Digital Commons Network^™

The Binding Of Analogs Of Porphyrins And Chlorins With Elongated Side Chains To Albumin, Shimshon Ben Dror, Irena Bronshtein, Hana Weitman, Kevin M. Smith, William G. O'Neal, Peter A. Jacobi, Benjamin Ehrenberg

Faculty Publications

In previous studies, we demonstrated that elongation of side chains of several sensitizers endowed them with higher affinity for artificial and natural membranes and caused their deeper localization in membranes. In the present study, we employed eight hematoporphyrin and protoporphyrin analogs and four groups containing three chlorin analogs each, all synthesized with variable numbers of methylenes in their alkyl carboxylic chains. We show that these tetrapyrroles' affinity for bovine serum albumin (BSA) and their localization in the binding site are also modulated by chain lengths. The binding constants of the hematoporphyrins and protoporphyrins to BSA increased as the number of …

Releases, Distribution And Abundance Of Gratiana Boliviana (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), A Biological Control Agent Of Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum Viarum, Solanaceae) In Florida, W. A. Overholt, R. Diaz, K. L. Hibbard, A. L. Roda, D. Amalin, A. J. Fox, S. D. Hight, J. C. Medal, P. A. Stansly, B. Carlisle, J. H. Walter, P. J. Hogue, L. A. Gary, L. F. Wiggins, C. L. Kirby, S. C. Crawford

Faculty Publications

From 2003 to 2008, 176,643 Gratiana boliviana Spaeth (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) were released in Florida as part of a biological control program targeting tropical soda apple (TSA) Solanum viarum Dunal (Solanaceae). The spatial distribution of releases was clustered with more beetles released in south/central Florida than further north. A survey conducted in the fall of 2008 found G. bolviana present at >70% of randomly selected locations between 26° and 29° latitude, but no beetles were found at sites further north. The presence of beetles and beetle damage were associated with smaller TSA plants and fewer fruits per plant. The absence of …

Evaluation Of Rhodamine B As An Orally Delivered Biomarker For Rodents And A Feed-Through Transtadial Biomarker For Phlebotomine Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), T. M. Mascari, L. D. Foil

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of rhodamine B as an orally delivered biomarker for rodents and a feed-through transtadial biomarker for phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae ). Rhodamine B-treated hamsters were visibly marked for up to 8 wk, and their feces were fluorescent when examined under a fluorescence microscope. The development and survival of sand fly larvae fed feces of rhodamine B-treated hamsters were not significantly different from control sand flies. Adult male and female sand flies, that had been fed as larvae the feces of rhodamine B-treated hamsters, were fluorescent when examined using fluorescent …

Mobile Elements Create Structural Variation: Analysis Of A Complete Human Genome, Jinchuan Xing, Yuhua Zhang, Kyudong Han, Abdel Halim Salem, Shurjo K. Sen, Chad D. Huff, Qiong Zhou, Ewen F. Kirkness, Samuel Levy, Mark A. Batzer, Lynn B. Jorde

Faculty Publications

Structural variants (SVs) are common in the human genome. Because approximately half of the human genome consists of repetitive, transposable DNA sequences, it is plausible that these elements play an important role in generating SVs in humans. Sequencing of the diploid genome of one individual human (HuRef) affords us the opportunity to assess, for the first time, the impact of mobile elements on SVs in an individual in a thorough and unbiased fashion. In this study, we systematically evaluated more than 8000 SVs to identify mobile element-associated SVs as small as 100 bp and specific to the HuRef genome. Combining …

Transcriptome Analysis Of Frog Virus 3, The Type Species Of The Genus Ranavirus, Family Iridoviridae, Sai Majji, V. Thodima, R. Sample, D. Whitley, Y. Deng, J. Mao, V. Gregory Chinchar

Faculty Publications

Frog virus 3 is the best characterized species within the genus Ranavirus, family Iridoviridae. FV3's large (similar to 105 kbp) dsDNA genome encodes 98 putative open reading frames (ORFs) that are expressed in a coordinated fashion leading to the sequential appearance of immediate early (IE), delayed early (DE) and late (L) viral transcripts. As a step toward elucidating molecular events in FV3 replication, we sought to identify the temporal Class Of Viral messages. To accomplish this objective an oligonucleotide microarray containing 70-mer probes corresponding to each of the 98 FV3 ORFs was designed and used to examine viral gene expression. …

Remote Sensing And Mapping Of Tamarisk Along The Colorado River, Usa: A Comparative Use Of Summer-Acquired Hyperion, Thematic Mapper And Quickbird Data, Gregory A. Carter, Kelly L. Lucas, Gabriel A. Blossom, Cheryl L. Lassitter, Dan M. Holiday, David S. Mooneyhan, Danielle R. Fastring, Tracy R. Holcombe, Jerry A. Griffith

Faculty Publications

Tamarisk (Tamarix spp., saltcedar) is a well-known invasive phreatophyte introduced from Asia to North America in the 1800s. This report compares the efficacy of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM5), QuickBird (QB) and EO-1 Hyperion data in discriminating tamarisk populations near De Beque, Colorado, USA. As a result of highly correlated reflectance among the spectral bands provided by each sensor, relatively standard image analysis methods were employed. Multispectral data at high spatial resolution (QB, 2.5 m Ground Spatial Distance or GSD) proved more effective in tamarisk delineation than either multispectral (TM5) or hyperspectral (Hyperion) data at moderate spatial resolution (30 m …

Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Lacking P38Α And P38Δ Can Differentiate To Endothelial Cells, Smooth Muscle Cells, And Epithelial Cells, Samujjwal Chakraborty, Baobin Kang, Faqing Huang, Yan-Lin Guo

Faculty Publications

The p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases (p38) are important signaling molecules that regulate various cellular processes. Four isoforms of p38 family, p38α, p38β, p38γ, and p38δ, have been identified in mammalian cells. Previous studies have shown that p38α knockout is embryonic lethal in mice. At the cellular level, p38α is abundantly expressed in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), but p38α knockout (p38α-/-) ESCs can differentiate to endothelial cells (ECs), smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and neurons. We speculate that the lost function of p38α in p38α-/- ESCs may be compensated for by the redundant function of other isoforms. To test this …

The Use And Perceptions Of Concept Mapping As A Learning Tool By Dietetic Internship Students And Preceptors, Elaine Fontenot Molaison, Kimberly Taylor, Dawn Erickson, Carol Connell

Faculty Publications

Critical thinking and problem solving skills are currently emphasis areas in the education of allied health professionals. Use of concept maps to teach these skills have been utilized primarily in nursing and medical education, but little has been published about their use in dietetics education. Therefore the purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential efficacy of concept mapping as a learning tool for nutrition assessment among dietetic interns and its acceptability by internship preceptors. Nineteen dietetic interns and 31 preceptors participated in a quasi-experimental pre-/post-design in which the concept mapping strategy was taught as a replacement for the …

Acoustic And Spectral Patterns In Young Children's Stop Consonant Productions, Shawn L. Nissen, Robert Allen Fox

Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to examine the acoustic and spectral patterns of stop articulation in the speech of pre-pubescent children. A set of voiceless stop consonants, /ptk/, produced by a group of adults and typically developing children 3-5 years of age were examined in terms of multiple acoustic and spectral parameters. Findings indicated that, with the exception of spectral kurtosis, the acoustic and spectral characteristics of the stop productions varied significantly as a function of place of articulation and vowel context. Sex-specific differences in spectral slope, mean, and skewness were found for the 5-year-old and adult speakers. Such …

Manipulating The Public Agenda: Why Acorn Was In The News, And What The News Got Wrong, Peter Dreier, Christopher R. Martin

Faculty Publications

This study, which received no outside funding from any organization, analyzed the complete 2007‐2008 coverage of ACORN by 15 major news media organizations, and the narrative frames of their 647 stories during that period. The news media analyzed include the four the highest circulation national newspapers—USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal—and an analysis of the transcripts of reports from leading broadcast news organizations: ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, National Public Radio (NPR), and NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (PBS). We also analyzed stories from three local newspapers …

Yy1 Is Autoregulated Through Its Own Dna-Binding Sites, Jeong D. Kim, Sungryul Yu, Joomyeong Kim

Faculty Publications

Background: The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is a ubiquitously expressed, multifunctional protein that controls a large number of genes and biological processes in vertebrates. As a general transcription factor, the proper levels of YY1 protein need to be maintained for the normal function of cells and organisms. However, the mechanism for the YY1 homeostasis is currently unknown. Results: The current study reports that the YY1 gene locus of all vertebrates contains a cluster of its own DNA-binding sites within the 1st intron. The intact structure of these DNA-binding sites is absolutely necessary for transcriptional activity of the YY1 …

Business Return In New Orleans: Decision Making Amid Post-Katrina Uncertainty, Nina S.N. Lam, Kelley Pace, Richard Campanella, James Lesage, Helbert Arenas

Faculty Publications

Background: Empirical observations on how businesses respond after a major catastrophe are rare, especially for a catastrophe as great as Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2005. We analyzed repeated telephone surveys of New Orleans businesses conducted in December 2005, June 2006, and October 2007 to understand factors that influenced decisions to re-open amid post-disaster uncertainty. Methodology/Principal Findings: Businesses in the group of professional, scientific, and technical services reopened the fastest in the near term, but differences in the rate of reopening for businesses stratified by type became indistinguishable in the longer term (around two years …

Doubt And The Values Of An Ignorance-Based World View For Restoration: Coastal Louisiana Wetlands, R. Eugene Turner

Faculty Publications

Embracing doubt, a signature strength of science, is an essential core component of an ignorance-based-world view (IBWV) that assumes the areas of certainty are small relative to the large field of ignorance. The contrasting knowledge-based world view (KBWV) assumes that small and mostly insignificant knowledge gaps exist. When the KBWV is combined with a sense of urgency to “do something,” then the intellectual landscape is flattened, the introduction of new ideas is impeded, monitoring and adaptive management is marginalized, risky behaviors continue, and social learning is restricted. The history of three coastal Louisiana land-uses (agricultural impoundment, marsh management, and dredging) …

The 1.85 Å Structure Of An 8r-Lipoxygenase Suggests A General Model For Lipoxygenase Product Specificity, David B. Neau, Nathaniel C. Gilbert, Sue G. Bartlett, William Boeglin, Alan R. Brash, Marcia E. Newcomer

Faculty Publications

Lipoxygenases (LOX) play pivotal roles in the biosynthesis of leukotrienes and other biologically active eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid. A mechanistic understanding of substrate recognition, when lipoxygenases that recognize the same substrate generate different products, can be used to help guide the design of enzyme-specific inhibitors. We report here the 1.85 A ° resolution structure of an 8R-lipoxygenase from Plexaura homomalla, an enzyme with a sequence ∼40% identical to that of human 5-LOX. The structure reveals a U-shaped channel, defined by invariant amino acids, that would allow substrate access to the catalytic iron. We demonstrate that mutations within the channel …

On Immunotherapies And Cancer Vaccination Protocols: A Mathematical Modelling Approach, Badal Joshi, Xueying Wang, Sayanti Banerjee, Haiyan Y. Tian, Anastasios Matzavinos, Mark A.J. Chaplain

Faculty Publications

In this paper we develop a new mathematical model of immunotherapy and cancer vaccination, focusing on the role of antigen presentation and co-stimulatory signaling pathways in cancer immunology. We investigate the effect of different cancer vaccination protocols on the well-documented phenomena of cancer dormancy and recurrence, and we provide a possible explanation of why adoptive (i.e. passive) immunotherapy protocols can sometimes actually promote tumour growth instead of inhibiting it (a phenomenon called immunostimulation), as opposed to active vaccination protocols based on tumour-antigen pulsed dendritic cells. Significantly, the results of our computational simulations suggest that elevated numbers of professional antigen presenting …

An Efficient And Economic Asymmetric Synthesis Of (+)-Nootkatone, Tetrahydronootkatone, And Derivatives, Anne M. Sauer, William E. Crowe, Gregg Henderson, Roger A. Laine

Faculty Publications

Image Persented A facile route to enantiomerically pure (+)-nootkatone and derivatives has been established through conjunctive stereoselective Grignard/anionic oxy-Cope (AOC) reactions. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Mechanistic Investigation Of N-Homocysteinylation-Mediated Protein-Gold Nanoconjugate Assembly, Arther T. Gates, Leonard Moore, Monica R. Sylvain, Christina M. Jones, Mark Lowry, Bilal El-Zahab, James W. Robinson, Robert M. Strongin, Isiah M. Warner

Faculty Publications

Herein we report the use of protein-gold nanoconjugate (PGNs) as probes for elucidating mechanistic events involved in protein homocystamide detection with gold nanoparticles (GNPs), as was previously reported by our laboratory. Three different PGN probes are synthesized by direct adsorption of cytochrome c, albumin, or human serum onto citrate-capped GNPs. The PGNs are subsequently purified and treated to confer N-homocysteinylation. Individual PGN systems are evaluated to assess the effect of modification on (1) surface plasmon resonance (SPR), (2) protein structural conformation, and (3) assembly-association. The degree of PGN assembly and colorimetric signal observed postmodification varies based on the type of …

Cardiac And Renal Function Are Progressively Impaired With Aging In Zucker Diabetic Fatty Type Ii Diabetic Rats, John W. Baynes, David B. Murray

Faculty Publications

This study investigated the temporal relationship between cardiomyopathy and renal pathology in the type II diabetic Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat. We hypothesized that changes in renal function will precede the development of cardiac dysfunction in the ZDF rat. Animals (10 weeks old) were divided into four experimental groups: Lean Control (fa/?) LC(n = 7), untreated ZDF rats (n = 7) sacrificed at 16 weeks of age, and LC (n = 7) untreated ZDF rats (n = 9) sacrificed at 36 weeks of age. LV structural/functional parameters were assessed via Millar conductance catheter. Renal function was evaluated via markers of …

Binding Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Apobacterioferritin-Associated Ferredoxin To Bacterioferritin B Promotes Heme Mediation Of Electron Delivery And Mobilization Of Core Mineral Iron, Saroja K. Weeratunga, Casey E. Gee, Scott Lovell, Yuhong Zeng, Carrie L. Woodin, Mario Rivera

Faculty Publications

The bfrB gene from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The resultant protein (BfrB), which assembles into a 445.3 kDa complex from 24 identical subunits, binds 12 molecules of heme axially coordinated by two Met residues. BfrB, isolated with 5-10 iron atoms per protein molecule, was reconstituted with ferrous ions to prepare samples with a core mineral containing 600 ± 40 ferric ions per BfrB molecule and approximately one phosphate molecule per iron atom. In the presence of sodium dithionite or in the presence of P. aeruginosa ferredoxin NADP reductase (FPR) and NADPH, the heme in BfrB …

Executive Perks: Compensation And Corporate Performance In China, Ilan Alon, Pattarin Adithipyangkul, Tianyu Zhang

Faculty Publications

Many studies have examined CEO compensation in developed countries, where a long tradition of disclosure renders data readily available. In emerging economies, particularly in China, where market-based compensation is a relatively new phenomenon, there are few studies of CEO compensation. In addition, information on the use of non-cash compensation is almost absent. Building on the general literature on CEO compensation, and Chinese economic and management studies, this article singularly contributes to the extant literature by (1) examining the motivational determinants of CEO perk compensation, on the one hand, and (2) exploring the relative contribution of perks to performance. We anticipate …

Student Satisfaction With Simulation Experiences, Angeline Abdo, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Background: Some nursing schools use patient simulators to simulate patient scenarios.

Methods: Nursing students participated in five sessions using a patient simulator and then completed a questionnaire related to their experiences.

Results: Participants felt the experiences recreated real-life situations, tested their clinical decision-making, prepared them for the “real-life” clinical setting, and increased their confidence when in the clinical setting.

Conclusions: Patient simulator experiences enhance learning. Further research regarding student perceptions and instrument validation would contribute to an increased understanding of the use of patient simulators in nursing education.

Sexual Experience And Couple Formation Attitudes Among Emerging Adults, Brian J. Willoughby, Jason S. Carroll

Faculty Publications

In this study, we explore the relationship between attitudes toward both marriage and cohabitation and sexual experience during emerging adulthood. Results from 990 emerging adults indicated only moderate evidence that marital attitudes are related to sexual experience but strong evidence of a relationship between attitudes toward cohabitation and sexual experience. In particular, sexually active emerging adults were more likely to have positive attitudes toward cohabitation. Furthermore, it was found that both religiosity and dating status moderate the relationship between couple formation attitudes and sexual experience. For highly religious emerging adults, sexual activity was associated with higher endorsement of cohabitation; however, …

Why Default On U.S. Treasuries Is Likely, Jeffrey Rogers Hummel

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Sedentary Behavior And Obesity In A Large Cohort Of Children, Jonathan A. Mitchell, Calum Mattocks, Andy R. Ness, Sam D. Leary, Russell R. Pate, Marsha Dowda, Steven N. Blair, Chris Riddoch

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sedentary behavior and obesity among 12-year-old children, while adjusting for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and other potential confounding variables.

Cross-sectional analyses were carried out with data from 5434 children who participated in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Fat mass was derived using dual x-ray emission absorptiometry (DXA), and height and weight measurements were used to calculate body mass index (BMI; kg/m²). The children wore an accelerometer for seven days. The cut points for sedentary behavior and MVPA were ≤199 cpm and ≥3600 cpm, …

From Thought To Action In School Mental Health Promotion, Mark D. Weist

Faculty Publications

In the global mental health movement, school mental health (SMH) promotion is an increasingly prominent approach and emerging field. Here, we chronicle the development of three innovations in SMH in the United States, from the early idea stage through development, current status and future directions. The innovations are The Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success, a prominent state initiative that is attempting to build a cogent shared school-family-community system agenda for SMH in one state, Expanded School Mental Health in Baltimore City, a prominent local initiative that has grown from involvement in four to 105 schools in 20 years, …

Racial Differences In Blood Pressure Response To Calcium Channel Blocker Monotherapy: A Meta-Analysis, Thu T. Nguyen, Jay S. Kaufman, Eric A. Whitsel, Richard S. Cooper

Faculty Publications

Background A systematic literature review was conducted to determine whether US blacks and whites have differential blood pressure (BP) response to calcium channel blocker (CCB) monotherapy.MethodsSix published studies made up the final cohort of eligible articles. Multiple treatment groups within some studies led to a total of eight sets of estimates for BP reduction with a total of 6,851 white or nonblack participants and 3,371 black participants.ResultsThe pooled difference in systolic blood pressure (SBP) change between blacks and whites was 2.7 mm Hg (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.0, 1.3) with blacks having greater response. The difference in diastolic blood pressure …

Eva And Her Baby (A Story Of Adolescent Sex, Pregnancy, Longing, Love, Loneliness, And Death), Michelle Oberman

Faculty Publications

I want to tell you the story of how I've come to see a woman I call Eva. It's more than just Eva's story, which is interesting in itself; it's also my story, puny like a pinky.

The story starts on a frigid February morning in 1992, when my friend Jack, a criminal defense lawyer with a solo-practice in downtown Chicago, called to talk with me about his sixteen-year-old client, Eva, who had hidden her pregnancy from her family and then given birth in a toilet. Her case was going to trial. He had never heard a story like hers. …

Paranoid Personality Has A Dimensional Latent Structure: Taxometric Analyses Of Community And Clinical Samples, John F. Edens, David K. Marcus, Leslie C. Morey

Faculty Publications

Although paranoid personality is one of the most commonly diagnosed personality disorders and is associated with numerous negative life consequences, relatively little is known about the structural properties of this condition. This study examines whether paranoid personality traits represent a latent dimension or a discrete class (i.e., taxon). In Study 1, the authors conducted taxometric analyses of paranoid personality disorder criteria in a sample of 731 patients participating in the Collaborative Longitudinal Study of Personality Disorders project (Gunderson et al., 2000) who had been administered a semistructured diagnostic interview for personality disorders according to criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical …

Morphological Deformities As Biomarkers In Fish From Contaminated Rivers In Taiwan, Peter Lin Sun, William E. Hawkins, Robin M. Overstreet, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson

Faculty Publications

Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) were collected seasonally from four contaminated rivers in southwestern Taiwan for studies of morphological deformities that could be used as biomarkers of contamination. Morphological deformities found in tilapia were separated into 15 categories. Overall, the prevalence of deformities such as split fins, lower lip extension and gill deformities were significantly related to various water quality parameters, including low DO and high ammonium, lead and zinc concentrations. The persistence of tilapia in polluted waters and the development of a suite of morphological deformities suggest that tilapia can be used as sentinels of non-point source pollution in rivers.

Promoting Social And Emotional Learning In Second Grade Students: A Study Of The Strong Start Curriculum, Paul Caldarella, Lynnette Christensen, Thomas J. Kramer, Kalli Kronmiller

Faculty Publications

The promotion of social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools may help prevent emotional and behavioral problems of students. This study evaluated the effects of a SEL curriculum, Strong Start, on the social-emotional competence of 26 second grade students, using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design. Results revealed statistically significant and meaningful improvements in teacher ratings of students’ internalizing and peer-related prosocial behaviors, particularly for students at greater risk. Conversely, control group students experienced significant worsening of internalizing behaviors and decreased levels of peer-related prosocial behaviors. No changes were reported in externalizing behaviors for either group. Treatment integrity and social …