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2010

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What's In A Name? Genocide Early Warning Model For Humanitarian Intervention, Alexandria Lewis Jan 2010

What's In A Name? Genocide Early Warning Model For Humanitarian Intervention, Alexandria Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is much debate among genocide scholars as to the causes and even accurate definitions of genocide. Early warning developed to address the increasing need for humanitarian intervention in violent conflicts around the world. As a subset of genocide studies, early warning seeks to go beyond explaining the causes of genocide. The early warning model created here uses six indicator variables - government, leaders/elites, followers, non-followers/bystanders, outsider group, and environment - to detect the likelihood of genocide within a given case study. Four cases were chosen - Kenya, Nigeria, Yemen, and Ethiopia - and analyzed using the indicator variables to …

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Developing Fourth Graders' Proficiency In Basic Multiplication Facts Through Strategy Instruction, Stacey Braddock Jan 2010

Developing Fourth Graders' Proficiency In Basic Multiplication Facts Through Strategy Instruction, Stacey Braddock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate my own practice of teaching basic multiplication facts to fourth graders. I wanted to see how focusing my instruction on strategies would help my students develop proficiency in basic multiplication facts. I chose this topic because Florida was in the process of shifting to new standards that encourage teaching for deeper meaning. I hoped this research would give my students the opportunity to make sense of multiplication on a deeper level, while giving me insight into how students learn multiplication. Through this study, I learned that students initially find multiplication …

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Young Adults' Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage And Polygamy As A Function Of Demographic, Gender, And Personality Variables, Catherine Pearte Jan 2010

Young Adults' Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage And Polygamy As A Function Of Demographic, Gender, And Personality Variables, Catherine Pearte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Based on a sample of 814 university students, pro- and anti-same-sex marriage and polygamous marriage groups were established based on students scoring >1 SD above (n = 145; n = 132, respectively) and > 1 SD below the group mean (n = 127; n = 126) on the Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage Scale (ATSSM: Pearl & Paz-Galupo, 2007) and Attitudes Toward Polygamy Scale, which was generated by modifying the ATSSM (ATPM). Compared to pro-same-sex marriage students, anti-same-sex marriage students were significantly more prejudiced against gays and lesbians, authoritarian, religious, and politically conservative. Anti-same-sex marriage students also had less contact with and …

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Prey Records For The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon Couperi), Dirk J. Stevenson, M. Rebecca Bolt, Daniel J. Smith, Kevin M. Enge, Natalie L. Hyslop, Terry M. Norton, Karen J. Dyer Jan 2010

Prey Records For The Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon Couperi), Dirk J. Stevenson, M. Rebecca Bolt, Daniel J. Smith, Kevin M. Enge, Natalie L. Hyslop, Terry M. Norton, Karen J. Dyer

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Prey items for the federally protected Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi) were compiled from published and gray literature, field observations, necropsies, dissection of museum specimens, and personal communications from reliable sources. One hundred and eighty-six records were obtained for 48 different prey species. Anurans, Gopher Tortoises, snakes, and rodents comprised ca. 85% of the prey items. Most records (n = 143) that mentioned size were from adult indigos; 17 were from juveniles. Prey records were collected from 1940-2008 and were available for all months of the year. These data confirm that Eastern Indigo Snakes eat a wide assortment of prey …

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Directed Assembly Of Solution Processed Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Via Dielectrophoresis: From Aligned Array To Individual Nanotube Devices, Paul Stokes, Saiful I. Khondaker Jan 2010

Directed Assembly Of Solution Processed Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Via Dielectrophoresis: From Aligned Array To Individual Nanotube Devices, Paul Stokes, Saiful I. Khondaker

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

The authors demonstrate directed assembly of high quality solution processed single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) devices via ac dielectrophoresis using commercially available SWNT solutions. By controlling the shape of the electrodes, concentration of the solution, and assembly time, the authors are able to control the assembly of SWNTs from dense arrays down to individual SWNT devices. Electronic transport studies of individual SWNT devices show field effect mobilities of up to 1380 cm(2)/V s for semiconducting SWNTs and saturation currents of up to similar to 15 mu A for metallic SWNTs. The field effect mobilities are more than an order of magnitude …

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Using Spot-Vgt Ndvi As A Successive Ecological Indicator For Understanding The Environmental Implications In The Tarim River Basin, China, Zhandong Sun, Ni-Bin Chang, Christian Opp Jan 2010

Using Spot-Vgt Ndvi As A Successive Ecological Indicator For Understanding The Environmental Implications In The Tarim River Basin, China, Zhandong Sun, Ni-Bin Chang, Christian Opp

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

The resilience and vulnerability of terrestrial ecosystem in the Tarim River Basin, Xinjiang is critical in sustainable development of the northwest region in China. To learn more about causes of the ecosystem evolution in this wide region, vegetation dynamics can be a surrogate indicator of environmental responses and human perturbations. This paper aims to use the inter-annual and intra-annual coefficient of variation (CoV) derived by the SPOT-VGT Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) as an integrated measure of vegetation dynamics to address the environmental implications in response to climate change. To finally pin down the vegetation dynamics, the intra-annual CoV based …

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Structural Analysis Of Proteins By Isotope-Edited Ftir Spectroscopy, Suren A. Tatulian Jan 2010

Structural Analysis Of Proteins By Isotope-Edited Ftir Spectroscopy, Suren A. Tatulian

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Structure determination of multidomain proteins or protein membrane complexes is one of the most challenging tasks in modern structural biology. High-resolution techniques, like NMR or X-ray crystallography, are limited to molecules of moderate size or those that can be crystallized easily. Both methods encounter serious technical obstacles in structural analysis of protein membrane systems. This work describes an emerging biophysical technique that combines segmental isotope labeling or proteins with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which provides site-specific structural information on proteins and allows structural characterization of protein membrane complexes. Labeling of a segment of the protein with (13)C results in …

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Hsp90 Is Required For Transfer Of The Cholera Toxin A1 Subunit From The Endoplasmic Reticulum To The Cytosol, Michael Taylor, Fernando Navarro-Garcia, Jazmin Huerta, Helen Burress, Shane Massey, Keith Ireton, Ken Teter Jan 2010

Hsp90 Is Required For Transfer Of The Cholera Toxin A1 Subunit From The Endoplasmic Reticulum To The Cytosol, Michael Taylor, Fernando Navarro-Garcia, Jazmin Huerta, Helen Burress, Shane Massey, Keith Ireton, Ken Teter

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Cholera toxin (CT) is an AB(5) toxin that moves from the cell surface to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by retrograde vesicular transport. In the ER, the catalytic A1 subunit dissociates from the rest of the toxin and enters the cytosol by exploiting the quality control system of ER-associated degradation (ERAD). The driving force for CTA1 dislocation into the cytosol is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the cytosolic chaperone Hsp90 is required for CTA1 passage into the cytosol. Hsp90 bound to CTA1 in an ATP-dependent manner that was blocked by geldanamycin (GA), an established Hsp90 inhibitor. CT activity against cultured cells …

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A New Target For Amyloid Beta Toxicity Validated By Standard And High-Throughput Electrophysiology, Kucku Varghese, Peter Molnar, Mainak Das, Neelima Bhargava, Stephen Lambert, Mark S. Kindy, James J. Hickman Jan 2010

A New Target For Amyloid Beta Toxicity Validated By Standard And High-Throughput Electrophysiology, Kucku Varghese, Peter Molnar, Mainak Das, Neelima Bhargava, Stephen Lambert, Mark S. Kindy, James J. Hickman

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Background: Soluble oligomers of amyloid beta (A beta) are considered to be one of the major contributing factors to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Most therapeutic development studies have focused on toxicity directly at the synapse. Methodology/Principal Findings: Patch clamp studies detailed here have demonstrated that soluble A beta can also cause functional toxicity, namely it inhibits spontaneous firing of hippocampal neurons without significant cell death at low concentrations. This toxicity will eventually lead to the loss of the synapse as well, but may precede this loss by a considerable amount of time. In a key technological advance we have …

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Evolving Static Representations For Task Transfer, Phillip Verbancsics, Kenneth O. Stanley Jan 2010

Evolving Static Representations For Task Transfer, Phillip Verbancsics, Kenneth O. Stanley

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

An important goal for machine learning is to transfer knowledge between tasks. For example, learning to play RoboCup Keepaway should contribute to learning the full game of RoboCup soccer. Previous approaches to transfer in Keepaway have focused on transforming the original representation to fit the new task. In contrast, this paper explores the idea that transfer is most effective if the representation is designed to be the same even across different tasks. To demonstrate this point, a bird's eye view (BEV) representation is introduced that can represent different tasks on the same two-dimensional map. For example, both the 3 vs. …

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Chloroplast-Derived Enzyme Cocktails Hydrolyse Lignocellulosic Biomass And Release Fermentable Sugars, Dheeraj Verma, Anderson Kanagaraj, Shuangxia Jin, Nameirakpam D. Singh, Pappachan E. Kolattukudy, Henry Daniell Jan 2010

Chloroplast-Derived Enzyme Cocktails Hydrolyse Lignocellulosic Biomass And Release Fermentable Sugars, Dheeraj Verma, Anderson Kanagaraj, Shuangxia Jin, Nameirakpam D. Singh, Pappachan E. Kolattukudy, Henry Daniell

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

It is widely recognized that biofuel production from lignocellulosic materials is limited by inadequate technology to efficiently and economically release fermentable sugars from the complex multi-polymeric raw materials. Therefore, endoglucanases, exoglucanase, pectate lyases, cutinase, swollenin, xylanase, acetyl xylan esterase, beta glucosidase and lipase genes from bacteria or fungi were expressed in Escherichia coli or tobacco chloroplasts. A PCR-based method was used to clone genes without introns from Trichoderma reesei genomic DNA. Homoplasmic transplastomic lines showed normal phenotype and were fertile. Based on observed expression levels, up to 49, 64 and 10, 751 million units of pectate lyases or endoglucanase can …

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Oral Delivery Of Bioencapsulated Coagulation Factor Ix Prevents Inhibitor Formation And Fatal Anaphylaxis In Hemophilia B Mice, Dheeraj Verma, Babak Moghimi, Paul A, Loduca, Harminder D. Singh, Brad E. Hoffman, Roland W. Herzog, Henry Daniell Jan 2010

Oral Delivery Of Bioencapsulated Coagulation Factor Ix Prevents Inhibitor Formation And Fatal Anaphylaxis In Hemophilia B Mice, Dheeraj Verma, Babak Moghimi, Paul A, Loduca, Harminder D. Singh, Brad E. Hoffman, Roland W. Herzog, Henry Daniell

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

To address complications of pathogenic antibody or life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in protein replacement therapy for patients with hemophilia or other inherited protein deficiencies, we have developed a prophylactic protocol using a murine hemophilia B model. Oral delivery of coagulation factor IX fused with cholera toxin beta-subunit (with or without a furin cleavage site; CTB-FFIX or CTB-FIX), expressed in chloroplasts (up to 3.8% soluble protein or 0.4 mg/g leaf tissue), bioencapsulated in plant cells, effectively blocked formation of inhibitory antibodies (undetectable or up to 100-fold less than controls). Moreover, this treatment eliminated fatal anaphylactic reactions that occurred after four to six …

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Climatic Variability Leads To Later Seasonal Flowering Of Floridian Plants, Betsy Von Holle, Yun Wei, David Nickerson Jan 2010

Climatic Variability Leads To Later Seasonal Flowering Of Floridian Plants, Betsy Von Holle, Yun Wei, David Nickerson

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Understanding species responses to global change will help predict shifts in species distributions as well as aid in conservation. Changes in the timing of seasonal activities of organisms over time may be the most responsive and easily observable indicator of environmental changes associated with global climate change. It is unknown how global climate change will affect species distributions and developmental events in subtropical ecosystems or if climate change will differentially favor nonnative species. Contrary to previously observed trends for earlier flowering onset of plant species with increasing spring temperatures from mid and higher latitudes, we document a trend for delayed …

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Neural Membrane Signaling Platforms, Ron Wallace Jan 2010

Neural Membrane Signaling Platforms, Ron Wallace

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Throughout much of the history of biology, the cell membrane was functionally defined as a semi-permeable barrier separating aqueous compartments, and an anchoring site for proteins. Little attention was devoted to its possible regulatory role in intracellular molecular processes and neuron electrical signaling. This article reviews the history of membrane studies and the current state of the art. Emphasis is placed on natural and artificial membrane studies of electric field effects on molecular organization, especially as these may relate to impulse propagation in neurons. Implications of these studies for new designs in artificial intelligence are briefly examined.

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Folate Receptor Targeting Silica Nanoparticle Probe For Two-Photon Fluorescence Bioimaging, Xuhua Wang, Sheng Yao, Hyo-Yang Ahn, Yuanwei Zhang, Mykhailo V. Bondar, Joseph A. Torres, Kevin D. Belfield Jan 2010

Folate Receptor Targeting Silica Nanoparticle Probe For Two-Photon Fluorescence Bioimaging, Xuhua Wang, Sheng Yao, Hyo-Yang Ahn, Yuanwei Zhang, Mykhailo V. Bondar, Joseph A. Torres, Kevin D. Belfield

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Narrow dispersity organically modified silica nanoparticles (SiNPs), diameter similar to 30 nm, entrapping a hydrophobic two-photon absorbing fluorenyl dye, were synthesized by hydrolysis of triethoxyvinylsilane and (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane in the nonpolar core of Aerosol-OT micelles. The surface of the SiNPs were functionalized with folic acid, to specifically deliver the probe to folate receptor (FR) over-expressing Hela cells, making these folate two-photon dye-doped SiNPs potential candidates as probes for two-photon fluorescence microscopy (2PFM) bioimaging. In vitro studies using FR over-expressing Hela cells and low FR expressing MG63 cells demonstrated specific cellular uptake of the functionalized nanoparticles. One-photon fluorescence microscopy (1PFM) imaging, …

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The Adaptive Function Of Masturbation In A Promiscuous African Ground Squirrel, Jane M. Waterman Jan 2010

The Adaptive Function Of Masturbation In A Promiscuous African Ground Squirrel, Jane M. Waterman

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Background: Studies of animal mating systems increasingly emphasize female multiple mating and cryptic sexual selection, particularly sperm competition. Males under intense sperm competition may manipulate sperm quantity and quality through masturbation, which could waste sperm and decrease fertility. I examined the factors influencing masturbation by male Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris) in light of a number of functional hypotheses. Methodology: Observational data on a marked population of squirrels were collected in east-central Namibia using scan and all-occurrences sampling. Findings: Masturbation was far more frequent on days of female oestrus and mostly occurred after copulation. Masturbation rates were higher in dominant …

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Nd:Yag-Co2 Double-Pulse Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Of Organic Films, Matthew Weidman, Matthieu Baudelet, Santiago Palanco, Michael Sigmann, Paul J. Dagdigian, Martin Richardson Jan 2010

Nd:Yag-Co2 Double-Pulse Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Of Organic Films, Matthew Weidman, Matthieu Baudelet, Santiago Palanco, Michael Sigmann, Paul J. Dagdigian, Martin Richardson

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) using double-pulse irradiation with Nd:YAG and CO2 lasers was applied to the analysis of a polystyrene film on a silicon substrate. An enhanced emission signal, compared to single-pulse LIBS using a Nd: YAG laser, was observed from atomic carbon, as well as enhanced molecular emission from C-2 and CN. This double-pulse technique was further applied to 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene residues, and enhanced LIBS signals for both atomic carbon and molecular CN emission were observed; however, no molecular C-2 emission was detected.

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Measurement Of Contractile Stress Generated By Cultured Rat Muscle On Silicon Cantilevers For Toxin Detection And Muscle Performance Enhancement, Kerry Wilson, Mainak Das, Kathryn J. Wahl, Richard J. Colton, James Hickman Jan 2010

Measurement Of Contractile Stress Generated By Cultured Rat Muscle On Silicon Cantilevers For Toxin Detection And Muscle Performance Enhancement, Kerry Wilson, Mainak Das, Kathryn J. Wahl, Richard J. Colton, James Hickman

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Background: To date, biological components have been incorporated into MEMS devices to create cell-based sensors and assays, motors and actuators, and pumps. Bio-MEMS technologies present a unique opportunity to study fundamental biological processes at a level unrealized with previous methods. The capability to miniaturize analytical systems enables researchers to perform multiple experiments in parallel and with a high degree of control over experimental variables for high-content screening applications. Methodology/Principal Findings: We have demonstrated a biological microelectromechanical system (BioMEMS) based on silicon cantilevers and an AFM detection system for studying the physiology and kinetics of myotubes derived from embryonic rat skeletal …

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Complete Chloroplast Genome Of Oncidium Gower Ramsey And Evaluation Of Molecular Markers For Identification And Breeding In Oncidiinae, Fu-Hui Wu, Ming-Tsair Chan, De-Chih Liao, Chen-Tran Hsu, Yi-Wei Lee, Henry Daniell, Melvin R. Duvall, Choun-Sea Lin Jan 2010

Complete Chloroplast Genome Of Oncidium Gower Ramsey And Evaluation Of Molecular Markers For Identification And Breeding In Oncidiinae, Fu-Hui Wu, Ming-Tsair Chan, De-Chih Liao, Chen-Tran Hsu, Yi-Wei Lee, Henry Daniell, Melvin R. Duvall, Choun-Sea Lin

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Background: Oncidium spp. produce commercially important orchid cut flowers. However, they are amenable to intergeneric and inter-specific crossing making phylogenetic identification very difficult. Molecular markers derived from the chloroplast genome can provide useful tools for phylogenetic resolution. Results: The complete chloroplast genome of the economically important Oncidium variety Onc. Gower Ramsey (Accession no. GQ324949) was determined using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger based ABI sequencing. The length of the Oncidium chloroplast genome is 146,484 bp. Genome structure, gene order and orientation are similar to Phalaenopsis, but differ from typical Poaceae, other monocots for which there are several published …

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Modeling And Simulation Of The Horizontal Component Of The Geomagnetic Field By Fractional Stochastic Differential Equations In Conjunction With Empirical Mode Decomposition, Zu-Guo Yu, Vo Anh, Yang Wang, Dong Mao, James Wanliss Jan 2010

Modeling And Simulation Of The Horizontal Component Of The Geomagnetic Field By Fractional Stochastic Differential Equations In Conjunction With Empirical Mode Decomposition, Zu-Guo Yu, Vo Anh, Yang Wang, Dong Mao, James Wanliss

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

In this paper, we investigate the characteristics and develop a stochastic model for the horizontal component B-x of the magnetic field at 22 stations of the global near-real-time magnetic observatory network INTERMAGNET. The model is in the form of a fractional stochastic differential equation. A method to estimate the parameters on the basis of observed data and to simulate the data using the model is given. The degree of fractional differentiation and the alpha-stability exponent of the process are employed to cluster the stations. The B-x time series possess pronounced local trends, which must be removed before modeling and simulation …

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A Cell-Permeable Stat3 Sh2 Domain Mimetic Inhibits Stat3 Activation And Induces Antitumor Cell Effects In Vitro, Wei Zhao, Soumya Jaganathan, James Turkson Jan 2010

A Cell-Permeable Stat3 Sh2 Domain Mimetic Inhibits Stat3 Activation And Induces Antitumor Cell Effects In Vitro, Wei Zhao, Soumya Jaganathan, James Turkson

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Given the role of constitutively active Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (Stat) 3 in human tumors, Stat3 inhibitors would be useful as novel therapeutics and as tools for probing Stat3-mediated tumor processes. We here in report that a 28-mer peptide, SPI, derived from the Stat3 SH2 domain, replicates Stat3 biochemical properties. Studies show SPI and Stat3 (or Stat3 SH2 domain) bind with similar affinities to known Stat3-binding phosphotyrosine (pY) peptide motifs, including those of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the high-affinity, IL-6R/gp130-derived pY-peptide, GpYLPQTV-NH(2). Consequently, SPI functions as a potent and selective inhibitor of Stat3 SH2 domain: …

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Rnamotifscan: Automatic Identification Of Rna Structural Motifs Using Secondary Structural Alignment, Cuncong Zhong, Haixu Tang, Shaojie Zhang Jan 2010

Rnamotifscan: Automatic Identification Of Rna Structural Motifs Using Secondary Structural Alignment, Cuncong Zhong, Haixu Tang, Shaojie Zhang

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Recent studies have shown that RNA structural motifs play essential roles in RNA folding and interaction with other molecules. Computational identification and analysis of RNA structural motifs remains a challenging task. Existing motif identification methods based on 3D structure may not properly compare motifs with high structural variations. Other structural motif identification methods consider only nested canonical base-pairing structures and cannot be used to identify complex RNA structural motifs that often consist of various non-canonical base pairs due to uncommon hydrogen bond interactions. In this article, we present a novel RNA structural alignment method for RNA structural motif identification, RNAMotifScan, …

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Autonomous Evolution Of Topographic Regularities In Artificial Neural Networks, Jason Gauci, Kenneth O. Stanley Jan 2010

Autonomous Evolution Of Topographic Regularities In Artificial Neural Networks, Jason Gauci, Kenneth O. Stanley

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Looking to nature as inspiration, for at least the past 25 years, researchers in the field of neuroevolution (NE) have developed evolutionary algorithms designed specifically to evolve artificial neural networks (ANNs). Yet the ANNs evolved through NE algorithms lack the distinctive characteristics of biological brains, perhaps explaining why NE is not yet a main-stream subject of neural computation. Motivated by this gap, this letter shows that when geometry is introduced to evolved ANNs through the hypercube-based neuroevolution of augmenting topologies algorithm, they begin to acquire characteristics that indeed are reminiscent of biological brains. That is, if the neurons in evolved …

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Comparative Analyses Of The Ultraviolet-B Flux Over The Continental United State Based On The Nasa Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer Data And Usda Ground-Based Measurements, Zhiqiang Gao, Wei Gao, Ni-Bin Chang Jan 2010

Comparative Analyses Of The Ultraviolet-B Flux Over The Continental United State Based On The Nasa Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer Data And Usda Ground-Based Measurements, Zhiqiang Gao, Wei Gao, Ni-Bin Chang

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

In recent years, the risk of health effects caused by the increased exposure to Ultraviolet-B (UVB) due to stratospheric ozone depletion has received wide attention. In the US, there are two ways to accurately measure the UVB. They include: 1) the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) Nimbus-7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS), and 2) the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) ground-based network. This paper compares these two sensors' data for the ultraviolet index (UVI) nationally and regionally to support possible public health, agricultural, and ecological analyses in the future. The major findings of our study are: 1) although …

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Critical Role For The Host Gtpase-Activating Protein Arap2 In Inlb-Mediated Entry Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Balramakrishna Gavicherla, Lisa Ritchey, Antonella Gianfelice, Andrey A. Kolokoltsov, Robert A. Davey, Keith Ireton Jan 2010

Critical Role For The Host Gtpase-Activating Protein Arap2 In Inlb-Mediated Entry Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Balramakrishna Gavicherla, Lisa Ritchey, Antonella Gianfelice, Andrey A. Kolokoltsov, Robert A. Davey, Keith Ireton

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

The bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes causes food-borne illnesses culminating in gastroenteritis, meningitis, or abortion. Listeria induces its internalization into some mammalian cells through binding of the bacterial surface protein InlB to the host receptor tyrosine kinase Met. Interaction of InlB with the Met receptor elicits host downstream signaling pathways that promote F-actin cytoskeletal changes responsible for pathogen engulfment. Here we show that the mammalian signaling protein ARAP2 plays a critical role in cytoskeletal remodeling and internalization of Listeria. Depletion of ARAP2 through RNA interference (RNAi) caused a marked inhibition of InlB-mediated F-actin rearrangements and bacterial entry. ARAP2 contains multiple functional …

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A Plasmodium Falciparum Transcriptional Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Related Kinase With A Crucial Role In Parasite Proliferation Associates With Histone Deacetylase Activity, Jean Halbert, Lawrence Ayong, Leila Equinet, Karine Le Roch, Mary Hardy, Dean Goldring, Luc Reininger, Norman Waters, Debopam Chakrabarti, Christian Doerig Jan 2010

A Plasmodium Falciparum Transcriptional Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Related Kinase With A Crucial Role In Parasite Proliferation Associates With Histone Deacetylase Activity, Jean Halbert, Lawrence Ayong, Leila Equinet, Karine Le Roch, Mary Hardy, Dean Goldring, Luc Reininger, Norman Waters, Debopam Chakrabarti, Christian Doerig

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) are key regulators of the eukaryotic cell cycle and of the eukaryotic transcription machinery. Here we report the characterization of Pfcrk-3 (Plasmodium falciparum CDK-related kinase 3; PlasmoDB identifier PFD0740w), an unusually large CDK-related protein whose kinase domain displays maximal homology to those CDKs which, in other eukaryotes, are involved in the control of transcription. The closest enzyme in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is BUR1 (bypass upstream activating sequence requirement 1), known to control gene expression through interaction with chromatin modification enzymes. Consistent with this, immunofluorescence data show that Pfcrk-3 colocalizes with histones. We show that recombinant Pfcrk-3 associates …

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A Blue Spectral Shift Of The Hemoglobin Soret Band Correlates With The Age (Time Since Deposition) Of Dried Bloodstains, Erin K. Hanson, Jack Ballantyne Jan 2010

A Blue Spectral Shift Of The Hemoglobin Soret Band Correlates With The Age (Time Since Deposition) Of Dried Bloodstains, Erin K. Hanson, Jack Ballantyne

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

The ability to determine the time since deposition of a bloodstain found at a crime scene could prove invaluable to law enforcement investigators, defining the time frame in which the individual depositing the evidence was present. Although various methods of accomplishing this have been proposed, none has gained widespread use due to poor time resolution and weak age correlation. We have developed a method for the estimation of the time since deposition (TSD) of dried bloodstains using UV-VIS spectrophotometric analysis of hemoglobin (Hb) that is based upon its characteristic oxidation chemistry. A detailed study of the Hb Soret band (lambda …

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Investigation Of The Behavior Of Serum And Plasma In A Microfluidics System, J. Caroline Henderson, Michele Yacopucci, Chang Ju Chun, Keith Lenghaus, Frank Sommerhage, James J. Hickman Jan 2010

Investigation Of The Behavior Of Serum And Plasma In A Microfluidics System, J. Caroline Henderson, Michele Yacopucci, Chang Ju Chun, Keith Lenghaus, Frank Sommerhage, James J. Hickman

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

There are common problems with adsorption of analytes on the surfaces of microfluidic systems with physiological samples such as blood serum, plasma, and urine. The authors' investigation involves the interaction of serum components with fused-silica surfaces under various flow regimes in microcapillaries. Their focus will include the individual components of serum as well as fresh whole serum. The authors studied the whole serum components in our microfluidic system to uncover the responses of proteins in capillary and microchannel surfaces when influenced by the highly variable serum constituents. They have observed the whole serum with a total protein assay by using …

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Multiplexed Biomarker Detection Using X-Ray Fluorescence Of Composition-Encoded Nanoparticles, Mainul Hossain, Chaoming Wang, Ming Su Jan 2010

Multiplexed Biomarker Detection Using X-Ray Fluorescence Of Composition-Encoded Nanoparticles, Mainul Hossain, Chaoming Wang, Ming Su

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

Multiple DNA and protein biomarkers have been detected based on characteristic x-ray fluorescence of a panel of metal and alloy nanoparticles, which are modified with ligands of biomarkers to create a one-to-one correspondence and immobilized on ligand-modified substrates after forming complexes with target biomarkers in three-strand or sandwich configuration. By determining the presence and concentration of nanoparticles using x-ray fluorescence, the nature and amount of biomarkers can be detected with limits of 1 nM for DNA and 1 ng/ml for protein. By combining high penetrating ability of x-rays, this method allows quantitative imaging of multiple biomarkers.

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Structural Morphology Of Acoustically Levitated And Heated Nanosilica Droplet, Ranganathan Kumar, Erick Tijerino, Abhishek Saha, Saptarshi Basu Jan 2010

Structural Morphology Of Acoustically Levitated And Heated Nanosilica Droplet, Ranganathan Kumar, Erick Tijerino, Abhishek Saha, Saptarshi Basu

Faculty Bibliography 2010s

We study the vaporization and precipitation dynamics of a nanosilica encapsulated water droplet by levitating it acoustically and heating it with a CO(2) laser. For all concentrations, we observe three phases: solvent evaporation, surface agglomeration, and precipitation leading to bowl or ring shaped structures. At higher concentrations, ring reorientation and rotation are seen consistently. The surface temperature from an infrared camera is seen to be dependent on the final geometrical shape of the droplet and its rotation induced by the acoustic field of the levitator. With nonuniform particle distribution, these structures can experience rupture which modifies the droplet rotational speed.

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