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Article Excerpt
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY MADISON, NEW JERSEY
APRIL 5, 2003
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
THE USE OF TROPICAL WOODY VINES IN THE FABRICATION OF "CANASTOS"
ALICE BENZECRY
School of Natural Sciences, Metropolitan Campus, Fairleigh Dickinson University
"Canastos" are woody baskets commonly used by Central American coffee-pickers. They serve both as a collecting vessel and a storage container. The main natural sources for the manufacture of canastos are the stems of five taxa of bignoniaceous woody vines. Basket makers, "Canasteros", learn to recognize specific characteristics of the bark of older, thicker portions of the stem; the part that is used in basket construction. The wood of bignoniaceaous vines is not completely cylindrical due to arcs of unidirectional cambial activity or furrows" (Dobbins, 1969.) According to Fisher and Ewers (1991), the presence of furrows in many species of lianas is correlated with an orderly, longitudinal splitting of the stem rather than catastrophic, transverse breakage. "Canasteros" take advantage of this orderly, longitudinal splitting of the stem to obtain perfectly straight, flexible and strong ribs of wood. Ribs or "fajas para base" are cut to a standard size, approximately so cm long and 4-5 mm thick. Fourteen ribs a re needed for the construction of the canasto. Canastos are made in a standard size of 125 cm in circumference and 25 cm deep.
DEMONSTRATING CALMODULIN ACTIVATION OF PHOSPHODIESTERASE USING NON-RADIOACTIVE METHODS
PATRICIA CANAS (STUDENT), USHMA PATEL (STUDENT), AND ANGELA PORTA (FACULTY SPONSOR)
Biology Department, Kean University, Union, NJ 07083
Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium binding protein. When calmodulin binds calcium it changes its shape and then it can bind to a target protein and regulate its acitvity. Demonstrating these events is very feasible using radioactive methods. However, when developing undergraduate laboratories, it is more desirable to use non-radioactive methods. We developed and tested a way of demonstrating the activation of a target protein by calmodulin and calcium using non-radioactive methods.
Calmodulin binds to increasing concentrations of calcium and the calcium-calmodulin complex binds to the enzyme cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase to activate it. The function of this enzyme is to hydrolyze cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) to 5'-adenosine monophosphate (5-AMP). This reaction was coupled with 5-nucleosidase, which removes the phosphate from 5-AMP, to obtain our measurable product: free phosphate. Thus, measuring the amount of free phosphate produced is an indirect way of measuring the activity of phosphodiesterase. We demonstrated that as the concentration of calcium increases, the reaction rate increases and consequently the amount of product increases, indicating that phosphodiesterase is regulated by calmodulin in a calcium dependent manner. This laboratory can be used as an undergraduate teaching laboratory without the safety concerns normally associated with the use of radioactivity.
ANTI-AGING EFFECTS OF MILD STRESS ON FIBROBLAST CELLS
SUMMER CASSIDY, SUSAN KARL, SHARON MYATT, NEENA PHILIPS, PH.D.
Department of Biology and Chemistry, Georgian Court College, Lakewood, NJ 08701
By keeping cells in a vigilant state, slight stress has been shown to be beneficial for many cell types. Mild stress has been shown to have anti-aging effects by increasing collagen and elastin levels in fibroblast cells. Therefore, our experimental focus was to induce stress to fibroblasts by exposing the cells to [micro]M, 5 [micro]M, 50 [micro]M and 500 [micro]M concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. By RT-PCR and oligodetection, it was found that MMP-1 mRNA levels were inhibited significantly only at the 50 [micro]M concentration showing dose dependent effects. However, all of the different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide were found to significantly inhibit MMP-2 mRNA levels. The next step in this research will be to perform Northern Blot Hybridizations and Dot Blots to further examine mRNA levels of the MMP's. Also, to further investigate the anti-aging qualities of mild stresses, mRNA levels of collagen and elastin will be looked at with respect to hydrogen peroxide gradient stress.
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A DNA ENZYME THAT LIGATES RNA
AMBER CHARLEBOIS
Department of Chemistry and Physics, William Paterson University of New Jersey, Wayne, NJ 07470
SCOTT SILVERMAN
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL
Using in vitro selection, new DNA catalysts have been identified that ligate two RNA molecules sequence specifically. These [Mg.sup.2+] dependent enzymes create a nonnative 2'-5' linkage. Initial characterization of the newly selected DNA enzymes reveals the following properties of direct practical interest.
The deoxyribozymes will provide a means of synthesizing (ligating) large amounts of RNA in hours at 37[degrees]C.
The DNA enzymes are sequence specific, with specificity enforced by the substrate binding arms.
The deoxyribozymes require the RNA junction ligation termini to be a 2'-3' cyclic phosphate and a 5' hydroxyl group.
These efforts should be useful for the discovery of novel nucleic acid catalysts with interesting properties. It is anticipated that these enzymes will find an immediate use as a complement to the protein-mediated splint ligation for practical preparation of modified RNA molecules.
At William Paterson, initially, the goal is to comprehensively characterize several additional sequences of the recently selected DNA enzymes. Future plans include the application of this ligating enzyme for the synthesis of a well-characterized RNA molecule for three-dimensional structural studies.
XANTHOPHYLL AND ITS ROLE IN AGING
SAMANTHA COVERT *, DONATA G. DAVID *, NEENA PHILIPS, PH.D.
Department of Biology and Chemistry/Biochemistry
Aging is associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and degeneration of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Xanthophyll is a potent anti-oxidant. We determined the dose responsive effects of xanthophyll on dermal fibroblast, which maintains the ECM. Xanthophyll caused dose response inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase MMP-2, and Elastin, Xanthophyll did not alter cell proliferation. In conclusion, xanthophyll is effective in decreasing elastin and MMP-2, which are known to be upregulated in skin photoaging. Further studies are being done to understand the molecular mechanisms.
Georgian Court College, Lakewood, NJ 08701
DOSE DEPENDENT RESPONSES OF EARLY AND LATE PASSAGE FIBROBLASTS TO P. LEUCOTOMOS EXTRACT
AMBROSE EKELHAR *, BRIAN SURGENT *, NEENA PHILIPS PH.D
Department of Biology and Chemistry/Biochemistry
P. leucotomos has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Skin aging is associated with the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and the up regulation of matrixmetalloproteinases (MMPs). Our goal was to examine the effects of P. leucotomos on early and late passage fibroblasts. In-vitro cell passage is thought to mimic in-vivo aging. Early and late passage fibroblasts were treated with 0, 0.01%, 0.03%, 0.1%, 0.3%, and 1% P. leucotomos extract. The early passage cells showed a decrease in cell viability, MMP1, MMP2, and an increase in collagen from the lowest to the highest doses (0.03%- 1%). The late passage cells showed a decrease in cell viability, MMP1, MMP2 and an increase in collagen at the higher doses (0.3%-1%). Early passage fibroblasts respond at lower doses of P. leucotomos and the late passage fibroblasts respond at higher doses. It can be inferred that the late passage fibroblasts require more signal for response.
Georgian Court College, Lakewood, NJ 08701
RECOVERY OF EELGRASS (ZOSTERA MARINA) AFTER A MAJOR DECLINE EVENT IN LITTLE EGG HARBOR, NEW JERSEY
SASHA GIBBONS (STUDENT), PAUL BOLOGNA
Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences
During 1998 a major eelgrass die-off occurred due to macroalgal smothering in Little Egg Harbor, NJ (Bologna et al. 2001). During the summer of 2002, we revisited the region most impacted to conduct a site assessment. Spatial coverages of eelgrass (Zostera marina) and widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) were determined using randomized transect lines (N=14) adjacent to Ham Island. While some regions of the investigated area showed significant recovery (>80%), large regions of former eelgrass beds had not recovered. In fact, numerous locations contained less than 30% eelgrass coverage and some less than 10%. Results also showed that several regions were being colonized by widgeon grass, suggestion that they were able to move into the disturbed area and utilize the substrate for habitat. It appears that in the absence of competition, widgeon grass can extend its range into high salinity regions of the Bay that have been vacated by eelgrass. Widgeon grass is frequently observed in very shallow regions immediately ad jacent to islands within Barnegat Bay. These surveys demonstrate that when eelgrass is eliminated from a region, widgeon grass has an opportunity to colonize deeper portions of the bay. Whether this colonization facilitates eelgrass recovery is yet to be assessed.
Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ 07940
ANTI-CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS OF XANTHOPHYLL
DIANE GOCEK *, PAMELA WINES *, NEENA PHILIPS, PH.D.
Department of Biology and Chemistry/Biochemistry
Xanthophyll is a potent anticarcinogenic agent. The extracellular matrix (ECM) maintains the structural integrity of the skin. Skin cancer metastasis is associated with the degradation of the ECM by the matrixmetalloproteinases (MMPs). The purpose of this research is to investigate the dose dependent effects of xanthophyll on the proliferation and expression of MMP-1 (degrades structural collagen) and MMP-2 (degrades the basement membrane) in melanoma and renal adenocarcinoma cells. Melanoma, and renal adenocarcinoma cells were exposed to 0, 0.1[micro]M, 0.3[micro]M, 1[micro]M, 3[micro]M, and 10[micro]M xanthophyll for 24 hours, and examined for cell proliferation, MMP-1 and MMP-2 protein levels. Xanthophyll did not significantly alter the proliferation of melanoma or renal adenocarcinoma cells. It inhibited MMP-1, and MMP-2 protein levels at 0.1[micro]M to 1[micro]M, but not at the higher concentrations (3[micro]M, 10[micro]M) in melanoma cells. The higher concentration(s) of xanthophyll stimulated MMP-1 and MMP-2 expression in renal adenocarcinoma cells. The lower doses of xanthophyll maybe beneficial in melanoma and renal adenocarcinoma treatment, whereas the higher concentrations are ineffective in melanoma cells and stimulatory to the metastatic potential in renal adenocarcinoma cells.
Georgian Court College, Lakewood, NJ 08701
THE ROLE OF INTERLEUKIN-1 AND INTERLEUKIN-3 EN REGULATION OF MURINE ERYTHROPOIESIS AND BONE MODELING IN HYPOXIA
MAYRIM GONZALEZ (STUDENT), E. REGINA GIULLANI, AND DENNIS GIULIANI
Biology Department, St. Peter's College, Jersey City, NJ 07306
Regulation of hematopoiesis involves controlling output of pluripotential stem cells. Proliferating stem cell compartments may be controlled through niche competition. Stem cells bind to Steel Factor (SF) prior to differentiation. Successful niche...
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