Production of Living Nanoparticles for Blood Cancer Therapy

Current cancer therapies leave much to be desired because they are very harmful to the patient and cause a significant decrease in quality of life. Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) are a promising novel approach for treating specific types of leukemia due to their binding affinity for proteins expressed solely on leukemia B cells. This approach increases specificity of how cells receive treatment, thus allowing for the destruction of cancerous cells while leaving the healthy cells unharmed. In this experiment, we show that production of CAR expressing exosomes (liposome like vesicles produced naturally by human cells) is possible through cell transfection. This finding demonstrates that a new wave of cancer therapeutics, that are more specific and have less harmful side effects, are producible

Investigation of otolith responses using ground based vestibular research facility

The general goal was to examine tilt sensitivity of horizontal semicircular canal afferents. Computer programs were tested which controlled the short axis centrifuge at the Vestibular Research Facility, acquired action potentials and produced data reduction analyses including histograms and gain and phase calculations. A pre-amplifier was also developed for the acquisition of action potentials. The data were gathered that can be used to contribute toward the understanding of the tilt sensitivity of semicircular canal afferents in the unanesthetized gerbil preparation

Protocol for Metatranscriptomic analysis of Intestinal Microbiota

The objective of this publication is to provide the detailed protocol for metartancriptomisc studies of animal intestinal microbiota. The protocol describes isolation of high quality microbial community RNA from the mammalian intestinal content, subsequent mRNA enrichment, cDNA synthesis and sequencing. Twelve libraries were prepared, pooled in equimolar concentrations into a single library and sequenced on one GS Titanium 70×75 picotiter plate, following this protocol. The total number of reads obtained for 12 libraries was 1,155,062 (average 96,000 per library) and the combined size of 12 libraries was 521 million bases (average 43 million bases per library). The reported size of non-ribosomal RNA library fraction is ~15%, the fraction of non-ribosomal reads is ~17%. Hence we described a robust technique for metranscriptomic studies of animal intestinal microbiota. The double stranded cDNAs, prepared following this protocol, are suitable for pyrosequencing (454, Illumina), clone library construction or could be used to archive and store metaranscriptomic samples

Effects of centrifugation on gonadal and adrenocortical steroids in rats

Many endocrine systems are sensitive to external changes in the environment. Both the pituitary adrenal and pituitary gonadal systems are affected by stress including centrifugation stress. The effect of centrifugation on the pituitary gonadal and pituitary adrenocortical systems was examined by measuring the gonadal and adrenal steroids in the plasma and brain following different duration and intensity of centrifugation stress in rats. Two studies were completed and the results are presented. The second study was carried out to describe the developmental changes of brain, plasma and testicular testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in Sprague Dawley rats so that the effect of centrifugation stress on the pituitary gonadal syatem could be better evaluated in future studies

Developing a mouse model to study the metabolic role of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 in adipose tissue

The term "diabesity" is a pandemic that is threatening populations worldwide and is the term is finding itself as a household name, fueling itself through the high-fat diet and sedentary lifestyle. As a result of these living choices, the population is suffering from lipotoxicity, the underlying cause of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and insulin resistance. Lipolytic control resides around the rate-limiting enzyme, adipose triglyceride lipase, which is normally downregulated in the insulin-stimulated state. This is the signal that is aberrant in patients who have T2DM and could be a significant factor in lipotoxicity. This state of lipotoxicity leads to many complications, increasing the risk of heart disease, heart attack, blindness, nephropathy, neuropathy, and stroke. Vasculature damage also can lead to poor perfusion of the lower extremities, increasing the risk of ulcer, gangrene, and amputation of the foot. An area of research delving into this issue lies within the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), as it mediates the antilipolytic signal and decreases ATGL expression. This discovery was further clarified when the Kandror lab identified the transcription factor early growth factor 1 (Egr1) as the protein that binds to the promoter region of ATGL and downregulates its transcription. Egr1 has also been thought to be a factor in the development of insulin resistance in the hyperinsulemic state. To date, we have experimented upon murine 3T3-L1 and human adipocytes. We have developed a double transgenic mouse positive for reverse tetracycline transactivator (rtTA) and myc-tagged ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb), which is a misnomer as it is located in adipose tissue (AT). With the mTORC1 axis hyperactive, we seek to show that Egr1 is a rich target in diabetes and lipotoxicity, regulating and inhibiting ATGL levels through mTORC1

A single meal has the potential to alter brain oxylipin content.

Our objective was to determine whether consumption of a single meal has the potential to alter brain oxylipin content. We examined the cerebrum of mice fed a single high-fat/high-sucrose Western meal or a low-fat/low-sucrose control meal, as well as fasted mice. We found no changes in fatty acid composition of cerebrum across the groups. The cerebral oxylipin profile of mice fed a Western meal is distinct from the profile of mice fed a low-fat/low-sucrose meal. Cerebral gene expression of cyclooxygenase 1, cyclooxygenase 2, and epoxide hydrolase 1 were elevated in Western meal-fed mice compared to low-fat/low-sucrose meal-fed mice. Mice that consumed either meal had lower gene expression of cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily j, polypeptide 12 than fasted mice. Our data in this hypothesis-generating study indicates that the composition of a single meal has the potential to alter brain oxylipins and the gene expression of the enzymes responsible for their production

Avian embryonic development in hyperdynamic environments

Embryos which developed for 24 hours in the oviduct of hens maintained at 2 G and which were subsequently incubated at Earth gravity had a 14% reduction in hatchability. Increased mortality during the first 4 days, and an increase in embryonic abnormalities were of the types usually found during the first mortality peak (2-3 days). Embryos in eggs that were produced at Earth gravity and continued their development on the centrifuge at fields of 2 G or less did not appear to be greatly affected by the treatment. At 4 G, 91% of the embryos died, mostly on the first and second days of incubation. Abnormalities prominent in the centrifuged eggs include: (a) a failure of the primitive streak to develop; (b) interference with the development of the axial skeleton; (c) multiple hemorrhages, mostly petechial which is consistent with capillary fragility; and (d) retardation of embryo growth, possibly caused by an interference with gaseous diffusion, the result of an acceleration-induced increase in gas density in the centrifuging incubator

Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 352)

This bibliography lists 147 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during July 1991. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and psychology, life support systems and controlled environments, safety equipment, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, and flight crew behavior and performance

Potential Antimicrobial Methods for Provisionalizing Teeth After Endodontic Treatment

POTENTIAL ANTIMICROBIAL METHODS FOR PROVISIONALIZING TEETH AFTER ENDODONTIC TREATMENT By Laura T. Garden, DDS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018 Thesis Advisor: Garry Myers, DDS Department of Endodontics Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of a Chlorhexidine soaked cotton pellet on bacterial leakage. Methods: Fifty-one extracted teeth, including six controls, were instrumented, obturated, and sealed with either a cotton pellet (CP), 2% Chlorhexidine soaked cotton pellet (CHX), or a Permaflo orifice barrier (OB). Each root was suspended between two chambers: the coronal chamber inoculated with brain heart infusion broth and colony-forming units of Enterococcus faecalis, the apical chamber with brain heart infusion broth and phenol red. The latter was checked daily for turbidity, indicating bacterial leakage. Results: All open and closed control groups had leaked by day 7. The average CP tooth survived for 13.1 days whereas the CHX and OB teeth leaked by an average of 5.8 days. Conclusion:There is insufficient evidence to support the use of a Chlorhexidine soaked cotton pellet. The results were not as expected and the study design should be re-evaluated