The role of MYC-EGR1 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer Development and its Relationship to Wnt Signaling

Lexi Chrysochoos, Emily Abdoney, and Erick Spears The Role of MYC-EGR1 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer Development and its Relationship to Wnt Signaling Colorectal tumors show high levels of Wnt pathway activity, most often due to an initiating mutation in critical Wnt pathway components. Wnt pathway activation leads to b-catenin-driven expression of genes that generally stimulate cell cycle progression. One such Wnt pathway target gene is MYC, a well described oncogene involved in many cancers, including colorectal. MYC is known to stimulate proliferation but in certain cellular contexts, can stimulate apoptosis by stimulating the expression of EGR1. This is termed a noncanonical MYC target gene because EGR1 lacks typical MYC binding elements in its promoter. This unique MYC-EGR1 pathway is activated in specific cellular contexts, lacking appropriate p53 activity, often associated with colorectal tumorigenesis. In these experiments, sister HCT116 human colorectal cancer cell lines were treated with shRNA to employ RNA interference targeting MYC or EGR1 to assess the roles these genes might play in colorectal cancer cell proliferation. b-catenin wildtype and mutant HCT116 cells were treated with a non-targeting (scramble, control) shRNA, MYC shRNA, and EGR1 shRNA to specifically and temporarily target the expression of these gene. After transduction, cultures were grown, and cells were counted to assess proliferation of these cell lines with the specific interruptions in gene expression. The goal of our experiment was to evaluate the proliferation of these cells after transduction with targeted shRNAs and assess any impact that MYC and EGR1 have on proliferation in this cellular context. As the MYC-EGR1 pathway has also been shown to stimulate apoptosis in cells lacking functional p53, we also performed an apoptosis analysis and evaluated the propensity of the cell lines to apoptosis. These experiments give further insight into the role of the MYC-EGR1 pathway in colorectal cancer development and its relationship in to the Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer cells

Black Mirrors and Digital Culture: Digital Citizenship through Pop Culture

Washington and Lee University faculty-librarians teach a first-year seminar that integrates digital and information literacy while exploring digital culture in the context of the popular television series Black Mirror. Class assignments teach digital skills and allow students to refine their digital identities. Through embedded information literacy concepts, students strengthen their abilities as researchers and content creators. Participants will use live polling to determine their familiarity with class themes, and perform a digital and information literacy audit on one of their existing course assignments, with an opportunity to share discoveries with the group

Black Mirrors and Digital Culture: Digital Citizenship through Pop Culture

Washington and Lee University faculty-librarians teach a first-year seminar that integrates digital and information literacy while exploring digital culture in the context of the popular television series Black Mirror. Class assignments teach digital skills and allow students to refine their digital identities. Through embedded information literacy concepts, students strengthen their abilities as researchers and content creators. Participants will use live polling to determine their familiarity with class themes, and perform a digital and information literacy audit on one of their existing course assignments, with an opportunity to share discoveries with the group

Stress and displacement pattern evaluation using two different palatal expanders in unilateral cleft lip and palate: a three-dimensional finite element analysis

Abstract Background In this finite element (FE) study, the stress distribution and displacement pattern was evaluated in the mid-palatal area and around circum-maxillary sutures exerted by bone-borne palatal expander (BBPE) in comparison with conventional HYRAX rapid palatal expander in unilateral cleft lip and palate. Methods Computed tomography scan images of a patient with unilateral cleft palate was used to create a FE model of the maxillary bone along with circum-maxillary sutures. A three-dimensional model of the conventional HYRAX (Hygienic Rapid Expander) expander and custom-made BBPE was created by laser scanning and programmed into the FE model. Results With the BBPE, the maximum stress was observed at the implant insertion site, whereas with the conventional HYRAX expander, it was at the dentition level. Among the circum-maxillary sutures, the zygomaticomaxillary suture experienced maximum stress followed by the zygomaticotemporal and nasomaxillary sutures. Displacement in the X-axis (transverse) was highest on the cleft side, and in the Y-axis (antero-posterior), it was highest in the posterior region in the BBPE. Conclusions The total displacement was observed maximum in the mid-palatal cleft area in the BBPE, and it produced true skeletal expansion at the alveolar level without any dental tipping when compared with the conventional HYRAX expander

The development of the public school support plan in West Virginia

The purpose of the study was to trace the historical and legal development of the financial support system for public elementary and secondary education in West Virginia from 1863 through November, 1984. In addition, the study provided a compiled source of data on selected aspects of the West Virginia school support system which had bearing upon the 1975 legislation that successfully challenged the constitutionality of the state school finance system. In the case of Pauley et al. v. Bailey et al., the method of financing public schools in West Virginia was declared unconstitutional on May 11, 1982, and the court directed the Legislature to completely redesign the West Virginia system of public school finance. In order for the educational and legislative leaders to fulfill meeting the court's criteria, an awareness of the changes and carryover of past doctrines and practices into the present situation was deemed to be of great importance. The study provided a historical review of significant legislation and cases affecting the evolution of the West Virginia school finance system. Designated periods of time in education history were presented through the utilization of both a chronological and topical approach. Evaluative criteria, such as equity in funding, adequacy in educational opportunity, efficiency of organization, and formula alterations were incorporated into the study in order to identify the significant changes in the developmental process of school finance.Ed. D.incomplete_metadat