Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Modulation Of Tlr4/Nf-Κb, Nrf2/Ho-1 And Pi3k/Akt Signaling By Cilostazol Mitigates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Septic Acute Kidney Injury, Ahmed F. Mohamed, Helmy M. Sayed, Hala F. Zaki, Marwa M. Safar

Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University

Cilostazol was investigated as a protective agent against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-associated acute kidney damage in mice. Cilostazol (50 mg/kg/day; p.o) administered for 7 consecutive days before a single LPS dose (2 mg/kg; i.p) hampered serum creatinine and cystatin C as well as renal KIM-1 and NGAL, repressed TLR4 and MYD88 transcription as well as NF-κB p65, IL-1β and MDA content, boosted Nrf-2 mRNA expression, HO-1 activity and GSH content. This was synchronous with an upregulation of p-PI3K and p-Akt expressions. Collectively, cilostazol prevented LPS renal injury which might correspond to modulation of TLR4/NF-κB, Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/Akt pathways.

Leveraging Bio-Inspired Molecules For Cancer Theranostics, Douglas S. Macpherson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A variety of molecules can be radiolabeled and delivered to a cancer site for the purposes of diagnostics and therapy. Among the most promising of tumor targeting molecules are peptides and antibodies. These bio-inspired molecules can be designed and synthesized to target and respond to cancer cells based on the properties of those cells. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes are over-expressed by some metastatic cancers, in which they are responsible for the degradation and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. In recent years, MMPs have emerged as promising targets for enzyme-responsive diagnostic probes because oligopeptides can be designed to be selectively hydrolyzed …

Abaloparatide, Miis Akel, Mayur Parmar

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.

Exploring Gaps In City Climate Planning In The Mountain West, Joshua Padilla, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet explores data from the 2022 Brookings Institution report by Joseph W. Kane, Adie Tomer, Caroline George, and Jamal Russell Black called “Not according to plan: Exploring gaps in city climate planning and the need for regional action." The original report analyzes decarbonization plans for 50 of the largest U.S. cities and comparatively ranks each plan using a point system of 5 categories. This fact sheet focuses on Mountain West cities (Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Las Vegas, NV; Salt Lake, UT; and Albuquerque, NM) included in the original study.

The Effects Of Salinity And Acetaminophen On The Aquatic Snail Physa Acuta, Michelle Sackey-Ansah, Megan Mackey, Daniel Elias, Jason Doll, Alyssa Brookhart

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Pharmaceuticals are increasingly detected in water bodies, and their presence can negatively impact aquatic organisms. This effect can be amplified when combined with increasing salinity in freshwater ecosystems. Acetaminophen is a widely used analgesic that is commonly found in river, streams, and waters where it is discharged directly. Therefore, organisms present in these locations (e.g., insects, snails, amphibians, and fish) are likely to be affected by acetaminophen. In this study, we determined the effects of elevated salinity (0.68 g/L), acetaminophen (500 µg/L) and combined elevated salinity (0.68 g/L) and acetaminophen (500 µg/L), on the growth, reproduction, and movement of the …

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 …

Bazedoxifene, Parth M. Raina, Mayur Parmar

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.

Romosozumab, Kristina Krupa, Mayur Parmar, Linda F. Delo

HPD Articles

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Potential Of Intranasally Administered Naturally Occurring Quercetin Loaded Into Polymeric Nanocapsules As A Novel Platform For The Treatment Of Anxiety, Shady Swidan, Khaled Younis Mahmoud, Nahla Ahmed Elhesaisy, Abdelrahman Rashed, Ebram Mikhael, Mahmoud Fadl, Mahmoud Elsadek, Merna Mohamed, Merna Mostafa, Mohamed Hassan, Omar Halema, Youssef Elnemer

Pharmacy

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent forms of psychopathology that afects millions worldwide. It gained more importance under the pandemic status that resulted in higher anxiety prevalence. Anxiolytic drugs such as benzodiazepines have an unfavorable risk/beneft ratio resulting in a shift toward active ingredients with better safety profle such as the naturally occurring quercetin (QRC). The delivery of QRC is hampered by its low water solubility and low bioavailability. The potential to enhance QRC delivery to the brain utilizing polymeric nanocapsules administered intranasally is investigated in the current study. Polymeric nanocapsules were prepared utilizing the nanoprecipitation technique. The best …

Soil Properties And Potassium Availability In Pullen Farm Murray, Kentucky, Ava Isaacs, Gracey Moffitt, Whitney Sides

Posters-at-the-Capitol

One of the most important factors regarding soil and plant health is nutrient availability and fertility. Of these two factors that were mentioned available potassium is a key component. With that being said we decided that it would be beneficial to see how potassium can be traced within the soil in various locations after fertilizer is applied. There were two parts to this experiment. Part one was taking soil core samples in order to obtain various soil properties such as soil organic matter, soil water holding capacity and bulk density and observe if these properties have any effect on the …

Phase 1a Clinical Study For Q-Griffithsin Intranasal Spray For Prevention Of Coronavirus, Megan Bezold, Kenneth Palmer, Nobuyuki Matoba, Elizabeth Cash

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible virus that causes acute respiratory disease with possible long-term complications, known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Griffithsin (GRFT; including the oxidation-resistant variant Q-GRFT used in this study) is an algal carbohydrate-binding protein exhibiting antiviral effects against many enveloped viruses, including all major variants of SARS- CoV-2 reported to date. Q-GRFT has been recombinantly manufactured in Nicotiana benthamiana plants, thoroughly purified, and formulated as an intranasal spray designed to be developed as a non-vaccine broad-spectrum prophylactic product for acute use. This is the first-in-human, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The …

Nsaids And Oral Drug Absorption: Ibuprofen Through A Pharmacokinetic Lens, Courtney Gant

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Human pharmacokinetics is the study of how administered medications move throughout and behave within the body. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion are four integral parts of this field of study and are commonly known as the ADME principles of pharmacokinetics, but other processes are studied within the field. For orally administered drugs, the absorption process lies within the small intestine and colon, two components of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract; this bodily system is associated with many variables––many of which must be considered in the study of oral drug absorption. Often administered orally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) make up a group …

Mancozeb Exposure Results In Oxidative Stress And Disruption Of Mitochondrial Complexes Iii & Iv In Transformed Human Colon Cells, Amanda Dhaneshwar

Theses and Dissertations

The ethylene bisdithiocarbamate pesticides, a subclass of the dithiocarbamate pesticides, are broad spectrum organometallic fungicides used on a variety of crops. The fungicide Mancozeb is comprised of an ethylene bisdithiocarbamate backbone complexed to the metals manganese and zinc. Ingestion of food containing pesticide residue and occupational exposure are common routes of Mancozeb exposure. Previous work demonstrated that Mancozeb exposure to HT-29 colon cancer cells resulted in cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and disruption of mitochondrial complex I, II, and V activity. The current study investigated the effect of Mancozeb exposure on mitochondrial complex III and IV activity and oxidative stress parameters in the …

Detection And Observed Correlations Of Statin And Beta-Blocking Pharmaceuticals In West Virginia Surface Waters And Ichthyofauna, Joseph W. Kingsbury

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Within this thesis the source, presence, and the estimated ecotoxicological effects of cardiovascular medicines, specifically statins and beta-blockers are described within the Buckhannon, Tygart Valley, and West Fork Rivers of West Virginia. Included within this thesis is a general introduction providing key background information and relevant research related to the source, presence, and known toxicity of statins and beta-blockers. Following the general introduction there are 3 distinct chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on the estimated demographic based source loadings and the surface water concentration characteristics of statins and beta-blockers within the three rivers. Chapter 2 investigates the effects of statins and …

Efecto De La Quercetina, Baicaleina, Azitromicina Y Sus Mezclas En La Formación De La Biopelícula, Factores De Virulencia Y En La Expresión Génica Asociados Al Quorum Sensing (Qs) De Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Valentina Parra Rodríguez

Biología

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, un bacilo Gram negativo, representa una grave amenaza en el ámbito de la salud, siendo uno de los principales patógenos oportunistas asociados con infecciones nosocomiales, agudas y crónicas. La inclusión de esta bacteria en la lista de prioridades de la Organización Mundial de la Salud para el desarrollo de nuevas alternativas terapéuticas resalta la urgencia de abordar la creciente resistencia a los fármacos y la capacidad de formación de biopelículas. Estas alternativas terapéuticas pueden abordar el uso de compuestos naturales y su combinación con antibióticos convencionales, los cuales han reportado efectos inhibidores en la formación de biopelícula …

Dataset For Manuscript: Comparing Performance Of Spectral Image Analysis Approaches For Detection Of Cellular Signals In Time-Lapse Hyperspectral Imaging Fluorescence Excitation-Scanning Microscopy, Silas J. Leavesley

BioImaging and BioSystems Research

The dataset contains raw and processed hyperspectral timelapse image data that are described in the manuscript:

Parker, M., Annamdevula, N. S., Pleshinger, D., Ijaz, Z., Jalkh, J., Penn, R., Deshpande, D., Rich, T. C. & Leavesley, S. J. Comparing Performance of Spectral Image Analysis Approaches for Detection of Cellular Signals in Time-Lapse Hyperspectral Imaging Fluorescence Excitation-Scanning Microscopy. Bioengineering 10, 642 (2023).

Growth And Survival Of Amphibians Exposed To Road Salt And Glyphosate-Based Herbicide, Jerica Eaton

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Amphibian populations are threatened by increasing levels of environmental pollution resulting from human activities. Areas with mixed land use that include agriculture and urban development experience increased contamination from surface herbicide and road deicer application. Upon entering water sources, these chemicals have the capacity to disrupt the natural dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of these contaminants on amphibian populations. I used the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) as a model, rearing larvae from hatching to metamorphosis. I subjected larvae in each of the treatment groups to varying levels of herbicide and salt concentrations. …

Telomeres: A Tool To Assess The Impacts Of Mining Contaminants On Riparian Songbirds, Lillian Krach, Bridger Creel, Megan Fylling, Zac Cheviron, Creagh Breuner

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Mining has left massive environmental and physical scars across the landscape. Aquatic and riparian landscapes in particular have been significantly impacted by traditional mining practices. Waste products left over from hard-rock mining leech heavy metals onto the landscape and these metals spread from headwater streams to major waterways (Lottermoser 2010). Heavy metals have been shown to cause physiological stress and challenges to organisms depending on the metal and the concentration (Baos et al. 2019, Boyd & Rajakaruna 2013). While some mining-impaired areas have undergone restoration efforts, is it enough? Typical restoration methods replace the contaminated floodplain, but not the riverbed …

Nutritional & Colorectal Health, Tariq A. Alam, Brittany R. Rice, Sara B. Police

Journal of Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences

Kentucky has the highest incidence and mortality rate of all site cancers, and Kentuckians residing in the Appalachian region often have worse outcomes, where cancer is a leading cause of death. Focusing on colorectal cancer (CRC) specifically, Kentucky ranks first nationwide for incidence (50 cases per 100,000 people) and fifth for mortality (about 17 deaths per 100,000 people). The Kentucky Colon Cancer Screening Program increased screening rates and reduced mortality since its launch. Yet, CRC remains a leading cause of death for Kentuckians. Risk factors for CRC include increasing age as well as a history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) …

Sex Identification Of Mytilus Edulis Following 26 Day Treatment To Ee2 And Kz, Helen C. Poynton, K. Garrett Evensen

Data and Datasets

Blue mussel M. edulis were exposed for 26 days to 50 ng/L 17alpha-ethinylestradiol or 30 ug/L ketoconazole for 26 days in four replicate tanks. Prior to exposure, mussel sex was identified using the VERL-VCL RT-qPCR assay on hemolymph collected from each mussel. Following exposure, mantle tissue was collected from each treated mussel and the VERL-VCL RT-qPCR assay was used to identify the sex of the mussels.