Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Maternal Engineered Nanomaterial Inhalation During Gestation Alters The Fetal Transcriptome, P.A. Stapleton, Q.A. Hathaway, C.E. Nichols, A.B. Abukabda, M.V. Pinti, D.L. Shepherd, C.R. Mcbride, J. Yi, V.C. Castranova, J.M Hollander, Timothy Robert Nurkiewicz

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: The integration of engineered nanomaterials (ENM) is well-established and widespread in clinical, commercial, and domestic applications. Cardiovascular dysfunctions have been reported in adult populations after exposure to a variety of ENM. As the diversity of these exposures continues to increase, the fetal ramifications of maternal exposures have yet to be determined. We, and others, have explored the consequences of ENM inhalation during gestation and identified many cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes in the F1 generation. The purpose of these studies was to identify genetic alterations in the F1 generation of Sprague-Dawley rats that result from maternal ENM inhalation during gestation. …

Dysregulation Of Daf-16/Foxo3a-Mediated Stress Responses Accelerates T Oxidative Dna Damage Induced Aging, Aditi U. Gurkar, Andria R. Robinson, Yuxiang Cui, Xuesen Li, Shailaja K. Allani, Amanda Webster, Mariya Muravia, Mohammad Fallahi, Herbert Weissbach, Paul D. Robbins, Yinsheng Wang, Eric E. Kelley, Claudette M. St. Croix, Laura J. Niedernhofer, Matthew S. Gill

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

DNA damage is presumed to be one type of stochastic macromolecular damage that contributes to aging, yet little is known about the precise mechanism by which DNA damage drives aging. Here, we attempt to address this gap in knowledge using DNA repair-deficient C. elegans and mice. ERCC1-XPF is a nuclear endonuclease required for genomic stability and loss of ERCC1 in humans and mice accelerates the incidence of age-related pathologies. Like mice, ercc-1 worms are UV sensitive, shorter lived, display premature functional decline and they accumulate spontaneous oxidative DNA lesions (cyclopurines) more rapidly than wild-type worms. We found that ercc-1 worms …

The Relationship Between Vertigo, Vestibular System Disorders, And Therapy, Etta Rubin

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The relationship between vertigo and vestibular system disorders has been the subject of much research in recent years.The aim of this study is to review and analyze the relevant literature regarding this relationship, with emphasis on determining what causes the dizziness, how to test for vertigo, and specifically how to treat it.Additionally, while there may be many ways to prevent vertigo, the focus will be on how the role of therapy is vital in the future of healthcare, serving as prevention of anxiety and reoccurring vestibular disorders.

The Effects Of Maternal Caffeine Intake On A Fetus, Jennifer Kahan

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The United States has been noted as the country with the greatest caffeine consumption in the world. More than half of all Americans are said to consume caffeine on a daily basis. Caffeine is easily available in a variety of dietary products including coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate. Many pregnant women are unaware of the potential risk that excessive caffeine consumption can have on their unborn child. The purpose of this paper is to explore the ramifications of caffeine intake on a fetus. The studies reviewed propose that heavy maternal caffeine consumption, that of more than 300 mg daily, …

Nanomaterial Charge-Dependent Platelet Activating Factor Receptor Agonism In Human Epidermal Cells, Shahryar Jamshed Qureshi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Platelet Activating Factor (PAF) and its associated receptor, the PAF Receptor (PAFR), are important mediators of intercellular communication during an immune response. Once a physiological stimulus triggers an inflammatory response, epithelial, endothelial and immune cells synthesize and release PAF. PAF mediates the recruitment of immune cells, platelets, angiogenesis, expression of various genes, and increased PAF biosynthesis (Brown, 2006; Han, 2006; Whatley, 1988; Axelrod, 1988). In this study, we utilized HaCaT cells and a well characterized KB cell line derived from nasopharyngeal cells, which do not natively express the PAFR. KB cells had previously been transfected with a PAF receptor (KBP) …

Investigation Of Association Of Chemical Profiles With The Tracheobronchial Relaxant Activity Of Chinese Medicinal Herb Beimu Derived From Various Fritillaria Species., Xu Wu, Shun-Wan Chan, Jiang Ma, Ping Li, Pang-Chui Shaw, Ge Lin

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

Ethnopharmacological relevance Fritillariae Bulbus (Beimu in Chinese) is derived from the bulbus of many Fritillaria species (family Liliaceae), which has been used as an antitussive herb in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2000 years. Due to the complexity of plant origins and significant variations in chemical profiles, the characterization of the profile of the major bioactive constituents and its association with pharmacological activity are important for the quality control of Beimu herbs from different origins. Aim of the study This study aims to investigate the distribution of major bioactive isosteroidal alkaloids in Beimu herbs of different origins and its …

Determination Of Selected Aromas In Marquette And Frontenac Wine Using Headspace-Spme Coupled With Gc-Ms And Simultaneous Olfactometry, Somchai Rice, Nanticha Lutt, Jacek A. Koziel, Murlidhar Dharmadhikari, Anne Fennell Dr

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

Understanding the aroma profile of wines made from cold climate grapes is needed to help winemakers produce quality aromatic wines. The current study aimed to add to the very limited knowledge of aroma-imparting compounds in wines made from the lesser-known Frontenac and Marquette cultivars. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with simultaneous olfactometry was used to identify and quantify selected, aroma-imparting volatile organic compounds (VOC) in wines made from grapes harvested at two sugar levels (22° Brix and 24° Brix). Aroma-imparting compounds were determined by aroma dilution analysis (ADA). Odor activity values (OAV) were also used to …

Occurrence Of Antibiotics And Antibiotic Resistance Genes In Soils Fromwastewater Irrigation Areas In The Pearl River Delta Region, Southernchina, Livia Min Pan, L.M. Chu

Faculty of Design & Environment (THEi)

The occurrence and distribution of tetracycline (TC) and sulfamethazine (SMZ), and the corresponding antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were investigated in six agricultural sites in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region in southern China. Irrigation water and irrigated soils at two different depths (0-10 and 10-20cm) were analyzed. The total concentrations of TC and SMZ in irrigation water ranged from 69.3 to 234ng/L and from 4.00 to 58.2ng/L, respectively, while the total concentrations of TC and SMZ in irrigated soils ranged from 5.00 to 21.9μg/kg and from 1.30 to 4.20μg/kg, respectively. After long-term irrigation with domestic and fishpond wastewater in the …

Regulation Of Radioactive Fracking Waste, Elizabeth Ann Glass Geltman, Nichole Leclair

Publications and Research

Natural gas extracted form shale reached record production totals in 2015 in the United States and the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts natural gas production will continue to increase. Wastes from shale gas extraction can contain the radioactive isotopes radium-226 (Ra-226) and radium-228 (Ra-228), which decay further into radon (Rn). Exposure to radon, a form of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), is the leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking. This article explores how states handle the disposal of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) and/or NORM waste from oil and gas operations to …

The Clean Air Act And Its Impact On Ground Level Ozone Pollution Levels In Los Angeles, California, Rebecca Ford

Bridges: A Journal of Student Research

Ozone (O3) occurs as a photochemically produced pollutant in the troposphere and its emission and concentration is regulated by the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970. The Los Angeles area is an example of how O3 can be a public health hazard and taint a city’s aesthetics and quality of life through photochemical smog. This study was conducted to observe the overall effectiveness of the CAA. I explored daily O3 concentrations from 1980 to the present at three air quality monitoring stations in LA from the AirData database of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. National O3 standards were only exceeded …

Neighborhood Variation Of Sustainable Urban Morphologicalcharacteristics, P. C. Lai, Sissi Si Chen, C. T. Low, Ester Cerin, Robert Stimson, Py Paulina Wong

Faculty of Design & Environment (THEi)

Compact cities and their urban forms have implications on sustainable city development because of high density urban settlement, increased accessibility, and a balanced land use mix. This paper uses quantitative means of understanding urban morphological characteristics with reference to the differing qualities of the urban form (i.e., street patterns, building volumes, land uses and greenery). The results, based on 89 neighborhood communities of Hong Kong, show varying degrees of regional differences in the urban built form supported by numerical statistics and graphical illustrations. This paper offers empirical evidence on some morphological characteristics that can be estimated objectively using modern geospatial …

In Anthropocene Air: Deleuze's Encounter With Shakespeare, Steven Swarbrick

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Association Between Type Of Fat And The Risk Of Developing Cardiovascular Diseases, Dovid Leib Glassner

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Objective: To determine the significance of various types of dietary fat in the progression of atherosclerosis leading to heart disease. Methods: Study inclusion criteria constituted relevance to the discussion topic and peer reviewed literature. Age of the published material was taken into account as well, with greater preference being given to more recent research as the topic of nutrition and its relation to chronic disease remains an emerging science. Results: This research review found an overall significant relationship between the type (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans-fat) of dietary fat intake and the incidence of cardiovascular disease. While earlier research identified …

Drug Delivery Strategies For The Treatment Of Advanced Lung Cancer And Various Lung Metastases, Elizabeth Bielski

Wayne State University Dissertations

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Secondary lung tumors metastasized from other cancer sites also remains highly prevalent, in which most metastatic tumors cannot be cured with existing therapies. Chemoresistance (multi drug resistance – MDR) that develops intrinsically or acquired is one of the key factors leading to fatality in these patients. MDR develops form a variety of resistance mechanisms that can occur consecutively or concurrently, therefore, making most current treatments unsuccessful. Current therapies have known to slow tumor growth, but rarely provide a cure. Immunotherapy has seen some promise, including the use …

Exercise Can Potentially Cure Parkinson’S Disease: A Comprehensive Review, Ilana Tokarsky

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease that negatively affects many American lives. It is characterized by the degeneration of dopamine-secreting neurons in the Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta (SNpc). Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease lack motor coordination and experience severe motor impairments. Unfortunately, there is currently no treatment method available that can successfully cure the disease. In fact, all of the mainstream available treatments only eliminate some PD symptoms, and they cause many negative side effects. Although nontraditional, exercise is a side effect free treatment method that can potentially slow the progression of the disease and alleviate some symptoms. …

Rhythm: An Open Source Imaging Toolkit For Cardiac Panoramic Optical Mapping, Christopher Gloschat, Kedar Aras, Shubnam Gupta, N. Rokhana Faye, Hanyu Zhang, Matthew W. Kay, Igor R Efimov, +Several Additional Authors

Pharmacology and Physiology Faculty Publications

Fluorescence optical imaging techniques have revolutionized the field of cardiac electrophysiology and advanced our understanding of complex electrical activities such as arrhythmias. However, traditional monocular optical mapping systems, despite having high spatial resolution, are restricted to a two-dimensional (2D) field of view. Consequently, tracking complex three-dimensional (3D) electrical waves such as during ventricular fibrillation is challenging as the waves rapidly move in and out of the field of view. This problem has been solved by panoramic imaging which uses multiple cameras to measure the electrical activity from the entire epicardial surface. However, the diverse engineering skill set and substantial resource …

Selective Inhibition Of Ctcf Binding By Ias Directs Tet-Mediated Reprogramming Of 5-Hydroxymethylation Patterns In Ias-Transformed Cells, Matthew Rea, Tyler Gripshover, Yvonne N. Fondufe-Mittendorf

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Methylation at cytosine (5mC) is a fundamental epigenetic DNA modification recently associated with iAs-mediated carcinogenesis. In contrast, the role of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), the oxidation product of 5mC in iAs-mediated carcinogenesis is unknown. Here we assess the hydroxymethylome in iAs-transformed cells, showing that dynamic modulation of hydroxymethylated DNA is associated with specific transcriptional networks. Moreover, this pathologic iAs-mediated carcinogenesis is characterized by a shift toward a higher hydroxymethylation pattern genome-wide. At specific promoters, hydroxymethylation correlated with increased gene expression. Furthermore, this increase in hydroxymethylation occurs concurrently with an upregulation of ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzymes that oxidize 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA. To …

An Optimized Solid-Phase Reduction And Capture Strategy For The Study Of Reversibly-Oxidized Cysteines And Its Application To Metal Toxicity, John Andrew Hitron

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

The reversible oxidation of cysteine by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is both a mechanism for cellular protein signaling as well as a cause of cellular injury and death through the generation of oxidative stress. The study of cysteine oxidation is complicated by the methodology currently available to isolate and enrich oxidized-cysteine containing proteins. We sought to simplify this process by reducing the time needed to process samples and reducing sample loss and contamination risk.

We accomplished this by eliminating precipitation steps needed for the protocol by (a) introducing an in-solution NEM-quenching step prior to reduction and (b) replacing soluble dithiothreitol …

Studying The Antagonistic Relationship Between Nkg2d And Tgf-Β Signaling In Cd8+ T Cells, Kushal Prajapati

Dissertations

Despite the remarkable success of cancer immunotherapies in treating patients with hematological cancers, the clinical response rates of immunotherapies in the case of solid tumors have been dismal. One major reason for the lower response rates is tumor-induced immune-suppression mediated by TGF-?, which directly suppresses the functionality of CD8+ T cells by inhibiting their activation, proliferation, and acquisition of inflammatory cytokines, granzyme B and perforin. On the other hand, NKG2D, a potent co-stimulatory receptor, has effects on CD8+ T cells opposite to that of TGF-?. In T cells from 22 healthy human donors, we found that the suppression by TGF-? …

Examining The Issue Of Compliance With Personal Protective Equipment Among Wastewater Workers Across The Southeast Region Of The United States, Tamara L. Wright

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Wastewater workers are exposed to different occupational hazards such as chemicals, gases, viruses, and bacteria. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a significant factor that can reduce or increase the probability of an accident from hazardous exposures to chemicals and microbial contaminants. The purpose of this study was to identify wastewater worker’s beliefs and practices on wearing PPE and protections offered by PPE through the integration of the Health Belief Model (HBM). Participants were workers in the wastewater industry, which included wastewater operators, laboratory analysts, maintenance workers, wastewater collection workers, equipment operators, managers, and supervisors (n=272). The instrument was a self-administered …