Methylated BSA Mimics Amyloid-Related Proteins and Triggers Inflammation

The mechanistic study of inflammatory or autoimmune diseases requires the generation of mouse models that reproduce the alterations in immune responses observed in patients. Methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) has been widely used to induce antigen-specific inflammation in targeted organs or in combination with single stranded DNA (ssDNA) to generate anti-nucleic acids antibodies in vivo. However, the mechanism by which this modified protein triggers inflammation is poorly understood. By analyzing the biochemical properties of mBSA, we found that mBSA exhibits features of an intermediate of protein misfolding pathway. mBSA readily interact with a list of dyes that have binding specificity towards amyloid fibrils. Intriguingly, mBSA displayed cytotoxic activity and its binding to ssDNA further enhanced formation of beta-sheet rich amyloid fibrils. Moreover, mBSA is recognized by the serum amyloid P, a protein unanimously associated with amyloid plaques in vivo. In macrophages, we observed that mBSA disrupted the lysosomal compartment, signaled along the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, and activated caspase 1, which led to the production of IL-1β. In vivo, mBSA triggered rapid and prominent immune cell infiltration that is dependent on IL-1β induction. Taken together, these data demonstrate that by mimicking amyloidogenic proteins mBSA exhibits strong innate immune functions and serves as a potent adjuvant. These findings advance our understanding on the underlying mechanism of how aberrant immune responses lead to autoimmune reactions

Maximizing Student Learning Through Enron: The Ultimate BLaw Case Study

This presentation was given during the Southeastern Academy of Legal Studies in Business Annual Conference

Should Investors be Concerned about Pension Fraud: Why and How?

This presentation was given during the Fraud and Forensic Accounting Education Annual Conference

A Preliminary Assessment of Undergraduate Perceptions of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Although four decades have passed since Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (as amended in 1991) was enacted into law, and over twenty years since the United States Supreme Court first recognized sexual harassment as a cause of action under Title VII, sexual harassment continues to exist in the workplace. The present research seeks to ascertain undergraduates’ perceptions of anticipated sexual harassment in the workplace towards themselves and others. Specifically this study asks students to indicate how likely it is that they will experience sexual harassment in the workplace, how likely it is that others will experience sexual harassment in the workplace, and to also indicate the extent to which sexual harassment, if it does occur, would impact their careers. Further, the study seeks to discover if certain demographic variables such as gender and race impacted students’ perceptions of these issues

A Preliminary Assessment of Undergraduate Perceptions of Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination in the Workplace

This presentation was given during the Southeast Decision Sciences Institute Annual Conference

The SEC, the Courts and Whistleblowers: An Examination into the Strength of the Anti-Retaliation Provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act as Defined by Recent Federal Court Decisions

Excessive corporate power can be compared to the religious, allegorical, poetic, historic, pop culture, and fairy tale references to the unfair distribution of power between the “Lion” and the “Lamb.” It is so one sided. In an era dominated by excessive corporate greed and corruption, to whom should the “lambs” turn to for protection? Although followers of Adam Smith would say that we must let the market correct itself, the reality is that it does not. History has shown a trend where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, unless the government steps in and puts into place statutes, rules and regulations that deter and punish corporate greed, and then enforces those laws to hold the powerful accountable

No More Rose-Colored Lenses: A Comparative Study of University Students\u27 Changing Perceptions of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace from 2006 to 2013

The intention of the current research is to determine whether the perspective of university students has shifted since a 2006 survey of student perceptions regarding sexual harassment in the workforce (Sipe, Johnson & Fisher, 2009). As noted by a publication on the changing student perceptions regarding gender discrimination over this same time period (Sipe, Larson, McKay and Moss, 2016), it might be assumed that university students today might be less likely to anticipate gendered issues such as sexual harassment in the workforce because of increased public outcry and heightened legal protections against such discrimination. University students today have been exposed to a plethora of information that might lead them to believe that they will be entering a modern, egalitarian work environment, with measures in place that would effectively block out inappropriate conduct. Conversely (as noted in Sipe etc. AMLE, 2016 regarding gender discrimination), today’s university student might be more likely to anticipate issues such as sexual harassment in the workplace because of the increased attention currently given to these kinds of issues

An Introduction to Service-Learning: Highlighting Service-Learning Models on a College Campus

This presentation was given during the Teaching Family Science Association Conference