Search
Now showing items 101-110 of 175
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 ...
The Relationship between Gait Biomechanics and Body Mass Index
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Walking gait is one of the basic components of human movements. With the rising obesity epidemic and implied health complications, it is pertinent to examine the relationship between body mass index and the joint torques ...
THE EFFECTS OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHM ON INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE AND CYTOKINE LEVELS IN HEPATIC MACROPHAGES
(East Carolina University, 2014)
In mammals, many aspects of daily behavior and physiology such as the sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, and liver metabolism are regulated by endogenous circadian mechanisms. Despite tissue-specific physiological ...
Geometry and construction history of a complex intrusive center in the shallow crust, Mount Pennell, Henry Mountains, Utah
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Large igneous intrusions grow from incremental emplacement of relatively small batches of magma. The Henry Mountains have been the subject of investigation because multiple, well-exposed intrusive centers are present on ...
THE EFFECTS OF ACIDIC TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT ON LYMPHOMA CELL RESPONSES TO CHEMOTHERAPEUTICS
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Acidic tumor microenvironment exists in many types of cancer. Altered glycolytic metabolism of tumor cells and deficient blood supply in tissues are major causes for this phenomenon. Lymphoma cells may have different ...
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE TAPHONOMIC EFFECTS OF ANIMAL SCAVENGING
(East Carolina University, 2014)
Numerous environmental and human-induced variables that affect decomposition can cloud accurate estimations of the postmortem interval (PMI). For instance, scavenging animals can remove soft tissue and disarticulate and ...