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MAJOR AND TRACE ELEMENT CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GAHNITE FROM GRANITIC PEGMATITES AND A METAMORPHOSED MASSIVE SULFIDE DEPOSIT : SIGNIFICANCE FOR PEGMATITE FRACTIONATION AND DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN Li-RICH AND Li-POOR PEGMATITES
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Rare-element granitic pegmatites are common hosts to economic deposits of rare metals, including Li, Ta, and rare-earth elements, which are increasing in economic importance due to advancing technology. Gahnite (ZnAl₂O₄) ...
A Determination Worthy of a Better Cause : Naval Action at the Battle of Roanoke Island 7 February 1862
(East Carolina University, 2014)
The Battle of Roanoke Island, during the American Civil War, was one of the first major amphibious landing operations in U.S. military history. As the Union Army landed troops on the island, an accompanying Union Naval ...
Elizabeth I, Visual Icon : A Title Unintended
(East Carolina University, 2014)
This thesis explores Elizabeth I's relationship with her official state portraiture to show that she placed little value in its meaning and authority for political and diplomatic uses. Understanding her personal relationship ...
Maternal input of Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) : Determining a mother's life history from its progeny in coastal North Carolina
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Otolith studies have become more prevalent in recent years as use has expanded from ageing to examination of migration patterns and fidelity to natal habitats, and more recently examining otoliths for possible maternal ...
Electrochemical Detection of Benzo[a]Pyrene-Induced DNA Damage at TP53 Oligomers : Impact of 5'-Methyl Cytosine and Bioactivation on the Genotoxicity Process
(East Carolina University, 2014)
DNA houses the blueprint that dictates how an organism will develop. However, DNA features numerous reactive sites that can be attacked by chemicals and radiation, resulting in DNA damage and possibly mutations. Chemical ...
Decadal-scale evolution of a barrier island : Insights from storm overwash and shoreline change on Ocracoke Island, NC
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Eastern North Carolina has over 300 km of barrier islands that comprise the Outer Banks and act as an important buffer from the Atlantic Ocean and boundary to the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System. These islands also draw ...
Sub-lethal toxic effect of Bisphenol A on Caenorhabditis elegans : the role of stress resistance genes in BPA-induced growth inhibition
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have become of concern for a variety of health issues. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a widely studied EDC and has been characterized by its estrogen-like effects. BPA is a prevalent component ...
For the Men on the Ground : An Examination of the Tuscaroras-Colonial Relations in North Carolina before and during the Tuscarora War
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Despite constant interactions with potential benefits to both Tuscaroras and colonial cultures, and knowledge of the issues plaguing local tribes, John Lawson, Baron Christopher Von Graffenreid, and other colonial leaders ...
Expression of microRNA in Alveolar Macrophages Deficient in PPARy
(East Carolina University, 2014)
The nuclear transcription factor Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a negative regulator of macrophage activation and inflammatory mediators. Alveolar macrophages of healthy individuals constitutively express PPARgamma Decreased activity and expression of PPARgamma are observed in the alveolar macrophages from patients suffering from inflammatory conditions such as pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) and sarcoidosis. These finding suggest that PPARf× activity may have an integral role in maintaining lung homeostasis. This study tested the hypothesis that microRNA expression would be dysregulated in murine alveolar macrophages deficient in PPARgamma. microRNA (miR) are small non-coding RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate the expression of messenger RNA. Evaluation of microRNA in the murine model of PAP, the GM-CSF-KO mouse, demonstrates the elevation of miR-27a and miR-27b which target PPARgamma. The deficiency of PPARgamma and the lipid transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1 have been shown to contribute to the pathology of PAP. The microRNA miR-33-3p and miR-33-5p, which target these lipid transporters, were also elevated in GM-CSF-KO mice. Pulmonary granulomas comparable to those observed in pulmonary sarcoidosis are induced by instillation of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in C57Bl/6 mice. These animals have decreased PPARgamma activity and show elevated expression of miR-27a and miR-27b. It was also observed that the expression of the transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1 were decreased in MWCNT instilled mice. Expression of miR-33-3p and miR-33-5p was elevated in MWCNT instilled animals. The expression of microRNA that affects the activity of NF-£eB is also elevated in both murine models. We next investigated the use of PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone on the expression of microRNA and messenger RNA. The use of rosiglitazone altered the expression of microRNA in both GM-CSF-KO and C57Bl/6+MWCNT mice. Rosiglitazone treatment altered the expression of the lipid transporter ABCA1and ABCG1 in C57Bl/6+MWCNT mice. The elevation of proinflammatory cytokines was also observed. Taken together, these observations support the hypothesis that PPARgamma activity effects the microRNA and gene expression in alveolar macrophages which is critical to overall lung homeostasis. Understanding the relationship between PPARgamma and microRNA in alveolar macrophage biology will provide insight into the regulation of the lung environment and possible therapeutic targets. ...
Geometry and Progressive Development of a Shallow Crustal Intrusive Complex, Mount Hillers, Henry Mountains, Utah
(East Carolina University, 2014)
The Henry Mountains of southeastern Utah are five topographic domes, each of which is a separate mid-Tertiary shallow crustal intrusive complex comprised of a cluster of component igneous intrusions. The intrusions were ...