Digital Commons Network^™

2010 Fall - Schedule Of Classes, Office Of The Registrar, East Tennessee State University

Registration Resources

No abstract provided.

Kentucky Warbler (Vol. 86, No. 3), Kentucky Library Research Collections

The Kentucky Warbler

No abstract provided.

Intricacies Of Professional Certifications For Quality Management (Qm), Edmund R. Martelli

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The modern manufacturing marketplace is extremely complex and constantly changing. Career professionals often seek job placement, career advancement, and continuing education through professional certifications. Professional certifications in the United States (U.S.) have been evolving since 1911. In the 1950s, engineering groups established professional certifications and licenses. In the 1980s, administration of accreditation of certification programs proliferated, and by the 1990s, many government and professional organizations sought to standardize procedures for the industry. Currently, professional certifications are available for virtually every profession and issued by multitudes of organizations.

Quality management (QM) encompasses an extensive combination ofprofessional abilities. Providers of professional certifications …

Marital Behavior, Oxytocin, Vasopressin, And Wound Healing, Jean-Phillipe Gouin, Jeffrey R. Stowell, C. Sue Carter, Hossein Pournajafi-Nazarloo, Ronald Glasser, William B. Malarkey, Timothy J. Loving, Janice K. Kiecoltglaser

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Animal studies have implicated oxytocin and vasopressin in social bonding, physiological stress responses, and wound healing. In humans, endogenous oxytocin and vasopressin levels covary with perceptions of relationship quality, marital behaviors, and physiological stress responses. To investigate relationships among marital behavior, oxytocin, vasopressin, and wound healing, and to determine the characteristics of individuals with the highest neuropeptide levels, 37 couples were admitted for a 24-hour visit in a hospital research unit. After small blister wounds were created on their forearm, couples participated in a structured social support interaction task. Blister sites were monitored daily following discharge to assess wound repair …

Capuchins (Cebus Apella) Can Solve A Means-End Problem, Anna M. Yocom, Sarah T. Boysen

Sentience Collection

Three capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were tested on a 2-choice discrimination task designed to examine their knowledge of support, modeled after Hauser, Kralik, and Botto-Mahan’s (1999) experiments with tamarins. This task involved a choice between 2 pieces of cloth, including 1 with a food reward placed on its surface, and a second cloth with the food reward next to its surface. After reliably solving the basic problem, the capuchins were tested with various alternations of the original food reward and cloth. The capuchins were able to solve the initial task quickly, and generalize their knowledge to additional functional and nonfunctional …

Turning Crocodilian Hearts Into Bird Hearts: Growth Rates Are Similar For Alligators With And Without Right-To-Left Cardiac Shunt, John Eme, June Gwalthney, Tomasz Owerkowicz, Jason M. Blank, James W. Hicks

Biological Sciences

The functional and possible adaptive significance of non-avian reptiles’ dual aortic arch system and the ability of all non-avian reptiles to perform central vascular cardiac shunts have been of great interest to comparative physiologists. The unique cardiac anatomy of crocodilians – a four-chambered heart with the dual aortic arch system – allows for only right-to-left (R–L; pulmonary bypass) cardiac shunt and for surgical elimination of this shunt. Surgical removal of the R–L shunt, by occluding the left aorta (LAo) upstream and downstream of the foramen of Panizza, results in a crocodilian with an obligatory, avian/mammalian central circulation. In this study, …

Faculty Newsletter Fall 2010, University Of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries

Library Publications

No abstract provided.

N/C Terminal Relocation, Truncation, And Native Chemical Ligation; Accessing The Chromophore Of Green Fluorescent Protein, Eduard Hendrik Melief

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), from the jellyfish Aequorea Victoria, is a vital imaging tool in cellular and molecular biology. The p-hydroxybenzylidine imidazole chromophore is formed post-translationally within the beta-barrel protein from three centrally located amino acids; S65, Y66, and G67. In order to probe the mechanism of chromophore formation and facilitate the introduction of unnatural amino acids into the chromophore, a permutated variant of GFP was constructed in which the existing N- and C- termini of the protein are linked and a new N-terminus is created close to the tripeptide chromophore region. Spectroscopic studies demonstrate that this GFP variant …

Inferring Tumor Progression From Genomic Heterogeneity, Nicholas Earle Navin

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Cancer progression in humans is difficult to infer because we do not routinely sample patients at multiple stages of their disease. However, heterogeneous breast tumors provide a unique opportunity to study human tumor progression because they still contain evidence of early and intermediate subpopulations in the form of the phylogenetic relationships. We developed a method we call Sector-Ploidy-Profiling to study the clonal composition of breast tumors. SPP involves macro-dissecting tumors, flow-sorting genomic subpopulations by DNA content, and profiling genomes using comparative genomic hybridization. Breast carcinomas display two classes of genomic structural variation: (1) monogenomic and (2) polygenomic. Monogenomic tumors appear …

Where And When To Cut: Regulation Of Ercc1-Xpf Activity In Nucleotide Excision Repair, Barbara Orelli

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway deals with a wide variety of lesions caused by UV-light, environmental mutagens and chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin. Deficiencies in NER are associated with the hereditary disorder xeroderma pigmentosum, which is characterized by a more than 1000-fold increased incidence in skin cancer. NER involves more than 30 proteins that recognize the lesion, excise a DNA fragment containing the damage and restore the integrity of the double stranded DNA. The structure-specific endonuclease ERCC1-XPF plays a key role in NER and its activity is also required for other repair pathways, in particular interstrand crosslink (ICL) repair …

The Role Of Phosphatidic Acid In Pipki-Regulated Actin Reorganization, Akua Ntiamoah Roach

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Production and breakdown of certain phosphoinositides plays key roles in a variety of cellular processes. Among these, phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-phosphate (PIP ₂) is well known for its critical functions in membrane trafficking, cytoskeletal organization, and signal transduction. Type I phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase (PIPKI) is the main enzyme responsible for the synthesis of PIP₂. Although PIPKI activity is regulated by small G proteins and phosphatidic acid (PA), the contribution of these upstream regulators in actin cytoskeletal reorganization remains unclear. The binding region of some other PA-regulated proteins has been identified. From these, it appears that binding may either be direct …

A Common Telomeric Gene Silencing Assay Is Affected By Nucleotide Metabolism And The Dna Damage Response: Implications For The Role Of Pcna In Heterochromatin Formation., Marlies Petra Rossmann

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In budding yeast, telomere position effect variegation (TPEV) was discovered when prototrophic markers were placed near chromosome ends and was interpreted to reflect a reversible form of heterochromatin. Selection for or against these markers demonstrated roles for several proteins in telomeric heterochromatin formation; these include the SIR protein complex, chromatin assembly factors (CAF-1, Asf1), PCNA as a DNA replication factor as well as DNA damage checkpoint proteins. PCNA (POL30) in particular as a component of the core DNA replication machinery has been shown to link DNA replication to the inheritance of nucleosomes and was, by extension, proposed to help maintain …

Sequence Specific Inhibition Of Adenoviral Replication By The Aav Rep78 Orf, Varsha Sitaraman

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Hybrid Adenovirus/Adeno-associated viruses (Ad/AAV) combine the capacity, tropism and ease of production of Ad with AAV's ability for site-specific integration (SSI) into chromosome 19 AAVS1. The AAV Rep78 protein is required for SSI although it displays an inhibitory effect on Ad replication, particularly when co-expressed within the Ad backbone. However, strategies to construct an Ad/AAV focused on controlling Rep expression have met with limited success. We hypothesized that Rep's apparently cis-acting inhibitory effect on Ad replication could either be due to increased expression accompanying an increase in copy number, or due to a role for the sequence of the Rep …

Novel Spectroscopic Probes To Study Protein Folding, Humeyra Taskent

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Protein folding is one of the most important unsolved questions of structural biology because of the desire to understand the link between the primary sequence and structure. Proteins can fold on a microsecond to millisecond time scale. Fluorescence and IR spectroscopy are very important tools to follow these fast kinetic events, however, natural fluorescent groups in proteins, Tyr and Trp, are not perfect substitutions for most amino acids and new fluorescent probes are needed. In IR spectroscopy the signal from the protein backbone is used to follow protein dynamics. In an IR spectrum, broad and overlapping peaks are generally observed …

Enhanced Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography For Pathological And Functional Studies, Zhijia Yuan

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel technique that enables noninvasive or minimally invasive, cross-sectional imaging of biological tissue at sub-10æm spatial resolution and up to 2-3mm imaging depth. Numerous technological advances have emerged in recent years that have shown great potential to develop OCT into a powerful imaging and diagnostic tools. In particular, the implementation of Fourier-domain OCT (FDOCT) is a major step forward that leads to greatly improved imaging rate and image fidelity of OCT. This dissertation summarizes the work that focuses on enhancing the performances and functionalities of spectral radar based FDOCT (SDOCT) for pathological and functional …

Mechanism And Inhibition Studies Of Mene Mbti And Menf Three Potential Drug Targets Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis And Staphylococcus Aureus, Rong Zhou

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

A detailed understanding of the catalytic mechanism of enzyme drug targets is required to guide structure-based drug discovery. In my thesis research I have primarily focused on the catalytic mechanism and inhibition of MenE the OSB-CoA synthetase from three different organisms: M. tuberculosis, S. aureus and E. coli. MenE catalyzes the formation of OSB-CoA through a two step reaction that proceeds via acyl adenylate intermediate and utilizes ATP and CoA as cofactors. In chapter 2, I discuss the catalytic mechanism of MenE from S. aureus (saMenE) where steady state kinetics coupled with site-directed mutagenesis has been used to identify key …

The Impact Of Environmental Factors On The Physiology Of The Atlantic Surfclam, Spisula Solidissima, Jesse Hornstein

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The Atlantic surfclam supports a multi-million dollar fishery in New York. Between 2002 and 2008, surfclam abundance in New York State waters along the south shore of Long Island has decreased by 63% in biomass and 75% in the total number of clams. Population age structure has drastically shifted since 2002 indicating the lack of recruitment. Only 3% of the population was made up of clams that were 6 years old and younger in 2006, compared to 21% in 2002. In 2008, 15% of the population was composed of clams less than 6 years in age. It is hypothesized that …

The Role Of C1q In Regulation Of Monocyte To Dendritic Cell Differentiation: Implications In Autoimmunity, Kinga Hosszu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Growing evidence shows that the first component of complement, C1q, regulates the growth and function of cells committed to the monocyte-derived dendritic cell (DC) lineage. Because C1q regulates both innate and acquired immune responses, we postulated that C1q modulates the monocyte-DC transition at the earliest stages, i.e. at the interface between innate and acquired immunity. Our results corroborate this hypothesis and show that C1q modulates GM-CSF+IL4 induced DC differentiation, as evidenced by retention of CD14 and reduced expression of DC maturation markers and co-stimulatory molecules. C1q induced the development of at least two immature DC (iDC) subsets (CD14hiCD11chiCD16+/-). Moreover, C1q …

Inhibitors Of Amyloid Formation By Islet Amyloid Polypeptide, Fanling Meng

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Amyloid deposition is a characteristic component of many human diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes. Human islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP also known as amylin) is the major protein component of the pancreatic islet amyloid associated with type 2 diabetes. There is considerable interest in developing inhibitors of amyloid formation, both because of their obvious therapeutic potential but also because they can provide powerful tools for mechanistic studies. In this dissertation, peptide based inhibitors were rationally designed and a general strategy was developed whereby two moderate inhibitors of amyloid formation can be rationally selected via kinetic assays …

Protecting Inshore And Demersal Finfish Identification Of Critical Habitats For Juvenile Dhufish Workshop Report, Gabby E. Mitsopoulos, Brett W. Molony

Fisheries Research Reports

A Juvenile Dhufish Workshop was held at the Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories (WAFMRL) on 18th March 2010, which was the first component of a State Natural Resource Management (NRM) funded project entitled “Protecting Inshore and Demersal Finfish - Identification of Critical Habitats for Juvenile Dhufish”. The primary objective of the workshop was to provide a forum for discussion in order to compile all biological, ecological and anecdotal information on the early life history of dhufish, to create hypotheses of habitat requirements for juvenile dhufish and provide recommendations as to which sampling methods should be used to confirm …

Influence Of Financial And Policy Environments On The Business Strategy Of Biotechnology Companies In India, Sumesh Mohan Arora

Dissertations

The biotechnology industry thrives on innovation and new knowledge creation, but is also capital intensive with a complex regulatory environment (Hine and Kapeleris 2007). It is seen as a sunrise industry by the Indian government (Natesh and Bhan 2009). Current literature on the business strategy of Indian biotechnology companies and the influence from external factors is very limited. The objective of this research was to qualitatively test the applicability of the Miles and Snow (1978) theory of organizational behavior which describes four strategy choices: prospector, analyzer, defender and reactor, in the context of the Indian biotechnology sector. Research on Western …

Focus On Research, Patrick Hardigan

FOCUS On Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Neural Reuse As A Source Of Developmental Homology, David S. Moore, Chris Moore

Pitzer Faculty Publications and Research

Neural reuse theories should interest developmental psychologists because these theories can potentially illuminate the developmental relations among psychological characteristics observed across the lifespan. Characteristics that develop by exploiting pre-existing neural circuits can be thought of as developmental homologues. And, understood in this way, the homology concept that has proven valuable for evolutionary biologists can be used productively to study psychological/behavioral development.

Review Of The Exploitation Of Marine Resources Of The Australian Indian Ocean Territories: The Implications Of Biogeographic Isolation For Tropical Island Fisheries, Matthew Hourston

Fisheries Research Reports

The small islands of the Indian Ocean Territories are isolated reefs in an expanse of open ocean of abyssal depth. The majority of marine species that live on their reefs and lagoons have settled there from remote locations. Colonising individuals are presumed to have come to the island as the result of unusual weather and current conditions and form populations that are, necessarily, largely self-sustaining. The isolated populations that make up many of the fish and invertebrate stocks at the Cocos (Keeling) and Christmas Islands rely almost exclusively on larvae returning to their home reef to settle, grow and ultimately …

Walking On The Red Brick Path: A Portrait Of African-American Women's Experiences With The Built Environment Of A Predominantly White Institution, Stephanie L. Krusemark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“Space, like language, is socially constructed; and like the syntax of language, the spatial arrangements of our buildings and communities reflect and reinforce the nature of gender, race, and class relations in society” (Weisman, 1992, p. 2). While institutions of higher education have granted physical access to African-American women over the last 150 years, their presence on American campuses has not been readily reflected in the physical design of the walls within which they learn. In examining the historical foundations of institutions of higher education, we cannot deny institutions consciously embed their values and basic assumptions within their physical manifestation …

Learning And Serving: An Exploratory Action Research Case Study Of A Middle School Service Learning Curriculum Project, Georgina Levey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Service learning, a natural link between community service and standards-based education, encourages students to learn about themselves in the context of the world in which they live. In other words, service learning is a method of teaching that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools and communities, and integrating that service with established curricula or learning objectives (NYLC Service-Learning Glossary, 2005). Educational service activities can be done directly or indirectly and they can have a varying degree of “involvement” ranging from community service, community exploration, community action or advocacy and research. In this study, a service …

Neuroprotective Effects Of Anthocyanins On Neuronal Death Induced By Inhibition Of Bcl-2 And Oxidative Stress, Natalie A. Kelsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have devastating consequences to the afflicted patients. A major cellular pathophysiology underlying these diseases is mitochondrial oxidative stress (MOS) leading to neuronal death. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of a novel class of nutraceuticals, anthocyanins, against MOS-induced death in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Anthocyanins are natural antioxidants whose neuroprotective potential has yet to be examined in detail. Kuromanin and callistephin are anthocyanins derived from black rice and strawberries, respectively. Glutathione (GSH)-sensitive MOS and intrinsic apoptosis were induced in CGNs by the Bcl-2 inhibitor, HA14-1. Callistephin and …

Landmark Report (Vol. 28, No. 2), Kentucky Library Research Collections

Landmark Report

Newsletter published by the Landmark Association; this local group advocates the preservation, protection and maintenance of architectural, cultural and archaeological resources in Bowling Green and Warren County, Kentucky.

Willingness Of Individuals To Seek Mental Health Treatment: The Impact Of Gender And Parent Therapy Experience, Amanda Kristin Mcclure

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether parent therapy experience and gender influenced men's and women's attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment. Participants included 207 women and 212 men ages 18 to 30 years attending Western Kentucky University. Participants completed a demographics survey and the Inventory of Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Treatment. Results indicated that more favorable attitudes toward seeking mental health services were exhibited by participants who reported that a parent attended therapy. Additionally, a gender difference in attitudes toward mental health services was uncovered, in that women were found to display more positive attitudes toward …

The Mosaic Effect Habitat Fragmentation And Microhabitat Partitioning Among Three Wren Species In San Luis, Costa Rica, August 2010, Mackenzie Most

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Increasing human presence in previously forested areas leads to the alteration and fragmentation of habitats used by resident species of birds. In this study I examine the effects of a mosaic-like arrangement of habitat types on the abundances and distributions of three species of wrens, the House Wren (Troglodytes aedon), Plain Wren (Thryothorus modestus), and Rufous-and-white Wren (Thryothorbus rufalbus) to determine any resulting differences in abundances and distributions between species. I conducted visual and auditory observations of wrens during timed walks through four habitat types in the San Luis valley of Costa Rica including primary forests, secondary forests, disturbed home …