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Report: The Illinois State University Faculty-Staff Newsletter, August 25, 2009, Illinois State University

Illinois State University Report (1966-2012)

Illinois State University bi-weekly employee newsletter.

The Multipurpose 15-Protofilament Microtubules In C. Elegans Have Specific Roles In Mechanosensation, Alexander Bounoutas, Robert O'Hagan, Martin Chalfie

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Because microtubules perform many essential functions in neurons, delineating unique roles attributable to these organelles presents a formidable challenge. Microtubules endow neurons with shape and structure and are required for developmental processes including neurite outgrowth [1], intracellular transport [2], and synapse formation and plasticity [3, 4]; microtubules in sensory neurons may be required for the above processes in addition to a specific sensory function. In Caenorhabditis elegans, six touch receptor neurons (TRNs) sense gentle touch [5] and uniquely contain 15-protofilament microtubules [6]. Disruption of these microtubules by loss of either the MEC-7 β-tubulin [7] or MEC-12 α-tubulin [8] or by …

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 …

A Follow-Up Study Exploring The Transformative Effects Of Wilderness Therapy On Adolescents With Histories Of Trauma : A Project Based Upon An Investigation At Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Programs, Albany, Oregon, George Carter Herrity

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This quantitative, quasi-experimental study examined 57 adolescents, ages 13 to 18, who attended the Catherine Freer Wilderness Therapy Program 21-day trek. The program is based in Albany, Oregon. The purpose of this study was to conduct a follow-up to Ganapol's (2008) study in order to further assess the treatment modality, wilderness therapy, through the lens of trauma. More specifically, this study focused on wilderness therapy's potential to act as a transformative experience for adolescents with histories of trauma. For use in this research, the phenomenological term, transformative experience, corresponds to a decrease in trauma symptomatology, an increase in psychological resilience, …

Stuck In The Sibling Relationship : Growing Up With A Sibling With A Serious Mental Illness And How Intimate Relationships Later In Life May Be Affected, Laura Pereira Jacinto

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study examines the experience of growing up with a sibling with a serious mental illness and how this phenomenon may then affect intimate relationships later in life. Theoretical perspectives of both trauma theory and object relations theory are applied to this phenomenon and how it affects the well siblings. Findings of the current study suggest that individuals internalize aspects of this early relationship and also internalize aspects of the relationship with their parents who are focusing so much care and attention on the mentally ill sibling. Patterns of maladaptive relationships may then continue to occur in the future. …

Targeting Of Triacylglycerol Synthase Gene For Tuberculosis Treatment, Pappachan Kolattukudy, Jaiyanth Daniel, Vinod Dubey, Tatiana Sirakova

UCF Patents

Disclosed herein are novel methods for screening for compounds useful in treating or preventing tuberculosis. In exemplary embodiments, screening methods are based on the implementation or manipulation of triacylglycerol synthase like polypeptides or polynucleotides encoding the same. The methods are useful in identifying agents active against TB infection.

The Effects Of Oncology Social Workers Involvement On Cancer Patients' Decisions About End-Of-Life Care, Amy Y. Kwan

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study is to explore oncology social workers' level of involvement with cancer patients in a hospital setting and the effects this involvement might have on cancer patients' end-of-life care decisions. Ten oncology social workers were recruited through a snowball sampling process. They completed demographic questionnaires and participated in semi-structured interviews. The narrative data was studied for prominent themes using thematic analysis. The findings underscored the importance of early social workers' involvement with cancer patients to provide guidance, support, and address emotional aspects of their cancer experiences. This study also notes that each cancer type follows a …

Narrative Approaches To Recovery-Oriented Psychotherapy With Individuals With Schizophrenia, Michelle Hart Marlowe

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical study examines narrative approaches in recovery-oriented psychotherapy with individuals with schizophrenia. This study was undertaken in an effort to address a gap in the literature regarding theoretical frameworks to guide psychotherapists in providing services that facilitate the recovery process for individuals with schizophrenia. Psychotherapy has had an evolving and often contentious role in the treatment of schizophrenia. Psychotherapy was once a standard form of treatment for schizophrenia, but currently psychopharmacology is the dominate treatment method. Interest in psychotherapy in treatment for schizophrenia is once again increasing, however. Influenced by the mental health recovery movement, the mental health system …

An Exploratory Study Of Transracial Adoptions : African American Perspectives, Tarn Carolyn Martin

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to determine if what the National Association of Black Social Workers states; that African American children raised by Caucasian adults are at risk for being outcast by the African American community. The NABSW believes that transracial adoptees are not able to develop a healthy sense of self when raised by Caucasians. For this study I interviewed 8 participants who identify as African American who were between the ages of 18-47. The participants were asked a series of questions in regards to their development and how they have fared being raised by Caucasian parents. Most of the …

Establishing The Core Self And Its Significance Developmentally : A Qualitative Exploration Of The Relationship Between Achieving Self Cohesion And Entrance Into Adulthood, Joseph James Lacy

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between achieving self cohesion and the transition into adulthood. Arnett (1998, 2000, 2004) has introduced a developmental stage which is neither adolescence nor adulthood, emerging adulthood, during which identity exploration is occurring. This exploration involves the questioning of one's worldviews, relationships and career path. As this discovery evolves one becomes more committed within these areas resulting with a cohesive self. Drawing from Erik Erikson's (1950, 1968) psychosocial stages of development and James Marcia's (2002) identity development model this thesis will explore identity development and the entrance into adulthood. This study …

An Exploratory Study Of Clinicians' Understanding Of Children's Non-Traditional Toy Choice And Parents' Concerns, Lindsay Britt Jamieson

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory qualitative study investigated clinicians' understanding of children's non-traditional toy choices and parents' concerns. The study explored parents' concerns regarding toy choices, clinicians' understanding of non-traditional toy choices and parents' concerns, and clinicians' responses to parents who are concerned about toy choice. Ten clinicians with two or more year of experience were recruited through snowball sampling in New England. Participation involved semi-structured interviews with questions related to their clinical experiences, understandings, assessments, and personal opinions related to toy choice for children. Results indicated that clinicians had cases where non-traditional toy selection developed as an issue during session. Further findings …

The Bg News August 25, 2009, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. August 25, 2009. Volume 100-Issue 3.

Interrelationships Among Personality, Perceived Classmate Support, And Life Satisfaction In Adolescents, Devon Renee Minch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationships among personality factors and life satisfaction in high school students. High school students (

N = 625) completed self-report measures of personality characteristics (namely, extraversion, neuroticism, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness) and global life satisfaction. Results include the specific contribution of each of these personality dimensions as they relate to life satisfaction, gender differences, and the role of perceived classmate support in relationships between personality factors and life satisfaction. Specifically, findings revealed that about 45% of the variance in adolescents‟ life satisfaction scores was accounted for by their self-reported measures of …

Cbsm Effects On Sickness Behavior And Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Mechanisms In Breast Cancer Survivors, Orit Birnbaum-Weitzman

Open Access Dissertations

The concept of sickness behavior offers a framework to view both the neurovegetative and psychological symptoms that accompany illness as a common entity that results from increased inflammatory activation. Despite the prevalence of sickness behavior in medical populations, to our knowledge this study provides the first attempt to develop a standardized measure to assess sickness behavior using standard self-report questionnaires commonly used with cancer patients. The set of items included in the measure match theoretical conceptualizations of sickness behavior and target symptoms that comprise anhedonia, depressed mood, cognitive dysfunction, social disinterest, fatigue, low libido, poor appetite, somnolence, sensitivity to pain, …

Combinational Mixtures Of Multiparameter Distributions, Valeria Edefonti, Giovanni Parmigiani

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

We introduce combinatorial mixtures - a flexible class of models for inference on mixture distributions whose component have multidimensional parameters. The key idea is to allow each element of the component-specific parameter vectors to be shared by a subset of other components. This approach allows for mixtures that range from very flexible to very parsimonious, and unifies inference on component-specific parameters with inference on the number of components. We develop Bayesian inference and computation approaches for this class of distributions, and illustrate them in an application. This work was originally motivated by the analysis of cancer subtypes: in terms of …

Current, August 24, 2009, University Of Missouri-St. Louis

Current (2000s)

No abstract provided.

Ua3/9 Western Kentucky University Convocation 2009, Gary A. Ransdell

Presidential Speeches

No abstract provided.

The Utah Statesman, August 24, 2009, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Collegian (2009-08-24), Julianna Sosa

UTB/TSC Archives - The Collegian [Newspaper]

Vol. 62, No. 1

August 24, 2009 Reporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

In Vivo Analysis Of The Notch Receptor S1 Cleavage, Robert J. Lake, Lisa M. Grimm, Alexey Veraksa, Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas

Biology Faculty Publication Series

A ligand-independent cleavage (S1) in the extracellular domain of the mammalian Notch receptor results in what is considered to be the canonical heterodimeric form of Notch on the cell surface. The in vivo consequences and significance of this cleavage on Drosophila Notch signaling remain unclear and contradictory. We determined the cleavage site in Drosophila and examined its in vivo function by a transgenic analysis of receptors that cannot be cleaved. Our results demonstrate a correlation between loss of cleavage and loss of in vivo function of the Notch receptor, supporting the notion that S1 cleavage is an in vivo mechanism …

Older Women's Perceived Independence In Post-Widowhood Repartnership, Jessica Weldon Eipper

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study investigated older women's perceived independence in late-life post-widowhood repartnerships and sought to better understand the ways in which repartnership impacted these women's sense of independence. Using a qualitative, exploratory design, the study adds to this relatively unexplored topic. Heterosexual women who had lost a spouse and become re-partnered at the age of 65 or older were recruited from across Massachusetts. Ten repartnered women ages 73-93 participated in this study. In face to face interviews they were asked a series of questions focused on the following themes: 1) negotiation of shared and separate time, activities, space, resources, tasks and …

The Daily Gamecock, Monday, August 24, 2009, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

August

No abstract provided.

Anonymous Sperm Donor Preferences Of Non-Genetic Mothers, Carmel Trinity Drewes

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This research explored the preferences and priorities of women selecting an anonymous sperm donor in order to start a family; it focused exclusively on the preferences of the non-genetically related parent in families headed by a two-woman couple. The study explored participants' views about the importance of 19 categories commonly used by cryobanks to classify sperm donors as well as the participants' rationale for their specific preferences. The researcher asked participants to rate their perception of the similarity of both preferred and avoided donor traits to themselves and their partners, as well as inquiring into any differences of opinion that …

The Feasibility Of Dialogue Writing With Patients Who Have An Eating Disorder, Andrea Lynn Harbeck

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study emerged from the creation of dialogue writing, a new intervention for the treatment of eating disorders. A nascent intervention, the study investigated its feasibility as a form of treatment for eating disorders; specifically the study gathered data regarding the participant's experience with dialogue writing. The dialogue writing process involves writing a dialogue between the self and the eating disorder as personified in a character created by the participant. Nine women receiving treatment for eating disorders at a clinic participated in a group setting in the dialogue writing exercise, which was administered by the groups' regular facilitator. Although the …

Trauma And The Body : A Survey Examining The Use Of Therapeutic Touch In Psychotherapy, Sunshine Elizabeth Finneran

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

A national purposive expert convenience sample of approximately 76 individuals who either self-identity as having experienced a traumatic event(s), or have a current or past diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder responded to an anonymous online survey regarding the use of direct touch as a method of abreaction for traumarelated symptoms. This study sought to answer the question of whether individuals with a trauma history found curative aspects related to using therapeutic touch modalities in the treatment process. The findings showed that people with significant trauma histories found therapeutic, direct touch modalities to be helpful in the recovery process.

Current Trends In Employee Assistance Concerns : Employee Assistance Professionals' Reports On The Presenting Concerns Of Employees, Theodore Robert Healy

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study explored current trends in the most commonly presented areas of concern Employee Assistance (EA) professionals observed among their clients. It is important to understand a comprehensive view of the state of current issues in the field as well as the individual in context and the role work plays in individuals' lives; from providing a source of income to a sense of self. A nonprobability expert sample of 111 EA professionals was recruited through participants' membership in professional organizations and a web-based group related to the field. Participants held master's level certification or greater in mental health-related fields, were …

Tech Town's Grand Opening

News Releases

No abstract provided.

The Current Volume 20 : Issue 2, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Monitor Newsletter August 24, 2009, Bowling Green State University

Monitor

Official Publication of Bowling Green State University for Faculty and Staff