Photobiostimulation In C. Elegans As A Model For Low Level Light Therapy,
2014
St. John Fisher College
Photobiostimulation In C. Elegans As A Model For Low Level Light Therapy, Michael J. Spoto, Daryl D. Hurd
Science Scholars
Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a developing therapeutic technique that has been gaining recognition in the scientific community in recent years. Previous experiments performed in LLLT research projects have been primarily mammalian and cell culture based. These experiments have produced results showing accelerated tissue repair. In this experiment, we introduce a new model, Caenorhabitidis elegans, a free-living soil nematode, to be used in LLLT research by testing the effects of exposure of the organism to various wavelengths and intensities of light commonly used in LLLT. C. elegans was shown to respond to photobiostimulation when exposed to specific wavelengths of …
[Sabbatical Report],
2014
Western Kentucky University
[Sabbatical Report], Lawrence Alan Alice
Sabbatical Reports
My goals as proposed were to: 1) increase resolution and support for a chloroplast DNA phylogeny by acquiring more sequence data, 2) generate a robust nuclear DNA phylogeny by sequencing several single-copy genes, 3) use flow cytometry to estimate DNA quantity per cell (i.e., ploidy level) in R. ursinus and NCGR specimens of unknown ploidy level, 4) identify highly variable DNA microsatellite (or simple-sequence repeats) regions to assess genetic diversity in R. bartonianus and test species boundaries, and 5) prepare and submit manuscripts if sufficient data have been generated.
Analysis Of The Regulation And Function Of Cip2a To Identify Candidate Biomarkers For Prostate Cancer,
2014
Rowan University
Analysis Of The Regulation And Function Of Cip2a To Identify Candidate Biomarkers For Prostate Cancer, Diana Savoly
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations
Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a tumor suppressor involved in the regulation of several signaling pathways and the cell cycle. PP2A becomes inactivated by several inhibitors, including Cancerous Inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A). CIP2A has been identified as an oncogene, which is over-expressed in cancers and inhibits PP2A through direct interaction. CIP2A is recognized as a biomarker for cancer; however, it is not cancer-specific. Therefore, we identified and examined the use of CIP2A-regulated proteins as potential biomarkers in prostate cancer to better diagnose prostate cancer in patients. Currently, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is widely used to detect prostate cancer; however, it …
Structural And Functional Analysis Of Harv1 Lipid Binding,
2014
Rowan University
Structural And Functional Analysis Of Harv1 Lipid Binding, Jamie Francisco
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has the highest mortality rate worldwide and is considered epidemic in the United States. Statins as the primary and almost sole method of treatment for cholesterol-related CVD, but they have limitations. Proper sterol transport is needed to maintain normal blood lipid levels. Studies have shown that misregulation of lipid trafficking aids in the progression of CVD and in the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Misregulation of lipid and sterol homeostasis also results in the loss of lipid rafts, known cellular signaling hubs and major components of ER associated membrane contact sites. Arv1 is a highly …
Neurotrophins And Their Effects On Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation And Migration,
2014
Purdue University
Neurotrophins And Their Effects On Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation And Migration, Kayla Elise Minser
Open Access Theses
Cancer is a large health issue in all parts of the world. In the United States alone, approximately 1 in 4 deaths are cancer related. Breast cancer is a particularly prevalent form, accounting for a little over 14 percent of all cancer incidence. The largest obstacle to overcome for breast cancer morbidity is metastasis. Over 90 percent of all breast cancer related deaths are due to metastasis. Because metastasis is a complex, multi-step process, it is difficult to treat. A recent observation in the Kirshner lab has revealed a type of phenotypic plasticity, where migratory cancer cells have a neuronal-like …
Cd8Α Dendritic Cells Drive Establishment Of Hsv-1
Latency,
2014
Cedars-Sinai Burns & Allen Research Institute
Cd8Α Dendritic Cells Drive Establishment Of Hsv-1 Latency, Kevin R. Mott, Sariah J. Allen, Mandana Zandian, Bindu Konda, Behrooz G. Sharifi, Clinton Jones, Steven L. Wechsler, Terrence Town, Homayon Ghiasi
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
It is generally accepted that CD8 T cells play the key role to maintain HSV-1 latency in trigeminal ganglia of ocularly infected mice. Yet, comparably little is known about the role of innate immunity in establishment of viral latency. In the current study, we investigated whether CD8α DCs impact HSV-1 latency by examining latency in the trigeminal ganglia (TG) of wildtype (WT) C57BL/6 versus CD8α‒/‒ (lack functional CD8 T cells and CD8α+ DCs), CD8β‒/‒ (have functional CD8α+ T cells and CD8α+ DCs), and β2m‒/‒ (lack functional CD8 T cells but have CD8α+ …
Vaccinia Virus Flll Mediated Expedition Of Tanapoxvirus Replication In Cell Culture,
2014
Western Michigan University
Vaccinia Virus Flll Mediated Expedition Of Tanapoxvirus Replication In Cell Culture, Yih Wen Goh
Masters Theses
Tanapoxvirus (TPV) produces large but slow-forming plaques as opposed to vaccinia virus (VACV) that forms similar large plaques but more rapidly. A number of genes were identified in VACV, inclucding FllL, A33R, A34R and A36R that contribute to the regulation of virus release and dissemination, and are particularly responsible for the induction of actin tails. Among them, TPV lacks homologs of the FllL and A36R genes. F11Lmediated inhibition of RhoA-mDia signaling was shown to enhance the microtubules dynamics and modulates the cortical actin that assisted in the release of progeny virus from infected cells. To understand the possible effects of …
Overexpression Of Thioredoxin Binding Protein (Tbp-2) Increases Oxidation Sensitivity And Apoptosis In Human Lens Epithelial Cells,
2014
Medical College of Zhejiang University & University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Overexpression Of Thioredoxin Binding Protein (Tbp-2) Increases Oxidation Sensitivity And Apoptosis In Human Lens Epithelial Cells, Yibo Yu, Kuiyi Xing, Rilwan Badamas, Charles A. Kuszynski, Hongli Wuand, Marjorie F. Lou
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
Thioredoxin (Trx) is an important redox regulator with cytosolic Trx1 and mitochondrial Trx2 isozymes. Trx has multi-physiological functions in cells and its bioavailability is negatively controlled through active site binding to a specific thioredoxin binding protein (TBP-2). This paper describes the delicate balance between TBP-2 and Trx, and the effect of overexpression of TBP-2 in the human lens epithelial cells. Cells overexpressing TBP-2 (TBP-2 OE) showed a 7- fold increase of TBP-2, and a nearly 40% suppression of Trx activity but no change in Trx expression. The TBP-2 OE cells grew slower and their population decreased to 30% by day …
Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species (Ros): Which Ros Is Responsible For Cardioprotective Signaling?,
2014
Portland State University
Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species (Ros): Which Ros Is Responsible For Cardioprotective Signaling?, Anders Olav Garlid
Dissertations and Theses
Mitochondria are the major effectors of cardioprotection by procedures that open the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel (mitoKATP), including ischemic and pharmacological preconditioning. MitoKATP opening leads to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), which then activate a mitoKATP-associated PKCε, which phosphorylates mitoKATP and leaves it in a persistent open state (Costa, ADT and Garlid, KD. Am J Physiol 295, H874-82, 2008). Superoxide (O2•-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radical (HO•) have each been proposed as the signaling ROS but the identity of the ROS responsible for this …
Characterization Of Iron Response In Gynecological Cell Lines,
2014
University of South Florida
Characterization Of Iron Response In Gynecological Cell Lines, Kyle A. Bauckman
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Ovarian carcinoma afflicts over 22,000 women each year with a 5 year survival rate of only 18% for stage IV patients [23]. Current treatment options are limited due to high rates of drug resistance and recurrence. Further, the identity of "precursor lesions" which give rise to various subclasses of epithelial ovarian cancer has been evasive. This is due to discovery of the cancer at already an advanced stage. Interestingly, endometriosis a benign but invasive gynecological disease has been described as a "precursor lesion" in the development of specific subtypes of ovarian cancer. Endometriotic cyst development involves the accumulation of "old …
Nanoparticle Exposure Activates An Inositol Triphosphate Receptor-Dependent Elevation Of Reactive Oxygen Species And Apoptosis In Human Alveolar Lung Cells,
2014
Pepperdine University
Nanoparticle Exposure Activates An Inositol Triphosphate Receptor-Dependent Elevation Of Reactive Oxygen Species And Apoptosis In Human Alveolar Lung Cells, Briana Manes, Sarah Alvarado
Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium
The signaling of cell stress in response to organelle dysfunction, toxin exposure, and mutation is complex; generating responses that can include adaptation, or in severe cases, cellular apoptosis. Nanoparticles (20-100 nm diameter) have been shown to induce cell stress in lung cells, potentially identifying a cause of lung disease in areas with high levels of particulate-based air pollution. This study examines the effect of carbon black (CB) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on stress signaling and apoptosis in cultured A549 human alveolar epithelial cells. CB and TiO2 powders were dispersed throughout a buffered solution containing bovine serum albumin using probe …
The Regulatory Effect Of Semaphorin 7a On Proliferation And Migration In Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells,
2014
Pepperdine University
The Regulatory Effect Of Semaphorin 7a On Proliferation And Migration In Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells, Steven R. Fleming
Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium
Semaphorin 7A (SEMA 7A), a factor originally identified as regulating axon growth, has recently been implicated as a pro-angiogenic factor. The molecular mechanisms for this ability to stimulate angiogenesis have not been identified. This study examines if SEMA 7A can have a direct effect on vascular endothelial cells or whether it indirectly induces angiogenesis through stimulation and recruitment of macrophages as has been suggested. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the ability of SEMA 7A to affect proliferation and migration was examined. HUVECs were exposed to SEMA 7A directly or to conditioned media collected from macrophages exposed to SEMA …
Exploration Of Mutations In Erythroid 5-Aminolevulinate Synthase That Lead To Increased Porphyrin Synthesis,
2014
University of South Florida
Exploration Of Mutations In Erythroid 5-Aminolevulinate Synthase That Lead To Increased Porphyrin Synthesis, Erica Jean Fratz
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
5-Aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS; EC 2.3.1.37) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the first committed step of heme biosynthesis in animals, the condensation of glycine and succinyl-CoA yielding 5-aminolevuliante (ALA), CoA, and CO2. Murine erythroid-specific ALAS (mALAS2) variants that cause high levels of PPIX accumulation provide a new means of targeted, and potentially enhanced, photosensitization. Transfection of HeLa cells with expression plasmids for mALAS2 variants, specifically for those with mutated mitochondrial presequences and a mutation in the active site loop, caused significant cellular accumulation of PPIX, particularly in the membrane. Light treatment of HeLa cells expressing mALAS2 variants revealed …
Role Of Α6 Nachrs In Ethanol Modulation Of Vta Neurons,
2014
Brigham Young University - Provo
Role Of Α6 Nachrs In Ethanol Modulation Of Vta Neurons, Samuel Injae Shin
Theses and Dissertations
The prevailing view is that enhancement of dopamine (DA) transmission in the mesolimbic system leads to the rewarding properties of alcohol and nicotine (NIC). The mesolimbic DA system consists of DA neurons in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) that innervate the nucleus accumbens (NAc). DA neurotransmission is regulated by inhibitory VTA GABA neurons, whose excitability is a net effect of glutamate (GLU) and GABA neurotransmission that are modulated by NIC cholinergic receptors (nAChRs) on afferent terminals. We have previously demonstrated that VTA GABA neurons are excited by low-dose ethanol but are inhibited by moderate to high-dose ethanol, and they …
Cd46-Mediated Transduction Of A Species D Adenovirus Vaccine Improves Mucosal Vaccine Efficacy,
2014
1
Cd46-Mediated Transduction Of A Species D Adenovirus Vaccine Improves Mucosal Vaccine Efficacy, Zenaido T. Camacho, Michael A. Barry, Eric A. Weaver
Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications
The high levels of preexisting immunity against Adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) have deemed Ad5 unusable for translation as a human vaccine vector. Low seroprevalent alternative viral vectors may be less impacted by preexisting immunity, but they may also have significantly different phenotypes from that of Ad5. In this study we compare species D Ads (26, 28, and 48) to the species C Ad5. In vitro transduction studies show striking differences between the species C and D viruses. Most notably, Ad26 transduced human dendritic cells much more effectively than Ad5. In vivo imaging studies showed strikingly different transgene expression profiles. The …
A Central Role For Vimentin In Regulating Repair Function During Healing Of The Lens Epithelium,
2014
George Washington University
A Central Role For Vimentin In Regulating Repair Function During Healing Of The Lens Epithelium, A. S. Menko, B. M. Bleaken, A. A. Libowitz, L. Zhang, Mary Ann Stepp, J. L. Walker
Anatomy and Regenerative Biology Faculty Publications
Mock cataract surgery provides a unique ex vivo model for studying wound repair in a clinically relevant setting. Here wound healing involves a classical collective migration of the lens epithelium, directed at the leading edge by an innate mesenchymal subpopulation of vimentin-rich repair cells. We report that vimentin is essential to the function of repair cells as the directors of the wound-healing process. Vimentin and not actin filaments are the predominant cytoskeletal elements in the lamellipodial extensions of the repair cells at the wound edge. These vimentin filaments link to paxillin-containing focal adhesions at the lamellipodial tips. Microtubules are involved …
Different Expression Of Placental Pyruvate Kinase M2 In Normal, Preeclamptic, And Intrauterine Growth Restriction Pregnancies,
2014
Brigham Young University - Provo
Different Expression Of Placental Pyruvate Kinase M2 In Normal, Preeclamptic, And Intrauterine Growth Restriction Pregnancies, Brigham L. Bahr
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis will be organized into two chapters discussing the placental expression of two proteins, pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) and heat shock protein 27 (HSP 27), in human placentas. Understanding the mechanisms of placental metabolism in healthy and diseased placentas helps us understand how placenta disorders occur and how we can treat these disorders. The goal is to investigate these proteins to gain an understanding of their roles in placental disorders and help decrease maternal and fetal mortality rates. Chapter one covers the background of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) in cancer and embryonic tissues, and the expression of PKM2 in …
Evaluation Of Novel Oral Vaccine Candidates And Validation Of A Caprine Model Of Johne’S Disease,
2014
University of Georgia
Evaluation Of Novel Oral Vaccine Candidates And Validation Of A Caprine Model Of Johne’S Disease, Murray E. Hines Ii, Sue E. Turnquist, Marcia R.S. Ilha, Sreekumari Rajeev, Arthur L. Jones, Lisa Whittington, John P. Bannantine, Raul G. Barletta, Yrjö T. Gröhn, Robab Katani, Adel M. Talaat, Lingling Li, Vivek Kapur
School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications
Johne’s disease (JD) caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is a major threat to the dairy industry and possibly some cases of Crohn’s disease in humans. A MAP vaccine that reduced of clinical disease and/or reduced fecal shedding would aid in the control of JD. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the efficacy of 5 attenuated strains of MAP as vaccine candidates compared to a commercial control vaccine using the protocol proposed by the Johne’s Disease Integrated Program (JDIP) Animal Model Standardization Committee (AMSC), and (2) to validate the AMSC Johne’s disease go at challenge model. …
Molecular Pap Biomarkers For Cervical Cancer Risk Assessment In Thinprep® Clinical Specimens,
2014
Rowan University
Molecular Pap Biomarkers For Cervical Cancer Risk Assessment In Thinprep® Clinical Specimens, Jennifer Taylor
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations
Approximately 500,000 patients are diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide each year, thus making it the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infections induce cervical dysplasia by increasing the expression of two viral oncogenes, E6 and E7. Utilization of the Papanicolaous smear test (Pap test) has contributed to a decrease in morbidity and mortality of cervical cancer; however, subjective analysis of cell morphology with a limited amount of cells has led to a substantial rate of false positive and false negative diagnoses. A more objective and sensitive diagnostic tool for the detection of …
Cluster M Mycobacteriophages Bongo, Pegleg, And Rey With Unusually Large Repertoires Of Trna Isotopes,
2014
University of Pittsburgh - Main Campus
Cluster M Mycobacteriophages Bongo, Pegleg, And Rey With Unusually Large Repertoires Of Trna Isotopes, Welkin H. Pope, Kirk R. Anders, Madison Baird, Charles A. Bowman, Michelle M. Boyle, Gregory W. Broussard, Tiffany Chow, Kari L. Clase, Shannon Cooper, Kathleen A. Cornely, Randall J. Dejong, Veronique A. Delesalle, Lisa Deng, David Dunbar, Nicholas P. Edgington, Christina M. Ferreira, Kathleen Weston Hafer, Grant A. Hartzog, J. Robert Hatherill, Lee E. Hughes, Khristina Ipapo, Gregory P. Krukonis, Christopher G. Meier, Denise L. Monti, Matthew R. Olm, Shallee T. Page, Craig L. Peebles, Claire A. Rinehart, Michael R. Rubin, Daniel A. Russell, Erin R. Sanders, Morgan Schoer, Christopher D. Shaffer, James Wherley, Edwin Vazquez, Han Yuan, Daiyuan Zhang, Steven G. Cresawn, Deborah Jacobs-Sera, Roger W. Hendrix, Graham F. Hatfull
Biology Faculty Publications
Genomic analysis of a large set of phages infecting the common hostMycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 shows that they span considerable genetic diversity. There are more than 20 distinct types that lack nucleotide similarity with each other, and there is considerable diversity within most of the groups. Three newly isolated temperate mycobacteriophages, Bongo, PegLeg, and Rey, constitute a new group (cluster M), with the closely related phages Bongo and PegLeg forming subcluster M1 and the more distantly related Rey forming subcluster M2. The cluster M mycobacteriophages have siphoviral morphologies with unusually long tails, are homoimmune, and have larger than average …
