APEX Presentations
March 26, 2008
Synergistic effects of antibiotic combination treatments in model Danio rerio
Name: Allison Lightbody
Major: Neuroscience
Academic Advisor: Dr. Brad Goodner
APEX Advisor: Dr. Eric Bauer
Location: Hiram College
Eric Bauer
322
Colton Hall
330.569.5848
Antibiotics are the primary treatment of many bacterial and parasitic infections world- wide. No new antibiotics have been discovered since the middle of the twentieth century. Frequent use of the known antibacterial agents has lead to increased bacterial resistance to many of these antibiotics. In recent years, synthetic variations of these drugs and therapeutic use of these drugs in additive combination have allowed for continuing treatment against changing strains of dangerous pathogens. Second- generation antibiotics and combination therapies have demonstrated stronger more effective treatments and reduced the number and severity of potential toxic side effects. This study examines a combination of two classes of antibiotics, aminoglycosides and tetracyclines. These antibiotics have a synergistic effect when administered together; the tetracycline minocycline has also been documented as having an ameliorating effect on the more severe side effects of aminoglycoside treatment, namely ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Results indicate that minocycline protects host cells from toxic effects of certain types of aminoglycoside more than others, depending on the mechanism of interaction between antibiotic and bacterial target. These findings have important implications for future treatments of bacteriological diseases and development of more efficient antibiotics.
Pancreatic Development: A Conditional Expression Approach
Name: Christopher Penton
Major: Biochemistry
Academic Advisor: Jody Modarelli
APEX Advisor: Eric Bauer
Location: Lerner Research Institute
Jan Jensen
9500 Euclid Avenue, NE30
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
216.445.0990
Pancreatic development involves the differentiation of precursor pancreatic epithelial cells into mature subtypes including endocrine, exocrine, and ductal cells. The process requires cell specific gene expression to occur during the proper time or stage in development. Specificity is induced by the recognition of morphogens, proteins that confer positional information to the precursor cell and often exhibit effects on gene expression and cellular function. The genes responsible for developmental transition have been identified and characterized while the signaling factors associated with morphogenesis have yet to be studied in depth. By using a conditional over-expression vector in mice, the effects of morphogen expression will be evaluated from e8.5 (embryonic day) to e18.5 on development of pancreatic subtypes with particular emphasis on β-cell formation. The results of the experiment may be applied to utilize the use of morphogens to artificially induce the transformation of embryonic stem cells into mature β-cells for the transplantation and treatment of diabetes.
Design and analysis of a webcam-based system for video recording of animal behavior in laboratory studies
Name: Lydia Berzonsky
Major: Biology
Academic Advisor: Sandra Madar
APEX Advisor: Thomas Koehnle
Location: Hiram College
Dr. Thomas Koehnle
205-A Colton hall
330.569.5316
Funding: Department of Biology
Video systems have become an integral part of data analysis in behavior research. The available systems range in complexity, expense, ease of use, and utility for behavioral research. Some researchers are now using webcams to collect data. Webcams offer great advantages in terms of cost, noise, power use, and simplicity compared with traditional approaches. However, the adequacy of these systems for behavioral research has not been systematically probed. In this project I have tested several video systems to determine whether or not they are suitable for acquisition of complex rodent behaviors in laboratory and field based behavioral research. Each camera system was evaluated in terms of optical and sensor qualities. The key tests of optics are focal length, flatness of field, depth of field, uniformity of focus, and distortion. Video sensors were tested for low light performance, spatial and temporal resolution, and color and gray scale fidelity. All webcams were tested using the same software to remove issues of proprietary control. Results obtained to date indicate that webcams have only limited utility for animal behavior research. Final proof of concept will be based on live animal data in both field and laboratory contexts.
Neocortical variations affecting social learning in brown capuchins
(Cebus apella)
Name: Matthew Thomas Boylan
Major: Neuroscience/Psychology
Academic Advisor: Dr. Kimberley Phillips
APEX Advisor: Dr. Kimberley Phillips
Location: Hiram College LONI research facility
Dr. Kimberley Phillips
11715 Hiram, OH, 44234
330.569.5229
Social learning is defined as a change in behavior from a baseline state that can be attributed to social factors and social influences. In the presence of positive social cues some primates may interact with an unfamiliar food more quickly, exhibit a decrease in exploratory behaviors, and consume a greater majority of the total food presented. Variability in social learning may be due to enhanced neocortical volume, consisting of both gray and white matter. A primate’s ability to learn socially may be affected by variations in neocortical gray matter volume. Six brown capuchins were assessed using 5 behavioral categories representative of social learning across two conditions, social and individual. Individual testing occurred away from the subject’s primary social group. Social testing occurred in the presence of the subject’s primary social group. Subjects were presented with 9 unfamiliar foods per condition and their behavioral responses were scored. Neocortical gray matter volume was determined from MRI scans. The data indicated a significant difference in performance between conditions for three behavioral categories. No significant correlations were found between the behavioral categories and neocortical gray matter volume. Though the neocortex has been suggested to facilitate innovation, deception, and learning in primates, the intraspecies effects of neocortical subsets remains unclear.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Name: Sobhy Ewida
Major: Biology
Academic Advisor: Matt Hils
APEX Advisor: Jody Modarelli
Location: The Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Adel Zakari, M.D.
9500 Euclid Ave / C25 Cleveland, Ohio 44195
216.445.9596
Radio frequency ablation is an injection procedure used to treat pain in your facet joint by interrupting signals to the brain from the spine. The surgery is completed under live x-ray where an electrode is placed close to the target nerve. The radiofrequency current heats up the tissue from the tip of the electrode and causes dissociation of the nerve branch that is responsible for relaying the sensory information. Killing the nerve will stop the pain signals from getting to the spinal cord and brain, thus the patient will have relief from the pain. However, even when done absolutely correctly, there will be some loss of other sensory information from this small region. The results of this procedure are often permanent, yet on occasion the nerves can re-grow and the procedure will need to be repeated.