The University of Akron
Medical University of South Carolina
Virginia Commonwealth University
DePaul University
University of Central Florida
East Tennessee State University
Liberty University
The University of Western Ontario
The Graduate Center, City University of New York
Washington University in St. Louis
Optimization Of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Antibody For Immunohistochemistry Fluorescence Detection In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio),
2024
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Optimization Of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Antibody For Immunohistochemistry Fluorescence Detection In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Madison Thurber
Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects
Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter produced through the catecholamine synthesis pathway that affects brain activity. Unregulated dopamine levels can lead to various diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Optimization of an immunohistochemistry protocol will allow for the quantification of tyrosine hydroxylase antibody, which indirectly allows for dopamine quantification in dopaminergic regions within the brain. However, the antibody concentration to give the optimal signal-to-noise ratio in IHC varies across studies. Through this experiment, I determined the concentration of tyrosine hydroxylase (TyrH) antibody for immunohistochemistry that gave the best signal-to-background noise ratio within several known dopaminergic regions …
The Role Of Complement In Stroke And Traumatic Brain Injury,
2023
Medical University of South Carolina
The Role Of Complement In Stroke And Traumatic Brain Injury, Christine Couch
MUSC Theses and Dissertations
Brain and neural injury are a non-specific disease category that includes traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Both TBI and stroke are common, costly, and leading causes of severe disability in adults. Both stroke and TBI are responsible for substantial disability in working age adults, with stroke being the second leading cause of death worldwide [1] and TBI a major cause of disability in people younger than their 40's [2]. The immune response after brain injury is multifactorial and involves both local and systemic events at the cellular and molecular level. The complement system is a component of both the …
Optical Perturbation Of Protein Kinase A Activity Via Photoactivatable Inhibitor Peptides,
2023
Washington University in St. Louis
Optical Perturbation Of Protein Kinase A Activity Via Photoactivatable Inhibitor Peptides, Peter Chen
McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations
Protein Kinase A (PKA) plays important roles in diverse biological processes such as sleep, long term memory, and synaptic plasticity. In addition, PKA also acts as an integrator of neuromodulator signaling though G protein-coupled receptor activation. However, despite genetic knockout and pharmacological inhibition experiments that demonstrate the importance of PKA, it is unclear where, when, or how PKA plays these roles in cellular physiology and behavior. In order to better understand the function of PKA in these processes, and how neuromodulator signaling drives complex behavioral changes, there exists a need for a method to selectively activate/inactivate PKA with high spatial …
Swallowing Disrupts Tongue-Jaw Coordination During Chewing In A Rat Model Of Parkinson's Disease,
2023
Rowan University
Swallowing Disrupts Tongue-Jaw Coordination During Chewing In A Rat Model Of Parkinson's Disease, Meejan Palhang, N. Charles, Francois Gould
Stratford Campus Research Day
The primary motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, including bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor, are associated with difficulties regulating transitions between motor behaviors due to basal ganglia dysfunction. Chewing and swallowing, which are disordered in most patients with Parkinson’s disease, are two complex motor behaviors which overlap in time and share some neuromuscular components. The objective of this study is to identify how Parkinson’s disease affects the coordination of chewing and swallowing. We hypothesize that as a result of impaired regulation of shift between motor patterns, chewing cycles that occur with a swallow will be more affected that chewing cycles occurring in …
Morphological Characterization Of Two Transgenic Strategies For Genetic Access To Semilunar Granule Neurons In The Mouse Dentate Gyrus,
2023
Grand Valley State University
Morphological Characterization Of Two Transgenic Strategies For Genetic Access To Semilunar Granule Neurons In The Mouse Dentate Gyrus, David T. Rexford
Masters Theses
Granule cells (GCs) of the dentate gyrus (DG) have been understood as a homogeneous class of neurons exhibiting a characteristic limited firing pattern. A subtype of GC called a semilunar granule cell (SGC) has been identified exhibiting variant morphology, electrophysiology, and positioning from normal GCs. SGCs represent an emerging novel subpopulation of GCs, however, there is presently no genetic tool to access SGCs separately from normal GCs. To provide access for future in vivo studies of this population, we examined two genetic strategies for putative SGC specificity in mouse brain slices. Morphological analysis was performed for quantitative identification of putative …
The Role Of The Kcc2 In Substance Use And Abuse: A Systematic Review [Protocol],
2023
Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine
The Role Of The Kcc2 In Substance Use And Abuse: A Systematic Review [Protocol], Alfred Amendolara, Steven Salazar, Chad Thompson, Hyrum Wright, Andrew Payne
Annual Research Symposium
This poster presents the protocol for an ongoing systematic review investigating the role of potassium chloride co-transporter 2 (KCC2) in substance use, abuse, and addiction.
A Systematic Review: Toxoplasma Gondii Infection And Drugs Of Abuse,
2023
Roseman University of Health Sciences
A Systematic Review: Toxoplasma Gondii Infection And Drugs Of Abuse, Amani Sastry
Annual Research Symposium
No abstract provided.
Appearance Of Two Distinct Clusters Of Glucose Dysregulation In Chronic Intractable Migraine,
2023
Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine
Appearance Of Two Distinct Clusters Of Glucose Dysregulation In Chronic Intractable Migraine, Roshni Jogin, Kaitlyn Mcfarland, Aparna Naik, Tanner Williford, Matthew Conway, Amar Paul, John A. Kriak, David W. Sant, Kyle B. Bills
Annual Research Symposium
No abstract provided.
Antibody-Dependent Enhancement Activity Of A Plant-Made Vaccine Against West Nile Virus,
2023
University of Southern Mississippi
Antibody-Dependent Enhancement Activity Of A Plant-Made Vaccine Against West Nile Virus, Amber M. Paul, Haiyan Sun, Dhiraj Acharya, Huafang Lai, Junyun He, Fengwei Bai, Qiang Chen
Publications
West Nile virus (WNV) causes annual outbreaks globally and is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in Unite States. In the absence of licensed therapeutics, there is an urgent need to develop effective and safe human vaccines against WNV. One of the major safety concerns for WNV vaccine development is the risk of increasing infection by related flaviviruses in vaccinated subjects via antibody-dependent enhancement of infection (ADE). Herein, we report the development of a plant-based vaccine candidate that provides protective immunity against a lethal WNV challenge mice, while minimizes the risk of ADE for infection by Zika (ZIKV) and dengue …
Age- And Sex-Dependent Alterations In Primary Somatosensory Neuronal Calcium Network Dynamics During Locomotion,
2023
University of Kentucky
Age- And Sex-Dependent Alterations In Primary Somatosensory Neuronal Calcium Network Dynamics During Locomotion, Sami L. Case
Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
Over the past 30 years, the calcium (Ca2+) hypothesis of brain aging has provided clear evidence that hippocampal neuronal Ca2+ dysregulation is a key biomarker of aging. Indeed, age-dependent Ca2+-mediated changes in intrinsic excitability, synaptic plasticity, and activity have helped identify some of the mechanisms engaged in memory and cognitive decline. However, much of this work has been done at the single-cell level, mostly in slice preparations, and in restricted structures of the brain. Recently, our lab identified age- and Ca2+-related neuronal network dysregulation in the cortex of the anesthetized animal. Still, investigations in the awake animal are needed to …
Visualization And Characterization Of The Immunological Synapse Between Chlorotoxin Chimeric Antigen (Cltx-Car) Redirected T Cells And Targeted Glioblastoma Tumors,
2023
Claremont Colleges
Visualization And Characterization Of The Immunological Synapse Between Chlorotoxin Chimeric Antigen (Cltx-Car) Redirected T Cells And Targeted Glioblastoma Tumors, Arianna Livi
CMC Senior Theses
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR-T) cells have demonstrated anti-tumor activity against aggressive and invasive cancers such as glioblastoma (GBM); however, clinical response rates remain low in clinical trial studies. Tumor heterogeneity and tumor microenvironment conditions pose significant challenges for treatment of GBM, thus continuous optimization of CAR-T cell therapies and identification of novel, widely expressed, and highly specific GBM antigens are vital to better patient outcomes. A newly developed CAR-T cell construct incorporating chlorotoxin (CLTX) as the targeting domain exhibited broad GBM-targeting capabilities and elicited potent cytotoxic effects during preclinical studies and is currently being tested in a phase I …
The Role Of Schwann Cells In Nerve Injury: Forskolin-Mediated Camp Activation Upregulates Tnfα Expression Despite Nf-Κb Downregulation In Lps-Treated Schwann Cells,
2023
Misericordia University
The Role Of Schwann Cells In Nerve Injury: Forskolin-Mediated Camp Activation Upregulates Tnfα Expression Despite Nf-Κb Downregulation In Lps-Treated Schwann Cells, Caitlyn E. Henry, Angela L. Asirvatham Ph.D.
Student Research Poster Presentations 2023
Although Schwann cells are known to play a role in axonal regeneration following nerve injury and inflammation, the exact mechanism is unknown. This study explores two potential mechanisms: the NF-κB and cAMP pathways. The NF-κB pathway produces cytokines, such as TNFα, to regulate inflammation, whereas the cAMP pathway is anti-inflammatory and regulates Schwann cell proliferation via AKAP95 and cyclin D3. Although it is well-known that NF-κB and cAMP are involved in inflammation, not much is known regarding the effects of forskolin-mediated cAMP activation on LPS-mediated NF-κB activation in Schwann cells. In this study, RT4-D6P2T immortalized rat Schwann cells were treated …
The Role Of Serca In Neural Development And Brain Tumors,
2023
The University Of Montana
The Role Of Serca In Neural Development And Brain Tumors, Hannah M. Christman
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Ion channels are essential for neural function, playing a variety of necessary cellular roles including excitability, maintaining ion gradients, and volume control. While the role of ion channels in neurons is well-defined, much less is known about excitability in neural progenitor cells. Recently it has emerged that these neural precursors may be affected by channelopathies, indicating a critical role of ion channels in neural development. Using the model system Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), I investigated the role of the ion channel SERCA (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase). SERCA is a vital calcium ion pump located on the wall of the endoplasmic reticulum, …
Effects Of Picrotoxin Application On The Cardiac Ganglion Of The American Lobster, Homarus Americanus,
2023
Bowdoin College
Effects Of Picrotoxin Application On The Cardiac Ganglion Of The American Lobster, Homarus Americanus, John T. Woolley
Honors Projects
Picrotoxin (PTX) has been employed extensively as a tool within the crustacean stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) for its efficacy in blocking K+ and Cl+ currents gated by both GABA and glutamate. Through blocking some currents in the STNS, PTX allows for examination of other components without their presence. However, effects of PTX are relatively unknown within the lobster’s cardiac ganglion (CG). As an incredibly small nervous system of only nine neurons, the lobster CG presents an excellent model system for studying neural circuits. Given that the chemical synapses in the CG are mediated by glutamate, the present study …
Unraveling The Consequence Of Adult Onset Sulfatide Depletion: Its Implications In Myelin And Axonal Heath In The Context Of Neurodegenerative Disease,
2023
Virginia Commonwealth University
Unraveling The Consequence Of Adult Onset Sulfatide Depletion: Its Implications In Myelin And Axonal Heath In The Context Of Neurodegenerative Disease, Elizabeth Dustin
Theses and Dissertations
Multiple Sclerosis is an immune mediated disease of the CNS. MS is diagnosed through detection of demyelinated regions. However, recent studies demonstrate that Normal Appearing White Matter (NAWM) contains substantial pathology. One such pathology observed in the NAWM is the reduction of sulfatide. The proper stoichiometry of lipids in myelin acts to maintain rapid conduction velocity, provide trophic support to the neuron, and protect the axon from degeneration. We previously characterized a mouse lacking sulfatide’s synthesizing enzyme, CST through constitutive gene disruption and demonstrate that sulfide is required for proper stability of the myelin sheath. However, since MS is typically …
Expression Of Htyr In Drosophila As A Novel Model Of Parkinson’S Disease,
2023
Claremont Colleges
Expression Of Htyr In Drosophila As A Novel Model Of Parkinson’S Disease, Madeleine Callan
Scripps Senior Theses
Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating and often deadly neurodegenerative disease affecting a growing and large population. Its etiology has long remained elusive, and because no other organisms have Parkinsonian-like diseases, it is difficult to study PD using model organisms. Neuromelanin (NM), an insoluble melanin synthesized in the dopaminergic synthesis pathway in DA neurons, has recently been implicated in PD as a major causal factor. At high levels in DA lysosomes, it functions as a proteostatic pathway inhibitor–blocking dopaminergic neurons from breaking down harmful molecules until the lysosomes eventually degenerate as well as triggering autophagy, inflammation, and total neurodegeneration. Recently, neuromelanin …
Glyphosate And Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity: Herbicide Impacts On Parkinson's Disease Development,
2023
Virginia Commonwealth University
Glyphosate And Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity: Herbicide Impacts On Parkinson's Disease Development, Lojy Hozyen
Undergraduate Research Posters
Nearly one million individuals in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In the past two decades, the death rate from PD has risen by about 63 percent in the United States. Major findings have been made in the past five years about the potential impact of glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine) exposure on the onset of PD symptoms. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to provide a compiled update on the chemical and biological alterations that glyphosate imposes on the human brain. A meta-analysis was conducted to create a quantitative estimate of the connection between PD and glyphosate. Findings …
The Role Of Parkin In Mitochondrial Dna,
2022
University of Nebraska Medical Center
The Role Of Parkin In Mitochondrial Dna, Eliezer Lichter
Theses & Dissertations
Mitochondria are at the center of biological phenomena such as aging and diseases, especially neurodegenerative diseases. While the discovery of mitochondria only came approximately 200 years after the cell was discovered, a lot of progress has been made since. The mitochondrial genome encodes proteins vital for mitochondrial function. These proteins are only a subset of the proteins present in mitochondria; the rest are nuclear encoded. The nucleus also encodes cytosolic proteins vital for mitochondrial maintenance. One of these is Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase that ubiquitinates mitochondrial proteins as mitochondria become depolarized. Its activity has been shown to be involved …
Anatomical Analysis Of Olfactory Sensory Neuron Regeneration Via Glomerular Synaptic Activity Markers In Adult Mice,
2022
East Tennessee State University
Anatomical Analysis Of Olfactory Sensory Neuron Regeneration Via Glomerular Synaptic Activity Markers In Adult Mice, William Wamack
Undergraduate Honors Theses
The olfactory system is a great model for studying regeneration due to the olfactory epithelium’s regenerative capability which makes it a potential a source of neural stem cells. The olfactory epithelium presents three types of cells: sustentacular cells which provide support and act as glial supporting cells; olfactory sensory neurons that are in charge of detecting odorant molecules in the air; and the stem cells that generated the aforementioned cell types. Olfactory sensory neurons are constantly dying and being replaced by new neurons originating from the stem cells that lie at the base of the olfactory epithelium. We have used …
Chemosensory Receptors In Berghia Stephanieae: Bioinformatics And Localization,
2022
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Chemosensory Receptors In Berghia Stephanieae: Bioinformatics And Localization, Kelsi L. Watkins
Masters Theses
Chemosensation is achieved through the binding of chemical signals to chemoreceptor proteins embedded in the membranes of sensory neurons. The molecular identity of these receptors, as well as the downstream processing of chemosensory signals, has been well studied in arthropods and vertebrates. However, very little is known about molluscan chemosensation. The identity of chemoreceptor proteins in the nudibranch mollusc Berghia stephanieae are unknown. Data from other protostome and molluscan studies suggest Berghia may use ionotropic receptors for some forms of chemoreception. This study used a bioinformatics approach to identify potential chemosensory ionotropic receptors in the transcriptome of Berghia. A …
