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Description
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may result in numerous pathologies that cannot currently be mitigated by clinical interventions. Stem cell therapies are widely researched to address TBI-related pathologies with limited success in pre-clinical models due to limitations in transplant survival rates. To address this issue, the use of tissue engineered scaffolds as a delivery mechanism has been explored to improve survival and engraftment rates. Previous work with hyaluronic acid \u2014 laminin (HA-Lm) gels found high viability and engraftment rates of mouse fetal derived neural progenitor/stem cells (NPSCs) cultured on the gel. Furthermore, NPSCs exposed to the HA-Lm gels exhibit increased expression of CXCR4, a critical surface receptor that promotes cell migration. We hypothesized that culturing hNPCs on the HA-Lm gel would increase CXCR4 expression, and thus enhance their ability to migrate into sites of tissue damage. In order to test this hypothesis, we designed gel scaffolds with mechanical properties that were optimized to match that of the natural extracellular matrix. A live/dead assay showed that hNPCs preferred the gel with this optimized formulation, compared to a stiffer gel that was used in the CXCR4 expression experiment. We found that there may be increased CXCR4 expression of hNPCs plated on the HA-Lm gel after 24 hours, indicating that HA-Lm gels may provide a valuable scaffold to support viability and migration of hNPCs to the injury site. Future studies aimed at verifying increased CXCR4 expression of hNPCs cultured on HA-Lm gels are necessary to determine if HA-Lm gels can provide a beneficial scaffold for stem cell engraftment therapy for treating TBI.
ContributorsHemphill, Kathryn Elizabeth (Author) / Stabenfeldt, Sarah (Thesis director) / Brafman, David (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Current culturing methods allow for human neural progenitor cells to be differentiated into neurons for use in diagnostic tools and disease modeling. An issue arises in the relatively low number of cells that can be successfully expanded and differentiated using these current methods, making the progress of research dependent on these cultures as a large number of cells are needed to conduct relevant assays. This project focuses on the expansion and differentiation of human neural progenitor cells cultured on microcarriers and within a rotating bioreactor system as a way to increase the total number of cells generated. Additionally, cryopreservation and the characteristics of these neurons post thaw is being investigated to create a way for long term storage, as well as, a method for standardizing cell lines between multiple experiments at different time points. The experiments covered in this study are aimed to compare the characteristics of differentiated human neurons, both demented and non-demented cell lines between pre-cryopreservation, freshly differentiated neurons and post-cryopreservation neurons. The assays conducted include immunofluorescence, calcium imaging, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry and ELISA data looking at Alzheimer’s disease traits. With the data collected within this study, the use of bioreactors, in addition to, cryopreservation of human neurons for long term storage can be better implemented into human neural progenitor cell research. Both of these aspects will increase the output of these cultures and potentially remove the bottleneck currently found within human neural disease modeling.
ContributorsHenson, Tanner Jay (Author) / Brafman, David (Thesis director) / Kodibagkar, Vikram (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The purpose of this research project was to implement a staff development program that would assess and strengthen the level of emotional intelligence of the teachers at a local low-income middle school. A goal of the project was to increase a teacher's level of emotional intelligence such that they could strengthen effective relationships and better ground them in trust with their students. Teachers participated in a 9 week program. Pre- and post emotional intelligence scores were reported.
ContributorsCarpenter, Breanna (Author) / Lietz, Cynthia (Thesis director) / Ferguson, Kristin (Committee member) / Rittenhouse, Sarah (Committee member) / School of Social Work (Contributor) / College of Public Service and Community Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
The rates of anxiety, depression, and attempted suicide for transgender individuals are extremely elevated relative to the general population. Yet, little research has been conducted about the transgender population regarding social transition (an individual presenting as their authentic/true gender, one different than the gender they were assigned at birth, in the context of everyday life) and parental acceptance. Both of which have been shown to impact the mental health of transgender individuals. The purposes of this study were: (1) To characterize a sample of transgender adults on their age of awareness of their authentic gender identity and their age of social transition. (2) Examine whether age of social transition, (3) parental acceptance, and (4) the gap in time between age of awareness and age of social transition (awareness-transition gap) were related to mental health. (5) Examine whether parental acceptance was related to age of social transition or to awareness-transition gap. (6) Examine whether age of social transition or awareness-transition gap interact with parental acceptance as correlates of mental health. The sample consisted of 115 transgender adults, ages 18 to 64. Measures were separated into 7 subheadings: demographics, transgender
on-cisgender identity, age of awareness, age of social transition, primary caregiver acceptance, secondary caregiver acceptance, and mental health. Hypotheses were partially supported for age of social transition with mental health, parental acceptance with mental health, and awareness-transition gap with parental acceptance. This study investigated under studied concepts of social transition and parental acceptance that appear to have an effect on the mental health of transgender adults.
on-cisgender identity, age of awareness, age of social transition, primary caregiver acceptance, secondary caregiver acceptance, and mental health. Hypotheses were partially supported for age of social transition with mental health, parental acceptance with mental health, and awareness-transition gap with parental acceptance. This study investigated under studied concepts of social transition and parental acceptance that appear to have an effect on the mental health of transgender adults.
ContributorsRosenberg, Beth Ann (Author) / Gonzales, Nancy (Thesis director) / Saenz, Delia (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / College of Public Service and Community Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05