Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Full Issue: Volume 9, Number 1

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.

Nanoceria Exposure To Kidney Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris): Implications On Plant Physiology, Nutrition And Their Transfer To Next Trophic Level, Sanghamitra Majumdar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Previous studies investigating the effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria, nCeO2) on plants have primarily focused on the physiological and biochemical changes at early growth stages. Comprehensive information on the effects of nCeO2 through the entire life cycle of plants and the nutritional quality of the edible tissues is limited. No studies have been reported on the interactions between nCeO2 and common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Common beans are leguminous crops, which are societally important due to their nutritional benefits. The beans are rich in proteins and essential nutrients like folate, iron, zinc, molybdenum and magnesium, and are consumed worldwide. This …

Effects Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill On Deep Sea Fishes, Arianne Ella Leary

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) released about 4.4 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), making it one of the largest oil spills in U.S. history. Additionally, the depth of the spill (i.e., 1500 meters) created a unique research opportunity because most oil spills occur at the surface and affect coastal rather than deepwater habitats. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most toxic components of oil, and are often the focus of oil exposure studies. PAHs are quickly metabolized by vertebrates; therefore, indicators of biological responses to PAH exposure (PAH “biomarkers”) such as the levels …

The Role Of Nkcc2a On The Nervous System Activity, Kavya Annu

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The NKCC2A is a splice variant of the Na+K+2Cl- co-transporter 2 (Slc12a1), which is abundantly expressed in macula densa and in the apical membrane of the tubular cells in the kidney. Most of our knowledge regarding NKCC2 function is limited to the kidney, the organ where NKCC2 is abundantly expressed. However, recent studies have demonstrated that NKCC2 is also expressed in extra-renal tissues. This study was designed to determine if NKCC2A, a splice variant of NKCC2 has an impact on behavior and nervous system activity of mice. To these ends, we used mice (wild type, WT), lacking a single or …

Cross-Talk Between The Tumor Suppressors Par-4 And P53, Tripti Shrestha Bhattarai

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

This work describes the fascinating interplay between two tumor suppressors Prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) and p53. The guardian of the genome, p53, is frequently mutated in human cancers, and may contribute to therapeutic resistance. However, p53 is intact and functional in normal tissues, and we observed that specific activation of p53 in normal fibroblasts could induce apoptosis selectively in p53-deficient cancer cells. This paracrine apoptotic effect was executed by Par-4 secreted in response to p53 activation. Accordingly, activation of p53 in wild-type mice, but not in p53^-/- or Par-4^-/- mice, caused systemic elevation of Par-4 that induced apoptosis …

Sperm Dna Oxidative Damage And Dna Adducts, Hueiwang Anna Jeng, Chih-Hong Pan, Mu-Rong Chao, Wen-Yi Lin

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to investigate DNA damage and adducts in sperm from coke oven workers who have been exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. A longitudinal study was conducted with repeated measurements during spermatogenesis. Coke-oven workers (n =112) from a coke-oven plant served the PAH-exposed group, while administrators and security personnel (n=67) served the control. Routine semen parameters (concentration, motility, vitality, and morphology) were analyzed simultaneously; the assessment of sperm DNA integrity endpoints included DNA fragmentation, bulky DNA adducts, and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGuo). The degree of sperm DNA fragmentation was measured using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling …

Target-Directed Biosynthetic Evolution: Redirecting Plant Evolution To Genomically Optimize A Plant’S Pharmacological Profile, Dustin Paul Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

The dissertation describes a novel method for plant drug discovery based on mutation and selection of plant cells. Despite the industry focus on chemical synthesis, plants remain a source of potent and complex bioactive metabolites. Many of these have evolved as defensive compounds targeted on key proteins in the CNS of herbivorous insects, for example the insect dopamine transporter (DAT). Because of homology with the human DAT protein some of these metabolites have high abuse potential, but others may be valuable in treating drug dependence. This dissertation redirects the evolution of a native Lobelia species toward metabolites with greater activity …

Chemoenzymatic Studies To Enhance The Chemical Space Of Natural Products, Jhong-Min Chen

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Natural products provide some of the most potent anticancer agents and offer a template for new drug design or improvement with the advantage of an enormous chemical space. The overall goal of this thesis research is to enhance the chemical space of two natural products in order to generate novel drugs with better in vivo bioactivities than the original natural products.

Polycarcin V (PV) is a gilvocarcin-type antitumor agent with similar structure and comparable bioactivity with the principle compound of this group, gilvocarcin V (GV). Modest modifications of the polyketide-derived tetracyclic core of GV had been accomplished, but the most …

The Mechanisms Of Α-Amanitin Resistance In The Fruit Fly Drosophila Melanogaster, Chelsea L. Mitchell

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Insect pesticide resistance has become a costly problem in the US. To make things more problematic, resistance to one pesticide is often associated with cross-resistance to other toxins, including pesticides that have not yet even been developed. In this study, we investigated a possible type of cross-resistance in the model fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, some stocks of which are resistant to the very potent mushroom toxin α-amanitin. Because α-amanitin is solely produced by mushrooms, and because D. melanogaster does not feed on mushrooms in nature, the fruit flies should not be resistant to this toxin. In order to understand …

High-Content Screening In Zebrafish Embryos Identifies Abamectin As A Potent Neurotoxicant, Tara Diane Raftery

Theses and Dissertations

During development, the nervous system is a sensitive target for chemical exposure in both humans and animal models, and early life-stage exposures can lead to long-term effects on motor activity, sensory function, and cognition. Currently, there are minimal to no developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) data available for thousands of chemicals used in commerce, and it is impractical to screen these chemicals in rodent models using the existing DNT test guideline, as this test is costly, time- and animalintensive, and low-throughput. Therefore, there is a recognized need to use alternative non-mammalian models to support screening and prioritization of chemicals for DNT testing, …

Dna Methylation In Lung Tissues Of Mouse Offspring Exposed In Utero To Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Appendix C. Peak Scores Summary Table For All Methylated Genes In Any Data Set, Trevor Fish, Abby Benninghoff

Browse all Datasets

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Methanol Whole Root Extract Of Securidaca Longipedunculata For Antitrypanosomal Activity In Vitro And In Vivo, Eke Ifeanyi Gabriel, Ihedioha Thelma Ebere, Ezeh Ikenna Onyema, Ezeudu Terry Adaku, Eze Ukamaka Uchenna, Okoye Chidozie Nwabuisi, Anaga Aruh Otah

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Securidaca longipedunculata is a medicinal plant used in different parts of Africa for treatment of various ailments including sleeping sickness in Northern Nigeria. On this basis, the methanol root extract of S. longipedunculata was investigated for ant...

Nutrient Availability And Dynamics Of Compost Bedded Pack Dairy Barn Waste, Leslie Hammond

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Increased adoption of compost bedded pack dairy barns (CBP), a relatively new housing and manure handling strategy, warrants study to facilitate proper use of CBP waste as a soil amendment. This study: 1) characterized in situ nutrient content and availability of CBP waste in terms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P); 2) examined the decomposition of surface-applied CBP waste compared to an alternative processed solid waste amendment; 3) examined nutrient dynamics of incorporated CBP waste in high and low soil test phosphorus (STP) environments. Quick anaerobic mineralization assays revealed that bed management affects nutrient content and availability of CBP waste. …

Islet Dysfunction In Diabetes, Syeda Khadija

Wayne State University Dissertations

Type 2 Diabetes [T2DM] is a chronic condition resulting from gradual failure of pancreatic beta cells to synthesize and secrete sufficient insulin to meet the metabolic demands and the inability of tissues [muscle, adipose and liver] to efficiently utilize the secreted insulin leading to an overall increase in blood glucose levels [hyperglycemia]. As indicated by recent estimates from the International Diabetes Federation, the prevalence of the disease in the year 2014 has risen to a record 387 million worldwide. The main objective of my project was to study the mechanisms involved in pancreatic beta cell dysfunction in diabetes, specifically in …

Assessing Chemical Control Of Earthworms At Airports, Thomas W. Seamans, Bradley F. Blackwell, Glen E. Bernhardt, Daniel A. Potter

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Earthworms originating from Europe (e.g., Lumbricus spp., Aporrectodea spp.), which are common in the United States and southern Canada can create hazardous conditions at airports by attracting birds that pose a threat to aircraft. These nonnative earthworms are also considered pests on golf courses and sports fields, as well as having detrimental effects on temperate boreal forests. No toxicants or repellents are currently registered for earthworm control in the United States. Our purpose was to identify products that could be used to repel or suppress nonnative earthworms on airports or other managed sites where they pose a hazard or nuisance. …

Cip10 Optimization For 4,4-Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate Aerosol Sampling And Field Comparison With Impinger Method, Silvia Puscasu, Simon Aubin, Yves Cloutier, Philippe Sarazin, Huu Van Tra, Sébastien Gagné

Études primaires

4,4-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) aerosol exposure evaluation in spray foam insulation application is known as being a challenge because the spray foam application actually involves a fast-curing process. Available techniques are either not user-friendly or are inaccurate or not validated for this application. To address these issues, a new approach using a CIP10M was developed to appropriately collect MDI aerosol in spray foam insulation while being suitable for personal sampling. The CIP10M is a commercially available personal aerosol sampler that has been validated for the collection of microbial spores into a liquid medium. Tributylphosphate with 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (MOPIP) was introduced into …

Comparison Between The Asset Ez4 Nco And Impinger Sampling Devices For Aerosol Sampling Of 4,4′-Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate In Spray Foam Application, Silvia Puscasu, Simon Aubin, Yves Cloutier, Philippe Sarazin, Huu Van Tra, Sébastien Gagné

Études primaires

4,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) aerosol exposure evaluation in spray foam insulation application is known to be a challenge. Current available techniques are either not user-friendly or are inaccurate or are not validated for this application. A new sampler has recently been developed to address the user-friendliness issues with other samplers: the ASSET EZ4-NCO, but the use of this sampler in spray foam insulation applications has not been demonstrated or validated. Because of this, the current work was undertaken to provide a comparison of the ASSET sampler with an impinger method, considered to be the best available method in the context …

Characterization Of Contaminants On Firefighter"S Protective Equipment A Firefighter's Potential Exposure To Heavy Metals During A Structure Fire, Donald F. Gagas

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research measured heavy metals, specifically cadmium, chromium, copper, and lead, on the surface of the firefighters bunker gear. Despite the fact that many studies have been conducted regarding the presence of organics in smoke emissions from structure fires, very few studies have investigated the extent of heavy metal emissions found during a structure fire. Using a wipe test procedure samples were collected from firefighters following a structure fire and analyzed for metals. Three locations on the bunker gear were used, the knee, elbow, and chest areas. The results showed that varying amounts of cadmium, chromium, copper and lead adhere …

The Association Of Lead With Cataracts And Vision-Related Problems In Perimenopausal Women, Imogene Drakes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Around the world, women are subject to an earlier incidence of cataracts, have a higher risk for cataracts, and also have a higher risk for other vision-related problems than men. Previous research has indicated an association between endogenous lead stored in long bones and cataracts in men over 60 years of age; however, a similar study in women did not reveal an association. This case control study was conducted to investigate whether perimenopausal mobilization of endogenous lead serves as a possible causative factor for women's generalized vision issues and cataract incidence in particular. Secondary data were gathered from 1,416 women …

Development Of Clinically Relevant In Vitro Performance Tests For Powder Inhalers, Xiangyin Wei

Theses and Dissertations

While realistic in vitro testing of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) can be used to establish in vitro–in vivo correlations (IVIVCs) and predict in vivo lung doses, the aerodynamic particle size distributions (APSDs) of those doses and their regional lung deposition remains unclear. Four studies were designed to improve testing centered on the behavior of Novolizer®. Different oropharyngeal geometries were assessed by testing different mouth-throat (MT) models across a realistic range of inhalation profiles (IPs) with Salbulin® Novolizer®. Small and large Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Oropharyngeal Consortium (OPC) models produced similar ranges for total lung dose in vitro (TLD …