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Molecular Analysis of Isoflavonoid Genotoxicity
No full textAdvisor: Pramod MahanjanOverall objective of our research project is to analyze, at the molecular level, the genotoxic effects of genistein, the main isoflavonoid in soybeans. Due to their anti-oxidative properties, soy isoflavonoids
have received considerable attention as health food supplements. Recent studies have also
documented a variety of other biological effects of isoflavonoids including anticancer activity. Some of these effects are due to structural similarity of genistein with steroid hormones, and some effects are thought to be due to the ability of genistein to interfere with cellular pathways involved in drug metabolism or cell cycle progression. However, it is unclear if the observed toxicity of genistein toward some types of cancer cells is specific and limited only to the cancer cells. Moreover, reasons for
the genotoxic effects of genistein remain unexplained. We hypothesize that the genotoxic effects of isoflavonoids are mediated via damage to cellular DNA and subsequent modulation of the DNA damage repair pathways of the host cells. Fully understanding molecular mechanisms of the genotoxic
effects of genistein will significantly improve utility of genistein and other isoflavones as pharmaceutical/neutraceutical
compounds. Therefore, we are evaluating the genotoxic effects of genistein in rats as an animal model using Poly-ADP-ribose polymerase as a marker of DNA damage. This poster outlines the rationale, experimental approaches and preliminary results of our studies.Drake University, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Science
Heart Rate Response during Treadmill Running in Adidas _1 DLX Computerized Running Shoes at Various Shoe Settings
Get PDFAdvisor: David S. SenchinaBACKGROUND: Runners encounter a wide variety of terrains of varying hardness which can be
modified by midsole cushioning. Cushioned shoes are recommended for athletes to decrease impact forces. The adidas_1 DLXTM shoe is advertised as being able to provide appropriate cushioning levels for different athletes on different terrains. PURPOSE: The purpose of the experiment was to investigate
the effects of a commercially available computerized running shoe (adidas_l DLXTM) on heart rate and feelings of foot comfort. The data collected will be used to validate or refute some of the manufacturer's claims, and make recommendations to consumers about these types of shoes. HYPOTHESES: We hypothesized that the different settings on the adidas_l DLXTM shoe would influence heart rate and subjective foot comfort ratings. METHODS: Nine males (23 ± 3.6 yrs) ran 4 10-minute trials on a treadmill at a fixed speed, once in their own self-selected shoes and three times in
the adidas_1 DLXTM shoes at automatic, manual hard, or manual soft settings. Heart rate was measured at 5, 7.5, and 10 minutes. Foot comfort was measured immediately after each trial. RESULTS: Shoe comfort ratings for all adidas_1 DLXTM settings were approximately 30% lower compared to self-selected shoes. There was no statistically-significant difference in heart rate between the trials. CONCLUSIONS: Mid-sole cushioning influences the comfort felt by runners. The data showed no
significant relationship between mid-sole cushioning and heart rate, but did show that runners felt more comfortable in their own self-selected shoes versus the adidas_1 DLXTM shoes at any setting.Drake University, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology and Biology Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Progra
Case Studies of Three Schools Exemplifying Wellness and Lifetime Fitness Models
Get PDF99 leaves. Advisor: Sally BeisserProblem. Despite awareness and advocacy for benefits of wellness practices, sedentary
lifestyles and worsening nutritional practices are contributing to early signs of heart
disease, diabetes, and an epidemic of obesity in school-aged children. Meanwhile, physical
education, historically one of the most readily available outlets for physical activity, has been marginalized in the wake of legislation mandating accountability for higher
achievement in core academic areas. There is a dearth of information in the literature about innovative alternatives to the traditional physical education model.
Procedures. This qualitative case study examines purposefully chosen, exemplary school
wellness models in an elementary, middle, and high school setting. The central research
question explored which practices were being implemented in exemplary settings to meet
the wellness needs of students and staff. The initial phase of research was guided by
subquestions focused on environment, program origins, best practices, and evidence of
success, while analytical and interpretive questions were applied to determine common
themes and challenges faced by each site. Instrumentation for gathering data included a
total of 32 on-site interviews with school administrators, teachers, and community
members, as well as direct program observation and analysis of over 50 documents pertaining to the three sites. Data from multiple sources were taped, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for patterns and themes.
Findings. Ten common themes emerged. They included: markedly similar environments,
emphasis on choice-based, individualized lifetime fitness activities, and a dedication to development of the whole individual. Additionally, program growth was accelerated by
extensive and creative use of school and community partnerships, as well as prioritization of instructional technology and a culture of accountability driven by research and data. These practices are linked to evidence of success at each site, including improved student health indicators and fewer incidents of truancy and other negative behaviors. Finally, schools involved in the study have shown improved academic achievement, which is consistent with emerging research showing that fitness enhances learning capacity. However, the sites share concerns about sustainability related to continuity of leadership, resource costs, systemic programming, and longitudinal evidence of success.
Conclusions. Responsibility for the ongoing decline in the health of our young people
must be shared by education, government, healthcare, and business institutions, as well as parents and families. By synthesizing the collective best practices of the three cases, a
comprehensive model of sustainable wellness was developed to inform practice, ensure
accountability, and provide a template for further research in this area
Who is a Christian? Toward a dialogic approach in the anthropology of Christianity
Get PDF18 pagesThis article aims to contribute to the continued formation of an anthropology of
Christianity. We argue that anthropologists should adopt a more dialogic approach to
the anthropological study of Christianity, one that shifts the concern from the
problems posed by Christianity to anthropology, to the problems posed by
Christianity to Christians themselves. In particular, we argue that the problem of
determining who and what counts as a Christian is not a strictly anthropological
problem, but is a potent source of debate within Christian communities. Attending to
such debate offers a window into what is at stake in the lives of Christians themselves,
and thus has the capacity to provide a non-essentializing foundation for the
anthropology of Christianity as a comparative project. We begin with a review of
recent anthropological literature and conclude with a set of ethnographic illustrations
that show the import of such a shift for future research
Clear as Glass: A Combined List of Print and Electronic Journals in the Knowledge Base
Get PDFM. Sara Lowe, MLS, MA is the Electronic Resources Specialist at Drake University, Des
Moines, Iowa (E-mail: [email protected]).The non-standard practice at Cowles Library at Drake University has been to display electronic journals and some print journals in the Knowledge Base while simultaneously listing print journals and some electronic journals in the online public access catalog (OPAC). The result was a system that made it difficult for patrons to determine our journal holdings
while not providing any benefits to our technical services department. Whether or not to display electronic holdings with print holdings in the OPAC is a frequently debated question. For institutions that do not have the cataloging or technical services staff to keep up with constantly changing electronic holdings, a better question is whether or not to add the print holdings to the list of electronic resources (a knowledge base).
The library has listed all journal holdings (print and electronic) in the knowledge base. At the same time, Cowles Library reevaluated its procedure regarding the display of electronic journals in the OPAC. By addressing
these issues, Cowles Library hopes that it has implemented changes that will better serve librarians, faculty, and students. This article discusses the procedure changes implemented primarily to aid users but also to streamline and standardize workflows for staff
A Study of American Zoning Board Composition and Public Attitudes Toward Zoning Issues
Get PDFThe authors surveyed zoning boards in the over 100 of the largest U.S. cities to determine the occupational composition of board members. It comes as no surprise that the boards are overwhelming populated with white-collar citizens, with business owners and real estate development the most prevalent occupations represented. The authors then conducted a survey of citizens to determine whether this skewed board composition makes any difference to the decision-making process. The study concludes that the composition of the board does matter, but not always in ways one might predict
Modeling Alzheimer’s disease in mice by selectively lesioning the cholinergic basal forebrain
No full textOne pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the degeneration of the cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF). The importance of this degeneration in AD is suggested by the observation that the degree of CBF degeneration correlates with the degree of dementia. To model CBF degeneration in mice, we injected the immunotoxin mu-p75-saporin or saline vehicle into the left lateral ventricle. This immunotoxin is designed to selectively kill the neurons of the mouse CBF by targeting the p75 nerve growth factor receptor expressed by CBF neurons. After recovery from immunotoxin injection, the mice were tested using a battery of learning memory tests. Immunotoxin injection did not cause any change in spontaneous motor activity or cued fear conditioning, but it did produce a deficit in contextual fear conditioning and passive avoidance learning. Immunotoxin-injected mice also showed a minor impairment in motor coordination as revealed by testing on the accelerating rotarod. Histochemistry for acetylcholinenesterase showed that immunotoxin injection resulted in a substantial loss of cholinergic fibers in target fields of the CBF such as the hippocampus and neocortex. Immunohistochemistry for calbindin-D28K showed that there was no loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells, which, like the CBF, express p75. Future work will further determine the selectivity of mu-p75-saporin by performing immunohistochemistry for p75 and parvalbumin in the CBF of immunotoxin-injected mice. In summary, the present data support the use of mu-p75-saporin to model key pathological and behavioral features of AD in the laboratory mouse. The utility of this model will be to serve as a screening tool for new drug therapies, especially when used in combination with transgenic mouse models of other pathological features of AD
Phonathon: Who Gives? Who Gives More?
Get PDFJulie M. Ripper is the former Director of Annual Fund at Drake University, and can be contacted at [email protected]. Steve Krantz, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Terri Deems is an Adjunct Faculty member in the School of Education at Drake University.Because of the necessity for fundrasiers to solicit constituents in order to raise the most
funds as effectively as possible, this research takes a look at the phonathon program at a Drake
University, a small Midwestern University. The purpose of this study was to identify the
predictors for the probability of securing a gift and the gift size in response to a call.
Five core recommendations were made to improve the efficiency of the phonathon
program. Future research is needed to determine whether these findings remain true over time or
how these results compare to other fundraising methods
A Time-dependent study of photoelectron angular distributions due to laser-induced continuum structures
No full textThe coupling of an atomic continuum to a discrete state by a strong laser field leads to so-called “laser-induced continuum structures” (LICS). In photo-ionization studies, LICS manifest themselves as autoionization-like resonances in various observable quantities. To date only very little is known about vector correlations in the region of LICS: the vast majority of publications deal with integral and angle-independent characteristics. With the advent of bright VUV and soft X-ray radiation sources (free-electron lasers, lasers based upon high-harmonic generation, and next-generation synchrotrons), experimental studies of vector correlations in the region of LICS are becoming feasible.
We study the influence of LICS on the angular distribution of photo-electrons in the femtosecond time domain by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation directly on a space-time grid. This avoids possible restrictions due to the pulse duration and strength imposed by rotating-wave or adiabatic approximations. As a by-product of our calculations, we also gain access to the motion of the electron cloud, which allows us to visualize the dynamics of the process.This work is supported, in part, by the United States National Science Foundation under PHY-0244470 and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research under 04-02-17236
Treating anaplastic thyroid carcinoma with an oncolytic adenovirus
No full textAnaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer. Standard therapy is rarely curative, and the tumors are resistant to radioiodine or chemotherapy. Oncolytic viruses may be used to treat ATC. ONYX-015, a modified adenovirus designed to replicate preferentially in p53-mutated cells, induces apoptosis in p53 defective ATC cell lines. However, this effect is not entirely specific to p53 deficient cells, inducing apoptosis in some normal cells. This toxicity limits ONYX-015 to topical use. ONYX-411 is a related oncolytic virus that replicates in cells with impaired function of the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) pathway. This virus exhibits higher selectivity for malignant cells, making it potentially suitable for systemic therapy. This study demonstrates the efficacy of ONYX-411 to inhibit cell growth of the ATC cell lines ARO, DRO, and BHT101, and compares its tumoricidal effects with those of ONYX-015 (1) and PPAR gamma agonist (2) treatment. Quantitation of cell death was achieved by a cell viability assay (MTT). A thyroid cell line immortalized with SV40 large T-antigen (NThy-ori3-1), which inactivates both p53 and pRb, was the positive control. Short-term cultured primary thyrocytes served as a negative control. These in vitro studies showed that ONYX-411 was most effective in BHT101, achieving 80% cell death within 72 hours at an moi of 25. This effect was less prominent in ARO and DRO cells, and the degree of cell killing correlated with the extent of pRB dysfunction quantitated by western blot. Further, unlike ONYX-015, ONYX-411 was non-toxic to normal thyrocytes.Mayo Clinic, Rochester M