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Identification Of A Consensus Dna-Binding Site For The Arabidopsis Thaliana Sbp Domain Transcription Factor, Atspl14, And Binding Kinetics By Surface Plasmon Resonance, Xinwen Liang, Tara J. Nazarenus, Julie M. Stone

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Proteins with a conserved Cys- and His-rich SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein (SBP) domain are transcription factors restricted to photosynthetic organisms that possess a novel two Zn-finger structure DNA-binding domain. Despite the fact that altered expression of some SBP-encoding genes has profound effects on organism growth and development, little is known about SBP domain protein target genes. Misexpression of the Arabidopsis thaliana AtSPL14 SBP domain gene confers resistance to programmed cell death and modifies plant architecture. A consensus DNA-binding motif for AtSPL14 was identified by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) or random binding site selection (RBSS). DNA recognized …

Mapping The Functional Interaction Of Sco1 And Cox2 In Cytochrome Oxidase Biogenesis, Kevin Rigby, Paul A. Cobine, Oleh Khalimonchuk, Dennis R. Winge

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Sco1 is implicated in the copper metallation of the Cu_A site in

Cox2 of cytochrome oxidase. The structure of Sco1 in the metallated

and apo-conformers revealed structural dynamics primarily

in an exposed region designated loop 8. The structural

dynamics of loop 8 in Sco1 suggests it may be an interface for

interactions with Cox17, the Cu(I) donor and/or Cox2. A series

of conserved residues in the sequence motif ²¹⁷KKYRVYF²²³ on

the leading edge of this loop are shown presently to be important

for yeast Sco1 function. Cells harboring Y219D, R220D, V221D,

and Y222D mutant Sco1 proteins failed …

Purification From Human Milk Of Matriptase Complexes With Secreted Serpins: Mechanism For Inhibition Of Matriptase Other Than Hai-1, I-Chu Tseng, Feng-Pai Chou, Sheng-Feng Su, Michael Oberst, Nandakumar Madayiputhiya, Ming-Shyue Lee, Jehng-Kang Wang, David E. Sloane, Michael Johnson, Chen-Yong Lin

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Matriptase, a type 2 transmembrane serine protease, is predominately expressed by epithelial and carcinoma cells in which hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor 1 (HAI-1), a membrane-bound, Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor, is also expressed. HAI-1 plays dual roles in the regulation of matriptase, as a conventional protease inhibitor and as a factor required for zymogen activation of matriptase. As a consequence, activation of matriptase is immediately followed by HAI-1-mediated inhibition, with the activated matriptase being sequestered into HAI-1 complexes. Matriptase is also expressed by peripheral blood leukocytes, such as monocytes and macrophages; however, in contrast to epithelial cells, monocytes and macrophages …

Regulation Of Aromatic Alcohol Production In Candida Albicans, Suman Ghosh, Bessie W. Kebaara, Audrey L. Atkin, Kenneth W. Nickerson

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Colonization by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans varies significantly, depending upon the pH and availability of oxygen. Because of our interest in extracellular molecules as potential quorum-sensing molecules, we examined the physiological conditions which regulate the production of the aromatic alcohols, i.e., phenethyl alcohol, tyrosol, and tryptophol. The production of these fusel oils has been well studied for Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our data show that aromatic alcohol yields for C. albicans are determined by growth conditions. These conditions include the availability of aromatic amino acids, the pH, oxygen levels, and the presence of ammonium salts. For example, for wild-type C. …

Vulnerability Of Rehabilitated Agricultural Production Systems To Invasion By Nontarget Plant Species, Sara G. Baer, David M. Engle, Johannes M.H. Knops, Kenneth A. Langeland, Bruce D. Maxwell, Fabian D. Menalled, Amy J. Symstad

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Vast areas of arable land have been retired from crop production and ‘‘rehabilitated’’ to improved system states through landowner incentive programs in the United States (e.g., Conservation and Wetland Reserve Programs), as well as Europe (i.e., Agri-Environment Schemes). Our review of studies conducted on invasion of rehabilitated agricultural production systems by nontarget species elucidates several factors that may increase the vulnerability of these systems to invasion. These systems often exist in highly fragmented and agriculturally dominated landscapes, where propagule sources of target species for colonization may be limited, and are established under conditions where legacies of past disturbance persist and …

Arabidopsis Drb4, Ago1, Ago7, And Rdr6 Participate In A Dcl4-Initiated Antiviral Rna Silencing Pathway Negatively Regulated By Dcl1, Feng Qu, Xiaohong Ye, Thomas Jack Morris

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Plant RNA silencing machinery enlists four primary classes of proteins to achieve sequence-specific regulation of gene expression and mount an antiviral defense. These include Dicer-like ribonucleases (DCLs), Argonaute proteins (AGOs), dsRNA-binding proteins (DRBs), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RDRs). Although at least four distinct endogenous RNA silencing pathways have been thoroughly characterized, a detailed understanding of the antiviral RNA silencing pathway is just emerging. In this report, we have examined the role of four DCLs, two AGOs, one DRB, and one RDR in controlling viral RNA accumulation in infected Arabidopsis plants by using a mutant virus lacking its silencing suppressor. Our …

A Novel Ecological Role Of The Firmicutes Identified In Thermophilic Microbial Fuel Cells, Kelly C. Wrighton, Peter Agbo, Falk Warnecke, Karrie A. Weber, Eoin L. Brodie, Todd Z. Desantis, Philip Hugenholtz, Gary L. Andersen, John D. Coates

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Significant effort is currently focused on microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as a source of renewable energy. Most studies concentrate on operation at mesophilic temperatures. However, anaerobic digestion studies have reported on the superiority of thermophilic operation and demonstrated a net energy gain in terms of methane yield. As such, our studies focused on MFC operation and microbiology at 55 °C. Over a 100-day operation, these MFCs were stable and achieved a power density of 37mW m^–2 with a coulombic efficiency of 89%. To infer activity and taxonomic identity of dominant members of the electricity-producing community, we performed phylogenetic microarray …

The Genome Sequence Of The Metal-Mobilizing, Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Metallosphaera Sedula Provides Insights Into Bioleaching-Associated Metabolism, Kathryne S. Auernik, Yukari Maezato, Paul H. Blum, Robert M. Kelly

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Despite their taxonomic description, not all members of the order Sulfolobales are capable of oxidizing

reduced sulfur species, which, in addition to iron oxidation, is a desirable trait of biomining microorganisms.

However, the complete genome sequence of the extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon Metallosphaera sedula

DSM 5348 (2.2 Mb, _2,300 open reading frames [ORFs]) provides insights into biologically catalyzed metal

sulfide oxidation. Comparative genomics was used to identify pathways and proteins involved (directly or

indirectly) with bioleaching. As expected, the M. sedula genome contains genes related to autotrophic carbon

fixation, metal tolerance, and adhesion. Also, terminal oxidase cluster organization indicates the presence …

Deciphering Climatic History From Lake Sediments, Sherilyn C. Fritz

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Reconstructing climate from lake sediments can be challenging, because the response of lakes and various components of lake systems are mediated by non-climatic factors, such as geomorphic and hydrologic stetting. As a result, the magnitude of lake response to climatic forcing may be non-linear. In addition, changes in the lake system associated with the aging process or non-climatic influences may alter the response to a given climate perturbation. These non-linear and nonstationary characteristics can produce spatial heterogeneity in the pattern and timing of inferred change. One approach for generating regionally robust climatic interpretations from lakes is to increase coordinated efforts …

Holocene Multidecadal- To Millennial-Scale Hydrologic Variability On The South American Altiplano, Erick Ekdahl, Sherilyn C. Fritz, Paul A. Baker, Catherine Rigsby, Kirstin Coley

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Precipitation on the South American Altiplano varies at a range of temporal scales. A long-term secular increase in moisture availability from the early/mid Holocene to the present, driven by increasing summer insolation resulting from precessional changes in the Earth’s orbit, has been documented in earlier studies. However, higher frequency Holocene variability is not yet understood. Here we present high-resolution diatom assemblage data from two small Altiplano lakes, Lago Lagunillas and Lago Umayo, indicating changes in effective moisture in the southern tropical Andes at decadal, centennial and millennial timescales throughout the mid to late Holocene. A strong millennial-scale component, similar in …

Investigation Of Millimetre Wave Generation By Stimulated Brillouin Scattering For Radio Over Fibre Applications, Markus Junker

Doctoral

The rising demand for greater bandwidth and increased flexibility in modern telecommunication systems has lead to increased research activities in the field of Millimetre Wave-Photonics. The combination of an optical access network and the radio propagation of high data-rate signals provides a solution to meet these demands. Such structures are also known as Radio Over Fibre Systems. They implement the optical Millimetre Wave generation in a central station and the transmission of radio waves via a remote antenna unit to the radio cell. The expected data rate is very high, due to the fact that both the optical and the …

Determinants Of Mobile Payments: An Empirical Analysis, Lei-Da Chen, Ravi Nath

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Success of mobile commerce hinges on the availability of methods of payment that are secure, ubiquitously available, globally accepted, and easy-to-use. Mobile payment (mPayment) entails making payments using mobile devices such as wireless handsets, personal digital assistants, and other radio frequency (RF) and near field communication (NFC) devices. While mPayment is still in its infancy, its acceptance is likely to increase considerably in the coming years. In the United States, the acceptance of mPayment lags behind that of Europe and Asia. In the U.S, many experts believe that the next step in mPayment evolution is the development of a single-device …

Expanding Group Support System Capabilities From The Knowledge Management Perspective, Shin-Yuan Hung, King-Zoo Tang, Tsan-Chuan Shu

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

A group support system (GSS) is a computer-based system that enables people in different places to discuss and make decisions on connected computers. Expanding GSS capabilities from the knowledge management perspective is believed to significantly improve the performance and satisfaction of group meetings. This study develops the organizational knowledge management process, proposed by Alavi and Leidner (2001), to expand the capabilities of a GSS. Additionally, a prototype system has been implemented. Finally, an experiment is conducted to evaluate the system and demonstrate its applicability and usability. Experimental results indicate that users perceive a web-based GSS with knowledge management capabilities to …

The Use Of Strategic Forces To Understand Competitive Advantages Provided By Information Technology, Gerald E. Evans, Clyde Neu

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Porter’s Five Forces model of business strategy is foundational to understanding strategic forces and the role of information technology in the larger strategic framework of an organization. The authors describe how information technology changes the strength and/or influence of the competitive forces in Porter’s model. Furthermore, understanding how specific technologies potentially change specific forces within Porter’s model is the foundation of IT strategy. This theoretical framework of strategic alignment is developed through cases demonstrating how specific technologies change the strategic forces within specific industries and how organizations should take advantage of these changing forces. Empirical evidence for the validity of …

Uc: Ubiquitous Collaboration Platform For Multimodal Team Interaction Support, Veton Z. Kepuska, Sabri Gurbuz, Walter Rodriguez, Stephen M. Fiore, Deborah Carstens, Patrick D. Converse, David Metcalf

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

A human-centered computing platform that improves teamwork and transforms the “human- computer interaction experience” for distributed teams is presented. This Ubiquitous Collaboration, or uC (“you see”), platform's objective is to transform distributed teamwork (i.e., work occurring when teams of workers and learners are geographically dispersed and often interacting at different times). It achieves this goal through a multimodal team interaction interface realized through a reconfigurable open architecture. The approach taken is to integrate: (1) an intuitive speech- and video-centric multi-modal interface to augment more conventional methods (e.g., mouse, stylus and touch), (2) an open and reconfigurable architecture supporting information gathering, …

Information Relevance And Availability: Toward Effective Management Of Projects In Public Sector, Carlos F. Gomes, Mahmoud M. Yasin

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Information plays a critical role in the different stages of managing a project. This study examines the views of one hundred and two (102) Portuguese Public sector officials on the relevance, availability and sharability of information as practiced in their organizations. Cluster analysis, gap analysis and confirmatory factor analysis procedures are utilized to analyze the collected data. The results of this study tend to underscore the growing need to have well- designed information systems, which are capable of enhancing the availability and promoting the sharability of relevant information.

Dimensionality Of Thoughts Of Death And Suicide: Evidence From A Study Of Homeless Adolescents, Kevin A. Yoder, Les B. Whitbeck, Dan R. Hoyt

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This study used data from a sample of 444 homeless adolescents to determine whether thoughts of death and suicide form one construct (unidimensionality) or two distinct but correlated constructs (multi-dimensionality). Thoughts of death and suicide were common in the sample; over two-thirds of the adolescents positively endorsed at least one of the eight death-or suicide-related items. Evidence regarding dimensionality was mixed. Exploratory factor analysis results and similarity coefficients supported one construct; confirmatory factor analysis and external consistency results provided evidence for two constructs. The results were reconciled by considering suicidality as a continuum from thoughts of death to suicidal ideation, …

Nitrated Alpha-Synuclein-Activated Microglial Profiling For Parkinson’S Disease, Ashley D. Reynolds, Jason G. Glanzer, Irena Kadiu, Mary Ricardo-Dukelow, Anathbandhu Chaudhuri, Pawel Ciborowski, Ronald Cerny, Benjamin Gelman, Mark P. Thomas, R. Lee Mosley, Howard E. Gendelman

Ronald Cerny Publications

(PD). This can occur, in part, by modulation of glial function following activation by soluble or insoluble modified alphasynuclein (α-syn), a chief component of Lewy bodies that is released from affected dopaminergic neurons. α-Syn is nitrated during oxidative stress responses and in its aggregated form, induces inflammatory microglial functions. Elucidation of these microglial function changes in PD could lead to new insights into disease mechanisms. To this end, PD-associated inflammation was modeled by stimulation of microglia with aggregated and nitrated α-syn. These activated microglia were ameboid in morphology and elicited dopaminergic neurotoxicity. A profile of nitrated, aggregated α-syn-stimulated microglia was …

Phosphorylation Of Muc1 By Met Modulates Interaction With P53 And Mmp1 Expression, Pankaj K. Singh, Michelle E. Behrens, John P. Eggers, Ronald Cerny, Jennifer M. Bailey, Kandavel Shanmugam, Sandra J. Gendler, Eric P. Bennett, Michael A. Hollingsworth

Ronald Cerny Publications

MUC1, a transmembrane mucin, is a key modulator of several signaling pathways that affect oncogenesis, motility, and cell morphology. The interaction of MUC1 cytoplasmic tail (MUC1CT) with signal transducers and its nuclear translocation and subsequent biological responses are believed to be regulated by phosphorylation status, but the precise mechanisms by which this occurs remain poorly defined. We detected a novel association between the Met receptor tyrosine kinase and the MUC1CT. Met catalyzed phosphorylation of tyrosine at YHPM in the MUC1CT. Stimulation of S2-013.MUC1F pancreatic cancer cells with hepatocyte growth factor facilitated nuclear localization of MUC1CT, as determined by real time …

Influence Of Heterocyclic And Oxime-Containing Farnesol Analogs On Quorum Sensing And Pathogenicity In Candida Albicans, Roman Shchepin, Dhammika H.M.L.P. Navarathna, Raluca Dumitru, Shane Lippold, Kenneth W. Nickerson, Patrick Dussault

Patrick Dussault Publications

A series of synthetic molecules combining a geranyl backbone with a heterocyclic or oxime head group are quorum-sensing molecules that block the yeast to mycelium transition in the dimorphic fungus Candida albicans. A number of the analogs have an IC₅₀ ≤ 10 μM, a level of potency essentially identical to the natural quorum sensing signal, the sesquiterpene farnesol. Two of the most potent analogs, neither toxic toward healthy mice, display remarkably different effects when co-administered with C. albicans. While neither offers protection from candidiasis, one analog mimics farnesol in acting as a virulence factor, whereas the other …

Experimental Analysis Of A Web-Based Training Intervention To Develop Positive Psychological Capital, Fred Luthans, James B. Avey, Jaime L. Patera

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

Psychological capital with components of hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resiliency has recently emerged as a core construct in taking positive psychology to the workplace. A distinguishing feature is that it is “state-like” and thus open to development. We analyze whether such psychological capital can be developed through a highly focused, 2-hour web-based training intervention. Using a pretest, posttest experimental design (n = 187 randomly assigned to the treatment group and n = 177 to the control group), we found support that psychological capital can be developed by such a training intervention.

Cranial Deformation As The Cause Of Death For A Child From The Chillon River Valley, Peru, Shelia M.F. Medoncade Souza, Karl J. Reinhard, Andrea Lessa

Karl Reinhard Publications

Two small mummy bundles, found in a tomb at the Chillon River Valley, Lima Plains, Peru exist in the collections of the Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They were donated to the collections at the beginning of the 20th century. A multidisciplinary team is now curating and studying them. CT scans confirmed both skeletons were of individuals less than one year old at death. One of the bundles is intact and will be preserved and displayed. The other one was partly decomposed and the authors received permission to unwrap it to analyze the bones in details. Mites and pollen …

Pathoecology Of Two Ancestral Pueblo Villages, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Pathoecology is the study of the biotic, abiotic, and cultural environments of disease (Martinson et al. 2003). A parasitic infection is the result of the pathoecological interaction of host behavior, parasite life cycle, the environment in which both life forms live, the nutritional status of the host, and host physiological responses to all of these factors. Parasites contribute to anemia in many ways. Some, such as hookworm, actually consume blood and cause iron loss through their activities. For other parasites, symptoms such as profuse diarrhea reduce intestinal absorption of nutrients. Others, such as certain fish tapeworms, actually compete for absorption …

A Case Of Moral Heroism: Sympathy, Personal Identification, And Mortality In Rwanda, Ari Kohen

Department of Political Science: Faculty Publications

What sort of person chooses to remain in a place like Rwanda when an easy exit is offered, when leaving seems the only safe or sane option, and when one is not directly connected to the would-be victims? And how does this person come to develop a circle of care that is expansive enough to include those who are radically Other? In what follows, I consider these questions through a detailed examination of the recent example of Paul Rusesabagina, the Hutu hotel manager in Kigali, Rwanda, who sheltered more than a thousand Tutsi and moderate Hutu refugees during the hundred-day …

Geographic Patterns Of At-Risk Species, Curtis H. Flather, Michael S. Knowles, Jason Mcnees

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This technical document supports the Forest Service’s requirement to assess the status of renewable natural resources as mandated by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974. It updates past reports on the trends and geographic patterns of species formally listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. We compare the geographic occupancy of threatened and endangered species at the county-level against the geographic occupancy of a broader set of species thought to be at risk of extinction. This is done to determine if new areas where species rarity may be concentrated emerge. Here …

Efficacy Of Oral And Parenteral Routes Of Mycobacterium Bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin Vaccination Against Experimental Bovine Tuberculosis In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): A Feasibility Study, P. Nol, M. V. Palmer, W. R. Waters, F. E. Aldwell, B. M. Buddle, J. M. Triantis, L. M. Linke, G. E. Phillips, T. C. Thacker, J. C. Rhyan, M. D. Salman, M. R. Dunbar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We investigated the efficacy of oral and parenteral Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin Danish strain 1331 (BCG) in its ability to protect white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) against disease caused by M. bovis infection. Twenty-two white-tailed deer were divided into four groups. One group (n=5) received 109 colony-forming units (cfu) BCG via a lipid-formulated oral bait; one group (n=5) received 109 cfu BCG in culture directly to the oropharynx, one group (n=6) was vaccinated with 106 cfu BCG subcutaneously, and one group served as a control and received culture media directly to the oropharynx (n=6). All animals were challenged 3 …

Procedural Justice In Family Conflict Resolution And Deviant Peer Group Involvement Among Adolescents: The Mediating Influence Of Peer Conflict, Jennifer Stuart, Mark Fondarco, Scott A. Miller, Veda Brown, Eve M. Brank

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The involvement of adolescents with deviant peer groups is one of the strongest proximal correlates to juvenile delinquency and stems from a variety of causes. Past research has linked ineffective parenting with peer variables, including deviant peer group involvement and peer conflict during adolescence. In this study, adolescents’ appraisals of procedural justice within the family (adolescents’ appraisals of how fairly they are treated by parents in the process of resolving family conflict) were examined as one aspect of effective parenting that may relate to deviant peer group involvement in early adolescence. Data from 1660 middle school students (ages 11-14, mean …

Legal Aspects Of Using Space-Derived Geospatial Information For Emergency Response, With Particular Reference To The Charter On Space And Major Disasters, Frans Von Der Dunk

Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law Program: Faculty Publications

Increasing attention is being paid today to the potential offered by geospatial information in particular if generated with the help of satellites to contribute to mitigation of major disasters—tsunamis and earthquakes as much as man-made disasters. The current contribution seeks to outline some of the major legal issues involved in the use space-derived data for emergency response, focusing on four topics: copyrights, access to remote sensing data, responsibilities and liabilities, and security and dual use-issues involved. This contribution forms part of the Leiden faculty of Law research program “securing the rule of law in a world of multilevel jurisdiction: (coherence, …

Non-Lethal Management To Reduce Conflicts With Winter Urban Crow Roosts In New York: 2002 - 2007, Richard B. Chipman, Travis L. Devault, Dennis Slate, Kenneth J. Preusser, Mark S. Carrara, Joshua W. Friers, Timothy P. Algeo

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

American crow populations have increased steadily since 1966 in many parts of the U.S. Large winter congregations of crows in urban environments have resulted in an increased number of requests for assistance in managing nocturnal roosts in New York. In 2002, the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services program initiated a large-scale non-lethal winter roost dispersal program in Troy, New York. Since that time, similar programs have been implemented in 4 other cities in New York to manage crow roosts ranging in size from 8,000 - 63,000 individuals. The goals of the programs were to minimize noise, accumulations of crow feces around …

A Biologically Inspired Focus Of Attention Model, Daniel I. Harris

Theses

With high definition, high resolution, technology becoming ever more popular, the vast amount of input available to modern object recognition systems can become overwhelming. Given an image taken from a high resolution digital camera, a target object may be very small in comparison to the entire image. Additionally, any non-target objects in the input are considered unnecessary data, or clutter. While many modern object recognition systems have been created to be over 90% accurate in the recognition task, adding large amounts of clutter to an input quickly degrades both the speed and accuracy of many models. To reduce both the …