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Explicit Learning Of Phonotactic Patterns Disrupts Language Learning, Evan Hare
Explicit Learning Of Phonotactic Patterns Disrupts Language Learning, Evan Hare
Masters Theses
Learning environment has been proposed to be a cause of age of acquisition effects in second language acquisition. Explicit learning in adults is linked to fast initial gains but poorer ultimate attainment whereas implicit learning in children requires more input but leads to greater proficiency in the long run. The current study used ERP measures to determine if explicit learning of a phonotactic pattern interferes with implicit learning of that same pattern in adults. Listeners were told to figure out the pattern of consonants that can go together in a word by listening to 16 CVCV nonsense words in which …
Direct And Indirect Effects Of Climate On Bird Abundance Along Elevation Gradients In The Northern Appalachians, Timothy Duclos
Direct And Indirect Effects Of Climate On Bird Abundance Along Elevation Gradients In The Northern Appalachians, Timothy Duclos
Masters Theses
The stratification of bird species along elevational gradients is widely reported, with montane bird communities typically characterized by distinctive species occurring in relatively small and isolated populations; as such, these species are the subject of considerable interest to ecologists and conservationists. The stratification of species along elevation is largely attributed to compressed climatic zonation. Recent evidence that bird species are shifting up in elevation has fueled speculation that these species are tracking their climactic niches in response to climate change. However, there is also evidence plant communities are shifting in elevation, presenting a potential additional mechanism explaining changes observed in …
A Mixed-Methods Study On Female Landowner Estate Planning Objectives, Rebekah Zimmerer
A Mixed-Methods Study On Female Landowner Estate Planning Objectives, Rebekah Zimmerer
Masters Theses
The majority of the forested land in New England is owned by private landowners, a large number of whom are at or above retirement age. In the coming decades these landowners are going to be making decisions about what happens to their land once they no longer own it. Female landowners specifically play a critical role in the long-term planning and decision-making process. Women generally have a longer life expectancy than men and assess their level of confidence and financial stability in ways that differ from men. This difference in perception influences the decisions they make about their land. Despite …
A Representational-Hierarchical Account: A New Theory Of False Memories, D. Merika Wilson
A Representational-Hierarchical Account: A New Theory Of False Memories, D. Merika Wilson
Masters Theses
Past research has supported a representational-hierarchical theory of memory and perception that extends the ventral visual stream into the medial temporal lobe. In this account, representations are organized in a hierarchical manner, such that structures located further anterior in the brain contain complex representations of whole objects and areas further posterior in the visual cortex contain representations of simple features. When conjunctive representations are compromised, an individual must rely on simple-feature representations to complete mnemonic and perceptual tasks. However, these simple-feature representations are susceptible to feature-level interference, which can cause false recognition of novel objects. The goal of the present …
Methylglyoxal Influences Development Of Caenorhabditis Elegans Via Heterochronic Pathway, Jiaying Wang
Methylglyoxal Influences Development Of Caenorhabditis Elegans Via Heterochronic Pathway, Jiaying Wang
Masters Theses
Methylglyoxal is a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound, which is widely distributed in food products and beverages, and is particularly high in Manuka honey. In addition to its antibacterial effects, methylglyoxal is also known as a major precursor of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), that produces altered macromolecules (such as proteins and DNA), leading to abnormal physiological changes. However, the effects of methylglyoxal on development is unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the role of methylglyoxal in this aspect using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Treatment of methylglyoxal at 0.1 mM and 1 mM for 48 h significantly inhibited …
Evaluation Of Berry Extracts On Intestinal Digestive Enzymes And Sugar Transporters, Jungbae Ohrenberger
Evaluation Of Berry Extracts On Intestinal Digestive Enzymes And Sugar Transporters, Jungbae Ohrenberger
Masters Theses
T2DM is a chronic disease characterized by postprandial hyperglycemia. One of the therapeutic approaches to attenuate hyperglycemia is to inhibit intestinal ɑ-glucosidase enzyme and/or suppress glucose transporters that regulate intestinal glucose transporters such as SGLT1 & GLUT2. Berries rich in polyphenol antioxidants have various health benefits. Although the antidiabetic effects of various berry extracts or berry mixture in pre-clinical and clinical studies, the underlying pathways at the molecular level is still unclear. In this study, we investigated antioxidant and antidiabetic effects of selected berry extracts by determining free radical scavenging activates, Caco-2 intestinal ɑ-glucosidase activity, glucose uptake and the gene …
Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Reduces Fat Accumulation In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Jinning Liu
Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Reduces Fat Accumulation In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Jinning Liu
Masters Theses
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), also known as epigallocatechin-3-gallate, is a polyphenol that is most abundant in tea. It has been shown from many studies that consumption of EGCG can contribute to weight loss, however, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. To determine how EGCG acts to reduce fat, an organism model Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is introduced, which is a useful animal system in exploring crucial biological mechanisms that are readily applicable to humans. In this study, different strains were raised for two days on a diet with or without 100µM and 200µM EGCG treatment: N2 (i.e., wild …
Botswana’S Elephant-Back Safari Industry – Stress-Response In Working African Elephants And Analysis Of Their Post-Release Movements, Tanya Lama
Masters Theses
Understanding how African elephants (Loxodonta africana) respond to human interactions in ecotourism operations is critical to safeguarding animal and human welfare and sustaining wildlife ecotourism activities. We investigated the stress response of elephants to a variety of tourist activities over a 15-month period at Abu Camp in northern Botswana. We compared fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations across three elephant groups, including: eight elephants in an elephant-tourism operation (Abu herd), three elephants previously reintroduced back into the wild from the Abu herd, and wild elephants. There were no differences in FGM concentrations between the three groups of elephants. The highest observed …
A Magnetic Resonance Compatible Knee Extension Ergometer, Youssef Jaber
A Magnetic Resonance Compatible Knee Extension Ergometer, Youssef Jaber
Masters Theses
The product of this thesis aims to enable the study of the biochemical and physical dynamics of the lower limbs at high levels of muscle tension and fast contraction speeds. This is accomplished in part by a magnetic resonance (MR) compatible ergometer designed to apply a load as a torque of up to 420 Nm acting against knee extension at speeds as high as 4.7 rad/s. The system can also be adapted to apply the load as a force of up to 1200 N acting against full leg extension. The ergometer is designed to enable the use of magnetic resonance …
Investigation Of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases In S. Homoeocarpa For Chlorothalonil Biotransformation, Robert Green
Investigation Of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases In S. Homoeocarpa For Chlorothalonil Biotransformation, Robert Green
Masters Theses
Sclerotinia homoeocarpa (F.T. Bennett) is one of the most economically important pathogens on high amenity cool-season turfgrasses where it causes dollar spot. Due to decades of over-reliance and repeated chemical treatments, S. homoeocarpa has developed resistance and insensitivity to multiple classes of fungicides. To understand the genetic mechanisms of fungicide resistance, the whole genomes of two strains with varying resistance levels to fungicides, were sequenced. In unpublished data (Sang et al.), a RNA-sequencing analysis revealed three CYP450s that were validated to play a functional role in S. homoeocarpa’s resistance against different fungicide classes. We also identified CYP450 metabolic action …
Biology, Molecular Systematics, Population Dynamics And Control Of A Stem Gall Wasp, Zapatella Davisae (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), Monica Davis
Doctoral Dissertations
Gall wasps are phytophagous insects that often go unnoticed, however, when they are released from their natural enemies, they have the capacity to outbreak and cause extensive foliar damage. One such outbreaking pest, Zapatella davisae, causes significant damage and mortality to black oak, Quercus velutina. In recent years, black oak decline has been documented in Long Island, New York and coastal New England. Little is known about the lifecycle, distribution or population dynamics of Zapatella davisae and the taxonomy of the species is still unclear. My first study described the biology and distribution of Z. davisae. Zapatella …
Understanding The Impact Of Oxygen Concentration And Active Packaging On Controlling Lipid Oxidation In Oil-In-Water Emulsions, David Johnson
Understanding The Impact Of Oxygen Concentration And Active Packaging On Controlling Lipid Oxidation In Oil-In-Water Emulsions, David Johnson
Doctoral Dissertations
Consumer concern over synthetic food antioxidants have led researchers to seek alternative natural, or ‘clean’ label, solutions to prevent lipid oxidation. Unfortunately, natural antioxidants are often not as effective as their synthetic counterparts. As a result, there remains a need to develop active packaging strategies and maximize current antioxidant strategies in food applications. Active packaging, or packaging that has a function beyond being an inert barrier, is an attractive strategy to limit lipid oxidation in foods. Active packaging performs the work of an antioxidant without appearing on the package label. The work presented here builds upon active packaging development as …
Mechanistic Studies Of Peptide-Mediated Protein Transport Across Droplet-Interface Bilayers, Jing Huang
Mechanistic Studies Of Peptide-Mediated Protein Transport Across Droplet-Interface Bilayers, Jing Huang
Doctoral Dissertations
Pep-1 is a promising peptide tool that delivers proteins and peptides into cells with conserved bioactivity. Pep-1 has great potential because of the high efficiency and lack of toxicity. The mechanism of Pep-1-mediated transport is not fully understood. In my thesis, droplet-interface bilayer (DIB) has been used for the mechanistic studies of Pep-1. Here, DIB is developed for different functions such as quantitation of protein translocation, solution exchange to a formed bilayer and simultaneous observation of multiple membranes. Research work on Pep-1 with DIB reveals that the negative charge of the inner membrane leaflet plays a significant role in promoting …
The Effect Of Pericyte Cell Therapy On Postischemic Neovascularization In Wild Type And Type 2 Diabetic Mice, Katherine E. Hayes
The Effect Of Pericyte Cell Therapy On Postischemic Neovascularization In Wild Type And Type 2 Diabetic Mice, Katherine E. Hayes
Doctoral Dissertations
Peripheral artery disease is an atherosclerotic disease that causes limb ischemia and has few effective treatments. Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment option, but concomitant diabetes may limit its effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of skeletal muscle pericytes to augment postischemic neovascularization following the induction of limb ischemia in wild type and type 2 diabetic (T2DM) mice. The hypothesis was that diabetes impairs the ability of skeletal muscle pericytes to augment postischemic neovascularization and differentiate in vivo. Pericytes were isolated via fluorescence activated cell sorting for CD45-CD34-CD146 …
The Effects Of Anthropogenic Stress On Nitrogen-Cycling Microbial Communities In Temperate And Tropical Soils, George S. Hamaoui Jr.
The Effects Of Anthropogenic Stress On Nitrogen-Cycling Microbial Communities In Temperate And Tropical Soils, George S. Hamaoui Jr.
Doctoral Dissertations
In this dissertation several research studies are discussed that characterize the effects of anthropogenic, or human-induced, stress on both ammonia-oxidizing and total bacterial soil microbial communities. The disturbances of land-use change in tropical, South American rainforests and artificial warming and nitrogen (N) fertilization in temperate, North American forests were investigated as these disturbances represent past and current disturbances caused by human landscape alteration and climate change. Initially, the response of soil ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities to land-use change from primary rainforest to pasture and, finally, back to secondary forest was determined. Next, these analyses of land-use change effects were expanded to …
Utilization Of Natural Emulsifiers And Their Derivatives To Formulate Emulsion-Based Delivery Systems For Hydrophobic Nutraceuticals, Cansu Gumus
Doctoral Dissertations
There is increasing consumer demand for food products that are more natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Industry has responded by trying to identify natural alternatives to synthetic functional ingredients within these products. In this study, the ability of Maillard conjugation products, and several legume proteins were investigated to act as nature-derived or natural emulsifiers in oil-in-water emulsions fortified with hydrophobic nutraceuticals. Casein-coated oil droplets enriched with lutein were highly unstable to flocculation near their isoelectric point due to the reduction in electrostatic repulsion. However, casein-dextran-coated droplets were stable, which was attributed to strong steric repulsion by the dextran moiety. The …
Statistical Methods For High Dimensional Data Arising From Large Epidemiological Studies, Hui Xu
Statistical Methods For High Dimensional Data Arising From Large Epidemiological Studies, Hui Xu
Doctoral Dissertations
In this thesis, we propose statistical models for addressing commonly encountered data types and study designs in large epidemiologic investigations aimed at understanding the molecular basis of complex disorders. The motivating applications come from diverse disease areas in Women's Health, including the study of type II diabetes in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), invasive breast cancer in the Nurses' Health Study and the study of the metabolomic underpinnings of cardiovascular disease in the WHI. We have also put significant effort into making the implementation of the proposed methods accessible through freely available, user-friendly software packages in R. The first chapter …
Effects Of Permethrin, A Pyrethroid Insecticide, On Glucose And Lipid Metabolism, Xiao Xiao
Effects Of Permethrin, A Pyrethroid Insecticide, On Glucose And Lipid Metabolism, Xiao Xiao
Doctoral Dissertations
Over the last few decades, the decline of using organochlorine and organophosphorus insecticides has partially contributed to the rising utilization of newer synthetic insecticides, which are considered as less harmful and more environmental friendly than the older generation of insecticides. Pyrethroid insecticides are one of the newer insecticide classes reported with better biodegradability and low mammalian toxicity without sacrificing its insecticidal efficacy. Permethrin is one of the most widely used pyrethroid insecticides with structural similarity with natural pyrethrin insecticide from the flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium. Since its introduction in the 1970’s, permethrin has been extensively used in medicine, military, …
Biotransformation Of Polymethoxyflavones And Its Implication On Biological Activities, Minqi Wang
Biotransformation Of Polymethoxyflavones And Its Implication On Biological Activities, Minqi Wang
Doctoral Dissertations
In this thesis, the tissue distribution and in vivo biotransformation of nobiletin in rodents were demonstrated on three types of rodents, i.e.A-J female mice, CD-1 male mice and male F344 male rats. The effects of colonic metabolites of CD-1 mice on colonic carcinogenesis and inflammation were determined. In order to mimic the long-term dietary consumption of PMFs from food or dietary supplements, we applied oral administration by mixing PMFs with standard diet to rodents who have free access to food. Moreover, nobiletin (NBT), one of the most abundant PMFs in nature, and its major metabolties were incubated with mice …
Estradiol Enhances Inflammation During Pubertal Development In Female Mice, Amarylis Velez-Perez
Estradiol Enhances Inflammation During Pubertal Development In Female Mice, Amarylis Velez-Perez
Doctoral Dissertations
There is a dynamic interaction between the immune, endocrine, and central nervous systems. The main function of the immune system is to protect the organism from pathogens by engaging a network of organs, cells and signaling molecules. Recently, the resident-immune cells of the brain have been found to be critical in supporting the full development of neural circuits during sensitive periods of development. However, over-activation of the immune system during this period can alter the typical trajectory of maturing neural circuits. LPS (lipopolysaccharide) administration decreases hormone-induced adult sexual behavior in mice when administered during puberty, but not when it is …
Investigation Of Fungicide Resistance Mechanisms And Dynamics Of The Multiple Fungicide Resistant Population In Sclerotinia Homoeocarpa, Hyunkyu Sang
Doctoral Dissertations
A filamentous ascomycete fungus Sclerotinia homoeocarpa causes dollar spot, which is the most important disease of turfgrasses in the United States. Despite the increased number of reports of site-specific fungicide resistance and a recent report of multidrug resistance (MDR) in S. homoeocarpa field populations, the genetic mechanisms behind resistance or reduced sensitivity to fungicides remain poorly explained in the fungus. In order to prevent further development of fungicide resistance in the dollar spot pathosystem, a detailed elucidation of mechanisms of site-specific fungicide resistance and MDR is needed. In addition, the previous studies of MDR in fungi mostly focused on efflux …
The Effects Of Predictability On Stereotypic Behavior In Nonclinical Adult Humans (Homo Sapiens) And Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta), Amy Ryan
Doctoral Dissertations
Stereotypies, or repetitive and purposeless behaviors, are observed in both humans and other animals. They have been primarily studied in captive animal and clinical human populations with comparably little research devoted to understanding less severe levels of stereotypies observed in nonclinical populations of adult humans and in most captive animals. As these behaviors are sometimes associated with routine events, I explored the relationship between the predictability of anticipated events and mild stereotypies. I studied this relationship in captive rhesus macaques and a novel comparison group of adult humans from a nonclinical population. I designed two experimental paradigms, a wait paradigm …
Potential Enhancement Of Dietary Isothiocyanates Combination On Biological Activities, Kanyasiri Rakariyatham
Potential Enhancement Of Dietary Isothiocyanates Combination On Biological Activities, Kanyasiri Rakariyatham
Doctoral Dissertations
Isothiocyanates (ITCs) such as allyl isothiocyanate (AIT) and sulforaphane (SFN) are well-known bioactives with wide range of beneficial properties, which may be consumed simultaneously through diets containing cruciferous vegetables. However, biological activities of ITCs in combinations had not been well defined. The present study evaluated the potential efficacy of AIT, SFN and their combinations on three important biological properties: anticancer, anti-inflammation and antioxidant. Our results showed that the combination between AIT and SFN led to a stronger growth inhibition on A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells than treatments with the individual compounds. The enhanced effect was proved to be synergistic …
Probing The Domain Architecture And Structural Dynamics Of Caspase-6 For Its Specific Regulation, Kevin Buadlart Dagbay
Probing The Domain Architecture And Structural Dynamics Of Caspase-6 For Its Specific Regulation, Kevin Buadlart Dagbay
Doctoral Dissertations
Caspases are cysteine aspartate proteases that direct programmed cell death in multicellular organisms. Activation of caspases is tightly regulated to secure maintenance of cellular homeostasis. The aberrant regulation of caspases can act as molecular triggers for a range of diseases from cancer to neurodegeneration. The detailed exploration of caspase structure, dynamics, function, and regulation is crucial to better understand and precisely control their cellular functions. This body of work specifically provides a multi-level understanding of the unique structural dynamics and regulation of caspase-6, the function of which is implicated in Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. A detailed map …
The Role Of Phenotypic Integration In Mammalian Tooth Function And Jaw Morphological Diversity, Andrew Conith
The Role Of Phenotypic Integration In Mammalian Tooth Function And Jaw Morphological Diversity, Andrew Conith
Doctoral Dissertations
Here I investigate how two major components of the mammalian feeding system, teeth and jaws, are influenced by functional, environment, and developmental factors. First, I build physical models of the molars from two early mammals, Morganucodon and Kuehneotherium, and compare their ability to process a proxy food item. Early mammals were under strong selection to reduce metabolic costs, so any savings in energy during feeding would be advantageous. I tested the ability of both mammals to process a hard and soft food item with material properties similar to that of the insects they would have likely consumed. Morganucodon was …
Notch1 Modification And Signaling In T Helper Cell Differentiation, Karthik Chandiran
Notch1 Modification And Signaling In T Helper Cell Differentiation, Karthik Chandiran
Doctoral Dissertations
Notch signaling modulates the developmental program of multiple cell types. The cleaved intracellular region of the receptor possess the functional domain which influences T cell activation, proliferation and differentiation. However, in naïve CD4 T cells the mechanistic details underlying cleavage of Notch1 is not clearly understood. Notch functions by acting as a signaling hub and interacting with its canonical (CSL) and non-canonical (NFkB, mTOR, Akt) binding partners to cross-talk with other signaling pathways. Notch signaling drives the differentiation program of multiple T helper cell subsets (Th1, Th2, Th17, Th9, iTreg and TFH). Recent discoveries also demonstrated a role for microRNAs …
Relationship Between Structure And Function In Nickel Proteins And Enzymes, Carolyn Carr
Relationship Between Structure And Function In Nickel Proteins And Enzymes, Carolyn Carr
Doctoral Dissertations
Nickel is a rarely used but biologically important metal that is utilized in all three domains of life. In nickel utilizing organisms there is a corresponding trafficking system specifically designed to capture nickel, deliver, and export excess nickel to prevent toxic effects. It is critical to understand the mechanisms by which organisms achieve metal selectivity to duplicate or disrupt this process for the benefit of human health and to further understanding of regulation mechanisms in biology. RcnR is a Ni(II) and Co(II) responsive transcriptional regulator in E. coli. The research reported in this dissertation focuses on the relationship between …
The Key Question In Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation: How Does Host Maintain A Bacterial Symbiont?, Onur Oztas
The Key Question In Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation: How Does Host Maintain A Bacterial Symbiont?, Onur Oztas
Doctoral Dissertations
The fact that plants cannot use nitrogen in the gaseous form makes them dependent on the levels of usable nitrogen forms in the soil. Legumes overcome nitrogen limitation by entering a symbiotic association with rhizobia, soil bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable ammonia. In root nodules, bacteria are internalized by host plant cells inside an intracellular compartment called the symbiosome where they morphologically differentiate into nitrogen-fixing forms by symbiosome-secreted host proteins. In this project, I explained the host proteins required to maintain bacterial symbionts and described their delivery to the symbiosome. I showed that the SYNTAXIN 132 (SYP132) gene …
Calcium And Metabolism In Sperm: Fundamental Players For Fertilization And Embryo Development, Felipe Navarrete
Calcium And Metabolism In Sperm: Fundamental Players For Fertilization And Embryo Development, Felipe Navarrete
Doctoral Dissertations
Mammalian sperm acquire the fertilizing ability in the female tract in a process known as capacitation. At the molecular level, capacitation is associated with the up-regulation of a cAMP-dependent pathway, changes in intracellular pH, intracellular Ca2+, ATP consumption and an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation. However, little is known about the function of Ca2+ and ATP during this important process. These signaling systems interact during capacitation are still not well understood. Results presented in this study indicate that Ca2+ ions have a biphasic role in the regulation of cAMP-dependent signaling. Sperm incubated in zero Ca2+ in …
Vitreous Gel Physics, Svetlana Morozova
Vitreous Gel Physics, Svetlana Morozova
Doctoral Dissertations
The transparent vitreous, which fills the posterior cavity of the eye, is incredibly engineered. The charged polyelectrolyte hyaluronic acid (HA) network swells to maintain the pressure in the eye, while stiff collagen type II bundles help absorb any external mechanical shock. Our investigations have contributed to a few key developments related to the physical properties of the vitreous: (1) The stiff collagen network that supports the soft gel network is self-assembled from single triple-helix collagen proteins. Electrostatic interactions drive this assembly, such that the size and concentration are optimized at physiological salt concentrations. The width of the assemblies remarkably changes …