Biotechnology Commons^™

Integrative Computational Approach Identifies Drug Targets In Cd4+ T-Cell-Mediated Immune Disorders, Bhanwar L. Puniya, Rada Amin, Bailee Lichter, Robert Moore, Alex Ciurej, Sydney J. Bennett, Ab Rauf Shah, Matteo Barberis, Tomáš Helikar

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

CD4⁺ T cells provide adaptive immunity against pathogens and abnormal cells, and they are also associated with various immunerelated diseases. CD4⁺ T cells’ metabolism is dysregulated in these pathologies and represents an opportunity for drug discovery and development. Genome-scale metabolic modeling offers an opportunity to accelerate drug discovery by providing high-quality information about possible target space in the context of a modeled disease. Here, we develop genome-scale models of naïve, Th1, Th2, and Th17 CD4⁺ T-cell subtypes to map metabolic perturbations in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and primary biliary cholangitis. We subjected these models to in silico …

Safety Of Silver Oxide Coated Biomaterials In Mice, Michael Klug, Darien L. Seidman, Rahyan Mahmoud, Destiny Morot, Lei Yu, Jeffrey D Hettinger, Renee M Demarest

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

It has been demonstrated that silver oxide coatings designed by our collaborators are able to prevent E. coli and P. aeruginosa attachment to biomaterials in vivo. These findings demonstrate that such coatings show promise in preventing the development of biofilm on biodevices. However, it is unknown if the use of silver oxide in this fashion is toxic in vivo. The goal of this project was to determine whether our silver oxide coatings are safe to use in vivo. To assess the toxicity of our silver oxide formula, mice were implanted with either silver oxide coated titanium discs or uncoated titanium …

Agrobacterium Mediated Transformation Optimizations For Sugarcane (Saccharum Officinarum L.) Cultivar Spf-234 With Direct Organogenesis, Muhammad Nawaz, Naeem Iqbal, Rabia Hameed, Mehwish Mehwish, Shakra Jamil

Journal of Bioresource Management

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is the most important food and energy crop worldwide. In the present study, an efficient Agrobacterium mediated transformation and regeneration system for sugarcane cultivar SPF-234 was established. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains EHA101and LBA4404 using vector pIG121 Hm, having GUS, HPTII and NPTII genes were used. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and histochemical assays confirmed the GUS gene expression. A 620 bp fragment from GUS positive plants was amplified. The GUS expressing putative transformants were 35% of the total plants formed under 30 minute immersion time and 72 hr of incubation period. The co-cultivation media having 60 …

Preclinincal Development Of Avaren-Fc: A Novel Lectin-Fc Fusion Protein Targeting Cancer-Associated High-Mannose Glycans., Matthew William Dent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the anticancer activity of Avaren-Fc (AvFc), a novel lectin-Fc fusion protein or “lectibody” targeting cancer and virus-associated high-mannose glycans. Previously, we have shown that AvFc recognizes a broad selection of established cancer cell lines from a wide array of tissue types, can potently induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against them, and exhibits anti-cancer activity in vivo. However, the exact mechanism of action remains elusive. We hypothesized that the primary mechanism of action is through Fc-mediated effector functions, and the purpose of this dissertation is to explore this question through the use of Fc variants that either …

Light Intensity Control For Plc-Based Hydroponic Demonstration System, Christian Hitt

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

In order to demonstrate a skill set obtained through the University of Arkansas Biological Engineering, a group of students and I developed a hydroponic system where plants could be grown in a chamber. System parameters such as air quality, irrigation, and lighting were controlled by a Programmable Logic Computer (PLC) and an array of sensors and actuators. Each student focused on a certain aspect of this system, mine being the lighting. Developing this system involved researching the relationship between light intensity and plant growth, designing a system to suspend the lights above the growth chamber, and develop a system to …

Partial Expression Of The Vbss Gene In Rhizobium Leguminosarum Atcc 14479 And In-Silico Analysis Of The Vbs Gene Cluster In Various Microorganisms, Afreen Siddiqui

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Iron is extremely important for many organisms. Despite its abundancy, it exists in insoluble forms that makes its usability difficult. Some organisms secrete siderophores, low molecular weight compounds, that can chelate iron and convert it into usable forms for cells. One such organism, Rhizobium leguminosarum, is a nitrogen fixing symbiont proteobacteria that infects leguminous plants. The genome of Rhizobium leguminosarum ATCC 14479, which infects the red clover, Trifoli pratense, has previously been completely sequenced in our lab. Our lab has identified several genes in this strain involved in the biosynthesis of a siderophore, vicibactin. The protein product of one of …

Biases And Blind-Spots In Genome-Wide Crispr-Cas9 Knockout Screens, Merve Dede

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Adaptation of the bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 system to mammalian cells revolutionized the field of functional genomics, enabling genome-scale genetic perturbations to study essential genes, whose loss of function results in a severe fitness defect. There are two types of essential genes in a cell. Core essential genes are absolutely required for growth and proliferation in every cell type. On the other hand, context-dependent essential genes become essential in an environmental or genetic context. The concept of context-dependent gene essentiality is particularly important in cancer, since killing cancer cells selectively without harming surrounding healthy tissue remains a major challenge. The toxicity of …

Unraveling Host-Gut Microbiota Dialogue And Its Impact On Response To Immune Checkpoint Blockade, Alexandria Cogdill

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Cancer is a disease with only one degree of separation, affecting one in two men and one in three women in their lifetimes; accounting for 1 of every 6 deaths. While cancer mortality rates continue to improve, incidence rates are expected to rise and shift through 2050 due to epidemiological and demographic transitions worldwide. As such, it is imperative to continue to investigate and improve our understanding of both disease etiology and hallmarks of response to treatment. Currently, conventional therapies include, but are not limited to, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, within the past decade, major advances have been made …

Investigation Of The Distribution Of The Daytime Employed Population Of Yangon, Myanmar, With And Without The Impact Of Work From Home, Aung Ye Wint, Myint San San

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Work from home (WFH) has gradually become more popular since COVID-19 started its transmission in Myanmar during the first quarter of 2020. Its consequence was a re-evaluation of the culture of workplaces and a significant change has occurred to the pattern of daytime employment distribution. In this paper, the network distribution model was built with three constraints, Distribution Bias 1, 2, and 3. These biases were determined through questionnaires, survey data collections of responses from Yangonites, and geographical data of urban employment cores. These percentile biases influenced the amount of employed population per distribution times and gave rise to two …

Understanding The Genetics Of Schizophrenia, Matthew Toohey

Thinking Matters Symposium

Schizophrenia has been considered heritable for a long time, but only with the advent of new technologies such as whole-genome sequencing and genome-wide association studies can we begin to identify specific molecular causes of schizophrenia. This poster will review some of the genetic variants that research groups have associated with schizophrenia. Current research has indicated that schizophrenia is a polygenic disease and has been linked to many genes. Some of these common risk variants are in protein coding sections of the DNA. These proteins are often linked to neurological development or immune system function. Other variants that have been associated …

Anticipating Ocean Deoxygenation In The Maritime Continent Of Southeast Asia, Wulandari Ita, Wahyudi A'An J., Triana Karlina

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Oxygen plays an essential role in the biogeochemical process and ocean productivity, especially during the recent trend of climate change. Development of the oxygen loss condition, deoxygenation, receives less attention than ocean acidification and warming. Therefore, understanding deoxygenation is indispensable. The maritime continent waters of Southeast Asia (SEA) are well-known for marine biodiversity and unique geological features. The area is inevitably impacted by climate change and will suffer more due to less oxygen in seawater. Based on previous research, Bengal Bay has been affected by oxygen depletion and climate change, in which hypoxic rate conditions continuously increase. In the other …

Importance Of Understanding Genetic Predisposition, Andrew Carter

Thinking Matters Symposium

Hypersensitivity reactions can be sudden and are often fatal. Many of these reactions occur as a result of allergies to prescribed medication. Adverse drug reactions or (ADR’s) were show in a recent study to affect over 6% of hospitalized patients and resulted in over 100,000 deaths a year in the US alone. This poster will review the importance of understanding genetic predisposition, through articles about possible genetic causes of allergies to penicillin and other beta-lactams. Changes in a specific HLA gene located on chromosome 6 showed a correlation to penicillin reactions in over 600,000 participants. Another study found a conclusive …

Spurring Economic Growth In Terms Of Happiness, Human Development, Competitiveness And Global Innovation: The Asean Case, Zainurossalamia Za Saida, Amalia Siti, Darma Dio Caisar, Azis Musdalifah

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Happiness, human development, level of competitiveness, and capacity in innovation all play an important role in spurring long-term sustainable economic growth. This study presents the relationship between these factors—happiness, human development, competitiveness, and innovation in the ASEAN region—in how they influence economic growth. To date, there has been a lack of research on this specific issue, and thus it is an interesting and little-known one to study. Panel data were used comprising a combination of time series and cross-sections. The object of the study was ASEAN member countries using the multiple linear regression method. For the years of 2013–2019, we …

Optimum Medium For Lipase Production By Lipolytic Filamentous Fungi Isolated From Kendari Landfill Soil, Rayani Nur, Ilmi Miftahul

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Lipase produced by Aspergillus is widely known and used in many industrial sectors. In a previous study, three lipolytic filamentous fungi were isolated from Kendari (Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia) landfill soil and identified as Aspergillus niger KE1, Aspergillus terreus KC1, and Aspergillus fumigatus KE6. However, the optimization of these isolates has not been reported. In this study, statistical optimization was selected because it is more effective, efficient, economical, and robust in achieving results, and the possibility of analyzing the interaction effects among factors. Three lipolytic isolates were screened in the initial medium to obtain the highest lipolytic isolate, which was used …

Seismic Safety Assessment Of Existing Low-Rise Rc Buildings With Rapid Visual Screenings And Preliminary Evaluation Methods, Aung Moe Myat Myat, Aye Mya Nan

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar, is situated near the Sagaing Fault (the major fault in Myanmar). In the Mandalay region, the number of low-rise buildings is much greater than that of high-rise buildings. As such, seismic safety assessments of low-rise buildings play an important role in developing Mandalay as a smart city. In this study, the rapid visual screening (RVS) and preliminary evaluation for 26 numbers of three- to eight-story RC buildings were investigated with three different RVS and preliminary evaluation methods. Based on the RVS methods, the FEMA P154 Level 1 and 2 results gave the highest …

Europium Sulfide Nanoprobes Predict Antiretroviral Drug Delivery Into Hiv-1 Cell And Tissue Reservoirs, Jonathan Herskovitz, Mahmudul Hasan, Jatin Machhi, Insiya Mukadam, Brendan M. Ottemann, James R. Hilaire, Christopher Woldstad, Joellyn Mcmillan, Yutong Liu, Javier Seravalli, Anandakumar Sarella, Howard E. Gendelman, Bhavesh D. Kevadiya

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: Delivery of long-acting nanoformulated antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to human immunodeficiency virus type one cell and tissue reservoirs underlies next generation antiretroviral therapeutics. Nanotheranostics, comprised of trackable nanoparticle adjuncts, can facilitate ARV delivery through real-time drug tracking made possible through bioimaging platforms. Methods: To model HIV-1 therapeutic delivery, europium sulfide (EuS) nanoprobes were developed, characterized and then deployed to cells, tissues, and rodents. Tests were performed with nanoformulated rilpivirine (NRPV), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) used clinically to suppress or prevent HIV-1 infection. First, CD4+ T cells and monocyte-derived macrophages were EuS-treated with and without endocytic blockers to identify …

Crispr/Cas9-Induced Fad2 And Rod1 Mutations Stacked With Fae1 Confer High Oleic Acid Seed Oil In Pennycress (Thlaspi Arvense L.), Brice A. Jarvis, Trevor B. Romsdahl, Michaela G. Mcginn, Tara J. Nazarenus, Edgar B. Cahoon, Kent D. Chapman, John C. Sedbrook

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) is being domesticated as an oilseed cash cover crop to be grown in the off-season throughout temperate regions of the world. With its diploid genome and ease of directed mutagenesis using molecular approaches, pennycress seed oil composition can be rapidly tailored for a plethora of food, feed, oleochemical and fuel uses. Here, we utilized Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology to produce knockout mutations in the FATTY ACID DESATURASE2 (FAD2) and REDUCED OLEATE DESATURATION1 (ROD1) genes to increase oleic acid content. High oleic acid (18:1) oil is valued for its oxidative stability that is …

Corticospinal Excitability During A Perspective Taking Task As Measured By Tms-Induced Motor Evoked Potentials, Elizabeth Murray, Janet Brenya, Katherine Chavarria, Karen J. Kelly, Anjel Fierst, Nathira Ahmad, Caroline Anton, Layla Shaffer, Kairavi Kapila, Logan Driever, Kayla Weaver, Caroline Dial, Maya Crawford, Iso Hartman, Tommy Infantino, Fiona Butler, Abigail Straus, Shakeera L. Walker, Brianna Balugas, Matthew Pardillo, Briana Goncalves, Julian Keenan

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Only by understanding the ability to take a third-person perspective can we begin to elucidate the neural processes responsible for one’s inimitable conscious experience. The current study examined differences in hemispheric laterality during a first-person perspective (1PP) and third-person perspective (3PP) taking task, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Participants were asked to take either the 1PP or 3PP when identifying the number of spheres in a virtual scene. During this task, single-pulse TMS was delivered to the motor cortex of both the left and right hemispheres of 10 healthy volunteers. Measures of TMS-induced motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) of the contralateral abductor …

Herbal Extracts As Neuroprotective Agents In An In-Vitro Model Of Aluminum Neurotoxicity, Nada Ezzelarab

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Aluminum toxicity due to environmental or industrial exposure, medical applications, or from cooking utensils is a serious medical problem. The current study aims to investigate three herbal extracts: pomegranate peel extract, Achillea fragrantissima extract, and papaya fruit extract to combat this neurotoxicity.

Methods: Chemical characterization of the three extracts were evaluated using HPLC MS while their neuroprotective activity was assayed using MTT assay on SHSY5Y cells and nitric oxide levels.

Results: Using HPLC-MS chromatography, we have identified twenty-one compounds in the hydro-alcoholic Achillea fragrantissima, seventeen were determined in the pomegranate peel, eleven were assessed in the Carica papaya …

Impact Of Krasg13d Mutation On Colorectal Cancer Cell Line Hct116 Organelle Structure, Function, And Growth, Rachel Craig, Abigail Solitro

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Theoretical Proposal