Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

The Relationship Between Pcos And Obesity: Which Comes First?, Sara L. Rosenberg

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is recognized as the most common reproductive disorder in women. Obesity is believed to play a central role in the development of PCOS, as many women with this condition are reported to be overweight or obese. A strong correlational relationship exists between PCOS and obesity. This paper examines the relationship between PCOS and obesity in order to determine whether PCOS causes obesity as opposed to obesity causes metabolic changes that lead to PCOS. Analysis was conducted by reviewing and comparing many studies related to the topic. Factors such as insulin resistance, hyperandrogenemia and body fat distribution …

Tree Distribution, Morphology And Modelled Air Pollution In Urban Parks, Yang Xing, Peter Brimblecombe, Sifeng Wang, Allen Hao Zhang

Faculty of Design & Environment (THEi)

Trees offer a range of ecosystem services and remain important in providing human benefits. However, emerging literature questions the long-accepted view of trees being able to improve air quality in urban parks. The aerodynamic effect of trees was identified as a major reason for the change of pollutant distribution in near-road parks, where trees can act as porous barriers and cause localised concentration increase. Although not yet fully developed, planting strategies aiming to mitigate the negative effect of vegetation on air quality should be encouraged in future park design. In this study, we explored the effect of tree planting design …

Residual Next-Day Effects Of Alprazolam On Psychomotor Performance And Simulated Driving In Healthy Normal Volunteers, Marion A. Coe

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

The prevalence of drugged driving has increased in the United States, and some prescription medications (e.g., zolpidem) cause impairment after the predicted duration of therapeutic action has elapsed. The aim of this study is to determine if bedtime administration of alprazolam similarly impacts driving performance the following day.

Volunteers were 14 healthy adults (6 males) who completed a double-blind, double-dummy within-subjects design study examining the effects of alprazolam (0.5, 1, & 2mg), zolpidem (10mg), and placebo administered at bedtime on driving performance the following day. The positive control condition was alprazolam (1mg) administered on the test morning. Driving simulator measures, …

Ta Systems: The Key To New Antibacterial Strategies?, Nathan A. Baker

Natural Sciences Student Research Presentations

This slide presentation for the Natural Sciences Poster Session at Parkland College summarizes a study investigating the use of toxin-antitoxin systems as a treatment for antibiotic resistant e-coli.

Characterization Of Cytosolic Sulfotransferase Expression And Regulation In Human Liver And Intestine, Sarah Talal Dubaisi

Wayne State University Dissertations

SULTs are conjugation enzymes that can modify the activity of a myriad of foreign and endogenous molecules. SULT expression was detected in various human tissues, including liver, small intestine, and colon. There are 13 human SULT genes that are classified into 4 families, SULT1, SULT2, SULT4, and SULT6. In humans, SULT1 and SULT2 families include 11 genes that are further divided into 6 subfamilies. In addition to their role in xenobiotic detoxification and regulation of physiological processes, SULT enzymes were implicated in the bioactivation of procarcinogens. Previous studies detected the expression of most SULT1 and SULT2 enzymes during early development, …

Cognitive Rigidity In Patients With Anorexia Nervosa, Miriam Sheynblyum

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by significantly low body weight and over-evaluation of weight and shape in self-identity. The complex etiology of Anorexia Nervosa renders many current treatments ineffective, thereby prolonging the course of the illness. Among the many psychological and behavioral features of AN, cognitive features like obsessiveness, rigidity, and perfectionism are often described. Patients hold firm beliefs about an ideal body weight and find it difficult to alter their thinking patterns. Recent studies have identified a pathway to understanding this disorder through characterization of it’s cognitive features. With this research, advances have been made in …

The Role Of The Cell-Surface Protease Tmprss13 In Colorectal Cancer, Fausto Alexander Varela

Wayne State University Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and deadly cancers in both men and women in the United States. Extracellular proteolysis is often dysregulated in cancer including (CRC), resulting in degradation of extracellular matrix, as well as cleavage, processing, or shedding of cell adhesion molecules, growth factors, and cytokines. Several members of the type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP) family have been shown to play critical roles in cancer progression; however, many family members have not yet been characterized in malignancy. We identified TMPRSS13 transcript to be upregulated in CRC compared to normal colon. This increase was confirmed …

Does In-Vitro Fertilization Increase The Risk For Birth Defects?, Tehila Tropper

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Since 1978 when the first “petri dish” baby was born, In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has been used as a tool to give couples struggling with infertility the opportunity to have children. Using this method of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), the woman is given medication to stimulate her ovaries for the maturation of multiple eggs, which are then retrieved via needle aspiration, fertilized in a petri dish, and inserted in the uterus with the hopes of achieving a successful pregnancy. Many times IVF is completed with another technique known as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), where the sperm is injected straight into the …

Proposed Biomedical Applications Of Zirconium-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks As Drug Delivery Systems, Ariel Margaret Perry-Mills

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of highly crystalline nanoporous materials that self-assemble from inorganic metal oxide clusters and multitopic organic linkers. MOFs can be altered in terms of the types of metals and structures of organic linkers used, allowing for a high degree of customization and manipulation of the synergistic chemical or physical properties that arise from the precise coordination of their molecular components, including exceptionally large surface area and pore size. Zirconium-based MOFs, called UiOs in honor of their conception at the University of Oslo, also show remarkable chemical stability in both acidic and basic environments, making them …

A Mechanistic Study Of The Teratogenic Potential Of 4-O-Methylhonokiol (Mh) On Japanese Medaka (Oryzias Latipes), Santu Kumar Singha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An additional goal of this project was to characterize the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to unravel the adverse potential of MH on the cardiovascular system (CVS). Our study suggested that MH-mediated cardiovascular injury may be caused due to upregulation of some major components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway through expression of excessive pro-inflammatory mediators. Moreover MH decreased expression of ErbB3 and NRG-2 suggesting impaired cardiac structure. MH exposure caused a slow heartbeat blood occlusion absence of blood circulation decreased hatching efficiency and increased mortality in medaka embryos in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. MH might cause blood vessel occlusion by increasing the …

Safety Assessment And Chemical Fingerprint Analysis Of Medicinal Plants Commonly Consumed As Herbal Teas; Rooibos (Aspalathus Linearis) And Moringa (Moringa Oleifera), Omer I. Fantoukh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first chapter discusses the significance of natural products, safety challenges, and quality issues concisely. Specifically, the impact of herb-drug interaction on consumers and the quest for chemical markers for chemical fingerprinting development are provided. Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) is a popular South African herbal tea enjoyed worldwide. Limited reports indicate the potential of rooibos tea to alter the activity of CYP450 isozymes. In chapter two, the phytochemical investigation of A. linearis resulted in the isolation and characterization of 14 phenolic compounds. Safety assessment of the phytochemicals through interaction with CYP, PXR, and P gp was conducted. The …

Gentamicin-Modified Nanocarriers For Placental Targeted Drug Delivery To Treat Pregnancy-Related Complications, Ali Alfaifi

Wayne State University Dissertations

Diseases of pregnancy are the leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality affecting more than 20% (26 million) of all pregnancies annually. Those diseases include preeclampsia, preterm labor, intrauterine growth restriction and gestational diabetes, many of which are caused by compromised functions of the placenta. Placenta is a specialized organ that is only present during pregnancy where it creates a maternal-fetal interface that is responsible for many functions that contribute to the development of the fetus. Unfortunately, there is currently no treatment for any of those diseases. Our work focuses on the development of a novel nanoplatform that …

A Compromised Liver Alters Pcb Toxicity And Nutrient Metabolism, Jazmyne D. L. Barney

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Environmental contamination is a public health concern. In particular persistent organic pollutants like Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) have been associated with multiple chronic inflammatory diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD prevalence has steadily increased and is expected to continue to rise with an estimated 25% of the world’s population and 80-100 million people affected in the United States alone. Importantly, the liver is the primary site for endobiotic and xenobiotic metabolism, hence its proper function is critical for the body’s response to innate and extrinsic molecules. One way to combat the deleterious effects of PCB toxicity and fatty liver …

The Measles Vaccine, Ben Albrecht

A with Honors Projects

This honors project reviews the development of the measles vaccine, and the controversial and debunked research that led to a decrease in vaccinations and an increase in the illness.

Prevention Of Crystalline Silica-Induced Inflammation By The Anti-Malarial Hydroxychloroquine, Rachel Dawn Burmeister

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Exposure to inhaled crystalline silica (cSiO2) is common in occupations where there is cutting, milling, or grinding of cSiO2 containing material. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that over 2 million workers may be exposed to inhaled cSiO2 in the United States. Inhalation of cSiO2 causes acute and chronic inflammation and may lead pulmonary diseases such as silicosis, as well as an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases.Unfortunately, treatment of cSiO2-induced lung diseases is limited and primarily focused on supportive care.

Inflammation caused by cSiO2 begins when, cSiO2 particles are phagocytized by alveolar macrophages. Interaction between the particle and …

Chemical Characterization Of Pseudognaphalium Obtusifolium By Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry (Gc-Ms) To Assess Potential Therapeutic Phytochemicals And Toxicological Concerns Using Simulated Use Conditions, Regina Ballentine

Theses and Dissertations

Chemical Characterization of Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium by Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to Assess Potential Therapeutic Phytochemicals and Toxicological Concerns Using Simulated Use Conditions

By Regina Ballentine

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2019

Director: Sarah C. Rutan, Professor, Department of Chemistry

Currently, there is an increasing demand for natural therapies and herbal products to treat various ailments. It is generally believed that natural therapies have fewer side-effects than traditional western medicine; however, they are often used in different strengths and formulations without consistency of the levels of target compounds or knowledge about toxicity. Due to this growing trend, a comprehensive chemical evaluation …

Continuous Production Of Raloxifene Hydrochloride Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Using Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology, Derick Muhindo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to utilize a continuous process for the production of Raloxifene Hydrochloride (RX-HCl) loaded NLC formulations for extended drug release using hot-melt extrusion technology coupled with probe sonication, and also to evaluate the in vitro characteristics of the prepared NLCs by particle size, PDI, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, drug loading, and in vitro drug release profile. Preparation of the NLCs using HME technology involved two main steps, first formation of a pre-emulsion after extrusion and then size reduction of the pre-emulsion using probe sonication to obtain the NLCs. Process parameters for the extrusion process like …

Developing Zebrafish As An In Vivo Model To Screen Compounds For Anti-Cancer Activity In Human Breast Cancer, Trisha Dhawan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast Cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer; 1:8 women are at risk of developing BC in her lifetime. Cancer metastasis causes the majority of deaths in BC patients. Moreover, side effects of traditional chemotherapeutic drugs (TCD) impair the quality of life of these patients. Discovery and development of safe and effective new therapies is imperative for the treatment of BC and targeting metastasis. The goal herein is to further expand the applicability of in vivo xenotransplantation of human BC cells in transgenic zebrafish to screen potential chemotherapeutics for toxicity and efficacy. For xenotransplantation, MCF-7, BT-474, and MDA-MB-231 BC …

Elucidation Of The Molecular Mechanisms Of Electrically-Induced Cardioprotection, Anne Elizabeth Roessler

Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is a major event in cardiovascular disease characterized by reduced blood flow to the heart. The ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury associated with an MI results in a region of dead tissue in the heart called an infarct, the size of which influences patient prognosis. In the 1980s, it was discovered that short, non-lethal episodes of I/R, termed ischemic preconditioning (IPC), can protect the heart against a subsequent MI. Ischemic preconditioning demonstrated the phenomenon of endogenous cardioprotection. Cardioprotection has great potential …

Environmental Influences On Rates Of Osteo- And Rheumatoid Arthritis, Azad Abdulrahman Mohammed

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

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