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open access

The Acute Toxic Effects of the Synthetic Cannabinoid, JWH-018 on the Cardiovascular and Neuroendocrine Systems in Ictalurus punctatus (Channel Catfish)

Description: Cannabinoid (CB) receptors have been found in most vertebrates that have been studied. The location of various CB receptors in the body and brain are known, but their physiological functions are not fully understood. The effects CBs have on the cardiovascular system have been of growing interest in recent years. Increasing reports from emergency departments and law enforcement agencies detail acute cardiovascular and psychological effects from synthetic CB intoxication, such as JWH-018. This ma… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Taylor, Dedric Esmond
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 RNAs into Blood Cells of Zebrafish: Potential for Genome Editing in Somatic Cells

Description: Factor VIII is a clotting factor found on the intrinsic side of the coagulation cascade. A mutation in the factor VIII gene causes the disease Hemophilia A, for which there is no cure. The most common treatment is administration of recombinant factor VIII. However, this can cause an immune response that renders the treatment ineffective in certain hemophilia patients. For this reason a new treatment, or cure, needs to be developed. Gene editing is one solution to correcting the factor VIII muta… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Schneider, Sara Jane
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Developing a Phylogeny Based Machine Learning Algorithm for Metagenomics

Description: Metagenomics is the study of the totality of the complete genetic elements discovered from a defined environment. Different from traditional microbiology study, which only analyzes a small percent of microbes that could survive in laboratory, metagenomics allows researchers to get entire genetic information from all the samples in the communities. So metagenomics enables understanding of the target environments and the hidden relationships between bacteria and diseases. In order to efficiently … more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Rong, Ruichen
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Effectiveness of Hybrid Problem-Based Learning versus Manual-Based Learning in the Microbiology Laboratory

Description: Promising results from the use of problem-based learning (PBL) as a teaching method in medical programs have encouraged many institutions to incorporate PBL into their curricula. This study investigates how applying hybrid-PBL (H-PBL) in a microbiology laboratory impacts students' higher-order thinking as compared to applying a lecture-based pedagogy. The experimental design compared the learning outcomes of two groups of students: the control group and the H-PBL group, for whom PBL cases compr… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Alharbi, Najwa
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Evaluating the Role of UV Exposure and Recovery Regimes in PAH Photo-Induced Toxicity to Daphina Magna

Description: Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are contaminants synthesized through incomplete combustion of carbon based substances. PAHs are known to be photodynamic and toxicity increases exponentially when in contact with ultraviolet radiation (UV). The effect of UV absent recovery periods and potential for latent toxicity during photo-induced toxicity are previously unknown and are not included within the toxicity model. Results of equal interval tests further support the current reciprocity model as a … more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Gnau, Jennifer Leigh
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Generating Molecular Biology Tools to Investigate the Ca2+ Binding Ability of Arabidopsis TON2

Description: The position of the cell division plane in plants is determined by the position of the preprophase band. The pre prophase band (PPB) is a ring of microtubules centered around the nucleus on the inner side of plasma membrane that establishes the cortical division site. The PPB forms at the end of G2 and breaks down at the end of prophase leaving behind protein markers of its position that are collectively called the cortical division site. During cytokinesis the phragmoplast expands towards the … more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Shao, Danyang
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Investigating Human Gut Microbiome in Obesity with Machine Learning Methods

Description: Obesity is a common disease among all ages that has threatened human health and has become a global concern. Gut microbiota can affect human metabolism and thus may modulate obesity. Certain mixes of gut microbiota can protect the host to be healthy or predispose the host to obesity. Modern next-generation sequencing technique allows accessing huge amount of genetic information underlying microbiota and thus provides new insights into the functionality of these micro-organisms and their interac… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Zhong, Yuqing
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Markov Model of Segmentation and Clustering: Applications in Deciphering Genomes and Metagenomes

Description: Rapidly accumulating genomic data as a result of high-throughput sequencing has necessitated development of efficient computational methods to decode the biological information underlying these data. DNA composition varies across structurally or functionally different regions of a genome as well as those of distinct evolutionary origins. We adapted an integrative framework that combines a top-down, recursive segmentation algorithm with a bottom-up, agglomerative clustering algorithm to decipher… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Pandey, Ravi Shanker
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Neurological Responses to a Glucose Diet in Caenorhabditis elegans

Description: TRPV channels play a role in both mammalian insulin signaling, with TRPV1 expression in pancreatic beta-cells, and in C. elegans insulin-like signaling through expression of OSM-9, OCR-1, and OCR-2 in stress response pathways. In response to a glucose-supplemented diet, C. elegans are know to have sensitivity to anoxic stress, exhibit chemotaxis attraction, and display reduced egg-laying rate. Transcriptome analysis reveals that glucose stimulates nervous system activity with increased transcri… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Dumesnil, Dennis
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Niche Expansion of an Invasive Predator (Neovison vison), Prey Response, and Facilitative Interactions with Other Invasive Mammals at the Southern End of the Americas: Conservation Challenges and Potential Solutions

Description: The Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve is located at the southern tip of South America. This large archipelago is considered one of the last pristine areas left on the world. Despite it being an unpopulated area with most of the native forest cover intact, it has not been exempt from biological invasions, one of the major drivers of biodiversity loss. Three species that naturally interact in their native range in North America – American beavers (Castor canadensis), muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus), and … more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Crego, Ramiro Daniel
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Phenotypic Analysis of Medicago truncatula NPF1.7 Over-Expressing Plants Grown under Different Nitrate Conditions

Description: Plants have many nitrate transporters; in the model legume Medicago truncatula, MtNPF1.7 is among them. MtNPF1.7 is important for M. truncatula growth and it has been established that MtNPF1.7 is a high affinity nitrate transporter. M. truncatula plants with mutations in MtNPF1.7 gene show defects during plants growth, with striking abnormalities in nodule development and root architecture. Nitrogen fixation is an energy expensive process; when legumes have sufficient bioavailable nitrogen like… more
Date: December 2017
Creator: Cai, Jingya
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Reproduction and Metabolic Responses to Acute and Chronic Hypoxia in Ovoviviparous Blaberid Cockroaches, with a Focus on Blaptica dubia

Description: The major components of the tracheal system of insects are an extension of the exoskeleton, and the size of the exoskeleton is fixed in the adult stage, so any increase in metabolic demand that may accompany reproduction must be met by a relatively unaltered tracheal system that the female set in place at ecdysis, when entering adulthood. Acute hypoxia tends to elicit an increase in ventilation in insects, and here, I observe increased interburst VCO2 release, and a tendency towards a more cont… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Mallery, Christopher Sean
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Role of Thyroid Hormone across Avian Development Spectrum: Investigations on Systemic Development, Metabolism and Ontogeny of Endothermy

Description: Achievement of endothernic capacity is vital for independence from ambient temperature changes, sustained activity, optimal biochemical reactions and optimization of parental care. During early avian development, the core tenets of transition from ectothermy to endothermy are development of metabolic capacity (oxygen consumption, mitochondrial bioenergetics), enhanced cardiovascular function (heart rate and cardiac output), pulmonary ventilation and thermogenic capacity. Thyroid hormones, parti… more
Date: August 2017
Creator: Sirsat, Tushar S
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Studies on Zebrafish Thrombocyte Function

Description: Thrombocytes are important players in hemostasis. There is still much to be explored regarding the molecular basis of the thrombocyte function. In our previous microarray analysis data, we found IFT122 (an intraflagellar transport protein known to be involved in cilia formation) transcripts in zebrafish thrombocytes. Given recent discoveries of non-ciliary roles for IFTs, we examined the possibility that IFT122 affects thrombocyte function. We studied the role of IFT122 in thrombocyte function.… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Pulipakkam Radhakrishnan, Uvaraj
Partner: UNT Libraries
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