
Cleft Palate And The Coordination Of Wnt Signaling And Pax9 In Murine Palatogenesis, Landon Wyatt
Honors Theses
Cleft palate is a common craniofacial birth defect that arises when the molecular and morphogenetic events guiding secondary palate formation lose coordination during a narrow developmental window. In mice, successful palatogenesis requires the paired palatal shelves to grow vertically, elevate above the tongue, and fuse at the midline; disruption of any of these steps can result in clefting. Two important regulators of this process are canonical Wnt signaling and the transcription factor Pax9, both of which contribute to normal palatal mesenchymal growth and patterning during early development. This paper first examines whether altered Dkk1/Wnt signaling contributes to the Pax9-null palate …
Mapping Mgmt Methylation Sites That May Predict Chemotherapy Success In Glioblastoma,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Mapping Mgmt Methylation Sites That May Predict Chemotherapy Success In Glioblastoma, Kennedy Bueno
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults, with a median survival of 15 months post-diagnosis. Resistance to standard temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy is common and is strongly influenced by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), a DNA repair enzyme that reverses TMZ induced DNA damage. Reduced MGMT expression is associated with greater TMZ sensitivity and improved survival. Although MGMT promoter cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) methylation is linked to treatment response, the individual CpG sites responsible for MGMT silencing remain unclear. This research aims to identify which sites are necessary to suppress MGMT expression and increase TMZ sensitivity. This project will map …
Mechanistic Insights Into Enterolactone-Mediated Glut4-Dependent Glucose Uptake,
2026
Liberty University
Mechanistic Insights Into Enterolactone-Mediated Glut4-Dependent Glucose Uptake, Merritt Smith
Senior Honors Theses
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with approximately 25% of healthcare expenditures directed toward its management and associated metabolic complications. In response to the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies, recent research has focused on bioactive compounds derived from dietary sources. In light of that, we identified the plant lignan matairesinol (MA) and its gut-derived metabolite, enterolactone (ENL), as agents capable of enhancing glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes. These results suggest that enterolactone may represent a promising dietary supplement for improving glycemic control in patients with …
Creating A Unique Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier,
2026
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University
Creating A Unique Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carrier, Clayton Fuller
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
The purpose of this thesis is to explain the current state of alternative oxygen carriers and propose a new hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) as a blood substitute/ blood therapeutic. Blood donation has drawbacks: risk of spread of infection, short storage time, and blood typing, and the current shortage. There are several possible modifications for hemoglobin to create a carrier (HBOC) which address specific issues related to allowing free hemoglobin to exist extra cellularly. One issue to address is vasoconstriction caused by nitric oxide scavenging, which has been solved by increasing the molecular weight of the HBOC via (co)polymerization, or by …
Analysis Of Bacterial Virulence And Resistance In A Model Of Recurrent Uti,
2026
Binghamton University--SUNY
Analysis Of Bacterial Virulence And Resistance In A Model Of Recurrent Uti, Rachel L. Proper
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a major women’s health issue, affecting approximately 40% of women during their lifetime. Formation of a biofilm by UTI-causing bacteria poses a major challenge in treatment, as the protection provided by the biofilm hinders both host defenses and antibiotic treatment. Failure to eradicate these infections causes them to become recurrent (rUTI). Previous research indicates that rUTI may be comorbid with a mutation in the SERPINE1 gene, which causes fibrin to accumulate within the body. Literature also indicates that fibrin provides a better scaffold for bacterial attachment and, subsequently, biofilm formation. In this work it was …
Spin-Label Probing Of Gp28 Elucidates Interactions With Lipid Vesicles Using Cw-Epr,
2026
Ohio Northern University
Spin-Label Probing Of Gp28 Elucidates Interactions With Lipid Vesicles Using Cw-Epr, Maxwell Sutherland, Binaya Baral, Gary Lorigan
ONU Student Research Colloquium
The phage protein gp28 is a bacterial membrane lysis protein that functions outside of currently understood canonical pathways for bacterial lysis. Primarily, lysis is done in conjunction with proteins called spanins, however about 15% of gram negative bacteria infecting phages have coding for spanins. This led to the discovery of the disruptins, a class of non-spanin outer membrane disrupting proteins which includes gp28 from the φKT phage. To understand the mechanism in which gp28 disrupts the outer membrane, we employ spin labeling of the protein in its synthesis and create samples of artificial membranes. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we …
Pepper Spray Exposure And The Effect On Dna Profiling Of Blood,
2026
Bowling Green State University
Pepper Spray Exposure And The Effect On Dna Profiling Of Blood, Brandon Schmakel
Honors Projects
Pepper spray is a common self defense tool used in both law enforcement and civilian settings, with the goal of incapacitating the sprayed individual. In real casework where pepper spray was used, a red-brown stain which tested positive presumptively for blood provided no DNA profile after further testing six months later. A previous graduate student, Emma Crawn, attempted to emulate these casework conditions and instead achieved a DNA profile with slight indications of inhibition or degradation. Further analysis of active pepper spray ingredients such as Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) and Chloroacetophenone (CN) reveals that there are observed reactions, such as oxidation, …
The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Does Not Protect Against Ptl-1 Mediated Neurodegeneration In C. Elegans.,
2026
Murray State University
The Pam-1 Aminopeptidase Does Not Protect Against Ptl-1 Mediated Neurodegeneration In C. Elegans., Ethan E. Schuff
Honors College Theses
Debilitating neurodegenerative conditions are increasingly prevalent in our aging population, yet treatment options remain limited. Though neurodegenerative diseases vary in pathophysiology and clinical manifestations, these diseases are related to one another in that many involve misfolded proteins. Tau is a member of the microtubule-stabilizing MAPT/MAP2/MAP4 family, and misfolded tau proteins form the neurotoxic aggregates called neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Designing a study to elucidate the neurotoxic role of tau is difficult because other MAPs may have compensatory mechanisms which confound study data. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) …
Role Of Rpm-1 In A C. Elegans Apoe4 Alzheimer’S Disease Model,
2026
Florida Institute of Technology
Role Of Rpm-1 In A C. Elegans Apoe4 Alzheimer’S Disease Model, Lucille Mcdonald
Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is characterized by the aggregation of β-amyloid plaques. The ε4 allele of APOE (APOE4) is linked to increased plaque formation in AD. Therefore, identifying genetic modifiers of APOE4 could present novel drug targets for AD treatment.
Assessing Developmental Neurotoxicity Due To Pyrethroid Insecticide Exposure In C. Elegans,
2026
Florida Institute of Technology
Assessing Developmental Neurotoxicity Due To Pyrethroid Insecticide Exposure In C. Elegans, Katharine Boyd, Timothy A. Crombie
Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications
Pyrethroids are a type of insecticide widely used in agriculture and public health programs. These insecticides disrupt neuronal signaling in target insects through voltage-gated sodium channels and have been linked to cardiovascular and neurological disease in humans.The nervous system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is fully mapped, and specific behavioral circuits can be tested, making it a powerful model for studying neurotoxicity. Because the primary target of pyrethroids is not conserved in C. elegans, secondary mechanisms of pyrethroid neurotoxicity can be identified by testing whether specific behavioral circuits are affected.
Phenotype Variations Among Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Under Quorum-Sensing Conditions,
2026
Florida Institute of Technology
Phenotype Variations Among Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Under Quorum-Sensing Conditions, Marcel Pedrosa
Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Student Publications
Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication system that allows unicellular microorganisms like the eukaryote C. reinhardtii to regulate phenotypic switching as a function of cell density due to the accumulation of signaling molecules. The goal of this study is to evaluate whether QS in C. reinhardtii is regulated by nutrient availability. We propose that in a nutrient-limited environment (low nitrogen TAP (N-TAP)), cells of C. reinhardtii (cc124) would adjust their motility-driven dispersion of cells and upregulate chlorophyll and carotenoid production per cell.
Establishment Of A Hek293t Cell Model System To Investigate Direct Intracellular Interactions Between Amyloid-Β (Aβ) And The Nlrp3 Inflammasome,
2026
University of Missouri-St. Louis
Establishment Of A Hek293t Cell Model System To Investigate Direct Intracellular Interactions Between Amyloid-Β (Aβ) And The Nlrp3 Inflammasome, Cristina Sinobas Pereira
Dissertations
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. While Amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation is a defining pathological feature, increasing evidence highlights chronic neuroinflammation as a critical contributor to disease progression. Soluble Aβ assemblies can act as damage associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) including activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which links amyloid pathology to sustained inflammatory responses in the brain (Heneka et al., 2015; Nakanishi et al., 2018). However, the molecular mechanisms by which specific Aβ conformations influence inflammasome assembly remain incompletely understood.This study aimed to investigate whether distinct aggregation states of amyloid β42 (Aβ42) are …
Mitochondrial Dna Replication Is Regulated By Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondrial Contact Sites, The Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter, And Manganese,
2026
Thomas Jefferson University
Mitochondrial Dna Replication Is Regulated By Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondrial Contact Sites, The Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter, And Manganese, Amaia Lopez De Arbina, Angelica Zamudio-Ochoa, Mikel Muñoz-Oreja, Diego Perez-Rodriguez, Laura Mosqueira-Martín, Rebecca Lasalandra, Marina Villar-Fernandez, Uxoa Fernandez-Pelayo, Laura Rodriguez-Gomez, Seungtae Lee, Francisco Gil-Bea, Nerea Osinalde, Ainara Vallejo-Illaramendi, Dmitry Temiakov, Antonella Spinazzola, Ian Holt
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers
Mitochondrial DNA replication occurs at contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria (ERMCS). Beyond the known role of the tubular ER protein RTN4, the factors regulating this process are poorly defined. Here, we show that repressing the ER protein ERLIN2 in human fibroblasts depletes ER-mitochondrial contact sites and inhibits mitochondrial DNA replication, as does silencing RTN4 or the ER-mitochondrial tether GRP75. GRP75 or RTN4 scarcity also decreases the level of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), whose inhibition blocks mitochondrial DNA synthesis. Because ERMCS depletion did not diminish mitochondrial calcium, and MCU complex can transport manganese, we tested whether …
Optimizing Itpa R178c Assays Via Hplc,
2026
Eastern Washington University
Optimizing Itpa R178c Assays Via Hplc, Jared J. Reisnouer, Wally D. Pines
2026 Symposium
Two of the major nucleotide bases in DNA and RNA (Adenine and Guanine) are derived from the purine Inosine Monophosphate (IMP). IMP may occasionally form the noncanonical nucleotide Inosine Triphosphate (ITP) within the cell and become incorporated into DNA during replication, leading to potentially lethal errors. To combat this, human cells produce the “housekeeping” enzyme Inosine Triphosphatase (ITPA) to revert ITP to IMP. A mutation of this protein that replaces the 178th amino acid Arginine with Cysteine (R178C) is associated with a fatal infantile encephalopathy. Previous assessments of enzyme-substrate binding and catalysis for ITPA variants have been run at a …
Assessment Of Total Cellular Protein Following Fatty Acid Treatment Using The Bca Assay,
2026
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Assessment Of Total Cellular Protein Following Fatty Acid Treatment Using The Bca Assay, Carli B. Maguire
Create@State
Fatty acids can influence cellular metabolism and protein homeostasis, potentially altering total protein content within cell samples. Accurate quantification of total protein concentration is essential for standardization for further biochemical assays and ensuring reproducibility. In this study, adherent mammalian cells were treated with a defined fatty acid preparation under controlled culture conditions. Following treatment, whole-cell lysates were collected and total protein concentration was determined using the bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay. The BCA assay is a colorimetric method based on the reduction of Cu²⁺ to Cu¹⁺ by peptide bonds under basic conditions, followed by formation of a purple-colored complex between bicinchoninic …
Uptake And Fate Of Silver And Zinc Engineered Nanoparticles In Maize Under Single And Binary Dosing Soil Ecosystems,
2026
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Uptake And Fate Of Silver And Zinc Engineered Nanoparticles In Maize Under Single And Binary Dosing Soil Ecosystems, Lei Xu, Qingbo Yang, Xingmao Ma, Honglan Shi, John Yang, Hu Yang, Samira Mahdi, Ying Wang, Young Shin Jun
Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works
Recent agricultural applications of engineered metallic nanoparticles (ENPs) have raised concerns about their uptake and fate in plants. To understand this critical issue, this study investigated the fate and uptake of silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) ENPs in maize (Zea mays L.) after single or binary ENP exposure in soil. Results indicated that both Zn and Ag elemental concentrations in roots increased with increasing ENP dosage. Ag NPs in the tissues were detected, but not Zn NPs. Ag NP concentration was 3 times higher in the roots than in the shoots at low Ag NP dosing, while Ag NP …
Maternal Inflammation Alters Nuclear And Mitochondrial Dna Methylation Patterns In Neonatal Brain Monocytes,
2026
Thomas Jefferson University
Maternal Inflammation Alters Nuclear And Mitochondrial Dna Methylation Patterns In Neonatal Brain Monocytes, Andrew Ebenezer, Jonathan Hicks, Brooke Hollander, Alexander Hone, Mona Batish, Robert Akins, Adam Marsh, Elizabeth Wright-Jin
Department of Medicine Faculty Papers
Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common birth complication that can cause death or lifelong disabling conditions like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. It is well established that maternal infection and inflammation are significant risk factors for HIE but reasons for this increase in neurological risk to the offspring remain unknown. Inflammation or infection are associated with epigenetic changes and may contribute to the increased risk of neurodevelopmental disability in exposed offspring. Here, we analyzed and compared DNA methylation patterns in brain monocytes isolated from control, maternal immune activation (MIA), and an inflammation sensitized HIE (IS-HIE) CF-1 mouse model …
Exploration Of A Relationship Between The Activities Of Trail And 4’-Trifluoromethoxychalcone.,
2026
Bellarmine University
Exploration Of A Relationship Between The Activities Of Trail And 4’-Trifluoromethoxychalcone., Abigail C. Ernst
Undergraduate Theses
Cancer is the overgrowth of dysregulated or mutated cells that affects 1 in 3 Americans. Chalcones are natural products with many possible derivatives, such as 4’-trifluromethoxychalcone (4TF), developed in Dr. Krzysiak’s lab, which exhibit anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) is a tumor surveillance cytokine that acts on two receptor types: death receptors and decoy receptors. One way cancer cells can become resistant to TRAIL is by upregulating decoy receptors and/or downregulating death receptors. In this study, MTS assays evaluated the potential relationship between TRAIL and 4TF that sensitizes A549 cells to TRAIL. The …
