Peripheral Neuroimmune Mechanisms Of Chronic Back Pain,
2025
University of New Mexico
Peripheral Neuroimmune Mechanisms Of Chronic Back Pain, Aleyah Esther Goins
Biomedical Sciences ETDs
Chronic back pain (CBP) affects 1 in 10 people worldwide, reducing mobility, productivity, and quality of life. Despite its prevalence, non-addictive treatments remain limited due to an incomplete understanding of chronic pain mechanisms. This dissertation examines peripheral neuroimmune interactions in CBP using a urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)-induced mouse model (uPA-CBP). uPA, a pro-inflammatory serine protease, was injected into the L2/L3 lumbar spinous ligament, inducing prolonged mechanical and cold hypersensitivity. Flow cytometry of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) showed increased CD45+CD11b+ myeloid cells in males and CD45+CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes in females. DRG neurons from male uPA-CBP mice exhibited heightened action potential firing. Pharmacological …
Chronic Inflammation: The Link Between A High Added Sugar Diet And Disease,
2025
Liberty University
Chronic Inflammation: The Link Between A High Added Sugar Diet And Disease, Anna Collins
Senior Honors Theses
The modern diet includes many processed foods that contain added sugars, resulting in a significant increase in daily glucose and fructose consumption. Considering this, there is an increased effort to uncover the effects of excess sugar intake on the body’s health and metabolism. Strong evidence supports the connection between a high added sugar diet and the presence of chronic, low-grade inflammation due to cellular distress and metabolic dysfunction. Prolonged inflammatory responses are linked to tissue damage and the development of various metabolic diseases that are prevalent in modern society, such as obesity, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 …
Neuronal Tol-1 Integrates Microbial And Metabolic Cues To Modulate Feeding And Aversion In C. Elegans,
2025
Montclair State University
Neuronal Tol-1 Integrates Microbial And Metabolic Cues To Modulate Feeding And Aversion In C. Elegans, Gursimran Singh Gujral
Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key mediators of innate immunity, but emerging evidence suggests that they also play critical roles in the functioning of the central nervous system. This thesis explores the function of TOL-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of mammalian TLRs, in sensory neurobiology and behavioral responses to nutritive food. In particular, carbon dioxide and ethanol are commonly encountered in microbial environments and can signal metabolically active food sources or potential pathogens. Using tol-1 loss-of-function mutants, neuronal rescue lines, and a combination of molecular, tissue imaging, and behavioral assays, we demonstrate that TOL-1 functions in chemosensory neurons to regulate feeding …
Hypoxia Induced Ribosomal Rna Fragmentation Mediated By Rnase L,
2025
Rowan University
Hypoxia Induced Ribosomal Rna Fragmentation Mediated By Rnase L, Vanessa Kristina Pizutelli, Dimitri G Pestov
Rowan-Virtua Research Day
Ischemic injury contributes to a range of global pathologies. Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury (IRI) is a paradoxical phenomenon that involves an initial restriction of blood flow followed by a sudden restoration of perfusion. This type of injury takes place in conditions such as myocardial infarction, acute kidney disease, and ischemic stroke and often leads to cellular death. Additionally, IRI exacerbates post-surgical outcomes and plays a role in graft dysfunction and transplant rejection. Despite efforts to develop therapies targeting known IRI pathways, clinical trials have largely been unsuccessful, underscoring the need for alternative mechanisms and biomarkers associated with IRI-induced apoptosis. Reactive oxygen species …
Stromal Cells In The Small Intestine: Physiology, Localization, Function, And Alterations Induced By Chronic Arsenic Exposure,
2025
Clemson University
Stromal Cells In The Small Intestine: Physiology, Localization, Function, And Alterations Induced By Chronic Arsenic Exposure, Scott Ventrello
All Dissertations
Arsenic is a prevalent toxicant found to affect around 94 to 240 million individuals in over fifty countries who are exposed to levels above the EPA and WHO standard of 10 ppb. As one of WHO’s top ten chemicals of public health concern, it is linked to several chronic diseases including diabetes, obesity, cancers, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Arsenic increases inflammation and disrupts the intestinal barrier in the small intestine and colon. Further, previous studies found that arsenic decreased secretory cell lineage and stromal cell gene expression markers in the small intestine. Thus, our goal was to investigate arsenic’s effect …
Investigating The Effects Of Hepatocyte Growth Factor On Primary Myoblast Proliferation,
2025
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Investigating The Effects Of Hepatocyte Growth Factor On Primary Myoblast Proliferation, Grace Heller
Biomedical Engineering
Peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) is a progressive vascular condition that affects over 200 million people worldwide and approximately 8 million in the United States. It is characterized by atherosclerotic narrowing of peripheral arteries, leading to reduced blood flow, ischemia, and, in severe cases, tissue loss and limb amputation. Although surgical revascularization is the gold standard, many patients—particularly those with comorbidities like diabetes— continue to experience poor outcomes, emphasizing the need for alternative therapies. One promising strategy is to enhance collateral arteriogenesis, the remodeling and enlargement of collateral arterioles that naturally bypass occluded vessels. Satellite cells (SCs), which give rise …
Implications Of Type Iv Pilus Retraction For Dna Uptake By Acinetobacter Baumannii,
2025
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Implications Of Type Iv Pilus Retraction For Dna Uptake By Acinetobacter Baumannii, Yafan Yu
Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via natural competence allows bacteria to incorporate extracellular DNA (eDNA) into their genomes, facilitating genetic diversity and adaptation. In Acinetobacter species, natural competence depends on DNA binding and uptake mediated by type IV pili (T4P). T4P are dynamic extracellular filaments composed primarily of the major pilin subunit PilA, along with a few minor subunits. T4P drive a range of cellular functions including twitching motility, biofilm formation, and DNA uptake, with some functions dependent on pilus retraction and others not. However, how Acinetobacter T4P bind DNA and how T4P/eDNA interactions impact biofilm formation remain unclear. Here, I …
Metabolite Analysis To Understand Factors Limiting Microbial Fermentation At High Substrate Concentrations,
2025
Dartmouth College
Metabolite Analysis To Understand Factors Limiting Microbial Fermentation At High Substrate Concentrations, Bishal D. Sharma
Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations
Clostridium thermocellum, a thermophilic anaerobic bacterium, holds promise as a biocatalyst for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels. This microbe has been subjected to various metabolic engineering strategies, including the deletion of genes encoding secondary fermentation products such as H₂, formate, acetate, and lactate, as well as the expression of heterologous genes to redirect carbon flux toward ethanol production. Despite these efforts, achieving economically viable ethanol titers remains a challenge. We hypothesized that studying how intracellular metabolite concentrations change as fermentation stops could reveal metabolic bottlenecks or regulatory mechanisms limiting ethanol production at high titers. However, metabolomics studies at …
Metabolic Transitions In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Regulation And Consequences For Oxidative Stress,
2025
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Metabolic Transitions In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Regulation And Consequences For Oxidative Stress, Daniel Anthony Arabie
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Embryos of Artemia franciscana survive harsh conditions in diapause and anoxia-induced quiescence for years by undergoing deep metabolic transitions. I investigated the relationship between phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and carbon flux to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during metabolic depression. The difference in catalytic activity of the PDH complex (PDC) in maximally phosphorylated and dephosphorylated samples was 16.5-fold. Western blot analysis confirmed the changes in phosphorylation of PDH. Analysis of PDH expression in diapause and post-diapause embryos via phospho-PDH showed no significant differences. Investigation of post-diapause embryos under anoxia showed that phosphorylation of PDH decreased and activated the enzyme. …
Adipocyte-Derived Cchamide-1, Eiger, Growth-Blocking Peptide 3, And Unpaired 2 Regulate Drosophila Melanogaster Oogenesis,
2025
University of South Carolina - Columbia
Adipocyte-Derived Cchamide-1, Eiger, Growth-Blocking Peptide 3, And Unpaired 2 Regulate Drosophila Melanogaster Oogenesis, Chad Simmons, Isaiah Williams, Tancia Bradshaw, Alissa R. Armstrong
Faculty Publications
In addition to energy storage, adipose tissue communication to other organs plays a key role in regulating organismal physiology. While the link between adipose tissue dysfunction and pathophysiology, including diabetes, chronic inflammation, and infertility, is clear, the molecular mechanisms that underlie these associations have not been fully described. We use Drosophila melanogaster as a model to better understand how adipose tissue communicates to the ovary. In this study, we utilized D. melanogaster’s robust genetic toolkit to examine the role of five adipokines known to control larval growth during development, CCHamide-1, CCHamide-2, eiger, Growth-blocking peptide 3, and unpaired 2 in regulating …
Radial Glia Integrin Avb8 Regulates Cell Autonomous Microglial Tgfβ1 Signaling That Is Necessary For Microglial Identity,
2025
Thomas Jefferson University
Radial Glia Integrin Avb8 Regulates Cell Autonomous Microglial Tgfβ1 Signaling That Is Necessary For Microglial Identity, Gabriel Mckinsey, Nicolas Santander, Xiaoming Zhang, Kilian Kleemann, Lauren Tran, Aditya Katewa, Kaylynn Conant, Matthew Barraza, Kian Waddell, Carlos Lizama, Marie La Russa, Ji Hyun Koo, Hyunji Lee, Dibyanti Mukherjee, Helena Paidassi, E. S. Anton, Kamran Atabai, Dean Sheppard, Oleg Butovsky, Thomas Arnold
Department of Medicine Faculty Papers
Microglial diversity arises from the interplay between inherent genetic programs and external environmental signals. However, the mechanisms by which these processes develop and interact within the growing brain are not yet fully understood. Here, we show that radial glia-expressed integrin beta 8 (ITGB8) activates microglia-expressed TGFβ1 to drive microglial development. Domain-restricted deletion of Itgb8 in these progenitors results in regionally restricted and developmentally arrested microglia that persist into adulthood. In the absence of autocrine TGFβ1 signaling, microglia adopt a similar phenotype, leading to neuromotor symptoms almost identical to Itgb8 mutant mice. In contrast, microglia lacking the canonical TGFβ signal transducers …
Editorial: Frontiers In The Midlands Society Of Physiological Sciences (2023-2024),
2025
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Editorial: Frontiers In The Midlands Society Of Physiological Sciences (2023-2024), Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Hong Zheng, Surabhi Chandra, Harold D. Schultz, William C.W. Chen
Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology
No abstract provided.
Diastolic Dysfunction With Vascular Deficits In Hiv-1-Infected Female Humanized Mice Treated With Antiretroviral Drugs,
2025
Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University
Diastolic Dysfunction With Vascular Deficits In Hiv-1-Infected Female Humanized Mice Treated With Antiretroviral Drugs, Fadhel A. Alomar, Prasanta K. Dash, Mahendran Ramasamy, Zachary L. Venn, Sean R. Bidasee, Chen Zhang, Bryan T. Hackfort, Santhi Gorantla, Keshore R. Bidasee
Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology
Early-onset heart failure is a major treat to healthy aging individuals with HIV-1 infection. Women with HIV-1 infection (WLWH) are especially vulnerable and develop heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), of which left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, vascular deficits, myocardial infarction, and fibrosis are major components. HIV-infected rodent models that exhibit these pathophysiological features remain under-reported, and this has left a void in our understanding of their molecular causes and therapeutic strategies to blunt its development. Here, we show that female NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ humanized mice (Hu-mice) infected with HIV-1ADA and treated for 13 weeks with dolutegravir …
Characterizing And Targeting The Non-Catalytic Functions Of Phosphatase Of Regenerating Liver 3 (Prl-3) In Oncogenesis And Cancer Progression,
2025
University of Kentucky
Characterizing And Targeting The Non-Catalytic Functions Of Phosphatase Of Regenerating Liver 3 (Prl-3) In Oncogenesis And Cancer Progression, Jeffery T. Jolly
Theses and Dissertations--Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
Phosphatase of Regenerating Liver 3 (PRL-3) is frequently upregulated in various cancers and is associated with poor patient prognosis. Although traditionally studied for its phosphatase activity, PRL-3 also interacts with the CNNM family of magnesium transporters through its catalytic site, and these two functions are mutually exclusive at any given time. Most previous studies relied on a commonly used PRL-3 mutation that disrupts both phosphatase activity and CNNM binding, making it challenging to determine which function drives its oncogenic effects. To address this gap in the field, I utilized a panel of PRL-3 mutants that selectively disrupt either phosphatase activity …
Assessing The Role Of Daily Thermal Fluctuations In The Performance Of Mitochondrial Energy Transduction Of The Centrarchid, Lepomis Cyanellus,
2025
Eastern Illinois University
Assessing The Role Of Daily Thermal Fluctuations In The Performance Of Mitochondrial Energy Transduction Of The Centrarchid, Lepomis Cyanellus, Grayson Hofmann
Masters Theses
Freshwater systems are affected by current climate extremes, forcing species found in these systems to withstand drastic changes in temperature. Temperature changes affect these organisms by altering their metabolic rate and energy balance. Increases in temperature can lead to an increase in oxygen consumption, which ultimately increases the need for more energy production. Mitochondrial energy transduction of green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) and many other fish species after a thermal insult, has hardly been explored. This study complements the limited research available on mitochondrial function in similar species, as they ignore the possibility of consecutive thermal events, which are …
The Impact Staphylococcus Aureus Has On Conventional And Organic Dairy Herds In New Hampshire And New York,
2025
University of New Hampshire, Durham
The Impact Staphylococcus Aureus Has On Conventional And Organic Dairy Herds In New Hampshire And New York, Jacqueline Rose Holmes
Honors Theses and Capstones
Staphylococcus aureus is a potentially virulent bacterium that causes mastitis in dairy cattle. The toxins produced from S. aureus impact host immunity, damage the mammary gland, and can adapt to cause antimicrobial resistance. It is important to manage both organic and conventional farms correctly by practicing proper hygiene while milking and providing a clean environment. There is a significant increase of S. aureus cases on organic farms compared to conventional, so there may be ways in which organic management and treatment options could be altered to reduce economic loss and animal suffering. The thesis focuses on the involvement S. aureus …
Reversible Degradation Of Peptidoglycan By Lytic Transglycosylases,
2025
Wilfrid Laurier University
Reversible Degradation Of Peptidoglycan By Lytic Transglycosylases, Aaron Devereaux
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a burden on the global healthcare system with an estimated cost of billions of dollars and millions of deaths each year. Recently, there has been little to no development on new antibiotics to treat bacterial infection, and any that are developed become resisted to within a few years. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria contain a mesh-like layer called peptidoglycan (PG) that surrounds their cells providing strength, cell shape, and protection from their environments. This layer is a polymer of N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) connected via a b-1,4-glycosidic bond, with each strand being cross-linked …
Rad Reduction Reveals Therapeutic Potential Of Targeting Cardiomyocyte L-Type Calcium Channel Regulation For Heart Failure,
2025
University of Kentucky
Rad Reduction Reveals Therapeutic Potential Of Targeting Cardiomyocyte L-Type Calcium Channel Regulation For Heart Failure, Garrett Elmore
Theses and Dissertations--Physiology
Heart failure (HF) is prevalent and is predicted to increase with the aging population. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common cause of systolic HF. Current therapies fail to address principal issues: compromised systolic function and dysfunctional Ca2+ handling. No therapeutic approach exists for direct, positive modulation of cardiomyocyte L-type calcium channels (LTCC). RAD (Ras associated with diabetes) is a key regulator of the cardiac LTCC. RAD is a downstream phosphorylated target of the ß-adrenergic receptor (ß-AR)/cAMP/protein kinase A pathway; phosphorylation augments LTCC activity, contributing to chronotropy, inotropy, and lusitropy. RAD overexpression results in LTCC inhibition, whereas knockout positively modulates …
Metabolic And Barrier Function In Response To Β-Caryophyllene In Intestinal Epithelial Cells,
2025
University of Kentucky
Metabolic And Barrier Function In Response To Β-Caryophyllene In Intestinal Epithelial Cells, Hannah Scroggins
Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences
Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, regulates cellular metabolism and energy status in intestinal epithelial cells. β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a plant-derived compound that may provide advantageous effects on intestinal barrier function and nutrient utilization. The goal of this thesis was to investigate the effects of BCP on butyrate utilization and metabolism in intestinal epithelial cells. Throughout this thesis, Caco-2 cells in hanging inserts in multi-well plates were used as a model for the intestinal barrier. One study was conducted to investigate the effect of BCP on butyrate utilization and barrier function in intestinal epithelial cells. A second study aimed to elucidate …
Calculation Of Proton Transmembrane-Electrostatic Interaction Force And Elucidation Of The Water Droplet Experiment With A Transient Protonic Front,
2025
Old Dominion University
Calculation Of Proton Transmembrane-Electrostatic Interaction Force And Elucidation Of The Water Droplet Experiment With A Transient Protonic Front, James Weifu Lee
Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications
The “transmembrane-electrostatically localized proton(s)/cation(s) charge(s) (TELC(s), also known as TELP(s)) model” may serve as a theoretical framework to explain protonic cell energetics including both delocalized and localized protonic couplings. TELCs are held by their corresponding transmembrane-electrostatically localized hydroxides anions (TELAs) across the membrane through mutual transmembrane-electrostatic attractive force, which is now calculated to be in the range from 1.96 × 10⁻¹¹ to 2.28 × 10⁻¹¹ newtons (N) across a 2.5 nm thick membrane in a range of transmembrane potential from 10 to 200 mV. At a moderate transmembrane potential (100 mV), the protonic transmembrane attractive force is now calculated to …
